John Oliver + Edward Snowden Interview

Finally got around to watching this. I am so glad people are getting excited about Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

•I hope when we are all dead and gone, and some future civilization tries to piece together what kind of species we were, that they will find the clip of msnbc cutting away from a congresswoman to cover Justin Bieber. I also hope they have the context of Justin Bieber before they do. I foresee, at that point, them picking up all their gear and saying, "Let's get the fuck out of here! These idiots clearly deserved to die!"

•I think Oliver might've been harder on Snowden than most journalist. If journalists need a distancing tool like comedy to be tough, then all our journalists should be comedians.

•How sobering it must've been for Snowden to see that people only wanted to engage in a conversation about the NSA and surveillance when it came to dick pics. And how aware of Oliver to understand that we are all idiots.

It's Finally Time To Explain Why I Never Have A Girlfriend

I always get asked, "Min, how come out never have a girlfriend?" and I'm not quite sure why I always get asked that. Is there a sign on my back that reads, "I Don't Have A Girlfriend", or, "I Really Need A Girlfriend". For the longest time it was a question I sort of side stepped, and I think it's finally time to address that question honestly.
To start off, we should take a look at another question I am often asked, "Why are you so vocal about the rights of gays and lesbians?" Well, for one thing, homosexuals are human beings and deserve to have equal rights. But there is another side to this question I have kept buried deep in my closet -- and that statement right there might have already tipped you off. We have come a long way when accepting gay people, but I'm afraid we aren't fully there yet when treating them equally and some of us are bit more insecure about that topic.
You probably know where this blog is going and I don't need to drag it out much further. Sometimes a well constructed song can explain things much better, so I check out the song below:



April Fools' Day.
The question of why I never have a girlfriend is seriously a question I get all the time, which probably made this more believable. I don't have to live with the fear of coming out, and I hardly have to hide anything ever. So, when I hear people have to hide who they really are it breaks my heart. You deserve to be yourself, and you deserve to be loved.

My Interview With Nico & Vinz

I didn't know a whole lot about NICO & VINZ before this interview, but the more I listened to their music and looked into them, the more fascinated I was. I love cultures and talking about things I don't know much about, and seeing that Nico & Vinz are from Norway caught my curiosity. I knew I had to ask them a bit about that, but we also talk about their music and how diverse their sound is, and we talked about what is coming up for Nico & Vinz. This is my full interview with Vinz.

Short Film: "I Care More"

We made the original cut of "I Care More" back in 2013, but now we have an all original cut with the help of my friend and musician Casey Hjelmberg. There are some disturbing images so VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. It was pretty much a 48 hour project. We had some spare gear, and a couple of my pals were free, so I wrote something really quickly one evening, filmed the next day, and then edited it.

John Oliver On The NCAA

Fantastic segment by John Oliver.
I remember during my last few years at the University of Minnesota is when TCF Bank Stadium was agreed upon. I don't follow college sports, but I had no issue with the construction of a new stadium as long it was responsibly financed and constructed and extensively looked over. Then I remember getting the bill for my tuition and seeing that the students of the University of Minnesota would also contribute to the funding of the stadium. Even then, it didn't make sense nor did it feel right that students would see an additional expense tacked on to their already bloated tuition. I still at times curse TCF Bank Stadium as I walk by it. Not because some of my money went into building the stadium, but because people felt it was acceptable to force students to help pay for it.
So to see that "student-athletes" are also taken advantage of is no surprise to me. Is there anyone and anything the long reaching hand of the profit motive cannot corrupt?

Disgusting New Animal Cruelty Video

I don't really got bothered by extreme video content, but I can never make it through an animal cruelty video. I have seen some pretty bizarre things without flinching, but animal cruelty videos send the worst emotions shooting through me.

Students Ask Obama About Education In America

I've had some amazing teachers in my life, and I've even tried teaching for a bit. It's an insane job, but incredibly rewarding and you feel good because you feel like you are making in impact on society and lives. I have no doubt that education is the great equalizer.
"Society has just gotta make an investment." He's right, but I'm afraid it won't. So, is this something we drag people along with, knowing it's the right path? Or, do we turn away from education because society isn't ready to prioritize it correctly?

