Conversations with Strangers

This video is titled "Cults and Witchcraft with Melissa Fortner" from the channel Conversations with Strangers. It is a two-hour interview discussing Melissa Fortner's journey from being a licensed therapist and academic to joining a witchcraft cult, leaving it, and becoming an entrepreneur.Here is a summary of the key discussion points from the interview:

This video is a conversation titled "The History of Sound with James M Errington" from the channel Conversations with Strangers.James M. Errington is the creator of the project Centuries of Sound, which compiles a mixtape for every year of recorded sound [00:39]. The interview covers his personal background, musical tastes, and a detailed history of recorded sound technology.Key Topics DiscussedThe History of Recorded SoundThe discussion provides a timeline of recording technology:• 1853 (Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville): The very earliest known recording, which used a device to mark sound vibrations onto soot-covered paper. This device could not play back the sound, only capture a visual record of it [15:44].• Late 1870s (Thomas Edison): The invention of the phonograph, which was the first machine to both record and play back sound, initially using tin foil and later metallic soap cylinders. Edison originally intended it as a dictation device for businessmen [17:52].• Early 1900s: The shift from cylinders to discs (gramophones). This era saw the rise of Ragtime as a major musical genre [24:16].• Acoustic Recording (Pre-1926): Sound was physically captured using a gigantic brass horn that focused vibrations down to a needle, cutting groves into a wax disc [25:24].• Electrical Recording (Post-1926): The introduction of microphones and electrical recording systems led to a dramatic improvement in sound quality (capturing more bass and treble). The year 1927 is highlighted as an "amazing year" for recorded music, capturing diverse regional genres like folk, jazz, and blues for the first time [28:59].• Magnetic Tape: Technology found in Germany after WWII and popularized in the US by people like Bing Crosby [34:18]. Les Paul is noted as a pioneer in using magnetic tape for multitracking [36:33].• Modern Production: The conversation touches on influential producers like George Martin (The Beatles) [40:02] and Phil Spector (Wall of Sound) [41:06], leading to the current era of digital technology where almost anyone can create music [49:18].James M. Errington's Work• Centuries of Sound: The core project involves compiling a mixtape for every year of recorded sound, including music, news, and other audio from that year [00:54]. The mixes are now hosted on Mixcloud to ensure proper licensing and artist payment [50:55].• Musical Taste: James shares his eclectic musical tastes, which include:• Early 70s Fusion Jazz (his "ultimate sweet spot") [07:29].• His all-time favorite band, Soft Machine [07:45].• A preference for "weird pop music," citing Charlie XCX as a current favorite [13:51].• Other Projects: He also creates ambient experimental music under the name Buff Cuts [53:34].You can find his website here: https://centuriesofsound.com and you can watch the full video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6sndFKb6jA

This video is a conversation with Michael Thibault, the director of the microbudget independent film, Clocking the Tea, discussing his career, the challenges of making and distributing his movie, and advice for aspiring filmmakers.Here is a summary of the main points: * Michael Thibault's Background: Michael has 38 years of experience in the film industry [00:17]. His career started in documentaries and low-budget indies, eventually leading him to work for Roger Corman in the 1980s [00:34]. Later, he spent 10 to 15 years editing trailers and TV spots for major films, including Avatar and Oceans 11 [00:50]. * Directing His Film: After years of editing, he realized he had never directed a movie he set out to make, so he was inspired by do-it-yourself filmmakers to write and direct the rom-com dramedy, Clocking the Tea [01:11]. * The Distribution Nightmare: The film finished in 2017, but distribution was delayed for years because the original sound mix was not within legal loudness standards [04:44]. Due to the mixing house going under during COVID, Michael had to learn how to mix the sound himself, which was a challenging process that took about two or three years to resolve [06:00]. * Success of Physical Media: The movie is now streaming on platforms like Amazon and Tubi, but Michael notes that they are actually making more money selling boutique DVD and Blu-ray discs—which include unique special features like dailies for collectors—than they are from streaming revenue [03:01]. * Filmmaking Advice: Michael stresses the difficulty of making a movie, calling the process "brutal" [31:04]. However, he encourages others by saying, "if I can do it, you can do it" [03:49:18]. For those on a tight budget, he advises creating a "bottle episode" movie that takes place in a single location, such as a room or a cabin, as a way to significantly cut costs and production time [03:49:37].You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phg1HUDlJpc

