The Color Blind Architect: Recent Episodes
The Color Blind Architect
The Color Blind Architect Podcast is a mix of interesting topics discussed and hosted by David Clayton, an architect with a form of red/green color blindness. His unique perspective opens the door to an outside of the box way of thinking.
Russia has invaded Ukraine and I can't help but ask: is the principle of mutually assured destruction still a valid working theory when one of the nuclear powers is run by someone who has seemingly gone mad. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/cory-alstad/drift
What do my ski clothes have to do with the Freedom Convoy 2022 in Canada? The question comes from an examination of safety and security versus diminishing returns on providing that safety and security.
After two months of waiting, it's finally here! Watch as I open up the package as my 12 year old son makes fun of me. Music by http://www.bensound.com
My heart is heavy. A friend passed away last night. It's difficult processing this. Hold your dear ones and love them. Live your life. Rest In Peace, Travis. Music by http://www.bensound.com
I’m a little late for getting a Christmas message out, but as I ponder the coming New Year, I can’t help but think about how important it is to return to the teachings of Jesus Christ to help heal our world.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Today we dive deeper into the railings tool in Archicad to cover guardrails and handrails at stairs. We'll cover a handrail mounted to a wall and a guardrail with a handrail next to an open space.
Architecture can be corrupted, but it is not as easy as some other professional endeavors as ultimately, a building must be structurally sound, it must stand up. Laws of Physics govern truth in Architecture.
Seems everyone is saying F#$@ Joe Biden these days. Did he inadvertently cause a massive infectious case of Tourette’s Syndrome? Or does political power corrupt people, and Joe Biden has about 50 years of being corrupted by power? Either way, government is a necessary evil, so we need to keep it as limited as possible so it can only do the things it must do and nothing more.
Governmental leaders throughout the world have betrayed the public trust. Institutions all over are failing to live up to their mission statements. What are we the people to do?
When Donald Trump used to talk about the "Deep State" it was easy to wave it off as conspiracy theories of a crack-pot. But what is the deep state? Is it real? Well, technically, it is real. Bureaucracy is the deep state. In every level of government, the staff, or bureaucrats, largely control the direction of government because they are the ones always there.
Building permits are a form of police powers by local governments to help protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. But the Federal government is client and police, thus, no check on their power prevents abuse of the contractors who work for them. Similarly, Biden's unconstitutional executive order to mandate vaccines is the executive branch legislating, thereby usurping power from the Congress. Checks and balances are an important part of the Constitution for a reason. Music by www.bensound.com
The "Great Reset" is upon us and politicians all over the globe have used the World Economic Forum's branding of "Build Back Better". What is their plan? Are they really going to make a better future? Or is this another in a long line of hair brained utopian schemes that will be more disaster than success? Music by www.bensound.com
I probably shouldn’t be hiking already, but…. Recently, meeting with a client, I had the request to make the restrooms genderless. The issue of gendered bathrooms is one that many people have strong opinions, and one where architects play a key role in designing the public restroom experience for us all. Are there ways to design past the controversy and create restrooms that help all feel comfortable and safe? Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
I was shocked seeing videos of people falling of planes, dead bodies in the streets, Americans fleeing on helicopters. America's longest war needed to come to a close, but the disastrous chaos that ensued brings great sadness. Mr. Biden needs to resign.
In Proverbs we learn 'to everything there is a season.' There are in fact times when it is good to conform, and then there are times when you shouldn't.
I go away into the woods for just ONE WEEK, and come back to the Salt Lake Valley full of smoke. This and the concern about growing totalitarian tendencies of the federal government, and one could be a bit saddened. Also, thank you to all you watched the tutorial video last week. More tutorials WILL BE COMING!
Everyone and everything is corrupt! From Joe Biden to corrupt oligarchs to sports figures, there is corruption everywhere. We live in a world that is corrupted but we also live in a world of good. This battle between good and evil continues. The cure for the corruption? It is simpler than you think.
Why are so many Americans fighting hard against Critical Race Theory? Because it is antithetical to our beliefs and our system. In the song, America the Beautiful, the second verse tells the secret of our past success and the secret to our future success.
In the late 1950's, the professional organization that represented architects in Cuba published a full page advertisement supporting Fidel Castro. Shortly after Fidel seized control of the island nation, he ended the architecture profession. This is a cautionary tale.