Shush - Listen To A Story

I love story telling. 
I don't necessarily mean me telling stories. I'm a decent story teller at best, but I love the idea of "story telling". This concept of just being silent and having this composer take you down this path, have you see things that they want you to see, and have you feel things they want you to feel. It's a really big, generous, and abstract concept. You can captivate, entertain, and educate people with just this one thread. 
I've been really making an attempt to just shut up and listen to other people more. Trying to widen my views and find inspiration through others. I'm the sort of person that's always swimming in my own mind and thoughts, but even more so these last few months. However, what I want right now is for other people to tell me stories. However big, and however small. I want to know how buying a toothbrush was a scientific endeavor for you the other night because of the diversity of toothbrushes. I want scientists to teach me about the Higgs boson.
I've been trying this new thing where I try to grab coffee with someone I haven't seen for a very long time at least once a week. Catch up, listen to their story, and just chat. It's been very rewarding and very refreshing. In fact, I just had a very nice conversation with a pal earlier today. I'm also that nerd that loves watching interviews. I don't remember how I ended up watching this (I fell into one of those YouTube spirals), but I loved what Chris Evans had to say. "Brain noise". I so badly want to shut off my brain noise sometimes. More often than not, I drag myself down with my thoughts. So, just tell yourself "shush", and, as Evans added, push yourself into what seems scary. It all made a lot of sense to me.

Inequality For All - A Must Watch Documentary

An amazing documentary! A must watch for all. One of the most meaningful and important ones I have seen in a long time. I have had it on my list for a while and I finally got around to watching it.
I'm sure my Republican friends wanted to go on a shooting rampage after watching it. It pretty much demolishes the Republican economic outlook (This myth of "Trickle Down Economics"). The evidence is simple and difficult to argue against. I haven't studied economics since high school, and I am handicapped when it comes to that topic. However, even with my minimal knowledge, I like to think I have constructed a mildly reasonable outlook. My point is, if someone as stupid as myself can grasp these concepts, any idiot should be able to understand how this works.
The only disappointing part about the documentary is that it only looks at how to make capitalism a better system and bypasses a larger view of the system itself. What if the system at its best is still not up to par?? We could strengthen the middle class and make things more efficient and better, but that doesn't change that capitalism is a system based off of constant consumption. Why do you need a new iPhone every year when the one you are using now works perfectly fine? What are we paying in social and environmental costs to keep this flawed system afloat? Those issues aside, it is a great look at the economic issues we face within a specific scope.

Don't Be Afraid To Be A Crazy Person

"Don't be afraid to be a crazy person".
I love that message, but it's a thin line to tap dance. You have to be a progressive crazy person, and not just a crazy crazy person. There are plenty of crazy crazy people in this world. People who want to do harm and/or believe things based off subjective belief and not off sympathy, reason, and logic. A progressive crazy is only the illusion of crazy. A progressive crazy is someone who is years beyond the current standards of thinking.
I often feel out of place and crazy, and I often fear that I am just a crazy crazy. I hope this is not the case, but there is no good way of telling. It drove me nuts that I felt so different when I was young, but I've come to embrace it as I become an adult. With the help of time and trial & error, I feel more and more that I am a progressive crazy. I am learning that I feel out of place with many of my peers because I am, in fact, different and crazy. My peers are the normal ones, but hopefully as time passes, my crazy stances will prove to be normal and mild. I really need to surround myself with more crazy people.

I hope to apply to Berkeley in the near future. I'm very glad that they changed their minds and let Maher speak. He isn't always right, but man, is he a free thinker and fearless. It would be so cool to attend a school that allows people like Maher to speak, and that has such a prestiges history.

Grab Show Show: A New Online Variety Show

I consume a lot of news and I wish there were more outlets for people to get news in a fun way. I think shows like The Colbert Report & The Daily Show are so great. They are informative, smart, and funny.
So, I've been trying to mess around with a few ideas. None of them are too refined or where I want them to be, but hey, you have to start somewhere.

This is an idea for an online variety show. Your critical feedback is appreciated.

Sam Harris & Cenk Uygur Discuss Religion

This was a lengthy, but very fun conversation to watch. I shared the video on my Facebook page, and this is my text that went along with my share:
That's what Sam Harris gets for trying to deal with and sort things out in the nuance. People want to paint with a larger brush. It's quicker, it's easier, and you get the bigger picture faster. It's not his fault he is misunderstood, it is our fault that we can't keep up with him. He is absolute behemoth of a philosopher and a genius. 
I really, really admire Cenk, and I think he made some good points. I think I even agreed with him over Sam Harris on maybe 1 or 2, but it got very annoying when it seemed like he tried to play devil's advocate just the play devil's advocate. 
That ending Sam Harris dropped was amazing. Easy to understand, but certainly a concept that only a wise mind could craft (Don't let your hindsight bias fool you). How we treat thought crimes is such a touchy subject, but his example of what we did to Bin Laden was spot on.