This video is a conversation with Charlie Hooper-Williams, a composer, pianist, and software developer, who shares insights on his creative process, live performances, the classical music world, and the impact of AI on art.Key Discussion Points* Background and Work* Charlie Hooper-Williams is a composer, pianist, and software developer who was part of the team that created the music identification app, Shazam [00:02].* He defines his musical style as part of the "post-classical," "indie classical," or "neo-classical" movement, focusing on creating music that connects emotionally with the audience [02:48].* He studied piano performance as an undergraduate at Northwestern [03:11].* Live Performances and Technology* He currently performs solo on a portable acoustic piano and utilizes a unique live visual system that he coded himself [00:18].* The system listens to what he plays and creates real-time visuals ( [19:54] ) projected onto a screen and six light towers [19:06].* His shows vary, ranging from small, intimate village halls to large festivals like Glastonbury [25:50]. He also enjoys performing in movie theaters, utilizing the massive screen and quality sound [33:49].* The Creative Process* He discusses the idea that no art is wholly new; a composer is a "sum of everything you've ever heard and done and seen" [10:09]. The artist's job is to digest those influences so that the final product is truly their own [10:24].* He finds the process of writing music includes phases of feeling his work is "terrible" ( [06:07] ), a common experience for creatives, which is why he values creative peers and mentors [07:27].* The World of Classical Music* He believes that post-World War II academic music created a split by prioritizing music that was difficult and experimental over music that was entertaining and connected with a general audience [03:06:01].* He is excited by contemporary composers like Caroline Shaw, who are experimental but still "fun and exciting" [38:43].* AI in Music* He finds AI to be a helpful tool for things like summarizing and grant applications ( [43:25] ), but he maintains a strong critical judgment when using it [42:56].* He is not yet impressed by AI-generated music ( [45:40] ) and speculates that the future will see a split between easily-generated AI background music and human-made art that people actively listen to for the sake of human-to-human connection [46:32].RecommendationsCharlie Hooper-Williams recommends the following post-classical artists:* Nils Frahm [51:22]* Poppy Ackroyd* Olafur Arnalds* Max RichterYou can find his music and updates by searching his name or visiting his website, charliehooperwilliams.com [51:55].

Seth and and I talk about consciousness

Jason Stein and I talk about horror movies. You can find his podcast here: https://dadsfromthecrypt.com/

Deepti and I talk about climate change. Here's all of her links: CitationsThe graphs I mentioned for possible temperatures in year 2100:https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/36990/EGR21.pdf - pages 24-25 of 112Emissions Gap Report: https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2024 (What actions are needed?) IEA Net Zero Roadmap: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2022/an-updated-roadmap-to-net-zero-emissions-by-2050 AI power use and water use: https://andthewest.stanford.edu/2025/thirsty-for-power-and-water-ai-crunching-data-centers-sprout-across-the-west/ Source for the “over 80% of people want climate action” statistic I stated: https://89percent.org Tipping points and “about 3.5% of people need to take climate action” - https://medium.com/@dkannapan/about-social-tipping-points-and-climate-action-c5e6a2ab278?sk=34012d729ec88a4dd29d46ded2bd145c My TEDx talk with an annotated transcript: https://medium.com/@dkannapan/the-climate-movement-needs-your-creativity-not-your-guilt-e847adb8e91e?sk=8a00209482ab283eb504b51d6b016590About my book, Fire's Allyhttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1250461128/fires-allyFire's Ally is a story about Eleg, a girl obsessed with the eerie, persistent, wildfire claiming parts of her home. No amount of rain seems to be able to put it out.She belongs to a gentle, bookish society and her people have been fighting the fire back for decades. But they are not ready for the turmoil it is about to unleash.Eleg understands the fire better than most. She has already once failed to protect the innocent in its path.Though she would rather be alone with her charts and graphs, Eleg must become the unlikely hero her people need, and bring the continent together in an ambitious technological endeavor to save their home.Me:https://www.deeptikannapan.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/dmkannapan.bsky.socialhttps://medium.com/@dkannapan

