Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

The boys drink and review some homebrewed porter, then ask if Trump is resetting the entire global order. Many people believe the international system built after 1991 has become unsustainable, unfair, and disconnected from American interests. Trump is trying to reset it from an America First perspective. * The old world order depended on American sacrifice without reciprocity* Trump replaced globalism with a more nationalist, power-based approach* Trump has been pressuring NATO allies to strengthen the alliance and make Europe step up * We've seen a shift from engagement with China to strategic competition* Trump believes foreign policy should answer to American interests, not international institutionsTrump has moved the U.S. from a system where America carried the burden for everyone else to one based on leverage, sovereignty, and shared responsibility. Critics see the same actions as reckless disruption.If you're interested in foreign policy, the future of the world order, or the debate over nationalism vs globalism, this discussion lays out the logic behind one of the most controversial shifts in modern American politics.

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review Lindemans Pecheresse, a Belgian Fruit Lambic, then discuss the show's uncanny ability to predict the future. In this episode we update past topics and predictions. An earlier show discussed kill switches and cameras in cars. There have been some developments to that story. On the show where we questioned whether psychiatry is science (mostly it isn't), the boys asked if it was time to bring back involuntary commitment. We also discussed the over-prescription of psychiatric drugs and the interesting correlation between mental health and going to church. Pigweed called attention to the problem of cousin marriage, and what do you know? -- Britain is experiencing a huge rise in birth defects as a result of cousin marriage from Pakistani immigrants. At peak trans madness, the boys predicted a time when the monsters who are promoting this barbarity were fined and jailed. We're starting to see it happen. Recently, some of these ghoulish doctors were fined millions of dollars for performing a double mastectomy on a child. The boys did a show calling out gerrymandering foolishness, but Maryland is still going full speed ahead. To "protect democracy," of course. Another show on Persia predicted the bombs would start dropping within ten days. That prediction was exactly right. They also predicted that the regime will fall in two months. That prediction is still outstanding. The boys discuss the ongoing Iran war. Re: the infrastructure show we update the "sewage in the Potomac" story and wonder again why the "mainstream press" is so uninterested. We recap the Julian Assange and Edward Snowden situation. Trump is now considering pardoning them and then bringing them in to help expose corruption inside the intelligence system. That would be interesting. The show ends with a letter from long-time listener and contributor JR about whether Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.

The boys drink and review Finest Kind IPA from Smuttynose, then talk about efforts to make Alberta an independent nation. Pigweed's news feed has been full of talk about this burgeoning movement in Canada. Alberta is an energy rich province that sends a lot of money to Ottawa, but doesn't get much in return. Albertans hate being under the thumb of a government thousands of miles away with completely different values. The story seemed so exciting and right up Pigweed's alley ... until he realized his feed was exaggerating the popularity of the movement. It's at about 30 percent. But would Canada allow Alberta to leave even if Albertans voted for it? P&C have their doubts. Would Canada peacefully allow their cash cow to leave?

The boys drink and review a cream ale from Jailbreak Brewery, then discuss the dramatic decline in trust in our institutions. Trust in institutions used to be the default. Today, it's the exception.From corruption and abuse of power to ideological capture and growing economic inequality, many people feel that the institutions that once anchored society — government, media, academia, and public health — have become distant, opaque, and unaccountable. When ordinary citizens see elites displaying obscene wealth, when justice appears unevenly applied, or when powerful organizations seem staffed by insiders and relatives, skepticism becomes inevitable.But there's a deeper problem: institutions are not people.When trust breaks between individuals, you can repair it through conversation and accountability. With large bureaucracies that kind of repair is much harder.The discussion also examines how ideological conflict fuels distrust. Some argue that skepticism toward institutions reflects a rejection of facts. Others counter that trust was damaged when institutions themselves misled the public on major issues — from shifting COVID narratives to the media's failure to understand the political forces that produced Donald Trump's rise in 2016.So what happens when institutions lose credibility? Can trust be rebuilt—or are we entering a new era where citizens simply stop believing the organizations that once guided public life?Pigweed and Crowhill dig into the causes, the consequences, and the uncomfortable questions we can't ignore.

The boys drink and review a peanut butter porter, then wonder about the nature of the mind and the self. We like to imagine that our minds are simple and unified — that we think, decide, and evaluate the world rationally. But the more we learn about the mind, the stranger that assumption becomes.Psychology talks about the conscious and unconscious mind. Behavioral economics divides thinking into fast and slow systems. Neuroscientists debate left brain vs. right brain. Moral psychologists describe the “elephant and rider.” Even the Bible describes a divided inner life: Jeremiah says the heart is so deceitful that we can't understand it, and Paul admits that the things he wants to do he often doesn't do. There's a war of flesh vs. spirit. So which part of all that is actually "me"?In this episode, P&C explore the mysteries of the self. For starters, our perceptions are filtered before we even become aware of them. That brains that process that filtered information are shaped by millions of years of evolution. Our reasoning is influenced by emotion, culture, and hidden motives. Even when we take a long time to think carefully about something, the mind doing the thinking may not be as unified as we imagine.That raises an uncomfortable question: if our minds are jury-rigged systems shaped by survival, how can we honestly evaluate big questions like the existence of God?Along the way we touch on ideas from psychology, philosophy, and theology, with some laughs and jokes along the way. If the mind is divided and our perceptions are filtered, the mystery may not only be whether God exists.The mystery might be what is this strange creature asking the question.And yes, this episode is partially inspired by "The Logical Song."

