In this holiday ☃️ special Alberotle reads an intriguing, odd but hilarious short-story (“The Exclamation Point” published in 1885) by one of the greatest writers of all time: Russian playwright and short-story writer, Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). Channeling Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella A Christmas Carol (but with a bizarre twist!) the main fictional character of Chekhov’s story, Perekladin, learns to live life with feeling and emotion through the unexpected encounter of various unique ghosts of…punctuation!!! So, go grab your big mug of thick eggnog, get warm and cozy next to your crackling fireplace, and enjoy this Chekhovian Christmas 🎄 episode!
You can also find this short story from a book entitled Fifty-Two Stories published by Alfred A. Knopf (2020), translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.
❄️ ❄️ ❄️
From ASP Stuff Radio, wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas, and a safe and joyous holiday season!
The wait is finally over, fans! ASP Stuff Radio return for their 90th episode after their one and a half year hiatus. Certainly your heart grew passionately fonder (or is it yonder?) for the show during the painful, prolonged absence. But the wait is worth it for after two years of arduous and painstaking filmmaking Albertotle has at (long) last released his first three-hour cinematic masterpiece I Love Saul and Hairy (2022) which interestingly is one of the main reasons why the hiatus was necessary. In fact, the completion of the film gave rise to the main topic of this anticipated episode where Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato go deep as they discuss various thought-provoking philosophical and existential themes that the film is built around.
Finally, with Thanksgiving quickly approaching ASP gather around the table with their thoughts and wattles intact and indulge in a couple of exciting Thanksgiving games, one more philosophical in nature, the other requiring less rigorously mind-numbing thinking: Thanksgiving trivia! So, get ready to carefully gorge on a meaningful, long-awaited and fun-packed episode of traditional stuff that is distinctly spiced with the quirky flavor of ASP Stuff Radio!
After a three month hiatus the ASP trio finally reunite. In this latest episode, they return to the diamond to talk Giants baseball. With their worst stretch in the first half only being a 4-game losing streak, the S.F. Giants logged the best record in all of baseball (58-32) at the All-Star break. Paulato provides a brief overview of the SF Giants’ strong first half performance and each Stuffer shares his best and worst moments that stood out from the season so far. They next re-evaluate manager Gabe Kapler’s sophomore campaign with the Giants so far and his coaching staff, breaking down the keys to their success. Finally, the inquisitive trio raise critical questions on various topics, like how this Giants team is uncharacteristically hard-hitting, whether the home run derby is relevant in the 21st century, what’s with the MLB’s sticky-stuff crack down, whether Giants fans should be concerned about a 2016-esque second-half collapse and are Kap’s hipster glasses prescription?
ASP close the show with a unique game in podcast history called “Homeless: Choose Your Own Adventure!” What would you do if an apparently unhealthy homeless guy relatively indecently exposed decides to have a meal at your restaurant?
Don’t swing and miss out on this overly stuffed episode of baseball talk in a way only ASP Stuff radio can deliver.
If you’ve ever been curious about the logical absurdities of knowing nothing, what dwells near the constantly expanding boundaries of the universe, and the lost art of baseball then ASP Stuff Radio, the quirkiest podcast in the Milky Way Galaxy, has you covered! In their latest episode Alberotle critically evaluates the self-refuting nature of Socratic wisdom, Steveocrates sheds some cosmic rays on GN-z11, which is considered “the most distant galaxy” known to mankind (approximately 13.4 billion light years away from the Earth), and Paulatogives an update on the S.F. Giants and shares his thoughts about a great interview from a podcast called Giants Talk featuring Jake Peavy (former Giants pitcher and CY winner) who expresses his concerns about the “auto-tuning” of baseball, i.e., how the “human element” is at risk in an analytics-driven baseball universe. So, even though you might not be able to book a trip to GN-z11 just yet you can still enjoy listening to this packed episode while traveling around planet Earth, which may or may not exist in 13.4 billions years.
We survived a dark Winter and with Spring upon us, so is baseball! The three revered baseball experts from ASP Stuff Radio dust off their cleats, strap on their jock strap and their COVID masks (or the same thing for Kap) and break down the game like no one else can. As they hustle to first, they analyze potential analytics-driven rule changes to the game and why they’re being considered. As they turn to second, they hone in on the Giants and take a swing at guessing the opening day roster. They ask philosophical questions like, will this lineup be good enough to compete with the top teams in the league like the Doyers and Padres? Or will they fall flat on their face in another pandemic-filled season? Why won’t the baseball fly like it used to, what are key things to watch for on the Giants this year, and why would the Giants diss the great Donovan Solano? Finally, as fast as a MadBum snot rocket, they round third and head for home to make their season win total predictions. See who actually projects 100 wins for this team! Move over Dodgers! You still only have one World Series this century.
ASP pack their latest episode with stuff that will augment your cognitive abilities to the posthuman state, and likely increase your stress hormones! Paulato discusses an interesting parallel between the circumstances surrounding the 2020 US presidential election and Germany’s Weimar Republic, noting that although election fraud fundamentally undermines America’s democratic republic so does a violent reactionary revolt (and its potentially negative future repercussions) that occurred, and could have been worse, at the Capitol on January 6th, 2020. Alberotle explores Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, which develops implantable brain-machine interfaces (aka ‘neural lace’), and its connection with a popular social and philosophical movement known as transhumanism. And finally, Steveocrates shares his concerns on his experimentation with a controversial infant sleep training method called the Ferber method, or the “Cry it Out” approach, one that we particularly encourage our listeners to adopt as you listen to our show!
After a two month hiatus, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato unite in this episode by engaging in a fruitful but heated, critical discourse on alleged election fraud of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. What better way to unify a divided nation? The trio, however, does share a wide range of stuff demonstrating just how much we all have in common: our unwitting consumption of nanobots, our simple enjoyment of Alex Trebek’s Jeopardy–a memorable show that transcends demographics across the globe–and our partaking in various life distractions in order to avoid confronting Albert Camus’ notion of the ‘absurd’. There’s certainly a lot more that unites us than divides us. Enjoy the show!
Seasons greetings to all! In this Christmas special Alberotle narrates a few passages from an old mass paperback that was published in 1982 by Nelson Doubleday, Inc., entitled A Little Book of Christmas: A treasury of stories, songs, tradition, gift ideas, recipes and good cheer to help create a joyous holiday. There’s quite a bit of interesting Christmas stuff that you will learn, and now you can share and show off your yuletide knowledge at holiday cocktail parties. So, kick-start your fireplace and grab a big glass of thick eggnog while you enjoy this little Christmas episode!
Wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas, and a safe and joyous holiday season!
Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato assemble in separate bunkers to share some pretty, pretty intriguing stuff in this mind-bending episode. Alberotle provides an analysis of Joe Biden’s warning in a presidential debate that the world is “about to go into a dark winter.” Steveocrates discusses the Darvaza gas crater or what is also known as the Door to Hell located in Derweze, Turkmenistan. And Paulato highlights five great moments of Hunter Pence’s baseball career. Earlier this year Reverend Pence, the four-time All-Star former Giant, announced his retirement. We wish him great success in all of his endeavors, especially with his coffee business called Coral Sword. ASP concludes the show with a discussion of the scary stories they wrote for Spooky Stuff 2, which you can listen to in episode #81. In the meantime, enjoy this episode chock-full of stuff!
Steveocrates and Paulato at AT&T Park perfectly capture a wonderful moment of Hunter Pence at the plate clobbering his first big home run as a Phillies against Madison Bumgarner (August 4th, 2011)
“I am retiring from baseball.” –Hunter “Reverend” Pence
Love him or hate him, “the Donald” is our president. And since the predominantly one-sided corporate mainstream media tends to report only on the negative aspects of Trump we probably are unaware of his noteworthy accomplishments. In fact, listening to the media one might think that Trump has accomplished very little during his presidency. Quite the contrary. Hence, this episode will highlight some of the positive achievements of Trump while serving his first term as president.
What better way to celebrate five years of ASP Stuff Radio than to listen to four dark, spooky tales from our 2nd annual Spooky Stuff Halloweenepisode! The show opens with Paulato’s “The Gruesome Gourd” where a malevolent flying gourd torments innocent villagers of Circleville by spewing out pumpkin guts all over their faces. Steveocrates’ “The Grim Sleeper and Death but Not by a Thousand Cuts” is the second tale about a sinister death industry that specializes in the systematic execution of various alien species across the Snickerdoodle constellation through the use of devious grim reapers. ASP Stuff Radio is proud to announce that the third spooky tale, “The Nothing,” was written and submitted by one of our dedicated listeners, Timothy Knowles. In his haunting semiautobiographical story a young Knowles encounters a formless ominous entity that continues to plague his mind. Finally, in Alberotle’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Plumb or: How the World Came to an End,” we learn about the strange and horrific demise of Dr. Alexander Plumb and the rest of humanity.
Enjoy these four spooky stories while you enjoy indulging in candy corn flavored popcorn! Oh, and this time you can vote for the story that spooked you the most. See the polls below! HappyHalloween!
Woody Allen, the critically acclaimed American film director, screenwriter, actor, and writer, is notable for his regular Monday night performance at the Café Carlyle with the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz band. On one particularly memorable rainy Monday evening, December 9th 2019 Alberotle (possibly patient zero) and Steveocrates had the fortunate opportunity to meet the remarkable Woody Allen at the Carlyle Hotel located on the Upper East Side of New York City. But before “all that jazz”, they visited a number of historic landmarks during their ephemeral stay at the Big Apple. In this episode the trio of minds excitedly and at times neurotically discuss their NYC trip leading up to the much anticipated Woody Allen encounter!
George Gershwin’s “The Blue Danube, Op. 314” (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
Music recordings at the end of this episode were taken from the December 9th, 2019 performance of Woody Allen and the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band at the Cafe Carlyle in New York City.
The pandemic-filled Major League Baseball season is in full swing, and the three aspiring all-stars of knowledge and perspective stretch out their brains to discuss the state of the San Francisco Giants. Tune in to hear what they each think are the key aspects of the season to look out for with some thought-provoking questions from the show’s special listeners and fans. The trio even goes deep to take on whether baseball and the Giants, in particular, should be clear about how they really feel about racial inequities in the country at large. So tighten up your cleats, pull your socks up as high as Hunter Pence, strap on your cup, be sure to wear a face mask and get ready to round the bases in this latest must listen episode of ASP Stuff Radio.
The Star Child from Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey
In the near future Steveocrates will be fathering a new baby human earthling. Congratulations? Was it morally right for him to bring new life into an ephemeral material existence in light of the undeniable fact that the world is filled with very bad things that will inexorably lead to misfortune, misery, pain and suffering? Very few ponder this question as it would seem to undermine our compelling biological instinct to procreate and promote the survival of our human species. In this episode the trio of minds discuss the philosophical view known as anti-natalism and other being-related questions: does a baby human know that it is a human being (and not a cat or woolly mammoth) and more important, what features constitute a good parent of a newly created human being?
Speaking of ontology, this episode concludes with a unique game called “Guess that Bean!” where Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato have to guess the other person’s bean (or legume) of choice with the aid of an original short story, poem or list of bean-related fun facts.
Enjoy the show, and remember: be all that you can be!
After an extended absence from the podcast waves, ASP Stuff Radio returns with episode #77 by commemorating Steveocrates’ six-month work assignment at our nation’s capital. In a rare occurrence, Steveocrates plays host with Alberotle and Paulato providing invaluable commentary. As an excited temporary resident to the area, Steveocrates notes that Washington, D.C., represents our globe’s first truly free country, and to our nation’s first inhabitants it was a fresh start: no more monarch or military ramming thoughts into their brains and throwing them into jail for looking at someone the wrong way. It was our forefathers’ opportunity to eat, drink, think, and live however they wanted without being judged or persecuted. Another group of old farts couldn’t steal their hard-earned income just because they said so, nor could they discriminate against them just because they praised God, Allah, or a fart in the wind.
Steveocrates found himself in frequent exploratory mode visiting the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building, the Library of Congress, Arlington Cemetery, and several Smithsonian museums. He even braved the shores of our National Mall’s Reflecting Pool, hung off the cliffs of Mt. Vernon, escaped friendly fire from the Secret Service and top FBI special agents, and even dared to look into the dead cold eyes of an alien cadaver hidden in a basement of the Octagon!
The episode concludes with a bout of D.C. trivia in which Alberotle and Paulato test to see what bits and pieces of knowledge Steveocrates was able to retain during his six month journey at the nation’s capital.
“Fife Feature: Lowlands Away/Trenton from the George Washington Show” by The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps From the Free Music Archive Attribution CC BY
“”Star Spangled Banner (Band and Chorus)” by The U.S. Army Band (YouTube Music)
While Steveocrates and Paulato are on special assignment, Alberotle in solipsistic fashion contemplates the nature of love (or “luff”) on a leap day and shares an intriguingly odd theory of love set forth by Aristophanes, the Greek comic playwright, in Plato’s well-known philosophical work the Symposium. There seems to be a bit of biting truth to this strange myth of the missing half as it explains why people who are in search of love experience a lack or absence of something while those who are already in love feel complete or whole. Woody Allen couldn’t have expressed it more succinctly in his film Love and Death, “to love is to suffer. To avoid suffering, one must not love. But, then one suffers from not loving. Therefore, to love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer, to suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love, to be happy, then, is to suffer, but suffering makes one unhappy, therefore, to be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much happiness — I hope you’re getting this down.” Enjoy the show!
