Ben and Joel talk about the financial meltdown, Alberto Gonzales, Winston Churchill and the novel Netherland.

Questions considered in this podcast:

• Can anybody talk intelligently about Israel and Gaza?

• Will the Democratic Congress be the undoing of President Obama?

• Is science fiction a legitimate art form?

• What impact can a mentor have on your life?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Halfway Home," TV on the Radio
• "I Know What's Best," The Anniversary
• "Get Better," Mates of State
• "Acknowledgement," John Coltrane

Questions considered in this podcast:

• Can Barack Obama get Americans to believe that the country is on the "right track" again?

• Should Obama's administration investigate its predecessors for war crimes?

• Is "The Office" a comedy or a tragedy?

• Does PBS' series on comedy, "Make 'Em Laugh" make anybody want to laugh?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "The Prelude from Carmen," Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Paris

• "Knives Out," from "Rockabye Baby! Lullabye Renditions of Radiohead"

• "The Office," The Scrantones

• "Make 'Em Laugh," Donald O'Connor

• "Dancing Choose," TV on the Radio

Questions considered in this podcast:

• Is President Obama really closing Gitmo? Why don't conservatives believe him?

• Are the Obama tribute songs in the NPR songwriting contest any good?

• Is "Lost" a thinly disguised allegory on the Bush Administration?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Fitz & Dizzyspells," Andrew Bird.
• "Be The Change," Kat Edmonson.
• "Struggle Leads To Grace," Rachel Griffin.
• "There's No One As Irish As Barack Obama," Corrigan Brothers.

Questions considered in this podcast:

• Stimulus (Uh! Good God, y'all!) What is it good for? (Absolutely nothing?)

• Is Rush Limbaugh's power good for the country or the Republican Party?

• Can The Daily Show survive Barack Obama's presidency?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Brown Betty," Billy Paul.

• "My City Was Gone," The Pretenders

• The Daily Show theme song.

• "Another World," Antony and the Johnsons.

Questions pondered in this podcast:

• Will the stimulus package save the economy or bring about our doom?

• Is Barack Obama adopting the Bush Administration's anti-terrorism tactics?

• Are the best conservative movies of the last 25 years actually conservative?

No Joel in this edition -- he really was working on Sunday when we recorded. Instead, Ben Boychuk, Dr. Zaius, and special guest Rick "Deregulator" Henderson jibber-jabber about:

• The demise of the Rocky Mountain News and the future of journalism;

• Whether free-market think tanks can play a role in stemming the socialist tide;

• President Obama's proposed budget, in which Ben and Zaius spar over who deserves the blame for the federal government's present spending spree.

(As with Monty Python's "Full Frontal Nudity" episode, there isn't nearly as much libertarianism in this ep as you might like, but perhaps enough to excite the imagination.)

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Tank!" Yoko Kanno & Seatbelts (from the "Cowboy Bebop" OST)

• "Lend Me My Train Fare," Johnny Dyer (from "Listen Up!")

• "Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist," Johnny Dyer with Rick Holmstrom (from "Listen Up!")

• "Sheep," Pink Floyd (from "Animals")

Dr. Zaius joins us once again, to address questions considered in this podcast:

• Is President Obama to blame for the economy?

• Who knows more about the market: Barack Obama or Jim Cramer?

• Is "Watchmen" any good, or is it pretentious hooey?

• Are comic book movies proof that the medium has matured, or that America is continuing down an infantilized death spiral?

Articles referenced in this podcast:

• "Is it Obama's economy now?" by Ben Boychuk and Joel Mathis, Scripps Howard.
• "Graphic Novel's Edge Is Dulled in Adaptation" by Philip Kennicott, Washington Post.
• "Legendary Comics Writer Alan Moore on Superheroes, The League, and Making Magic," Wired Magazine.

Music heard in this podcast

• "This Tornado Loves You," Neko Case.
• "All Along The Watchtower," Jimi Hendrix.
• "Georgia On My Mind," Willie Nelson and Branford Marsailis.