P&C drink and review Manor Hill Brewing's Dunkel, then wonder if the U.N. still matters. The United Nations was founded after World War II with an ambitious mission: prevent global war, promote peace, and help nations cooperate on the world's biggest problems.But nearly eighty years later, a fair question arises: does it do anything useful?The boys take a practical look at what the U.N. actually does today. It clearly hasn't stopped major conflicts — from Ukraine to the Middle East — and it hasn't been the engine that lifted countries out of poverty. So what role does it really play?We dig into the less glamorous side of the organization: peacekeeping missions that try to keep fragile countries from sliding back into civil war, humanitarian programs that feed millions of people, refugee operations, disease control, and the quiet international standards that keep things like aviation and shipping functioning smoothly.But that leads to deeper questions:* Is the U.N. a meaningful institution — or mostly a talking shop?* Does it solve problems, or just manage them?* Would the world look any different if it didn't exist?* And if it's not preventing wars or creating prosperity, what exactly is its purpose?It's a conversation about global institutions, unintended consequences, and the difference between what an organization was created to do and what it actually does.

The boys drink and review Dogfish Head's Sixty-One, which is an IPA brewed with Pinot Noir grapes, then discuss the idea that AI will make us all wealthy while Pigweed's cat prances around the studio. Elon Musk recently said that AI + robotics will eliminate scarcity to the point that there's no real point in saving for retirement. We'll have "universal high income." It's like the Star Trek vision of the future where all your needs are provided for. Does that make any sense? Can an economy function like that? Will "AI abundance" arrive simultaneously for every human need? Who will pay the taxes? What does "lack of scarcity" really mean? There can be an abundance of food, or healthcare. AI isn't going to make more beachfront. How do we get from here to there? What happens to property rights? Will the people who own the AI share their wealth with everybody else? Why? Who will make them do it? When people start losing jobs (by the millions), how will they live? The idea that we'll tax AI to pay the people who are laid off doesn't make sense. If you tax the AI to pay the displaced workers, what have you gained? The internal contradictions in the optimistic view of an AI-driven future are mind-boggling. The boys try to parse through it all.

P&C drink and review Pigweed's homebrewed porter then discuss squatter's rights. Can somebody just take over your house when you're on vacation? There's a famous case in Maryland where some "activist" has moved in to a $2.3 million house that had been foreclosed on. Can she do that? Who's to stop her, and how? "Adverse possession" is the technical word for squatter's rights. But it only applies in narrow situations. Not just somebody moving in. Social media has made this worse. People share the location of unused houses and help people take possession of these homes. Sometimes they then rent the property out to others. This is a daily occurrence in Baltimore. The boys also reply to letters on recent topics we've covered, including psychology, consciousness and AI, and mental illnesses. Pigweed also notices that other podcasts and shows are picking up our topics without giving us any credit. The boys end the show with a reprise of the Potomac River problem.

The boys drink and review Crowhill's latest homebrew then discuss Iran. Persia was one of the first great empires. At times it stretched from Libya in the west, into India and the stans in the east, and stretched into the Slavic countries in the north. Some of the notable names are Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes. Isaiah mentioned Cyrus as God's chosen but took a jab at Zoroastrianism in the process. Persian dominance came to an end in waves. First, Alexander the Great conquered them, then Islam came along and caused a bloody mess, then the Mongols invaded and slaughtered so many Persians that the population didn't recover until the mid 20th century. In more recent times, Iran was a very modern, pro-western country. Americans tend to think of Iran as a country full of screaming lunatics, but that's not true. It's not a particularly Muslim country. Mosque attendance is very low. But somehow that lunatic Ayatollah Khomeini was able to take over and the country has been under the thumb of crazies for decades. That might end soon. Protests against the oppressive regime have increased, and Donald Trump seems inclined to put an end to the rule of the mullahs. At the end of the show, the boys make some predictions about what comes next. We'll see.

The boys drink and review Old Brown Dog by Smuttynose, then wonder why Michelle Obama is such a sourpuss despite her incredible good fortune. Despite being intelligent, wealthy, well-educated, and popular, she seems to be griping and complaining all the time. After Barack was elected she said, "For the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country." For the first time? Really? Everything is so hard for Michelle. She's such a victim and has had such a bad draw of the cards. Recently the boys watched a video contrasting Michelle's attitude towards being in the White House and J.D. Vance's attitude towards living in the Vice President's mansion. Vance is beaming about his fortune. Michelle complains. There's always an undercurrent of resentment when you listen to Michelle despite the fact that she's one of the most privileged people on the planet. But don't be fooled by all her successes. Everything is a burden. Michelle Obama is insufferable, and a major buzzkill.