ASP Speak! Not too long ago in the Milky Way galaxy, members of ASP Stuff Radio critically reviewed the third and possibly (but unlikely) final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and epic Star Wars saga: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato discuss the general plot line as well as highlight some of the various positive and negative aspects of the sci-fi adventure film. Finally, the ASP Resistance introduce and play a new game called “Guess that Gaffe!” Can you spot the gaffe in Donald Trump’s heavily-breathed speech about Iran after missile strikes in Iraq? Get your (Star Wars) geek on and enjoy the show!
Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato put on their mind-altering thinking caps and investigate the philosophical implications of Precrime as depicted by Philip K. Dick in his 1956 science fiction story The MinorityReport which was later adapted into a film in 2002 by Steven Spielberg. Does the sophisticated system of Precrime thwart human “free will,” and should any society adopt this drastic form of preemptive justice to punish people for breaking no law? It turns out that this style of predictive policing has to some extent “become a reality”.
Another daunting task that ASP tackle are the numerous intractable philosophical issues surrounding Thanksgiving: What does it mean to be thankful, anyway? Does a turkey know that it’s a turkey? If a turkey gobbles in a forest and nobody is around to hear it does it make a sound? These questions and many others will surely induce mental if not stomach cramps at the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for listening to ASP Stuff Radio!
Season four of ASP Stuff Radio begins with a special, spooky Halloweenepisode in which Alberotle narrates three dark tales written by the ASP trio. In Paulato’s “The Orange Tale-Tell Heart” a horrifying orangecreature haunts every human by instilling fear and dread in their hearts. Steveocrates’ “Brothers of Doom” tells a twisted tale of three maniacal brothers who design a highly sophisticated computer simulation that can manifest the countless, deadly fears of humanity. Finally, Alberotle tells a story about the strange death of a young philosopher who has been mentally grappling with the nature of his own existence in “The Absurd Death of a Philosopher”.
Enjoy these three spooky stories while you indulge in some sweet delectable chocolates. HappyHalloween!
Charles Gounod‘s “Funeral March of a Marionette” performed by Eastern Wind Symphony (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
In the season 3 finale of ASP Stuff Radio, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato discuss the overall season and performance of the 2019 San Fransisco Giants as well as share their top three positive accomplishments, and bottom three negative aspects or moments of the season. Finally, ASP also share their favorite Bochy memory, baseball move in a game or character trait in celebration of Bruce Bochy’s twelve years of brilliantly managing the San Francisco Giants. We salute you, Boch! Thank you for the wonderful long-lasting memories!
If you enjoy listening to our shows please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making informative stuff for your listening pleasure!
Music Credits:
Music: “Keg Baseball” by Centz
From the Free Music Archive
Attribution CC BY
Music: “Susie the Cat-Boss” by Checkie Brown
From the Free Music Archive
Attribution CC BY
After an extensive hiatus from ASP Stuff Radio Steveocrates and Paulato finally return and join Alberotle in a discussion of The Alberotle Report, a meticulous and thought-provoking analysis of the origins of the fabricated Russiagate conspiracy. Do not fret if you haven’t listened to the entire four-part series (from episodes 67-70) for Alberotle provides a concise summary of each segment of the report before the trio of minds engage in conversation.
Alberotle Report update: Although the unverified claim has been circulating throughout various mainstream news outlets for years, it wasn’t until late May 2019 in an op-ed for the Washington Post that we learn that (at least, and as far as I know) former FBI director James Comey boldly claims that Joseph Mifsud is a Russian agent. Curiously, special counsel Robert Mueller never refers to Mifsud as an agent of Russia in his 448-page report, which was released to the public in April 2019. Nevertheless, it is still a mystery as to who officially cooked up the controvertible idea that Mifsud is a Russian agent.
If you enjoy listening to our shows please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making informative stuff for your listening pleasure!
Music Credits:
Epidemic Sound: “As Life Turns Around” by Magnus Ringblom Quartet, “Nocturne” by Gunnar Johnsen, “When You’re In The Dark” by Gunnar Johnsen, “Antitode X” by Van Sandano, “It’s Perilous” by Michael Rothery, “Zeno’s Paradox” by Oh The City
At long last: the ‘overstuft’ series finale of The Alberotle Report, an extensive and informative analysis of the corrupt foundation of the Russiagate scandal. Part four reveals an alternative and more plausible “narrative” of the source of the controversial DNC emails that were published (leaked) by WikiLeaks, one that debunks the widespread, propagated allegation that the GRU (or Russian intelligence agents) “hacked” the DNC servers and provided thousands of stolen documents to WikiLeaks which exposed the fraudulent and “deceptive conduct” of the DNC and Clinton campaign, namely, their collaborative efforts to manipulate and influence the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries in favor of Hillary Clinton. The narrative also involves the mysterious, unfortunate and unresolved tragedies that struck 27-year-old DNC staffer (data analyst), Seth Rich, and 38-year-old process server, Shawn Lucas, who served a class action lawsuit against the DNC and former chairwomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Finally, Alberotle discusses the circumstances that led to the sudden arrest of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, election interference and whether a Trump presidency would even have benefited Russia if it is true that Russian hackers compromised the DNC servers to “sway” the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election in favor of Trump.
If you enjoy listening to our shows please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making informative stuff for your listening pleasure!
Review(s):
“I enjoyed listening to The Alberotle Report. It is more concise and entertaining than the tiresome and inaccurate Mueller Report!” –Gita Atma Jaya
“Its a breath of fresh air to hear a new perspective on Russiagate….Finally, a voice that isn’t so nasally like those odd people on NPR.” –Gunther Kagan
Music Credits:
Epidemic Sound: Cody High “Contemporary Confusion”, Van Sandano “Antitode X”, Ethan Sloan “Breeding Crime”, Ethan Sloan “Qubit”, Michael Rothery “Unveiled”, Michael Rothery “In the Aftermath”, Michael Rothery “It’s Perilous”, John Barzetti “Fluorescent Lights”, Emil Axelsson “Fun While It Lasted, Edward Joe Myers, “Seeking the Divine”, Emil Axelsson “Shadow Rest”, Emil Axelsson “Perspective”, Michael Rothery “Not a Game”, Emil Axelsson “I Think I Was There”, Lotus “Leaf Edge”, Oh The City “Zeno’s Paradox” Howard Harper-Barnes “To All the Glory”
YouTube Audio Library: Ether Oar, “The Whole Other”, Imagine A New Darker You “The Tower of Light”, Sextile “Fuscia”, MK2 “U Make Me Feel”, Sextile “Dreaming Blue”, Geographer “After All”
“Our entire intelligence apparatus was weaponized to alter a Presidential Election….The chain activity may rise all the way to the top. How does a nation prepare itself to deal with that level of criminality?” —Jeff Carlson
In part three of this four-part series on the corrupt origins of Russiagate, Alberotle digs deeper into the roots of the infamous “Steele dossier” and exposes (1) how the unverified document made its way to the press and various government agencies, and (2) why it was used as fabricated evidence to obtain a Title I Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act probable-cause order (or FISA warrant) authorizing electronic surveillance on Carter Page, a low-level Trump campaign advisor. Finally, Alberote wades into the subterranean world of the Russiagate scandal, namely, how unauthorized surveillance (or spying) on innocent American citizens provided the basic framework of the Russia collusion narrative against the Trump campaign.
