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The 20th century ushered in many innovations and changes, from industry and engineering to film. It also brought Europe and the world into two devastating wars. German cultural and literary critic Walter Benjamin lived and worked during this dangerous time, as media philosopher Francisco uncovers in this fascinating new episode. Dive into his mind!

While being driven to the 25th anniversary of the film “Groundhog Day” at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, Francisco recounts the life of pioneering humanist Roman Jakobson, who published over 600 articles and books, often while fleeing the Nazis. And like Wittgenstein, Jakobson founded two major intellectual movements in the 20th century. Incredible man and mind.

Roman Jakobson – A Double Pioneer

Hello! I hope you are enjoying the weekend. In a recent episode into “The Mind of Francisco Ricardo,” Francisco recalls a conversation with a psychologist in Los Angeles one night in “My Journey Across Psychology.”

Hello! Art and architecture, as two parts of a society’s culture, perform very different roles, influencing our lives in different programmed ways. Francisco delves into the purpose and problems of art and architecture in this new episode. Enjoy!

Hello! Happy St. Patrick’s Day this weekend. In this episode, Francisco provides us the context concerning persons involved in a new controversy at the L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art over the sudden firing of Helen Molesworth, its chief curator. This development follows similar stormy difficulties at the museum since 2000.

As Francisco has said on other occasions, the dream of escaping oppression is no less real now than it was years ago. Now Francisco walks you through his upcoming documentary “Arturo Sandoval: Heart and Music” featuring the story, music, and heroes in the life of jazz genius Arturo Sandoval, who escaped Cuba to become the greatest living jazz trumpeter of our time.

The dream of escaping oppression is no less real now than it was during WWII. “Casablanca,” one of our most beloved films, is still very real and relevant today, offering us a film that combined a modern romance with fighting the Nazi regime for a new start in the free world. Taking a look at his own personal history in Communist Cuba, and the stories of the aspiring actors “Americanizing” their immigrant names to further their careers post -wartime, Francisco takes us down a creative road (in Hollywood), as the process of creating films adapts and grows through the decades.

As we close out January, Francisco has a podcast to enjoy –
The Despite Factor

How often are we defeated by obstacles? In 35 incantatory minutes, Francisco makes a case for redefining challenges as much less than they seem, using as context the prodigiously difficult life of artist Max Ernst.