The boys drink and review Ghost Stories, a smoked black lager from Burlington Beer Company, then discuss infrastructure. After the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Biden promised it would be rebuilt “as soon as humanly possible” — and immediately assumed the federal government would foot the bill. But why is that assumption now automatic? And what does it tell us about the state of American infrastructure policy?In this episode, we take a hard look at the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as it enters its final year. Using publicly available data and government reporting, we break down what's actually happened versus what was promised.We discuss:* How infrastructure funding really works (authorized vs. obligated vs. outlaid)* Why “money spent” doesn't mean “projects finished”* What's moved fastest (roads and bridges) — and what's lagged badly (broadband and EV charging)* Whether the IIJA genuinely created jobs, or merely supported an already-hot labor market* Why so little of the infrastructure transformation is visible to ordinary Americans* What happens next as the law expires in 2026 and Washington pivots to reauthorization debatesWe also offer a clear scorecard for the IIJA so far — not as a partisan talking point, but as a reality check on how massive federal programs actually unfold over time.If you're wondering whether the Infrastructure Bill delivered, stalled, or quietly reshaped expectations about the federal government's role in rebuilding America, this conversation is for you.

The boys drink and review Sierra Nevada's Narwhal Imperial Stout, then discuss the obligation of the government to provide for the poor and how such efforts inevitably degrade into graft, corruption, and abuse -- like what we see in Minneapolis right now. There have always been poor people, and there has always been an obligation to help the less fortunate. In the past, much of that work was done by churches. The big transformation in government-run charity followed the Great Depression, where masses of unemployed men threatened to riot. So-called "welfare" system only got bigger over time, especially under President Johnson. At first, public assistance was just for the elderly, widows, and orphans. Today, an enormous percentage of the population gets some type of government benefit. The trouble is, whenever there's money changing hands, people try to get in on it and put themselves in the middle so they can get their cut. Charity is no exception. Unscrupulous actors find ways to cheat and rob the system. The extent of the cheating, stealing, and fraud is almost beyond belief. But rather than monitoring and preventing it, public officials turn a blind eye. It makes you wonder whether welfare systems are designed to help the poor, or are just slush funds for politicians to bribe their cronies.

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review a Copper Legend, an Oktoberfest from Jack's Abbey brewing. The topic for today: Has the development of AI changed our perspective on whether or not we're living in a simulation? Starting with Nick Bostrom's famous essay, the boys discuss the issues and why we might not be as "real" as we think we are. The development of AI has made Bostrom's essay even more significant. The idea that simulated minds might soon outnumber "real" minds is no longer an abstract science fiction question. On top of all this, we have stories about discussion groups just for AI -- where the bots talk to the bots. Another approach to the issue is to question what "real" means anyway. Our concept of the real, the physical, seems less and less likely as we discover that the hard substances around us are mostly empty space. It might be all empty space, with no "things" there at all. It's no longer a question for college freshmen in a late-night dorm chat. We have to ask ourselves what we're going to do when AI starts to claim that it's sentient. Finally, how does all this affect the way we live our lives? How does it affect questions of meaning and purpose? What about theological questions?

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review an IPA from Cape May Brewing, then discuss the homogenization of culture, and how everything is starting to look the same. It's to the point where you're in a town three states away but you see the same stores, the same products on the shelves. Where's the local stuff? The boys discuss the history of this phenomenon, starting with the railroads and the Sears catalog, and moving on to the standardization of building materials and the expansion of chain stores. Some of this is good and logical, but sometimes you want to feel like you're in the South, or the West, or ... something different. A world of identical strip malls teaches us * Every place is replaceable* Nothing is sacred* Everything is for sale* History doesn't matter* Roots are optionalLocal culture anchors people psychologically and morally. It says * You are somewhere.* You come from something.* This place has a past and a future.How do we encourage progress and also encourage local culture?

With special guest Longinus, Pigweed and Crowhill review Nugget Nectar from Troegs and then turn to Death in Venice, a short but unsettling story about beauty, obsession, and moral collapse.Longinus provides a brief biography of Thomas Mann, and then the boys walk through the story while unpacking its major themes.This is a controversial book, and they don't shy away from it's ugly side. Mann explores hidden desires and forbidden obsession, along with the danger of aesthetic fascination untethered from moral restraint.Ultimately, the discussion centers on a larger question: Does beauty have a special philosophical or theological weight — and what happens when beauty replaces wisdom, when form is severed from moral truth, and when a man mistakes aesthetic experience for spiritual insight?Along the way, the conversation draws on Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy, parallels from the book of Proverbs, and the underlying struggle of an Apollonian man confronted by Dionysian temptation.

