Ep. 191 – Preying on Compassion and Fear

Links

• La Lleldiría, cheese place (El País)
• Alex Mays (Reverb Nation)
• Nothing Compares Trailer (YouTube)
• Everything We Know About Sinéad O’Connor’s Feud With Prince (The Things)
• Sinéad O’Connor alleges Prince attacked her in his Hollywood home (Guitar)
• Sinéad O’Connor told her kids what to do if she was found dead (CNN)
• Barbie (Wikipedia)

Summary

• 00:00:00 In this section, the speaker talks about their travel experience with their family, specifically a flight delay and a long layover. They mention how they were initially informed of a three and a half hour layover, but it was later extended to six and a half hours. Despite the delay, they managed to keep their children entertained with downloaded content on their electronic devices. The speaker also mentions the exhaustion they felt after losing a night’s sleep while flying eastward. They highlight the high prices of items at the Munich Airport and conclude by stating that they ultimately survived the journey.
• 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker shares a personal anecdote about a flight layover issue where they desperately tried to get on a plane because their medication was on board. However, they also discuss how this kind of behavior preys on people’s compassion and fear. They then jokingly suggest that the podcast episode could be titled “Preying on Compassion and Fear.” The speaker further discusses their experience at the Munich Airport, where their gate changed multiple times and they had to navigate through different terminals. They mention the presence of smoking lounges and a play area for children, where their son had a great time playing with other kids.
• 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker is discussing their child’s experience playing with children from another culture and how they didn’t need a universal language to interact and play together. They mention the study of observation skills and body language in children’s play. The speaker also mentions their lack of jet lag after a long flight and how they have previously experienced jet lag but this time they haven’t. They also talk about their longest flight to Australia and how they had to mentally adjust to the long hours.
• 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses their travel experiences in February 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold globally. They mention visiting Abu Dhabi and being asked about their recent travel to mainland China due to rising concerns. They also briefly mention plans for an upcoming party and the recovery of a friend who was involved in a car accident. The conversation shifts to reminiscing about a mutual friend who once visited the speaker’s hometown unexpectedly.
• 00:20:00 In this section, the speaker discusses a man named Mike who bought a boat and went on a 25-day journey around Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. They joke about the name of the boat being “Woke on Woke” and discuss the recent news of an indictment against Donald Trump for trying to overthrow the government. The speaker believes Trump’s crime is defrauding the voting public and questions whether he will plead guilty and not run for the next election. Despite the legal issues, they mention that Trump’s fundraising has skyrocketed and that he remains a strong contender for the presidential nomination.
• 00:25:00 In this section, the hosts of the podcast make a bet on whether former President Donald Trump will be back in office on January 20th, 2025. They agree to wager five silver dollars, adding to the appeal of the bet. The conversation then shifts to discussing the Welsh accent and whether it might be offensive. The topic transitions to buying cement and the need for beer. The hosts joke about one of them being a lush, and then one of them shares a news article about a cheese-making place in Spain that is run by a Spaniard and his wife from North Carolina. They express surprise and excitement at the coincidence and plan to connect with them.
• 00:30:00 In this section, the speaker shares a personal anecdote about reaching out to fellow North Carolinians who started a cheese business in Spain. They mention the popularity of the business and their plans to visit the cheese makers in the winter. The speaker also mentions upcoming trips to New York and the South of Spain, as well as a festival featuring Johnny Bergen. They discuss their preparations for the festival, including printing flyers and utilizing Facebook ads. The speaker then describes a local brewery called the Liquid Note, known for naming their beers after musicians, and their previous blues festival. They express excitement about the upcoming trip to the brewery and their appreciation for the owner’s creativity in building a stage.
• 00:35:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the layout and design of a music venue they visited, highlighting the unique placement of the stage and bar. They also mention a musician named Alex Mays and describe the opening acts and house band at the venue. The conversation then shifts to the distribution of flyers for a podcast, with the speaker expressing their interest in promoting it. They also mention watching a documentary about Sinead O’Connor and reflect on her defiance of gender norms and the oppressive environment in 1980s Ireland. The speaker admires O’Connor’s courage and challenges societal expectations of femininity.
• 00:40:00 In this section of the video, the speaker discusses a song that was written by Prince and recorded by Sinead O’Connor. The speaker shares that Prince’s estate refused to let O’Connor use the song and shares a bizarre altercation story between them. They also highlight the misogyny O’Connor faced throughout her career and her unapologetic nature. The speaker mentions Joe Pesci’s quote from Saturday Night Live, in which he supported O’Connor’s actions. Overall, this section explores the complexities and challenges faced by O’Connor in the music industry.
• 00:45:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the motives of a woman who converted to Islam and the skepticism surrounding her choice. The conversation also touches on her mental health struggles, including talking about suicide and the impact of her son’s death. The individuals discussing the topic express their curiosity about whether she knew she was dying when a documentary about her came out. The conversation then shifts to discussing the artist’s performance and the changes in her demeanor after going through various hardships. The mention of the song written by Kris Kristofferson after her death is briefly mentioned, along with the reactions of Americans angered by her request to not have the national anthem played before her performance. The conversation ends with an acknowledgement of the different perspectives on patriotism and loyalty.
• 00:50:00 In this section, the speaker discusses a movie that they recently watched called “Barbie” directed by Greta Gerwick. The movie is described as being funny, stupid, and meaningful, hitting the mark on all levels. The premise of the film revolves around a Barbie living in a perfect dollhouse world, where everything is ideal and all the characters are named Barbie and Ken. However, the movie takes a darker turn as it explores the idea of breaking free from this perfect facade and questioning societal norms. The speaker praises Gerwick’s direction and predicts that this movie will catapult her into the ranks of top directors.
• 00:55:00 In this section, the speaker discusses a Barbie movie that explores the concept of gender roles and the way they are portrayed in society. The movie humorously depicts Barbie and Ken entering the real world, where they realize that men dominate in positions of power. Ken, influenced by his newfound knowledge of the patriarchy, tries to bring these gender dynamics back to Barbie’s world. The movie tackles these serious social issues through a comical lens and offers thought-provoking reflections on gender. The speaker praises the film for its clever execution and humor, noting that it has sparked post-viewing discussions.
• 01:00:00 In this section, the speaker explains that while natural language processing technology exists to understand spoken word and turn it into text, there are currently no services that can provide real-time parsing of spoken words from a live recording. However, the speaker suggests that if technology can summarize text from garbage input, it might be possible to develop a similar service for spoken words. The video ends with a musical outro and a reminder to check the show notes for more information and to support the show on Patreon.