Shows
Half the AnswerChaotic Neutrality in the Democratic PartyTrent and Caitlin talk with politics blogger and podcaster Ed Burmila about the centrist arm of the Democratic Party and its zombie-like shuffle through our dark era of authoritarian overreach. We ask what exactly went wrong over the last half-century that led our ostensible protectors to be so ill-equipped for this moment? Who is failing us, who is trying something else, and what tactics seem promising?Note: This episode was recorded before the assassination of Charlie Kirk.Resources:Chaotic Neutral: How Democrats Lost Their...
2025-09-251h 28
Movie Night ExtravaganzaEpisode 287: Barry Lyndon with Ed Burmila Forrest, Conan Neutron, Kristina Oakes and Ed Burmila talk about Stanley Kubrick's 1975 epic historical drama Barry LyndonReleased in 1975, it's the 50th Anniversary of Barry Lyndon on July 18th and it's getting a 4K Criterion Release. Starring Ryan O'Neal as the Irish rogue Redmond Barry who manages to con his way into the English Aristocracy after marrying the Lady Lyndon (Marissa Berenson) when her husband Sir Charles dies. Set in the 18th Century, and filmed in England, Ireland, and Germany from 1973 to 1974. Considered by many to be Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece #barrylyndon #stanley #stanleykubrick...
2025-07-092h 00
Overtime with Justin McIsaac7-1-23 David Roth, Ed BurmilaDavid Roth of Defector joins Justin, they talk about random encounters with Phil Simms and Jim Nantz, among other randomness, plus Roth talks about LIV taking over the PGA Tour and the general grossness of Sportswashing, and how effective it is or isn't Then Ed Burmila joins the show and discusses Trump's comical documents (alleged, I guess) crimes, and examines what exactly the non-Trump GOP candidates hope to accomplish, and more!Read Roth's stuff at Defector hereSubscribe to his podcast here This one too By Ed's Book here
2023-07-0143 minOvertime with Justin McIsaac4-15-23 Ed Burmila, boycotting Bud Light, and moreJustin chats with Ed Burmila, the author of "Chaotic Neutral: How the Democrats Lost Their Soul in the Center" about all the insanity of the last few weeks. Plus Justin rants on the stupidity of the Bud Light boycott, getting old, and more!
2023-04-1541 min
the Latest Full Audiobooks in Non-Fiction, Current Affairs, Law, & PoliticsChaotic Neutral: How the Democrats Lost their Soul in the Center by Ed BurmilaPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/565584 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Chaotic Neutral: How the Democrats Lost their Soul in the Center Author: Ed Burmila Narrator: Mikael Naramore Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 13 hours 4 minutes Release date: September 20, 2022 Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics Publisher's Summary: A recent history of the Democratic Party that identifies its chronic errors—the “pathologies” of the New Democratic mindset—and argues urgently against a return to the status quo Why did the Democrats initially abandon their principles, and why haven’t they been able to grasp that they need a new strategy in the face of decades...
2022-09-2003 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastBunion DerbiesGuest: Steve Mang, college professor and amateur ultra-long-distance runner, joins us to talk about CC Pyle's Bunion Derbies, the informal name of two LA-to-NYC footraces held in 1928 and 1929. Amateur runners, some lacking basic equipment or running experience, ran an average of 50 miles per day for at least 84 consecutive days. Steve gives non-runners like me some insight into the, let's call them "challenges" the human body experiences under those conditions. For the cocktail of the month we RUN with the theme: the London Marathon QC joins us for the mailbag. Please support Mass for...
2022-01-071h 08Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastThe Cantaloupe that Changed the WorldAlexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 had little immediate impact on the world because it took over 15 years to crack the secret of how to mass-produce the it. Until that happened, penicillin existed more as an idea than as a medical intervention. The code to producing it in big batches was finally cracked in, of all places, Peoria, Illinois thanks to the timely intervention of a cantaloupe. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-11-1511 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D7: The Giant Ruby AffairWill the US mint a trillion-dollar coin? Probably not, but in 2001 the tiny island nation (I know, I know) of Vanuatu created $300 million overnight by quadrupling its sovereign debt using as its stated collateral a 182-pound ruby that may or may not actually have existed. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-09-2411 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D6: New Vietnam Theme ParkIn 1975 a right-wing loon purchased 300 acres of swampland outside Cape Canaveral with the dream of building a theme park recreating the experience of a US Special Forces barracks in a rural Vietnamese hamlet at the height of the war. Visitors could take turns firing a machine gun at real Vietnamese refugees play-acting as Viet Cong, while replica thatched huts dispensed souvenirs and snacks. Oh, and there were punji stakes. Real punji stakes. And a lot of barbed wire. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-08-2406 min
The Politics of EverythingThe Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship (Rerun)Joe Biden ran for president promising to revive the spirit of bipartisanship and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. But when facing an intransigent, extremist Republican Party that has little to gain from compromise, such a vision of politics can seem quaint at best. On Episode 26 of The Politics of Everything, hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene examine the history of bipartisanship as an ideal. The show features Paul Blest, a co-founder of Discourse Blog; Ed Burmila, the author of a forthcoming book on the mistakes of the Democratic Party; Osita Nwanevu, a TNR contributing editor; and...
2021-08-0438 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D5: The Grandfathered SpitballersAfter a player died from being hit by a pitch in 1920, Major League Baseball banned the "spitball." But it allowed 17 players whose careers were determined to be dependent on it to continue throwing it. A century later, baseball is still dealing with what it now calls the "foreign substances" issue. The physics and history of baseball's dirtiest pitch, plus a guy named Urban Shocker. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-06-2510 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D4: John Brisker, NBA Star Turned Ugandan MercenaryIn the late Sixties through the Seventies, John Brisker was widely known as the meanest, toughest man in professional basketball. After winning ABA titles in Pittsburgh and punching his way through a few tumultuous seasons with the Supersonics of the NBA, John Brisker visited Africa, came back to the US, told his friends he was off to Africa again, and disappeared without a trace. Theories of what happened to him abound. The most widely accepted involves Idi Amin. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-06-1811 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastJen Howard (Clutter)Guest: Jen Howard (@JenHoward) author of Clutter: an Untidy History on Belt Publishing. Her book looks at the social, economic, and political causes of our addiction to Stuff, and our talk ranges from Marie Kondo to the Container Store to the Montgomery Ward Outlet. Why do we have all this crap and what is the right thing to do about it? It's not as simple as "throw everything out." The cocktail of the month isn't a cocktail, it's a short dive into Triple Sec (not literally). A truncated mailbag without Question Cathy will be followed...
