Curmudgeon's Corner

Curmudgeon's Corner is a weekly current events podcast

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Automated transcripts available on episode detail pages starting with Ep 836

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2025

Most Recent Episodes

January 2025

[Ep 917] 2024 Predictions Review [2:28:22]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Jan-04 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Jan-05 10:22 UTC


A year and a week ago, Sam and Ivan made their prognostications for 2024 on the annual Curmudgeon's Corner predictions show. There was a new one for 2025 just last week. But it is now time to see how they did on their 2024 predictions. Was their crystal ball clear and crisp? Or foggy and dull? Listen in to find out!	0:01:02 - Politics 0:49:30 - International 1:11:41 - Economy 1:26:01 - Technology 1:57:37 - Hodgepodge

[Ep 918] Doubled Down [2:04:12]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Jan-11 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Jan-12 07:12 UTC


This week on Curmudgeon's Corner Ivan and Sam return to the normal format. No predictions, just yammering about stuff. On the serious side we have Zuck's changes at Meta, the fires in LA, and, of course, Trump. On the lighter side we have discussions of taking time off, returning to the office, and the importance on not pinching pennies on your chair. So there ya go!	0:01:30 - But First Lengthy Time Off Returning to Office 0:39:58 - Ivan Stuff Office Chairs Zuck Changes 1:18:44 - Sam Stuff LA Fires Trump

[Ep 919] Stock Peanut [1:59:35]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Jan-18 UTC
Published: Mon, 2025-Jan-20 10:29 UTC


On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner, Sam and Ivan seemingly do everything they can to avoid talking about the end of the Biden presidency and the impending start of Trump's. So the topics are Starship exploding, attending inaugural balls (not Trump's though!), email classification and spam filtering, and the TikTok ban. And extra bonus strange noises at the end.	0:00:00 - Cold Open 0:04:55 - But First Exploding Starship Inaugural Balls 0:40:39 - Email Stuff iOS Mail Classification Spam Filtering Printing Email 1:11:25 - TikTok Stuff Ban Upheld Reasons for Ban Trump the Savior Refugees on Rednote Resolution Options 1:53:36 - Chewbacca Noises

[Ep 920] Everything They Deserve [2:23:54]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Jan-25 UTC
Published: Mon, 2025-Jan-27 01:59 UTC


This week on Curmudgeon's Corner Sam and Ivan can't avoid it any more, and start talking about the new Trump presidency. They talk specifically about the January 6th pardons and the actions against DEI programs, but more generally they talk about how to Trump everything is about commanding attention. Plus a few other random things to round things out.	0:01:10 - But First Paper Mail Voice Mail Replacement Chair Patreon Updates 0:40:28 - Ivan Things Perception Vs Reality Actions Vs Rhetoric Attention and Money Scorched Earth 1:28:42 - Sam Things Jan 6 Pardons DEI Shutdown DEI Benefits Using AOC

February 2025

[Ep 921] Wishy Washy [1:55:09]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Feb-01 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Feb-02 03:39 UTC


On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner, Ivan calls out to celebrate his birthday, so Sam is joined by guest host Bruce, who picks this week's topics. After the usual frothy stuff at the start of the show, we get an update on what happened with Oceangate, a discussion of the implications of Deepseek, and Bruce's libertarian take on the first 11 days of the Trump presidency.	0:01:45 - But First Bruce's 2024 Predictions CC's TikTok Clips Sam's Media Reviews 0:23:05 - Tech Stuff Oceangate Deepseek 0:58:18 - Trump Stuff Spending Freeze Israel/Gaza Killing DEI J6 Pardons Panama and Greenland Immigration

[Ep 922] Emotional Damage [2:03:46]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Feb-08 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Feb-09 03:08 UTC


This week on Curmudgeon's Corner Ivan returns to the fold and joins Sam to talk about stuff. The usual stuff. Like birthday celebrations, iPads, and busy offices. But then yeah, of course the majority of the show is about everything going on with the still young second Trump presidency. Because of course it is. It is unavoidable.	0:00:38 - But First Ivan's Birthday Exhausting News Busier Office iPad Options 0:33:08 - Domestic Unrealistic Demands for Dems FAFO Anecdotes Court Challenges Trump Strategy 1:19:12 - International Territorial Expansion Ukraine Progress Trump's Gaza Plan Tariff Drama

[Ep 923] Rightfully Concerned [1:21:27]
Recorded: Fri, 2025-Feb-14 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Feb-16 09:25 UTC