If you enjoy listening to our shows, please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making informative stuff for your listening pleasure!
Music Credits:
Epidemic Sound: Cody High “Contemporary Confusion”, Michael Rothery “Chain of Events”, Michael Rothery “Unveiled”, Christian Andersen “In Another Lifetime”, They Dream By Day “Mellifera”, Gunnar Johnsen “When You’re In The Dark”
YouTube Audio Library: Biz Baz Studio “King’s Men”, Biz Baz Studio “Apprehensive at Best”, Bruno E. “A Stranger Thing”, Sextile “Anxious”, Geographer “Jay Sweeps”, Sextile “Fuscia” The 126ers “Secret Conversations”, Wayne Jones “White Hats”, Sextile “Crimson”
Alberotle proceeds with his ambitious four-part investigative report on the corrupt foundation of the Russiagate scandal. In the second part of this extensive series Alberotle critically examines the George Papadopoulos case that launched the FBI’s July 31, 2016 counterintelligence investigation (“Crossfire Hurricane”) into the Trump campaign, highlighting several crucial details that were omitted in Mueller’s report. Finally, Alberotle exposes the nefarious genesis of the infamous Steele dossier and how its construction serves as a genuine paragon of unlawful collusion between the Russian government and the Democratic National Committee, and the Clinton campaign.
If you enjoy listening to our shows, please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making informative stuff for your listening pleasure!
Music Credits:
Epidemic Sound: Cody High “Contemporary Confusion”, Gunnar Johnsen “Under The Surface 16”, They Dream By Day “Mellifera, Trevor Kowalski “Nocturne”
YouTube Audio Library: MK2 “U Make Me Feel”, Sextile “Fuscia”, Dan Boden “Fortress Europe”, Dan Boden “Khreshchatyk”, Sextile “Dreaming Blue”, Dan Boden “Leoforos Alexandras”, Jeremy Blake “Heaven and Hell”
On Thursday April 18, 2019 Robert Mueller’s report on alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to overthrow the 2016 US presidential election was released to the public. The result? Not a single American was charged with collusion, coordination or conspiracy with Russia. What, then, was the substantial evidence (if any) that served as the catalyst to embark on a two-year, $25 million inquiry on alleged conspiratorial ties with the Russian government? The Alberotle Report, which consists of four parts, critically addresses this important question maintaining that the Trump-Russia investigation is without sound justification and driven instead by political corruption.
In part one of this special four-part series Alberotle reviews and critically evaluates the conclusions of Mueller’s report focusing on the alleged obstruction of justice against President Donald Trump, followed by an examination of genuine cases of obstruction in regards to (1) the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of top-secret government information on her private and unsecure email server while she was secretary of state, and (2) the Democratic National Committee’s refusal to allow the FBI to examine their allegedly “hacked” computer servers by Russian officials. It is important to note that the Clinton email scandal is connected to the Trump-Russia scandal in that the false allegations concerning the latter was a cover-up of the former, a diversion tactic to draw attention away from the gravity of real crimes committed.
If you enjoy listening to our shows, please consider supporting ASP Stuff Radio so we can continue making stuff for your listening pleasure!
Music Credits:
Epidemic Sound: Cody High “Contemporary Confusion”, Christian Andersen “Beating Soundscapes 1”, Daniel Kadawatha “Beyond the Veil”, Trevor Kowalski “Nocturne”, Gunnar Johnsen “Danger For A Living 3”, Gunnar Johnsen “Under The Surface 16”, Zombie Raiders “Wave Saver”
Wayne Jones “Under Cover”
The Peoples Republic of Europe “The Temple”
“Envision” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Music: “Attempt 6” by Jared C. Balogh
From the Free Music Archive
Attribution CC BY
In episode #66 Alberotle brings to light a new controversial piece of potential “Big Brother” technology called “smart coolers” that enables products to scan the faces of shoppers, which is now being piloted in a Walgreens store in Chicago. The trio of minds also talk about the recent scientific discovery of inexplicable “cosmic light flashes” or fast radio bursts (FRBs) in the deepest, darkest parts of outer space. Does this suggest proof of intelligent non-human alien life? Some scientists do not rule out this possibility. Finally, Paulato discusses the impact that various factors, e.g., sabermetrics and free agency, have had on “the [tradition and] purity of the game” of baseball, and the San Francisco Giants.
Music: “Noiase improv anfd piyuaneo – nr. kamghiyeu afnd asteqwasrt” by Stewart Miller, Natalia Kamia, and other invisible entities
From the Free Music Archive Attribution CC BY
“La plus que lente” by Claude Debussy (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
The 2019 spring training baseball season is in full swing and Alberotle and Steveocrates had the chance to witness many players of the San Francisco Giants loosen up, do warm-up exercises and practice various baseball drills in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 19th, before their exhibition games. Steveocrates provides live commentary on some of the action-packed drills and thrills that were performed that day, including a real-life at-bat simulation. It isn’t often that Giants fans witness their favorite players like Buster Posey or Pablo Sandoval hit against Madison Bumgarner. Speaking of rare occurrences, Steveocrates was fortunate to have a conversation with Panda (albeit a terse exchange of words).
In addition to commentary, Alberotle and Steveocrates discuss the impact of sabermetrics in Major League Baseball and the gradual change of players, and therefore nature or “spirit”, of the S.F. Giants.
This relatively short episode is dedicated to (mostly) games since in episode #63 ASP primarily focused on Santa, Krampus and politics with no time left for a fun game. Plus, games seem to be the theme in television these days: Ellen DeGeneres‘ Game of Games, The Rock’s TitanGames and HBO’s Game of Thrones. So, sit back, play along and enjoy listening to Alberotle, Steveocates and Paulato have a metaphorical hand in the following two games that doesn’t involve smashing large concrete balls with a hammer or any kind of intense physical exertion, with the exception of exercising the bodily “organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull functioning as the coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity.”
Game #1: Word Sneak – A clever word game inspired by The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Each player is given a list of five random words to incorporate (in the order in which they were given) into a seamless conversation with the other players. The first to exhaust their five words is the winner. To follow along, below is the list of words assigned to ASP:
Paulato’s words:chimichanga, fireworks, afterlife, goat, black hole
Game #2: Balderdash (Movie Titles) – A twist on the classic Balderdash game where players need to guess the correct description of a real although very obscure movie title. Alberotle chose the 1972 not-quite-classic horror film “Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things”.
