Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

The boys drink and review Pigweed's homebrew Irish Stout, then invite John Wayne Jew onto the show to speak about the month in woke (at about 4:00).

The silliness of woke-ism is almost unbelievable. P&C and their special guest discuss some of the obvious lunacies, including the following.

Some Canadian police recently encouraged residents to leave their car keys outside so thieves can steal cars without any violent confrontation.

After the destruction of the Key bridge in Baltimore, some wokesters want a name chance, since Francis Scott Key doesn't meet modern moral standards.

A Democratic representative says black should be exempt from taxation to make up for past injustices.

NPR hired 50 new interns. Only 5 of them were white males.

On the positive side, some companies are pulling back on DEI and other woke policies, but it's not clear if that's a significant trend.

P&C drink and review Cru Cab IPA from Big Truck brewery, then invite special guest Longinus to help them discuss a novella by Marquez. This is part of P&C's on-going "shortcut to the classics" series.

The book is written by an old man about an old man who is reflecting on his life.

On his 90th birthday, the unnamed protagonist -- who is a confirmed bachelor and frequent patron of brothels -- wanted to give himself a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin. The book is about his reminiscenses, but mostly about his relationship with this one girl.

The protagonist has lived 90 years with no love in his life, but now, at the end, he falls madly in love with a very young girl, with whom he doesn't have sex.

The book presents some deep reflections on love, sex, passion, and jealousy. In one sense, it's a very raunchy and disturbing book, with difficult themes. In another sense, it's an interesting commentary on love.

The boys drink and review Crimson Crue red ale from Dogfish Head brewery, then discuss apocalyptic religions -- specifically the JWs and the SDAs.

The two groups have points in common and some important distinctions.

Both groups are rooted in the Millerite movement and some disappointing predictions about the end of the world. They both

* believe in one God,

* are somewhat obsessed with the Book of Revelation,

* have some odd views about what happens to the soul at death,

* believe the Bible is inspired and infallible, and

* are (or can be) a touch cultic.

The distinctions are more important. The JWs are not Christians, in the sense that they do not believe in the Trinity. SDAs do. 7th Day Adventists also have a better understanding of salvation, and several other things.

SDAs have some interesting distinctions -- like their insistence on a Saturday Sabbath, and their reliance on the prophecies of Ellen G. White -- but they are Christians.

The boys drink and review Super Thick Pastry Stout from Old Mother Brewing in Frederick, Maryland, then discuss the Big 5 personality characteristics.

There are a lot of personality tests out there, like Myers Briggs and the Enneagram. Those aren't as solidly based in science as the Big Five.

You can remember the Big Five with with of two acrostics, OCEAN or CANOE. They are ...

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the Five Factor Model (FFM), are a widely accepted framework for understanding human personality. They represent broad dimensions of individual differences in personality. Here's a brief explanation of each:

Openness to Experience features characteristics such as imagination, insight, and a broad range of interests. Individuals high in openness are often curious about the world and other people, eager to learn new things, and open to new experiences, including unconventional ideas or novel solutions. They tend to be creative and appreciative of art and beauty.

Conscientiousness involves high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-directed behaviors. Highly conscientious individuals are organized, reliable, and diligent. They plan ahead, work systematically, and carry out tasks with attention to detail. This trait is often linked with academic and career success.

Extroversion is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness. Extroverts derive energy from social interaction, are often enthusiastic and action-oriented, enjoy being around people, and are often perceived as full of life and energy.

Agreeableness includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and other prosocial behaviors. Individuals who score high in agreeableness tend to be cooperative, compassionate, and friendly. They are more inclined to help others and value getting along with people.

Neuroticism is associated with emotional instability, anxiety, moodiness, irritability, and sadness. Individuals high in neuroticism may experience more frequent and severe negative emotions than their peers. They tend to respond worse to stressors, are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and can struggle to bounce back from challenging events.

After the boys conclude their discussion of the Big Five, Pigweed relates a story from Mrs. Pigweed, who went to pronoun class. P&C review some of the material from the class and conclude it's a huge smoking pile of nonsense.

At the end of the show, Crowhill takes a shot at reading "the worst sentence ever written" by Judith Butler.

The boys drink and review Planetary hazy IPA from the Ministry of Brewing, then discuss the decline of religion in the west.

The boys review some of the stats on the decline in church attendance, the rise of the "nones," and how religion has less and less influence on western civilization.

