Conversation on Tap

Episode 45: We Chat With Councilwoman Gloria Soto

Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

In this episode, Joel and Jose were joined by Gloria Soto, a Santa Maria councilwoman, to discuss how the city is responding to the Coronavirus.

Because of social distancing, this was our fourth episode to be recorded via Skype, so please bear with us as the sound quality wasn't especially at its finest. 

As we started the episode, Joel said that he was out of beer, while Jose drank the last of the delicious Negra Modelo in his refrigerator. 

For their FRED Talks, Jose talked about why Easter is celebrated on Sundays, and Joel shared a link (IHME) and his frustration that the media isn't comparing the predictions for Coronavirus and the actual numbers.

In the main segment, Joel, Jose, and Gloria talked about her work on the City Council to confront the challenge of the Coronavirus in our community. Gloria was born and raised in Santa Maria to parents who immigrated to the United States in 1988. Now, after a year into her first term, she has been leading the fight to keep people in their homes and to keep businesses in their spaces. We also discuss how she has been working to help small businesses in our community and opportunities to make housing more affordable. One of the challenges that she has had to confront is a cultural insensitivity by some in City Hall who don't understand the immigrant or working class people in our city. So, she has made sure to get out Coronavirus information and practices out to Spanish speaking and Mixtec speaking residents. We also take time to thank our field workers and medical staff, who are working to feed our families and bring us healing, respectively. It was quite the discussion with a very charming and intelligent young woman!

In the final segment, Joel talked about how he has been listening to Bill Withers' music and playing a game called JetPunk-- and now he knows where Angola is! Jose talked about playing the new Spider-Man game and the new Star Wars: Fallen Order game.

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 44: We Love Pope Francis

Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

In this episode, Joel and Jose were joined by Mike Lewis, the managing editor and co-founder of Where Peter Is, to discuss Pope Francis and his reactionary critics.

Because of social distancing, this was our second episode to be recorded via Skype, so please bear with us as the sound quality wasn't especially at its finest. We will improve the sound, hopefully, as we do more episodes using Skype.

As we started the episode, Joel grabbed himself a brew called The Dog Ate My Homework, while Jose drank a delicious Negra Modelo.

For their FRED Talks, Jose talked about why God isn't punishing us with the Coronavirus, and Joel talked about the Semmelweis Effect.

In the main segment, Joel, Jose, and Mike talked about the impetus for creating Where Peter Is, an online Catholic media outlet. Much of the conversation focused on Pope Francis' vision of the Church-- and how right-wing reactionaries have tried to thwart that vision through the use of Catholic media that has become increasingly similar to Fox News. We also talked about some of Pope Francis' critics, from Cardinal Burke to Raymond Arroyo, as well as allies, from Cardinal Tagle to Austen Ivereigh. We end the segment by looking forward to who Mike thinks could inherit the papacy.

In the final segment, Joel talked about a pianist named Olafson and encouraged people to check out healthdata.org. Jose ended the show by giving a rundown of the Netflix series called The Tiger King. 

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 43: We Teach from a Distance

Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

In this episode, Joel and Jose were joined by Jose Segura, the President of the Santa Maria Elementary Education Association, to discuss the impact the Coronavirus is having on California teachers. Due to the fact that this is a rapidly evolving pandemic, it should be noted that California schools are now closed for the remainder of the academic year.

Because of social distancing, this was our second episode to be recorded via Skype, so please bear with us as the sound quality wasn't especially at its finest. We will improve the sound, hopefully, as we do more episodes using Skype.

As we started the episode, Joel grabbed himself an 805, Jose finished off the Coronas, and Jose Segura poured himself a chocolate stout.

For their FRED Talks, Jose talked about the need to use this shelter-in-place time to work on your interior life, Jose Segura talked about the luxurious quality of sweat pants, and Joel sought clarity about discerning God's will in prayer.

In the main segment, Joel, Jose, and Jose Segura talked about how teachers have adapted to the world of distance teaching. They also talked about how the initial school closure was met with resistance by local teachers because the school district insisted that teachers teach remotely from inside the campus, rather than at home. They also talked a little about when they thought we would be returning to campus-- and whether or not we would get our Chromebooks back from students.