ASP Stuff Radio is fashionably late for Christmas or perhaps preparing for an early 2019 Christmas celebration. In any case, happy New Year to all of our listeners! In this first episode of 2019 Paulato delves into the competing origins of the modern day Santa Claus: should Thomas Nast, the “father of the American political cartoon,” take credit or the Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom whom which Coca-Cola commissioned to develop catchy advertising images? Or maybe Clement Moore, the American author of the Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” which is more famously known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” deserves some Christmas glory? After all, both illustrators were inspired by Moore’s descriptions of Santa in his literary Christmas classic.
Steveocrates then talks about the history of the Elf on the Shelf trend that kick-started back in 2005, founded by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell, while Alberotle turns to the dark side of Christmas and discusses Krampus, a “half-goat, half-demon” beast (antithetical to that cute elf and St. Nicholas) that punishes naughty kids, which is apparently having a recent revival in U.S. pop culture.
Speaking of the dark side, ASP conclude the show with politics (again) by critically evaluating the border wall issue: will this concrete barrier wall-fence-thing solve illegal immigration, or even pay for itself (besides Mexico “indirectly” paying for it)? Most importantly, is The Wall standoff worth shutting down the government for this long in United States history?
“Santa Claus in Camp” expresses Thomas Nast’s political colors by depicting a patriotic Santa siding with the Union, from Harper’s Weekly (1863).
Thomas Nast’s “Merry Old Santa Claus” from Harper’s Weekly (1881). This illustration really got the modern Santa ball rollin’.
“My Hat’s Off to The Pause that Refreshes” (1931). Sundblom’s “wholesome” Santa making his first Coca-Cola appearance.
Another Haddon Sundblom creation (1941). Take it easy on the Coke, Santa!
Sundblom & Coca-Cola (1945) working the masses thirst for a sugary concoction.
“Travel Refreshed” (1949), or more like “Drink, drink, drink!” Santa’s elf-like sidekick, Sprite Boy (from the Latin “spiritus” or spirit), later inspires the name for that other sugary liquid called Sprite, but without any elf-like ingredients.
In this year’s post-Thanksgiving episode, Albertole, Steveocrates and Paulato reveal and discuss the true origins of the official Thanksgiving holiday, as well as a few appetite-killing turkey facts that may leave you with a tough moral quandary for next year, if not an upset stomach. The real meat of the show, however, focuses on the poor living conditions of the majority of Indian reservations in America. Is this the result of what President Reagan’s first interior secretary, James G. Watt, said in 1983 “the failure of socialism”? Alberotle attempts to make a connection in light of and inspired by John Stossel’s coverage of this very important but often neglected issue.
To conclude on a high but not so lofty note, ASP play a game of Balderdash but with a twist: guessing the correct description of a real movie title, such as Don’t be a Menace to South Central while Drinking your Juice in the Hood (1996). Partake and enjoy our latest installment of stuff!
It has been three long years since the launch of ASP Stuff Radio, but what does that matter? Three is merely a number and time is illusory. Nevertheless, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato will freely continue, as long as they’re able, their quest for intriguing wide-ranging stuff that will make your head metaphorically spin! And in this Halloween special they discuss whether we (human beings) can make room for free will in light of an omniscient non-spooky Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. If the all-knowing Holy Ghost knows the future, then isn’t your so-called freedom to make trivial and substantial choices superfluous? If that doesn’t trigger your mental cramps, then consider the trickery behind the lottery, the next topic of discussion. Is it not “a kind of regressive tax on low-income earners”, or a play on false hopes if not a terrible low-risk “investment vehicle”? Finally, ASP critically evaluate a recent study on the “tricky evolutionary roots of sharing”. Such alleged behavior is claimed to be performed by bonobos, the closet relatives to humans.
All of that stuff, and more: a fun Halloween version of 20 questions that the trio of minds play to conclude their 3rd anniversary show!
Given ASP Stuff Radio’s penchant for political fodder, it would be impossible for Alberotle, Steveocrates, and Paulato not to put in their two cents regarding the controversial Kavanaugh-Ford hearing that took place at the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. Dr. Blasey Ford accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of trying to rape her when they were in high school, but Kavanaugh emphatically denies the serious accusation. Somebody is clearly telling a lie. In untangling this nation-wide and historical event, a heated dispute naturally ensues amongst the trio of conflicting minds.
Luckily, not all is politics in this recent episode for this is ASP Stuff Radio! Steveocrates and Paulato provide an excellent overview of sabermetrics, the application of statistical analysis to baseball records and a vital tool for evaluating the performance of individual players, and how it has changed the metaphorical landscape of the game of baseball.
Earlier this month Alberotle embarked on a research assignment concerning a curious sleeping disorder called night terrors, or what is also known as sleep terrors. Alberotle was fortunately able to conduct a wildly fascinating one-on-one interview, which you will hear in this episode, with a parasomnia specialist named Doctor Ag, who also teaches sleep disorders at the University of Arizona and wrote a national-bestseller called The War on Sleep Terror: When Terror Strikes Fear in our Slumbers. You don’t want to miss or sleep through the interview!
Finally, ASP conclude this nicely packed episode of stuff with a light-hearted, fall-themed game of Last Letter.
ASP Stuff Radio put the alleged polymeric “poster child” on center stage in this recyclable episode of stuff. Seattle is the first city to ban the use of plastic straws in bars and restaurants in an effort to reduce the plastic pollution, and great harm of marine life, in the world’s oceans. And soon California may become the first U.S. state to enact a similar ban prohibiting full-service, dine-in restaurants from offering plastic straws to customers unless they are requested. Alberotle, Steveocrates, and Paulato wrap their minds around this environmental issue: What is the origin of the ban on single-use plastic straws, and how much of an impact will it have on the environment? Are plastic straws the right polymer to pick on? Perhaps plastic-eating creatures like microorganisms, waxworm caterpillars and mealworms are the perfect solution to the plastic problem instead of government agencies infringing on our species sipping freedoms? And how well do ASP impersonate Tom Brokaw reading about plastic waste?
ASP also discuss the recent tragedy of the Mollie Tibbett missing person case as well as a very darkly disturbing (or humorous?) clip from an interview between Bob Garfield of On the Media and Cody Wilson, founder of Defense Distributed, concerning the legal issue to post blueprints for 3D-printable (plastic!) guns on his company website.
So, go grab your favorite beverage and multiple-use plastic straw (or no straw at all) and sip away while you enjoy listening to our latest episode!
Don’t worry, these old-school plastic six-pack rings are now manufactured to be 100 percent photo-degradable and will deteriorate in a few weeks. Some rings are designed to be safely consumed by marine animals.
In this illuminating episode of ASP Stuff Radio, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato discuss some of the root causes that have compelled Central Americans to migrate to the United States, most of which involves US policy and bananas. Because of the vast amount of historical information, Alberotle focused his research on the Honduran migration crisis which originated in the 1890s “banana wars,” a phrase referring to the United States domination over tropical trade in Central America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, the Reagan administration’s funding of Honduras’s ruling class, the most “developed political institution” in the country (its military), and their influence of economic policy helped restructure and ultimately undermine “traditional [Honduran] forms of agriculture.” But what really intensified the crisis was the 2009 military coup or the oligarchic overthrow of Manuel Zelaya, a liberal reformist who was “beginning to make some [beneficial] moves towards badly needed reform measures” which were beginning to thwart the interests of American fruit companies.
