Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

Pigweed and Crowhill

You like beer, and you like conversation, right? Of course you do. Pigweed and Crowhill review a beer (sometimes their own homebrews) and discuss issues of the day. They try to break down serious issues into bite-sized chunks, and add some humor when possible. But it's all in good fun. Just two pals chatting over a beer.

  • 29 minutes 6 seconds
    501: Should the United States lay claim to the Arctic

    The boys drink and review Sun Camp by Dewey Beer Company, then discuss the potential strategic reasoning behind Trump's threatening statements towards Canada and Greenland.

    The boys react to a LinkedIn post that flips your mental map of the world — literally. What if you looked at the globe from the top down? Suddenly, the Arctic isn’t a frozen afterthought, it’s the new front line.

    ❄️ Is climate change turning ice into opportunity?

    As the Arctic melts, it opens up shipping lanes and exposes a treasure trove of natural resources: oil, gas, rare earths, and more. Russia’s already militarizing. China’s nosing in. And the U.S.? Scrambling to catch up.

    What’s at stake for the U.S.?

    * Security: Russian nukes and Chinese icebreakers are already in the game.

    * Resources: Greenland’s rare earths could break China’s monopoly.

    * Influence: Whoever controls the Arctic will shape global trade, energy, and power.

    Greenland matters more than you think, and so does Canada. The North is becoming a high-stakes geopolitical chessboard, and the U.S. can’t afford to ignore it.

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    #ArcticStrategy #Geopolitics #RareEarths #ClimateChange #Greenland #USPolicy #Russia #China #MentalModels #ChatGPTReacts

    3 April 2025, 9:02 pm
  • 38 minutes 54 seconds
    500: Nonprofits and NGOs

    The boys drink and review "Pub Ale" from Black Abbey Brewery, then discuss nonprofits and non-governmental organizations.

    What does "nonprofit" really mean? Does that mean nobody's making any money? Hardly.

    Governments love to outsource shady operations, and nonprofits are often the cover. In this video, we expose how the nonprofit and NGO world isn’t always the virtuous, do-gooder space it pretends to be. From political manipulation to financial shell games, we dig into how “nonprofit” doesn’t always mean “non-corrupt.”

    You'll learn:

    How governments use NGOs to bypass legal and political accountability

    Why the nonprofit label is often more about image than ethics

    Real-world examples of abuse and power games hiding behind charity work

    This isn’t about attacking the entire sector. There are plenty of honest orgs doing great work. But if you work with, donate to, or depend on nonprofits, you need to see how the system can be gamed.


    🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered takes on the nonprofit world.

    📰 Visit our site for in-depth articles and tools for nonprofit professionals.


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    #nonprofits #NGOs #nongovernmentalorganizations #graft

    1 April 2025, 9:58 pm
  • 23 minutes 36 seconds
    499: Why you should go to church (even if you don't believe)

    No, this isn’t a sneaky conversion attempt. You can be a full-blown skeptic and still get a ton of value out of going to church (or any place of worship). In this light-hearted, irreverent, and maybe a little provocative video, we lay out the reasons why showing up on Sunday might actually be good for you—even if you don’t believe in God or a word of the sermon.

    We’re talking real-life benefits like:

    ✅ Getting over yourself in a world obsessed with self-esteem

    ✅ Hearing actual moral instruction (not just Twitter rants)

    ✅ Being reminded of bigger, more important things than your inbox

    ✅ Singing with other humans (awkward, yes—but surprisingly good for the soul)

    ✅ Taking an hour off from your iPhone addiction

    ✅ Meeting people outside your social media echo chamber

    ✅ Practicing patience and attention in a world of dopamine hits

    ✅ Finding ways to help others through charitable work

    ✅ Connecting to a long human tradition

    ✅ And maybe—just maybe—being surprised by something you didn’t expect


    Think of this as a modern survival guide to ancient wisdom, minus the preaching. Whether you're curious, cynical, or just looking for something meaningful to do on a Sunday morning—this one’s for you.