2021-05-2842 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D3: Free CarsWhat if I told you that right now you can get a new car very nearly for free? Sounds like a scam, right? Well thanks to Hydrogen Fuel Cells, the Technology of the Future of 2002, you can. With some caveats. Crazy, right? Now what if I also told you this isn't the first time Americans have had the opportunity to get a brand new car for free? That part of the story takes to a place called ... Kragujevac. I value your support on Patreon.
2021-04-3011 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D2: Agatha Christie Disappears! Sort of!Agatha Christie's two most popular characters - Poirot and Marple - can only exist and make sense in a universe in which the police simply cannot solve crimes. If they could, why would they need a weird Belgian private detective or a random old lady to do it for them? To understand why this was so plausible to Christie and to her contemporary readers, the story of Christie's own "disappearance" in 1926 emphasizes just how inept the police really were in her day. Even being given the answer didn't help them solve this big mystery. I...
2021-03-2410 min
The Politics of EverythingThe Unnatural Endurance of BipartisanshipJoe Biden ran for president promising to “revive” the spirit of bipartisanship, put an end to factional battles, and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. Yet faced with an intransigent, extremist Republican Party that has little to gain from compromise, such a vision of politics seems quaint at best. On Episode 26 of The Politics of Everything, hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene look into the history of bipartisanship as an ideal. The show features Paul Blest, a co-founder of Discourse Blog; Ed Burmila, the author of a forthcoming book on the mistakes of the Democratic Party; Osita...
2021-03-0438 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast031 - The 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine Fiasco (David Parsons of Nostalgia Trap)Guest: David Parsons (@davidlparsons) from the excellent history podcast Nostalgia Trap joins me to discuss Gerald Ford's disastrous rollout of a nationwide vaccination program in 1976 to combat a swine flu pandemic that didn't materialize. Vaccine recipients developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which is sometimes fatal, at a rate 8.8 times higher than the unvaccinated, making this event the foundation of the modern American anti-vax movement. But a closer look reveals that those numbers may not be what they seem, and certainly not what anti-vaxxers use them to mean. Despite our interest in this poorly-remembered historical event, neither David nor your...
2021-03-021h 19
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast D1: The Poet Laureate of KiribatiIn 1996 a loutish young Briton got drunk and, on a lark, asked a tiny island nation if he could be their poet laureate. Mind you, the nation has no poet laureate and doesn't really do European-style poetry at all. That's ok, he doesn't know how to write poetry anyway. So the government of Kiribati said yes, and then, his bluff called, the young man said yes, and then hilarity ensued. Inspired by America's recent fascination with former National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who is also the only poet I know by name right now.
2021-02-0312 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast030 - Mike Konczal, Freedom from the Market (2021)Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb) returns with his new book, Freedom from the Market. We take a look at all the great things government used to (or could) do a pretty good job of providing for Americans but no longer does because we've turned them over to The Free Market, which isn't well-suited to provide them at all. It's a great blueprint for a better world, and we talk about where the political will to do it might come from. A full unedited version of my chat with Mike is available on Patreon, because capitalism. Please...
2021-01-2155 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C10: The Hidden Politics of "The Night Before Christmas""A Visit from St. Nicholas" standardized many parts of the Santa Claus story, but one key element of the story bridged a gap between Protestants and Catholics - as well as opening the door for the cultural, secular embrace of Christmas in the U.S. I value your support on Patreon.
2020-12-2403 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C9: I Beg Your (Presidential) Pardon (Power)I never promised you a Rose Garden, but I can give you a short primer on the how, what, and why of pardons before delving into the murky waters of what Trump does and does not have the power to do for himself and his felonious hangers-on. Can he pardon himself? Can he pardon people for crimes they haven't even been charged with yet? Why does the pardon power exist at all? 10 minutes of your time will answer all. I value your support on Patreon.
2020-12-1010 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast029 - Post-Election All-Mailbag Episode 2020Question Cathy joins me for the post-election tradition of an all-mailbag episode devoted to listener-submitted questions. A partial list of topics covered here: Electoral College reform, rogue state legislatures, the census / redistricting, Trumpian antics, and more. We also dress the dog, and accidentally do a Ritz Crackers product placement. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edburmila), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Thanks: Tom Sexton and all the Trillbillies, the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Questio...
2020-11-2051 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C8: Brazil Begs and Barters into the 1932 OlympicsAt the peak of the Great Depression, one nation sent its athletes to the 1932 Olympics on a coffee freighter with instructions to barter and beg their way to Los Angeles. Even though coffee was a worthless commodity in 1932. Fuel? Canal tolls? Immigration fees? Money for food and lodging? No, they didn't have any of that. What they did have was coffee - AND THE HUMAN SPIRIT. This is their story. Bonus: a Hungarian water polo referee is senselessly beaten. I value your support on Patreon.
2020-11-1010 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C7: Harold Hering asks, what if the president tries to launch nukes while out of his mind?In 1973 a low-ranking US Air Force officer training to work in a Minuteman missile silo asks, "How do I know that the launch order I receive comes from a president who is sane?" Good question, Harold Hering! The Air Force had no good answer, and Hering's career came to a screeching halt. I take a deep dive into what exactly presidents can and can't do with nuclear weapons and why I, in a rare moment of optimism, ultimately believe an unbalanced Trump could not start firing off nukes in a fit of anger. 18 minutes on...
2020-10-1317 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C6: FDR's Court Packing Scheme (1937)As the GOP is set to lock in a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, court-packing is re-entering the political conversation. This is the story of the original "court packing scheme" attempted by FDR in 1937 after several key components of the New Deal had been struck down by the highest court. Believe it or not, it all began not with a landmark decision but with a mundane piece of legislation designed to save money by reducing pensions. Unlike most minicasts, this is topical (to the release date, anyway). Minicasts are short stories for fans of...