This is metaphorically heavy yet informative stuff. But we do transition to some lighter material: baseball. Paulato summarizes the overall performance of the San Francisco Giants in their first half of the 2018 baseball season, and discusses what needs to be done if they want a shot at the playoffs.
Finally, and continuing with a delightfully lighter and comical mood, ASP grapple with contractions and double negatives in relation with President Trump’s clarification of a phrase he uttered at a conference while visiting Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. When asked about Russia’s alleged involvement in election meddling he said “I don’t see any reason why it would be”–meaning he believes Russia had not meddled, although the following day he claimed he had meant to say “I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be”–meaning he believes Russia had meddled. In any case, I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t enjoy listening to our latest episode of ASP Stuff Radio!
ASP Stuff Radio return to political form in this latest episode as Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato analyze and discuss the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy as well as some naturally expected hyperbole in the mainstream media. But first, Alberotle makes an “unpresidented [sic]” observation of a major inconsistency in democratic values in relation with Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement announcement. It is argued that Trump will replace Kennedy with someone more harsh on abortion rights. Should this ruffle the same feathers of someone adamantly against the no-tolerance policy, one for which inevitably separates a child from his or her parents? The politically charged trio also talk about the Capitol Hill hearings that were taking place during the immigration obsession (a convenient distraction perhaps?) on whether, in light of a recent OIG report, several FBI agent’s anti-Trump views contaminated Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian inference in the 2016 US presidential election. Can an FBI agent conduct a fair and objective investigation on someone (i.e., “a f[***ing] idiot”) they vehemently hate?
This is a lot to figuratively chew on, so sit tight and be prepared for a heavy dose of political stuff on ASP Stuff Radio!
ASP Stuff Radio conclude the two part series tribute to the late Stephen Hawking. In this episode Steveocrates and Alberotle discuss the Hartle and Hawking “No-Boundary Proposal”—a theoretical explanation of what may have occurred before the inflation of the universe—along with some of its cosmic implications. Alberotle introduces some classical philosophy by drawing parallels between St. Thomas Aquinas’s first cause argument—a traditional argument for the existence of God—and the big bang theory, and how they share a critical objection: If everything requires a cause then what caused God, or what caused or happened before the “explosion” of matter-energy?It turns out that Aquinas and Hawking think alike albeit in different ways. Steveocrates talks about how our ordinary temporal notions of past, present and future are significantly undermined if we assume that space and time share a single continuum. To further whet the intellect we conclude with a popular game called Would You Modify The Universe? What cosmological features of the universe would you alter, and why?
The universe will never be the same with the absence of the brilliant star, visionary theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author of the best-selling book A Brief History of Time: From The Big Bang to Black Holes (1988). In this cosmic episode of ASP Stuff Radio, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato pay tribute to Stephen Hawking’s lasting legacy by discussing some of his big scientific ideas that have changed our view of the cosmos. Part one of this two-part special will focus on Hawking’s theory of the origins of the universe—how it might have all begun with a singularity—and his major theoretical discovery of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a black hole—famously known as “Hawking Radiation”—an historical scientific landmark as Hawking was the first physicist to bridge the gap between Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics.
ASP conclude this gravitational mind-warping episode by applying their scientific knowledge in relation with the non-scientific question “What would you do with twelve free pizzas?”
In this latest ASP Stuff Radio episode, the deep thinkers Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato dive into sports, specifically a recap of Spring Training for the San Francisco Giants. They discuss who looked good, who looked terrible and who should not be wearing short shorts to a baseball game. Besides disturbing sights, we talk about the mentality of the team going into the season, the tough April schedule and break down the roster from top to bottom. Please keep in mind this was recorded before the injuries to the Giants two-most depended upon starters this season, Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija. So don’t think we were just ignoring that big hurdle the team will have to overcome to start the season. No easy task! And Paulato gives his thoughts on the GOP tax plan…let’s just say, “50 extra bucks a month in your pocket now vs. a trillion and half extra dollars in deficit for a future generation to figure out? Sure, I’ll take it!” —Paulato
In this anxiously awaited and overdue episode, Alberotle and Steveocrates neurotically discuss various trivial, mental-cramp inducing stuff that occurred during the latter’s fun trip to the former’s undisclosed location. Why is it so difficult for employees of Sprouts Farmers Market to locate ice cream cones? If boba tea is served at a cafe, then wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that tea would also be served? Why didn’t the waiter put the baba ghanoush inside of Alberotle’s falafel pita sandwich instead of bringing a large plate of the delicious concoction that can serve 3-4 hungry customers? And what’s the deal with people repeating themselves or beginning their sentence with “Yeah, No”? These important, perennial topics (and more) are rigorously analyzed by some of the world’s greatest contemporary thinkers.
Sit back, relax and listen to another installment of ASP Stuff Radio, assuming you don’t mind having your cerebral feathers ruffled.
Inspired by and based on an episode of The Motley Fool’s podcast series Motley Fool Answers, ASP Stuff Radio dedicates the majority of episode 52 discussing and evaluating several important aspects of Congress’ Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that president Trump signed into law on December 22nd, 2017. Listen to find out how this trillion dollar tax bill may financially impact you this 2018 tax season. And if you’re not receiving an ample tax cut this year, then you might want to consider collecting crickets since they are, according to the fictional character, Melchizedek (the self-proclaimed King of Salem), of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, a symbol of wealth and fortune. Learn more on our show about the symbolism and meaning of these happiness-inducing insects.
Alberotle and Steveocrates conclude the overly taxing show with a couple of lighthearted, non-bookish games: (1) If you could “un-tax” anything that is currently taxed, what would you pick? and (2) What can fit in x, and starts with y?
Enjoy ASP Stuff Radio’s first show of the new year!
In this spirited Christmas episode ASP discuss a diverse set of topics that will surely kindle your intellect as well as help you relax from the madness of the holiday crunch, such as the origins of the Christmas stocking, and whether there was a time when Christmas was simply “magical” and not just about capitalism and consumption. In addition, Alberotle reveals the intriguingly bizarre word origin of pumpernickel and the recent scientific discovery of an interstellar asteroid-like object called Oumuamua (meaning “scout”) and whether it might be an artificially designed, super duper alien spacecraft.
Hold onto your spiked eggnog because ASP also debate whether parents should “talk” to their kids about controversial moral issues such as abortion. And, more importantly, whether parents should lie to their kids about Santa Clause. Sticking with the theme of lying, the episode concludes with a game called Funniest Christmas Presents where Albertotle, Steveocrates and Paulato each share three distinct Christmas gifts that they have received in the past, one of which is a blatant sham. Can you guess which one is not the correct gift?
