Brandon Ferdig

Human-interest stories, analysis of societies, and humanitarian efforts; Blockchain advocate

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

In March, I attended @infinitacity 's Liberty Acceleration Summit at @Prosperahn in Honduras.

It focused on startup societies building across the world, and I found it all to be quite uplifting. As I wrote:

“In a world that seems to be at a crossroads, the startup society movement feels like a widening ray of hope—builders looking beyond the redundant, ineffective, sometime corrupt systems in place today and toward futures realizing abundance and an expanse of possibilities.”

Check out my whole story: https://t.co/WwBRM3bSKf

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

About two weeks back, I wrote about the "Race: Are We So Different?" exhibit at the Science Museum of MN. This exhibit includes that piece of political art showcasing blacks killed by police in 2020. Despite one's feeling about its message, my concern was this artwork being featured in our museum for dinosaurs and learning the laws of thermodynamics.

So, two weekends back, I visited the museum for myself to see this exhibit—and see what came up.

Plenty did. And I recorded my reaction right there in the museum. Hope you like it:

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

Take a break from the chaos, and watch my wholesome new story about Eldora & Joe, off-the-grid artists in Wisconsin.

Watch here: https://t.co/ymfRXnkfmH

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

I enjoyed attending yesterday's "Future-Proof Philanthropy" conference put on by Mercer Advisors.

Most nonprofits are pinched with costs are up and donations generally down. But some are doing well addressing causes that are fresh in the news and near to people's hearts.

The keynote talk was from former Minneapolis mayor RT Rybak (pictured), now the President & CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation. He encouraged wealthy donors to "get off their assets."

I had a short side conversation with him regarding his statements that governments need to do more for humanitarian needs--with nonprofits there for occasional service. I see governments more strained than ever (as well as not very trusted), while wealthy (and non-wealthy) people can do much through nonprofits to address humanitian needs. But he contended that such money should come from taxes and not by relying on wealthy people deciding to donate.

Other speakers from The Minneapolis Foundation, the Graves Family Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and more offered their experience and wisdom for helping nonprofits succeed.

Having access to such leaders in philanthropy, hearing all their thoughts through their talks & panel discussions, and networking with many peers made for an enriching day.

Thanks for all the speakers, attendees, and Mercer, for the invite and for hosting.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@darrenrovell Crazy. I see no difference between this 8 and that 10. In fact, I see a tiny blue dot on the upper left of the 10.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

The two great countries of the Anglosphere, the U.K. and the U.S., have raised up these two young Slavic people as the faces of systemic problems plaguing their societies.

In the U.S., it's street violence and the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.

In England, it's immigrant crime and the murder of British-Polish student Henry Nowak.

Perhaps these two will be seen as martyrs to the cause of addressing these societal problems.

There are many similar-but-different parallels one can connect between these movements and the one that rose up from George Floyd. We now see murals to Iryna; Henry died while handcuffed by police and even uttered the words “I can't breathe.”

These are such emotional, provocative cases, it's hard not to get appalled and even disgusted by the details and double standards between them, of which there are many. As well, there are concerns about ulterior motives of those who champion these individuals.

But to the degree we can take a step back from the specifics, perhaps the big takeaway is that the movements these faces represent don't come out of nowhere and didn’t rise up for no reason. Regardless of all the aspects surrounding them, these cases and subsequent movements expose big problems underneath.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

Billboard in northern Minnesota - Many new state flag opponents cite its design and the way it was selected as reason for their opposition to it. But I think it's something deeper and the reason why flags (and other icons) can be so powerful. It's about symbolism.

Many, if not the majority, of Minnesotans are unhappy with the direction the state has taken the past 5-10 years. Because of when this flag was selected and who selected & now promotes it, this flag (to opponents of it) represents a state corrupted. In addition, the former flag represents the better way things were before, which is its own powerful attraction.

So, this flag, right now at least, is doing the opposite of its purpose. It's actually serving to divide the state.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

And the explanation from Grok makes this even worse:

"The phrase originated as a racist football (soccer) chant used by the ultra-fan group “La Familia” of Beitar Jerusalem, an Israeli club notorious for anti-Arab extremism (e.g., refusing Arab players for years and directing the taunt at Arab-Israeli teams or Palestinian villages). It has been criticized inside Israel as vulgar and racist.

It was later sampled into a popular party/dance track (associated with singer Kobi Peretz and others), which trended on social media for workouts, dances, and parties. In the context of heightened tensions after October 7, 2023, and the Gaza war, it was repurposed and sung at rallies, weddings, and events with clear anti-Palestinian overtones. Similar chants have appeared in Jerusalem Day marches and settler actions, where the intent is explicitly violent (“May your village burn” referring to Palestinian communities)."