On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner Sam and Ivan talk about Trump and Musk and Adams, including tariffs and deficits and foreign policy and approval numbers. You know. All the stuff. Plus Sam liked The Mitchells vs the Machines. And there ya go. A show. A short show. But a show.	0:00:22 - But First World Too Small Sam Movie: The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021) 0:07:32 - Ivan Stuff Reciprocal Tariffs Saying Without Doing Deficit Reduction Trump Approval Numbers 0:41:14 - Sam Stuff Mayor Adams Drama Musk Dominance Moves Process vs Results vs Appearance Trump Foreign Policy

[Ep 924] Hot Molton Lava [2:12:05]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Feb-22 UTC
Published: Mon, 2025-Feb-24 08:29 UTC


On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner Sam and Ivan hit all the political highlights in the middle segment of the show. And for the last segment, by special request, they discuss recent plane crashes. But before all of that, gardening, science fairs, and the TV show Bones. Plus bonus hemorrhoids! You all wanted that, didn't you?	0:01:16 - But First Gardening Science Fairs Hire Sam TV: Bones (2005-2017) 0:38:32 - Politics Ukraine Reversal European Security Budget Negotiations Trump and Russia again 1:32:35 - Planes Hemorrhoids General Aviation Crashes DC Plane Crash Toronto Plane Crash

March 2025

[Ep 925] Tie Them Down [1:41:47]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Mar-01 UTC
Published: Sat, 2025-Mar-01 23:13 UTC


This week on Curmudgeon's Corner Ivan and Sam go into the Trump vs Zelenskyy spat in the Oval Office and all the downstream implications of the radical change in US foreign policy direction. Plus a discussion of how various media outlets, and the corporate world more generally are obeying in advance. But first! An outing in a fast car, and a review of the 2016 version of Ghostbusters!	0:00:43 - But First Repetitive Travel Ivan at High Speed Movie: Ghostbusters (2016) 0:31:08 - Trump vs Zelenskyy Oval Office Encounter USA's Global Role Global Chaos Economic Chaos 1:05:17 - Obeying in Advance MSNBC Shakeup Other Media Changes Non-Media Potential Violence

[Ep 926] Threeway Again [1:35:55]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Mar-08 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Mar-09 05:30 UTC


Ivan is out, so Sam brings on Ed to cohost this time, who with his medical background gives us a full helping of medical news, from the measles and bird flu outbreaks, to discussion of preventative medicine, and even Gene Hackman's death. Not everything is medical though. We also get trip reports from India and Nepal, discussion of private prisons, and Ralph Breaks the Internet!	0:00:24 - But First Ed Not Ivan India Nepal Movie: Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) 0:21:46 - But Second Gene Hackman's Death Measles Outbreak Fentanyl Trends Bird Flu 1:00:08 - But Third Private Prisons Deportations Preventative Medicine Defacing Teslas

[Ep 927] One Square Meter [2:02:03]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Mar-15 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Mar-16 17:28 UTC


This week on Curmudgeon's Corner Sam and Ivan talk about the latest Government Shutdown and related drama, and how some Democrats are rising to the moment, and others are just... not. They also discuss all the recent stock market turmoil and implications for the larger economy. Plus also how immigrants see the US, low information voters, Tesla, Musk, travel bans... and Stargate SG-1!	0:02:13 - But First Immigrant Impressions Low Information Voters Importing Authoritarianism TV: Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007) 0:47:46 - But Second Strange Coordinates Shutdown Politics Ineffective Dems Effective Dems 1:16:16 - But Third Stock Market / Economy Intentional Recession? Tesla/Musk Stuff New Travel Bans

[Ep 928] A Little Bit Too Expired [1:54:31]
Recorded: Sat, 2025-Mar-22 UTC
Published: Sun, 2025-Mar-23 21:20 UTC


On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner, Ivan is traveling, so Sam is joined by his wife Washington State Representative Brandy Donaghy, who gives some insights to the goings on in the State Legislature, including the current state budget issues. Plus her take on the national situation. Before that though, a review of a documentary on an old family friend.	0:01:05 - But First Brandy Not Ivan Movie: Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty (2021) 0:16:53 - Washington State WA Budget Crisis Spending Cuts and Taxes Other Legislation Town Halls 0:58:32 - USA National 50501 Movement Diversity Information Purge Federal Spending Cuts National Democratic Approach

Credits

The Curmudgeon's Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch.
Our intro is "The Oh of Pleasure" (Amazon MP3 link)
Our outro is "Celestial Soda Pop" (Amazon MP3 link)
Both are from the album "Deep Breakfast" (iTunes link)
Please buy his music!

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They are released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

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