The boys drink and review Shugga, a strong ale by Lagunitas, then discuss a leaked government report that argues peace is actually a bad thing. War is not merely a tragic necessity, it's a fundamental stabilizing force in human society -- according to a secret government document called Report from Iron Mountain. It claims that war is essential for maintaining political authority, economic order, social cohesion, and psychological balance. This report, written in secret by a panel of experts, argues that permanent peace would undermine governments, disrupt economies, weaken military readiness, and unleash internal violence and social fragmentation, because war provides an external enemy that unifies populations, absorbs surplus production, channels aggressive instincts, and justifies large-scale public spending and technological innovation. But ... spoiler alert ... the whole thing was a hoax. It caught the wave at exactly the right time when people were suspicious of the government, worried about Vietnam, and afraid of the military industrial complex. Having said all that, it makes some good points. Maybe war is necessary to some extent.

The boys drink and review Stocking Stuffer, a holiday cream ale from 1623, then ask whether psychiatry is helping or hurting. Although we've certainly come a long way from Medieval "remedies" like induced vomiting and bloodletting, the stats aren't so good on modern psychiatry. The consensus is that we're over-medicating people to benefit the pharmaceutical industry. There are certainly some cases where people need medication, but the profession has gone way too far in that direction. First, they've lied to us. The "chemical imbalance" story was complete hogwash. Second, they ignored obvious, simple, easy solutions like getting more exercise and better sleep, fixing your diet, going outside, spending time with friends, etc.

The boys start the show with a glass of "off dry hard cider," then dive right in to your questions and comments. We got a lot of reactions to our show on Catcher in the Rye. Raven and Pentamom don't like the book, while Heathen Abbey loved it. They had very different opinions on whether reading it would make kids want to read or make them never want to pick up another book. A related question on the same theme: a listener asked what a "catcher in the rye" is in any case. We also had questions about the origin of the name "Longinus." It's not what you think. Some listeners wondered about "the war on beauty," and we got another example of a word ruined by the left. The boys end the show with a difficult question about persecution of the Jews.

Are we heading to a time where everybody has a disability? Or, if you don't have one, you're pretty stupid? The boys drink and review Trail of Crumbs gingerbread stout from Seven Locks Brewing, then discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act and how many college students are now considered disabled. It's impossible to accommodate every disability, so there will always be some fuzziness in how far the ADA is supposed to go, but ... it seems to have gone too far, especially with accommodations for mental health. COVID seems to have accelerated crazy claims under the ADA. People got accustomed to working from home, and when they were told to go back to the office, they suddenly needed a lot of "accommodations." It's even worse in academia. Students come up every kind of "disability" to get extra time on tests and other accommodations. Sometimes it's something as silly as being anxious. 40 percent of the students at Stanford are considered disabled. Is that even possible? Is "test anxiety" a disability?

The boys drink and review Old Fezziwig Ale from Sam Adams, then ask why English isn't the official language of the United States. Most countries have an official language. About 20 percent don't. What's the reason for the difference? Generally speaking, a country needs a common culture, and a common culture usually requires a common language. Language is the deepest carrier of culture -- via idioms, jokes, and so on. The common language frames the way people interpret reality. Do we want to have a common culture in our country or not? What happens when you don't have a common language? It obviously works sometimes. Switzerland seems to do fine with multiple languages. But in other cases, the lack of a common language can breed suspicion and distrust. What is the barrier to declaring English the official language?

The boys drink and review a Mexican lager, then discuss the developing story about the U.S. conflict with Venezuela. Was the U.S. justified in sinking Venezuelan drug boats? What about seizing oil tankers? And then sending in a team to capture the Venezuelan president? Did we go too far, or is this a legit response to a threat in our hemisphere? And why is the U.S. so worried about Venezuela all of a sudden? The boys review recent events and comment on the policy, legality, and political implications of our recent actions. Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review Mad Elf, a strong holiday ale, then discuss the idea that college kids are getting dumber. Is that true? We've gone from a time when high schools taught Greek and Latin to a time when colleges teach remedial math. Comedians love to poke fun at the stupidity of our college students with "man on the street" interviews, where college kids can't identify the country to the north. What's happened? For one thing, reading has decline precipitously. For another, many colleges have abandoned entrance requirements. But there's a lot more. * Is it a good thing, as a matter of policy, to have a more educated population? * Is college the right place for everybody? * What's the federal role? There's no question there are uneducated, unprepared, stupid kids in college. But does that mean they're all dumber?

The boys drink and review Awkward Silence, a black lager from Flying Dog, then discuss a conversation between Milo Yiannopoulos and Tucker Carlson about homosexuality, gay rights, and related issues. A 2012 clip from Ugandan TV went viral after the host asked his guest, "Why are you gay?" To American audiences the question itself was hilarious. But why is it hilarious? Tucker explores that with Milo. Milo Yiannopoulos was, for years, the darling of the political right -- despite being a flambouyant homosexual. He also claimed to be a devout Catholic. The intellectual tension eventually got the better of him and now he claims to be an ex gay. Is that a thing? Are people allowed to quit being homosexual? Is it even possible? Milo says yes. He also has a lot more to say about gay culture, the gay lifestyle, and related issues. He's still a provocateur, and he still makes exaggerated claims, but it's an interesting conversation. (We apologize for the humming in the background for a few minutes. We couldn't filter it out completely.)