But there are some important elements of society that are heavily and positively influenced by religion.

Many science-minded people think it's good that religion is in decline. The so-called "new atheists" say we can craft a new morality based on reason. Is that really working?

This aligns with the the ideas of the enlightenment -- that reason could replace religion. But does that work?

Richard Dawkins recently revealed that he was a "cultural Christian." Is that all we have?

The P&C show has frequently discussed an evolutionary psychology explanation for religion. Societies with religion edged out those without.

There's a quote attributed to Chesterton that says "when men cease to believe in God, they don't believe nothing, they believe anything."

There is a God-shaped hole in our hearts. If that hole isn't filled with God, it will be filled with something else, like environmentalism, wokeness/activism, identity/narcissism/transgenderism.

Neitzche feared that when religion died, it would be replaced with hyper-nationalism and other ills. "I didn't see this coming....but, I'm not surprised."

There are lots of indications that the concept of God underwrites many of the social norms that we rely on.

There's also the issue of archetypes and evolutionary psychology.

One argument for the existence of God is that without God everything goes to crap. Is that where we are? Is God necessary, whether he exists or not?

The boys drink and review Tmave Pivo, a Czech Dark Lager by Ten Eyck brewing.

54% of people in America think the government has too much power. Does the federal government do too much? Is it too big?

Government debt has been a problem for a while, but recently it has spiked to almost unbelievable levels. Is this a good thing? How do we stop it?

What is the federal government supposed to do, and how does that match with what the federal government actually does? There are some things the government does -- and spends money on -- that have no justification in the constitution.

The Ben Franklin players finish the show with a dramatic reading.

The boys drink and review Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear Double IPA by Atlas Brewing, then discuss Frank Herbert's Dune and J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

Which one is better? Where are they similar, and where are they different?

Dune is a great work of science fiction and the Lord of the Rings is a great work of fantasy. They have a lot of things in common, including a medieval fee, knights, castles, great houses, wizard-like characters, and immense, involved world building.

There are strong differences as well. Dune looks to the future while the LOTR looks to the past, and has more of a nostalgic feel. Dune is technological, but in the LOTR, it's usually the bad guys who use technology.

The LOTR has a much clearer moral universe, with more differentiation between the good guys and the bad guys. It's not exactly clear who the good guys are in Dune.

Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and the LOTR is infused with a religious sensibility, even though there is not actual religion in the book. Herbert was not a believer and presents religion as a tool to be manipulated for political ends.

The LOTR is very mythological, and sometimes even sacramental, while Dune is speculative and includes psychedelics.

The P&C Man of the Week this time is James Carville. (Starting about 34:00.)

The boys drink and review Big Red Norm Red Ale from Denizen's Brewing, then discuss speed dating.

Imagine that a friend drags you into speed dating. What would you do?

First, you have to decide what your intentions are. But given that, what questions can you ask to find out if the woman is nuts?

What are the deal-breaker questions? Tattoos? Drinking? (Not drinking?) Weed?

The questions you ask in speed dating might focus on sussing out a few issues, such as ...

* How boring they are

* Their interests

* Personality

* Neuroticism

* Intelligence

There's not much time. How would you prioritize your questions?

Man of the week: All the Planet Fitness members who are leaving.

The boys drink and review Delicious IPA from Stone's Brewing, then try to work through the confusing world of gender and the horrible legacy of gender theory.

Isn't "gender" about language? How did it come to describe people's sexuality?

Enter John Money, the disgusting pervert who is the father of gender theory. He promoted the idea that gender is not connected with sex, and that gender is malleable. He coined the terms gender role and sexual orientation.

Money was behind the tragedy of David Reimer, who after a horrible accident during a circumcision lost his entire penis. Money convinced the parents to raise the boy as a girl.

It was a catastrophe, but it became the proof -- among sexologists and perverts -- that sex was just a social construct, and that if you raise a boy as a girl, he'll be a girl.

It didn't work out that way and it ruined poor David's life. He never took to his female "identity," and eventually committed suicide.

We're coming to a point of reckoning. Children who had this butchery done to them are growing up, and they're starting to sue the monsters who did this to them.

It won't be long before we look back on this "gender theory" nonsense the way we look back on the Satanic panic. But how many children will have to be butchered before we get there?