2020-09-2314 min
I Don't Speak German64: Politics and Street Violence, with Ed BurmilaThis week, Daniel is joined by a special guest Ed Burmila who blogs at Gin and Tacos and hosts the Mass for Shut-Ins podcast. A free-form chat about the way things are and the way they're going. Fun despite the depressing subject matter. Content Warnings, as ever. Ed's Twitter: @edburmila Gin and Tacos blog: http://www.ginandtacos.com/ Mass for Shut-Ins: https://massforshutins.libsyn.com/
2020-09-101h 18Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast028 - The Debt Episode w/ Thomas Gokey of the Debt CollectiveGuest: Thomas Gokey of The Debt Collective (@StrikeDebt) joins me to talk about their new book Can't Pay Won't Pay, coming out in September from Haymarket Books. We talk about the ways that people can take on debt collectively to give themselves power - and choices - they don't have as individuals. And Thomas pulps a bunch of money and tries to sell it. The story is a coda to the Greek Debt Crisis of 2008-?? starring the Clintons' son-in-law. We all learn a valuable lesson about how differently the well-born experience debt from the rest of...
2020-08-3159 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C5: The Albanian Pyramid SchemeAlbania emerged from one-party rule under Enver Hoxha as the poorest and most backward Eastern European state. Hoxha bequeathed Albanians 700,000 concrete pillbox forts and a complete lack of familiarity with even the basics of a cash economy. Inexperienced in the ways of capitalism, Albanians didn't realize 100% monthly interest on a bank deposit is a red flag. So in 1996 the entire country fell into a mania for investments that turned out to be pyramid schemes. When I say the whole country I mean 2/3 of the GDP of Albania. 95%+ of all adults invested everything, then sold their homes and...
2020-08-0615 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast027 - Tom Sexton of Trillbilly Workers PartyGuest: Tom Sexton (@TomSexton) of The Trillbilly Workers Party (@thetrillbillies) joins me to talk about the Amy McGrath - Charles Booker primary race in Kentucky, the uncharismatic void that is Chuck Schumer, and the video Ted Turner made for the end of the world. The "cocktail" of the month returns with the gin radler, which is not really a cocktail but needs to be a part of any good hot weather self-care routine. Question Cathy returns with the mailbag. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me v...
2020-07-151h 11
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C4: Little Blue BooksIn 1918 Emmanuel Haldeman-Julius and his wife Marcet, editors of a moribund socialist newspaper, pursued their populist vision to bring education to the working classes in the form of cheap, widely available, high quality reading material. The result was the Little Blue Books that took the US by storm in the 1920s, a series of almost 2000 titles on a grab-bag of topics, everything from classic literature, academic debates, philosophy, religion, and how-to. For $1 a person could get Dante, Clarence Darrow on atheism, W.E.B. duBois on race relations, socialist theory, factual information about STDs and Birth Control, "How to...
2020-06-2214 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast026 - Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt InstituteGuest: Financial policy guru Mike Konczal (@rortybomb) explains what should be happening in response to the economic crisis, what is happening, and why those two are different. We cover unemployment, policy coming out of Congress, what decision-makers just aren't getting about this crisis, and how we both had childhood vacations in Florida that turned out to be nightmares. Question Cathy returns with the mailbag. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edburmila), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Thanks: Mike Konczal, all the...
2020-05-291h 17Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C3: William Walker, FilibusteroBetween 1850 and 1900 it was all the rage for rich, roguish Americans to form private armies to invade and conquer countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. These men were called "Filibusteros" and the most prolific was William Walker, who led invasions of three different countries in an effort to add new slave-holding territories to the U.S. and alter the balance of power toward the South. This minicast references two previous episodes, the linguistic history of "Filibuster" and how the Nicaragua Canal became the Panama Canal. Minicasts are short stories for fans of quick, to-the-point...
2020-05-0612 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C2: The Worst Possible SongA pair of artists use a large market research survey to find out what people say they like least in music and, with their neuroscientist friend, set out to create the worst possible song. Featuring an opera soprano rapping about Wittgenstein, and a chorus of children singing about Yom Kippur at Walmart. Did they succeed in making the worst song? Let's put it this way: It isn't good. The full song is available here. Check out the series of paintings "Most / Least Wanted" by Komar & Melamid. Minicasts are short stories for fans of qu...
2020-04-2808 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast025 - Boss Hogg Tries to Buy the Pitcairn IslandsIn 1982 an eccentric, paranoid coal baron from Frog Level, VA wanted to buy a remote island to get away from Communists, taxes, and Freudian psychoanalysts. He chooses one of the Pitcairn Islands (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame) and proceeds to try to buy it from the UK, of which it is a colony. And here's the thing: they almost said yes. They wanted to say yes. A real-life version of Boss Hogg came THIS CLOSE to building a mansion on a remote island where he could spend the rest of his life watching cowboy m...
2020-04-1720 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast024 - Shelter in Place (Voskhod 1 / Dr. Samantha Montano)Story: Three Men in a Can - Voskhod 1. The USSR beats the USA to the feat of sending a three-person crew into space by pointing at its one-man spacecraft and telling three guys "Get in there." A story (with a happy ending!) about claustrophobia as we are all starting to feel a bit cooped up from sheltering in place. Guest: Dr. Samantha Montano, who holds a Ph.D. in emergency management, discusses the responses to COVID-19 in the US, while I fret about her heartrate getting too high from watching the White House botch this. She offers...
2020-04-0159 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast C1: The Molotov CocktailThe origin story of those flaming bottles we all know and love. Nothing says "Take that, The Man!" like the imagery of someone in a mask lobbing a Molotov. Today it's an anti-authoritarian gesture, but it started as (checks notes) a Finnish tank-killer. In one of the least-remembered conflicts of the 20th Century, the Soviet-Finnish Winter War of 1939. Minicasts are short stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins. Get full episodes on Stitcher, Apple Music, Spotify, and more. Patreon...
2020-02-2111 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast023 - Apocalypse Now (Mike Pearl / The Harvesting Effect)Story: One of my favorite phenomena in demographic data...the harvesting effect. What I learned from a heat wave in Chicago in 1995, and how it applies to the current coronavirus outbreak. Mortality data can simultaneously be accurate and misleading. Guest: Mike Pearl (@MikeLeePearl), author of the Vice column "How scared should I be?" and of the new book The Day it Finally Happens. We talk about existential threats to life on Earth like antibiotic resistance as well as more prosaic phenomena like crosswalks and whether Jurassic Park is scientifically accurate. Where Mike is involved, life finds a...