Anberlin's Final Minnesota Show

I am beyond stoked and a little sad to attend ANBERLIN's final show in Minnesota at the Varsity Theater. I have been listening to Anberlin for about a decade now, and they announced at the beginning of the year that this would be their last as a band. It's heartbreaking, but I'm glad they didn't fizzle out and they were able to give us a final album and a final tour. They have a sold out show at the Varsity Theater today! I hope to see some of you there!
The first Anberlin song I ever heard was "Ready Fuels". I think I came across it on Purevolume or MySpace. I used to spend hours exploring new music in junior high, and Anberlin was one of the bands I fell in love with.

Unless Anberlin drops one last music video on us before they ride into the sunset, "Stranger Ways" will be the last music video they ever release. It comes off of their final album "Lowborn".

Secret Album Released By I Can Make A Mess

Another secret album has been dropped, and this time by someone I actually listen to. Ace Enders is the frontman for a number of bands. He started in The Early November, he also has a project that simply goes by Ace Enders, and he has I Can Make A Mess. He recently dropped a secret album called "Growing In" and you can stream it below.

New Anchor & Braille Songs

Two new ANCHOR & BRAILLE songs have surfaced and despite both tracks sounding like material I wouldn't normally like, I have to admit I enjoy both tracks. I'm a little disappointed the Stephen Christian kind of went this non-organic route because I thought some of his more beautiful songs with Anchor & Braille were his more minimalistic organic songs. But again, these 2 new songs definitely work.
This first track "Fatal Flaw" is a shorty, but a goodie. Again, that fake hip-hop sounding high-hat isn't normally something I like, but it works with everything else in that it sort of sounds like an '80s synth vibe. It sounds like it could've been in the opening credits for "DRIVE".




This next song is called "Detroit Stab".



I should also note that I read that the label Anchor & Braille is working with typically only releases singles for artists. It could mean that there isn't a full-length or EP coming out, and that these could be one-off singles. I certainly hope that this isn't the case, because I am very much looking forward to the progression of Anchor & Braille.
Their first album, "Felt" was good and you could tell that it was Stephen Christian behind the songs, but the songs weren't "full" enough for me. It felt like most of the songs just needed 1 more thing. It's still a beautiful album and something I love to have on in the background from time to time. However, I thought Stephen Christian really flexed his song writing skills when "The Quiet Life" came out. The album is more diverse, it is fuller, and it is just plainly enjoyable.

Debate: Does Science Refute God?

This was a lively debate that I had never seen before. 
The Christians (D'Souza + Hutchinson) didn't say anything that shifted the core of my stance, but I found myself nodding yes to a couple of their points. Especially when they discussed morality. I'm glad that the Christians didn't fight the notion that Christian morals are good morals because they are not. However, my nihilistic side did agree with the Christians that we do not know why we decided kicking a dog is wrong (I am glad that we did, but dogs are amazing creatures). Morals don't intrinsically exist in the cosmos. We constructed them so that we wouldn't have to live in fear every waking and resting moment of our lives.



This is pretty cool format for debates. It's quicker and I'm glad the speakers can step on each other from time to time and address each other like they are in the same room (Because, well, they are). I prefer it over formats where someone gets 5 minutes to address an opponent as if they were in another room. It really forces a debater to to clarify and support their stance. 

Meg Myers Interview

I've been following MEG MYERS for a little while now. I really wanted to watch her perform live, and especially watch her perform "Heart Heart Head". She was also generous enough to give me a few minutes of her time for me to interview her. She's definitely a professional and a gamer as we joked around while we were setting up the equipment for the interview. Her music is serious, but you can tell that she has a really soft spot too. I asked her about her awesome music videos, and I also asked when we might see a full-length debut. Check out the full interview here.



This is probably my favorite song by Meg Myers and I absolutely love the video. It comes off her 2014 EP "Make A Shadow". I got goosebumps watching her perform it live. It's just so emotional and powerful!

