Beer And Conversation With Pigweed And Crowhill

The boys drink and review Crowhill's homebrewed Viking Stout, then catch up on recent news with electric vehicles. There has been concern about fires and EVs. They burn hot, and it's hard to put them out. With some experience behind us now, while there are still concerns, it's not as bad as feared. EVs are still mostly a luxury item. They're great as a second car, but they can't completely replace gasoline vehicles. They don't work well in the cold. They take a long time to charge. There aren't enough charging stations. They don't have enough range. It would be a disaster if people tried to evacuate Florida in EVs. Home charging is not an option for people who live in apartments, or otherwise don't have access to home charging options. Government goals for EV production and adoption have been way too optimistic. After a solid flood of early adopters, demand has softened considerably. EVs are not as green as people expect. They usually get their power from coal. The mat

The boys drink and review O'Hara's Nitro Irish Red, then discuss Tucker's trip to Moscow and his chat with Putin. When only one side of a story can be told, you can be sure you're not hearing the whole truth. It makes sense to try to hear the other side. According to some, Putin is the devil and you can't say anything nice about him or give him any platform. (Even though the same critics were jealous that they didn't get the interview.) Putin begins the interview with a half hour of his perspective on Russian history, but they eventually get into some interesting Q&A about Ukraine and other issues. Some of Putin's claims were absurd, such as blaming Poland for WWII. But there were other details about possible peace deals to end the Ukraine war that we don't hear about much in the U.S. After the interview, Tucker went on a tour of Moscow and said some very stupid things about grocery stores and subway stations in Russia. That undercut the significance of the interview a

Pigweed, Crowhill, Longinus, and all three wives went to Baltimore to see an adaptation of The Oresteia, which was originally a 3-part play by Aeschylus. In this podcast they reflect on the play and related issues. The play focuses on the web of vengeance within the family of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, starting with Agamemnon's sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia, before the battle of Troy. When Agamemnon returns home with Cassandra the prophetess of Apollo as a spoil of war, Clytemnestra invites him back in regal style, but then murders both her husband and his new girlfriend. It then falls on Orestes, their son -- urged on by their daughter Electra -- to avenge the death of his father. But then, who is to avenge Clytemnestra? How far does this go? Where does it end? The play addresses issues of just war, faith, free will and determinism, religious and moral obligations, family relations, and vengeance and justice. The show ends with a discussion of Troy and the alleged historical backdrop to t

The boys drink and review Founder's Dirty Bastard, a Scotch ale, then they discuss the distinction between Scotch and Scottish ale before they get into five topics in five minutes each. #1 Why can't we deport violent criminals who are here illegally? NYC mayor Eric Adams says he has to change the law before he can do that. How did we get into such a ridiculous position? #2 Why did Sports Illustrated tank? Was it the internet? Online vs. offline issues? The overall decline in publishing? Or was it that they went woke? The media doesn't want to admit that going woke sometimes causes you to go broke. #3 Is the NFL responsible when people don't dress warmly at a cold football game? Do we want a nanny state where every organization is telling you what's best for you? #4 Grammar and usage problems that bother P&C. It's vs. its. Unnecessary apostrophes. Then vs than. Media and data are plural. Your vs. you're. To, too, and two. Their, there, they're. Principal vs. principle. C

In another edition of "shortcut to the classics," P&C drink and review Pigweed's homebrewed IPA, then discuss Lord of the Flies by William Golding. (Starting at 2:55.) Pigweed gives a little biographical background on the author, then the boys delve into the heart of darkness and survival in this compelling short novel. The story takes place on a deserted island, where a group of British boys find themselves stranded following a plane crash. With no adults to guide them, the boys attempt to govern themselves ... with disastrous consequences. "Lord of the Flies" is a compelling exploration of human nature, power dynamics, and the thin veneer of civilization that separates order from chaos. Through the eyes of Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and other vividly drawn characters, Golding poses urgent questions about leadership, morality, and the inherent savagery within us all. As we discuss the novel's themes, symbols, and the development of the characters and their interactions, we in

P&C drink and review a Bock from Guilford Hall Brewing, then ask whether educated people are smarter than the man on the street. Even if you could make the point that smarter people should make public policy, are our educational systems making people smarter? Probably not. "Man on the street" interviews regularly show that college-educated people are dumb as a mud fence. If you ask the college student and the man on the street questions like this ... * Can men menstruate? * Is drug-induced breastmilk from a man as good as milk from a woman? * Is your neighborhood safer with fewer cops? * Should illegal aliens get a home and an allowance? ... it's the college student who gives you nonsense and the man on the street who talks sense. If you're educated, you might believe something like this. Genitalia have nothing to do with your "gender," but cutting them off or creating fake ones is "gender affirming." Babied, temper-tantrum-throwing morons in the universities