Just Ben and Joel this week, discussing whether funnyman Jon Stewart's confrontation with frenetic finance guy Jim Cramer heralds a new populism or simply proves that Cramer is a boob. Maybe the Daily Show hasn't lost its mojo after all?

Also, is Ross Douthat the perfect conservative for the New York Times?

Finally, will e-books replace traditional books? Is the Kindle worthwhile? Ben and Joel talk about reading on the iPhone -- and what they might do in the event of a cataclysm of some sort.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Apes of Wrath," The Space Cossacks
• "Homey, You're Wasting Ammo," Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
• "Thé à la menthe," Nikkfurie La Caution
• "Time is Tight," The Clash

Questions considered in this podcast, which is seasoned with the libertarian stylings of Monkey Robb:

• Is the AIG bonus scandal a distraction from fixing the financial system?
• Is the Obama presidency already endangered by his handling of the financial crisis?
• How much pain should society endure to allow the "creative destruction" of capitalism to occur unimpeded?
• Is the complexity of the financial system just a fancy way of masking a system-wide Ponzi scheme?
• Has Neko Case hit on a new method of selling albums in a failing music industry?
• Is her new album any good?
• What kind of musicians will thrive after the record industry collapses?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Red Tide," Neko Case.
• "Don't Forget Me," Neko Case.
• "Marais la Nuit," Neko Case.
• "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth," Neko Case.

Ben and Joel are joined in this week's podcast by Macworld Editor Jason Snell for a lively discussion of:

• Meghan McCain and the pros and cons of "sickening bipartisanship";
• How Dungeons & Dragons may be an apt metaphor for political polarization in these crazy times;
• Whether President Obama's new Afghanistan policy really advances America's strategic interests;
• Why the Battlestar Galactica series finale still disappoints Joel a week later and why Jason thinks Joel is all wet;
• And what's in everybody's Netflix queues.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Taxi Driver: A Night Piece for Orchestra-Prelude," by the Los Angeles Philharmonic (from Bernard Herrmann: The Film Scores)
• "H.T.," by Tsuneo Imahori (from the Trigun: The First Donuts OST)
• "Starman," by John C. Reilly (from the Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story OST)
• "Meet The Flintstones," by the Monty Alexander Trio (from Triple Treat, Vol. 1)

Ben and Joel are joined again by Monkey Robb. Thought there'd been libertarian talk on the podcast before? You ain't seen nothing yet!

Questions considered in this podcast:

• Is it time to stretch our understanding of politics beyond the boundaries now offered by the Republicans and Democrats?
• Are Republicans and Democrats actually quite similar to each other?
• Would a multi-party parliamentary democracy serve America better than the current two-party winner-take-all system?
• Even if it would, will America ever be ready to adopt that system?
• Are neophyte libertarians just so cute you want to pinch their cheeks?

Music heard in this podcast:

• Theme from "Hawaii Five-O."
• "I'm Henry The Eighth I Am," Herman's Hermits.
• "Rated X," by Loretta Lynn.

Question unanswered in this podcast: Did Ben, Joel and Robb really talk so much there'll be a bonus podcast later this week? Did they really argue the economic merits of gold versus potatoes?

Lisa Schmeiser of Filthy Commerce joins Ben and Joel in this edition of the podcast to discuss:

• Why tax hikes are inevitable -- and not just for the "rich";
• How America's days of enjoying cheap, Chinese-made imports are likely numbered;
• Americans' unhealthy obsession with "stuff"... lots and lots of stuff;
• What Joel really thinks about Glenn Beck;
• What Ben really thinks about Disney's shareholders;
• How Pixar has broken the tension between art and commerce.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Innit for the Money," by James Mathus and His Knockdown Society (from National Antiseptic)
• "The World Is Gone," by the Peter Thomas Sound Orchester (from The In-Kraut, Vol. 3)
• "Don't Let Money Be Your God," by the James Taylor Quartet (from Creation)
• "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'," by Fred Wesley and the J.B.s (from Funky Good Time: The Anthology)

Ben's voice has deserted him. But no fear: Joel is joined by Deregulator, Dr. Zaius and Robb for a discussion that's almost entirely politics-free. What else do these guys have to talk about? Books, of course!