Enjoy our Christmas special, and thanks for listening to ASP Stuff Radio this 2017th year of the Common Era! Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Festivus or whichever phrase suits your religious/political beliefs!
Music: “The Christmas is in Another Castle” by Badgerland From the Free Music Archive Attribution CC BY
“Anon – Medieval Dance Tunes Sequence” by Maria Girbiat https://musopen.org/music/period/medieval/ (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
Commemorate Native American Heritage Month with friends and family by downloading and listening to our fiftieth (50th) episode of ASP Stuff Radio! Just like a plethora of enticing sides on the Thanksgiving dinner table, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato offer a variety of alluring stuff for your enjoyment: ASU’s latest Origins Project (a so-called “great [one-sided] debate” on climate change hosted by theoretical physicist, Lawrence Krauss); Thanksgiving myths and Frank James’s truthful but censored 1970 speech about the Pilgrims and Native Americans; and Ronan Farrow’s discovery of Weinstein’s “army of spies” who were hired to quash the allegations of rape and sexual harassment made against him. The latter topic leads to a widely discussed issue on whether or not we can or even should separate the art from the artist. Could you thoroughly enjoy Louis C.K’s TV series Louis despite his questionable moral character, or appreciate the musical brilliance of Richard Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries independent of his virulent anti-semitism?
Finally, what better way to unwind your mind from this mentally cramping stuff than to participate in a game of Turkey Stuffing: Unorthodox Stuff that People Insert into their Jerky Turkey!You may be surprised by the various food items that people have incorporated into their Thanksgiving stuffing. ASP Stuff Radio would like to know if you’ve unconventionally stuffed your turkey with anything that wasn’t mentioned on the show. Send us your bizarre stuff at aspstuffradio@gmail.com
Happy Halloween, ghouls and ghosts! Episode 49 kicks off ASP Stuff Radio’s third season and it is stuffed with spooky stuff such as Tom Hank’s obsession with collecting old typewriters and a spine chillingly great review of Christopher Nolan’s film, Dunkirk. Steveocrates was fortunate to attend a live NPR event where David Greene, one of the hosts of NPR’s Morning Edition, interviewed Tom Hanks, the two-time Academy Award winner and frequent urinator in many of his movies, at the Bovard Auditorium in Los Angeles. The interview is intended to promote his new collection of short stories, Uncommon Type, and Steveocrates provides a general overview of the conversation. (At the end of the show you will hear a snippet of another NPR interview where Hanks discusses the overwhelming craze for his SNL character, David S. Pumpkins.)
Paulato provides compelling reasons to add Dunkirk to your queue with his excellent review of Dunkirk. In addition, he briefly summarizes ASP’s 2017 MLB playoff predictions. So far, Alberotle is in the lead for betting that the L.A. Dodgers will win the 2017 World Series.
Finally, ASP play a frightening Halloween game called The Zombie Apocalypse. Will they survive if blood-thirsty, mindless zombies invaded their school? Listen and play along to find out!
In our season 2 finale (ignore Albertotle, the 48th episode is the season finale) ASP Stuff Radio go nuclear in this episode of explosive stuff! Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato discuss some of the reasons, and general historical context, that underlie the North Korean missile crisis, one for which involves a heated verbal fistfight between a “mentally deranged dotard” and a “little rocket man.” Can we prevent global catastrophe despite numerous failed attempts at diplomatic efforts? Let’s hope so, because according to the Doomsday Clock, it is two and a half minutes to midnight.
To “take a knee” or not to “take a knee,” that is the next “hot” topic the trio of minds debate in light of the recent N.F.L. anthem protests that was fueled by Trump’s condemnation of “sons of bitches” who “disrespect [the] flag.” Paulato calms things down a bit as he highlights some special moments of the San Francisco Giant’s 2017 season despite a poor performance of the team. Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato also share their favorite Matt Cain memory as his career as a Giant has come to an end [insert crying emoji here].
Speaking of endings, ASP conclude the episode with a highly anticipated game of ASP Stuff Battles, between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. Whose stylish hairdo do you think would ultimately prevail in a catastrophic nuclear war? Be sure to cast your vote below or on our Twitter page!
P.S. Stay tuned at the end of this episode to hear Noam Chomsky’s discussion of the U.S. rejecting multiple peace proposals made by China and North Korea in an effort to freeze the North Korean missile and nuclear weapons systems.
Credits:
Music: “Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1 – I. Allegro” by Ludwig Beethoven, performed by Daniel Vessel
From the Free Music Archive
Attribution CC BY
Music: “Attempt 6” performed by Jared C. Balogh
From the Free Music Archive
Attribution CC BY
“Cry for human bodies, not celestial bodies!” In the second to last episode of ASP Stuff Radio’s season two finale, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato break down (not during) the hyped up 2017 solar eclipse that occurred on Monday, August 21st. In particular they expound their insightful and somewhat bleak views on why so many people were verklempt while protectively gazing at the total eclipse of the central celestial body of ‘our’ solar system. Furthermore, Alberotle reveals (although in crude terms) that many Native Americans consider an eclipse a bad omen, and required to observe this sacred day by remaining indoors and refraining from their daily activities.
Paulato’s recent bout of food poisoning inspires the second topic of discussion: what is it, and what should you do to cope with and mitigate the negative effects from ingesting toxins in food? Are there any natural home remedies to soothe your damaged gut?
Finally, in light of Hurricane Harvey ASP thoughtfully consider what they would do if they were faced with the choice of either staying at their house and riding out the severe and catastrophic storm, or evacuating. What would you do? Download and enjoy episode #47!
The suspenseful wait is over, so no more anxiety-ridden uncertainty! ASP Stuff Radio emerge from their summer slumber and crank out an informative episode that will cure your “historical amnesia” by recalling the United States government’s meddling shenanigans of Russia’s 1996 election when Boris Yeltsin was running against the favored Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, who was financially supported by Vladimir Putin; the same guy who is being accused of meddling with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. There’s even an amusing movie about this meddling political affair called Spinning Borisas well as a detailed cover story in the July 15, 1996 edition of Time magazine. Its a curious case to ponder: was Putin seeking revenge against Hillary Clinton due to her husband’s interference with the 1996 Russian election? All that stuff aside, ASP discuss another arguably ‘hot’ and ‘heavy’ topic: global warming/climate change and whether this phenomenon is the result of human’s meddling with the Earth over the course of human history.
Finally, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato indulge in a game of Last Letter even though their attempt is piteous albeit somewhat entertaining. Enjoy listening to episode #46!
