Sinopsis
You like beer, and you like conversation, right? Of course you do. Pigweed and Crowhill review a beer (sometimes their own homebrews) and discuss issues of the day. They try to break down serious issues into bite-sized chunks, and add some humor when possible. But it's all in good fun. Just two pals chatting over a beer.
Episodios
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201: The James Webb Space Telescope
29/06/2022 Duración: 45minThe boys drink and review a sake, then discuss the James Webb Space Telescope. This magnificent feat of engineering launched on Christmas Day, 2021, and recently deployed flawlessly at Lagrange Point 2. From there it will scan the heavens on the infrared part of the spectrum and send back astonishing pictures. P&C review the history of the development of this marvel, discuss all the things that had to go right for it to be a success, and wonder about what humanity might learn from this new look into the cosmic past.
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200: An overview of the first 200 episodes
29/06/2022 Duración: 11minPigweed and Crowhill review how and why they started the podcast, and the innovations and interesting things they've brought to "Beer and Conversation" over the years, including ... * Skits * Five for Five * Shortcut to the classics * Nooze and Booze * Predictions * Pretend events * Reviews of books that don't exist They've also covered quite a range of topics: * Economics * Science * Religion * Culture * Politics * Entertainment (movies, books, tv) * Tech * History * Logic * Grammar * Cryptocurrency * Sci-fi
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199: Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
29/06/2022 Duración: 46minAlong with special guest Longinus, P&C review a winter warmer from Flying Dog, then discuss Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome. This is a depressing story of a man who is stuck. He's stuck with a wife he doesn't love. Stuck in a city he doesn't particularly like. Stuck in a profession he didn't choose. When a spark comes into his life in the person of his wife's cousin, Maddie, he starts to dream of a better future. But it doesn't work out. The story is set in a fictional, very cold town. Wear your wool socks when you read this one.
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198: P&C go to a very tradtional mass
29/06/2022 Duración: 41minAfter reviewing Southern Tier's Irish Cream Stout, P&C discuss their experiences at Mount Calvary church in Baltimore. With special guest Longinus, the boys review the history of the church, its Anglo-Catholic background, and its recent decision to come into communion with Rome. They discuss their observations about the building itself, the music, the liturgy, the homily and the participants. There were smells, bells, vestments -- the whole deal. And it was a very long mass! The overall experience was very interesting.
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197: Militaries around the world
25/01/2022 Duración: 48minP&C drink and review Victory's Storm King, then Pigweed quizzes Crowhill on military statistics. Who spends the most? Who has the biggest military? Who has the most global firepower? After reviewing some stats, the boys discuss the politics of it all. Why is the U.S. military all over the world, protecting everyone else? Does NATO pay its fair share? Should we be protecting other countries, or should they shoulder their own burden?
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196: expressive individualism
22/01/2022 Duración: 39minP&C drink and review Smoke and Dagger black lager from Jack's Abby, then discuss expressive individualism. On the one hand, individual expression and liberty are part of what we celebrate in America. We want people to be free of unnecessary constraints. But even good things can be taken too far, and insisting that everyone should be able to express their psychological core -- however they define that, and however they like -- is too far. The boys discuss.
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195: Biden in 2024, Thick Spokesmodels, and Mask Mandates
20/01/2022 Duración: 39minP&C drink and review Harpoon's Winter Warmer, then open the mailbag. Uncle Billy doesn't believe Joe Biden will run for president, and that Harris is a disaster for the Democratic Party. The boys discuss. Red Pill Rick wonders why spokesmodels and actresses are getting chunkier. Pigweed and Crowhill reflect on some possible examples and possible explanations. And probably get in trouble in the process. Chaz the Spaz asks why unelected officials are making laws. Pigweed has a relevant person experience with his county council and mask mandates.
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194: The Metaverse
15/01/2022 Duración: 54minP&C drink and review a Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing, then discuss the metaverse. The boys define the metaverse, and then discuss its ups and downs. The metaverse offers very interesting options, like visiting new places, or reviewing a new house. The primary business application would be better meetings, eliminating the need for travel, and possibly using VR for advanced training. It might also make more opportunities for disabled people to participate in activities. On the negative side, there are a lot of disappointing, creepy and scary implications. Privacy will almost surely be lost. There will be less parental control, and more stalking, sexual grooming, and other nasty stuff. Is it a good thing? Does it even matter?
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193: Drugs and inebriation
13/01/2022 Duración: 47minP&C drink and review Dirty Bastard by Founders, then discuss drugs. As a species, we all like a little buzz. Drugs and inebriation have been with us for as long as we have records. Beer production is very ancient, and some of our earliest writings are beer recipes. But it's not just beer. Humans have been taking marijuana, peyote -- even licking frogs. Why do we do it? There are some obvious answers. Distraction, pain management, healing, war (berserkers), sex (to loosen inhibitions), political control (Russians used vodka revenues to support military), religious experience ....
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192: P&C's Predictions for 2022
07/01/2022 Duración: 42minThe boys drink and review Saranac's S'mores Porter, then put on their futuristic magic glasses and predict major events for 2022. Be sure to write these down and invest appropriately. P&C gaze into their crystal ball and review the future of culture, politics, technology, Covid, climate, the economy, foreign policy, Facebook's "Meta," sex, health, zombies, religion, Jordan Peterson, nature and sports. If you have a hard time telling when we're serious and when we're joking, so did we.