The Politically Correct Vigilante

The Politically Correct Vigilante must have secretly taken and lynched the old Min Lee. I've been doing a lot of self-reflecting lately and I fear that I have become this lame, tame, bland, and ultimately a hollow version of the person I used to be. I am only a faint echo of the edgy, flamboyant, and reckless person I used to be during my latter college years and my young adult days. I used to not give a fuck, and used to speak and tell stories based on principle and fact. Now I practice the soft bigotry of low expectations as to not offend and anger people. Probably because I have become lazy, weak, and apathetic. A stronger person, a true trailblazer, would have continued on a progressive path and would have been willing to take on the burden of pulling along his peers to greener pastures. A stronger person would have pulled on his own despite being ridiculed, spit on, and resisted.

I do not know when the PC Vigilante stole and silenced the stronger me. People should be more offended by my soft bigotry, and less offended of the times of when I used to tell it like it is. I used to ask questions and present ideas firmly and with conviction (and often sprinkled with vulgarities), and expected reasonable and formidable responses with an open mind and heart. When the responses were under-qualified, illogical, unreasonable, and just plain weak and stupid, I squashed them with emphasis and vigor. Not to be rude, not to be condescending, but because none of us have time to toy with those ideas, nor should we nurture those soft ideas. That should be the course of action that is respected and expected. However, soft bigotry is cushy, it is comfortable, but it is not helpful. We should expect more from each other.

 I think my job has a lot to do with what I've become. The PC Vigilante in my case is not an external pressure. No, it is not a gang of people with pitchforks and torches, but rather an internal struggle. A yearning to be liked by the masses, when I should be seeking the approval of the correct and intelligent minority. I could use your help as I am hoping to light a flame. A flame that is bright, enlightening, fearless, unwavering, but most of all helpful to everyone. It is a flame that I hope stays strong for many years to come, and one we can all share to guide us in the darkness. I love you all.

Let us progress.
(TFL; DFR). :)

Alone In White - A Reoccurring Dream

I have this reoccurring dream that I will detail below, but I think I finally caught on to when it comes back. I don't remember the first time I had the dream, but I realized this time it always happens when I'm going through an existential crisis. When I have questions about what I am doing, where I am going, what I should be doing, what I have done, and so on. I seem to always go through these cycles. I always get to a point where I ponder a lot, I ask a lot of questions, and then act on what I gathered. It usually results in me being pleased about working toward something, but then I get semi-complacent. I casually ride the steady waves for a bit, and then I find that I need to re-organize and re-boot. I always need to improve myself. I worry that I am going to waste my life. This reoccurring dream isn't set in reality. I am on an island with my friends and family. The island doesn't sit in the middle of a body of water. Instead, it is surrounded by nothing. If you sit on the edge of this island and look out, it appears like a giant white wall is in front of you. However, there is no telling where the wall starts and ends. Try imagining a horizon of "nothing", or at least the closest we can imagine "nothing". What I mean by that is, even if you imagine "nothing" you are imagining something. It is impossible for us to imagine nothing, but that is a different blog. The island isn't as depressing as it sounds. I am there with my friends and family and the island is self sufficient. There is clean water, the climate is comfortable and great for producing plenty of food. The island isn't big and a lot of times we have to plot out the area carefully, but it's just enough to live comfortably and happily. Everyone on the island is happy, however, we are planning to leave. There is a promise that a ship will come and take us from this island. When you take a step off the edge of the island, you don't fall into water like a normal island. You just fall. And you probably fall forever because there seems to be no floor. Everyone is diligent about never flirting with the edge of this island. The day the ship is supposed to arrive comes up. We pack and prepare the day before. Things get hectic, but we know just a single day of meticulous planning and work and we will be set free. Night comes and everyone is asleep, but I'm unable to do so because of the anticipation. I get up to check everything over one last time. All our belongings are near the edge of the island because we wanted to load the incoming ship as quickly and efficiently as possible. As I am checking over everything a piece of the island crumbles and I lose my footing. I slip, but I'm able to grab on to the edge of the island. I need assistance, but I can't produce a sound. I don't worry too much because I know everyone will be up soon and will come to where I am because they will need to board the ship. Eventually the time comes and everyone works quickly to load everything we organized the day before and hop on the ship. As I hang on the edge with my forearms burning, I watch the ship leave. I try mightily to yell, but still nothing. I justify in my head that someone will eventually recognize that I am not there with them. After all, they are my closest friends and family. I tell myself to focus on gripping the island and that I should see the ship returning in no time. Days pass and I feel my grip becoming weak. My forearms are on fire and my knuckles are ready to burst. I don't know how much longer I can hold and there is still no ship in sight. I haven't heard a single sound produced by this universe of nothingness. Then I wake up. I always feel uneasy, and I don't know what to think of this dream (maybe nightmare). I usually shrug it off until I have it again. There is probably a lot of symbolism in there and something I'm trying to tell myself. Maybe I should pay attention more.

