Snakes & Otters Podcast

Martin captains our 50th episode and the guys rise to the special occasion. Francis kicks off with words of wisdom from Leo Tolstoy. Martin jumps back in with the Chairman of the Board, Francis Albert Sinatra, and Robert hammers it all home with Lao Tzu. Yes you read that right, Tolstoy, Sinatra and Lao Tzu. All to give hope and purpose during COVID-19 isolation. Bonus, Chef's parents and the Loch...

Robert captains the first of 4 Civil War episodes, discussing the pivotal battles that led from the dismissal of George McClellan to the rise of US Grant. In today's episode we talk Ambrose Burnside and the disaster that was Fredricksburg. Some sources we use include  The Civil War  by Geoffrey Ward with Ric and Ken Burns, and we heartily applaud Jeff Shaara's  Gods and Generals.

The guys look back with nostalgia at the old classic TV cop shows and what they meant. 

Want a challenge? Try talking about Winston Churchill in less than an hour. The guys examine the life of British statesman Winston Churchill. There's a lot to unpack. Martin doesn't mention it, but he's read what's considered the sine qua non of modern Churchill bios, Martin Gilbert's 1 volume  Churchill: A Life .

Benjamin Disraeli, Helmuth von Moltke (the Elder) and Ronnie James Dio. Yep. The guys take quotes from a British statesman, a German field marshal and a rock n roll singer to give you April's words to live by. And like always, it works.  Our quotes this time: Francis – “Don’t complain, don’t explain.” ( Benjamin Disraeli ) Martin – “If you listen to fools, the mob rules.” ( Ronnie James Dio ) Robe...

Martin captains an episode on the pivotal elections of 1824 and 1828. The guys then turn it into a character study of Old Hickory, Andrew Jackson. 

That's right listeners, pop culture time and Francis is thrilled that we put this one on the schedule. We talk about the appeal and cultural impact of the James Bond Franchise, including the original Ian Fleming novels and the Eon Productions films. "Do you expect us to talk?" "No, Snakes & Otters, I expect you to die."

Martin leads the way in an exploration of General W. T. Sherman. Prickly, irascible, narcissistic, yet devoted to Grant and Lincoln. Political connections all over, but no interest in a political career. Yet he was key to saving the Union in the Civil War.  Martin focuses on Lee Kennett's Sherman: A Soldier's Life and Victor Davis Hanson's The Savior Generals to get the guys started. 

Robert captains and lets Martin start off linking some Clint Eastwood ( The Good, The Bad and The Ugly ) words with Huey Newton. Francis moves from there to David Lean's  Lawrence of Arabia to eviscerate tribalism and Robert hones in on sinfulness and selfishness. And it all connects. In other words, same thing we always do. Our quotes this time: Martin – “There are two people in this world, those...

Martin captains an episode examining the 1972 election. We dig into the Watergate timeline, Nixon's strengths and McGovern's weaknesses. And of course it all ties back to our "What If" episode on Robert Kennedy.  G. Gordon Liddy's autobiography  Will features in the discussion.

Francis takes the big chair and we talk life lessons from Jean Luc Picard. Includes some hat tips to the writers and show runners who made these words meaningful to us. We even have kind words for Wil Wheaton. Bonus: Much love for Marina Sirtis too. 

"Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape!" Martin, Robert and Francis dig in a major appreciation of Chuck Heston. We talk his craft, his life and the way he stood firm for what he believed in. "Ideals not causes" indeed.  Pick up Heston's terrific autobiography  In The Arena  to get what the guys are on about. 

The episode you have been waiting for. In this special code of honor episode, the guys talk about what "Strength and Honor" really means. 

Martin, Robert and Francis dive in to the long term legacy of Rome in the last of the 4 part series. There's also a glass raised to Terry Jones of Monty Python. 

Fifth Friday and that means we do a Hoopajoob! Martin captains a *lengthy* discussion on our favorite fuel, good Kentucky bourbon. Freewheeling, hard drinking, all manly bourbon talk. In other words, perfect hoopajoob. 

Francis takes the captain's chair and we do a fun episode on some great old movies that always grab our attention. 

Robert takes the captain's chair to lead the guys through an appreciation of the groundbreaking art of Vincent Van Gogh. An exploration of a tragic genius and his amazing legacy. 

Code of Honor time again listeners and Francis captains us through Spock, William F. Buckley and the Gospel of Matthew. Bonus, we get to hear all about why Robert despises the ST:OS episode " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield ." And there are glasses raised to writer DC Fontana, RIP. Our quotes this time: Robert – “Change is the essential process of all existence.” ( Spock ) Martin – “Don’t immane...

Robert captains our third Rome episode with an exploration of the Christian era of the Roman Empire. He challenges Martin and Francis with the question, did the adoption of Christianity hasten the demise of the Empire in the West? Robert takes a contrary position starting with Mike Aquilina's The Church and the Roman Empire and Martin concurs using Peter Heather's The Restoration of Rome.  

Fourth week so that means a pop culture episode! The guys wax nostalgic about all the great Christmas TV specials from The Grinch to A Charlie Brown Christmas. The guys drink a toast to all the great creators and voices of these shows, from Charles Shultz to Thurl Ravenscroft. Merry Freaking Christmas All! 

Robert captains a seriously deep episode on the father of Scholasticism, Doctor of the Church Thomas Aquinas. Francis is in awe and Martin works hard to keep up.  Reading much of Thomas Aquinas is a magnum opus unto itself, but his great masterwork, the Summa Theologica (often just called the Summa) is available online for free and in its entirety on the New Advent website . And believe it or not,...

Second Friday once again so time for another "words to live by" episode. Robert starts us off this time, and we consider the nature of freedom and humanity through the words of Shakespeare, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and J. Michael Straczynski.  Yes, we're serious.  Our quotes this time: Robert – “Respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.” ( Catechism of the Catholic Church...

In the second episode of our planned 4 part series on all things Rome, Martin puts the guys through their paces on the Roman Empire. He hones in on the idea of the Pax Romana, the Roman peace. Was it real? Martin brings in Adrian Goldsworthy's  Pax Romana  to start, and Francis counters with Edward Luttwak's  The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire .

November has 5 Fridays and you know what that means!  That's right listeners . . . HOOPAJOOB!  Say it with us, HOOPAJOOB! That means anything goes! In this hoopajoob episode, Martin wants the guys to examine gratitude in the modern world. We've got much to be thankful for in this life. Why don't we show it more?

Remember when the networks would advertise sitcom episodes with "Tonight on a very special 'Blossom'" or "Tonight on a very special 'Facts of Life'" and it meant a character was going to smoke weed or lose her virginity? Yeah, well we aren't doing that. What we are doing is staking a claim to our podcast ground. Give a listen. This is who we are and what we're about.