    👀 Watch now, and let us know what your reason would be.

    👍 Like, share, and subscribe.


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    #Church #Community #SpiritualButNotReligious #ModernLife #MoralCompass #Reflection #WeeklyReset

    26 March 2025, 8:40 pm
  • 48 minutes 33 seconds
    498: 1984 vs. Brave New World: Which Dystopia Are We Living In?

    Are we being controlled by fear or by pleasure?

    The boys drink and review an imperial pilsner, then discuss the contrasting visions of the future by Orwell and Huxley.

    P&C explore the strange relevance of 1984 and Brave New World -- from constant surveillance, censorship, and thought control, to mindless entertainment, dopamine addiction, and emotional infantilization. Both dystopian visions offer chilling insights into modern society.

    We break down the contrasting methods of control: Orwell's world of pain and suppression vs. Huxley's world of pleasure and distraction. Drawing from key quotes, real-world parallels, and cultural trends.

    📚 Featuring insights from Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death as summarized here.

    https://www.afterbabel.com/p/the-price-of-mass-amusement


    👍 Like, share, and subscribe for more videos on culture, beer, critical thinking, and just plain fun.


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    #Huxley #Orwell #1984 #BraveNewWorld

    21 March 2025, 3:45 pm
  • 49 minutes 43 seconds
    497: Maryland is a lovely state with horrible politics

    The boys drink and review an IPA from Lost Rhino, then discuss the distressing direction of the state of Maryland. It's as if Maryland wants to follow all the most disastrous liberal policies they can find.

    Pigweed and Crowhill review problems with our horrible governor, stupid new laws and taxes, and the general tax and spend stupidity of the state.

    Maryland is a deep blue state that is on its way to recession.


    🔔 Subscribe for more beer reviews and interesting commentary!

    💬 What do you think of Maryland? Let us know in the comments!


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    #Maryland #Wesmoore #politics

    21 March 2025, 2:04 pm
  • 28 minutes 37 seconds
    496: Will the Druze create a new nation in the Middle East?

    P&C reflect on some odd facts about Lent, then discuss the possibility of a new Druze homeland in the middle east. All while drinking two Irish stouts.

    Pigweed starts off with some observations about St. Patrick's Day and Lent, and the amusing / horrible answers from ChatGPT.

    The boys also address a question in Louisiana about whether alligator is "a fish" for purposes for the Lenten fast.

    In the Middle East, Syria is falling apart. Long time leader / dictator Assad is gone, but it hasn't turned out as well as people hoped. Syria has become a violent basket case.

    The Druze are a very old offshoot from Islam that still survives (barely) in the Middle East. They've been hunted and persecuted by Muslims for centuries. They're spread across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel, and have no autonomy of their own.

    Now there's a movement for the Druze to carve out their own homeland, which would create another non-Muslim area in the middle east, which will set the Muslims' hair on fire.


    🔔 Subscribe for more commentary on society!

    💬 What do you think? Should the Druze have a homeland? Let us know in the comments!


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    #MiddleEast #Druze

    19 March 2025, 7:31 pm
  • 30 minutes 39 seconds
    495: Is Anarchism the same as Anarchy?

    The boys drink and review Crowhill's Extra Special Bitter, then discuss the philosophy of anarchism and how it's different than anarchy.

    Hobbes (see episode 487) believed that the life of man in the state of nature is so horrible that no matter how bad the sovereign is, he's better off under the sovereign than not.

    Anarchists take the opposite view -- that men can and do cooperate, and we don't need rulers to oppose their coercive authority on us.

    P&C discuss the good aspects of anarchism, then point out some of its weaknesses.


    🔔 Subscribe for more commentary on society!

    💬 What do you think? Is anarchism a good political philosophy? Let us know in the comments!


