COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON: ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES TALKS ABOUT THE STATE TAKING PART IN RECENT LAWSUITS AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION... AND, ALSO TONIGHT, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT AN IMMERSIVE "AUDIO" EXPERIENCE DESCRIBED AS "ACOUSTIC ECOLOGY."

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

A FEDERAL JUDGE HELD A HEARING TONIGHT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION VIOLATED THE JUDGE'S ORDER BARRING THE DEPORTATION FLIGHTS OF DETAINED NON-CITIZENS WITH LITTLE OR NO DUE PROCESS.

THE ADMINISTRATION FLEW THE ALLEGED VENEZELUAN GANG- MEMBERS OUT OF THE COUNTRY OVER THE WEEKEND DESPITE THE JUDGE'S COURT-ORDER EXPRESSLY FORBIDDING THE MOVE.

THE REASON THE WHITE IGNORED THE JUDGE'S ORDER: >> THE AMERICAN PEOPLE VOTED FOR SPECIFIC ACTION TO OCCUR, AND IT HAS OCCURRED, AND IT IS OCCURRING, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

AND THE IDEA THAT A SINGLE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT THE MOVEMENT OF AIRPLANES AROUND GLOBE, AGAIN, IT IS THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS THING I HAVE SEEN FROM A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN MY LIFETIME AND FRANKLY GOING BACK MULTIPLE LIFETIMES.

THE JUDGE WANTS ANSWERS, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ARGUED THAT TONIGHT'S HEARING WAS USELESS BECAUSE THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT BE RELEASING ANY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FLIGHTS REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE JUDGE ORDERS.

HE LISTED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS HE WANTS THE THE ADMINISTRATION TO RESPOND TO BY TOMORROW.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOW SAYING THAT THE PRE-EMPTIVE PARDONS ISSUED BY OUT-GOING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ARE NOT VALID.

TRUMP WENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING THAT BIDEN'S USE OF AN AUTO-PEN IN ELECTRONICALLY SIGNING THE PARDONS MAKES THEM QUOTE, "VOID AND VACANT."

TRUMP MADE THE CLAIM DESPITE THERE BEING NO POWER IN THE CONSTITUTION OR CASE LAW TO UNDO A PARDON.

THE PRE-EMPTIVE PARDONS IN QUESTION INCLUDE MEMBERS OF A BIPARTISAN HOUSE COMMITTEE THAT INVESTIGATED THE JANUARY 6TH RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.

ECONOMIC NEWS: RETAIL SALES IN THE U.S.

WERE UP LAST MONTH, BUT NOT BY MUCH.

INDEED THEY CAME IN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN ECONOMISTS HAD PROJECTED.

THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORTS ONLY A .2 OF A PERCENT INCREASE FROM JANUARY.

RETAIL EXECUTIVES HAVE WARNED THAT CONSUMERS ARE FEELING STRETCHED AND BEING MORE CAUTIOUS WITH THEIR SPENDING.

RETAIL SALES MAKE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF SPENDING IN THE U.S. AND, A GLOBAL GROUP OF ECONOMISTS IS PREDICTING THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TARIFF POLICIES WILL SLOW ECONOMIC GROWTH AND RAISE PRICES IN THE U.S. AND THE WORLD.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC CO- OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WHICH RELEASED ITS QUARTERLY REPORT TODAY.

IT'S THE FIRST SWEEPING ATTEMPT BY GLOBAL ECONOMISTS TO DOCUMENT AND FORECAST THE IMPACT OF TRUMP'S TARIFFS.

THE GROUP PREDICTS U.S. GROWTH WILL SLOW DRAMATICALLY THIS YEAR AND NEXT WHILE INFLATION WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE HIGHER.

>>> ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL KRI MAYES, ALONG WITH 20 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL, MOSTLY DEMOCRATS, HAVE FILED A NUMBER OF LAWSUITS AGAINST ACTIONS BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

THE MOST RECENT SUIT INVOLVES THE ADMINSTRATION'S DISMANTLING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES JOINS US NOW... OF GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> IT'S ALWAYS BUSY FOR YOU, ISN'T IT?