In the final segment, Jose Segura talked about the new season of Westworld, while Joel talked about the show The Plot Against America and Jose talked about the Showtime series Dexter. 

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 42: We Practice Social Distancing

Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

In this episode, Joel and Jose were joined by Luke Laurie to discuss the Coronavirus pandemic. This was recorded almost a week beforehand, so the information, while accurate at the time, doesn't capture the worsening situation we face today.

Because of social distancing, this was also our first episode to be recorded via Skype, so please bear with us as the sound quality wasn't especially at its finest. We will improve the sound, hopefully, as we do more episodes using Skype.

As they started the episode, Joel and Jose poured themselves some Coronas, both as a bit of gallows humor and a show of solidarity with the Corona company.

For their FRED Talks, Joel sat this one out, but Jose talked about the global population of Catholics, a topic on his mind as they prepared to discuss a global virus.

In the main segment, Joel, Luke, and Jose talked about the Coronavirus. They talked about the origin of the Coronavirus, as well as why it is also called Covid-19. They also talked about the mishandling of the pandemic by the Trump administration, as well as the lack of urgency at all levels of government until it was too late. The trio also talked about ways to prevent catching the virus and flattening the curve. If you would like to know more about this virus, then this is the episode you need to listen to!

In the final segment, Joel talked about some bands that he has been listening to lately, and Jose shared his impressions of the Hulu docu-series entitled Hillary.

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 41: We Remember Kobe Bryant

Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

In this episode, Joel and Jose were joined by Jesse, Jose's brother, to discuss the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and the other victims of the tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. 

As they started the episode, Joel and Jose poured a delicious pint of Howling Gourds: Pumpkin Ale, while Jesse poured himself a cold soda.

For their FRED Talks, Joel talked about the exciting sport known as frisbee golf-- also known as frolf-- and Jose talked about the potential introduction of married priests in the Amazon (**update: Pope Francis punted on the issue for further discussion). This latter topic was of particular interest to Joel, who's father was a married Lutheran pastor. 

In the main segment, Joel, Jesse, and Jose talked about the death of Kobe Bryant. It was a shocking and unexpected death and one that tore at the hearts of people all across the country and the world. Jesse and Joel are huge basketball fans, so they dived into the details of Kobe's career, while Jose talked about some of the cultural impact. The trio also confronted the issue of rape allegations made against the NBA legend and how that dramatically changed his life; Jose brought up the fact that Kobe was returned to his Catholic faith by this major failing. They wrapped up by talking about how Kobe's death and the subsequent tributes hit them especially hard.

In the final segment, Joel talked about a show called The Outsider. Jesse talked about binge-listening to the Your Own Backyard Podcast and some of the recent developments in the case. Jose, on the other hand, watched Ad Astra and was struck by the theme of the film. Let us know if you followed our recommendations!

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 40: We Get Interviewed

 Welcome back to Conversation on Tap!

Unfortunately, we have had some technical difficulties that have set our Podcast back a bit, but we have been purchasing some new audio recording equipment and are ready to get back into the Podcasting game!  In the meantime, we have been granted permission to share the episode of the Dad's Podcast Project that featured Joel and I as guests. We were awe-struck by how professional Ramon's Podcast was, which is what inspired us to step-up the quality of our show.

Also, I want to acknowledge that this is our two year anniversary as a Podcast! Woot woot! Here's to 2020 being our breakout year!

Please go check out The Dad's Podcast Project both in audio and visual form. We hope to see you guys very soon!

Cheers!

Episode 39: We (MISC)

Welcome back to another episode of Conversation on Tap! In this episode, Joel and Jose had a potpourri conversation-- we talked about several random topics!

As they started the episode, Joel and Jose poured a delicious pint of Frothbite IPA by Alvarado Street Brewery. The can's label was hilarious and the beer was tasty. We highly recommend it.

For their FRED Talks, Jose talked about Pope Francis's 83rd birthday, while Joel talked about "cute aggression."