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review a Christmas ale from Great Lakes Brewing, then discuss stoicism. It's not what you think. It doesn't mean that you go through life with no emotions. There are two classic sources for Stoicism: Greek and Roman. But the Greek version only comes second hand. We don't have any of the original sources. We do have primary sources for the Roman version of stoicism, most notably from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. Stoics believe in a "providential structure of the world" and try to live their lives accepting the ordered, rational structure of nature. They try to accept things as they are and order their lives according to four basic virtues: Justice Courage Wisdom, and Temperance A stoic wants to align his own life to the logos. Stoicism seems to be experiencing a bit of a revival of interest. Why? Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review a raspberry cookie stout from Great Lakes Brewing, then discuss a famous American novel. It's not quite a Christmas book, but Holden Caulfield gets kicked out of his prep school just before Christmas, so it's close enough. Longinus starts off with some biographical info on Salinger, then the boys dive into the novel. The book is written as if it's by Holden, a young man of about 16. The novel is all about tone -- about the attitude and perspective of Holden -- his angst and his worries.The whole idea of adolescence was new when The Catcher in the Rye came out, and Salinger tried to capture it in this novel. From Holden's point of view, everything is either depressing, phony, corny, or boring. The Catcher in the Rye is often called a coming of age novel. If you're curious about this classic, give a listen and let us know what you think.

From the archives, the boys drink and review Crowhill's 2020 Christmas braggot (an ale with honey), then discuss the secularization of Christmas. P&C love the holiday festivities, but notice that the religious side of Christmas seems to be losing out to Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, and such. What's the balance between the penitential season of Advent and the ho ho silliness in the snow? And what about religion in public life? Should we be afraid to say "Merry Christmas" if we don't know the person is a Christian. Some people call it "the war on Christmas." Is that fair?

The boys drink and review Jubelale from Deschutes brewery then discuss Candace Owens. Candace is a very intelligent, very articulate woman. She's the type who has done her homework and has her facts ready. She used to be with Prager U, Turning Point USA, and Daily Wire. She's testified before Congress. After the October 7 attacks on Israel the cracks started to show. She left the Daily Wire and started out on her own. Now she's relentlessly anti-Jew, anti-Israel. She seems to have gone conspiracy theory crazy. Some of them are disturbing, but one of them is just funny. Candace has taken up the story that Brigitte Macron is a man, which has caused international problems. If that was the extent of her conspiracy theorizing it would just be amusing. But now she seems to say that the Jews control everything, the moon landing was faked, and Turning Point USA was complicit in the death of Charlie Kirk. It's hard to parse it all out, but P&C give it a go. Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review Brother Joseph's Belgian-style Double Ale from Straight To Ale then discuss the war on beauty. Pigweed wonders why everything is so ugly. Older buildings -- even sewage plants -- were beautiful. They were built to lift the human spirit. Modern buildings are built to be hideous. Why? It's so cheap to make things beautiful these days. Why don't we? It's almost as if we're choosing ugliness. Even churches are ugly. What about a banana taped to the wall as "art"? That's not an aesthetic statement, it's a statement about standards and meaning. That is, that there is no meaning. The boys discuss the present reality of omnipresent ugliness and review its possible historical origins. Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review Sam Adams winter white ale, then smoke their pipes and discuss the origin and history of smoking. When you sit around the fire, you don't want the smoke coming your way. It's annoying. So who came up with the idea of intentionally breathing smoke into your lungs? People in Africa, the near east, and in China did smoke some cannibis-like weeds, but smoking really took off when Columbus brought tobacco from the new world. The whole world loved the stuff and tobacco became a key crop in the Americas. The boys discuss the interesting history of smoking. Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review a Kolsch from Sky Blue Brewing, then discuss the influence of an old sociology paper by Cloward and Piven. These 60s-era "intellectuals" lamented that not enough eligible people had signed up for welfare benefits. They proposed overwhelming the welfare system by deploying an army of activists and troublemakers to (1) get more people to sign up for benefits, and (2) riot, demonstrate, protest, and generally cause trouble. The goal was not to get more wealth to the poor, but to cause the welfare system to fail, create a crisis, and force the federal government to institute a new system. Their proposed "solution" was called "guaranteed minimum income," which is an idea so stupid you have to be an intellectual to believe in it. Their overall proposal seems to define the basic playbook of the left, which is to cause disorder and crisis, destroy the current system, and replace it with socialism. Cloward and Piven believed the only way for poor people to get their way is to riot, set fires, and cause trouble. Incremental change is not enough. There has to be a revolution. Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review two imperial stouts, then discuss the possible relationship between Tylenol and autism. RFK Jr. has announced a relationship between pregnant women taking Tylenol and autism in their children. There is some evidence for that claim, but there are a lot of confounding issues as well. Is autism really on the rise? It seems so, but some people say it's just that we're detecting it better these days -- although that doesn't seem to account for the severe cases, which are also supposed to be on the rise. If it is on the rise, why? Is it something we're eating, something we're injecting into our bodies, or maybe the way we're cooking? What do we do with all the anecdotal evidence from parents that their child's autism came on suddenly? It seems as if the health establishment is not taking this as seriously as they ought to be.

