Erin Passons

In this episode, I speak with Erin Passons, the president and founder of Passons Consulting. She has spent her career helping business leaders, managers, and employees improve their performance and effectiveness. Erin works with a variety of organizations to create a Strengths-based approach to performance, leadership development, and team building, providing training and coaching in the areas of management effectiveness, employee engagement, and talent-based hiring. Her goal is to help people do what they do best, at work and in life.  Erin can be found at PassonsConsulting.com I'm happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact This episode was recorded on April 9, 2020.

In this episode, I speak with Erin Passons, the president and founder of Passons Consulting. She has spent her career helping business leaders, managers, and employees improve their performance and effectiveness. Erin works with a variety of organizations to create a Strengths-based approach to performance, leadership development, and team building, providing training and coaching in the areas of management effectiveness, employee engagement, and talent-based hiring. Her goal is to help people do what they do best, at work and in life.  Erin can be found at <a href="http://www.passonsconsulting.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PassonsConsulting.com</a> I'm happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at <a href="https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact</a> This episode was recorded on April 9, 2020.

Erin Passons on Working With Virtual Teams - Info for Business Owners During the COVID-19 Crisis Episode 3

In this episode, I discuss the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that was created as part of the CARES Act (Stimulus) to provide emergency relief to business owners during the coronavirus pandemic. Qualifying businesses are able to borrow up to 2.5x their average monthly payroll and 100% of the loan will be forgiven if the funds are properly applied. I'm happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact This episode was recorded on April 1, 2020.

In this episode, I discuss the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that was created as part of the CARES Act (Stimulus) to provide emergency relief to business owners during the coronavirus pandemic. Qualifying businesses are able to borrow up to 2.5x their average monthly payroll and 100% of the loan will be forgiven if the funds are properly applied. I'm happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at <a href="https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact</a> This episode was recorded on April 1, 2020.

What is the New PPP Business Emergency Loan? Info for Business Owners During the COVID-19 Crisis Episode 2

I'm going to be using the Products of the Mind podcast feed to provide information to business owners during the coronavirus - COVID-19 crisis. This is an introductory episode in which I explain the project and cover a few topics briefly. I speak in a bit more depth about the unemployment provisions of the CARES Act, also called the stimulus, which passed on Friday, March 27, 2020. Unemployment benefits now apply to certain self-employed people, which may provide some relief to small and solo business owners who were previously ineligible for unemployment. For a bit more of what's discussed in this episode, go to this blog post: https://lizerbramlaw.com/2020/03/27/what-can-business-owners-do/ I am happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact This episode was recorded on March 29, 2020.

I'm going to be using the Products of the Mind podcast feed to provide information to business owners during the coronavirus - COVID-19 crisis. This is an introductory episode in which I explain the project and cover a few topics briefly. I speak in a bit more depth about the unemployment provisions of the CARES Act, also called the stimulus, which passed on Friday, March 27, 2020. Unemployment benefits now apply to certain self-employed people, which may provide some relief to small and solo business owners who were previously ineligible for unemployment. For a bit more of what's discussed in this episode, go to this blog post: <a href="https://lizerbramlaw.com/2020/03/27/what-can-business-owners-do/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lizerbramlaw.com/2020/03/27/what-can-business-owners-do/</a> I am happy to use this podcast feed to answer, as best as I can, questions from business owners who are trying to navigate these challenges. You can contact me directly at <a href="https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://lizerbramlaw.com/contact</a> This episode was recorded on March 29, 2020.

Info for Business Owners During the COVID-19 Crisis Episode 1

Tyler Cowen

Today's guest is Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University.  Tyler Cowen's Page at GMU Tyler's blog, Marginal Revolution Tyler's most recent book The Complacent Class Take the quiz - How Complacent Are You?    Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Today's guest is Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University. <ul> <li><a href="https://economics.gmu.edu/people/tcowen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tyler Cowen's Page at GMU</a></li> <li>Tyler's blog, <a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marginal Revolution</a></li> <li>Tyler's most recent book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complacent-Class-Self-Defeating-Quest-American/dp/1250108691" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Complacent Class</a></li> <li>Take the quiz - <a href="http://tylercowen.com/complacent-class-quiz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How Complacent Are You?</a> </li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://lizerbramlaw.com/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes.</a> The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud!</a> This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Tyler Cowen on Complacency, Movies vs. TV, and Food

Allan McKay

Welcome to Episode 52 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Allan McKay, founder of Catastrophic FX. Allan has done visual effects for loads of blockbuster movies, including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Star Trek Into Darkness, 2012, Superman Returns, and Looper (a personal favorite of mine.) We talk about how a visual effect goes from conception to the final product that you see on screen, how the creative process works, and why visual effects production is moving all over the world. The latter topic is addressed in this recent New York Times article (which I reference in the interview) – there’s a race to the bottom which is costing lots of VFX artists their jobs, so we spend quite a bit of time talking this through. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 52 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Allan McKay, founder of Catastrophic FX. Allan has done visual effects for loads of blockbuster movies, including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Star Trek Into Darkness, 2012, Superman Returns, and Looper (a personal favorite of mine.) We talk about how a visual effect goes from conception to the final product that you see on screen, how the creative process works, and why visual effects production is moving all over the world. The latter topic is addressed in this recent New York Times article (which I reference in the interview) – there’s a race to the bottom which is costing lots of VFX artists their jobs, so we spend quite a bit of time talking this through. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Visual Effects Artist Allan McKay Makes Robots Fight for Your Enjoyment

Paul Bloom

Welcome to Episode 51 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Paul Bloom, the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. We talk about his recent book  Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion. Paul Bloom can be found on Twitter @paulbloomatyale Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 51 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Paul Bloom, the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. We talk about his recent book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Against-Empathy-Case-Rational-Compassion/dp/0062339338" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion</a>. Paul Bloom can be found on Twitter @<a href="https://twitter.com/paulbloomatyale" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulbloomatyale</a> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes.</a> The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2017 David Lizerbram

Paul Bloom Asks “Is Empathy Really All That Good?”

This is a short episode in which I explain why I'm putting the show on pause for a bit, allude to future plans, and take a moment to thank everyone who's been a guest, a listener, or otherwise helped this show be such a successful creative endeavor. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

This is a short episode in which I explain why I'm putting the show on pause for a bit, allude to future plans, and take a moment to thank everyone who's been a guest, a listener, or otherwise helped this show be such a successful creative endeavor. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Holiday Hiatus

Lori Steele Contorer

Welcome to Episode 49 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Lori Steele Contorer, Founder-CEO of Everyone Counts, an electronic voting company. Lori went from knowing nothing about the voting process to founding a company dedicated to making voting easier, more secure, and more transparent. How does paper voting actually work, and what are the downsides of the traditional methods? How did Lori learn everything she needed to know to start this business? How do you convince risk-averse bureaucrats to sign on with your electronic voting startup? Most of us just go to the polls and don’t give much though to what happens after you turn in your ballot and get your sticker. In this episode, we learn all the secrets of the voting process. Find out more about Lori Steele Contorer and Everyone Counts at EveryoneCounts.com. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 49 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Lori Steele Contorer, Founder-CEO of Everyone Counts, an electronic voting company. Lori went from knowing nothing about the voting process to founding a company dedicated to making voting easier, more secure, and more transparent. How does paper voting actually work, and what are the downsides of the traditional methods? How did Lori learn everything she needed to know to start this business? How do you convince risk-averse bureaucrats to sign on with your electronic voting startup? Most of us just go to the polls and don’t give much though to what happens after you turn in your ballot and get your sticker. In this episode, we learn all the secrets of the voting process. Find out more about Lori Steele Contorer and Everyone Counts at <a href="http://www.everyonecounts.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EveryoneCounts.com</a>. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Election Special - Electronic Voting with Lori Steele Contorer of Everyone Counts