ALWAYS SOMETHING.

>> IT HASN'T BEEN BORING, THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> THIS MASS FIRING OF FEDERAL WORKERS.

THERE WAS MOVEMENT ON THAT A COUPLE OF COURT DECISIONS, ONE COURT CALLED THE WHOLE THING A SHAM.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, IT WAS A SHAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE SUED THE DEMOCRAT -- THE DEMOCRATIC AG SUED TO STOP THIS MASS FIRING OF MOSTLY PROBATIONARY WORKERS AT FEDERAL AGENCIES.

YOU KNOW, AGENCIES LIKE THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT, THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE BEING LAID OFF.

YOU KNOW, WITH THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, UP IN PAYSON.

WE SAW PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRED IN PAYSON RIGHT BEFORE FIRE SEASON.

ALL BECAUSE THEY WERE PROBATIONARY WORKERS AND THEY WERE GIVEN LETTERS THAT SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT PERFORMED THEIR DUTIES, WHICH WAS RIDICULOUS, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAD GLOWING REVIEWS.

IT DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, AND WE FILED SUIT, YOU KNOW, UNDERS.

NUMBER 1, THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENGAGE IN THIS ACTIVITY WITHOUT CONGRESS' APPROVAL.

THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, AND IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE APA, THE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES ACT.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TED, THIS IS HARMING OUR STATE.

I HAD A CONVERSATION JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE TWO DAYS AGO WITH A VERY CONSERVATIVE MAYOR OF A SMALL TOWN IN AND AROUND AN AREA -- AROUND A MILITARY BASE WHERE 600 PEOPLE HAVE JUST BEEN FEWERRED, IN ARIZONA.

AND THAT'S GONNA HAVE A HUGE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR STATE.

>> NOW, THE JUDGE -- THIS IS KIND OF A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE HERE, RIGHT?

A TEMPORARY ORDER AND THE OTHER WAS LIKE A TWO-WEEK PAUSE, CORRECT?

>> RIGHT.

IN MOST OF THESE CASES -- SO NOW WE HAVE FILED SEVEN LAWSUITS.

WE HAVE WON WHAT ARE CALLED TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS, TROs.

AND THAT'S A TEMPORARY PAUSE, AND THEN OF COURSE WE WILL SEEK A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN MANY OF THESE CASES, AND SOMETIMES WE ALREADY HAVE TO GET A MORE PERMANENT INJUNCTION AGAINST THESE ACTIONS WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW -- MANY OF THEM BLATANTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

IT'S NOT EASY TO GET A TRO.

AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN I THINK SIX TROs ALREADY.

6 OUT OF THE 7, SPEAKS VOLUMES AT WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ELON MUSK IS DOING -- ARE DOING -- IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

>> THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT THE AGENCIES WERE NOT ACTING ON ORDERS FROM WHAT THE OFFICE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, IN OTHER WORDS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THAT THEY WERE MAKING THESE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN, AND YOU ARE NOT BUYING THAT, ARE YOU?

>> NO.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT RUNS COUNTER TO WHAT THEY HAVE SAID THEMSELVES.

ELON MUSK IS RUNNING AROUND IN DOGE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING AROUND BRAGGING ABOUT ALL OF THESE FIRINGS, BRAGGING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE -- YOU KNOW, HE'S RUNNING AROUND WITH HIS CHAINSAW , LIKE SOME KIND OF A FOOL, TALKING ABOUT THESE CUTS THAT HE'S MAKING.

THEY'RE SAYING THAT DOGE IS MAKING THE CUTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROOF THAT WHAT THEY'RE NOW TRYING TO CLAIM IS A COMPLETE LIE.

>> AND THE IDEA OF POOR PERFORMANCE, AGAIN, THE ADMINISTRATION MADE THAT CLAIM AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

YEAH, WELL, THAT'S ABSURD.