The "cold civil war" is a term to describe the ideological battle in the United States on-going. Is it possible to reconcile with ideological opponents? Possibly, but when the Cultural Marxists are demanding the rest of society accepts their fraudulent framing that is fundamentally at odds with over a milennium of English common-law and thousands years of Western Civilization, the same civilization that has brought about the modern world with all its peace, security, wealth, and technology, this becomes a case of irreconcilable differences.
Can architecture solve the homelessness crisis? Probably not, but architects can be part of the solution.
We have heard the phrase "Silence is Violence". While this can be true in terms of societal wrongs that people refuse to talk about, when it comes to dealing with our own internal struggles, silence can be an opportunity for reflection, to stare into the abyss of our souls and find peace within ourselves.
This week, a 12 story condominium tower in Miami, Florida collapses with dozens still missing. In the video of the collapse, it almost looks like the foundation gave way right before the building pancakes down. Of course, we all know foundations are important. It’s even a nursery rhyme: “The foolish man built his house upon the sand.” It’s such a sad story of actual physical loss of lives, but our nation is collapsing metaphorically. We are no longer built on a solid foundation and we need to restore our foundation, which is TRUTH.
Yup, I broke my foot. And among other things, it's also hot. Like actually physically hot. We could all use a cool down.
Something more fun today: a 12 mile hike climbing 4,600 feet of vertical to the summit of Mt. Ogden, the highest peak at Snowbasin Ski Resort. This trail goes from a neighborhood near Weber State University and is lightly trafficked. Stunning views from the summit. Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music
32 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party massacred thousands of Chinese citizens in a massive crackdown against the pro-freedom protestors in 1989. But because as Americans, we are too busy navel-gazing, we haven't been "proclaiming liberty" as we should. We should be speaking out truth and justice against our own government's crimes, but also those of the criminals of the CCP.
Seeing as Google just creates holidays and months out of thin air for celebration, why not do something good with June and make it Emancipation Month, or replace February's Black History Month and make it a longer and more pleasant weather month like June? The hike today was in Big Cottonwood Canyon, in the Wasatch Mountains. Credit to https://www.FesliyanStudios.com for the background music.
Recently John Cena issued a pathetic apology through Weibo for the horrible sin of calling Taiwan a country, well, I mean, a horrible sin in the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party and when you want to sell your new movie in China, well, you have to bend over and take it from Chairman Xi.
Quick check to tell if you're racist: if you formulate how you treat others based on their race, you are a racist. In practice, Democrats have been racist for a long time, and they continue to divide the country by race. It's time to call them out for this. No more racism. We should see people as individuals with their own unique characteristics and personality.
So many catastrophes throughout the world and I'm going to talk about blasphemy? Yes, what is it and why is it relevant to the world today?
What defines terrorism? Does the news media actively promote the constant state of fear amongst the populace?
Things are heating up . . . As Tim Pool has said recently, we are already in a "Cold Civil War". I would describe it more as a spiritual war, or a war for what guiding principles will guide us into the future. For those who believe in the U.S. Constitution, it is time to stand up and speak forth.
On a business trip in California, I can truly say, I love the weather and the geography of California. It is a such a great place..... if it weren't for the horrid government. Why does California have a crisis of governance? How can the problem be solved? The answer? A Devil's Advocate.
What is a miscarriage of justice? Are we experiencing that in the case of Derek Chauvin? Is justice failing in the United States generally? What are we to do as a people to restore justice on all sides so that people can trust again.
We all have the capacity for good and evil. To fail to recognize the capacity for evil is itself a form of evil as it allows the demons within to run rampant. Each of us, individually, need to have ways of dealing with our own demons if we as a society will ultimately be free.
What makes the difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher? Why are so many seemingly smart people able to be tricked into feigning belief in utterly idiot ideas?
Should you pick a fight with your spouse? The answer is, sort of. It's important for both partners in a relationship openly speak their mind and make their wants and beliefs know. Does this also relate to politics? Does it relate to our relationships with friends and neighbors?
Are there times when you can love someone too much? How about as a society? Can we engage in loving compassion to the point we miss the mark and cause our own downfall?
James Madison was concerned about the tyranny of the majority as he wrote Federalist Paper #10. Today, emDemocrats have the narrowest of majorities in Congress yet they seek to ram their ideology through into law.
In reading the first chapter of Jordan Peterson’s new book “Beyond Order”, the discussion starts in talking about how we read cues from other people to determine if we are going off the rails. This typically works when most people are sane. So what happens when society at large goes off the rails? I call it societal insanity. What is the cause? How do we fix it?