The boys drink and review Snow Pants Oatmeal Stout by Union Brewing, then discuss how the left tends to project what they're doing on the right. (Starting at 4:00.) "Projection" is, according to Freud, a kind of defense mechanism where people attribute their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and motives onto other people. Let's say there was a political party that spent four years saying "illegitimate president, not my president, Russian collusion, Stacey Abrams is the real governor, Glenn Youngkin is not the real governor," then after having done that for years they said "why are Republicans such election deniers?" Is this a Freudian thing, or is a conscious, deliberate, strategic choice to accuse the other side of what you're doing? This concept applies to political violence. After years of violence, riots, burning public buildings, etc., the Democrats accuse conservatives of being domestic terrorists. "Threat to Democracy" has become the phra

P&C drink and review a robust porter from Smuttynose Brewing, then discuss Hungary and the political stratgies of Viktor Orban. Pigweed gives a quick historical overview of the origins of the Hungarian people and nation, with a focus on their unique language. The EU isn't pleased with Hungary these days. They feel as if Hungary is backsliding on democratic norms and other values held by the EU. Viktor Orban is part of the reason the EU isn't happy with Hungary. He has an interesting agenda / playbook that he has shared with other conservatives to help them in their battle against liberals. Here's a quick summary of his 12 rules. 1. Play by your own rules. Refuse to accept the solutions and paths offered by others. 2. National conservatism in domestic politics. Churches and families are the building blocks of the nation. Stay on the side of voters. They didn't want immigrants, so Hungary built a wall. Don't overthink things. (The wall is chain link with security cameras.) Find the

A listener wrote the show to ask for P&Cs predictions for the elections. The boys are reluctant to predict much because of all the uncertainties at this stage. #1 -- This is clearly not plan 1 for the Democrats. They hoped Kamala would get some on-the-job training so Biden could serve for one term and usher her in. It's not going to plan. Kamala is incurably awful. #2 -- The lawfare against Trump is not going as well as Democrats would like, but it could certainly have an influence. Many independents won't vote for Trump if he's found guilty of a criminal offence. #3 -- We have two very old men. Unfortunately things happen to old men. #4 -- There are still people in the wings, like smarmy Gavin Newsome. #5 -- The Democrat establishment seems to be turning against Biden. He seems like a doddering, angry old man, and it's getting impossible to hide it. #6 -- Democrats are losing their lock on the black vote, which would be a disaster. Democrats might have to pull some strings to keep t

The boys drink and review Jailbreak's White Russian cream ale, then discuss five topics in five minutes. #1 -- Confusibles. The boys review some words people commonly use incorrectly. That vs. which. Farther vs. further. etc. #2 -- Swiss fat lesbians. A journalist was sentenced to 60 days in jail for calling a self-described fat lesbian a fat lesbian. Which is true. She is a fat lesbian. But to call her one is somehow hate speech. Which is a ridiculous concept to begin with. #3 -- Is "back to the office" a tool of the patriarchy? Here's the logic. Men are more willing to work jobs they don't like, put in more hours, and put up with crap than women are. Women have more emphasis on work-life balance. Working from home is better for work-life balance, so forcing employees back to the office disproportionately affects women. #4 -- The greatest rap song of all time! Ben Shapiro (aka Dr. Dreidel) joins with Tom McDonald to make a politically conservative rap song. It ends up topping the ch

The boys drink and review Royal Crush from Flying Dog Brewery, then discuss how the combination of two events -- the death of George Floyd and the Covid pandemic -- made America crazy. (Starting at 3:40.) The confluence of these two events was just too much for the collective psyche. Everything had to change. + We had to get rid of the Indian princess on Land O Lakes. + The NFL put silly sayings in end zones and helmets. + All the voting laws had to change. + You have to believe that men can have periods and play in women's sports. + Public drug use and defacation became a right. + Tent cities and shoplifting became acceptable. + Angry mobs can pull down public monuments with no consequences. + ... and many more things .... We attained peak anger. Every grievance had to be aired and addressed. P&C list some of the craziness, then try to explain why it happened.

The boys drink and review Red Flannel Logger from Aldus brewing, then discuss the successes and failures of nation building. (Starting at 4:50.) Why does it work sometimes and not others? Pigweed calls this the curse of the Marshall Plan. The U.S. has a history of success with nation building with both Germany and Japan after WWII. Since then, we haven't had such great success. Does every human heart yearn for freedom, McDonald's, blue jeans and democracy, the way George W. Bush believed? Does economic freedom and opportunity lead to political freedom? It doesn't seem to. Why does it work in some cases but not in others? What are the necessary preconditions to a political structure that allows for free, democratic forms of government?

In another episode of "shortcut to the classics," P&C plus special guest Longinus review a few short stories by Anton Checkov (starting at 3:25). After a quick review of his life, they review and discuss five short stories. The Black Monk is a story about Andrei Kovrin, an intellectual who experiences a mental breakdown that leads to hallucinations of a black monk. In The House with the Mezzanine a young painter becomes enamored of two temperamentally different sisters during his stay at a country house. The Peasants explores the harsh reality of peasant life in Russia, following Nikolai Chikildeev who, as a result of sickness, has to leave his Moscow job to live with his poor family. Gooseberries is a strange story about a man who is so consumed with achieving his dream that he is indifferent to the sufferings of others. In The Lady with the Toy Dog recounts a love affair by a player -- Dmitri Gurov -- who "fooled around and fell in love" with Anna Sergeyevna, a married woman he