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 materials required to make them are mined in environmentally unfriendly ways. They're not easy to dispose of or recycle. The metals used to create EVs release toxic chemicals into the soil that are toxic to important bacteria.

EVs are also much heavier than gasoline cars. Parking garages, safety guard rails, and other infrastructure will have to be re-engineered to deal with the increased weight. It also affects passenger safety in crashes.

Put simply, there's no free lunch. EVs are a marginal improvement in some ways, but they're not the green panacea we've been told.

We need to put away the cultic, apocalyptic, emergency thinking and allow engineers and the market to figure this out.

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 and made him look stupid.

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 the play.

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. Capitol vs. capital. Insure, assure, ensure.

#5 Voting for the good of the country even if it affects you negatively. Some people actually have the good of others in mind even when that requires incredible sacrifice.

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 invite you to reflect on what "Lord of the Flies" reveals about the complexities of human behavior and how fragile "civilization" really is.

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 have created an environment where people are afraid to say the truth. As a consequence, education has become indoctrination -- into woke insanity.

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 phrase of the hour for the left. After they tried to take down an elected president, caricatured all calls to tighten election laws (to make it harder to cheat) as "voter suppression," and so on, they have the gall to say that ff you don't vote for the Democrats, "democracy" is at stake.

The people who try to remove a candidate from the ballot aren't suppressing democracy. No. That's the people who say the voters should have a right to choose.

It's upside down world, and the accusations are completely unhinged.

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 issues where the left is completely out of touch with reality and highlight them.

3. National interest in foreign policy. Liberals see some sort of cosmic battle against good and evil. But we've had a few of these "wars to end all wars," and it didn't work. Orban's response is simple. Hungary first. We want a foreign policy based on our interests.

4. Have our own media. Expose your opponent's intentions. Left-wing opinions only appear to be the majority because the media amplifies them. The west used to believe that the media should be independent of politics, but the liberals don't obey those rules.

5. Break down taboos. Not only today's, but tomorrow's. In Hungary they expose what the Left are preparing for before they even take action. For example, LGBT propaganda targeting children.

6. Economy, economy, economy. the left wants to operate the economy according to abstract notions. We need to pursue policies that benefit the majority of voters. People want jobs and a better life, not economic theories.

7. Do not get pushed into the extreme. E.g., conspiracy theories. You alienate a large portion of your audience.

8. A book a day keeps the defeat away. Orban sets aside an entire day every week for reading. Reading helps you understand what your opponents are up to.

9. Have faith. A lack of faith is dangerous. If you don't believe there will be a final reckoning, and that you are accountable to God, you will think you can do anything that's in your power. Encourage young conservatives to engage with faith.

10. Make friends. Our enemies have one another's back. By contrast, conservatives squabble over the smallest issue. then we wonder why they corner us. Look for common ground and ways you can work with others. If we don't, our opponents will hunt us down one by one.

11. Build communities. There is no conservative political success without communities. The lonier people are, the more votes go to the liberals.

12. Build institutions. Think tanks, educational centers, talent workshops, youth organizations, whatever -- with a political aspect. New ideas, new thoughts, and new people are needed again and again. That's our ammunition.

There's no silver bullet. Only work.

Why did the USA become such a mess that we have to look to Hungary for inspiration?

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 that voting block.

#7 -- How will RFK affect the race?

They reluctantly end the show with their predictions for the election.

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 charts!! Crowhill is not impressed.

#5 -- The "He gets us" Superbowl ad. It's pretty lame, and it seems to reaffirm unfair criticisms of Christians, but on the positive side, it's possibly getting people interested in Jesus.

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 met on vacation in Yalta. The affair seems to have come to an end, but Dmitri pursues Anna to the city.

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 to be trying to help.

The U.S. already brings in more immigrants than any other country in the world. And that's not enough?

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 criticized by millions of strangers. It's no wonder they're depressed. There are a lot of times when we should take a breath before we respond. We need to cool down and think before we speak. But social media is not that way. It's all in the moment. The Libertarians will say this should all be handled by parents. That's not reasonable or responsible. It's very hard for parents to impose a limit that the rest of society doesn't uphold. There's a place for the culture to create a limit. Social media is addictive because of the dopamine hit when you get a like, but it's also ready to destroy you on a moment's notice if you offend the wrong person.

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. If you view all those things as drudgery, and your "real life" is only the fun stuff, you're not going to have much real life. You need to learn to enjoy all the aspects of your life.

