What a Hell of a Way to Dad

This week, Nate and Francis react to news that a certain patriotic gun troops coffee company is in hot water, both because they've failed to make millions of dollars in payments to vendors, and because their CEO got so mad at a guy for being a better shot than him that he allegedly sexually harassed the man for a year. It's bad stuff! But not surprising. Also: we answer your Ask A Dad questions. L...

This week, Nate and Francis discuss a recent Military dot com article about how the U.S. Army may have punished people for positive drug tests because they ate poppy seeds. This 100 percent sounds like an urban legend, but the Army had to make a statement about it and apparently has research scientists on retainer to study this. Read the article here: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/02/21...

This week, Francis speaks with friend of the show and defense journalist Kelsey Atherton ( @athertonkd ) about the recent phenomenon of balloon interceptions. What's the deal with these balloons–what is the technology involved, how come we're just hearing about it now, and should we be concerned about a balloon-centric conflict in the future? Check out Kelsey's substack here: https://athertonkd.su...

This week, Nate speaks with co-producer Thomas O'Mahony (or Irish Tom for short) about his recent series on the Troubles. What is it about Ireland and Irish identity that compels people with any link to the country to invent their own version of it? Why does England have no memory whatsoever of a war it waged in Ireland, and experienced in its own territory? Why can't Nate pronounce Tom's last nam...

It's another DadChat featuring Nate and Francis discussing what the hell it is that makes people get so excited about Branson, Missouri–and much more. We really hope you enjoy!   *SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* We now have a storefront to sell the patches, buttons, and magnets that we also give out as flair for our $10 tier. Buy some sweet gear here: https://www.hellofawaytodie.com/shop We have a YouTube c...

Nate and Francis finally managed to meet in person after over six years of podcasting together. And they met at the Eugene V. Debs museum in Terre Haute, Indiana. This episode describes that meeting, and a discussion of the military's system for drug testing, as well as much more. Did you know Missouri has legal recreational weed but Indiana has zero legal weed and will send you to prison for a si...

This week, Francis speaks with Army Times reporter Davis Winkie ( @davis_winkie ) about a recent feature he published on the topic of the Army's social media policies, an Army general who was extremely online, and the strange investigation–or vendetta, if you like–that the military develops when someone in uniform disagrees with Fox News. Read Davis' story here: https://www.armytimes.com/news/your...

This week, Francis speaks with Jack Murphy ( @JackMurphyRGR ) of the Team House Podcast about the recent Army Criminal Investigation Division investigations at Fort Bragg. Over a dozen Special Forces soldiers have been questioned in a probe of human trafficking, drug trafficking, and much more. It's safe to say it's looking bad. Read Jack's article about it here: https://www.audacy.com/connectingv...

This week, Nate and Francis convene for a DadChat, discussing the perils of home ownership, how to replace the wax ring on a toilet, why landlords do the worst possible maintenance, the strange fate of Cobra Tate, and much more. We hope you enjoy this very much. *SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* We now have a storefront to sell the patches, buttons, and magnets that we also give out as flair for our $10 tier...

This week, Nate and Joe are in-studio together for the first time in history, and they've brought in friend of the show and trauma therapist Ross Palethorpe (@rossthesedays) to discuss the universal right-wing tendency to howl and cry about gender. Well, specifically about trans people. What is the deal? Why is it the same line in the US, UK, Armenia, and New Zealand? Listen to this episode to lea...

This week, Francis speaks with Military dot com reporter Steve Beynon about the U.S. Army ending its relationship with Activision Blizzard and sponsorship of Call of Duty. While we would like to say that the Army is doing this because its realized it should stop trying to hoodwink gamers into enlisting, it's actually because of the harrassment scandals at that company. Read Steve's article here: h...

This week, Francis speaks with Task and Purpose contributing editor Nicholas Slayton ( @NSlayton ) about trench warfare in Ukraine and the recent story where thousands of soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado were 'accidentally' teargassed during a pre-Thanksgiving fun run. Everyone who was in the Army just said 'yeah, not surprised.' We have a Patreon with extra bonus content dating all the way back...