Recently, Bill Maher discussed how America is a silly people and that we need to chill out. I agree. Plus, I show some video of Apollo playing in the snow.
It's almost two months into the Biden presidency. Anyone getting buyer's remorse? Seems like cliche to say "I told you so". But what can you do to help the situation?
In this next installment of "Another Timely Review", I discuss the book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F..." by Mark Manson. Too many people spend time, emotion, energy, etc. on the wrong things. Maybe we should all take time to figure out what the F... we should be giving F...'s to and not giving F...'s to.
No, I don't actually use the F word in this post, so this is the PG rated version of the review.
Travails and tumult are all around us, but finding peace is just a local forest away. Get amongst some trees, breath some fresh air, and feel the peace. We need it if we will overcome the evils of the world.
Music: www.bensound.com
There are many facets of society that have collapsed and crumbled. Why? What are some root causes? How can things be better?
Admittedly, the headline is a bit of click-bait, but there are private organizations that write the laws the control much of your life everyday. These are code councils who write building codes. While you may not think about them often, these laws affect every building you go through and how you interact with every building you’re in.
Today’s Timely Review, the 2019 movie with Tom Hanks: ‘Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood’. The movie is a story about a magazine journalist struggling through emotional and family issues as he fills an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, famously known as Mr. Rogers. The movie is excellent and teaches a central message of love and forgiveness.
Taking a week off for some rest and relaxation was great, and even better was avoiding the news for that time. I’m back to work today and in this video I take my first look at the news on camera… literally, no prior look before shooting the video.
A lot of Libertarians argue that professional licensing is a form of state sanctioned monopolies. While there is some elements of truth to that argument, there is a legitimate value to the licensing of professions like medicine, law, architecture, accounting, etc.
The perception of reality for each person is framed by the prior experiences and intellectual foundations. To overcome distorted views of reality, people need to QUESTION EVERYTHING! Yes, question everything, even me.
With the firing of Gina Carano, yet another person is cancelled for having an opinion. Worse, Disney "thanked" the security services in China that imprison over 1 million Uigyrs in concentration camps as they fire Gina for comparing the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany with conservatives being fired, cancelled, and persecuted by the Democrats and Leftists in modern day America. This has created an internet fire storm. The issue comes down to Freedom of Speech.
As an architect, I get asked by clients how long something will take. Depending on your jurisdiction, your project type, project size, and many other factors, the answer is: depends. In this episode, David runs through some common issues in the architectural process that as a client you may want to be aware of before starting on that building project.
A commitment to free speech suggests doing as Michael Douglas’s character in the movie “The American President” and standing up for speech that offends you just as much as speech you agree with. But in a pure free speech social media platform, there will be speech by those that infuriate you, waste your time, or say hateful and horrible things. Facebook and Twitter seem to be going the censorship route in order to solve this issue. Is there a better way?
Short selling is not illegal, but sometimes it can be very unethical. Today’s episode, David talks about the stock market and some of the issues brought up by recent events.
When a truly free exchange of ideas is possible, the best ideas are able to compete and rise to the top. This an many other reasons are why YOU should start a VLOG!
In the next edition of my “Timely Book Reviews”, this week I review the 30+ year old book: “The Art of the Deal” by Donald J. Trump. In this book, a series of case studies describe by Trump give insights into the relationships and deal making necessary to develop real estate projects.
Following the teachings of Jesus Christ lead you to things like “love thy neighbor” and “turn the other cheek”. Sometimes, however, you have to choose to fight to protect your family. We are engaged in a spiritual war. It is not wise to allow the enemy inside your gates.
17 years ago, the book Confessions of and Economic Hitman was published. Here I am with my timely review. And by timely-- I just finished reading it after someone loaned me the book.... so ... yeah...
Somehow, it's too hard to ask for the local recreation center to post special events on their website so I don't drive over there only to find out it's closed for the event. This kind of incompetence is found at every level of government (and yes, it's a government facility). Can we fix problems like this?
Political leaders have used architecture for political gain throughout history. Today, I discuss the architecture of Adolf Hitler, Nicolai Ceaucescu, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump. Hint: I have problems with all of them on how they use architecture for politics.
We are facing unprecedented times in American history as a wholesale attack on all fronts from the Democrats, mainstream media, and Big-Tech corporations gang up and stifle free speech by purging the Twitter and Facebook accounts of huge numbers of conservatives. Worse, they have summarily executed Parler.com with no means of appeal. Google, Apple, and Amazon just simply decided to kill Parler.com. These are frightening times.