Stu Rees

 Welcome to Episode 48 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with cartoonist, lawyer, and advocate Stu Rees. “Everyone knows in their heart of hearts that they shouldn’t, but they use the words ‘fair use’ as a defense in their own mind.” This episode further explores copyright law and fair use issues with lawyer and cartoonist Stu Rees. As a practicing lawyer and professional cartoonist, Stu has much to say on the issue of copyright law, fair use, and artists’ rights. Stu began his legal career investigating the contracts between newspaper cartoonists and major print syndicates, and his passion for protecting up-and-coming artists’ rights is stronger than ever. We talk about copyright law and fair use as it applies to cartoonists and artists in general. We even do a little bit of “fair use roleplay” while we discuss the use of online images. Like previous entrepreneurial guests, Stu basically created his own path by “filling a void” that was needed in the marketplace, so he’ll fill us in on that journey as well. We also talk about: length of copyright; public domain; Disney’s copyright protection of Mickey Mouse; copyright law and digital media; and whether or not copyright protects the needs of up-and-coming artists.    Stu’s legal website Stu’s cartoon website  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 48 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with cartoonist, lawyer, and advocate Stu Rees. “Everyone knows in their heart of hearts that they shouldn’t, but they use the words ‘fair use’ as a defense in their own mind.” This episode further explores copyright law and fair use issues with lawyer and cartoonist Stu Rees. As a practicing lawyer and professional cartoonist, Stu has much to say on the issue of copyright law, fair use, and artists’ rights. Stu began his legal career investigating the contracts between newspaper cartoonists and major print syndicates, and his passion for protecting up-and-coming artists’ rights is stronger than ever. We talk about copyright law and fair use as it applies to cartoonists and artists in general. We even do a little bit of “fair use roleplay” while we discuss the use of online images. Like previous entrepreneurial guests, Stu basically created his own path by “filling a void” that was needed in the marketplace, so he’ll fill us in on that journey as well. We also talk about: length of copyright; public domain; Disney’s copyright protection of Mickey Mouse; copyright law and digital media; and whether or not copyright protects the needs of up-and-coming artists. <ul> <li>Stu’s legal <a href="http://stureeslaw.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a></li> <li>Stu’s cartoon <a href="http://stus.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Cartoonist & Lawyer Stu Rees

Anya Marina

Welcome to Episode 47 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with singer-songwriter Anya Marina. We’ll hear how writing songs in middle school ultimately led to hosting radio shows and hearing her songs on hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy. Anya fills us in on singing for different bands, smoking cloves outside the coffee shop, and a little bit about the attempt to write a memoir. Although the memoir may not have worked out, the music career did. Anya is very open about the ups and downs of her life and the practical realities of surviving as a well-known but non-superstar artist. How does she go from project to project, and what’s next for this talented musician? Bonus: stick around for the end to enjoy a song from Anya’s latest album, Paper Plane: “Ordinary Dude.” This and so much more with Anya Marina. Links from today’s episode:  Anya is @anyamarina on Twitter Anya’s site Swami Sound System Patreon Anya’s song Shut Up on YouTube Anya’s song Orinary Dude on YouTube  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 47 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with singer-songwriter Anya Marina. We’ll hear how writing songs in middle school ultimately led to hosting radio shows and hearing her songs on hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy. Anya fills us in on singing for different bands, smoking cloves outside the coffee shop, and a little bit about the attempt to write a memoir. Although the memoir may not have worked out, the music career did. Anya is very open about the ups and downs of her life and the practical realities of surviving as a well-known but non-superstar artist. How does she go from project to project, and what’s next for this talented musician? Bonus: stick around for the end to enjoy a song from Anya’s latest album, Paper Plane: “Ordinary Dude.” This and so much more with Anya Marina. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li>Anya is @<a href="https://twitter.com/anyamarina" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">anyamarina</a> on Twitter</li> <li>Anya’s <a href="http://anyamarina.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">site</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.slacker.com/station/swami-sound-system" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Swami Sound System</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.patreon.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a></li> <li>Anya’s song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgG6eQUggT8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shut Up</a> on YouTube</li> <li>Anya’s song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXsNqB2h_5I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Orinary Dude</a> on YouTube</li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Unstoppable Singer-Songwriter Anya Marina

Business law strategist David Lizerbram hosts Products of the Mind, a podcast about the intersection of business and creativity. This show includes tips and lessons about business law strategy, how to protect your brands and business assets, and conversations with thought leaders in startups, entrepreneurship, media, marketing, the creative arts, and beyond. Whether you’re a serial entrepreneur or small business owner, a creative professional, or an innovator in any field, the Products of the Mind podcast is here to provide you with tools, guidance, and inspiration.

Dry humor, not shoveling things down your throat . What a podcast should be.

Great

Love this podcast and how they incorporated business with creativity.

Business with a creative twist

Products of the Mind: A Conversation About the Intersection of Business + Creativity

Tamler Sommers

Welcome to Episode 45 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with University of Houston philosophy professor and author Tamler Sommers. “People within honor cultures are very concerned about how they’re perceived within their group…They have certain emotions like pride and shame, that are more highly attuned to the perceptions of other people and where they stand.” Today we get philosophical with Tamler Sommers. Tamler is Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Houston, specializing in moral philosophy. Tamler also hosts the podcast Very Bad Wizards, a psychological and philosophical discussion of human nature (and other interesting topics)(with a lot of dirty jokes, if you’re into that kind of thing.) And, finally, he’s the author of A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain, a collection of interviews Tamler did with philosophers and psychologists. If you like this episode, the book will be right up your alley. Today’s episode takes us to the philosophic discussion of free will and moral responsibility. What kind of creatures must we be in order to be fully responsible for our actions? Does the ability to deliberate, plan, and act make us morally responsible? Is there a non-material “will” that governs our actions, or is everything in the universe made of physical “stuff?” We’ll also talk about Tamler’s current research topic: honor culture. Here we’ll learn about the role of honor in shaping particular cultures, as well as how honor is less revered in some cultures (like the U.S.). Do cultures suffer from a lack of honor? Can the value and importance of honor help shape a culture or society in a more positive way? How can these lessons be applied to businesses operating in the real world? We’ll also talk about modern academia; analytic philosophy versus continental philosophy; religion, and Orthodox Judaism. Links from today’s episode:  Tamler is @tamler on Twitter Tamler’s podcast is Very Bad Wizards Tamler’s book:  A Very Bad Wizard  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 45 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with University of Houston philosophy professor and author Tamler Sommers. “People within honor cultures are very concerned about how they’re perceived within their group…They have certain emotions like pride and shame, that are more highly attuned to the perceptions of other people and where they stand.” Today we get philosophical with Tamler Sommers. Tamler is Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Houston, specializing in moral philosophy. Tamler also hosts the podcast Very Bad Wizards, a psychological and philosophical discussion of human nature (and other interesting topics)(with a lot of dirty jokes, if you’re into that kind of thing.) And, finally, he’s the author of A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain, a collection of interviews Tamler did with philosophers and psychologists. If you like this episode, the book will be right up your alley. Today’s episode takes us to the philosophic discussion of free will and moral responsibility. What kind of creatures must we be in order to be fully responsible for our actions? Does the ability to deliberate, plan, and act make us morally responsible? Is there a non-material “will” that governs our actions, or is everything in the universe made of physical “stuff?” We’ll also talk about Tamler’s current research topic: honor culture. Here we’ll learn about the role of honor in shaping particular cultures, as well as how honor is less revered in some cultures (like the U.S.). Do cultures suffer from a lack of honor? Can the value and importance of honor help shape a culture or society in a more positive way? How can these lessons be applied to businesses operating in the real world? We’ll also talk about modern academia; analytic philosophy versus continental philosophy; religion, and Orthodox Judaism. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li>Tamler is <a href="https://twitter.com/tamler" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tamler</a> on Twitter</li> <li>Tamler’s podcast is <a href="http://verybadwizards.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Very Bad Wizards</a></li> <li>Tamler’s book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Very-Bad-Wizard-Morality-Curtain/dp/193478138X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Very Bad Wizard</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

What Does a Philosopher Actually Do? With Tamler Sommers

Welcome to Episode 44 of Products of the Mind. In this episode, I provide a brief intro to Trade Secret law. This Episode Includes  A definition of Trade Secrets. Description of “Negative” Trade Secrets. How long do Trade Secrets last? Legal protection for Trade Secrets. How do you file a Trade Secret? (Spoiler: you don’t.) How to protect Trade Secrets. What happens when a Trade Secret is breached? Trade secret licensing.  If there was anything in this episode that wasn’t perfectly clear, or something you’d like me to expand on, please let me know. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. As always, the music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 44 of Products of the Mind. In this episode, I provide a brief intro to Trade Secret law. This Episode Includes <ul> <li>A definition of Trade Secrets.</li> <li>Description of “Negative” Trade Secrets.</li> <li>How long do Trade Secrets last?</li> <li>Legal protection for Trade Secrets.</li> <li>How do you file a Trade Secret? (Spoiler: you don’t.)</li> <li>How to protect Trade Secrets.</li> <li>What happens when a Trade Secret is breached?</li> <li>Trade secret licensing.</li> </ul> If there was anything in this episode that wasn’t perfectly clear, or something you’d like me to expand on, please let me know. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. As always, the music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

What Is a Trade Secret?