Are you going to allow your circumstances to control your life and your emotions, or are you going to take charge and live the life you want to live?

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?

P&C drink and review "Oaked Vanilla Porter" by Sam Adams, then discuss isolationism (starting at 3:57).

They start off with a general definition, then talk about the history of isolationism in American politics -- from the earliest days.

Americans don't like "entangling alliances." Or at least they say they don't.

There's been a strong current of isolationism in American politics since the beginning. Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe created the three pillars of American policy: neutrality, unilateralism, and non-intervention.

Also, even though we are a "nation of immigrants," we've had extended periods where we didn't allow almost any immigration.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor pretty much ended isolationism in the United States.

Now, the term "isolationist" is used as a slur, but it's become more popular because we're sick of sending our boys to die for other people's problems.

As with Pearl Harbor, the attack on the World Trade Center put an end to growing American isolationism.

But it's coming back. Trump was somewhat isolationist, and modern Republicans complain that we care more about Ukraine's borders than our own.

Why does the United States bear most of the burden of keeping the shipping lanes open?

Is it "isolationist" to say that the United States has taken on too much of these burdens?

P&C drink and review Paulaner's Salvator, which is a delicious dopplebock, then review the new movie "Lady Ballers" (starting at 4:08).

The right claims that the left has been taking over the culture. The good folk at The Daily Wire have decided to start making movies to challenge the left's hegemony in this area.

Movies from the right are often poor quality and preachy. The Daily Wire has raised the bar considerably.

"Lady Ballers" makes fun of the absolute insanity of allowing men to compete in women's sports.

A group of washed up, former high school basketball stars pretend they're women and completely dominate women's basketball.

It's not the greatest comedy, but it gets some decent laughs and it makes a very important point.

The media has mostly refused to even acknowledge that the movie exists, and when they do review it they simply cite one or two comments online. E.g., "One reviewer said ..."

The boys review Crowhill's 2023 Christmas beer, then discuss a short story from James Joyce.

Pigweed starts off with some biographical information about Joyce, and how "The Dead" fits into his collected works. The story was finished in 1907.

Gabriel Conroy is the main character, and we see some of the action through his eyes.

The whole story takes places in one snowy evening. It might have been the feast of Epiphany. The hosts have an annual musical celebration.

Joyce sets up a lot of expectations for possible tension that never come to fruition. The actual tension doesn't appear until fairly late in the story, and it's completely unexpected.

Conroy is the responsible man at the party. He carves the goose. He sits at the head of the table. He gives a speech. He's a kind, educated man who is sensitive to other people's needs and does what's expected.

Half way through the story you're wondering when people are going to start dying. It is "The Dead" after all.

But there are no calamities. The role of death and dying only comes out at the very end. Gabriel's wife hears a song that reminds her of a long lost lover, which we only learn at the end. We also learn that the man is dead.

The boys drink and review Winter Storm, "a Category 5 ale" from Heavy Seas, then discuss populism in the U.S., and the career of Javier Milei.

Most politicians want to appear as an ordinary, regular person -- at least when they're campaigning -- but a "populist" adds a critical element of a contrast between the people and the elite establishment, whom they ridicule or demonize.

Populism might become more prevalent when there's more of a disparity between the rulers and the common man.

Populism is not left-wing or right-wing. Donald Trump is a populist, but so is Bernie Sanders. Populists appeal directly to the people and tend to bypass the establishment.

Left-wing populism has an economic focus and emphasizes economic and class struggle. They talk about redistributing resources, and are against corporations.

Right-wing populism has more of a focus on cultural and nationalistic issues. It tends to be anti immigrant.

There seems to have been more right-wing populism recently. This may be because of the growing power of the entrenched bureaucracy.

One criticism of populism is that you're exchanging the educated, elite expert with the uneducated WalMart shoppers. The truth is that the educated elite don't always get better results. U.S. education tanked after we created the Department of Education.

Javier Milei is a libertarian populist who recently won power in Argentina. He promises to drastically cut government spending and eliminate half of the government ministries.

"The thievery of politics is over," he said.

It will be interesting to see how well he does.

The boys drink and review Pigweed's holiday beer, then discuss a few odd stories from Hans Christian Anderson (starting at 4:33).

Although he wrote a lot of other works, it's the fairy tales that made Anderson famous.