P&C don't usually talk about current headlines, but every once in a while an issue arises that compels comment. Hence "Nooze and Booze." Immigration has been a crisis since before Ronald Reagan and has been a top concern for voters all that time. Nevertheless, both parties have refused to address it, and the Democrats have been absolutely insistent on open borders. It's been causing a crisis for the border states for decades, but the problem is spilling over into our major cities. It's causing an absolute catastrophe. But still Biden and the Democrats insist on open borders. Why? The boys discuss possible motivations. If we need more workers, fine. Amend the law to bring in more workers -- legally. P&C have no objection to legal immigration, and Crowhill makes that point about 300 times. If we need more people, do it through proper channels. Why are the Democrats so fixated on illegal immigration? Illegal immigrants are hurting the poor -- the very people the Democrats claim

The boys drink and review Crowhill's homebrewed extra special bitter, then discuss the problems with smart phones (starting at 3:10). Mostly relying on the work of Jonathan Haidt, the boys discuss the good and the bad of social media and smart phones. Imagine social media like giving everybody a dart gun, and the social media platforms promoting everybody who likes to shoot. Social media makes even small conversations a mine field. A college professor lecturing 200 students can be a world-wide villain before the end of his lecture if somebody is offended and tweets it. The outrage mob on social media ruins reputations. As a result, most people self censor. They're scared to death of the mob. Smart phones are a particular problem for teenage girls. The effect has been severe and very negative. At a time when girls are already awkward, confused, and struggling, they compare their bodies to the air-brushed perfection of the top 0.1% of society. Some of them also post images of themselves to be

The boys drink and review their friend Ben's Mosaic IPA, then discuss the relative virtues of dogs and cats as pets. (Starting at 7:15.) Neither Pigweed nor Crowhill grew up with a dog or a cat, but both ended up with cats as adults. Pigweed takes the cat case and Crowhill takes the dog case. They go back and forth on the relative merits and demerits of each. * Cats are low maintenance. * Dogs can be trained. * Cats are better as "in-house" pets, so they're good for apartments. * Dogs are affectionate, but also needy. * Cats keep pests away, but dogs keep bad guys at bay. * There are service dogs. There are no service cats. * Cats are quiet (mostly). * Dogs are loyal. * Cats are less expensive. * You can trust a dog with your baby. He'll actually protect your baby. With his life. * Cats use the litter box. You have to walk a dog. * Dogs promote a more active lifestyle. * Cats groom themselves. * There are more sizes and varieties of dogs than cats.

The boys drink and review Crowhill's homemade Italian bitters, then discuss John Adams (starting about 3:50). Pigweed starts off with some historical information on Adams, our second president, including his on-going dispute with Thomas Jefferson. In a different context, John Adams famously said "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." What does that mean, and how are we to understand that in our modern society? The equation seems to be that more freedom requires more personal self-restraint and morality. Without self-restraint and morality, you need a much stronger government. Think Saddam Hussein. Or, to put it very simply, you have to trust people enough that you can leave them alone. Unfortunately, modern politics seems to be a choice between which politician promises to give us more stuff.

The boys drink and review Founder's Breakfast Stout then discuss the similarities between mindfulness and joie de vivre (starting about 3:30). The very act of reviewing a beer is an example. The point is not to see how fast you can get a beer into your belly, but to savor the moment, pay attention to the world as it's going by, and understand its complexities. What does mindfulness have in common with joie de vivre? They're both about noticing what's going on and taking pleasure in the small things. "Mindfulness" is often associated with New Age weirdness, but it doesn't have to be. At its core, it involves one part of your mind dispassionately observing what's happening in another part of your mind, or in your body. It seems to have a connection with the acceptance of suffering. Joie de vivre is similar except that it has an emphasis on cheerfulness and enjoyment. For both, you're focusing on the present moment. Most of our lives are chores and obligations. I

The boys drink and review Pigweed's brown ale, then discuss how low expectations harm the people they're supposed to help. (The beer review ends at 3:53.) George Bush made the phrase "the soft bigotry of low expectations" popular in his 2000 campaign. The evil of this "soft bigotry" is that it comes from people who pretend to be helping. But when you fail to hold people to reasonable standards, you're not helping them at all. If you institutionalize low expectations to increase the participation of some group, everyone will now question the qualifications of the people in that group. How could they not? P&C discuss how this poisonous attitude infects many areas of our culture. It infects the SAT, grades, hiring, recruiting for schools, and even baking contests.

P&C drink and review Layered Up winter stout from Victory Brewing, then respond to some listener questions (starting at 1:47). * Does Santa really need Crampus as an evil counterpart? Would Pigweed actually put coal in the stocking of a bad kid? * Pentamom takes us to task on geography and explains the countries named "Guinea." * Did the Sackler family face any consequences as a result of their evil doings with Oxycontin. * What do P&C think of Taylor Swift as Time's man of the year, and what about the fact that universities teach classes about her? * Why didn't we cover "Our Lady of Clearwater" in our show on apparitions? * When are you going to upgrade your sound system? * Is it really great -- as the media seems to think -- that the Baltimore mayor knocked up his girlfriend? * Is there any evidence that the Flashman incident ever happened?