Tony Kim

Welcome to Episode 43 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Comic-Con fan, blogger, fashion designer for Hero Within, and foster parent Tony Kim. “Ultimately we believe that everyone has a hero within themselves. We all have the capacity to lead and inspire and save, and to be a source of inspiration for others.” Tony talks about growing up, and his relationship with comic-book superheroes. We get first-hand insight into the unique personal and cultural identity issues associated with minorities who “go nerd.” Tony talks about how his identity issues strengthened his relationship with comics, drove him toward his current successes, and reinforced his beliefs. We’ll also discuss the Comic-Con culture and how it has changed over the years; bloggers; the need for heroes; fostering and adoption; and the fascinating relationship between orphans and superheroes. Since being a parent and full time Comic-Con supporter was not enough for Tony, he’ll also tell us his inspiration for Hero Within, his new hero-inspired clothing line for men. This and more on today’s fun chat with Tony Kim. Links from today’s episode:  Hero Within Store Tony’s Blog Tony is @Crazy4ComicCon on Twitter Tony’s brand is @HeroWithinInc on Twitter and herowithininc on Instagram &amp; Facebook  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind!  If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page.  Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one.  Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.  Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes.  The Credits  Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi.  The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris.  The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud!  This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 43 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Comic-Con fan, blogger, fashion designer for Hero Within, and foster parent Tony Kim. “Ultimately we believe that everyone has a hero within themselves. We all have the capacity to lead and inspire and save, and to be a source of inspiration for others.” Tony talks about growing up, and his relationship with comic-book superheroes. We get first-hand insight into the unique personal and cultural identity issues associated with minorities who “go nerd.” Tony talks about how his identity issues strengthened his relationship with comics, drove him toward his current successes, and reinforced his beliefs. We’ll also discuss the Comic-Con culture and how it has changed over the years; bloggers; the need for heroes; fostering and adoption; and the fascinating relationship between orphans and superheroes. Since being a parent and full time Comic-Con supporter was not enough for Tony, he’ll also tell us his inspiration for Hero Within, his new hero-inspired clothing line for men. This and more on today’s fun chat with Tony Kim. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="https://herowithinstore.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hero Within Store</a></li> <li>Tony’s <a href="https://crazy4comiccon.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blog</a></li> <li>Tony is <a href="https://twitter.com/Crazy4ComicCon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Crazy4ComicCon</a> on Twitter</li> <li>Tony’s brand is <a href="https://twitter.com/HeroWithinInc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@HeroWithinInc</a> on Twitter and herowithininc on Instagram &amp; Facebook</li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind!  If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page.  Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one.  Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.  <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>.  The Credits  Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi.  The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris.  The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>!  This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Bringing Pop Culture to Menswear with Tony Kim of Hero Within

Andrea Letamendi

Welcome to Episode 42 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with clinical psychologist, cosplay enthusiast, and life-long Batman fan: Dr. Andrea Letamendi. “It’s important for us to see mental health representation from the point of a superhero experiencing that psychological struggle, but also from the perspective of mental health providers who could be demonstrating an accurate and positive portrayal of mental health delivery." Today’s talk is with clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi. Andrea is not merely a psychologist; she’s a lover of all things comics and superheroes, a cosplay enthusiast, and a tremendous resource into the mind of a superhero. Andrea discusses a number of interesting topics related to identity, the ego, mental health, and trauma. Her experience and training as a mental health professional allow her to make psychoanalytic insights into the lives of people and fictitious characters alike. Just as in the real world, the superhero world has a psychological side-story that may not always be accessible or identifiable; and Andrea helps us get into the mind of superheroes and people alike. Andrea touches on questions such as: What goes on in the mind of a cosplayer? Do superheroes experience trauma and how do they deal with them? What kind of identify conflicts do real people and superheroes experience? Do we properly balance our different identities or do our different identities meld to form our true selves? We’ll also talk a bit about podcasting, Comic-Con, and how Andrea made her way into an issue of Batgirl. Links from today’s episode:  Andrea’s site Andrea’s podcast Andrea is @ArkhamAsylumDoc on Twitter  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 42 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with clinical psychologist, cosplay enthusiast, and life-long Batman fan: Dr. Andrea Letamendi. “It’s important for us to see mental health representation from the point of a superhero experiencing that psychological struggle, but also from the perspective of mental health providers who could be demonstrating an accurate and positive portrayal of mental health delivery." Today’s talk is with clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi. Andrea is not merely a psychologist; she’s a lover of all things comics and superheroes, a cosplay enthusiast, and a tremendous resource into the mind of a superhero. Andrea discusses a number of interesting topics related to identity, the ego, mental health, and trauma. Her experience and training as a mental health professional allow her to make psychoanalytic insights into the lives of people and fictitious characters alike. Just as in the real world, the superhero world has a psychological side-story that may not always be accessible or identifiable; and Andrea helps us get into the mind of superheroes and people alike. Andrea touches on questions such as: What goes on in the mind of a cosplayer? Do superheroes experience trauma and how do they deal with them? What kind of identify conflicts do real people and superheroes experience? Do we properly balance our different identities or do our different identities meld to form our true selves? We’ll also talk a bit about podcasting, Comic-Con, and how Andrea made her way into an issue of <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/characters/batgirl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Batgirl</a>. Links from today’s episode: <ul> <li>Andrea’s <a href="http://www.underthemaskonline.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">site</a></li> <li>Andrea’s <a href="http://www.underthemaskonline.com/the-arkham-sessions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">podcast</a></li> <li>Andrea is <a href="https://twitter.com/ArkhamAsylumDoc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ArkhamAsylumDoc</a> on Twitter</li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Superhero Psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi

Charles Brownstein

Welcome to Episode 41 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. “It’s important to be able to disagree and offend…Its more important to have the opportunity to be wrong or to have the opportunity to be offended than to go through life where nothing challenges or nothing has a rough edge. “ Free speech and censorship are the topics of today’s episode. Charle has been the Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) since 2002. Charles gives us some background on how and when he became interested in both comics and free-speech issues, beginning in childhood with movies like Pump up the Volume and Batman (1989). Charles discusses growing up in the 90’s, and interviewing artists such as Frank Miller, Alan Moore, and Will Eisner for a magazine he published in high school. Most of this interview focuses on the problem of censorship, and how First Amendment rights are at risk as a result of print-media protests. We’ll discuss a number of historic free-speech cases from the last 20 years, and Charles will talk about the importance of protecting speech rights regardless of how a piece of art makes someone feel. Charles covers vulgarity in comic books, school library books of “sensitive nature,” and why Manga is not child pornography. Lastly, we discuss the “chilling effect” or the psychological impact censoring acts have on artists and art culture, and the importance of protecting free speech at all costs. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode:  Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) Lenny Bruce ACLU Director  remembers Burt Joseph CBLDF article covering  Zap Comix lawsuit A Short History of Comics Censorship This One Summer  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 41 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. “It’s important to be able to disagree and offend…Its more important to have the opportunity to be wrong or to have the opportunity to be offended than to go through life where nothing challenges or nothing has a rough edge. “ Free speech and censorship are the topics of today’s episode. Charle has been the Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) since 2002. Charles gives us some background on how and when he became interested in both comics and free-speech issues, beginning in childhood with movies like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pump up the Volume</a> and Batman (1989). Charles discusses growing up in the 90’s, and interviewing artists such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Miller_%28comics%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frank Miller</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moore" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alan Moore</a>, and <a href="http://www.willeisner.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Will Eisner</a> for a magazine he published in high school. Most of this interview focuses on the problem of censorship, and how First Amendment rights are at risk as a result of print-media protests. We’ll discuss a number of historic free-speech cases from the last 20 years, and Charles will talk about the importance of protecting speech rights regardless of how a piece of art makes someone feel. Charles covers vulgarity in comic books, school library books of “sensitive nature,” and why <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manga</a> is not child pornography. Lastly, we discuss the “chilling effect” or the psychological impact censoring acts have on artists and art culture, and the importance of protecting free speech at all costs. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://cbldf.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF)</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenny_Bruce" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lenny Bruce</a></li> <li>ACLU Director <a href="https://www.aclu.org/executive-director-colleen-k-connell-remembers-burt-joseph?redirect=organization-news-and-highlights/executive-director-colleen-k-connell-remembers-burt-joseph" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> remembers Burt Joseph</a></li> <li>CBLDF article covering <a href="http://cbldf.org/about-us/case-files/obscenity-case-files/obscenity-case-files-people-of-new-york-v-kirkpatrick-zap-comix-4/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Zap Comix lawsuit</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theroc.org/roc-mag/textarch/roc-19/roc19-18.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Short History of Comics Censorship</a></li> <li><a href="http://jilliantamaki.com/books/this-one-summer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This One Summer</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Fighting for Free Speech with Charles Brownstein of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

