John Steppling and Guy Zimmerman continue their conversation in tribute to their recently departed friend and collaborator, Murray Mednick. They discuss the Padua theater group, the history of art and philosophy, and the devolution of American culture, among other topics.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Venezuela, Hegseth, Bondi Beach shootings, Israel—“heed our warning”, Gaza floods, Who’s watching CBS News? backpackers, digital nomads, migrants, guest workers, exiles, and expats. Music track: “Trouble Trouble” by Betty Roche (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, John Bower, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: US proxy war in Ukraine more likely a war against Europe (F. the EU from beginning to end), deaths in custody of people seized by ICE agents, Israel's conflicting messages in its attempt to polish its image, Pirates of the Caribbean: US seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, Belgium says no to the EU plan to seize Russian assets, hospitals disappearing from US counties, the films of Jean-Marie Straub, neocons never were the sharpest knives in the drawer, Ikkyu Sojun (1394–1481), Zen monk of the 15th century. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “Where did you sleep last night?” by Leadbelly (public domain).

John Steppling and Guy Zimmerman talk about their memories of Murray Mednick, the Padua Playwrights and other related subjects. See also http://murraymednick.com/

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Hegseth in the spotlight as a war criminal, the end game in Ukraine, the US empire’s treasury bonds and Venezuelan oil problem—petrodollar hegemony coming to an end, uncharitable billionaires, the exodus from Israel, the proliferation of “synthetic content” on YouTube, the heart is vortex generator. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “Journey” by Jimmy Cliff.

Participants: John Steppling, Ray Hosseini, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: A.I. demands massive nuclear power expansion, the A.I. bubble, Persian-language Western entertainment in Iran, the impact of Israel’s war on Iranian consciousness, Yukio Mishima’s impact on Japanese culture, Japan becomes the attack dog against China, what’s fascinating about “Landman” and its exposition of the oil industry. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “All Going Out and Nothing Coming In” by Bert Williams (public domain, recorded in 1901).

Participants: John Steppling, Hiroyuki Hamada, John Bower and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Putting the burden of saving the planet on the little guy, color revolutions ain’t what they used to be: weird attempts at fomenting change in Mexico and Venezuela, public outrage forces Thailand to undo Israeli colonization of the popular tourist destination Ko Phangan, panic and don't stay calm: why the encouragement of fear and panic during the pandemic and the climate emergencies? Contrast and compare: Paul Thomas Anderson’s films Inherent Vice vs. One Battle After Another. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “Just a Mood” by Red Norvo Sextet (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Hiroyuki Hamada, Jennifer Matsui and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: senescent dotard presidents in the White House, the stalled Venezuela invasion, Norwegian oil funds going to Ukraine? Zionism and the Epstein files causing MAGA supporters abandon Trump, FBI director Patel helps his girlfriend sue her critics, the unanswered questions about the Charlie Kirk assassination, manipulated trials for high-profile assassinations and murders, no long-term viability for Israel, the decline of culture and literacy, popular entertainment as a therapy that is “psychoanalysis in reverse,” diversity hires in historical dramas, global warming, people pleasing AI responses—it tells you what you want to hear, climate change, the nature of Netflix, the power of the mayor’s office. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “Kansas City Blues” by Jim Jackson (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Hiroyuki Hamada, Jennifer Matsui and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Walter Benjamin’s essay “Capitalism as Religion,” America’s Venezuela problem, “The Diplomat,” Dicky Cheney’s legacy, Mayor Mamdani, government workers not being paid, the failing flailing empire—Venezuela, Sudan, Nigeria, Palestine, Ukraine, China, the “big short guy” shorts AI, the non-investigation of the Charlie Kirk assassination. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “How Long Blues” by Leroy Carr (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, John Bower, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago, the purpose of public assassinations, Walter Benjamin’s essay “Capitalism as Religion,” America’s Venezuela problem, “The Seventh Seal” and other films about returning soldiers, TV series “The Devil in Disguise”. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode. Music track: “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” by Charles Mingus (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, John Bower, Daniel Broudy, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Is civil war possible in the US? the No Kings astroturf demonstrations, Virginia Giuffre’s writing about the Epstein affair, the plot against Venezuela, renovations at the White House, the Omniwar Symposium, truck driver jobs to be lost to automation? Vietnam: defining “successful socialist country”. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Digital ID, federal troops in American cities, the dead end of the Ukraine war, the mysterious death and afterlife of Charlie Kirk, dreaming of the post-apocalyptic adventure, the missing radioactive fallout in zombie movies… Music track: “Every Day I Have the Blues” by Count Basie (public domain). See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: gangs of Chicago, the Gaza ceasefire deal, Charlie Kirk & Erika Kirk—the official story doesn’t add up, why the psychological analysis of fascism matters. Music track: “Everything on the Hog” by Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas. See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: media personalities who mock the Gaza flotilla, the military escort of Spain and Italy for the flotilla stops short of confrontation with Israel, Hegseth meets his generals, making sense of Covid statistics, trying not to get stuck in the Charlie Kirk assassination rabbit hole. Music track: “Diddie Wa Diddie” by Blind Blake (public domain). See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Trump’s speech at the UN, US prepares to do something to Venezuela, Christopher Hitchens in 2007 mocking a recently dead televangelist, the curious rise and shining future of Erika Kirk, the history of Israeli blackmail, Colombia and Indonesia propose putting their soldiers' “boots on the ground” to defend Gaza, the long history of parties in liberal democracies smearing each other as communist. Music track: “Desafinado” by Stan Getz (public domain). See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, John Bower, Lex Steppling, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: the martyred podcaster, MAGA’s free speech enthusiasts shut down free speech, the X algorithm goes all in for Charlie Kirk, the future of Gaza, the collapse of Israel, medical ethics journal publishes a harsh assessment of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Ontario, Canada. Music track: “Crazy Blues” by Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds (public domain). See Aesthetic Resistance on Substack for the links related to this episode.

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Daniel Broudy, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: assassination in Utah, Israeli attack on Qatar, the history and future of social credit, can tasteless and uncultured tech bros be patrons of the arts? Music track: “John the Revelator” by Blind Willie Johnson (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Bari Weiss gets a $100-million deal to work for CBS, Western media freaked out by Chinese summit and military parade to mark 80 years since WWII victory, Israel assassinates the political leadership of Yemen, US Navy becomes pirates of the Caribbean by sinking an alleged drug-smuggling vessel. Why can’t the BRICS nations do anything to stop the genocide in Palestine? Uprising in Indonesia forces president to cancel his trip to China. Music track: “Blue in Green” by Miles Davis (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: Adult journalists lose their minds over Taylor Swift’s engagement ring, US gunboats to Venezuela to do what exactly? China marks the end of WWII with a film about the Nanjing massacre as well as other memorials, Hirohito’s lesson on how to lose a war: just don’t call it surrender, “Kirishima Desu”—a film about a Japanese radical who came in from the cold, old style alternative media—magazines, radio, public access television, Canadian parliamentary committee wants to let “mature minors” receive medical assistance in dying. Music track: “Bemsha Swing” by Thelonius Monk (public domain).

Participants: John Steppling, Jennifer Matsui, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Dennis Riches. Topics covered: fake meat, cows rejecting fake feed, Russophobia on the rise after the Alaska summit, Israeli criminals working for the NSA allowed to flee the US, “political prisoner” convicted of three murders sent from Venezuela to the US, sinking Philippine coastlines, ICE agents quitting, the influence of A.I. on Hollywood. Music track: “Take the Wind” by Jack Littman (used with permission).