Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

Latest Episodes:

447: Censorship in America and around the world Oct 02, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review one of Pigweed's homebrews then discuss censorship (starting about 4:25). There seems to be an increase in censorship around the world. We seem to have lost our understanding of why free speech is important. P&C review. - In the sciences, if people can't bring up new ideas, you get stuck. You need a free marketplace of ideas. - Free speech acts as a restraint on government power. The governor of California recently signed a bill outlawing "deep fake" videos that "misinform." Since when do we trust the government to decide what is true and false information? In the UK, Scotland Yard is going after citizens (maybe even American citizens!) who say things the government doesn't like. The censorship industrial complex has evolved to the extend that they now have new words for us. Misinformation. Disinformation. Malinformation. Some legislation wants to stop the spread of "hate." But who defines what hate is? What has happened to make censorship such an issue today? - Technology allows it to spread faster. - Government has access to new tools. P&C review all the issues and come to some clear conclusions. Take a listen.

449: The Communist Manifesto Oct 02, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review an IPA from Cigar City, then discuss the communist manifesto.

With special guest Longinus, Pigweed and Crowhill review the famous manifesto, starting with a brief bio of Marx and Engels.

In order to understand Marx and Engels, you have to think about the context -- the industrial revolution and the horrible circumstances of workers in those days.

The boys start with giving the manifesto an honest shot. What does it say, and what does it mean?

Marx says that all of history is the story of class struggle: the oppressor vs. the oppressed. There are two groups: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. There is no bond between men but naked self interest. Capitalism is about profit at any cost.

After giving the document the fairest reading they can, the boys move into criticism.

Longinus and Pigweed have a few points they want to defend. Crowhill despises the whole thing.

The boys work through the main premises of the manifesto and tear them to shreds.

445: Can you fall in love with AI? Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review Troegs Graffiti Highway IPA, then discuss the movie "Her" and the idea of having a romantic, emotional relationship with AI.

"Her" was made in 2013, but many of the concepts are still applicable today -- even more than they were in 2013!

Joaquin Phoenix plays the lead character (Theodore Twombly), who decides to use a new AI-powered operating system, which allows him to organize his life, but also becomes a daily companion and confidante. The AI (Samantha) becomes part of his life, and he slowly falls in love with her/it -- and, if you can believe it, she/it with him.

The movie challenges our concepts of love and personality at a fundamental level.

Eventually, Theodore finds out that Samantha (the AI) is having a similar relationship with 8,000 other people. He's heartbroken, because one element of human love is exclusive.

The movie is worth watching, but P&C evaluate how the insights from "Her" apply to modern technology, and where we seem to be going with sexbots and AI agents and so on.

Ex Machina is another film that addresses some of the same themes.

So ... Can you fall in love with AI? You'd better watch out, because yes, you can.

444: How Woke Took Over Corporate America. Including Harley Davidson? Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review an English trappist ale, then discuss some strange news in the world of woke.

It used to be that corporations were Republican, buttoned-up, and conservative. Recently, corporations are at the forefront of woke stupidity.

About the time of Obama's presidency, there was a huge switch. The Democrats used to be the part of the poor and the working class. They were the party of peace. Republicans were the darling of the corporations.

Now it's the opposite.

After FLOVID, DEI and woke BS went into overdrive in the corporate world. Inclusive advertising, pronoun policies, LGBYIOASDF parades, an over-emphasis on climate issues, ....

It goes beyond the individual corporations. Blackrock and other investment firms sometimes set the agenda and corporations have to say "yes sir," and do as they're told.

It makes sense that Starbucks would go woke. How did Harley Davidson, John Deere, Tractor Supply Company, Jack Daniels, and Lowes fall for this nonsense?

Do they know who their customer are?

443: The Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review Snakeden Saison by 7 Locks Brewing, then review their impressions of The Sound of Hope.