Elizabeth Macbride

Welcome to Episode 40 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with journalist and world traveler Elizabeth MacBride.  “I remember landing in Amman, Jordan and just being amazed at how beautiful it was and how friendly the people were, and that is something that holds true across the Middle East; it’s beautiful and the people are nice.“ Today’s discussion is with journalist and writer Elizabeth MacBride. Elizabeth talks about the progression of her journalism career; beginning with how covering the Amish in Lancaster, Pennsylvania led her to a life-changing trip to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in 1997. Elizabeth also shares some of her more visceral journalism experiences such as reporting on persecuted Marsh Arabs and visiting hospitals in Bagdad where cancer medicine was banned by Saddam Hussein as a response to political and economic sanctions. After being exposed to the beauty of the Middle East, Elizabeth began focusing more on marginalized and minority groups and how these groups are a rising entrepreneurial force. Elizabeth writes extensively on Middle Eastern economics and entrepreneurship, and we’ll discuss a few of her findings in this interview including a  report on women refugee entrepreneurs in post-Arab Spring cultures. We’ll also hear about the role of dignity in entrepreneurship, the Iranian economy, overcoming market challenges for entrepreneurs, and how political and economic challenges (such as sanctions) shape entrepreneurship and vice-versa. This and more today with Elizabeth MacBride. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode:  Elizabeth’s site Elizabeth’s articles for The Atlantic  Seven Reasons Iran could become an Entrepreneurial Powerhouse Elizabeth’s page on Forbes.com Rumi Petra, Jordan  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 40 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with journalist and world traveler Elizabeth MacBride. “I remember landing in Amman, Jordan and just being amazed at how beautiful it was and how friendly the people were, and that is something that holds true across the Middle East; it’s beautiful and the people are nice.“ Today’s discussion is with journalist and writer Elizabeth MacBride. Elizabeth talks about the progression of her journalism career; beginning with how covering the Amish in Lancaster, Pennsylvania led her to a life-changing trip to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in 1997. Elizabeth also shares some of her more visceral journalism experiences such as reporting on persecuted Marsh Arabs and visiting hospitals in Bagdad where cancer medicine was banned by Saddam Hussein as a response to political and economic sanctions. After being exposed to the beauty of the Middle East, Elizabeth began focusing more on marginalized and minority groups and how these groups are a rising entrepreneurial force. Elizabeth writes extensively on Middle Eastern economics and entrepreneurship, and we’ll discuss a few of her findings in this interview including a <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/31/post-arab-spring-egypts-economy-took-off.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> report on women refugee entrepreneurs in post-Arab Spring cultures</a>. We’ll also hear about the role of dignity in entrepreneurship, the Iranian economy, overcoming market challenges for entrepreneurs, and how political and economic challenges (such as sanctions) shape entrepreneurship and vice-versa. This and more today with Elizabeth MacBride. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode: <ul> <li>Elizabeth’s <a href="http://www.elizabethmacbride.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">site</a></li> <li>Elizabeth’s <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/author/elizabeth-macbride/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">articles</a> for The Atlantic</li> <li><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2016/04/30/seven-reasons-iran-is-likely-to-be-an-entrepreneurial-powerhouse/#659ea4ee6391" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Seven Reasons Iran could become an Entrepreneurial Powerhouse</a></li> <li>Elizabeth’s <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/#c3ebdd971c0c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">page</a> on <a href="http://Forbes.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Forbes.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rumi</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Petra, Jordan</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Entrepreneurship Across the Middle East with Elizabeth MacBride

Welcome to Episode 38 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with artist and singer/front man for the Cholo Goth band Prayers, Leafar Sayer. “I’m the type of person that lives multiple realities simultaneously…I’ve been able to adapt in a way that’s not false, it’s authentic and it’s real. “ Stories of the lives of artists are always interesting, and today’s story is no exception. I sat down with Leafar Sayer: author, singer, restaurant owner, and gang-member. Leafar describes his childhood in Sherman Heights San Diego, and how he joined a street gang in order to save his dad’s life. He also gives us privileged insight to gang culture, and how the culture and structure shapes its members. Leafar also recalls his life of trauma and how it helped solidify his love for (and shape his path towards) the arts. Leafar discusses the role of art and music in his journey. We also hear about his influences and how he helped create the genre known as Cholo Goth. We’ll hear about the success of Prayers; Leafar’s love and admiration for his bandmate Dave Parley; and about how Leafar manages to successfully lead so many different artistic and entrepreneurial lives. This and much more on today’s episode with Leafar Sayer. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode:  Pokez Restaurant Pet Shop Boys cdbaby Ian Astbury Black Leather video by Prayers, featuring Kat Von D Cholo Goth  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 38 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with artist and singer/front man for the Cholo Goth band <a href="http://www.chologoth.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Prayers</a>, Leafar Sayer. “I’m the type of person that lives multiple realities simultaneously…I’ve been able to adapt in a way that’s not false, it’s authentic and it’s real. “ Stories of the lives of artists are always interesting, and today’s story is no exception. I sat down with Leafar Sayer: author, singer, restaurant owner, and gang-member. Leafar describes his childhood in Sherman Heights San Diego, and how he joined a street gang in order to save his dad’s life. He also gives us privileged insight to gang culture, and how the culture and structure shapes its members. Leafar also recalls his life of trauma and how it helped solidify his love for (and shape his path towards) the arts. Leafar discusses the role of art and music in his journey. We also hear about his influences and how he helped create the genre known as Cholo Goth. We’ll hear about the success of Prayers; Leafar’s love and admiration for his bandmate Dave Parley; and about how Leafar manages to successfully lead so many different artistic and entrepreneurial lives. This and much more on today’s episode with Leafar Sayer. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://pokezrestaurant.com/menu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pokez</a> Restaurant</li> <li><a href="http://petshopboys.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pet Shop Boys</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cdbaby</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Astbury" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ian Astbury</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnA_ADv9J_8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Black Leather</a> video by Prayers, featuring Kat Von D</li> <li><a href="https://www.wearemitu.com/mitu-world/prayers-cholo-goth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cholo Goth</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Leafar Sayer of Prayers: From Gang Member to Cholo Goth Rock Star

Ben Lindbergh

Sam Miller

Welcome to Episode 37 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with baseball writers, podcasters, and temporary professional baseball team overlords Ben Lindbergh &amp; Sam Miller. Ben and Sam are the authors of  The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team. Their book tells the story of how two Internet-based baseball writers ended up running the Sonoma Stompers, an independent league professional baseball team. It turns out that their book is about a lot more than baseball. In this interview, Ben and Sam tell us some of what they learned about management, team building, and how to convince a room full of skeptical people to try out some unorthodox ideas. They also talk about how one of their games made national news and ended up being memorialized in the Baseball Hall of Fame after a pitcher they’d signed, Sean Conroy, became the first active pro ballplayer to come out as gay. Plus: life in the politically incorrect environment of a baseball clubhouse, how much of the 2009 Yankees’ World Championship Ben attributes to his efforts as an intern for the team (spoiler: not much), and were they afraid their book was going to suck? Links and notable mentions from today’s episode:  The book’s website, with previews, photos, video, and all kinds of bonus material. Ben Lindbergh is @benlindbergh on Twitter Sam Miller is @sammillerbp on Twitter  Here’s the iTunes link for their daily baseball podcast, Effectively Wild The Sonoma Stompers website  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 37 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with baseball writers, podcasters, and temporary professional baseball team overlords Ben Lindbergh &amp; Sam Miller. Ben and Sam are the authors of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Only-Rule-Has-Work-Experiment/dp/1627795642" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team</a>. Their book tells the story of how two Internet-based baseball writers ended up running the Sonoma Stompers, an independent league professional baseball team. It turns out that their book is about a lot more than baseball. In this interview, Ben and Sam tell us some of what they learned about management, team building, and how to convince a room full of skeptical people to try out some unorthodox ideas. They also talk about how one of their games made national news and ended up being memorialized in the Baseball Hall of Fame after a pitcher they’d signed, Sean Conroy, became the first active pro ballplayer to come out as gay. Plus: life in the politically incorrect environment of a baseball clubhouse, how much of the 2009 Yankees’ World Championship Ben attributes to his efforts as an intern for the team (spoiler: not much), and were they afraid their book was going to suck? Links and notable mentions from today’s episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.theonlyruleisithastowork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The book’s website, with previews, photos, video, and all kinds of bonus material</a>.</li> <li>Ben Lindbergh is @<a href="https://twitter.com/BenLindbergh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">benlindbergh</a> on Twitter</li> <li>Sam Miller is @<a href="https://twitter.com/sammillerbp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sammillerbp</a> on Twitter</li> <li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/effectively-wild-daily-baseball/id545919715" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Here’s the iTunes link for their daily baseball podcast, Effectively Wild</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.stompersbaseball.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sonoma Stompers website</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