Books discussed in this podcast:

• "To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever: A Thoroughly Obsessive, Intermittently Uplifting, and Occasionally Unbiased Account of the Duke-North Carolina Basketball Rivalry" by Will Blythe.
• "Watchmen," by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
• "The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World" by David Wells and "Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church" by Michael Horton.

Coming soon: Reading great American books with Ben and Joel.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "The Changeling (Get Guilty)," by A.C. Newman.
• "Rebellion" by Arcade Fire.
• "Across the Wire," by Calexico.
• "Videotape," by Radiohead.

Monkey friend and movie critic Christian Toto was a guest on the Dennis Miller show this week to preview the summer movie season.

In short...

Wolverine: Will do blockbuster business. Good action, wish the story wasn't as complicated as it was.

Star Trek: Trekkies need to have a bit of an open mind.

Angels and Demons: Not a fan of the books, so the movies have left Christian a bit cold.

Terminator: Anything with Christian Bale is worth watching, and the trailer looks awesome.

Night at the Museum: Kids will drag parents to see it, but great cast is on hand to entertain adults. "If there's one can't-miss film, this is probably it."

Transformers: Megan Fox will be in it. So no worries. Predicts $100-plus in the first weekend.

Harry Potter: The movies have been getting darker and more complex as they go along. Eager to see Jim Broadbent do another classic character actor turn.

Risky Summer films: The new Borat film, "Brüno." We also may see this summer that Judd Apatow has running out of creative gas.

Be sure to listen to the whole thing. The funny and smart banter is not to be missed.

It's independent's day on the podcast, which returns with gusto after a brief hiatus. Ben Boychuk and guest host Robb Leatherwood talk "post-partisanship" with Jackie Salit, an activist, political consultant, executive editor of the Neo-Independent and spokeswoman for IndependentVoting.org.

Among the issues Ben and Robb discuss with Jackie Salit:

• Just who are these independent voters, anyway?
• Is there an independent agenda?
• Is the independent movement left, right or center?
• How did 19 million independents end up voting for Barack Obama?
• What are the most important policy changes needed for an independent voting bloc to grow and thrive?
• Is "post-partisanship" possible, let alone desireable?

After you've listened to the podcast, watch Jackie Salit's video presentation, "How the Independent Movement Went Left By Going Right."

Music heard in this podcast:

• "In It for the Money," by Supergrass
• "Bossa Per Due" by Nicola Conte
• "Sun Hits the Sky," by Supergrass
• "Lunera," by Trio Electrico

Joel Mathis and I take a break from politics to have a wide-ranging discussion about movies and film music with Washington Times critic/Denver film maven Christian Toto and Fistful of Soundtracks host, blogger and fledgling comics writer Jimmy J. Aquino.

Among the vexing subjects we tackle with our guests in this edition:

• Whether Drag Me to Hell is suitable for toddlers and why Sam Raimi should be admitted the Overrated Artiste Club.
• How the symphonic tradition up and moved to Hollywood and whether soundtracks deserve more respect than they get
• Why Ed Asner should be made into an action figure and Walter Matthau was a great if unlikely action hero
• Who deserved to get the Matthau role in the Taking of Pelham One Two Three remake
• Christian Toto's childhood in a Turkish prison
• Remedies for Joel's summer snobbery
• Why comic books may hold more promise as a story telling medium than film or TV
• "And much, much more!"

Alas, none of us had seen UP when we recorded this episode, but if we had, I might have confessed to bawling through half the movie. Because I'm a sap.

After you've listened to the podcast, visit What Would Toto Watch and A Fistful of Soundtracks. And graphic novel fans may want to check out Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, which feature's Aquino's story, "Sampler."

Jim writes on his blog of the experience:

Ben and I are from opposite ends of the political spectrum, but there's one thing we agree on: the awesomeness of the scores of Yoko Kanno, Michael Giacchino, Jerry Goldsmith and Basil Poledouris. Many of the scores Ben and I like are ones that are listenable outside of the movie or TV show. During the chat, I admitted that some of the scores I enjoy and have chosen for airplay on A Fistful of Soundtracks are from movies I've never even seen, like the 1999 cannibal horror flick Ravenous. It's an interesting discussion about music in movies, and I got to talk about aspects of film music and AFOS I haven't even addressed on this blog yet!

