Normal Men

Normal Men

By George PearkesNewsNews Commentary
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Normal Men episodes

  • Episode 39 - Malebag ft. golikehellmachine

    Goodbye to 2025!  The Normal Men talk food, travel, optimism, and dating.

    Chapters:

    0:00 Intro and Holiday Recap

    9:32 Cookbook and Rice Cooker Recommendations
    28:38 Favorite Destination Foods
    47:43 Affordable Protein Alternatives
    1:04:54 Nonalcoholic Drinks and Mocktails
    1:22:05 Party Playlists and Social Confidence
    1:39:16 Dating and Parenting Advice

    1 hr 45 min
  • Episode 38 - ICE, Wind, Jail ft. Mark Fleming of National Immigrant Justice Center

    The Normal Men dive into appellate immigration strategy and the Battle of Chicago with Mark Fleming of National Immigrant Justice Center.  Also, stroads and the modern authoritarian; primary ethics and efficiency.

     

    National Immigrant Justice Center: https://immigrantjustice.org/

    Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights: https://www.icirr.org/

    Organized Communities Against Deportation:  https://www.organizedcommunities.org/

    1 hr 33 min
  • Episode 37 - Rated NY-17 ft. Mike Sacks

    We interview Mike Sacks, who is running for Congress in NY-17; people are doing more mass shootings; Propter sounds robotic; and what is truth, really?

     

    Mike Sacks (https://bsky.app/profile/mikesacks.bsky.social) is running for Congress in the New York's Fightin' Seventeenth: (https://bsky.app/profile/mikesacks.bsky.social/post/3lmev4vf4hc2n)

    Learn more here:  https://www.mikesacksforcongress.com/

    Give his campaign money here:  https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mike-sacks-donate

    Early corvid scholarship by Mr Sacks:  https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/cb488d23-ab03-42be-994b-1fe5b2054038

     

    An AI-generated video of a crow sledding on a frisbee:  https://www.facebook.com/reel/864322122972412

    Chapters:

    0:00 Podcast Intro and Guest Mike Sacks

    4:50 NY-17 District and Politics
    19:30 Universal Healthcare as Key Policy
    24:30 Supreme Court and Structural Reform
    30:30 Primary Race and Competitive Edge
    45:00 District Deli and Smoked Fish
    47:30 Mass Shootings and Gun Violence
    55:30 Proctor's Voice and Robotics
    1:02:30 AI, Crow Video, and Epistemology
    1:12:30 Duke Chronicle Letter & Outro

    1 hr 19 min
  • Episode 36 - Blue Devils and the Deep Red Sea

    Infant diction, Noted Underdogs Duke, birthright citizenship, c-c-c-cocaine, coffee: black.


    Norwegian outreach:  https://bsky.app/profile/norwayinusa.norway.no/post/3m4bcalmg7s2u

     

    Coffee, black:  https://bsky.app/profile/bmhughes.bsky.social/post/3m6wc33skm22z

    Chapters:

    0:00 Intro & Linguistics Lesson

    4:39 Trump's Pardon & RGV Politics
    12:53 College Football Playoff Explained
    33:29 SCOTUS & Birthright Citizenship
    50:39 Navy SEALs & Cocaine Strikes
    1:00:21 FIFA Award & Global Bribery
    1:04:29 Normalcy Studies & Identity
    1:18:01 Outro

    1 hr 20 min
  • Episode 35 - Light, Sweet, Crude

    The majesty and the mystery of Lane Kiffin, what on earth is up with oil, war crimes in your war crimes, and optimism in Tennessee.