2020-02-1458 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast022 - Iran (with Adam Johnson of Citations Needed)Guest: Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) is the cohost of Citations Needed, an outstanding podcast on the media and political communication. He joins me to talk about the unfolding situation in Iran and how it rekindles some of the biggest problems with media coverage of the Iraq War run-up, like the exclusion of anti-war voices in "debates" that boil down to both sides agreeing that war is awesome and disagreeing on the details. Question Cathy returns with the (live!) mailbag. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edb...
2020-01-0647 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast021 - Mailbag Episode IIThe 2nd annual All-Mailbag Episode. Question Cathy and I tackle ranked-choice voting & instant runoff voting, whether the primaries are too nasty, how to put your time to the best use in the election, climate change, Brexit, and whether the hot dog counts as a sandwich (hint: it does, and I'm sorry). Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@edburmila), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Thanks: QC, all the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Question Cathy, and all...
2019-12-0437 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B11: Lewis & Clark's Heavy Metal DiarrheaIf you need more encouragement to listen to a story about the Lewis & Clark expedition shitting poisonous heavy metals all over the continent and how science has exploited that to generate useful historical data, I don't know what to tell you. Minicasts are short stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins. Get full episodes on Stitcher, Apple Music, Spotify, and more. Patreon.com/ginandtacos
2019-11-1207 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B10: Harry Beck's London Tube MapAn underemployed draftsman named Harry Beck looked at the original London Underground map, realized it was crap, and set himself the task of creating a better one. By ignoring one of the cardinal rules of mapmaking he showed how to make transit maps better and easier to use. Minicasts are short stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins. Get full episodes on Stitcher, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.
2019-10-2805 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast020 - The Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme (Tanzania)In 1946, post-war Britain tries to solve four very different problems at once: a labor surplus of returning military, a shortage of key foods, the need to make colonies economically independent, and a dignified way to draw down the Empire. The scheme they came up with is ... incredible. That is to say, you will not find it credible. Tanzania. 3 million acres of rock-hard clay soil. It just screams "Let's grow peanuts there!" doesn't it. A tale of overconfidence, bureaucratic overkill, paternalist attitudes, man vs. nature miscalculations, and the unwavering belief that white Europeans with a lot o...
2019-10-1556 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B9: The Mass TrespassWalking around the countryside ("rambling") is very important to the British, and they don't take kindly to the idea that unoccupied land is off-limits to walkers. The so-called Right to Roam, even on privately owned land, is the direct result of ... direct action. In 1932 a group of walking enthusiasts / Communists in Manchester engaged in mass civil disobedience by walking across the Duke of Devonshire's land at a spot called Kinder Scout. They won. 20 years later, that spot became the first UK national park (Peak District). An inspiring story of collective action and the public good.
2019-09-1109 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast019 - Astra Taylor / Natural Born CitizenshipStory: Why does the President, and only the President, require natural born citizenship in the Constitution? If you think you know why, you're likely only half-correct. It has a lot to do with the way the document's authors understood the history of politics in monarchies. Guest: Astra Taylor (@astradisastra) is a documentarian and author whose recent book, Democracy May Not Exist, But We'll Miss It When It's Gone, and film, What is Democracy?, have both received great critical acclaim. We talk about what democracy means, how people can carve out the time to think about such theoretical i...
2019-08-2949 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B8: People ExpressFlying was luxurious (and costly) before 1977. Then deregulation happened. Now flying is cheap and bad. Pioneering low-cost / no-frills airlines like People Express showed us the way. In its short life (1981-1987) People Express introduced many lamentable aspects to U.S. air travel: paying to check bags, exchanging comfort for low prices, and going to Newark for some reason. And wait until you hear about their "innovative" ticketing procedure. As Homer Simpson said, it introduced a generation of hicks to air travel. The hicks were all of us, it turns out. Because People Express failed, but t...
2019-08-1308 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastPop-up Stadium: Dempsey / Willard 1919A 90,000-seat stadium is built to host a single event, then torn down. And it was in, of all places, Toledo, Ohio. In 1919 boxing was the king of the sports and entertainment world, and a match between two household names - Jack Dempsey and the little-remembered Jess Willard - was such a big event that its promoter could afford to build a stadium and use it like a Kleenex. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the fight, here's the whole improbable story. Enjoyment of sports is not required for this one. Minicasts are short...
2019-07-2410 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast018 - Amanda Litman of Run for Something / Why You Can't See Out of Your CarStory: Today's new cars are crammed full of tech to compensate for unusually poor rear and blind spot visibility. They've also gotten much heavier since 2000 - and more dangerous to for pedestrians. All of these are unintended consequences of regulatory changes in the auto industry after the Firestone Tires / SUV rollover debacle of the late 90s. I tie all those threads together for you. Guest: Amanda Litman (@amandalitman) co-founder of Run for Something. We talk about how people like you are running for (and winning) elected office, and why that's so important right now. I ask rhetorical q...
2019-07-1238 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B6: AtlantropaAfter World War I, German utopian pacifist architect Herman Sörgel proposed a scheme to keep European nations busy (and not fighting wars!) for 100 years by damming the Strait of Gibraltar, the Dardanelles, and the Strait of Sicily. This would produce enormous amounts of hydroelectricity AND lower the Mediterranean Sea by over 600 feet. That would connect Africa and Europe into one supercontinent with thousands of square miles of new dry land. No more need to fight about territory, Herman believed. Atlantropa was surprisingly popular and well-known during the Interwar period - and believe it or not, it is...
2019-06-2708 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast017 - The Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)Two police forces. Two sets of laws. Two postal systems. Two kinds of money. For 74 years the UK and France governed the island colony of the New Hebrides (since 1980, the independent nation of Vanuatu featured on Season 9 of Survivor) under a bizarre condominium arrangement. The islands were governed by the respective nations, with totally different laws and bureaucracies, on alternating days. And if you had a complaint, you appealed to...the king of Spain. Read that all again. The New Hebrides flag was a flag of the UK and French flags. If your flag is the flags...
2019-06-1438 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B5: The Cannibal Food CriticIn a life-or-death situation, would you engage in cannibalism? What do people even taste like? In 1931, journalist and author William Seabrook wrote a book in which he answers that question for you...which is both extremely kind of him (so you don't have to find out on your own) and really gross and weird. One hint: People taste like another thing we shouldn't be eating. Minicasts are short (approx. 5-8 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for...