YOU KNOW, ALL EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THESE EMPLOYEES, WHO ARE BEING TERMINATED, BEING LAID OFF IN THIS INCREDIBLY CRUEL FASHION, WERE HIGH PERFORMERS.

AND, YOU KNOW, TED, WE HAD A TOWN HALL JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, ME, ALONG WITH THREE OTHER AGs, MINNESOTA, NEW MEXICO AND OREGON, CAME DOWN TO ARIZONA AND DID A TOWN HALL WITH ME.

450 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO OUR TOWN HALL, MANY PEOPLE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE FIRINGS.

ONE WOMAN STOOD UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I WORKED AT V.A.

UNTIL I WAS JUST FIRED.

I AM A MUSIC THERAPIST, AND 80 VETERANS THAT I SERVE TODAY DIDN'T GET TO GET THAT THERAPY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS -- THIS IS HITTING THE V.A.

HARD.

IT'S HITTING VETERANS HARD.

YOU KNOW WHO WORKS FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES OFTEN?

VETERANS?

THERE ARE HIRING PREFERENCES FOR VETERANS.

SO THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BEING FIRED BY DONALD TRUMP.

>> BUT THE GIST OF THE LAWSUIT IS, YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS.

>> YEAH, CORRECT.

I MEAN, IN ALMOST ALL OF THESE CASES, WHAT WE'RE STANDING UP FOR IS THE POWER OF CONGRESS UNDER OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM.

WE HAVE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT, AND ONLY CONGRESS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, AND IN FACT, IN SOME OF THESE CASES, LIKE THE FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE, WHERE WE ALSO FILED SUIT TO PREVENT THAT FREEZE, CONGRESS HAD ALREADY MADE THE DECISION TO FUND THESE AGENCIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, NO PRESIDENT, WHETHER DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN OR INDEPENDENT OR CERTAINLY NO UNELECTED BILLIONAIRE HAS THE POWER TO COME IN AND OVERRIDE THAT.

>> THAT IS THE GIST, AS WELL, OF THE LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?

>> YES, ESSENTIALLY.

YEAH.

SO WE'VE JUST -- THAT'S MY MOST RECENT LAWSUIT, OUR MOST RECENT LAWSUIT, WHERE DONALD TRUMP AND ELON MUSK WANT TO SLASH THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHICH, BY THE WAY, PROVIDES RESOURCES TO THE STATES FOR LOW INCOME SCHOOLS, TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, AND FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS, FOR SPED KIDS, KIDS WHO ARE LIVING WITH AUTISM, THAT'S HOW THEY RECEIVE 40% OF THEIR FUNDING IS SUPPOSED TO COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND WE'RE VERY WORRIED THESE CUTS ARE GONNA INTERRUPT THAT.

>> OVERALL, ARIZONA GETS WHAT, 19 SOME ODD PERCENT FROM FEDS?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT YEAH, BASICALLY 20%.

SOMETIMES MORE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CUTS I THINK ARE GONNA FALL HEAVILY, HEAVILY ON OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES, WHICH I'M VERY, VERY WORRIED ABOUT, BECAUSE OUR RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AREN'T ABLE TO BOND AND OVERRIDE LIKE OUR URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN TO MAKE UP FOR THOSE POTENTIALLY LOST FEDERAL FUNDS.

>> LINDA McMAHON, WHO RUNS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SHE SAYS THE LAYOFFS WILL HELP DELIVER SERVICES MORE EFFICIENTLY.

YOU BUYING THAT?

>> IT'S INSANE SHE'S PROVIDED NO PROOF FOR THAT.

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

THEY'VE PROVIDED NO PLAN FOR HOW THIS WILL BE PROVIDED MORE EFFICIENTLY.

THINK ABOUT IT.

WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO?

WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO?

LAY ALL THIS ON THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION?

