Normal Men

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

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...

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...

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...

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 Tenne...

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...

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 &a...

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 Go...

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 Am...

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

The incomparable Don Moynihan (@donmoyn.bsky.social) joins us to talk administrative burden, No Kings gets people in the streets, and there are hijinks in Argentina. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & College Athletics System 7:22 Podcast Welcome & Admin Burden 25:02 Psychological Costs & Policy Intent 34:51 Medicaid Work Requirements Impact 46:39 AI in Government Services: Promise & Peril 1:0...

On the joys of travel, Chinese tariffs and mineral access, and appropriate appropriations. Chapters: 0:00 Portugal: Food, Bread & Fashion Trends 10:40 Trump's China Tariffs & Market Impact 16:30 Crypto Market Volatility & Insider Trading 31:30 US Dependence on Critical Minerals 42:30 Government Shutdown: Funding & RIFs 59:00 Empathy, Disability Access & Cuts 1:09:30 Tech: Immor...

A Normal Man returns to take us through the unpleasantness in Portland, we break down the shutdown, and sans George the video game freaks get digital. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Portlandia Ad 2:59 Portland Occupation & Absurdity 13:43 Legal Status of Portland Occupation 22:39 Fox News & Media Critique 25:38 Oregon Political Unity & ICE 32:47 Government Shutdown in DC 41:44 Shutdown Imp...

With special guest Eva Cantor (@machete.gay on Bluesky).  George talks us through some real economic growth, Propter breaks down pre-snap federal shutdown reads, Eva talks us through a whole lot of violent extremism, and the gun touchers geek out. Chapters: 0:00 Intro, Eric Adams, and Podcast Setup 12:24 Economic Growth and Tariffs 25:58 Government Shutdown and Politics 45:36 Cheer Wine and Glonzo...

Lowtax gives us a report on South Florida and the Very Specific Type of Guy (hint: Jeremy Shockey jersey) that lives there now (0:00-3:15). This week’s main event is Jimmy Kimmel, and the Men review MAGA’s effort to bring everyone who doesn’t salute Charlie Kirk at every opportunity to heel (3:15-32:45). Tom Homan secures the (Cava) bag before a check in on Trump Administration approvals and energ...

Chapters: 0:00 Cheerwine & Boston Baked Beans 9:34 Normal Men Intro & News Preview 11:34 Charlie Kirk Assassination Discussion 22:09 Federal Reserve: Lisa Cook Update 32:13 Hyundai Workers & Korea Diplomacy 41:17 Ed Becomes a Cyborg: Eye Surgery 53:22 George's MLS Team Sets Record 1:03:56 The Joys of Sports Fandom Chapters: 0:00 Cheerwine & Boston Baked Beans 9:34 Normal Men Intro...

The Normal Men are back and covering it all this week. To start (0:00-17:30) we check in on the fighting game community before Soda Chat and learnings about the weird stuff they’re drinking up in Maine. George and Propter reminisce about A&W and the gang laughs at grocery stores. Next up, Elon’s unhealthy obsession with fertility and race, as well as some discussion of the very real shifts in...

Join the Normal Men for a break in the midst of Labor Day weekend for some college football chat and a victory lap celebrating Lowtax’s beloved Florida State University Seminoles (0:00-12:00). Next we talk Senate primaries and Senior Maine Correspondent Ed explains why Maine is actually a very large state, George commemorates one of our strongest Representatives, and the Men talk through the doome...

Kick back with your heavily caffeinated beverage of choice as the boys dive into the world of canned stimulants (0:00 to 20:00). This week we’ve got Musicology Duck on to share some of her experiences from the streets of DC amidst a federal occupation of the nation’s capital (20:00 to 1:03:00). We also dive into President Trump’s efforts to take control of interest rates by an attempt to remove Go...

The Men start this week talking about our fears, including heights, creepy-crawlies, and amoebas (from 0:00-5:40). Then: we’re going to Swift School this week as the Normal Men get up to speed on Taylor Swift and why we should pay more attention to her career (from 6:00-43:00). Then it’s time to chat about the large number of federal law enforcement officers and National Guard troops who have desc...

This week your Normal Men are taking a trip to the UK for a garden party, which gives us the opportunity to discuss one of the most important - and impotent - thinkers on the Silicon Valley right. We’re also putting a Danish spin on things this week with an unfortunate story about what they’re doing in zoos over there. Finally, we chat at length about GLP-1s and the peptide revolution, including o...

The Normal Men are thrilled to welcome Layla al-Sheikh, a Palestinian scholar and activist, to help us understand the political roots of the genocide in Gaza and the path forward towards a Palestinian state. Then we get to talk about the nitty-gritty of the US labor market’s statistical system after some significant developments. Also on the menu: Disco Elysium, a defense of Oracle, and discussion...

This week the boys dive deep into food delivery and the political, economic, and technological forces that drive it…and the discourse around it. We’re also lucky to be joined by Josie Riesman, the author of the definitive book on wrestling promoter Vince McMahon. She helps us understand the role that Hulk Hogan specifically and wrestling played in shaping our politics and culture. You can follow h...

The Normal Men discuss the toxic effects on democracy and growth of high income inequality and the means of maintaining it (including crypto). Also on the docket: more Epstein and Glonzo discussion and regretfully a review of why New York politicians are being so weird. Chapters: 0:00 Intro: Quebec Militia & Normalcy 3:00 Economic Equality and Growth 12:30 Concentrated Wealth and Political Pow...

GOLIKEHELLMACHINE is back with a new recurring segment! The Men are also joined by one of their Normal friends to talk about the unhinged world of Texas politics. Also up for discussion: MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and the world of immigration. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Pepsi Debate 2:53 Mailbag: Politics, Football & Patriots 11:33 Mailbag: Rural Heartland Fascination 16:10 Mailbag: Barrica...