How Ben Lindbergh & Sam Miller Got to Run a Pro Baseball Team

Susie Ghahremani

Welcome to Episode 36 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with artist Susie Ghahremani. “I remember most being afraid about the idea of living with other people…You spend a lot of time alone if you’re an artist because that’s what’s required to make things, you have to spend time alone. So the idea being around other people and so many people 24-hour days in a dorm context was terrifying to me.” On today’s show I sit down with Susie Ghahremani, artist and owner of boygirlparty.com. Susie takes us back to her childhood as the introverted artistic kid and narrates her story up to her current life as an artist and small business owner. We’ll hear about some of the struggles that may sound familiar to other artsy types: introversion, social awkwardness, and general struggles of growing up “in one’s own head.” We’ll also learn about what it’s like for an artist to be at art school, and how it might be harder than typical schools and programs. Like many artists, Susie has a passion for music. Since both of us remember going to the store to buy an actual CD, we discuss how access to music has changed with technology, as well as Susie’s own musical experience touring on the road, and her love for travel. We’ll also briefly get into the business side of the art world. Susie shares her concerns about the problem of intellectual property as it relates to art, and the struggle that artists go through with this ongoing problem. We won’t solve the problem of intellectual theft in this episode, but it is informative to get an artist’s insight on the subject. Also on this episode: “noise” music, the Providence art-scene, travel, gender inequity in the music biz and much more. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode:  Susie’s Etsy Susy is @boygirlparty on Twitter @boygirlparty on Instagram Facebook Dame Darcy Daniel Clowes Giant Robot  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 36 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with artist Susie Ghahremani. “I remember most being afraid about the idea of living with other people…You spend a lot of time alone if you’re an artist because that’s what’s required to make things, you have to spend time alone. So the idea being around other people and so many people 24-hour days in a dorm context was terrifying to me.” On today’s show I sit down with Susie Ghahremani, artist and owner of <a href="http://www.boygirlparty.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">boygirlparty.com</a>. Susie takes us back to her childhood as the introverted artistic kid and narrates her story up to her current life as an artist and small business owner. We’ll hear about some of the struggles that may sound familiar to other artsy types: introversion, social awkwardness, and general struggles of growing up “in one’s own head.” We’ll also learn about what it’s like for an artist to be at art school, and how it might be harder than typical schools and programs. Like many artists, Susie has a passion for music. Since both of us remember going to the store to buy an actual CD, we discuss how access to music has changed with technology, as well as Susie’s own musical experience touring on the road, and her love for travel. We’ll also briefly get into the business side of the art world. Susie shares her concerns about the problem of intellectual property as it relates to art, and the struggle that artists go through with this ongoing problem. We won’t solve the problem of intellectual theft in this episode, but it is informative to get an artist’s insight on the subject. Also on this episode: “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_music" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">noise</a>” music, the Providence art-scene, travel, gender inequity in the music biz and much more. Links and notable mentions from today’s episode: <ul> <li>Susie’s <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/boygirlparty" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Etsy</a></li> <li>Susy is <a href="https://twitter.com/boygirlparty" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@boygirlparty</a> on Twitter</li> <li>@boygirlparty on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/boygirlparty/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/boygirlpartyfb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="http://damedarcy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dame Darcy</a></li> <li><a href="http://danielclowes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Daniel Clowes</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.giantrobot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Giant Robot</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

BoyGirlParty Artist Susie Ghahremani

Barry Edelstein

Welcome to Episode 35 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Barry Edelstein, the Artistic Director of San Diego’s Old Globe Theater. “I tell young people who ask me all the time ‘what do you recommend?’ my answer is two things. Either just go with it and be as open as you can about every door that might open up in front of you, or fashion for yourself the most specific possible vision that you can of what you might want your life to be and make it happen.” Today’s episode is a great discussion with author, scholar, and artistic director of The Old Globe Theater, Barry Edelstein. Barry is a Shakespeare expert, educator, and director of some of the Bard’s most notable work. Barry talks about growing up immersed in theater and developing a love for the art and particularly Shakespeare. Originally set on acting, Barry learned he had a special talent for directing and production, and this talent allowed him to focus on doing what he loved without sacrificing his values. Now Barry is able to combine his love for theater with his desire to reconnect Shakespeare with the people. We’ll learn a bit of history on how accessibility to Shakespeare has changed over the years; how and when did Shakespeare’s art become less accessible to the working class, and more of a symbol of the social elite? More importantly, what is Barry doing now to give the gift of Shakespeare to everyone, regardless of social or economic class? Tune in to hear how Barry’s drive and zeal for all things Shakespeare is transforming the theater in new and innovative ways. We’ll also learn how technology and new interpretations of Shakespeare’s work are keeping things fresh after so many years. Don’t miss out on this great talk with Barry Edelstein! Links from today’s talk:  The Old Globe Theater Joseph Papp Barry’s Old Globe  Bio Globe for All Nicholas Hytner wiki Michael John LaChiusa wiki Barry talks with  San Diego Magazine about his Production of Rain  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 35 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Barry Edelstein, the Artistic Director of San Diego’s Old Globe Theater. “I tell young people who ask me all the time ‘what do you recommend?’ my answer is two things. Either just go with it and be as open as you can about every door that might open up in front of you, or fashion for yourself the most specific possible vision that you can of what you might want your life to be and make it happen.” Today’s episode is a great discussion with author, scholar, and artistic director of The Old Globe Theater, Barry Edelstein. Barry is a Shakespeare expert, educator, and director of some of the Bard’s most notable work. Barry talks about growing up immersed in theater and developing a love for the art and particularly Shakespeare. Originally set on acting, Barry learned he had a special talent for directing and production, and this talent allowed him to focus on doing what he loved without sacrificing his values. Now Barry is able to combine his love for theater with his desire to reconnect Shakespeare with the people. We’ll learn a bit of history on how accessibility to Shakespeare has changed over the years; how and when did Shakespeare’s art become less accessible to the working class, and more of a symbol of the social elite? More importantly, what is Barry doing now to give the gift of Shakespeare to everyone, regardless of social or economic class? Tune in to hear how Barry’s drive and zeal for all things Shakespeare is transforming the theater in new and innovative ways. We’ll also learn how technology and new interpretations of Shakespeare’s work are keeping things fresh after so many years. Don’t miss out on this great talk with Barry Edelstein! Links from today’s talk: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.theoldglobe.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Old Globe Theater</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.publictheater.org/Artists/Founder/Artist1111/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joseph Papp</a></li> <li>Barry’s Old Globe <a href="https://www.theoldglobe.org/artist-pages/barry-edelstein-2016/?id=9825" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Bio</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.theoldglobe.org/arts-engagement/globe-for-all/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Globe for All</a></li> <li>Nicholas Hytner <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Hytner" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wiki</a></li> <li>Michael John LaChiusa <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_John_LaChiusa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wiki</a></li> <li>Barry talks with <a href="http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/March-2016/Barry-Edelstein-Directs-First-Musical-with-Rain/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> San Diego Magazine about his Production of Rain</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Bringing Shakespeare to the People with Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein

Joon Han

Welcome to Episode 32 of Products of the Mind. On thisepisode, I speak with entrepreneurial business strategist andfull-time dad, Joon Han.“Social entrepreneurs are going to love this bookbecause it’s right up their alley; but, there are five differentbusiness models to use generosity, and social entrepreneurship isjust one of them.”Do you struggle with the 9 to 5? Is “working for the man” notyour thing? Do you feel the entrepreneurial spirit within, butremain unsure as to how to harness that energy?Today we listen to Joon Han, a process-oriented entrepreneur whostruggled with the same questions before finding hisentrepreneurial niche. We’ll learn about Joon’s struggles in thenon-profit world, trying to have meaningful employment whileraising a family; and how that experience helped push him towardshis entrepreneurial self.Joon discusses meaningful work and his secret to figuring outwhat kind of work someone can enjoy and be successful at. As aprocess-oriented person, Joon first devised a process to figure outhis own goals and talents before using that process to develop asimilar process for small businesses (go figure.) If you’ve everconsidered locking yourself up in a room until you come up with aplan, Joon has some insights on that as well.Also on this episode: crappy bosses; being a full-time Dad;giving as generosity; leveraging the power of LinkedIn; and doing ayear’s worth of work in one day.Links and honorable mentions:Joon’s siteJoon is @joonman onTwitterJoon’s LinkedInBetter SanDiegoJoon’s Podcast YourBiz RocksJoon’s Podcast video about CostcoThanks for Checking Out Products of theMind!If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the socialmedia buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page.Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leavean honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re veryhelpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read everyone.Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes oryour favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a newepisode goes live.Here areinstructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show iniTunes.The CreditsProducts of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi.The illustration accompanying these show notes is by WhitHarris.The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. Thetrack name is “Bury You.” Go buy it onSoundcloud!This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 32 of Products of the Mind. On thisepisode, I speak with entrepreneurial business strategist andfull-time dad, Joon Han.“Social entrepreneurs are going to love this bookbecause it’s right up their alley; but, there are five differentbusiness models to use generosity, and social entrepreneurship isjust one of them.”Do you struggle with the 9 to 5? Is “working for the man” notyour thing? Do you feel the entrepreneurial spirit within, butremain unsure as to how to harness that energy?Today we listen to Joon Han, a process-oriented entrepreneur whostruggled with the same questions before finding hisentrepreneurial niche. We’ll learn about Joon’s struggles in thenon-profit world, trying to have meaningful employment whileraising a family; and how that experience helped push him towardshis entrepreneurial self.Joon discusses meaningful work and his secret to figuring outwhat kind of work someone can enjoy and be successful at. As aprocess-oriented person, Joon first devised a process to figure outhis own goals and talents before using that process to develop asimilar process for small businesses (go figure.) If you’ve everconsidered locking yourself up in a room until you come up with aplan, Joon has some insights on that as well.Also on this episode: crappy bosses; being a full-time Dad;giving as generosity; leveraging the power of LinkedIn; and doing ayear’s worth of work in one day.Links and honorable mentions:<ul><li>Joon’s <a href="http://joonhan.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">site</a></li><li>Joon is @<a href="https://twitter.com/joonman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">joonman</a> onTwitter</li><li>Joon’s <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joonman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="http://www.bettersandiego.com/jsh.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Better SanDiego</a></li><li>Joon’s <a href="http://yourbizrocks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Podcast</a> YourBiz Rocks</li><li>Joon’s Podcast video about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKJPhphZ3Pc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Costco</a></li></ul>Thanks for Checking Out Products of theMind!If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the socialmedia buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page.Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leavean honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re veryhelpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read everyone.Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes oryour favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a newepisode goes live.<a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here areinstructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show iniTunes</a>.The CreditsProducts of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi.The illustration accompanying these show notes is by WhitHarris.The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. Thetrack name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it onSoundcloud</a>!This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Entrepreneurial Idea Machine Joon Han

Randy Smith

Welcome to Episode 31 of Products of the Mind. On thisepisode, I speak with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist RandySmith. “I think underneath every journalist is this feeling that byshedding light on an entire situation, you make life a little bitbetter for the community and help the community move forward in aprogressive and enlightened way."  The focus of today’s talk is the importance of journalism withProfessor Randy Smith. Randy’s recollection of the history ofjournalism, and the development and transformation of investigativereporting over time is quite interesting and informative. Have you heard of the Hyatt Skyway Collapse of 1979?I hadn’t. Randy recalls the scene of the tragedy and describes boththe event and the journalistic aftermath that led him and his staffto win the 1982 Pulitzer Prize for spotnews reporting…a news report that likely prevented countless futuretragedies. Randy also reports on his own childhood and upbringing that ledhim to journalism. He briefly recalls the turmoil of importantsocial movements such as women’s rights, civil rights, and theVietnam War; and he explains the experience of reporting duringimportant times of transition and protest. He also shares the storyof reporting on Jimmy Carter’s progressive “New South” movement,and following the Presidential campaign trail of segregationistgovernor GeorgeWallace. Randy provides insight about the importance of journalism as itrelates to social change, business, and politics; and, the personalside of investigative reporters. Learn about the important role ofentrepreneurship in investigating reporting, and hear about howJeff Bezos is transforming The Washington Post. Be sure to listen through the end so you can hear about Randy’simpressive progress in academia and his role in connecting theuniversity with local and state businesses via the Missouri BusinessAlert; and his work with Alfred Friendly Press Partnerswhere he helps empower the journalists of the future from“information hungry societies.” This and so much more today with Randy Smith. You can contact Randy on LinkedIn Honorable mentions from this Episode:  Kansas City Star LesterMaddox ColumbiaMissourian The MissouriMethod LosAngeles Herald Examiner Spotlight  Thanks for Checking Out Products of theMind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the socialmedia buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leavean honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re veryhelpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read everyone. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes oryour favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a newepisode goes live. Here areinstructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show iniTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by WhitHarris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. Thetrack name is “Bury You.” Go buy it onSoundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 31 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Randy Smith. “I think underneath every journalist is this feeling that by shedding light on an entire situation, you make life a little bit better for the community and help the community move forward in a progressive and enlightened way." The focus of today’s talk is the importance of journalism with Professor Randy Smith. Randy’s recollection of the history of journalism, and the development and transformation of investigative reporting over time is quite interesting and informative. Have you heard of the <a href="http://skywalk.kansascity.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hyatt Skyway Collapse</a> of 1979? I hadn’t. Randy recalls the scene of the tragedy and describes both the event and the journalistic aftermath that led him and his staff to win the 1982 <a href="http://www.pulitzer.org/winners/6524" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pulitzer Prize</a> for spot news reporting…a news report that likely prevented countless future tragedies. Randy also reports on his own childhood and upbringing that led him to journalism. He briefly recalls the turmoil of important social movements such as women’s rights, civil rights, and the Vietnam War; and he explains the experience of reporting during important times of transition and protest. He also shares the story of reporting on Jimmy Carter’s progressive “New South” movement, and following the Presidential campaign trail of segregationist governor <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/george-wallace-9522367" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">George Wallace</a>. Randy provides insight about the importance of journalism as it relates to social change, business, and politics; and, the personal side of investigative reporters. Learn about the important role of entrepreneurship in investigating reporting, and hear about how Jeff Bezos is transforming <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-smith-18bb302?authType=NAME_SEARCH&amp;authToken=AAi7&amp;locale=en_US&amp;trk=tyah&amp;trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CentityType%3AentityHistoryName%2CclickedEntityId%3Amynetwork_8771579%2Cidx%3A0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Washington Post</a>. Be sure to listen through the end so you can hear about Randy’s impressive progress in academia and his role in connecting the university with local and state businesses via the <a href="http://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missouri Business Alert</a>; and his work with <a href="http://presspartners.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alfred Friendly Press Partners</a> where he helps empower the journalists of the future from “information hungry societies.” This and so much more today with Randy Smith. You can contact Randy on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-smith-18bb302?authType=NAME_SEARCH&amp;authToken=AAi7&amp;locale=en_US&amp;trk=tyah&amp;trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CentityType%3AentityHistoryName%2CclickedEntityId%3Amynetwork_8771579%2Cidx%3A0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> LinkedIn</a> Honorable mentions from this Episode: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Maddox#Restaurant_owner" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lester Maddox</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.columbiamissourian.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a></li> <li>The <a href="https://journalism.missouri.edu/media/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Missouri Method</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Herald-Examiner" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Los Angeles Herald Examiner</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895587/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotlight</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The illustration accompanying these show notes is by Whit Harris. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Randy Smith