TOM HORN CAN'T EVEN QUALITY RUN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IN THIS STATE.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA EXPECT THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RUN ALL TITLE 1 FUNDING?

ALL OF THE IDEA FUNDING, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

>> SO WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS ALL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ARE LAWFUL AND CONSTITUTIONAL, YOU SAY... >> THAT'S CRAZY.

OF COURSE NOT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE WINNING ALL OF THESE CASES.

I MEAN, TED, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WINNING RIGHT NOW.

>> ARE YOU TIRED OF WIN HEARING?

NO, NEVER GET TIRED OF WINNING BUT I AM TIRED.

I AM TIRED OF HAVING TO FILE THESE LAWSUITS.

THIS IS NO ACCEPTABLE, AND THE HARM IS FALLING ON THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA.

>> THE ADMINISTRATION THOUGH SAYS THAT THE CHANGE ALSO NOT AFFECT THINGS LIKE STUDENT LOANS, PELL GRANTS, OR FUNDING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, AS YOU JUST DESCRIBED.

THEY SAY THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN?

>> AGAIN, HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW?

THEY JUST SLASHED HALF OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THEY HAVE NOT SAID HOW THEY ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES OR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO STATES TO PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES.

WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ARIZONA TO RUN THOSE PROGRAMS.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM.

THEY HAVE A CHAOTIC, OUT-OF-CONTROL EFFORT TO TOTALLY DECIMATE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, AND THEY'RE DOING IT IN AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAY, AND THEY'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT, IN SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THEY HAVE TRIED ESSENTIALLY IGNORE FEDERAL COURT ORDERS.

>> WE JUST HEARD STEPHEN MILLER, THE ASSISTANT WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, TALKING ABOUT HOW THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ELECTED DONALD TRUMP TO DO X, Y AND Z, THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE SAYING YOU'RE DEFYING THE WILL OF AN ELECTED PRESIDENT TO GET RID OF BLOAT, GET RID OF THINGS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHICH MANY REPUBLICANS DON'T THINK SHOULD EVEN EXIST, THAT YOU ARE BASICALLY DEFYING THE WILL OF AN ELECTED PRESIDENT.

>> SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ARIZONANS VOTED TO SHRED THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION AND TO SHRED THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION, AND WHEN I WAS ELECTED, I RAISED MY RIGHT HAND, AND I SWORE TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW.

TED, LOOK AT THE OUTTRAINING WE'RE SEEING FROM ARIZONANSS AND AMERICANS OVER WHAT'S -- THE OUTRAGE, ARIZONANS DON'T SUPPORT THIS.

THERE'S A REASON THAT DONALD TRUMP'S POLLING NUMBERS HAVE CRATERED AMONG INDEPENDENT VOTERS.

THEY'VE CRATERED AMONG INDEPENDENT VOTERS BECAUSE VOTERS DON'T LIKE -- LIKE AMERICANS -- DON'T LIKE CHAOS.

>> LET'S GET EXISTENTIAL HERE.

LET'S SAY ALL OF THESE THINGS MOVE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE COURTS AND MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT, AND YOU WIN.

YOU WIN, YOU WIN, MAYBE LOSE ONE HERE, BUT YOU WIN OVERALL, AND HE SAYS, YOU AND WHAT ARMY ARE GOING TO ENFORCE THIS?

IS THAT BEING CONSIDERED?

>> YES.

AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTHINKABLE AND SURREAL THAT WE'RE EVEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE ASKING ME THAT QUESTION, AND I'M RESPONDING TO IT.

AND SO, YES, THE DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEY'S GENERAL AND OTHERS ARE THINKING THROUGH THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT WILL RECEIVE THESE CASES.

THEY WILL WIN THEIR WAY UP TO THE COURT, AND THEY WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY STILL BELIEVE IN AMERICA, WHETHER THEY STILL BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION, WHETHER THEY STILL BELIEVE IN THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, AND THEN IF DONALD TRUMP IGNORES THEM, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

>> AND LAST QUESTION HERE, YOU'VE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING OUR NATION HASN'T FACED THIS KIND OF PERIL SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.

YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?

>> I DO REALLY BELIEVE THAT.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF AN ONGOING COUP.

AND I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY, BUT I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY SEEN A PRESIDENT IN PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO HAS BEEN WILLING TO DEFY FEDERAL COURT ORDERS.

AND HE'S DONE THAT IN SEVERAL CASES, THE ONE YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, BUT ALSO SEVERAL -- ONE OF MY CASES, WE HAD TO GO GET WHAT'S CALLED A MOTION TO COMPEL ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHERE WE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE WILLFULLY -- THEY WERE VIOLATING FEDERAL COURT ORDER.

AND THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED.

>> YOU ANTICIPATE ANY MORE LEGAL ACTION HERE?

I MEAN, THE NIGHT IS YOUNG.

>> TONIGHT OR JUST IN GLEN.

>> JUST IN GENERAL.

>> AT THIS RATE, THE WAY THIS PRESIDENT IS BEHAVING AND THE WAY HE IS -- SEEMS TOTALLY WILLING TO VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION, YEAH, I THINK THERE WILL BE PROBABLY MANY MORE LAWSUITS.

>>> KRIS MAYES, ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

AN ASU PROFESSOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN SOUND HAS CREATED WHAT HE CALLS A WELLNESS DOME, WHICH INVOLVES USING RECORDINGS FROM RAINFORESTS AS AN IMMERSIVE AUDIO EXPERIENCE THAT CAN HELP CREATE A HEALING SENSE OF SENSE OF WELL-BEING.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME GARTH PAINE, HE'S THE ASU PROFESSOR, WHO CREATED THE EXPERIENCE.

WHAT'S A WELLNESS DOME?

>> IN THIS CASE WE'VE BUILT A SPECIAL FACILITY AT ASU ON THE TEMPE CAMPUS WHICH HAS 50 LOUD SPEAKERS IN IT AND A FULL DOME.

AND YOU CAN COME INTO THAT SPACE, AND THEN WE CREATE, COMPOSE AND PLAY BACK SPECIAL RECORD THINGS THAT WE'VE MADE IN ECUADOR, COSTA RICA, ANTARCTICA AND OTHER PLACE SO THAT YOU EXPERIENCE THE SOUND AS IF YOU WERE PHYSICALLY IN THOSE LOCATIONS.

AND SO YOU CAN BE INSIDE THE DOME AND FEEL LIKE YOU'RE SITTING IN THE ECUADORIANS RAINFOREST OR THE COSTA RICAN RAINFOREST.

>> SO IT'S LIKE SURROUND SOUND ON STEROIDS.

>> ABSOLUTELY, 50 CHANNELS OF IT.

>> AND THESE RECORDINGS -- RAINFOREST RECORDINGS, DID YOU THESE RECORDINGS BY WAY OF A DIFFERENT PROJECT ALL TOGETHER, TRUE?

>> RIGHT, YES.

SO I HAVE A LONG HISTORY -- I RUN THE ACOUSTIC ECOLOGY LAB AT ASU WHICH EXPLORES HOW SOUND TELLS US ABOUT THE WORLD AND HOW THAT'S CHANGING OVER TIME AND HOW WE CAN UNDERSTAND LIKE CLIMATE CLIMATE IMPACT, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THROUGH THE SOUND OF THE WORLD, RIGHT.

WE OVERLOOK THAT ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY RICH.

WE ALL USE IT EVERY DAY.

AND SO I'VE BEEN PART OF THE PROJECT, THE LIMELIGHT PROJECT, WHICH WE COMPETED IN THE X PRIZE FOREST COMPETITION OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.

IT'S LIKE A $10 MILLION PRIZE, TO BE ABLE TO REMOTELY MONITOR AND WORK OUT THE DENSITY OF SPECIES IN THIS CASE ARIZONAN RAINFOREST -- NOT ARIZONAN -- AMAZONIAN RAINFOREST.