P&C drink and review a Heineken Zero, then discuss some holiday themes. Contrary to popular opinion, Columbus didn't show that the world was round. Every educated person knew the world was a globe. Columbus mistakenly believed the world was smaller than it is, and that it would be an easy trip from Europe to Asia. His mistake led to the discovery of the Americas, but it took a long time before Europeans decided to colonize the new land. The Pilgrims were late to the game. There were already Spanish and French settlements in the Americas. But the Pilgrims were among the earliest English settlements and were very influential in the development of the United States. The boys discuss, and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.

The boys drink and review Lost Rhino's Marzen, then discuss conversion therapy. The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on a ban on "conversion therapy," which is alleged to cure people of unwanted sexual attractions. Is this a ban on free speech? Is SCOTUS going to tell therapists what they can and can't say to their clients? Some people don't believe that their homosexual attractions align with their Christian faith, and they'd like to lessen or eliminate those attractions. Nobody goes to therapy to be affirmed. The whole therapy industry exists because people have thoughts or feelings they want to change. Why should we exempt this particular kind of change? The boys tear apart the silly arguments of the left. Tune in, and let us know what you think.

P&C review La Chouffe, a strong Belgian Blonde ale, then discuss changing ideas about the self -- what it is, and how we think about it. In the ancient world, your "self" was more tied to your community and group. Augustine updated the sense of self as a reflective, moral agent. You don't just think, you think about what you're thinking. In the Protestant Reformation, the self took center stage. It was all about your own spiritual experience. Decartes takes a huge step with the mind-body split. There's a "you" that's separate from the body. Our soul is a ghost in the machine of the body. John Locke introduced the concept of the blank slate. You (or society) can affect who you become. That idea has lost a lot of its lustre as we've realized how much of our self is genetic. Is the self continuous over time? Is it an internal story: "I'm this kind of person"? Do some people have a stronger sense or perception of self than others do? Or is the self an illusion? Some contemplatives say they can transcend the self. The modern sense of self puts a huge burden on the individual. Everyone has to define what's good and decide for themselves what gives their life meaning and purpose. Is part of the reason we have so much depression and suicide? Join us for a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

The boys drink and review Forgotten Lore American lager from Nepenthe, then discuss food stamps. A lot of people were concerned that the recent government shutdown was interfering with the funding for food stamps (SNAP), but it brought up another issue. People started to wonder how we got to the point that one in eight Americans are getting food stamps. Food stamps started out as a relatively modest program to distribute surplus food to people who could use it. The original program ended during World War II, but it was resurrected for the "war on poverty" under Lyndon Johnson. As with most government programs, it's grown ever since. In the early days of the program you had to purchase the stamps. In 1977 they abandoned the purchase requirement, and now it's just a giveaway. And boy are we ever giving it away. P&C discuss.

The boys drink and review Raison Dêtre, a Belgian brown ale from Dogfish, then discuss the Charlie Kirk assassination and his legacy. Charlie Kirk was an amazing man. He could go into enemy territory and take on all comers. When he took questions from a crowd, he would invite the people who disagreed with him to the front of the line. Is there anyone like that on the left? What did the Charlie Kirk assassination say about America? What did it say about the right and the left? Who will be Charlie's successor? How has his death changed the conservative movement?

The boys drink and review a Helles lager from Sam Adams, then discuss the Mississippi miracle. They've moved from the bottom to near the top in reading. How did they do it? They abandoned the failed modern educational ideas, like whole language, that have been destroying education for decades, and went back to phonics and strict standards. Modern ideas confuse how a proficient reader reads with how beginners learn. It was a comical error. People become proficient by learning and internalizing the basics. Later they don't need the basics anymore, but that doesn't mean they didn't need to learn them. Modern methods try to take a shortcut, and it doesn't work. Mississippi went back to the basics and pulled off a miracle.

The boys drink and review a supercharged pumpkin ale and wonder what people mean when they say we should abolish ICE. If we assume they haven't gone completely into a "no borders" position, then how do we make sense of this? We have borders, and we have rules for who can cross them. Somebody needs to enforce that. If it's not ICE, who's going to do it? This is, once again, one of those cases where the left is reacting emotionally and hasn't thought the thing through. If they're upset about ICE tactics ... okay. We can have reasonable discussions about that. But *somebody* needs to enforce our immigration laws, and that means that in some cases people need to be deported. What do the "abolish ICE" people actually want?

With special guest Longinus, P&C drink and review Samuel Adams' Jack-O Pumpkin Ale, then wonder why dragons show up in so many cultures around the world. Spanning the east, the west, and the Americas, the boys discuss dragon stories -- what they have in common and how they diverge. * Are they always mean? * Do they always hoard treasure? * Do they always want to eat virgins? * Were they all sea serpents? What they have in common is a monster that represents chaos. In the west, people believed in actual dragons for a long time, then modernism set in and killed the dragons. Tolkien and other fantasy writers revived them. Now we have dragons all over the place again. Jordan Peterson often repeats a theory -- based on evolutionary psychology -- for why dragons developed.

