Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

Latest Episodes:

371: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

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.

370: Does "McCarthyism" mean what you think it means? Nov 19, 2023

Show notes

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.

369: One nation under surveillance Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

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.

368: The opioid crisis and big pharma Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

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.

367: The Salem witch trials Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

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.

366: Pro Palestinian rallies on campus Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

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.

364: Two scary stories from HP Lovecraft Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

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.

363: The Epstein sex scandal, means-tested tickets, and more Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

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.

362: The Unabomber Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

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.

361: JeBron James' I Promise School Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

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.

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