Predestined To Go To Hell?

I don't understand why my brain is this way, but I'm constantly thinking about the future. I have these really heavy and often depressing existential discussions with myself about my personal future and the future of the world. Obviously my own personal interest makes sense, and why I care so much about my neighbors and the world is another premise (But really, why wouldn't you?). Maybe because I was raised Christian (Seventh Day Adventists to be more specific), but religion always enters the discussion (Obviously if you follow me on Facebook, right?). Religion is a topic that brings me great entertainment. It gives me something to always talk about. It's a lot of fun to talk about and ponder in a serious setting and really easy to joke about in a light setting. Religion is also a topic that brings me great frustration and often makes me depressed. It makes very little objective sense and some of the evil that if produces breaks my heart. There is a sect of the Christian community that believes in predestination. This idea that their god has an infallible "Grand-Plan" or "Master-Plan". It is objectively impossible to believe in a grand-plan when the recipe also includes an omnipotent and all loving god because there is way too much suffering and pain in this world for that to pass any test of logic (or reason, I will add). However, I sometimes wonder what if Christians are right and there is a master-plan. I attend a Presbyterian Bible study class. I explained to others a couple of times recently that I don't attend churches and expect people to throw away their beliefs just for my visit. The members of my Bible study group know fully that I am agnostic and know that I don't believe in the idea of a master-plan. It would be incredibly stupid of me and rude if I went to a Presbyterian church and expected people to not believe in a master-plan just because I was there. Recently I started thinking that if predestination is true, I have been chosen by the Christian god to go the hell since the beginning. He knew from the get go that at the age of 21, I would start to question my faith and go on a spiritual journey, and that 2 years later with the help of the Bible (I consider the Bible the quickest way to become atheist), many discussions and sleepless nights, educators, and books, that I would become an atheist, then an anti-theist, and then that I would go through a state of apathy and then eventually settle on agnostic. If predestination is true, I was chosen by god to go the hell from the start. Maybe I really was predestined to be this way. I remember around 4th grade in Bible study class, we were discussing what heaven might be like. My youth group leader at the time told me that heaven would be happy and beautiful. Even at that young age that was too general for me. Really, what does happy and beautiful even mean in that context? That didn't help me assemble my image of heaven in the slightest. I asked him to specify and he went on to tell me everything is the cleanest of white, that everyone would have mansions and plenty to eat, and that the streets were paved with gold. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, even in the 4th grade that sounded like a waste of resources. I asked him what is the purpose of paving the streets with gold? It doesn't really give us any advantage, it's arrogant and again, a complete waste of gold. At that time, I was 110% a god fearing Christian boy. I knew that if I didn't do what the Bible told me, that I would go to hell. I prayed when I woke up, I prayed before breakfast, I prayed before lunch, I prayed before dinner, I gave quick prayers before snacks, I prayed when I was bored, I prayed when I was lonely, I prayed when I was worried, and I prayed before bed. And these weren't your scripted and recited prayers. Each prayer was genuine and original. How could such a dedicated, god fearing Christian boy question what heaven looked like? Fast forward to 7th grade. I was told in Bible study class that every man on this earth had one less rib than every woman on this earth because woman was created from the rib of man. I was a 7th grade boy carrying around with me an immense misunderstanding of the human body. They had raped my mind and ruined my view of the world. When I learned in my (secular and awful public school) health class that my understanding of the human body was incorrect I was embarrassed. Looking back as a grown man I am infuriated. Why would the church do that to a young boy? Why would they disadvantage and fuck a little boy so hard that his understanding of the world could be so off? So, I went back to church and I needed answers. So, what if I was born an atheist/agnostic? What if I am predestined to be this way? I can see instances where I have always questioned the church even as a little boy. Why would an all loving god sentence me to a life in hell from the very beginning?