Was there just an insurrection? The Capitol building was stormed yesterday. What do we do as peaceable Americans?
It's now 2021. What are the things to be concerned about? How can we overcome the problems in the long run?
2020 has been a tough year, but there are many silver linings to the dark clouds we have faced.
A walk in the woods yields to falls in the snow, but along the way, I talk about the Paris Accord and why it is a bad treaty. Related, why businesses should stick to doing great customer service and not advocate for political issues.
Almost 250 years ago, Patrick Henry gave the famous speech ending in saying “Give me Liberty or Give me Death.” Today, we are not fighting a war of bullets, but one of spirit.
It can feel really disheartening when it seems as though the whole world is full of darkness and evil, but the fact that we can see that it is dark and evil is evidence that there is light shining such that the shadows can exist.
What do you do when those demanding you apologize don't want to forgive you but destroy you? There are people demanding we apologize for our lifestyles, our beliefs, our families, and our freedom. How do you deal with these people?
Christians are taught and believe in abiding by the laws of the land. But what does a Christian do when they are faced with unjust laws? What is the appropriate response?
Biden says for us to unify, but when you believe your political opponents to be enemies of liberty, how do you unify with that?
Today's episode is just an expression of thanks to God for the many blessings in my life. #GiveThanks
Sometimes it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Know this: you don't need to carry that weight. Focus on your own battles and trust in God that He will take care of the rest.
The year 2020 has been exhausting, and mostly because of the unrelenting stream of lies and corruption from those in power.
For a long time, as a society we have been marching quicker and quicker into collective insanity. Today’s post is a bit of a frustrated rant. Enjoy.
When we fail to stand and speak truth, the tyranny of dictators or the tyranny of mobs can cause a societal insanity wherein progress ceases and society crumbles. We all have a duty to speak truth and only truth.
With many of the major news media companies projecting Joe Biden as the next president, there was seemingly spontaneous celebrations across the country with people dancing in the streets. The celebration may be a bit premature with not a single state having certified their election results yet. What does this all mean?
fact that the election was so close bears evidence of what the voters really want. The practical result is proof of the genius of the founding fathers.
Biden has been campaigning with a sign saying "Battle for the Soul of the Nation". Today's episode, the Color Blind Architect discusses this slogan and where the real battle for the soul of the nation lies. Intro music used royalty free from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com.
An actual civil debate shocks the nation as Donald Trump and Joe Biden face down for the final debate. Here is the Color Blind Architect's review.
What is going on in the crazy little head of Winnie the Xi? How does this relate to the current US presidential election? What the heck do I know? Probably nothing, but here's my unsolicited opinion anyways...
Time to stand and proclaim “oh Captain, my Captain” and speak truth. Do not be shy but be courageous!
The revelations brought forth by the New York Post about Hunter Biden seem to be real and show a level of corruption on the part of the Bidens that is unprecedented in American history.
It feels like the polls are off. They don't seem to match with reality. Intro music used royalty free from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com.
Today, I talk about an issue important to me as I hike on a ridge overlooking Salt Lake City. The valley often gets very poor air quality due to the shape of the mountains and valley. What to do about this? How can architecture help. The audio has a fair bit of wind noise. Hopefully it is still plenty audible. Intro music used royalty free from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com.
Glenn Beck reported today genealogical research on Joe Biden's family history of slave ownership. Why does it matter? Why does it NOT matter?
Change the language and win the argument. Today, David discusses a couple examples of how words have changed meaning, but those "politically correct" meanings don't work when confronted with reality.
The VP debate was so much more civilized than the presidential one last week. Here are my thoughts on how it went.
Today’s episode features David discussing the intersection of maintaining a moral code and the impact on freedom.
News organizations need money and the get it through advertising. To drive advertising the employ “click-bait.”
Emotions flaired high in the recent Presidential Debate, but what we really need right now is to calm down and reason with one another.
2020 has been a tough year and as we approach this election season, we need to calm down and regain our rationality. Also, please check in on friends and family and make sure they’re doing ok.
With the grand jury indictments of police in Louisville, Kentucky related to the killing of Breonna Taylor, the question is posed: is there a role of considering race in apartment design. Federal law has an important thing to say in this regard.
Sitting in the car, I unload a bunch of thoughts such as global warming, pandemics, race riots, and other topics.