[Doc Jazz ✌ طارق @docjazzmusic]

No society in history has ever reached this level of mass psychosis.

If you are unable to discern that, you yourself are in urgent need of psychiatric evaluation.

An entire society dancing cheerfully to the beat of GENOCIDE.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

Dude here on Facebook is reaching into his old bag of tricks to sell his humble boat. Lol

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

Why would we take sun from the most productive hours of the day and give it to those spent in leisure?
Why would we choose a clock setting overall worse for people's health and safety?

Standard Time is standard.
Daylight Savings Time can be enjoyable, but it comes at a big cost.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

https://t.co/NyfHd9Hs7e

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

"Daylight Saving Time has been a policy typical of government meddling with nature or the economy to the long-term detriment of the whole. ​

It's reminiscent of how America prints money.

'Let's print off a bunch more money. That'll solve our resource issue.'

We do receive the immediate benefit—followed by the long-term harm felt most by the poorest Americans through the reduced value of the dollar.

Today we then mimic this indebtedness by borrowing light from the morning to give it to the evening. Take it from the time we’re the sharpest, and give it to the hours in leisure. ​And once again, this out-of-sync adjustment comes at the expense of 'the least among us'—i.e. those with already compromised health most affected by this clash with nature."

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@abolisharizona @xaunbe @OhEllinas @jamesawhiite @ramzpaul You're taking sunlight from an hour of the day when we're at our freshest and sharpest and giving it to the time of day when you can "play outside." It's backwards.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@xaunbe @OhEllinas @jamesawhiite @ramzpaul And it's not better for work. It might be better for a job, but the most productive, freshest, sharpest hours of day are in the morning. Why rob sunlight from these best hours of the day to appease people's desire for light for leisure hours?

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@unityforusall @CarlPaulus Then move to the equator. Don't sacrifice the health of a nation so you can have more sunlight for your leisure time.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

I'm pretty sure those supporting permanent Daylight Saving Time outnumber those who favor Standard Time. Perhaps it's a 60/40 split. But just as a strong manager can make a policy decision unpopular with employees that proves better for the organization, this is one of those times for America on this issue.

Daylight Saving Time has always been a policy typical of government meddling with nature or the economy to the longterm detriment of the whole. ​

It's reminiscent of money printing.

"Let's just create more money out of thin air, and that'll solve our resource issue."

There's immediate benefit followed by long-term harm—felt the most by the poorest Americans—through a reduction of the value of their money.

Similar to our continued policy of financial indebtedness, we now think we can borrow light from the morning and give it to the evening. Take it from the hours humans are their freshest, sharpest, and most productive, and give it to the hours we spend in leisure. ​And again, this is to the detriment of the "lowest among us"—in this case, those with already compromised health most affected by this clash of our natural sleep-wake cycle established over millennia.

Daylight Saving Time is less natural, less healthy, and enables the continued deterioration of the health of our nation.

P.s. A quick search online reveals all of this:

"Medical consensus strongly favors permanent Standard Time because it aligns closer to natural human biology. Here are the primary health benefits:
"​Better Sleep Quality: Standard Time provides more morning light, which naturally resets your circadian rhythm, making it easier to wake up and fall asleep at night. Permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) causes chronic sleep deprivation by forcing people to wake up in the dark.
"​Lower Cardiovascular Risks: Moving to permanent DST is linked to increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and irregular heartbeats due to chronic sleep disruptions. Standard Time mitigates these cardiovascular stresses.
"​Improved Mental Health: Increased morning sunlight boosts serotonin levels and reduces the risks of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, and anxiety.
"​Reduced Accidents: Studies show that regular sleep schedules under Standard Time lead to better alertness, fewer workplace injuries, and a reduction in fatal traffic accidents compared to the grogginess associated with DST."

[NewsWire @NewsWire_US]

Trump Indicates He'll Sign Bill Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@CritEngineering @shagbark_hick So move to the equator. Don't sacrifice a nation's health to benefit your leisure hours.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@RichHotel88 @CenTexLib If you dont enjoy life when you're at work, that's your problem. Those of us who appreciate the obvious benefits of getting the most out of our mornings continue to promote the objectively healthier choice, Standard Time.

[Brandon Ferdig @brandonferdig]

@dchidyllo @92michael "Wasted"

Conversely, many people cherish their morning time the most because that's when humans are the most alert, fresh, and available. To such folks interested in making the most of their days, sunlight in the morning is the opposite of a "waste."