Whiskey Talking: Recent Episodes
Big Broccoli Studios
What’s Whiskey Talkin’? Two guys drinking whiskey and laughing about the best laid plans of mice and men. Cheers!
What is wrong with healthcare in our society? Like most problems, the issues are systemic and require systemic solutions. Paul and Steve discuss how to make sure you and your kids get the right care when you can't rely on the system to operate in the best interest of the patients.
Paul and Steve take up the serious topic of how to keep your kids safe and how to teach them to keep themselves safe in an unsafe world.
Reminder: if you feel like saying something to my son in a truck stop bathroom, you always have the option of keeping your mouth shut. One MAGA trucker found out the hard way that speaking vile filth in real life has consequences. He went full on snowflake faster than I could turn my cap backwards.
Working to Live or Living to Work? How to raise our kids with an abundance mindset in an increasing scarce world. Or, how many avocados does rent cost?
Part 2: Power Dynamics. Previously, we talked about the academic part of school. This time, we are talking about the uneven and useless power dynamics. Why does the school-to-military pipeline only happen at poor schools? How to deal with security guards in school (and at State Fair active shooter incidents) and bully teachers.
And a challenge this week: Change our minds. We say some controversial stuff that might make you mad. And we would love for you to set us straight. Tell us your side of the story and your ideas for making school work better.
But what do we know? We're just trying to do the right thing when things are hard. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS HARD!
Our kids spend more time in school than almost any place else. So why does school still suck after all these years. It will come as no surprise that Paul and Steve have some thoughts on the matter. From Springfield Township to the MIT of the Midwest and from weeding carrots to heading up the most powerful D&D party of all time, these guys have some genius (and hilarious) ideas about what's wrong with education in this country.
Steve has been heavily influenced in his ideas on education by Seth Godin (ever hear of him?). Seth's podcast is here: This is Akimbo
Here's the recipe for a Geometry Sandwich: Freakonomics Radio: America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up
What are parents concerned about these days? Paul and Steve run through their top 10 list this week (which includes at least 16 things). Changing diapers, social media, school, violence, work, money...well, how about I just put the list down below.
Also, for expecting parents, here's a couple book recommendations.
From Steve: Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg | Goodreads
From Paul: She's Having A Baby and I'm Having A Nervous Breakdown
And now the 16 item top 10 list:
- Changing diapers (both parents taking care of the kids)
- Online relationships
- Screen time/phones
- Social media
- Bullying
- Guns
- Bigotry, racism, violence against BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other marginalized groups
- Leading a fulfilling life while making a living
- Education versus training
- Raising them to be anti-racist
- Dating when you have kids
- Being a single parent
- Keeping our own identity beyond being a parent
- Empty nest syndrome
- figure out our Sunday night back-to-school groove.
- Self check out
Nobody Wants to Work!! Paul and Steve respond to this tired old statement with facts, but more importantly with logic and ridicule. From low unemployment, to lingering pandemic problems, to late stage capitalism, and unwillingness to subject our youth to undignified wage slavery, we break down the real reason why Arby's still hasn't opened their lobby/dining room.
Facts don't care about your feelings, so here they are:
Current Employment Statistics - CES (National) : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
Jobs_and_quits_rate.webp (1468×417) (wikimedia.org)
Millennials became the largest generation in the labor force in 2016 | Pew Research Center
Share of working U.S. teens increases in summer, but less so than in past decades | Pew Research Center
Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions | CDC
Introducing another regular talker from Big Broccoli Studios. It's Better off Dad with Paul and Steve. Just two dads trying to figure out how to do the right thing when things are hard. In Episode 1, we cover the history of the Don't Panic Radio Show, try not to swear (while swearing a lot), and try to describe what Better off Dad is all about. We also touch on school sports, mental health care, and parenting in general.
If you or someone you know needs legal help for queer issues, check out this free resource: Lambda Legal
Ukrainians might be pushing back the Russians in some areas. The Russians are blowing up bridges. Why? Russian spies in Poland. Western spies in Russia. Russian spies in the US. Still no No Fly Zone. Humanitarian corridors in the most inhumane of circumstances.
We have all fallen for the misleading video or the headline that turns out to be false. In this episode, Paul and Steve work through a few recent stories about the war in Ukraine that turned out to be not so accurate. They also give some pointers and share examples of how they sniff out the fake stuff. U.S. sponsored Biolabs in Ukraine? Ukraine biggest donor to Clinton Foundation? Rothschild family connection to invasion of Ukraine? Biden selling Alaska back to Russia? Babylon Bee: Satire or thinly veiled conservative shitposting? Fact check: What's true and what's false about the invasion of Ukraine (usatoday.com)
NATO leaders visited Kyiv at great personal risk Russian and Ukraine are still talking - while Russia is pounding civilians and Ukraine continues to hold its own. Look at a map if you want to understand why Sweden, Norway, Finland, and others might be worried. Is there another side to this story that makes sense? Does the devil even need an advocate here?