Thomas David Kehoe and I talk about How Lying (and Catching Lies) Drove Human Evolution, Sparked Language, and Kindled Civilization and 13 reasons why Trump is like Hitler. Here's a link to his medium blog post: https://tdkehoe.medium.com/golden-lies-how-lying-and-catching-lies-drove-human-evolution-sparked-language-and-kindled-b0adca94950b

Gallo and I talk about• His background: Gallo is a recovering intercourse addict and a widowed Texan who now lives in Reno [00:24].• Life in Reno: We talk about the food and gambling scene in Reno. Gallo says he doesn't gamble because he gets angry if he loses money [01:38].• Upbringing and beliefs: He shares his experience growing up poor [07:20] and how he became disillusioned with the Catholic Church after studying to become a pastor [09:33].• Red pill philosophy: Gallo explains that his "machismo" philosophy predates the red pill movement. While he agrees with the focus on self-improvement, he disagrees with the movement's focus on getting as much sex as possible [12:20].• Women's fantasies: He shares his thoughts on women's fantasies, including double penetration and being led in relationships [20:26].• Future plans: Gallo mentions he is revamping his podcast, which will be called "The Eschewing show" [01:57:42], and will include a segment where he interviews podcasters on topics outside their usual niche [01:57:55].• Media recommendations: The guest recommends TV shows like Slow Horses, The Americans, and Snowpiercer, and books like The Expanse and A Song of Fire and Ice [01:59:35].

Matthew Adams and I talk about comedy and politics. He is running for state assembly in district 9 Central Valley, California. You can find his website here: https://sites.google.com/view/adams4assembly/home

David and I talk about AI and his company Groas AI. You can find his company website here: https://groas.ai

Jakeb and I talk about his theory on consciousness called the new consciousness. You can find his website here: https://www.ournewconsciousness.com/

Shane and I talk about being an air traffic controller.

Milo and I talk about his book, Gray Skies, Concrete Dreams, living the corporate life, and his podcast. Here's the links to his book, podcast and Instagram: LinksWeb: milodenison.com/books/gray-skies-concrete-dreamsPodcast: the80sand90s.com/podcastInstagram: @milodenison

Isis, Angel and I talk about their upcoming short film: The New Years Break Up. Here's a link to their indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-new-years-break-up#/ and here's a link to their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewyearsbreakupshortfilm?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Pramod and I talk about artificial intelligence

Max and I talk about movies and TV Shows. You can find his podcast here:Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pop-quiz-podcast/id1733962357Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3qkpQUmZVTPXh8WMK7nP6ZWebsite for other links:www.thepopquizpodcast.com

Hank and I talk about him being an expat in Germany and a digital nomad in the US.

Karen Boyd and I talk about how to use AI ethically and effectively. Here's a link to her websites: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkarenboyd/https://drkarenboyd.com/bloghttps://drkarenboyd.com/missionfirstThinkpic.org

Lawyer and historian Richard Fair and I talk about cryptocurrency, physics, and philosophy. You can find his website here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=7477764

Mike and I talk about his book about Pink Floyd titled Everything Under the Sun. You can find his book here: https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/everything-under-the-sun/ and his substack here: https://mikecormack.substack.com/

Jeremie and I talk about losing an infant, AI, technology, futurism, and life as a digital nomad. You can find his website here: https://jeremieandre.com and his wife's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/rosieandre

