Normal Men

Episode 65 - Deliberative Bodies

Lindsey Graham and the McConnell succession watch. Brazil's World Cup exit gets blamed on Protestantism. Count Binface takes the fight to Clacton. Michigan's Senate proxy war, and how Graham Platner actually got out of Maine. Links: the Institute for Hispano Studies, the hand dryer at the Crown and Treaty, and Allagash, Maine.

Episode 64 - Happy Birthday to US!

Some futbol, moderate arborism, the fast road to Argentina, and Eurovision. 250 years and Normal as ever.
Show notes:Mexico 2–3 England at the Azteca (match report)The cherry trees and the golf courseTrump confirms he asked FIFA to review Balogun's red cardBalogun: born American by accidentCanada joins EurovisionFrederick Douglass, “Love of God, Love of Man, Love of Country” (1847)Albion's SeedGroverhaus

Episode 63 - Thermal Shock Doctrine

The normal men get hot and bothered, fix what's wrong with NYC politics, are gone to look for America, and contemplate an unwise conflict that expects too much of the Curds. A well-insulated episode.

Episode 62 - Thinking Like Bad People

Come take a mind-safari with us to Beirut, Manchester, and West Palm Beach. Plus: tilling the GOP 2028 field way too early.

Episode 61 - Transatlantischism

A defence of the pastoral lifestyle and also the barbacoan lifestyle. Also: your gut health and soda, thunder v swamp, grudgingly handing it to the Knicks, and 10 mpg(ame).
Links: Musicology Duck’s reflecting pool · The Double Pivot · Sickos Committee

Episode 60 - Smoothgroins, Smoothbrains

Unfortunately additional Maine. Then: a bit of fish and the Intercept Cinematic Universe.

Episode 59 - The TeXrrible SecreXt of SpaceX

A Very Special SpaceX Episode with Quantian (@quantian) and ESGHound (@esghound)! Come for the S-1, stay for the physics. Contains not even homeopathic levels of investment advice.
Links: Ann Lipton, "No Votes, No Sales, No Suits" · our earlier space ep with Normal astrophysicist Mike Boylan-Kolchin, We Are All Made of Starmusk.

Episode 58 - The Pope Should Wear Air Monarchs

Lots of tech, somewhat more Pope than usual, and a well-conceived 2028 Presidential Democratic contender tier list that will never embarrass any of us in any way. Plus Jack White's upholstery era and Stephen Colbert.

Episode 57 - Bracketology

Patrick Wyman joins the Normal Men to talk dirty soda, apartment deposits we definitely did not get back, the only bracket that matters, 1619 and its descendants, and sharp little lads.

Episode 56 - Bottom Feeders

The Men get chippy, Fed up, car talk, Giuliani hantavirus and other pathogens, Graham crackers and some states that are probably in the Midwest, and the AI capex bubble (?).