I'm sure there's more than one thing we agree on. But he's right!

Music heard in this podcast:

• "High Anxiety Main Title," by Mel Brooks and John Morris (from "High Anxiety: Mel Brook's Greatest Hits Featuring The Fabulous Film Scores of John Morris")
• "Up with Titles," by Michael Giacchino (from "UP")
• "Enterprising Young Men," by Michael Giacchino (from "Star Trek")
• "Chase," by Giorgio Moroder (from "Midnight Express")
• "Making Time," by Creation (from "Rushmore")
• "Main Title," by David Shire (from "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three")
• "The Great Migration," by James Horner (from "The Land Before Time")
• "Brock Graveside," by J.G. Thirlwell (from "The Venture Brothers")
• "End Titles," by Vangelis (from "Blade Runner")

After taking a little too long to edit, Ben and Joel's June 20 podcast is now available. The dynamic duo consider the following questions:

• How should the U.S. respond to the protests in Iran?
• Are you going to buy the iPhone 3GS?
• How much do we love Spinal Tap?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "I Ran So Far Away," Flock of Seagulls
• "Antenna," Sonic Youth
• "Big Bottom," Spinal Tap

Joel and I spoke with John Temple, the former editor and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News and the man who hired us to moderate RedBlueAmerica.com, about the future of the news media. Temple, who has turned to blogging with gusto, recently wrote a provocative 10-part series on what he would do to revive newspapers' flagging fortunes.

Temple is as provocative in the interview as he is on the blog. "If you're not adding value you shouldn't do it in print," he told us. "Because there's no way you're going to be reporting the news in print, unless you're the one making the news." Among the other questions we tackle in this edition:

• Is it enough for newspapers to merely be newspapers?
• What shouldn't local newspapers be covering?
• Is the crisis that's affecting media organizations merely the result of dumb business decisions?
• What did the glorious failure of RedBlueAmerica teach us?

Music heard in this podcast:

• Excerpts from Ferde Grofe's "Tabloid Suite," including "Run of the News," "Going to Press," and "Sob Sister."

Questions pondered in this podcast:

• How much music is it possible to listen to and still find songs and albums worth cherishing and listening to again?
• How much destructive power is William Shatner capable of?
• Hello, Lucille, are you a lesbian?
• Do heavy metal songs really sound better when covered by a band playing Moog synthesizers?
• Remember mixtapes?
• Are kids today losing anything by having the entire universe of music available at their fingertips?
• Is William Shatner actually awesome?

Music heard in this podcast (deep breath):

• "Just Give 'Em Whiskey," Colourbox.
• "Sex Gun," Colourbox.
• "Symphony No. 3: V. Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck," Gustav Mahler.
• "Theme From Cyrano/Mr. Tamborine Man," William Shatner.
• "Hello, Lucille, Are You A Lesbian?" T. Valentine.
• "Sweet Home Alabama," Moog Cookbook.
• "Hot Doggie," Colourbox.
• "Magic Johnson," Red Hot Chili Peppers.
• "Common People," William Shatner.

Philadelphia Weekly movie critic Matt Prigge joins us. Questions discussed in this (belated) podcast.

• Which side of the health care debate has the real Nazis?
• Why won't President Obama read the bill?
• Does the lack of bill-reading in Congress signify a government run amuck, or is it just a reflection of the complexity of legislation?
• Why do we love John Hughes' movies? Or do we?
• Was Hughes really a Republican?
• Is Ben Stein a pox on society?
• Is there a modern-day John Hughes?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "I Don't Need No Doctor," Ray Charles.
• "Don't You (Forget About Me)," Simple Minds

Monkey Robb joins Ben and Joel for this edition of the podcast. Questions pondered therein:

• Is health care reform really needed?
• Does the insurance model make sense for covering the cost of health procedures?
• Are there ways to extend coverage and remove bureaucracy from coming between Americans and their health care providers?
• What are conservative and libertarian options for reform, beyond saying "no" to Democratic proposals?
• Is tort reform workable?