2019-05-2806 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast016 - Radical Suburbs / Amanda Kolson Hurley / Diamond Jim BradyStory: Diamond Jim Brady's Million Dollar Sauce. Famous gourmand and eccentric rich person of the Gilded Age goes to ludicrous lengths to steal the recipe for what is purported to be the world's most delicious sauce for Filet of Sole. How far would you go to satisfy a food craving? Spoiler alert - you wouldn't go as far as Diamond Jim. Guest: Amanda Kolson Hurley, author of the new book Radical Suburbs. We talk about what makes some suburbs interesting and why most of them aren't. Fans of urban planning, architecture, and America's vast range of issues wi...
2019-05-2044 min
re:verbE21: re:joinder - Why traditional masculinity is bad for academia*Content Warning* The article referenced in today’s episode includes vague to explicit misogyny and transphobic discourse, as well as references to sexual violence and assault.*Irony Warning* The producers of this podcast disagree with and strongly condemn the argument set forth in the article referenced in this episode. Any intimations to the contrary are entirely a performance for the sake of comedic irony or parody.Today, we introduce a new style of episode called re:joinder, in which we read an article of ~questionable~ merit dealing with academia, rhetoric, and/or politics and gi...
2019-05-1657 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B4: The Virginia Lottery Buyout Scheme of 1992If you've ever wondered, "Is it possible to guarantee winning the lottery by buying one ticket for every possible combination of numbers?" this is the Minicast for you. Does it work? Is it legal? Is it even POSSIBLE to do? You're about to find out. Minicasts are short (approx. 5-8 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2019-05-0209 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast015 - How to Hide an Empire / Daniel ImmerwahrGuest: Dr. Daniel Immerwahr, associate professor of history at Northwestern University and author of the new "How to Hide an Empire: the history of the greater United States." We talk about the many ways in which America has maintained (and still maintains) an empire through territorial occupation, a network of military bases fanned out across the globe, and domination of international standards. Tales of various Guano Islands Act (1856) possessions are told, and you don't want to miss them. Extended version of the interview available on Patreon. Cocktail of the month: Suffering Bastard Question Cathy returns...
2019-04-1843 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B3: Why Chickens are Chicken but Pigs are PorkFish are served as fish. Chickens as chicken. Turkeys as turkey. But when it comes to other commonly consumed animals in the English-speaking world we use different words for the animal and the food. Cows, pigs, sheep, and deer become beef, pork, mutton, and venison. Why? Well, it starts with the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and has to do with social class divisions between speakers of Old English and Anglo-Norman (the predecessor of modern French). You'll never look at the meat department the same way again. Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories...
2019-03-2506 min
Sketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMinicast B2: Naked Came the StrangerA young Long Island housewife named Penelope Ashe saw her debut novel, Naked Came the Stranger, go straight to the best-seller list despite the mystery surrounding its reclusive author, its racy content, and its little-known publisher. It pushed the limits of what "obscenity" meant in 1969. But gratuitous sex scenes aside, Penelope Ashe had an even bigger secret...
Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2019-03-0609 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B2: Naked Came the StrangerA young Long Island housewife named Penelope Ashe saw her debut novel, Naked Came the Stranger, go straight to the best-seller list despite the mystery surrounding its reclusive author, its racy content, and its little-known publisher. It pushed the limits of what "obscenity" meant in 1969. But gratuitous sex scenes aside, Penelope Ashe had an even bigger secret... Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2019-03-0609 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life an014 - Dr. Rebekah Tromble / Civility on TwitterGuest: Dr. Rebekah Tromble (Leiden University), professor of political communication, led a team chosen by Twitter to conduct research on overall "health" of conversation on the platform. As soon as the company announced its plan to sponsor research, right-wingers flipped out and began a campaign of threats and harassment aimed largely at Rebekah. Six months later, her life is (mostly) back to normal and the research is moving ahead as planned. This is a fascinating story about how becoming a target of a coordinated online harassment effort is so much worse and more overwhelming than we imagine.
Question Cathy returns w...
2019-02-2538 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast014 - Dr. Rebekah Tromble / Civility on TwitterGuest: Dr. Rebekah Tromble (Leiden University), professor of political communication, led a team chosen by Twitter to conduct research on overall "health" of conversation on the platform. As soon as the company announced its plan to sponsor research, right-wingers flipped out and began a campaign of threats and harassment aimed largely at Rebekah. Six months later, her life is (mostly) back to normal and the research is moving ahead as planned. This is a fascinating story about how becoming a target of a coordinated online harassment effort is so much worse and more overwhelming than we imagine. Q...
2019-02-2538 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anDr. Stephen Pettigrew / The Drunken Inauguration of Andrew JohnsonStory: Andrew Johnson gets incredibly drunk at his inauguration and makes a scene you'll have to hear about to believe. He calls out every member of the Cabinet by name (Wu-Tang style), makes up his own oath of office, and nearly drives his colleagues to weep from shame. And he owed it all to Civil War-era medicine's inability to treat serious illness except with Patent Medicines (i.e., alcohol, opium, or alcohol with opium)
Guest: Dr. Stephen Pettigrew, Senior Analyst on the NBC News decision team. He's one of the people who decides when races are "called" by the network...
2019-02-0436 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast013 - Dr. Stephen Pettigrew / The Drunken Inauguration of Andrew JohnsonStory: Andrew Johnson gets incredibly drunk at his inauguration and makes a scene you'll have to hear about to believe. He calls out every member of the Cabinet by name (Wu-Tang style), makes up his own oath of office, and nearly drives his colleagues to weep from shame. And he owed it all to Civil War-era medicine's inability to treat serious illness except with Patent Medicines (i.e., alcohol, opium, or alcohol with opium) Guest: Dr. Stephen Pettigrew, Senior Analyst on the NBC News decision team. He's one of the people who decides when races are "called"...
2019-02-0436 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMinicast B1: The White House ArsonistMs. Julia Chase, 53, of Hagerstown, MD took the White House public tour on April 3, 1956. She wandered away from her group and spent two hours creeping around the Executive Manson...starting fires. Five in total. You won't believe what happened next (teaser).
Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2019-01-2804 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast B1: The White House ArsonistMs. Julia Chase, 53, of Hagerstown, MD took the White House public tour on April 3, 1956. She wandered away from her group and spent two hours creeping around the Executive Manson...starting fires. Five in total. You won't believe what happened next (teaser). Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2019-01-2804 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life an012 - Folger Shakespeare Library / How to Run for Local OfficeStory: Shakespeare Comes to America - How was a minor American industrialist, Henry Clay Folger, able to buy up so much of Shakespeare that more of Ol' William's written output is now in Washington DC than in all of England? It's a tale of an agricultural depression and the decline of the British aristocracy. You know, Downton Abbey style. The Brits needed money. American robber barons had it. Suddenly, every piece of Europe's culture was for sale at the right price.
Guest: Leeman Kessler, an ordinary dude who ran for local office in his town of Gambier, OH and won...
2019-01-0938 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast012 - Folger Shakespeare Library / How to Run for Local OfficeStory: Shakespeare Comes to America - How was a minor American industrialist, Henry Clay Folger, able to buy up so much of Shakespeare that more of Ol' William's written output is now in Washington DC than in all of England? It's a tale of an agricultural depression and the decline of the British aristocracy. You know, Downton Abbey style. The Brits needed money. American robber barons had it. Suddenly, every piece of Europe's culture was for sale at the right price. Guest: Leeman Kessler, an ordinary dude who ran for local office in his town of Gambier...
2019-01-0938 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMinicast A6: Nuclear Fracking and Project PlowshareDuring the Cold War, the Pentagon tried to come up with a non-military use for nuclear warheads to justify building even more of them. Project Plowshare was one of the results. Because detonating nukes underground to help mine natural gas is...a thing that could not go obviously and terribly wrong.
Yeah fracking is bad. But fracking could have been so much worse.
Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-12-1308 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A6: Nuclear Fracking and Project PlowshareDuring the Cold War, the Pentagon tried to come up with a non-military use for nuclear warheads to justify building even more of them. Project Plowshare was one of the results. Because detonating nukes underground to help mine natural gas is...a thing that could not go obviously and terribly wrong. Yeah fracking is bad. But fracking could have been so much worse. Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-12-1308 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life an011 - Special Midterm Election EpisodeQuestion Cathy joins me for an entire episode of user submitted questions about the midterm election. Topics we cover include Beto-mania, the Democrats' challenge in retaking the Senate, alternative voting methods, and the risks of political hobbyism (and the best ways to get involved if you can).
Episode 012 (forthcoming) will return to the normal format shortly. If you're dying for a story, check out Episode 010 or the recent Minicasts.
Support Mass for Shut-ins via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@gin_and_tacos), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Brand new seriously kick-ass t-shirts are available. Buy one why don...
2018-12-0534 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast011 - Special Midterm Election Episode Question Cathy joins me for an entire episode of user submitted questions about the midterm election. Topics we cover include Beto-mania, the Democrats' challenge in retaking the Senate, alternative voting methods, and the risks of political hobbyism (and the best ways to get involved if you can). Episode 012 (forthcoming) will return to the normal format shortly. If you're dying for a story, check out Episode 010 or the recent Minicasts. Support Mass for Shut-ins via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@gin_and_tacos), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Brand new seriously kick...
2018-12-0534 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life an010 - Ten Cent Beer NightStory: Ten Cent Beer Night - In 1974 the Cleveland Indians turned to the forbidden fruit of promo giveaways to cure their ailing attendance. Results are predictable, except the part where a guy was nearly killed with a gallon jug of Thunderbird. That surprised everyone. They played the Texas Rangers that night, but their real opponent was human nature.
Guests: This is a shortened episode (story only) because Question Cathy and I will be back with Episode 011 very shortly. It will be a special episode with nothing but your questions from the mailbag. Submit a question on patreon, Twitter, or Facebook.
S...
2018-11-1418 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast010 - Ten Cent Beer NightStory: Ten Cent Beer Night - In 1974 the Cleveland Indians turned to the forbidden fruit of promo giveaways to cure their ailing attendance. Results are predictable, except the part where a guy was nearly killed with a gallon jug of Thunderbird. That surprised everyone. They played the Texas Rangers that night, but their real opponent was human nature. Guests: This is a shortened episode (story only) because Question Cathy and I will be back with Episode 011 very shortly. It will be a special episode with nothing but your questions from the mailbag. Submit a question on patreon...
2018-11-1418 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life an009 - LIL BUB / Harold HoltStory: The Disappearing Prime Minister - Australia is a crazy place. It's huge, empty, and full of things that can kill you. And every once in a while one of their Prime Ministers will disappear without a trace. Not figuratively, either.
Guests: Mike Bridavsky, owner / engineer of Russian Recording, member of Memory Map, and LIL BUB's (@IAMLILBUB) human dude. Yes, the same BUB who became a darling to millions as a famous Internet Cat. Bub raises $100k annually, and over a half-million dollars total so far, for charities like Lil Bub's Big Fund for the ASPCA. BUB also delights fans and...
2018-10-1740 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast009 - LIL BUB / Harold HoltStory: The Disappearing Prime Minister - Australia is a crazy place. It's huge, empty, and full of things that can kill you. And every once in a while one of their Prime Ministers will disappear without a trace. Not figuratively, either. Guests: Mike Bridavsky, owner / engineer of Russian Recording, member of Memory Map, and LIL BUB's (@IAMLILBUB) human dude. Yes, the same BUB who became a darling to millions as a famous Internet Cat. Bub raises $100k annually, and over a half-million dollars total so far, for charities like Lil Bub's Big Fund for the ASPCA. BUB als...
2018-10-1740 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A5: Why do Trump's Suits Look So Bad?The President of the United States, a man who claims to possess unimaginable wealth, somehow cannot get a suit that fits him. Why? The reasons have more to do with his personality than you might think. Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-10-1106 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMinicast A5: Why do Trump's Suits Look So Bad?The President of the United States, a man who claims to possess unimaginable wealth, somehow cannot get a suit that fits him. Why? The reasons have more to do with his personality than you might think.
Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-10-1106 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMass for Shut-ins Minicast A4: The Origins of "Filibuster"The filibuster has an interesting history in the U.S. Senate, but the term itself has an even more convoluted story. It involves, separately, both pirates AND mercenaries.
Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-09-2005 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A4: The Origins of "Filibuster"The filibuster has an interesting history in the U.S. Senate, but the term itself has an even more convoluted story. It involves, separately, both pirates AND mercenaries. Minicasts are short (approx. 5 min) stories for fans of quick, to-the-point podcasts and as a nice change of pace from the longer full episodes of Mass for Shut-ins.