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191: Disgraceful gerrymandering in Maryland
03/01/2022 Duración: 38minThe boys drink and review Black Ox Rye Porter, then discuss gerrymandering, especially in Maryland. The Maryland legislature recently proposed a scheme to redraw Congressional districts in the Old Line State. Redistricting makes sense and is necessary as populations move. But it's come to be a partisan exercise in maximizing the representation of the party in power in the state. Both parties have abused this power. In deep blue Maryland, this means the Democrats are redrawing the lines to eliminate all Republican representation. When Republican Texas does the same, the Justice Department attacks. Somehow Maryland is getting a pass.
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190: The Woke and presuppositionalism
31/12/2021 Duración: 34minP&C review the latest DuClaw version of the "Pastryarchy," then discuss woke presuppositionalism. Crowhill explains what "presuppositionalism" means, and then the boys discuss the sorts of things that we all presuppose. Context. Goals. Value. Ethics. We can't even perceive the world without these things. So in some limited sense, the basic concept of "presuppositionalism" is true. How does this apply to the woke? First, there are things the woke all assume, which P&C review. But second, the woke don't seem to believe there's any common ground between the woke and the un-woke. The un-woke shouldn't even be allowed to speak.
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189: The War on Drugs
30/12/2021 Duración: 43minThe boys review Crowhill's Dopplebock, then discuss the war on drugs. This so-called war on drugs has been going on for decades. What has it accomplished? Drug use is up. Deaths by overdose are increasing. If we're really fighting a war on drugs, how should that affect our border policy? What is the role of Big Pharma and pain management? How did the lockdown affect drug use? What about legalization?
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188: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
28/12/2021 Duración: 44minP&C drink and review Pigweed's latest homebrew, then discuss the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. MBTI is an enormously popular and financially successful personality test that categorizes people along four axes: Extroversion vs. Introversion, Sensing vs. Intuition, Thinking vs. Feeling, and Judging vs. Perceiving. Businesses seem to love it, and some people even put their MBTI personality type in their dating app, or their Facebook profile. But is it scientific? Is it really doing what people think it's doing?
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187: Renaissance Festivals
22/12/2021 Duración: 30minP&C review "Naughty or Nice," an IPA from Devil's Backbone, then discuss the Renaissance festival. Pigweed and Crowhill have only been to the Maryland Renn Fest, which they hear is one of the better ones. The Renn Fest is the happiest place on earth. Everyone is there to have a good time. There are no bad attitudes. No arguments. No conflicts. It can get bawdy, and quite silly, and it's not always purely "Renaissance." The periods get a little confused. But it's a great time.
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186: CBD vs. THC: What do they do?
21/12/2021 Duración: 38minThe boys drink and review a Christmas stout, then discuss CBD vs. THC. If you believe the internet, CBD seems like a cure-all. But if you go to the web sites that sell it, the claims get much more modest! Are there any decent studies to tell us what CBD can and can't do? There are some, and they're not that encouraging. While there are a few proven benefits of CBD, most of the claims are not supported by science. Pigweed and Crowhill urge caution.
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185: Pigweed and Crowhill go to church
12/12/2021 Duración: 35minThe boys review Pigweed's Pale Ale, then discuss a field trip to a local Evangelical church. Longinus came along as well. The building itself was very plain -- like an auditorium. No religious art. There was only one cross, which wasn't even in a central location. The music was upbeat, but a little weird. The service focused on the very long sermon, which was biblical, but a bit rambling. The boys reflect on the experience and the religious and social implications.
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184: The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
10/12/2021 Duración: 49minP&C drink and review Old Rasputin, by North Coast Brewing Company, then review a short novel by Leo Tolstoy. Literary contributor Longinus joined in this podcast. Ivan Ilyich seems like a decent man. When he's tempted to think he's not living his life the way he should, he scoffs. He does what's expected of him, and observes all the proprieties! But when he suffers an injury that slowly and inexorably leads to his death, he suffers a terrible battle with his conscience. This short, dark story is worth a read, and some reflection.
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183: People who are addicted to drama
09/12/2021 Duración: 36minP&C drink and review Crowhill's Kentucky Brown Ale, then discuss people who are drawn to drama -- in their own lives, or in the lives of their significant others. You may be addicted to drama if ... * Life is a roller coaster. * You storm in and out of relationships. And you sabotage them. * Drama is a bad addiction. You hate it and need it at the same time. * You're Loud. Childish. Agressive. There's a lot of yelling and crying. * You compliment people a lot. * You create emotional situations that can't be solved. * You're drawn to social media. P&C discuss.
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182: The Sexual Revolution and the Pill
09/12/2021 Duración: 41minThe boys drink and review Schlafly's Salted Caramel Stout, then discuss the sexual revolution and the pill. What was the sexual revolution about? Where did it come from, and why? The boys start with Rousseau and Freud, then review technical and social changes that led up to the changes in the 1960s. There seemed to be a general trajectory towards men and women participating equally in society. The three pillars of the sexual revolution were divorce, contraception and gender roles. P&C discuss the ups and downs.