The Sill

From ancient Etruscan jewelry to barbed wire to submarine cables criss-crossing the world’s oceans, the ubiquity of wire in underpinning our current way of life is undeniable. Not only is the history of wire fascinating, it’s the precursor to the wired and now wireless world we live in. Duration - 31:03 Posted: May 21, 2023

No one flies solo in this world. All life forms, from beginning to end, are engaged in acts of ongoing collaboration, the joys of which should be extolled. Duration - 32:59 Credits: YouTube Segments with John Lennon & Paul McCartney and Abbot & Costello Posted: May 7, 2023

Smartphones have become the Swiss Army knives of the 21st century, in that they provide one source access to many tools. Has our dependence on smartphone technology created deep psychological and/or sociological dis-ease?… The debate continues. Duration - 31:30 Posted: April 23, 2023

In this milestone - 200th episode of The Sill, hosts Peter and Harry mine the audio landscape created over the last six years. Favourite episodes, experiences gained and lessons learned, we share the joys and challenges of producing more than one hundred hours of varied and thoughtful content. Duration - 31:13 Posted: April 9, 2023

The dynamics of the late Middle Ages, which included the Black Plague, famine and religious wars, paved the way for the historical period most commonly referred to as the Renaissance. Are there parallels between the evolutionary developments - the printing press, individualism and humanism - of the Renaissance and our current world? Duration - 34:52 Posted: March 26, 2023

We struggle with defining what it means to be happy and/or free and yet, these two states of being are critical to the functioning of a healthy society. How do we foster an appreciation for the relationship between freedom and happiness? Duration - 28:07 Posted: March 12, 2023

From religion to art to technology, the notion of worlds beyond our own has captured our imagination for a very long time. How can considering and working with the multiverse idea help us evolve? Duration - 32:36 Posted: Feb 26, 2023

In a world that’s becoming globalized, the question of the nation state becomes more pertinent than ever. Is it possible to get to a place where national boundaries are removed or defined less rigidly? Is the future nationless? Duration - 26:33 Posted: Feb 12, 2023

Given that many people are currently experiencing to varying degrees a profound existential dilemma, exacerbated by a lack of clear thinking, how are we to respond to the larger forces that are attempting to influence and/or control our reality? Duration - 35:09 Posted: January 29, 2023

Our preoccupation with winning at all costs can often lead to pyrrhic victory. Repercussions can include everything from addiction to poor sportsmanship, rampant egotism and self-centredness, among others. Where does the balance lie between winning at all costs and losing gracefully? Duration - 32:08 Posted: January 15, 2023

Is language going to the dogs? Have we lost our ability or motive to communicate, heart to heart, three years into our relatively enforced social separation? Duration - 37:08 Posted: January 1, 2023

Two of the most fundamental sounds in our sonic tool belt are bells and whistles. The use of these two tools have been an integral part of our culture for millennia, from celebratory to somber. Duration - 24:47 Credits: Credits: YouTube excerpts - Lauren Bacall Whistle in Casablanca, What a World Champion Whistler Sounds Like | National Geographic, World champion whistler | Geert Chatrou Posted: D...

Walking literally represents our nascent step in life, and its loss the signal to our journey’s end. From civil rights marches to celebratory parades and benefits to our overall health, walking remains fundamental to our physical and mental well being. Duration: 26:27 Posted: December 4, 2022

Working with the themes of time travel, science gone wrong, alien contacts, and others, the genre of science fiction has reflected back to us the state of our humanity. What draws us to science fiction, and what can learn from it? Duration: 33:49 Credits: YouTube - "War of the Worlds" 1938 Radio Broadcast & Orson Welles on the BBC Posted: November 20, 2022

In the latter stages of Covid as a world emergency we, as individuals and as a collective, have come to the realization of just how wounded we are. How do we reconcile the divisiveness we are experiencing, both within and without, and begin the healing process? Duration: 29:16 Posted: November 6, 2022

This is possibly a first Covid to Covid conversation, in which the hosts struggle with their respective mental fogs, to explore first hand getting beyond the disheartened self. Duration: 27:52 Posted: October 23, 2022

As a follow up to part one on The Sill’s growing older series, the hosts ruminate on their own experience of growing older, including changes to libido, dealing with regret and forgiveness and a plethora of other associated realities. Duration: 41:22 Posted: October 9, 2022

From ageism to medical assisted suicide to issues with technology, seniors are now facing unprecedented challenges. Part one, of a two part podcast, exploring the world of aging. Duration: 34:06 Posted: September 25, 2022

Unusual and unexpected - Confucianism, a 2,500 year old philosophy, hangs out with K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid) a 21st century systems principle. Surprisingly, they have much in common, despite the millennial gap. Duration: 29:27 Posted: September 11, 2022

From technology to brain chemistry to complacency, we are replete with challenges to transformation. Are we capable of pushing past what holds us back? Duration: 27:25 Posted: August 28, 2022

On July 8, 2022, a major national telecom company experienced a critical network failure that affected an entire nation. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last, that such an event has occurred or will occur. Are there failsafe mechanisms, technological or societal, that should be put in place in response to these systemic breakdowns? Duration: 31:59 Posted: August 14, 2022

Covid induced social distancing protocols and affordability issues have been instrumental in driving Canadians into smaller towns and cottage country, where larger living spaces are available. Working and studying from home has become a reality for many, and one that few wish to give up. Co-host Harry Posner and his partner have joined the ranks of Canadians in this rapidly growing segment. Durati...

For the first time in our five years of doing this podcast, we’ve elected to repurpose a podcast we recorded in 2018. Over the years we’ve had listeners comment or ask us questions on many of our podcasts and, amongst the varying feedback, we’ve also responded to questions about the creative process, equipment used and even our topic selections, so we thought this would make a timely segue from ou...

Five years in, The Sill podcast is turning a corner in more ways than one. For starters, Harry and his family are relocating to the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. In this nostalgic review Peter and Harry recall the beginnings, the evolutionary process, and reflect on their respective personal experience of producing the podcast. Duration: 36:12 Posted: July 3, 2022

We are drowning in stuff. In every life there comes a point when unloading stuff is beneficial to one’s well being. When does it become critical to sometimes break attachments, whether they be objects, ideas and/or relationships? Duration: 36:04 Credit: George Carlin talks about ’Stuff’ on YouTube Posted: June 19, 2022