But we're not all sourpusses. We also talk about IMDB's "Top 15 Movies of the Millennium" list. Robb, Ben and Joel each give their lists -- with zombie movies, superheroes and Pixar getting prominent mention on each.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Sick Boys" - Social Distortion
• "National Health (live)" - The Kinks
• "Sick of Myself" - Matthew Sweet
• "Still Ill" - The Smiths
• "Experimental Film" - They Might Be Giants"
• "Skateaway" - Dire Straits
• "No Bone Movies" - Ozzy Osbourne
• "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" - Steely Dan
• "Film Theme" - Simple Minds

Our last discussion about health care, fascinating though it was, lacked a certain level of expertise on the subject. In this episode, Ben is joined by David Burkhart, who when he isn't lurking in the shadows of Infinite Monkeys is consulting with hospitals on how to navigate the ins-and-outs of bureaucracy while continuing to turn a profit.

Also joining us is the Heartland Institute's Jim Lakely, a.k.a. Dr. Zaius at Infinite Monkeys. Joel sat this one out.

(By the way, we recorded this one a couple of weeks ago -- and before President Obama's address to the joint session of Congress. But it still holds up!)

Among the questions we discuss:

• Can Medicare be fixed? If not, how does the government expect to fix the whole health care system?
• Which typeface is better for treating a sick person? Times New Roman or Helvetica?
• Are medical savings accounts worthwhile?
• Is health care reform akin to intelligence reform?
• Should presidents even bother with sweeping reforms during their first year in office?
• Is Obama trying to take over the Internet? Or is the real threat that the Internet will become as efficient as the Department of Homeland Security?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Blast Off" - The Monks
• "Complication" - The Monks
• "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy" - The Monks
• "Monk Time" - The Monks
• "He Went Down to the Sea" - The Monks
• "Oh How To Do Now" - The Monks
• "Treat Me Like Your Mother" - Dead Weather

(Welcome Corner readers by way of No Left Turns. It's a long interview, but worthwhile. Download the file, pour a cup of coffee and enjoy.)

The Age of Reagan, Volume 2Steven F. Hayward, author of The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution, 1980-1989 and a stirring op-ed in the Sunday Washington Post, "Is Conservatism Brain-Dead?" joins Ben and Joel for this edition of the podcast.

Among the Big Questions we discuss:

• Who are we? What do we stand for? What's it all about, man?
• Is conservatism brain dead?
• Can constitutionalism save the country?
• Was George W. Bush a superficial Reaganite?
• Could Reagan pass a conservative purity test?
• Is Sam Tanenhaus all wet about Edmund Burke?
• Is Glenn Beck just a high-brow Morton Downey Jr.?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "1976" - RJD2
• "Shot in the Dark" - RJD2
• "Clean Living" - RJD2
• "Disconnected" - RJD2
• "Making Days Longer" - RJD2
• "A Beautiful Mine" - RJD2

With Halloween a couple of weeks away, we decided to take a break from horrifying politics and terrifying public policies to talk about merely scary movies. In this edition of the podcast, Christian Toto (WhatWouldTotoWatch), Matt Prigge (Philadelphia Weekly), and Jason Snell (Macworld) join Ben and Joel to talk about what's awfully good entertainment and compile a list of 15 fine and frightening flicks for October 31.

Among the Burning Questions we discuss:

• Can a non-horror fan enjoy horror movies?
• What makes a real horror fan?
• Are the best horror movies the least explicit?
• Who is the target audience for scary movies nowadays? (Hint: It isn't young men ages 18-35 anymore.)
• Why do we like George Romero so much?