Welcome to Episode 30 of Products of the Mind. In this episode, I provide a brief intro to the often misunderstood concept in copyright law known as "Fair Use." What are the factors, and how do you know if your use is fair? If you need a refresher on copyrights in general, check out Products of the Mind Episode 5, “What Is a Copyright?” This Episode Includes  A brief review of copyright. Copyright law vs. the First Amendment. How do you "claim" Fair Use? The Four Factors of Fair Use. Important Fair Use Cases. The future of Fair Use.  In future episodes, I’ll discuss trade secrets and other intellectual property related topics. If there was anything in this episode that wasn’t perfectly clear, or something you’d like me to expand on, please let me know. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. As always, the music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 30 of Products of the Mind. In this episode, I provide a brief intro to the often misunderstood concept in copyright law known as "Fair Use." What are the factors, and how do you know if your use is fair? If you need a refresher on copyrights in general, check out Products of the Mind Episode 5, “<a href="http://ProductsOfTheMind.net/copyright" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What Is a Copyright?</a>” This Episode Includes <ul> <li>A brief review of copyright.</li> <li>Copyright law vs. the First Amendment.</li> <li>How do you "claim" Fair Use?</li> <li>The Four Factors of Fair Use.</li> <li>Important Fair Use Cases.</li> <li>The future of Fair Use.</li> </ul> In future episodes, I’ll discuss trade secrets and other intellectual property related topics. If there was anything in this episode that wasn’t perfectly clear, or something you’d like me to expand on, please let me know. Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. As always, the music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

What Is Fair Use?

Amy Burvall

Welcome to Episode 29 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Amy Burvall: teacher, mother, artist, learning expert, and creative guru. “Making your thinking visible is one of the most crucial things you can do. If creativity is about dot connecting, you have to have the dots in order to connect them. You have to collect your dots and you have to put them somewhere, and you have to be able to access them…Education has always been about giving kids those dots.” Do you get completely worthless around 3pm? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! On today’s episode I chat with Amy Burvall, an artist, educator, and creative mastermind. We travel to the depths of creativity, leaving no creative stone unturned. Amy shares with us how she is transforming the classroom with her creative innovations geared toward actually educating and developing students.  We’ll also discuss technology, new ways to be creative (including seeing everyday things in unique ways), remix culture, Oblique Strategies, “wonderlust,” curriculum development, and how to make things “sticky.” Do you know how changing words in your vocabulary can unlock creativity? What do you do with the worst part of your day (Amy’s 3pm struggle)? What’s your design space? What’s the difference between remix and mashup? Don’t worry: Amy will answer all these questions for you and much more. This episode is not just for the “creative” artist…we’re all creative in some way, whether we know how to access that part of ourselves or not. Find out how you can access your inner creative in this important and fascinating talk with Amy Burvall. Amy’s homepage Amy is @amyburvall on Twitter Amy’s History for Music Lovers mashup video More links and honorable mentions:  A TedTalk presentation with Amy John Kao’s Jamming (Amazon) John Cleese’s lecture on creativity Oblique Strategies wiki Harvard Med School’s: What Does the Spleen Do? Video  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.  Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 29 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Amy Burvall: teacher, mother, artist, learning expert, and creative guru. “Making your thinking visible is one of the most crucial things you can do. If creativity is about dot connecting, you have to have the dots in order to connect them. You have to collect your dots and you have to put them somewhere, and you have to be able to access them…Education has always been about giving kids those dots.” Do you get completely worthless around 3pm? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! On today’s episode I chat with Amy Burvall, an artist, educator, and creative mastermind. We travel to the depths of creativity, leaving no creative stone unturned. Amy shares with us how she is transforming the classroom with her creative innovations geared toward actually educating and developing students. We’ll also discuss technology, new ways to be creative (including seeing everyday things in unique ways), remix culture, Oblique Strategies, “wonderlust,” curriculum development, and how to make things “sticky.” Do you know how changing words in your vocabulary can unlock creativity? What do you do with the worst part of your day (Amy’s 3pm struggle)? What’s your design space? What’s the difference between remix and mashup? Don’t worry: Amy will answer all these questions for you and much more. This episode is not just for the “creative” artist…we’re all creative in some way, whether we know how to access that part of ourselves or not. Find out how you can access your inner creative in this important and fascinating talk with Amy Burvall. Amy’s <a href="http://www.amyburvall.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">homepage</a> Amy is @<a href="http://twitter.com/amyburvall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amyburvall</a> on Twitter Amy’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCWhZfiq2f4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History for Music Lovers mashup video</a> More links and honorable mentions: <ul> <li>A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44jxjM_7jnY&amp;ebc=ANyPxKp8MFf7P123P9Yo5RMyxuHfg7SRWMNBXWobOsz_rLMHTmf7mZ0BnP_NMUL3xu0CEJTl2mhlPGoJUBsqmT3OMaO03di-dw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TedTalk presentation</a> with Amy</li> <li>John Kao’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jamming-The-Discipline-Business-Creativity/dp/0887308643" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jamming</a> (Amazon)</li> <li>John Cleese’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qby0ed4aVpo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lecture</a> on creativity</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oblique Strategies</a> wiki</li> <li>Harvard Med School’s: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEi_4Cyx4Uw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What Does the Spleen Do?</a> Video</li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Artist, Educator, and Creator Amy Burvall

Gordon “

Welcome to Episode 28 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with lover of facts and all things interesting Gordon Javna from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. It’s story time today with “Uncle John” of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. The Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader books have been helping people cure boredom during those (hopefully not too tough) times in the bathroom since 1987. Filled with short stories, facts, and interesting articles, the Bathroom Readers are family appropriate and suitable for nearly all readers. But where do these facts and stories come from? In fact, where did this idea for a bathroom reader come from? In this episode, Gordon explains the history of the Bathroom Reader (including who the heck is “Uncle John”). An entrepreneur in his own right, Gordon discusses his many ventures before taking over the Bathroom Reader, including careers in music, real estate, and the craft beer business. We’ll get insights on naming the book, developing the style and concept, and dealing with publishers. With over 15 million books in print, the Bathroom Reader is clearly doing something right; listen in to find out how Uncle John and the Bathroom Reader keep things fresh with new ideas and interesting stories. Also, Gordon shares a few sneak peeks from upcoming editions. Don’t miss out! Links from today’s chat with “Uncle John:”  Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Blog Follow Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader on Twitter @Bathroom_Reader Quacky Duck and his Barnyard Friends (wiki) Quacky Duck’s album Media Push (Amazon) Operation Yellow Ribbon (includes the story of the town of Gander handling the incoming planes that were stranded mid-air during 9/11) Come From Away (a musical inspired by the story of Gander) The Value of Blood (Interesting art piece by Phil Hansen)  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 28 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with lover of facts and all things interesting Gordon Javna from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. It’s story time today with “Uncle John” of <a href="http://www.bathroomreader.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader</a>. The Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader books have been helping people cure boredom during those (hopefully not too tough) times in the bathroom since 1987. Filled with short stories, facts, and interesting articles, the Bathroom Readers are family appropriate and suitable for nearly all readers. But where do these facts and stories come from? In fact, where did this idea for a bathroom reader come from? In this episode, Gordon explains the history of the Bathroom Reader (including who the heck is “Uncle John”). An entrepreneur in his own right, Gordon discusses his many ventures before taking over the Bathroom Reader, including careers in music, real estate, and the craft beer business. We’ll get insights on naming the book, developing the style and concept, and dealing with publishers. With over 15 million books in print, the Bathroom Reader is clearly doing something right; listen in to find out how Uncle John and the Bathroom Reader keep things fresh with new ideas and interesting stories. Also, Gordon shares a few sneak peeks from upcoming editions. Don’t miss out! Links from today’s chat with “Uncle John:” <ul> <li>Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader <a href="http://www.bathroomreader.com/blog/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blog</a></li> <li>Follow Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader on Twitter @<a href="https://twitter.com/bathroom_reader" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bathroom_Reader</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quacky_Duck_and_His_Barnyard_Friends" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quacky Duck and his Barnyard Friends</a> (wiki)</li> <li>Quacky Duck’s album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Media-Push-Quacky-Barnyard-Friends/dp/B000UWUIMS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Media Push</a> (Amazon)</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yellow_Ribbon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Operation Yellow Ribbon</a> (includes the story of the town of Gander handling the incoming planes that were stranded mid-air during 9/11)</li> <li><a href="http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/come-from-away" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Come From Away</a> (a musical inspired by the story of Gander)</li> <li><a href="http://philinthecircle.com/kimjongil.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Value of Blood</a> (Interesting art piece by Phil Hansen)</li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