Podcast mentioned at end of episode: https://martyrmade.com/thoughts-on-ukraine/
The war in Ukraine has become medieval. The people are suffering under the Russian sledgehammer siege doctrine, while the Ukrainian military continues to hold its own. Meanwhile, what is the Russian aim in all this? What can they hope to accomplish at this point?
Great conversation with Jeff Woods, who has been experiencing Ukraine, Russia, and other Black Sea outposts since the early 90s. As the rest of us are pivoting from being experts on virology to experts on global politics and war, Jeff is already there. He has been following post Cold War politics and war since the fall of the Soviet Union. His take is better than most. He was able to join us from a ship floating in an undisclosed location in the vicinity of Norway.
Sources mentioned in this episode:
Michael McFaul twitter: @McFaul
Malcolm Nance twitter: @MalcolmNance
Natasha Bertrand twitter: @NatashaBertrand
John Sipher twitter: @john_sipher
Tom Nichols twitter: @RadioFreeTom
Nina Jankowicz twitter: @wiczipediaAuthor
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom (Netflix documentary)
Occupied (Netflix fictional series about a Russian "invasion" of Norway)
Six or seven days into the invasion of Ukraine and Russia is struggling. They may have taken one town and on the verge of taking another - both in the supposedly pro-Russian area of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia is shelling cities and bombing TV towers. The 40 mile long convoy is apparently inching its way toward Kyiv. Will western aid help Ukraine? How much support can the west provide without triggering WWIII? What does all this have to do with Twisted Sister, strip poker, and cornered rats?
Mentioned in this episode:
improvethenews.org
@KyivIndependent
@IAPonomarenko
https://www.dancarlin.com/product/common-sense-323-gas-up-the-cold-war/
Second conversation about the war in Ukraine. Heavy fighting in Kyiv and Kharkiv; the reality TV hero we needed; talks in Belarus (hope it's not a trap); Putin pulling out the big threats; we are all international finance experts now.
In the early days of the full scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Paul and Steve sat down to chat about first impressions and nervous speculation.
This episode, your hosts discuss how everything starts out vodka, their sorted family histories, brainstorm about the future of their various projects, and talk about writing. This one has it all. As always, thanks for listening! Cheers!
Trigger warning! This time around, Steve and Paul discuss the 2020 election result blues, and why are we even surprised at Donald Trump's behavior anymore? But it's not all politics and pandemics this episode. Steve and Paul also discuss their other various podcasts, like "We've Got Issues (The Comic Book Podcast)," and "The New Tales of the Mysterious Traveler." All this, plus blind dates, the glory days of "The Don't Panic Radio Show," and what it really means when you share a podcast with a friend. As always, thanks for listening!
If you're interested in any of Big Broccoli Studios' other podcasts, check out: www.bigbroccolistudios.com
This episode, hosts Steve Vinson and Paul Schultz pour themselves a drink, and discuss the challenges of ordering Ethiopian and Chinese food during a global pandemic. They also talk about the challenges of education during these uncertain times, as well as the ugly history of public education, and who the hell is "They" anyway? Can any good come from a global pandemic? In a world that is already safe for democracy, is the American Mythology rallying cry still relevant? How do we avoid a forthcoming liberal Donald Trump? Space Force? And why is it that only Hollywood gives us the American presidents we need during a global crisis? Cheers!
In this time of a global pandemic, a little whiskey talkin' might be just what the doctor ordered, and your hosts Steve and Paul won't let you down as they bring you this special quarantine episode. Cheers!
Why does just making a doctor appointment start to fix what ales you? It's doctor visits, colonoscopies, tater tots and prescriptions of shame for Steve and Paul this episode. Thanks for making it this far with us. Cheers!
Traditions. What are they, really? Peer pressure from dead people, or a way to keep one foot in reality? This episode, your fearless hosts Steve Vinson and Paul Schultz attempt to figure it out. Also this episode, Generation X, why is the forgotten generation the generation with the coolest name? Plus, never mix Psyllium husk with vodka. Cheers!
Your intrepid hosts are back! This episode, Steve and Paul talk about how "participation trophies" have been around a lot longer than the haters want to admit. And what are they, really? Also this episode, don't be a dick at a Nick Cave concert. Thanks for listening. Cheers!
Welcome to our first episode, where your hosts Steve Vinson and Paul Schultz try to explain just what the show's about. What is Whiskey Talkin'? Just two lifelong friends havin' drinks and talkin' about the best laid plans of mice and men, and hopefully getting you to laugh right along with us. We're all in this together, so we might as well have some fun. Cheers!