In the main segment, Jose and Joel talked about the impeachment of Trump, which seemed to really set Jose off. That segued into a discussion about which 2020 candidate was the most viable in running against Trump. From there, Joel brought up the attempts by some Christians to create a duality between the material and the spiritual, which lead into a discussion about Christmas. Jose then took some time to discuss his frustrations at work, but Joel talked him off the ledge. As they wrapped up, they talked about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and offered final predictions.

In the final segment, Joel gushed about a band called Big Thief and Kiwanuka. Jose, on the other hand, really enjoyed The Irishman. Let us know if you followed our recommendations!

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cheers!

Episode 38: We Love Being Dads

Welcome back to another episode of Conversation on Tap! In this episode, Jose interviewed Ramon Campoamor from the Dad's Podcast Project, who joined Jose to discuss the joys-- and struggles-- of parenthood. Unfortunately, Joel was dealing with a family issue and could not be present for the interview, but he was able to record the beginning and end of the episode. Let's please keep Joel and his family in our prayers for good health!

As they started the episode, Joel and Jose poured a delicious glass of SoCal Kooks by Humble Sea Brewing Company.

For their FRED Talks, Jose talked about the Vatican's Devil's Advocate, while Joel quizzed Jose about some mind blowing facts presented by Life Hacker.

As Jose began the interview with Ramon, they talked about the health of Ramon's daughter, who recently had to have an MRI. They also discussed the state of society whereby both parents have to work and have an income, even though many families would prefer to have one of the parents stay home to raise their children. They also had an amusing chat about being competitive with your children-- and not letting them win. They also talked about the rise of the anti-vaccination hipsters who are ignorantly causing the return of long defeated diseases, such as measles. It was such a great conversation about being a parent, especially a parent who has to find time to record, edit, and publish Podcast episodes!

In the final segment, Joel gushed about a band called Sault, which he discovered through NPR. Jose encouraged folks to check out the new Podcast from America Magazine's Michael O'Loughlin entitled Plague: Untold Stories of Aids and the Catholic Church. Check it out!

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. And be sure to follow Ramon's Podcast wherever you listen to Podcasts!

Cheers!

Episode 37: We Want Justice for Kristin Smart

Welcome back to another episode of Conversation on Tap. We were especially honored to be joined by Chris Lambert from the Your Own Backyard Podcast, who joined us to discuss the disappearance of Kristin Smart in May 1996. But first we pour ourselves a tasty pint of Devil's Gulch Hazy IPA.

For our FRED Talks, Jose talks about how Vatican City has the world's largest crime rate, while Joel waxes poetic about how people are rather pessimistic about the state of the world.

As Joel and Jose interview Chris Lambert, they first ask him some questions about how he got into the subject of Kristin Smart and how he quit his job in order to complete his Podcast project (support Chris at this GoFundMe). The conversation turned to focus on the life of Kristin Smart and what we know transpired on that fateful Memorial Day weekend in 1996. They also discussed the evidence that clearly ties Paul Flores to her disappearance, as well as his parents as likely accomplices in the cover-up. They also discussed the incompetence of the Cal Poly Campus Police, which led to the 1998 Kristen Smart Bill. As they wrapped up, they asked Chris about what he thinks happened and what he has planned for the future of the Podcast.

In the final segment, Joel and Jose gushed about The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda. Check it out!

That's all for this week, but keep up with the Podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. And be sure to follow the Find Kristin Smart Facebook page for all of the news regarding the ongoing investigation! #justiceforKristin

Cheers!

Bonus Episode: We Don't Worship Kanye

In this episode of Conversation on Tap, I sit down with myself over an Easy Jack IPA to discuss the supposed conversion of Kanye West. Caution: I am not particularly kind to Kanye, Kim, or Trump-- or Joel Osteen. It's a brief 20 minute soliloquy, but I pack in quite a bit of theology, politics, and music, so brace yourself. This is a bonus episode, so stay tuned for episode 37, which will be an interview with Chris Lambert, the creator and host of the Your Own Backyard Podcast. So, stay tuned! Cheers!