Month: November 2022

The boys drink and review a 2-year old bottle of Raison D’Extra, then discuss proposals to redraw state boundaries.

They start off with a review of federalism, and the idea that the country is a collection of states, not simply a mass of people, which is why tiny Rhode Island and sparsely populated Montana get as many senators as California.

What happens when residents of a state feel they don’t fit in that state?

The idea is being tested in Oregon, where the conservative, agricultural residents of the majority of the state differ drastically from the urban liberals in Portland. They’d rather join up with Idaho.

A similar thing is going on in Maryland, where the conservative eastern and western ends of the state don’t feel represented by the liberals in Annapolis.

But where does this end? Do county lines need to be redrawn? City lines? Neighborhoods?

The solution is not to keep redrawing lines, but to respect minority rights and making most political issues as local as possible.

In this quick episode, the boys share their favorite Thanksgiving foods and thoughts about this quintessentially American holiday, and reflect on why it’s important to be thankful and grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The boys drink and review Imperialis from Avery Brewing Company, then discuss bail reform.

The point of bail is to make sure that an accused person will appear at his court appearances. If you pay the bail and show up, you get the money back.

Unfortunately, bail has been set too high for many citizens, and they have to go through the ridiculous bail bonds process, which is a complete racket.

This has led some jurisdictions to eliminate cash bail in many cases. It’s part of a larger movement that seeks to dial back police power, redefine crimes, and refuse to prosecute other crimes. Homeless camps are allowed to grow in our major cities. There’s public defecation and urination. It’s a horrible mess.

Bail does need to be reformed, but the liberal solution has been a disaster.

The boys drink and review a fresh hop IPA from Stone Brewing, then discuss common biases in the way we think.

Cognitive biases are examples of ways in which our brains can point us down a non-rational path. But why do we have these biases? Why did they evolve?

Could it be that there are situations where it’s better not to be rational?

The boys discuss as they review the following examples.

• Reactance
• The framing effect
• The availability heuristic
• The sunk cost fallacy
• Groupthink
• Declinism
• Self-serving bias
• The Placebo effect
• In-group bias
• The halo effect
• The curse of knowledge
• Anchoring
• Confirmation bias

It’s good to be aware of these departures from strictly rational thinking, but it’s also good to be aware of why we have them in the first place.

Pigweed and Crowhill drink and review two beers from Springfield Manor Brewery, then discuss the disappointing results of the 2022 midterm elections.

The proverb says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” and that’s certainly the case here.

What in the world happened to the Red Wave?

The modern Democratic Party has gone so far past the insane label that it’s hard to believe anybody would vote for them. But … apparently, a lot of people don’t feel that way.

Republicans severely under-delivered. Why?

Part of it was candidate quality. Some of the Republican candidates were not that great, and some of them were too Trumpy. Abortion also played a larger role in the vote than many polls predicted.

One lesson from the midterm election might be that the country wants normal, and both parties are offering crazy.

Despite the poor showing, there are some good things from the election. First, this might be the end of Stacey Abrams and Beta O’Rourke. Second, Democrats are losing their iron grip on blacks and Hispanics. Third, this might be the beginning of the end of Trump.

Mr. Energy, who knows a bit about wine, returns to the show to review three Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons, and discuss some basics about wine.

The boys discuss white vs. red grapes, vintages, tannins, price vs. value, etc., as they drink their way through three cabs.

What’s the right way to buy wine? Is there a price where you can be sure you’re getting good wine? And what about pairing wine with food? Do you have to drink red wine with red meat?

How should a newbie approach the topic? What do you do if you want to bring good wine to a dinner party?

Wine can get so complicated. What’s the role of aging with wine? Should you turn up your nose at wines with a screw top? What do you do if you try a wine and don’t like it? And what do you do when the waiter comes to the table and presents the cork?

P&C and Mr. Energy try to demystify the topic.

Along with special guest Mr. Energy, the boys drink and review The Glutenberg, a gluten-free IPA, then discuss energy policy.

In a previous episode, the boys made fun of California for requiring more electric cars in the very same week they asked people not to charge their electric cars because the grid couldn’t handle it.

Mr. Energy — an old friend who has covered energy issues for decades — wanted a chance to chime in on the topic.

While he shares some P&C principles, like the need for a market-based approach, an all-of-the-above approach to energy, and the need for a national energy policy, he disagrees with the boys on a few points, especially related to global warming.

The discussion is lively and interesting, and Mr. Energy brings some good news about the future of modular nukes!