2018-09-2005 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 008- Silent Sam-demoniumStory: Brother, have you seen my Vermeer? The crazy secret life of stolen art masterpieces. For more information on the Isabella Stewart Gardner heist covered in this podcast, check out Master Thieves by Steven Kurkjian. Or get a quick overview here.
Guests: Alyssa Bowen (@alyssaannbowen) UNC graduate student and anti-Silent Sam activist and Dr. Carolyn Holmes (@carolyneholmes) of Mississippi State University. For background on Silent Sam, here is a truncated history or follow Alyssa on Twitter. We recorded this interview the day before the statue was knocked down. I like to think we made it happen.
Cocktail of the Month: Ne...
2018-08-2939 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast008 - Silent Sam-demoniumStory: Brother, have you seen my Vermeer? The crazy secret life of stolen art masterpieces. For more information on the Isabella Stewart Gardner heist covered in this podcast, check out Master Thieves by Steven Kurkjian. Or get a quick overview here. Guests: Alyssa Bowen (@alyssaannbowen) UNC graduate student and anti-Silent Sam activist and Dr. Carolyn Holmes (@carolyneholmes) of Mississippi State University. For background on Silent Sam, here is a truncated history or follow Alyssa on Twitter. We recorded this interview the day before the statue was knocked down. I like to think we made it happen. ...
2018-08-2939 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMass for Shut-ins Minicast A3 - The Genius of Steve AllenMost people under 50 only know Steve Allen, if at all, as the answer to the trivia question, "Who was the first host of the Tonight Show?" Those who remember his normie comedy stylings would hardly call him a genius. But I'm here to talk you through it.
Mass for Shut-ins Minicasts are ~5 minute stories to tide you over between full episodes, unless of course you don't like long podcasts. In that case, these are the perfect length for you.
Support Mass for Shut-ins on Patreon (patreon.com/ginandtacos) or find Ed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as Gin and Tacos.
2018-08-1503 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A3 - The Genius of Steve AllenMost people under 50 only know Steve Allen, if at all, as the answer to the trivia question, "Who was the first host of the Tonight Show?" Those who remember his normie comedy stylings would hardly call him a genius. But I'm here to talk you through it. Mass for Shut-ins Minicasts are ~5 minute stories to tide you over between full episodes, unless of course you don't like long podcasts. In that case, these are the perfect length for you. Support Mass for Shut-ins on Patreon (patreon.com/ginandtacos) or find Ed on Facebook, Twitter, and...
2018-08-1503 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 007 - Cetacean InformationStory: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WHALES - The true story of Abraham Gesner, the obscure Canadian geologist whose big discovery in 1846 made whaling unprofitable just as most whale species were on the brink of extinction.
Guest: Dr. Ari Kohen, professor of political theory at University of Nebraska - Lincoln, curator of TrumpWatch, co-founder of the Hero Roundtable, and author of Untangling Heroism. We talk about civility and maintaining one's sanity while trying to create a daily record of the Trump years.
Cocktail of the Month: the Americano. It's not a gin cocktail, but it's...gin adjacent. I expect angry fe...
2018-07-2739 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast007 - Cetacean InformationStory: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WHALES - The true story of Abraham Gesner, the obscure Canadian geologist whose big discovery in 1846 made whaling unprofitable just as most whale species were on the brink of extinction. Guest: Dr. Ari Kohen, professor of political theory at University of Nebraska - Lincoln, curator of TrumpWatch, co-founder of the Hero Roundtable, and author of Untangling Heroism. We talk about civility and maintaining one's sanity while trying to create a daily record of the Trump years. Cocktail of the Month: the Americano. It's not a gin cocktail, but it's...gi...
2018-07-2739 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMass for Shut-ins Minicast A2 - What is Mass for Shut-ins?A brief look at the ORIGINAL Mass for Shut-ins - not this podcast, but the 1962-1992 public service broadcast on WGN-TV out of Chicago.
I have discovered that the reference was not nearly as recognizable as I thought at first, so consider this an explainer if you've been curious what this seemingly random phrase means.
Mass for Shut-ins Minicasts are ~5 minute stories to tide you over between full episodes, unless of course you don't like long podcasts. In that case, these are the perfect length for you.
Support Mass for Shut-ins on Patreon (patreon.com/ginandtacos) or find Ed on...
2018-07-1205 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A2 - What is Mass for Shut-ins?A brief look at the ORIGINAL Mass for Shut-ins - not this podcast, but the 1962-1992 public service broadcast on WGN-TV out of Chicago. I have discovered that the reference was not nearly as recognizable as I thought at first, so consider this an explainer if you've been curious what this seemingly random phrase means. Mass for Shut-ins Minicasts are ~5 minute stories to tide you over between full episodes, unless of course you don't like long podcasts. In that case, these are the perfect length for you. Support Mass for Shut-ins on Patreon...
2018-07-1205 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 006 - Hold Mein BeerStory: THE RED SQUARE PILOT - The true story of Mathias Rust, the German teen who took his tiny Cessna 172 and invaded the Soviet Union with it. Late Cold War hijinks. May have very slightly hastened the fall of the USSR.
Guest: Dr. Lisa Wade, author of best-selling textbook "Gender" and the popular press book "American Hookup" about the sex lives of college students. She founded the excellent blog Sociological Images and can be found @lisawade.
Cocktail of the Month: Bee's Knees. It turns out that when your gin was made in someone's barn you had to put a LOT of...
2018-06-2747 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast006 - Hold Mein BeerStory: THE RED SQUARE PILOT - The true story of Mathias Rust, the German teen who took his tiny Cessna 172 and invaded the Soviet Union with it. Late Cold War hijinks. May have very slightly hastened the fall of the USSR. Guest: Dr. Lisa Wade, author of best-selling textbook "Gender" and the popular press book "American Hookup" about the sex lives of college students. She founded the excellent blog Sociological Images and can be found @lisawade. Cocktail of the Month: Bee's Knees. It turns out that when your gin was made in someone's barn you ha...
2018-06-2747 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anMass for Shut-ins Minicast A1 - Emergency! Emergency!The terrifying tones of the Emergency Broadcast / Alert System are a lot more interesting than you think. And since you think they're not interesting at all, I have a very low bar to clear.