Some of them are very well known, like The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes, and others.

P&C aren't interested in these, but in Anderson's weirder stories, so they review and discuss "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Traveling Companion," and "The Tinder Box."

But in the spirit of the holidays they also review some of his Christmas stories: The Little Match Girl and The Fir Tree.

The boys drink and review Anchor's Christmas beer, then discuss diversity.

Note: this is an older show from the archives.

Is diversity our strength? That's what the political elite tell us. But is that true?

Diversiity has a very American sound. It reminds us of the saying on the statue of liberty, and reminds us that we're a nation of immigrants.

But the word has become a cudgel. When Trump decided he would address the number one concern of voters -- the border -- the left used "diversity" as a weapon against him.

The reality is that diversity isn't a value. It's just a description. Diversity in and of itself doesn't make something better or worse.

We care about outcomes, not the diversity of the people who bring about that outcome.

Also, "diversity" is very narrow. It's been limited to sex, race, and sexual orientation. There are hundreds of other ways to categorized people. Why aren't they part of the "diversity" cult?

What it really means is "we think there are too many straight white people."

The boys drink and review Crowhill's Tavern Ale, then discuss the international outcry over the Flashman Incident.

Some stories, like this one by Hunter Allen, seem like they should stay local, but every once in a while a story catches fire and spreads across the nation.

That's what happened when Bob dropped off an old book in the local tiny library.

Day 1 -- Bob drops off the book. Pedro picks up "Flashman," by George McDonald Frazier, which is one of the books Bob dropped off.

Day 2 -- Pedro takes the book to school, where Ms. Hughes sees it and discovers it's not appropriate for someone of Pedro's age. She asked where he got it, and he said "the library." Ms. Hughes assumed he meant the school library and posts her complaint to Facebook.

Day 3 -- Social media explodes and demands that the school librarian be fired.

Day 4 -- Twitter can't decide whether to blame Pedro for failing to report the book, but decided to blame his parents instead.

Day 5 -- Both of Pedro's parents are called to HR and enrolled in sensitivity classes. Someone finally discovers where the book really came from, which starts a police and FBI investigation to find out who put this horrible book in the tiny library.

Day 6 -- The American Psychological Association donates a series of anti-racist, pro trans, pro gay children's books to the school system.

Day 7 -- Pedro's parents hire an attorney who reveals the true origin of the book.

Day 8 -- There are calls to legislate tiny libraries to prevent something like this from happening.

Day 9 -- The author becomes the latest "evil person" on social media.

From this point it's the typical insanity on social media and the fur really starts to fly.

The story is well worth your time. It shows what happens when the mob gets upset.

The boys drink and review Jailbreak's Hey Porter, then discuss the life and career of a famous decolonizer, Francisco Macias Nguema. Equatorial Guinea was colonized by the Spanish. Nguema started his career as a mid-level civil servant with the Spanish government. He was corrupt from the beginning, but maintained a good relationship with the Spanish. When the tides turned and anti-colonialist sentiment grew, he saw his opportunity and ran for president. The Spanish supported him because they thought he was on their side. He started off with a very aggressive campaign to rid the country of anything from the Spaniards. He renamed cities and streets, and he attacked anything that was deemed a consequence of the colonists. That included education, medicine, bread -- even wearing glasses. It was a disaster. Nguema went from bad to worse and became one of the chief bastards in African history. Modern "decolonizers" should pay heed.

The boys drink and review Anderson Valley Brewing Company's Winter Solstice Ale, then discuss Freemasonry.

How do you learn about a secret society without becoming a member? It's hard to know what to believe about them.

Still, P&C did their best to find the essential details.

Stone mason guilds started to have outsized political power and started to admit people who weren't stone masons. The organization grew in numbers and power, and was very influential in the founding of the United States.

They became closely associated with Englightenment thinking and promoted the ideas of rationality and science. One of their mottos is to "make good men better."

But what does it mean to be a mason? What about all their spooky rituals? And why is the Catholic Church against them?

The boys discuss.

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review Witness Tree Nut Brown Ale from Antietam Brewery, then discuss Crowhill's recent trip to the UAE. While Saudi Arabia dominates the Arabian peninsula, a couple smaller nations squeeze their way in, including UAE. After reviewing a bit of history and geography, the boys discuss Crowhill’s experiences in Abu Dhabi. Crowhill had three goals for his trip. Swim in the Persian Gulf, visit the Grand Mosque, and eat some weird local food. The boys discuss how the UAE maintains a national identity when only about 11 percent of the population is local. They’ve imported most of their citizens, but they still maintain a national culture and identity.