Music heard in this podcast:

• The Horror - RJD2
• Roar! (from Cloverfield) - Michael Giacchino
• The Crawlers Attack (from The Descent) - David Julyan
• I Walked with a Zombie - Roky Erickson and the Aliens
• Partytime (from Return of the Living Dead) - 45 Grave
• The Shining (Main Theme) - City of Prague Philharmonic
• Psycho Suite - Bernard Herrmann/Elmer Bernstein
• The Gonk (from Dawn of the Dead) - Herbert Chappell
• Monster - Peter Thomas Sound Orchester

Ben and Joel bring Michael Anton -- a former speechwriter for a host of GOP bigwigs, including former New York Mayor Rudoph Giuliani -- to discuss Joel's Philadelphia Weekly essay suggesting that the Republican Party isn't equipped to compete for votes or actually govern Philadelphia ... or other big American cities.

Questions discussed in this podcast:

• Why aren't Republicans more popular in big cities in the northeast?
• Do they have to give up "culture war" considerations to make a dent with city voters?
• Should Republicans even try to build their party in those cities, or should they rely on the occasional great candidate?
• Can we do anything to save the tie from Casual Fridays?

Music heard in this podcast.

• "Bright Lights, Big City," by Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis.
• "My City Was Gone," by the Pretenders.
• "Fist City," by Loretta Lynn.
• "Beat City," by the Raveonettes.
• "Living for the City," by Ike and Tina Turner.

Our own Dr. Zaius had the first segment of the Hugh Hewitt Show on Friday with guest host Carol Platt Liebau to discuss the perils of FCC-imposed "network neutrality." The segment was too short -- we made up for it with this week's podcast. But you can marvel in the Hewitt show's superior production values and bask in Jim's wisdom.

Ben minus Joel is joined by a finite group of Infinite Monkeys -- David Burkhart, Robb Leatherwood and Jim Lakely -- to discuss the pros and cons of network neutrality and to preview the Autumn of Apple.

We had originally planned to talk about medical marijuana, which might or might not explain Ben's introduction. But the net neutrality discussion turned into a real knockdown, drag-out among Lakely -- who is co-director of the Heartland Institute's Center on the Digital Economy and managing editor of Infotech and Telecom News -- Leatherwood and Burkhart, both of whom have professional backgrounds in information technology.

If you have no idea why net neutrality is controversial or why you should care about the issue, you must listen to this episode.

After listening to the discussion, however, you may find yourself in need of a drink. Ben and David talk about applejack, calvados, pommeau and various apple-infused cocktails in a sequel to the Winter of Apple.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Capitalism" - Oingo Boingo
• "The Internet is for Porn" - Lea DeLaria (from Avenue Q Swings)
• "I'm Free" - The Rolling Stones
• "Touch of Grey" - Grateful Dead
• "Applejack" - Dolly Parton
• "Applejack" - Dave Appell & The Applejacks

Ben and Joel are joined for this episode by Nicole Gelinas, contributing editor of the Manhattan Institute's City Journal and author of the forthcoming After The Fall: Saving Capitalism from Wall Street and Washington (Encounter). Gelinas's writing on what led up to the 2008 financial collapse and what's happened in the aftermath cuts through the cant and clichés of conventional wisdom.

Among the questions we discuss:

• Have Republicans missed the boat on minimal regulation?
• What does "proper regulation" look like?
• Why do Americans oppose bailouts?
• Is globalization limiting America's economic recovery?
• What's the next bubble?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "We're in the Money" - Golddiggers 1933
• "Fork in the Road" - Neil Young
• "The Great Bank Robbery" - Jerry Van Rooyen
• "Gimme Some Money" - Spinal Tap
• "The Big Money" - Rush
• "You Can See Me" - Supergrass
• "Utopian Steak" - The Joel Mathis Experience

Ben and Joel are joined in this episode by National Review columnist and contributing editor John Derbyshire, author most recently of We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism (Crown Forum). Derbyshire is nothing if not candid and doesn't skirt controversy in this wide-ranging interview about his book.