Minicasts will be in the area of 5 minutes, posted between episodes and without many bells and whistles (intro, music, etc) which is time consuming for me production-wise. They will be short, hopefully interesting, and unadorned. Just a quick story I feel like sharing.
These won't be posted on a regular schedule, but rather whenever the opportunity and mood strike me. Maybe monthly, maybe more?
2018-06-1205 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos PodcastMinicast A1 - Emergency! Emergency!The terrifying tones of the Emergency Broadcast / Alert System are a lot more interesting than you think. And since you think they're not interesting at all, I have a very low bar to clear. Minicasts will be in the area of 5 minutes, posted between episodes and without many bells and whistles (intro, music, etc) which is time consuming for me production-wise. They will be short, hopefully interesting, and unadorned. Just a quick story I feel like sharing. These won't be posted on a regular schedule, but rather whenever the opportunity and mood strike me. Maybe...
2018-06-1105 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 005 - For Unlawful Canal KnowledgeStory: THE STAMP THAT MAILED A CANAL - How a 10-centavo Nicaraguan postage stamp turned the Nicaragua Canal into the Panama Canal in 1902. The tale combines all of your favorites: Gilded Age corrupt-af US congressional politics, comic-tragic Frenchmen, the Suez Canal, and hydrological engineering!
Guest: Dr. Timothy Rich, who studies the Korean Peninsula as well as Taiwan and...Nigerian email scams? We discuss the recent developments in ROK-DPRK peace talks, Kim's fears and logic, and how Tim got the entire lyrics to "Sexy Back" published in an academic journal. Follow him on Twitter @timothysrich
Cocktail of the Month: St. Christopher, t...
2018-05-2340 min
Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast005 - For Unlawful Canal KnowledgeStory: THE STAMP THAT MAILED A CANAL - How a 10-centavo Nicaraguan postage stamp turned the Nicaragua Canal into the Panama Canal in 1902. The tale combines all of your favorites: Gilded Age corrupt-af US congressional politics, comic-tragic Frenchmen, the Suez Canal, and hydrological engineering! Guest: Dr. Timothy Rich, who studies the Korean Peninsula as well as Taiwan and...Nigerian email scams? We discuss the recent developments in ROK-DPRK peace talks, Kim's fears and logic, and how Tim got the entire lyrics to "Sexy Back" published in an academic journal. Follow him on Twitter @timothysrich Cocktail o...
2018-05-2340 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 004 - Wild Mood SwingsStory: THE ROGUE TYPESETTER who terrorized Victorian London. The mystery of the Harcourt Interpolation. Easily the most exciting moment in the history of type compositing.
Guest: SSgt. Katie Schmid, US Army (@SchmidCathrine), plaintiff challenging the Trump transgender military ban. Read more about Katie's story here.
Topic: Duverger's Law and the American two-party system. Why does Germany's parliament have eight parties while we only get two parties that everyone seems to hate anyway? It has a lot to do with two thorny rules about how we elect our representatives...
Cocktail of the Month: Gin Gimlet, the first drink I ever ordered i...
2018-04-2636 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast004 - Wild Mood SwingsStory: THE ROGUE TYPESETTER who terrorized Victorian London. The mystery of the Harcourt Interpolation. Easily the most exciting moment in the history of type compositing. Guest: SSgt. Katie Schmid, US Army (@SchmidCathrine), plaintiff challenging the Trump transgender military ban. Read more about Katie's story here. Topic: Duverger's Law and the American two-party system. Why does Germany's parliament have eight parties while we only get two parties that everyone seems to hate anyway? It has a lot to do with two thorny rules about how we elect our representatives... Cocktail of the Month: Gin G...
2018-04-2636 minSketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-Day Life anEpisode 003 - Markov ChainsStory: DEATH BY UMBRELLA: The Georgi Markov story. A tale of intrigue and covert operations from the late Cold War that John Le Carre couldn't have scripted any better.
Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and contributor to Vox, The Nation, Dissent, and other fine publications. Mike and I discuss the art of punditry, appearing on TV without pants, the myth of a democratized economy, and stock buybacks. We also do Professor Brothers voices.
Performance by ANDREW BENTLEY. See below for information on Andrew's upcoming live performances in Chicago.
Topic: Why we're living in the Golden Age o...
2018-03-3046 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast003 - Markov ChainsStory: DEATH BY UMBRELLA: The Georgi Markov story. A tale of intrigue and covert operations from the late Cold War that John Le Carre couldn't have scripted any better. Guest: Mike Konczal (@rortybomb), Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and contributor to Vox, The Nation, Dissent, and other fine publications. Mike and I discuss the art of punditry, appearing on TV without pants, the myth of a democratized economy, and stock buybacks. We also do Professor Brothers voices. Performance by ANDREW BENTLEY. See below for information on Andrew's upcoming live performances in Chicago. Topic: W...
2018-03-3046 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast002 - Fuselage MucilegeGuest: 12-time Jeopardy! Champion Seth Wilson Topic: How you, yes YOU, can boost voter turnout Story: How to have a picnic in the Korean DMZ (and why it's at the 38th Parallel) Cocktail of the Month: 24th Street Spritz Support Mass for Shut-ins via Patreon. Thanks: Seth Wilson, the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, #PostcardsToVoters, and all Patreon supporters, subscribers, and listeners.
2018-02-2841 minMass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast001 - I am Eagle! I am Eagle!Episode 001 Topic: A history of impeachment and why it matters now Story: US Postal Service Missile Mail Cocktail: Corpse Reviver #2 Performance: Author Andrew Bentley reads "Erosion!" Guest: Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group, joins us to discuss the future of the planet, China, and why the British refuse to put ice in their beverages.
2018-01-2952 min
True Crime BreweryAbove the Law: The Wives of Drew PetersonDrew Peterson is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, who has been missing since 2007. Stacy’s disappearance led police to reopen the Kathleen Savio case. On September 6, 2012, Drew Peterson was found guilty of the premeditated murder of Kathleen Savio, his third wife. Jurors admitted that the most compelling evidence was based on the hearsay statements allowed under “Drew’s Law.” On February 21, 2013, Judge Edward Burmila refused to grant Peterson a new trial. On February 9, 2015, the Illinois Attorney General announced that Peterson would be charged with two felonies, solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire, fo...
2016-09-141h 04