The story starts in Possum Trot, Texas, when Donna Martin is grieving the death of her mother. She feels a calling from God to help some of the children in the foster care system. Her husband, Bishop Martin, reluctantly comes along, but then he decides they're not only going to adopt -- they're going to take the hardest cases.

Bishop Martin does a deep study on what the Bible says about adoption, and starts preaching on it. This starts a movement in the church and this small church eventually adopts all 77 of the kids out of the foster care system.

This is a heart-warming, inspirational movie, and the best part of it is that it's based on a true story.

442: The fall of England. We'll miss you. Aug 31, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review Founders Vanilla Porter, then discuss the slow-motion self-immolation of England as the island cowtows to woke nonsense.

Why is this happening? How did the west get to a spot where we're so sold on multiculturalism that we excuse migrant crimes and crack down on the people who point them out?

When a violent, disrespectful Syrian boy threatens to rape two young girls, he's the good guy, and the older brother who stood up for his sisters is the bad guy.

When the police cover up grooming gangs, that's good and right, but the people who don't want their wives, sisters, and daughters to get raped are the bad guys.

The idea that the government cares about and respects the will of the people has been revealed as a total farce. The agenda of the elite prevails and the people need to suck it up and go along with it.

There's a conspiracy against the will of the people. An unholy alliance of the government, media, courts, police, celebrities, entertainment .... They collectively gaslight, intimidate, and insult the people to push their agenda.

If you criticize their agenda, you go to jail.

If Hamas has a violent demonstration, that's okay. If English patriots have a rally, they're right-wing extremists who should be hunted down, fined, jailed, and destroyed.

The media won't report on it. It's only the alternative media that tells us what's going on.

441: "The soundtrack of your life" playlists Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

P&C review Country Ride Pale Ale from RAR, then invite special guest Longinus to the show to discuss "celebration of life playlists."

Longinus' playlist includes ...

* A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

* Sometime Ago/La Feista by Chick Corea

* All Blues by Miles Davis

* Song of Loving Kindness by Gary Bartz

* Boogie Nights by Heatwave

* September by Earth, Wind, and Fire

* Brick House by the Commodores

* Staying Alive by the Beegees

* Red Barchetta by RUSH

* Closer to the Heart by the TREES

* Wait until Tomorrow by Jimi Hendrix

* Magis Bus by the Who

* Goodtimes by Led Zeppelin

* Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers

* Waiting in the Van by Bob Marley

* Sugar Mountain by Neil Young

* Judy Blue Eyes by CSN

* Bad Moon Rising by Credence

* Ventura Highway by America

* Dixie Chicken by Little Feat

* That isn't funny anymore by the Smiths

* Heard Through the Wall by Del Amitri

* After the Rain by Cockburn

* Block Cow by Steely Dan

* Weary Kind by Ryan Bingham

Crowhill organized his playlist by phases of his life.

Youth

- Spanish Flea by Herb Alpert – first trumpet solo

Young adult / high school / swim team

– Theme: arrogance, trumpet, going my own way. Anything by Maynard Ferguson

College

– Theme: Agony / struggle. Jethro Tull (maybe Mother Goose of Up to Me), Keith Green (Make My Life a Prayer to You), John Michael Talbott (He is Risen)

Marriage and kids

– Theme: joyful responsibility. “Front porch looking in” and “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.”

– Theme: fun and silliness. “The Fox” by Nickel Creek

Middle age

– Maybe Calliandra Shade by Ian Anderson to signify watching the world go by

– Dust in the Wind by Kansas to signify my lack of understanding of what the hell is going on

– Grow Old with Me by Sunny Sweeney to signify my lifetime connection to my wife

– Beautiful by Gordon Lightfoot

Pigweed's soundtrack includes ...

* McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run

* BTO - Aint Seen Nothin Yet

* George Thorogood - Move it on Over

* Queen News of the World - not we will rock you

* Elton John - Your Song

High School

* Rod Stewart - Maggie May

* Eric Clapton - Slow Hand

* Randy Newman

* Tom Waits

* Elvis Costello - Allison

PUNK PHASE - not at the celebration.

