National Talky League

A special and timely interview with Trey Kay, a West Virgina native and host of the Us and Them Podcast: Stories From America's Cultural Divide. Trey talks politics in the USA with Roger and Dave, and gives us some insight in to why the political divide seems to be getting larger, and what we can do about it.

Strong Opinions, Loosely Held, Widely Shared.

Roger has provided some show notes to help you keep up with our many references.

The Big Sort - Bill Bishop

http://www.thebigsort.com/home.php

Hakeem Olajuwon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Olajuwon/

Going to the moon through Mississippi

https://thehistorytourist.com/2015/11/21/going-to-the-moon-through-mississippi/

Amazing Grace episode of Us & Them

http://usandthempodcast.com/podcast/amazing-grace/

Serious as a Heart Attack

http://usandthempodcast.com/podcast/serious-as-a-heart-attack/

All the President’s Men

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074119/

BJ Snowden - “In Canada.”

Roger Clears His Throat about Derek Fildebrandt abusing the public's trust, the ethical violation of listing his taxpayer-subsidized apartment on AirBnB, and how we should approach the matter. The guys come up with tax-dollar saving ideas including Hotel for Politicians. Trevor Tombe will likely be shaking his head somewhere :)

During the discussion, Roger referenced the great Conan O'Brien sketch with Masturbating Bear.

We talk Charlottesville, the limits of free speech vs hate, and why this particular "pitchforks and torches" crowd doesn't see the need to evolve to flashlights.

Dave debuts a new feature "What'cha Watching", where he opines on why he doesn't think James Bond should ever be a woman. For spy cinema fans who prefer female leads, this is the list Roger was looking at. LOTS of Nikita in there.

Dave also asks about TV shows that went too soon, and those that hung around too long.

Beleaguered Talky Julie was tweeting the guys about their sous vide cooking habits, wondering if they'd ever done hamburgers this way. Julie... this one's for you.

Another Calgary public artwork has been revealed and people are displeased... right on cue! Roger and Dave break down many of the arguments about and around Calgary's public art policy and public works of art more generally.

Roger is upset about the Liberal government's decisions to "level the playing field" by changing the way corporations are taxed.

Dave brings up a beef with nature of traffic calming measures. Roger is wronged at a 4 way stop.

Rob tells us the story of his honeymoon and the "resort" that pretty much couldn't get anything right. The tale brings up questions about what we should expect from hoteliers, when refunds should be given without question, and how to remove a wasp nest.

You can read Rob's full Trip Advisor review, which is both harrowing and artistically on point. Also, check out the uninspiring response from the resort.

It turns out there are a few hotels that don't change their sheets.

Oh... and here's the French hobo clown Roger was talking about. (Actually more entertaining in 2017!)

Beef of the National Talky League

We brought our pal Rob into the arena for the National Talky League this week. Rob is an improvisor at Loose Moose Theatre Company among other things.

Roger has an issue with Pride Calgary asking police to not wear uniforms if they'd like to participate in the parade. The guys kick around the notion that straight, middle-aged white dudes get criticized for having opinions about this stuff.

Dave opens the polls on the city's best onion rings and Rob provides the contrast between the fantasy and the reality of the onion ring experience.

Roger tables the opinion that the success of Wonder Woman might be entirely due to the fact that it's a great movie.

The guys discuss movies The Room,

The Disaster Artist,

and Birdemic.

... and meat.

This week on our first official "OVERTIME" segment, we have an in depth discussion with University of Calgary Associate Professor of Economics Trevor Tombe. Trevor straightens us out on the subject of Equalization Payments, how they work, where the money comes from and goes, and why we can't say "Alberta is sending money to Quebec". We also discuss the realities of Alberta's economy, the fiscal sense of an Olympic bid, and Brad Pitt films.

Thank you, beleaguered friends, for tuning in once again to the National Talky league.

In episode 22, Dave discovers the stunning similarity between items you'd buy at the pet boutique and those you'd buy at the Love Boutique.

Further proof that when you own a dog toy factory, you own a sex toy factory. National Talky League

Dave also tees off on people complaining irrationally about the new green bins.

Roger isn't happy with the way National Parks are operated, but does he have a point? Or is he coming off half-cocked?

Also, why seniors should not be building staircases in public places and why a hamburger recommendation is a sign of a bad restaurant.

Dave is back from the road and shares some tales of his journey.

Roger and Dave both take shots at various defenders of the fairer-sex. (Wait a sec... what makes them "fairer?" The very term is, by definition, sexist.)

Roger clears his throat after reading an article that he feels makes too much of Julie Payette's sex as though it should be a determining factor in the appointment of a Governor General.

Dave notices a few people pre-raging on the announcement that the next Dr. Who would be a female.

Also... GIRLY DRINKS!!!!!

Some references from this episode:

Kids in the Hall - Girl Drink Drunk

The UFC before groin shots were banned

Bartenders tell you why a Daiquiri is a true test of bartender skill

It's the 20th episode of the National Talky League. Your support and your contributions have gotten us to this point. Like proper Canadians, we thank you profusely... possibly to an annoying degree. (Sorry about that.)

Dave was jacked to get "on the air" for the 20th episode. We struggled a little with the nomenclature surrounding podcast media. It's not really on the air, but what is "the air" anyway? What's the appropriate thing to say?

Roger clears his throat with a rant about how people respond to animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede. He's growing tired of this rant because he seems to reprise it each year.

Some questions that arise in episode 20:

When did you start watching Saturday Night Live? What was your favourite cast?

When was the first time you remember noticing "fake news?"

Do you think Canadian political discourse is more civil than our American counterparts?

MENTIONS:

Loose Moose Theatre Company auction site.

Video of kids reacting to the Sony Walkman

James Veitch TED Talk about scam emails.

Much like Tom Cruise, episode 19 was Born on the 4th of July. That day marks the anniversary of the USA's independence from Britain and Roger's (unplanned) independence from his radio career. Onward!

In a new segment called "Let me clear my throat," Roger peels off a rant about the government's decision to apologize and payoff Omar Khadr.

Dave and Roger discuss the MMIW press conference that became the news itself when two of the speakers asked a reporter (Julie Van Dusen - CBC) to leave the room after feeling disrespected by her question.

But it's not all hard news...

The guys also talk about:

slurpees and accompanying snacks

the prospect of naming a $5 coin

possibly the most revolting thing Roger has ever put in his mouth. (It actually sorta is what you might think.)

Our special guest this week is the former street performer, current improvisor, and newly minted Foreign Correspondent (US Bureau) Rich Ross.

Thanks for listening to the National Talky League podcast. We appreciate all your feedback and input on topics we discuss or should discuss. We are advocates of strong opinions loosely held. If you have any friends who like discussions about Canadian issues and current culture, please share the NTL with them.