The boys drink and review Brooklyn Brewery's Winter IPA, then discuss the rich men (north of Richmond) who want to tell us how to live and control every aspect of our lives.

Seamus Bruner recently wrote a book called Controligarchs about how the super-rich want to tell all the rest of us how to live.

Bruner singles out five on his book cover: Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab, and George Soros. Noticeably absent is Elon Musk, who seems to be supporting personal freedom rather than top-down dominance. (Which is why the media hates him.)

The controligarchs think they have the right and responsibility to tell us what to eat, what to drive, what to think, what to say, how to educate our children, how to spend our money ....

"You'll eat bugs and you'll like it."

Unfortunately, the population doesn't have the courage or integrity to tell them where to stuff it. As long as we have our cable TV and cheap food that can be delivered in less than 30 minutes, we're good.

These controligarchs aren't taking their lead from traditional, consitutional American ideals. They're following Xi Jingping.

It's time to resist these people.

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review Saranac Caramel Porter, then discuss Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's as part of their "shortcut to the classics" series.

They start with a quick bio of Truman Capote, then dig in to the novella.

The story is set in WW2, and it's important to get the movie out of your head before you read the book.

Holly Golightly is the star of the book. She's a young woman who uses men for their money. It's not clear if she's more call girl or escort or just "woman about town." But she's an amoral little sprite who does what she needs to do to enjoy life and live in the style she has come to expect.

The boys disagree about how to evaluate her morals.

It's a delightful story with a few interesting themes.

The boys drink and review Local 1605, a red ale from Antietam Brewery, then discuss McCarthyism.

Since "The Crucible," we tend to associate the Salem witch trials with Joseph McCarthy and his work with the committee on anti-American activities. After doing a show on the Salem Witch trials (see episode 367), P&C wondered if it's appropriate to link witch trials to Joseph McCarthy and his anti-communist crusade.

The analogy works in some respects and not in others.

* There were false accusations in both cases.

* In both cases, to be accused was bad enough.

* In both cases, you could get out by accusing other people.

* "Justice" was corrupted by mob hysteria in both cases.

* However, there were no witches or witchcraft in Salem, but there were communists in the United States.

The "red scare" was legit. There was a fight to the death between communism and the west. But that doesn't justify McCarthy's methods to root out that threat.

P&C provide a brief review of McCarthy's life, then examine his methods and tactics and what we should learn about it today.

P&C drink and review "The Fear" -- an imperial pumpkin ale from Flying Dog -- then discuss surveillance.

How should we live in an environment where everything we say is being recorded?

Why shouldn't the government be able to do "routine checks" on citizens? We don't have anything to hide, do we? And if you're breaking the law, or a risk to others, don't we want to find out before you do something horrible?

Why do we have a presumption of innocence? What's the point?

The boys discuss the basic principles, but also delve into the issues raised by Snowden and others who uncovered secret government surveillance.

The boys drink and review a hazy IPA from Sam Adams, then discuss the opioid crisis and big pharma.

Corporations are not necessarily evil. As a rule, they do important work that provides a service people are happy to pay for. But from time to time you get some bad eggs.

The Sackler family is an example. They took advantage of a new class of drug, and new thinking about how to manage pain, and lied and cheated their way to riches. They convinced the medical community that opioids weren't addictive. (Based on one questionable study.)

Doctors began prescribing opioids more than they should have, and a lot of people got addicted.

It's a sad tale with lots of villains and victims. The boys give it a fun and sometimes humorous review.

The boys drink and review Warlock, a pumpkin imperial stout, then discuss the Salem witch trials. In this gripping podcast, Pigweed and Crowhill delve into the chilling history of the Salem witch trials. Join us as we unravel the mysteries, uncover the accused, and explore the dark trials that shook the heart of colonial America. Discover the truth behind the hysteria that still haunts Salem to this day. The Salem witch trials were a series of events that occurred in 1692 in colonial Massachusetts. They involved mass hysteria and accusations of witchcraft, resulting in the execution of 20 people, mainly women. The trials were marked by religious fervor, paranoia, and false accusations, ultimately revealing the dangers of unchecked superstition and fear in society. What role does Calvinism and predestination play in all of this? Did it provide a particularly fertile soil for hysteria about witches? The Puritans came to America believing they could start a new life, and a better society as the chosen people. But it wasn't working out. So maybe it was the devil. P&C review the historical details and provide commentary about how we should view the story today.

