Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

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140: Mark Twain Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

The boys drink and review Hysteria's "What You Want," then continue their "shortcut to the classics" series, with special guest Longinus, by reviewing a few Mark Twain short stories.

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
A True Story
The Diary of Adam and Eve
The $1,000,000 Bank-Note
A Dog's Tale

139: The rebellion in Loudoun County Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

P&C drink and review Pigweed's latest homebrew, then discuss the ruckus in Virginia, where a teacher was fired for failing to toe the line on transgender ideology. A parent rebellion ensued, exposing the high-handed tactics of the educational establishment.

Most people don't like Critical Race Theory, and don't want it taught to their children.

This kind of push-back seems to be catching fire all over the country, as parents realize how radicalized the school system has become, and how much contempt the establishment has for them.

138: Left brain right brain Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

After reviewing a wheat beer from DuClaw, the boys review some of Iain McGilchrist's findings on differences between the functions of the two hemispheres, and what they say about how we view the world.

The left and right hemispheres have very different perspectives on life. The right tends to look at the big picture, while the left tends to be more task-specific.

When the two hemispheres are cut, scientists are able to communicate separately with each side, and have learned some very interesting things about how the two sides of our brain function, and what biases they bring to the world.

McGilchrist is concerned that our society is becoming too left-brain focused, and believes we need a correction.

137: The lab origin idea, zoom life, sobriety checkpoints and more Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

The boys drink and review Young Buck, a Maibock from Key Brewing, then knock out five topics in five minutes each.

The lab origin hypothesis. There's a lab in Wuhan, China, that works on "gain of function" in coronaviruses, which, by an astonishing coincidence, is where the virus started -- but somehow the idea that the virus came from the lab was a crazy conspiracy theory.

Zoom life -- what we've learned about virtual meetings during the pandemic.

Sobriety checkpoints -- are they legal? Should they be? They seem to reverse the presumption of innocence.

Vaccines -- are you a crazy, awful, conspiratorial monster if you choose to avoid the vaccine?

9-0 SCOTUS decision on Catholic organizations being involved in foster care.

136: Too much safety Jun 18, 2021

Show notes

The boys review two homebrewed bourbon barrel-aged stouts, then discuss safety.

In the 70s we didn't wear helmets or knee pads, and we didn't use seat belts. How much safer are we today? How much safer do we feel?

What about sports. Do kids collect friends and play sports, or do they have to wait until the adults organize it for them? Do they ever learn to negotiate and resolve conflicts?

What has caused the change?

135: Analytical vs intuitive thinking Jun 14, 2021

Show notes

The boys review their Strauss challenge (Vienna malt vs. Munich malt), then discuss two different ways of approaching the world -- the broader meaning vs. the specific, practical meaning -- and how a skeptical / analytical view of the world contrasts with a more intuitive view.

One view might be called sentimental, or following an unprovable grand narrative, while the other might be called practical, rational, hard-headed or maybe "objective."

Should everything be "rational"? Sometimes things that seem irrational have a hidden origin or meaning that shouldn't be easily dismissed.

134: Statehood for DC and PR? Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

P&C drink and review a west coast IPA from local Hysteria Brewing, then discuss statehood for DC and PR.

Is "taxation without representation" a fair way to characterize the U.S. attitude towards the District of Columbia?

The constitution says Congress has exclusive jurisdiction over the federal district.

Is that a good idea?

Or .. do you want the seat of government under the control of one of the states?

And how about Puerto Rico? Should it be a state? Under what terms do we admit new territories as states?

133: G.I. woke May 28, 2021

Show notes

P&C drink and review Hysteria's Barleyfine, then discuss military recruitment.

How do you inspire young men to join the armed forces and put their lives on the line for the country? According to the Biden administration, wokeness is the key. What we need, they think, is flight suits for pregnant women.

They boys recently watched four recruitment videos: one from China, one from Russia, and two from the U.S. -- one for the army and one for the CIA. The Russians and the Chinese are appealing to masculinity, strength, discipline, self-sacrifice and other traditional disciplines. The U.S. videos are all about voyages of self discovery, wokeness and narcissism.

The military is about shedding your individual identity to become part of a bigger cause, specifically service to the country.

132: Lockdown, take 2 May 20, 2021

Show notes

P&C drink and review Gaffel's Kolsch, then discuss the lockdown. Was it worth it?

What was the original purpose of locking us all in our homes? How did we get into this weird situation in the first place? Why did we allow it to go so long? What were the consequences, and the unintended consequences?

In making this unprecedented decision, did anyone count the costs of the lockdown? Apparently not. It seems that the allegedly free governments of the west saw that China got away with it and decided to give it a try. To their surprise (and glee?), it worked.

The lockdown was a one-size fits all response to a disease that was known to affect demographic groups very differently. It was a hammer solution to a tweezer problem.

Think of the damage that's been done to our culture as a result of the lockdown. The media is in cahoots with the government, promoting one story and suppressing another. We've accepted the idea that there's an orthodoxy of thought, and it's infiltrated science. Big tech, big government and media are all in a conspiracy to shoot down dissent.

P&C discuss these issues, then review the lockdown from three perspectives: what it's done to freedom, health and the economy.

131: Biden's first 100 days May 20, 2021

Show notes

P&C drink and review Spaten's Optimator, then discuss Biden's first 100 days in office. How has he done?

While there are some decent, or even positive points, the overall rating is poor.

The boys discuss his sharp left turn, his oversight of the vaccine program, his spending proposals, his cowardice in the face of the teacher's union, his mismanagement of the border, his foreign policy, climate issues, social justice, police reform, accusing the United States of racism .... Biden seems on track to be Jimmy Carter 2, or worse.

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