SO ALONE THE WAY I MADE RECORDINGS, FOR INSTANCE, IN ECUADOR, A LOT OF RECORDINGS IN ECUADOR, WHICH ALLOWED US TO WORK OUT COMPUTERRING A RHYTHMS TO LOOK AT HOW MANY DIFFERENT STREAMS OF ANIMAL CALLS WERE PRESENT AT A SINGLE TIME, TO TRAIN MODELS, TO IDENTIFY SOME SPECIES, ALTHOUGH, WE ONLY KNOW A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SPECIES THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THOSE FORESTS.

AND SO PART OF THE WELLNESS DOME IS REALLY AN EFFORT TO BRING THE EXPERIENCE AND THE RICHNESS OF THOSE INCREDIBLE RAINFORESTS TO PEOPLE HERE.

SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN GO ON AND EXPERIENCE THEM AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ECUADOR.

THAT'S THE IDEA.

>> BUT HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE -- I MEAN, ARE YOU ALONE?

SHOULD YOU BE ALONE?

ARE THERE OTHER DISTRACTIONS, ARE THERE VISUAL THINGS GOING ON?

>> AT MOMENT, WE RUN THE DOME ON, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIED LUNCHTIMES, BASICALLY WE ADVERTISE IT ON ASU EVENTS.

AND IT'S AN OPEN SPACE.

SO IT'S ABOUT 30 FEET ROUND, THE DOME, AND ANYBODY CAN COME.

WE DIM THE LIGHTS, SO THAT IT'S KIND OF NICE ENVIRONMENT TO HANG OUT IN.

WE HAVE ABOUT 100 CUSHIONS THERE, A BUNCH OF CHAIR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET DOWN ON THE GROUND ON A CUSHION.

MANY STUDENTS COME AND THEY JUST CHILL OUT.

SOME SIT IN THE CORNER AND WORK ON THEIR LAPTOPS.

SOME DO YOGA.

IT'S AN OPEN SPACE.

COME AND BE PRESENT AND ENJOY YOURSELF.

>> YOU CAN SIT DOWN, LAY DOWN, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED, WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE.

>> DO SOMMER SALTS, JUST DON'T DISTURB PEOPLE.

>> HOW WOULD YOU -- FOR SOMEONE GOING IN THE FIRST TIME, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE?

>> TO GET A BUNCH OF CUSHIONS, PUT THEM ON THE FLOOR, LIE DOWN AND CLOSE YOUR EYES AND JUST BE PRESENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS REALLY AMAZING EXPERIENCE WHERE YOUR BODY JUST KIND OF RELAXES INTO THE FLOOR AND DISAPPEARS, RIGHT.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH -- FOR INSTANCE, IN JAPAN, THIS HE VERY A PRACTICE CALLED FOREST BATHING, AND DOCTORS ACTUALLY PRESCRIBE FOREST BATHING, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS YOU SHOULD GO OUT FOR WALKS IN THE FOREST.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER PRACTICES WHERE, FOR INSTANCE, HAVING A WINDOW IN A HOSPITAL WHERE YOU CAN SEE TREES AND SO ON IS SHOWN TO EXPEDITE HEALING FROM SURGERY AND SO ON.

SO OUR CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD IS INCREDIBLY STRONG AND INCREDIBLY CAREFUL AND OVERLOOKED ALL THE TIME IN OUR BUSY WESTERN LIVES.

AND SO WHEN YOU LIE DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND CLOSE YOUR EYES, YOU SERIOUSLY JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HEARING ALL OF THESE AMAZING BIRDS AROUND YOU, INSECTS, BITS OF WIND AND WATER, AND YOU JUST -- ALL OF THE STRESS JUST FALLS AWAY.

>> AND IT'S ONE HOUR?

>> YES.

WE DEEP TO ONE HOUR SO THAT IT'S LUNCHTIME, BEAM COME AND JUST SPEND AS LONG AS THEY LIKE.