* Maybe one Clash Tune.

* Bruce Springsteen

* Who

OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL

* Lloyd Cole

* Smiths

* Prefab Sprout

* Iggy Pop - The Passenger

* Lou Reed - Who Loves the Sun

MEXICO

* Jose Alfredo Jimenez

* Mariachi - Guadalajara

Got a Pick Up Truck

* 90s-Early2000s radio Country Music

* Kenny Chesney - I go back

* Toby Keith - Beer for my Horses

OUTLAW COUNTRY

* Hayes Carl

* Ryan Bingham

* Steve Earl

* Robert Earle Keen

* Morgan Wallen

* Johnny Cash - When The Man Comes to Town

440: Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo -- shortcut to the classics Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

The boys drink and review 2 award-winning beers from Heavy Seas, then special guest Longinus joins them at the bar to review Pedro Paramo, a Mexican novella. This is part of the P&C "shortcut to the classics" series.

Pedro Paramo is a confusing book. The structure, timing, the use of punctuation, who's speaking, and even whether people are alive or dead is never quite certain.

The book is named after the central character, Pedro Paramo, who is a powerful and tyrannical landowner in the town of Comala. He's also the father of Juan Preciado, the novel's primary protagonist, who is sent to Comala by Dolores Preciado, his dying mother, to get what they're owed.

On his way to find Comala, Juan meets Abundio Martinez, another of Pedro's illegitimate sons.

Comala is a ghost town in two senses. Not only is there almost no one there, it's full of ghosts.

Rulfo's work is an example of magical realism, where seemingly impossible things happen and are accepted by the characters as if nothing special is happening.

The story pursues themes like death and the supernatural, memory and time, despair and hoplelessness, power and corruption, religion and guilt, isolation and loneliness. The themes combine to create a haunting exploration of human existence, where the boundaries between life and death, past and present, are fluid.

This is an interesting but difficult book. If you give it a try, plan to read it twice.

SE1: Did Democrats provoke the Trump assassination attempt? Aug 21, 2024

Show notes

Did the Democrats provoke the assassination attempt against Donald Trump with their over-the-top language? They repeatedly called him Hitler, a threat to democracy, a dictator, that this will be the last election, etc.? Did that inspire the Trump shooter?

It's easy to imagine. Everyone has had the sophomoric argument about going back in time and killing Hitler before he took power. If you're faced with an actual Hitler -- right here and now -- what are you going to do?

Aside from that, how could this have possibly happened? Why did the Secret Service fall down on the job?

The level of incompetence demonstrated by the Secret Service is almost unbelievable. Was it all just a big cluster frack, or was the Secret Service in on it?

What's the role of DEI in this disaster? Was the Secret Service encumbered by a bunch of unqualified DEI hires?

The head of the Secret Service had a mission to promote women. That was the chip on her shoulder. Did that become more important than fulfilling the actual mission of the Secret Service?

This level of buffoonery and clown-town behavior is close to impossible. It's almost necessary to believe it was a setup.

But then there's Hanlon's razor: never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity and incompetence.

439: Julian Assange -- love him or hate him? Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

P&C drink and review Crabtown Classic, a local Vienna Lager from Jailbreak Brewing, then discuss Julian Assange.

The Assange case brings out the contrast between freedom of the press and national security.

Assange had a libertarian streak and was suspicious of authority -- especially governmental authority. He believed information should be free, particularly when it exposes the misdeeds of governments.

Many believe Assange was supporting whistleblowers, and that his case was a test case for freedom of the press.

Some of the things Assange revealed allegedly betrayed "sources and methods" and compromised national security.

Assange's prolonged legal battle over extradition from the UK to the US raises concerns about fair trial standards, the potential for politically motivated charges, and the treatment of whistleblowers and journalists under international law.

Is Assange a whistleblower deserving of protection, or a criminal who recklessly endangered lives? The debate is central to the case and reflects broader societal questions about the ethics of leaking classified information.

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