This week, Nate and Francis discuss Nate's recent trip to Australia and New Zealand while touring with his other podcast, Trashfuture. And also the degree to which we still can't wrap our heads around the ways in which talking into a microphone has changed our lives. Hope you enjoy! *SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* We now have a storefront to sell the patches, buttons, and magnets that we also give out as f...

This week Francis talks with investigative journalist James Stout about the prevelance of 3D printed guns in the hands of revolutinaties fighting against the oppressive and genocidal military government of Myanmar. James met with the many of the young people who have been fighting this war for the last eighteen months.  Check out the five part series featuring interviews with the fighters here *SP...

This week Francis is joined by noted Zoomer and Irishman Tomás O Máthúna (@ gotitatguineys ) from Beneath the Skin to discuss the most recent Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2022) not to be confused with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2009). From WWII to zombie Nazis to terrorism in Space, we break down the series, the latest installment, and why we keep subjecting ourselves to it For the Bonus epi...

This week, Nate and Francis do that thing where old Soldiers talk about old soldier things. Then Francis introduces Nate to the Simon and Garfunkle song Cecilia as done by the Minions. Finally, the two discuss graphic novels then and now and the comics we grew up with *SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* We now have a storefront to sell the patches, buttons, and magnets that we also give out as flair for our $1...

Shocks and Tom are at it again with tales of Irish folklore and some stories from the Hell of a Way to Die Discord (which you can join by joining the Patreon at any level) For this week's bonus, Tom and Shocks review the 2011 Irish buddy cop film THE GUARD, featuring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. It's a fun little movie that is also the most successful independent Irish movie ever. Get it on Pa...

This week, Francis speaks with Task & Purpose reporter Haley Britzky ( @halbritz ) about the recent Army public-relations disaster, in which a Major General defended women soldiers from Tucker Carlson and was… punished for doing so… by the Army. Sounds great!   For this week's bonus, Tom and Shocks review the 2011 Irish buddy cop film THE GUARD, featuring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. It's a fu...

This is a full episode of DadChat! This week, Nate and Francis discuss all-in-one breakfast makers, American drip coffee, huge trucks, the relative insanities of Indiana versus Missouri, and Nate's recent trip back to the United States. For this week's bonus, Francis and Shocks discuss some of the specifics of maritime law. As in, Shocks describes the times he's had to seize weed while working in...

We've finally gotten Shocks his own show, and we're calling it the 33rd County. It's a show discussing what it means to be Irish, and Irish-American, by virtue of putting one of each together and forcing them to experience the cultural products of both groups. In this inaugural episode, Shocks and cohost Thomas O'Mahony watch the Ben Affleck film THE TOWN and rejoice in its concentrated Boston-are...

This week, Francis speaks with investigative reporter and friend of the show Ken Klippenstein about a recent story that he's covered: the fact that the governor of Florida duped a bunch of migrants with a promise of job skills training and instead flew them to Martha's Vinyard in order to own the libs. It was paid for with money from a GOP donor, and when things didn't go the way conservative medi...

For this week's free episode, Francis speaks with Military.com reporter Steve Beynon discusses a new program that lets soldiers pick their duty stations as enlistment incentives. They also talk about terrible conditions in Army barracks, the fact that the Secretary of the Army tried to blame low recruiting numbers on journalists describing reality, and much more. Read Steve's story here: https://w...

This is an entire episode of DadChat! Just in case you're wondering when we get to the point. This week, Nate and Francis talk about the Space Force's official new song, the tendency of the military to require singing at formation in general, and much more. For this week's bonus, we've finally gotten Shocks his own show, and we're calling it the 33rd County. It's a show discussing what it means to...

For years, the Army has issued everyone who enlists with a medal for ostensible service in the Global War on Terror. Now, that war isn't technically over–we still have troops deployed to Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia–but according to Military Times reporter Davis Winkie, the war is just over enough for them to stop issuing awards about it. Read Davis...

This week, Francis and Nate discuss the recent disappearance of Fat Leonard, a comedic figure of Navy bribery and corruption who managed to skip bail 3 weeks before he was due for sentencing. Which was easy, since he was living in a mansion while serving as a star witness for almost a decade. We've heard rumors of a two-tiered justice system in America–maybe you've heard the same? For Patreon epis...