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review Southern Tier's imperial pumpkin ale, then -- to celebrate Halloween -- review a series of scary stories from Shirley Jackson. In this episode we dive into the eerie, unsettling world of Shirley Jackson. Best known for The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House, Jackson was a master of psychological tension, small-town menace, and the dark corners of everyday life. The boys discuss several of her short stories — how she creates unease without gore, how she uses ordinary settings to expose cruelty and conformity, and why her work still feels so disturbingly relevant today.Here are the stories we cover. * Flower Garden* The Daemon Lover * The Renegade* The Witch * The Tooth * The Lottery

The boys drink and review Jailbreak's Citra Lady Friend then discuss the implications of a million year old skull from China. P&C start with a review of the prevailing views on human evolution, including the "out of Africa" hypothesis. A little while ago, scientists in China found that a find from a few decades ago was older than expected, and more modern than expected. It's become common for headlines to claim that "this changes everything" -- but maybe this one does. How does this million year old skull fit into the picture? The boys discuss.

The boys drink and review Lord Baltimore from Key Brewing, then wonder whether Maryland really needed 700 new laws. What is the relationship between the citizen and the state? On one side you have the anarchist, who wants no government. Then you have the libertarian, who believes "that government is best that governs least." On the extreme left you have people who want the government involved in every decision, regulating everything the citizen does. Maryland leans in that direction. Wes Moore and the Democratics in Annapolis recently passed 700 new laws. Some of them are reasonable. Some are ridiculous. But did we really need all of them? P&C discuss and comment on some of the specific laws. More at ... https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYAjUk6LttQyUk_fV9F46R06OQgH39exQ#Annapolis #Maryland #Marylandlaw #WesMoore

The boys drink and review one of Crowhill's homebrews, then wonder about the fact that you can purchase curses on Etsy and Fiverr. What the heck? How should we view this? Recently, the feminist magazine Jezebel paid some witches on Etsy to curse Charlie Kirk. Shortly afterward he was assassinated. Megyn Kelly made a big deal about it. Did the witches score? C'mon. Do we really believe in curses? P&C try to back up and examine the concept of curses, the demonic, evil force, and how to parse all of this. More at ... https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYAjUk6LttQyUk_fV9F46R06OQgH39exQ#curses #witches #MegynKelly #CharlieKirk

P&C drink Skipjack Pilsner and then wonder what in the world is going on with all this talk about Trump the dictator. The boys evaluate the liberal narrative that Trump is an authoritarian dictator and find it woefully lacking. The "big one" from the liberal side is January 6 and the claim that the election was stolen. There is some validity to that claim, but it's exaggerated. A lot. The bottom line is that an authoritarian dictator would have behaved very differently. Trump has been accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election, calling the press the “enemy of the people,” and promising “retribution” against his political enemies. But are these actions truly unique? Or are Trump's critics holding him to a double standard?In this episode, we take a deep dive into the “dictator” narrative:Did Trump actually weaponize the Justice Department, or just use it like his predecessors?How do his actions compare to Obama's “Russia hoax” strategy or Biden's push to censor online speech?What defines a real threat to democracy — policy overreach, rhetoric, or selective enforcement of the law?And what would it mean if Trump really does return to power with plans for “retribution”?We explore the accusations, the double standards, and the uncomfortable question: Is Trump a dictator — or just the mirror reflecting our own political hypocrisy?

P&C drink and review Festifall, a Marzen lager by Southcounty Brewing, then discuss the prospect of a world without cash. Deepfakes, fake documents, and AI-generated “evidence” are becoming harder to spot — and that might be what finally pushes governments and businesses to demand trusted digital sources. But that trust comes at a price: a digital ID system that could track who you are, what you do, and even what you buy.In this episode, we explore:* How fake videos and online deception could accelerate the rollout of digital IDs.* The battle between centralized systems (government-controlled) and decentralized ones (blockchain-based).* The alleged benefits for individuals, businesses, and governments: convenience, security, efficiency, fraud prevention.* The hidden dangers: surveillance, data breaches, social control, and the loss of financial and personal freedom.* Real-world examples from China's social credit system to Canada's Freedom Convoy—and what they reveal about where this might lead.* Whether we're even ready for this kind of technology—or if policymakers are racing ahead of reality.And yes, the biblical echoes in Revelation 13: the “mark of the beast” that decides who can buy or sell.Bottom line:Digital ID could make life easier—or it could make freedom optional. The difference lies in how it's built, who controls it, and whether we keep cash, privacy, and choice alive.

The boys drink and review Pigweed's homebrewed Black IPA, then discuss cancel culture in the light of the Charlie Kirk story. Defenders of so-called cancel culture object to the term. They say it's just "consequence culture." Traditionally, conservatives have been against cancel culture -- because it's usually a weapon deployed by liberals against conservatives. But now, when liberals like Jimmy Kimmel are canceled for lying about Charlie Kirk, conservatives seem to have changed their tune. But have they? Not quite. There's a huge difference between what liberals have been doing -- trying to get someone fired for having a different political opinion -- and what conservatives are celebrating, which is when people promote or celebrate political violence. The boys work through the issues and make the necessary distinctions.