15 Million Trivia Books In Print: Gordon “Uncle John” Javna of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader

Christina Kahrl

Welcome to Episode 27 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with sports writer, activist, and A’s fan Christina Kahrl. “My entree into the game initially as a fan was pretty much the same kind of experience as my great grandfather’s. I was listening to a lot of ball games on the radio, I was getting my information on how the A’s did the night before through box-scores, and I was not getting to see my team on television very often if at all. I was not getting to consume information in the ways that we take for granted today.” “I was very fortunate because a lot of people responded very positively. So on that level that was perhaps the truly extraordinary experience I had in coming out as the first trans sports writer.“ “Trans kids who want to play sports are just kids. Trans people who are your teammates are just teammates; and in the same way you shouldn’t get hung up on questions of race or religion, gender and sexuality also really shouldn’t matter. You define people by their qualities, not by the qualities you might ascribe to groups.“ Today we speak with Christina Kahrl, a sports nut and current writer for ESPN’s SweetSpot (among others). Christina shares with us the history of analytics in baseball, including how they became popular (or perhaps became more depended upon) with the growth of the sport in the 60’s and 70’s; and how the love of stats motivated Christina to help co-found Baseball Prospectus: a baseball and statistician lover’s dream that eventually became a New York Times best seller. Christina also talks about growing up on a horse farm and having limited access to her beloved A’s; her first game at Old Comiskey Park; buying tickets from a scalper for a buck; and much to this host’s dismay—an insights into my beloved Padres’ future. This episode isn’t just about baseball and stats. Christina shares her story about coming out as trans in a predominantly male-centric profession. She shares about coming to know her true self, and the struggle of how to best communicate with her family, friends, and coworkers. Ultimately Christina’s positive attitude helped her move forward with her transition, earning the respect of her peers of all genders. Now an accomplished writer and analyst, Christina makes time to support efforts in the LGBTQ community. This and more today with Christina Kahrl. Links and Honorable mentions from this Episode:  Christina Kahrl Wiki Christina is @christinakahrl on Twitter GLAD TSER Baseball Prospectus Wiki Sabermetrics Bill James Earl Weaver Terry Pluto Moneyball (book, wiki) Weaver on Strategy (book, Goodreads) Strat-o-matic  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 27 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with sports writer, activist, and A’s fan Christina Kahrl. “My entree into the game initially as a fan was pretty much the same kind of experience as my great grandfather’s. I was listening to a lot of ball games on the radio, I was getting my information on how the A’s did the night before through box-scores, and I was not getting to see my team on television very often if at all. I was not getting to consume information in the ways that we take for granted today.” “I was very fortunate because a lot of people responded very positively. So on that level that was perhaps the truly extraordinary experience I had in coming out as the first trans sports writer.“ “Trans kids who want to play sports are just kids. Trans people who are your teammates are just teammates; and in the same way you shouldn’t get hung up on questions of race or religion, gender and sexuality also really shouldn’t matter. You define people by their qualities, not by the qualities you might ascribe to groups.“ Today we speak with Christina Kahrl, a sports nut and current writer for ESPN’s <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SweetSpot</a> (among others). Christina shares with us the history of analytics in baseball, including how they became popular (or perhaps became more depended upon) with the growth of the sport in the 60’s and 70’s; and how the love of stats motivated Christina to help co-found <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baseball Prospectus</a>: a baseball and statistician lover’s dream that eventually became a New York Times best seller. Christina also talks about growing up on a horse farm and having limited access to her beloved A’s; her first game at <a href="http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/comisk.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Old Comiskey Park</a>; buying tickets from a scalper for a buck; and much to this host’s dismay—an insights into my beloved Padres’ future. This episode isn’t just about baseball and stats. Christina shares her story about coming out as trans in a predominantly male-centric profession. She shares about coming to know her true self, and the struggle of how to best communicate with her family, friends, and coworkers. Ultimately Christina’s positive attitude helped her move forward with her transition, earning the respect of her peers of all genders. Now an accomplished writer and analyst, Christina makes time to support efforts in the LGBTQ community. This and more today with Christina Kahrl. Links and Honorable mentions from this Episode: <ul> <li>Christina Kahrl <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Kahrl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wiki</a></li> <li>Christina is @<a href="https://twitter.com/christinakahrl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">christinakahrl</a> on Twitter</li> <li><a href="http://www.glad.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GLAD</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.transstudent.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TSER</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Prospectus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baseball Prospectus Wiki</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabermetrics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sabermetrics</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bill James</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Weaver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Earl Weaver</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pluto" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terry Pluto</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moneyball</a> (book, wiki)</li> <li><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/259659.Weaver_on_Strategy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Weaver on Strategy</a> (book, Goodreads)</li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strat-O-Matic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Strat-o-matic</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

ESPN Baseball Writer and Trans Activist Christina Kahrl

Jennifer Briney

Welcome to Episode 23 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Jennifer Briney, creator and host of the Congressional Dish podcast. Congressional Dish exposes corporate influence in the bills passed by Congress and tells us what’s really in all of those huge omnibus bills. While Jennifer gets into lots of details, the show is intended for an audience who aren’t already experts in politics or policy—she always takes the time to explain the process as simply as possible. I enjoy the show and I find it fascinating how she was able to take her anger about what’s wrong with Washington and turn it into an informative, educational listener-supported podcast. Congressional Dish doesn’t accept any advertising dollars (we talk about why), and it’s become Jennifer’s full-time gig…with a few bumps along the way. Jennifer talks about how she went from not really paying attention to politics to spending all of her time watching C-SPAN, reading congressional bills, and discussing the topic on her podcast. Why did she choose to create a podcast rather than a blog or some other means of getting the word out there? What are her future plans, and how has she grown her audience? What does she think about Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders? What kind of Congressperson would Jennifer be? All of this and more on today’s episode. Links and honorable mentions:  Jennifer’s Twitter handle: @JenBriney Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressionalDish Webpage: http://www.congressionaldish.com  Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” Go buy it on Soundcloud! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Welcome to Episode 23 of Products of the Mind. On this episode, I speak with Jennifer Briney, creator and host of the Congressional Dish podcast. Congressional Dish exposes corporate influence in the bills passed by Congress and tells us what’s really in all of those huge omnibus bills. While Jennifer gets into lots of details, the show is intended for an audience who aren’t already experts in politics or policy—she always takes the time to explain the process as simply as possible. I enjoy the show and I find it fascinating how she was able to take her anger about what’s wrong with Washington and turn it into an informative, educational listener-supported podcast. Congressional Dish doesn’t accept any advertising dollars (we talk about why), and it’s become Jennifer’s full-time gig…with a few bumps along the way. Jennifer talks about how she went from not really paying attention to politics to spending all of her time watching C-SPAN, reading congressional bills, and discussing the topic on her podcast. Why did she choose to create a podcast rather than a blog or some other means of getting the word out there? What are her future plans, and how has she grown her audience? What does she think about Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders? What kind of Congressperson would Jennifer be? All of this and more on today’s episode. Links and honorable mentions: <ul> <li>Jennifer’s Twitter handle: @<a href="https://twitter.com/JenBriney" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JenBriney</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CongressionalDish" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CongressionalDish</a></li> <li>Webpage: <a href="http://www.congressionaldish.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.congressionaldish.com</a></li> </ul> Thanks for Checking Out Products of the Mind! If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the top and bottom of this page. Also, please consider taking the few seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. They’re very helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I read every one. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live. <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are instructions on how to subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes</a>. The Credits Products of the Mind is produced by Mana Monzavi. The theme music for this episode was provided by Le Chateau. The track name is “Bury You.” <a href="https://soundcloud.com/chateausandiego/bury-you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go buy it on Soundcloud</a>! This episode and these show notes © 2016 David Lizerbram

Congress Watcher Jennifer Briney, Creator and Host of Congressional Dish

The best podcasts on investing. For anyone interested in the stories in the investing industry, whether it's an interview with Ray Dalio or Ed Thorp to the writer of The Big Short. This topic includes the most fascinating stories from all the best investors. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Investing Podcasts

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!