THEY CAN COME FOR 2 MINUTES, 15 15 MINUTES, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

>> WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM FOLKS AFTER THEY LEAVE?

>> LOVE IT.

PEOPLE AFTERWARDS ACTUALLY -- YOU KNOW, WE STRUGGLE TO FREE THE SPACE UP BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO STAY AND TALK ABOUT, OH, MY GOD, THAT WAS SO AMAZING, AND I FEEL SO PEACEFUL, AND WE ALSO HAVE A BIG PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING WITH A LIBRARY NETWORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY CALLED COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LISTING WHERE WE'RE ALSO TEACHING LISTENING MODES TO LISTEN TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY TO ME OH, I CAME WITH A HEADACHE AND WASN'T SURE IF I SHOULD COME, I WASN'T FEELING WELL, AND NOW MY HEADACHE'S GONE AND I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED, KIND OF REFERRED TO THIS, AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT HERE.

THE POLITICAL IMPACT, THE SOCIETAL IMPACT, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE HERE?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO ACHIEVE?

>> MY BIGGEST OBJECTIVE HERE, A FEW YEARS AGO, THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T GOING TO LEGISLATE FAST ENOUGH TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND SO HE RAISED THE QUESTION, SO WHAT NOW?

AND MY ANSWER TO THAT IS, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US.

IT'S UP TO US AS A COMMUNITY, RIGHT.

SO MY OBJECTIVE IS TO REENGAGE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVE THROUGH LISTENING TO IT, AND TO COME BACK TO HAVING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND GROUNDEDNESS IN THE ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE SO WE CAN ACT AS STEWARDS FOR THOSE ENVIRONMENTS.

>> AND THUS ACOUSTIC ECOLOGY.

>> CORRECT, YES.

>> YOU GOT SOMETHING ELSE PLANNED SIMILAR TO THIS?

>> YES.

ACTUALLY I'M HELPING THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT BUILD A LARGE DOME IN MEXICO CITY RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE SHARING FIELD WORK AND RECORDINGS WITH THEM.

AND LAST YEAR I HOSTED A CONCERT IN THE DOME, BECAUSE WE ALSO HOST SPECIALIZED AUDIO CONCERTS.

AND WE HAD A PROGRAM FROM MEXICAN COMPOSERS AND SO WE'RE ABOUT TO START AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM OF WORKS.

>> I WOULD IMAGINE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND SAYING WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS EITHER ON OUR CAMPUS OR IN OUR BUSINESS OR OUR COMMUNITY SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

>> RIGHT.

MARABEL LA RESIDENTS COME OVER AND THEY'RE LIKE CONSIDERING WE HAVE SOME OF THESE SOUNDS.

>> AND I WANTED TO MENTION, YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, YOU'RE A PRACTICING MUSICIAN.

>> CORRECT.

>> EXPERIMENTAL TYPE THINGS.

>> YES, EXPERIMENTAL TYPE THINGS.

I DID A CONCERT LAST NIGHT FOR THE DOWNTOWN PHOENIX CHAMBER SERIES WHERE I PLAYED MUSIC ACROSS EVERYBODY'S CELL PHONES.

>> HOW DID THAT WORK?

>> I WROTE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS ME TO SEND SOUNDS AND SPECIALIZE THEM ACROSS EVERYBODY'S CELL PHONES, SO COMING BACK TO THE IDEA OF ECOLOGY, THE WORK IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN WE ALL PERFORM IT TOGETHER, AND SO IT CREATES A KIND OF ECOLOGY OF EXPERIENCE.

>> WOW.

ARE YOU SOMETHING WHEN IT COMES TO SOUND, HUH, ASU SCHOOL OF ARTS, MEDIA AND ENGINEERING, IT'S CALLED THE WELLNESS DOME, TEMPE CAMPUS, RIGHT?

>> YES, TEMPE CAMPUS.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.