The boys drink and review Sunset Eclipse from Dewey Beer then discuss whether artificial intelligence will destroy us. Crowhill says he uses AI all the time and loves it, but at the same time he's afraid it's going to destroy us all. Despite being warned -- over and over again, in literature and by contemporary experts -- we blithely continue on as if everything is okay. We have no reason to believe this. But don't worry. What could possibly go wrong? Intelligent people have been telling us for centuries that this is a problem. But ... never mind. We are not nearly scared enough. In the past, new technologies did eliminate jobs, but it increased wealth and created new jobs. AI is nothing like that. It's not going to create any jobs that AI itself can't do. More at ... https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYAjUk6LttQyUk_fV9F46R06OQgH39exQ#AI #artificialintelligence #sciencefiction #scifi #AGI

P&C drink and review a dopplebock from Troegs then ask whether there's a difference between a liberal and a leftist. Pigweed reflects on his youth and his admiration for the free spirit attitude of the hippies, and that while he hasn't moved, the Overton Window has moved around him, shifting him from left to right. The normal politics of a 1995 Democrat turn the left's hair on fire. Even recent quotes from Clinton, Obama, Schumer, and other Democrats are completely out of step with the modern left. On crime, the border, gay marriage, trans issues, and a host of other issues, an orthodox Democrat from 1995 would be unwelcome in the modern Democratic Party. "Liberal" used to mean ... * Personal autonomy * Individual rights * Economic freedom * Constitutional limited government * Free speech The modern left has flipped all these things on their head. More at ... https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYAjUk6LttQyUk_fV9F46R06OQgH39exQ#Liberalism #leftism #politicalviolence #culturewar

With special guest Longinus, the boys drink and review a Pub Ale from Black Abbey Brewing, then discuss ten ways that our quick (Type 1) thinking can deceive us, and how to compensate. Why do we make choices that don't make sense? From overconfidence to loss aversion, our brains are wired with shortcuts that keep us alive but can also trip us up in everyday life. In this episode, we break down 10 powerful mental traps —the hidden biases shaping your money, relationships, work, and even your health:1. Anchoring Bias – Why the first number you see sets the stage.2. Loss Aversion – Why losing hurts twice as much as winning feels good.3. Availability Bias – Why vivid memories distort real risks.4. Confirmation Bias – Why we only see what we already believe.5. Planning Fallacy – Why "five minutes" always takes twenty.6. Hindsight Bias – Why we always “knew it all along.”7. Framing Effect – Why wording changes everything.8. Sunk Cost Fallacy – Why we can't let go, even when we should.9. Overconfidence Effect – Why we think we're better than average.10. Present Bias – Why future you keeps getting cheated.These aren't just abstract concepts — they affect how you invest, how you plan, how you argue, and how you procrastinate. Once you see them, you'll start noticing them everywhere.

P&C drink and review Space Jellyfish from Nepenthe brewery in Baltimore, then discuss some short stories by Sinclair Lewis. Pigweed starts off with a brief bio of Lewis and some big picture themes that occur in his writings. Then, with special guest Longinus, the boys review the following short stories. "The Willow Walk" is about Jasper and John Holt, two identical brothers who lead very different lives. But Jasper has a dark secret. "The Cat of the Stars" is an elaboration on the butterfly effect, where one small detail spins out of control and affects the life of many people in horrible ways. "The Ghost Patrol" tells the tale of an old policeman who can't shake his responsibility to his duties and continues to patrol his old beat even after his retirement. "Young Man Axelrod" decides, after a life as a successful farmer, that he should go back to college. He goes to Harvard hoping for the experience he has longed for all his life. This video is part of P&C's "shortcut to the classics" series. See here for more details. https://www.pigweedandcrowhill.com/shortcut-to-the-classics/

The boys drink and review "I Just Crush A Lot" a blueberry hibiscus tart ale from Calvert Brewing. In 1054, a dramatic split forever changed the face of Christianity. Known as the Great Schism, it divided the Church into Roman Catholicism in the West and Eastern Orthodoxy in the East. But the break didn't happen overnight—it was centuries in the making.In this video, we'll explore:* The immediate crisis: papal legates and Patriarch Michael Cerularius trading excommunications.* Political and cultural tensions: Rome vs. Constantinople, Latin vs. Greek, and the rise of Islam.* Authority disputes: papal supremacy in the West vs. conciliar authority in the East.* Theological differences: the Filioque controversy, Monophysitism, and contrasting spiritual emphases.* Divergent practices: from unleavened vs. leavened bread, to clerical celibacy and fasting rules.* The aftermath: how the Crusades, especially the sack of Constantinople, deepened the divide.The Schism was not just about doctrine—it was about culture, politics, and identity. Understanding it helps explain why the Christian world looks the way it does today.#GreatSchism #1054 #ChristianHistory #Catholic #Orthodox #ChurchHistory #Byzantine #Rome