The boys drink and review Captain Crowhill Abbey Ale, then discuss the recent spectacle of college students defending Hamas.

The conversation starts with a few assumptions.

* Israel exists

* It has a right to exist

* It has a right to defend itself

Why have there been so many ugly rallies in support of Hamas, and why have the universities been so silent about it. If you misgender someone on a college campus, that's the end of you. But if you call for genocide against the Jews, that's free speech.

These protestors divide the world between oppressor and oppressed, and somehow the Jews -- possibly the most persecuted people in the history of the planet -- are designated "oppressors."

If you're oppressed, colonized, marginalized, "of color," etc., you're automatically the good guy from the standpoint of the idiot left.

Along with literary contributor Longinus, the boys drink and review Dark Usher, then discuss two short stories from Lovecraft: Shadow Over Innsmouth and the Call of Cthulu.

In "The Shadow over Innsmouth," a man visits the decaying New England town of Innsmouth and discovers its inhabitants' disturbing alliance with aquatic beings, the Deep Ones. As he delves deeper into their sinister secrets, he faces terror and the looming threat of a transformation into one of them.

"The Call of Cthulhu" unravels a cosmic horror as the protagonist pieces together accounts of a monstrous entity, Cthulhu, who lies dormant beneath the ocean. Cults worldwide revere this ancient, nightmarish being, awaiting the moment when it will awaken to usher in worldwide chaos. The story unfolds through a series of interconnected narratives, leaving readers with a profound sense of dread about the insignificance of humanity in the face of cosmic forces.

The boys drink and review a no-alcohol porter, then discuss five topics in about 5 minutes each.

#1. Gender-reveal dad. From a YouTube video -- This poor fellow was obviously a captive. You could see it in his face. But it wasn't about a baby, it was about some kid transitioning. It was horrifying. It seemed pretty obvious the man was going along with an ultimatum from his wife. "Support me on this or suffer."

#2. Means-tested speeding tickets. A Finnish man participating in a strange combination of the Iditerod and a race across the country gets a speeding ticket that was "means tested" based on his salary. His fine was $62,000 for driving 10mph over the speed limit. Because he was wealthy.

#3. Why is nobody covering the Epstein sex scandal? Supposedly there's a list of elites who took advantage of Epstein's ... hospitality (at the expense of underaged girls). But nobody will touch it -- not the media, not the government, not the feminists.

#4. Our broken culture. We have some weird standard these days where someone deliberately provokes a reaction by refusing to conform to society's standards, and then gets offended when people notice that they're not conforming to society's standards.

#5. Joe Biden finally found somebody he wants to deport. Homeschoolers. It's a horrifying case that makes you wonder if lunatics have taken over every aspect of the government.

The boys drink and review yet another non-alcoholic beer, then discuss Ted Kaczynski, aka The Unabomber, who recently died in prison.

He was a genius. He skipped two grades, went to Harvard, and studied advanced mathematics.

Unfortunately, he was an evil genius.

Ted was a quirky guy who decided that technology and industrial society had to be destroyed. He worked for a few years to raise enough money to live in a shack in Montana. From there he started his terrorist bombing campaign.

His crimes spanned from 1978 to 1995, with a 5-year gap in the middle.

He got caught after his manifesto was published and his brother saw similarities between the manifesto and the ravings and letters of his brother.

P&C drink and review "Gold Rush," a no-alcohol beer from Sam Adams, then discuss the "I Promise" School.

LeBron James says that he owes a lot of his success to some wonderful people who took him in and helped him out when he was struggling in school. To his credit, LeBron wants to give back, so he created a new school to give disadvantaged kids a chance.

The school started with a lot of hope and promise -- and with a lot of LeBron's money -- but it hasn't lived up to expectations. The results have been pretty awful.

P&C take a hard look and provide some possible reasons why the "I Promise" school didn't work out that well.

One obvious lesson is that resources are not the problem. Throwing money at the school doesn't make for better education.

Perhaps LeBron should try this. Find a school that's doing a good job -- like maybe the Catholic school he went to -- and help them reach more kids.