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    #anarchy #anarchism #politics #law


    13 March 2025, 12:37 pm
  • 23 minutes 24 seconds
    494: Why does liberalism make women unhappy?

    The boys drink and review Gaelic Storm, an imperial red ale, then ask why, since "women's rights" have made such great strides in recent decades, women are actually less happy?

    According to the 2024 American Family Survey, liberal women are half as happy as conservative women.

    There's no greater currency in liberalhood than being a victim. Liberal women therefore feel better -- that is, they feel worse -- the more they can claim to be a victim.

    What causes all this? Why was feminism such a horrible failure?

    🔔 Subscribe for more commentary on society!

    💬 What do you think? Did feminism destroy female happiness? Let us know in the comments!


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    #feminism #liberalwomen #happiness

    11 March 2025, 6:55 pm
  • 43 minutes 43 seconds
    493: The Viking Age: Raids, settlements, and their enduring appeal

    With special guest Longinus, Pigweed and Crowhill drink Senate beer, then discuss the impact and popularity of Vikings.

    What drove the Vikings to set sail on their legendary raids? In this video, we explore the forces that pushed the Norse to leave their homelands in search of wealth, land, and glory. We begin with the infamous 793 AD raid on Lindisfarne, a brutal attack that shocked medieval Europe and marked the beginning of the Viking Age. Then, we dive into the fascinating possibility that Vikings reached North America centuries before Columbus, settling in Newfoundland at L’Anse aux Meadows. Finally, we examine how Viking history, mythology, and warrior culture continue to shape modern popular culture—from TV shows and video games to heavy metal and sports teams.

    Join us as we separate fact from fiction and uncover the real story of the Vikings!

    🔔 Subscribe for more history content!

    📜 Sources & Further Reading: [Include links if relevant]

    💬 What do you think? Did Vikings leave a lasting presence in North America? Let us know in the comments!


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    #Vikings #NorseHistory #VikingAge #Lindisfarne

    4 March 2025, 5:16 pm
  • 39 minutes 27 seconds
    492: Why Beowulf Still Matters: the battle of Christianity and paganism

    The boys drink and review one of Pigweed's homebrews, then discuss the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf.

    What makes Beowulf such a timeless epic? In this episode of Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill, we dive into the legendary Old English poem, exploring its themes of heroism, honor, and the battle between good and evil.

    We discuss Beowulf’s iconic fights with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon—unpacking the deeper meanings behind these monstrous encounters. How does Beowulf reflect the values of warrior culture? What does it reveal about fate, leadership, and the tension between pagan and Christian worldviews?

    Join us as we break down the literary significance of Beowulf, its historical context, and why it still resonates today.

    📌 Topics Covered:

    ✅ The heroic code and the pursuit of glory

    ✅ Symbolism of Grendel, his mother, and the dragon

    ✅ Pagan vs. Christian themes in Beowulf

    ✅ Beowulf as a warrior-king: Strength vs. wisdom

    ✅ Why Beowulf remains a must-read


    If you love epic literature, mythology, or deep dives into classic texts, this episode is for you!

    🎧 Subscribe for more engaging discussions on literature, history, and philosophy.

    🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and share! What are your thoughts on Beowulf? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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    #Beowulf #EpicPoetry #Mythology #Literature #Heroism #History #OldEnglish #Podcast

    1 March 2025, 2:21 pm
  • 39 minutes 43 seconds
    491: Is Elon Musk's DOGE doing more harm than good?

    P&C drink and review Nugget Nectar by Troegs, then (starting about 4:47) discuss the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk.

    The boys expected DOGE to be investigating and studying things until July of 2026. DOGE is supposed to be finding waste, fraud, abuse, and inefficiency, and it's off to a mad start, kicking down doors and taking names right from the start.

    So far, a handful of 20-somethings working for DOGE have found things that our professionals inspectors have missed.

    One of the first casualties was USAID, which seems to be nothing more than a mechanism for politicians to pay off their cronies.

    More at ...

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    #governmentefficiency #elonmusk #DOGE #beer #USAID #grift

    25 February 2025, 10:25 pm
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