Among the questions we discuss:

• Are we doomed?
• Can politics save us?
• Should women have the right to vote?
• Is the culture irredeemable?
• Should people conceal their biases?
• What's this business about Ice People and Sun People?
• Can religion save us?
• Should conservatives be anti-war?
• But seriously... are we absolutely, positively doomed?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Bad Times Are Just Around the Corner" - Noël Coward
• "I'm Against It" - Groucho Marx
• "Nineteen fifty-three: Ha ha ha ha... (paper chase)" from the opera "Powder Her Face" - Almeida Ensemble/Thomas Ades
• "Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999" (J.S. Bach) - Andres Segovia
• "Symphony No. 6 in A minor: First movement" (Mahler) - San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas
• "Beautiful World" - Devo

Ben and Joel are joined this episode by Dan Weintraub, a newly independent journalist and columnist for the Bay Area edition of the New York Times. Weintraub, who's covered California politics for more than 20 years, is author of Party of One: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of the Independent Voter (Polipoint Press). And until about a month ago, Dan was a senior editor and columnist for the Sacramento Bee -- where he and Ben briefly (very briefly) crossed paths. He's currently working on a nonprofit health care policy news site, which is scheduled to launch in February 2010.

Among the questions we discuss:

• Is nonprofit journalism the future, or a future, of journalism?
• What can a nonprofit news site do that a traditional media organization cannot?
• What is the New York Times doing in the Bay Area?
• Is Arnold Schwarzenegger a failed governor?
• What's the deal with Jerry Brown?
• Is California governable?
• Does California need to be governed so much?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Land of Soul" - Shawn Lee
• "We're Not Gonna Take It" - Twisted Sister
• "California Dreamin'" - The Bald Eagles
• "California Uber Alles" - Iquattrocentocolpi
• "California Here I Come" - Al Jolson
• "Chancer" - The Von Bondies

Perilous TimesIt's the holidays. Hanukkah is just about over and Christmas is just a few more shopping days away. So what do we decide to talk about? Sedition and liberty during wartime, that's what.

Joel and I had the great pleasure of interviewing University of Chicago Law Professor Geoffrey Stone about civil liberties and dissent for the latest podcast. Stone takes us on a brief history of seditious libel law and wartime dissent. He compares and contrasts earlier efforts by the government to bend the Constitution in service of war fighting with recent policies by the Bush and Obama administrations. Stone is author of Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime from the Sedition Act of 1798 to the War on Terrorism, War and Liberty: An American Dilemma, and Top Secret: When Our Government Keeps Us in the Dark.

Among the questions we discuss:

• Is it fair to say Fox News is guilty of sedition?
• Is there a difference between seditious speech and seditious action?
• How does Barack Obama's record on civil liberties compare to George W. Bush's?
• Should John Yoo go to jail?
• Should Yoo be fired from Berkeley?
• What does the War on Terrorism have in common with McCarthyism?
• Which is better: Jailing dissenters or wiretapping phones?
• Is the right to privacy doomed?

Music heard in this podcast:

• "Tradition" - Fiddler on the Roof OST
• "For Beginners" - M. Ward
• "Gut Feeling" - Devo
• "I'm Free" - The Rolling Stones
• "Every Breath You Take" - The Bad Plus
• "Freedom of Speech (Watch What You Say)" - Ice T

Ben and Joel are joined by Lisa Schmeiser, who writes the "Filthy Commerce" blog and is the "Dollars and Sense" blogger for the San Francisco Chronicle -- and contributes to a whole host of other print and online publications too numerous to list here.

Questions discussed in this podcast:

• Are Americans going to be frugal during this recession-stained holiday season?
• Are new credit card regulations a good idea?
• How about simply walking away from your debts?
• Can you save money by going to a cash-only budgeting system?
• What does the rise of Etsy mean for craft producers and buyers?
• Is the "Sons of Anarchy" the best thing about popular culture in 2009?
• Or is it "The Fantastic Mr. Fox"?
• Or maybe the new "Star Trek" movie?
• Or is the new "Star Trek" movie stuck in outmoded sexist thinking from the 1960s?
• And is this the nerdiest Ben and Joel Podcast ever?
• Yes.

Music heard in this podcast:

• "White Winter Hymnal," Fleet Foxes.
• "Where the Hell's My Money," Mojo Nixon.
• "Cash on the Barrelhead," Gram Parsons.
• "Making Up for Lost Time," TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb.
• "Enterprising Young Men," Michael Giacchino.