    Chapters:

    0:00 The Boston Molasses Disaster

    5:00 College Football: ACC & Lane Kiffin
    22:20 Global Oil Market Dynamics
    35:00 OPEC, EVs, and Geopolitical Oil Play
    50:00 Oil Geopolitics: Russia, Venezuela, US
    1:01:00 Trump Admin War Crimes & Fallout
    1:11:00 Tennessee Special Election
    1:23:50 Episode Wrap-up

    1 hr 25 min
  • Episode 34 - Mail Gobblin’ ft. golikehellmachine

    Talking turkey, taking questions, slandering yams, and giving thanks with distinguished alumnus golikehellmachine.

    Chapters:

    0:00 Intro & Blue Sky Food Discourse

    2:22 Podcast Intro & Trump's Post
    6:13 Vehicle Must-Haves & Deal Breakers
    12:56 Friendsgiving & Dinner Guests
    19:37 Thanksgiving Music & Gravy Debate
    29:53 Hosting & Turkey Debate
    38:53 Dealing with Racist Uncle
    46:33 Lightning Round: Sides, Pies & Trolls
    57:01 Outro

    59 min
  • Episode 33 - Straight to Jael ft. Jael Holzman

    Green energy and touring finances with Jael Holzman of Heatmap and Ekko Astral (@jael.bsky.social), the Epstein Files, and Peak Trump.

     

    listen to Horse Glue by Ekko Astral here:  https://ekkoastral.bandcamp.com/album/horseglue


    and submit questions for mailbag here:  https://golikehellmachine.com/2025/11/16/thanksgiving-mailbag/

    Chapters:

    0:00 Intro & Casual Food Chat

    5:20 Energy Transition & Policy
    16:00 Fossil Fuel Influence & Geothermal
    30:00 Political Risk & Media Critique
    42:30 Echo Astral & Music Life
    58:30 Jeffrey Epstein Email Dump
    1:26:00 Epstein's Political Impact
    1:37:30 Has Trump's Era Peaked?
    1:46:00 CBP in Charlotte & Outro

    1 hr 54 min
  • Episode 32 - Brain Cramps ft. Haydon

    Normal Man Haydon (@haydonmp.bsky.social) joins us to talk about strokes and those who may have had them!  In addition to that premortem, shutdown perimortem and election postmortem.

    Chapters:

    0:00 Intro: Trump's Health & Guest

    4:10 Analyzing Trump's Health Signs
    15:40 Transparency, Aging, Public Office
    24:20 Cognitive Tests for Presidents
    35:00 Stroke Risks & Longevity Obsessions
    43:30 Government Shutdown: The CR Deal
    1:01:00 Shutdown Politics & Caucus Dynamics
    1:15:00 House Democrats' Frustration
    1:24:00 Post-Election Analysis & 2024 Outlook

    1 hr 32 min
  • Episode 31 - No Jeep Til Brooklyn

    Truck Talk returns with harsh words for Stellantis, SNAP impact discussion (human edition not macro edition), and just-in-time election previews (at 43:50).

     

    please help some people out at:

    https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/teams/7634

    Chapters:

    0:00 Jeep Wrangler & Stellantis Woes

    5:00 EV Range & Hybrid Benefits
    10:00 ICE vs EV: The Value Argument
    27:10 Normal Men Intro & Feeding America
    30:00 SNAP Funding Cliff & Consequences
    40:00 Political Blame & Election Forecasts
    44:30 Virginia & New Jersey Governor Races
    55:00 New York City Mayor & Betting
    1:05:00 Final Thoughts & Charity Call

    1 hr 8 min
  • Episode 30 - Planned Platnerhood ft. Liz Sepper

    Prof. Liz Sepper joins us to talk state of play on reproductive rights (remember those?), we do the needful on Graham Platner, and the Trump Administration prepares to Thanos SNAP.


    add'l reading:  


    Hospital system outcomes in Texas:
    https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-sepsis-rates-dallas-houston

    George's coffee table:

    https://bittersoutherner.com/magazine

    1 hr 40 min

About Normal Men

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Normal Men is four guys talking about the news. We want to help explain what's happening in the world around us and have some laughs along the way. And we think you might enjoy hearing what we have to…