Ty Alexander and I talk about Cryptids, UFO's and the supernatural. He has a book coming out called Monstrous. You can find it here: https://tyalexanderwrites.com/

Bryan and I talk about his free streaming app Mometu, movies, and TV shows. You can find the app website here: https://mometu.com

David Ramms and I talk about Animal Advocacy and Veganism. You can find his YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/@davidramms?si=hjVXfKmyat7fZEZO

Skye Hawthorne and I React to Sam Bankman-Fried on Tucker Carlson, Tucker on Piers Morgan and Andrew Tate on PBD plus more

Lilia Doytchinova, Tiffany Downey and I talk about working in Hollywood and their new movie The Haunting of Hollywood. You can find the movie website here: https://www.venuslightent.com/portfolio-3/thoh

Dave and I talk about YouTube Grifters. You can find his website here: https://www.echoplexmedia.com

Jeremy Duffy is back to talk about staying safe online and how to make better work environments. You can find his websites here: https://www.thegeekprofessor.com/rps/are-you-listening/ and here: https://www.jeremyduffy.com

Joshua Thompson and I talk about him moving from California to Texas, tax accounting, cryptocurrency, and investing. You can find his website here: https://thompsontaxgroup.com

Kelly Catlin and I talk about her new book Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom. You can find her website here: https://www.kellycatlinauthor.com

Skye Hawthorne and I React to Ben Shapiro, Trump, Israel, Gaza, and Matt Gaetz on Bill Maher

Skye Hawthorne and I talk about drugs and politics. You can find his links here: https://linktr.ee/DrugCultures

Jeremy and I talk about working for the NSA, politics, and his new book Are You Listening? You can find his websites here: https://www.thegeekprofessor.com/rps/are-you-listening/ and here: https://www.jeremyduffy.com

B McGraw and I talk about his new book called 69, global warming, religion, and science. You can find his website here: https://jabde.com/author/bmcgraw584682/

Juan Ayala and I talk about his acting career and him being a film journalist. You can check his podcast Actors With Issues here: https://www.youtube.com/@ActorsWithIssuespodcast

Gavri'el and I talk about cults, conspiracy theories and religion. You can find his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaving-eden-podcast/id1525971285

Michael Brewer and I talk about his acting career and his YouTube show Streaming the Law. You can watch his show here: https://youtube.com/@streamingthelaw?si=4MZy36bxkg84RMrm

Cameron and I talk about neuroscience and philosophy

Michael and I talk about making films and his new film Crossroads. You can find all his info here: https://www.instagram.com/crossroadsfilmjournal?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Scott Saslow and I talk about Film, Graphic Design, Being a NASA Test Subject, and Being an Extra in Film. You can find his website here: https://www.scottsaslow.com

Jon Chan and I talk about Accounting and Real Estate Investing. You can contact him here: https://www.instagram.com/jonchanrei/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Mo and I talk about Living in Cairo, the pyramids, being in the military, losing money in Cryptocurrency, and Digital Marketing

Jacob and I talk about AI, futurism, science and space. You can check out his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entropy-rising/id1777852260

Greg and I talk about his band The IDK's and music. You can listen to his band here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ZdoWzPVkTwLGNfO9HNG2j?si=Y-kaj9SQQ_ahP8-GzKF02w

Sam and I talk about ayahuasca, consciousness, and running an ayahuasca retreat in Columbia. Here's his website: https://ayahuascaincolombia.com

Dave and I talk about trolling, Jeffrey Epstein, the intellectual dark web, and conspiracy theories. You can find his website here: https://www.echoplexmedia.com/

Kevin Orr and I talk about him dealing with paranormal phenomena and targeted individual experience. You can check out his subreddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PositiveTI/s/Jy0sB07Fzw

Ray and I talk about neuro linguistic programming, psychology, and consciousness. Here's his website: https://www.mycoachray.com/

Kevin, Bret and I talk about astral projection. You can visit their website here to learn more: https://www.astraltravelerinstitute.com/