There’s a copious amount of stuff stuffed into ASP Stuff Radio’s latest episode to keep you informatively entertained! Do cosmic space-time ripples from the big bang substantially prove (or suggest) that many universes exist? What can a president (like Donald J. Trump) do and still legally get away with it? What is oxytocin or the “love hormone”, and is Costco or any other business spraying this stuff through their vents? Is Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional healthcare message that he delivered to the masses on his late night show accurate? According to the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals must treat and stabilize anyone – not just beautiful babies – regardless of ability to pay; so what was Kimmel trying to say? Speaking of verklempt, what’s the deal with Buster Posey (of the S.F. Giants) recently showing so much emotion and stress on the baseball field? And why do theoretical physicists call string theory a ‘theory’ (theōria) when it falls short of meeting the strict scientific criterion of a theory? ASP discuss these intriguing issues and conclude their potpourri of stuff with an “unpresidented” game of Donald Trump Mad Libs! Enjoy the show!
Listen to episode #44 and take a peek into multiple spatial dimensions! Stevocrates, Alberotle and Paulato explore the depths of the subatomic world and pluck the strings of reality. Ants gain the ability to access quantum levels and Super Mario is transformed into 10D! Even Donald Trump would pass up delicious, chocolate cake and beautiful, little babies to discover this new concept. So, jump in as Einstein and Kalutza try to unify the universe into a grand unifying theory!
In this highly anticipated and iridescent episode, ASP Stuff Radio talk about the main features of the GOP health-care plan (the one that Paul Ryan pitches with his iridescently mesmerizing eyes), but more importantly the fundamental and highly contentious issue of whether all Americans have the right (are entitled) to health-care. Albertotle, Steveocrates and Paulato share their varied views and health plans, and discuss common arguments for and against the right to health-care. So, don’t worry ASP Stuff Radio has you (partially) covered! ASP wrap up the show with a brief rundown of the S.F. Giant’s not-too-healthy performance from their first week of the regular 2017 baseball season.
Tell us what you think and cast your vote on our Twitter page:Is health-care a fundamental inalienable right that all human beings have? You can also vote below!
Alberotle and Paulato (along with a couple of special guests) enjoy a couple of San Francisco Giant’s 2017 spring training baseball games despite the moderately scorching heat. In this brief episode you’ll have the opportunity to hear their live play-by-play commentary of some snippets of the action. The first two audio clips were recorded at Scottsdale Stadium where the Giants played against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the third clip was taken from the Giants vs. Chicago White Sox game at the remote Camelback Ranch-Glendale stadium. Sit back and enjoy another lighthearted episode of baseball stuff!
ASP Stuff Radio extend their break from politics and continue their discussion on Giant’s baseball. This time you will hear Steveocrates provide his predictions on who will make the final cut for the 25 man roster of the San Francisco Giants. If you haven’t already heard Alberotle and Paulato’s predictions be sure to listen to episode #40. In the meantime, if you’ve ever wondered what goes on in a baseball batter’s brain while processing a super duper fast pitch you now have the chance to listen to ASP converse about that brain-boggling topic in this episode. Being the good philosopher that he is, Alberotle brings forth a philosophical perspective on how, according to the book Baseball and Philosophy, some fundamental tenets of Zen Buddhism can substantially aid the mind’s, or perhaps relieve the brain’s, of baseball hitters behind the plate.
To conclude the episode, Alberotle and Steveocrates talk about their Motley Fool experience at an amusing and educational investing event they attended called Motley Fool One. Each had the pleasure of meeting Tom Gardner, one of the co-founders of the Motley Fool, a private financial-services company in Alexandria, Virginia, Jeff Fischer, a “Foolish” options and stock analyst, and Chris Hill a dedicated podcaster who hosts a daily show called Market Foolery. Alberotle and Steveocrates tell an interesting story about Jeff’s encounter with Donald J. Trump in the late 1990s. Put on your jester hat and listen to the episode!
ASP Stuff Radio takes a break from stressful political and philosophical topics to discuss all things Orange and Black…and we’re not talking about Donald Trump and Barack Obama! It’s time to look forward to San Francisco Giants baseball and ASP Stuff Radio has you covered. Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato focus on the beginning of Spring Training and break down the Giants roster from top to bottom and express their baseball expertise. With a bit of their own roster shakeups, Paulato hosts the show and gives Alberotle a much needed break from carrying the load. Alberotle and Steveocrates attended live Giants practice and give their scouting reports on some players to watch. Hear Alberotle give his outlook on up and coming, talented arm Andrew (not to be confused with Albert) Suarez. Steveocrates explains what he thinks about Matt Cain’s possibility of making the team as the 5th starter over Ty Blach. And Paulato provides insight on why Michael Morse could be valuable to the team off the bench.
Finally, Alberotle and Paulato provide their predictions on who will make the final cut for the 25 man roster, while Steveocrates saves his picks for the second part of this two-part episode coming out soon. So, download, listen and let’s play ball!
In this critically insightful episode of political stuff Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato put to good use their cognitive powers by examining Donald Drumpf’s executive order to instate a temporary travel ban on citizens from seven countries in the Middle East. The main questions that the trio of inquisitive minds attempt to answer are the following:
(1) What is the ban intended for?
(2) Is Trump’s order a Muslim ban?
(3) Why these seven countries?
ASP not only discuss arguments against the travel ban, but also learn that the seven countries have been on the government’s radar since (at the very least) the Bush administration. Although it still isn’t clear why exactly these countries are targeted as “areas of concern” Wesley Clark, Sr., a retired General of the United States Army confirms in an interview on Democracy Now (published in 2007) that the US Federal government had wanted to “clean up [some of] those old Soviet client regimes…before the next super power comes on to challenge us.” To conclude this politically charged episode ASP play a game of “What If…” relating to the travel ban and the so-called “vetting process” but in a crudely analogous form: suppose you’re Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks, and you learn that 10% of your big, expensive purchase of premium coffee is contaminated with a deadly strain of bacteria. Do you cancel the order and lose millions of dollars or do you take your chances and risk killing hundreds if not thousands of innocent coffee-fanatic customers?
It is interesting to point out that immigration restriction is not uncommon. According to the Congressional Research Service report published on January 23rd, 2017 Democrat presidents enforce more immigration restrictions than Republican presidents since Ronald Reagan. Barack Obama imposed immigration restrictions 19 times including 4 times on Muslim countries. The most recent one was placed on March 18th, 2016 involving North Korea.
Finally, it is important to emphasize that refugees have been in general negatively portrayed by the mainstream media and political pundits as a “burden or potential threat.” To trump this misconception, consider what David Androff, an Arizona State University associate professor in the School of Social Work, has to say about his experience working with refugees in the U.S.:
“Refugees love America. In some ways, I feel that they are more patriotic than most Americans. They want to be here. They’re excited to be here. They know what a great country it is. They have a lot to contribute, and I don’t think it’s right to look at them as a burden or potential threat. They bring incredible diversity in the positive sense of the word. Because they come from another place, they can see the value of America through new eyes, and that’s inspirational. We’re stronger with them here because it’s a reminder too of the strengths of our political and economic systems compared to other places in the world that don’t do it as well.”
In episode #38, the trio of inquiring minds (ASP) wax philosophical on what they value most in life and why, and how it may contribute to leading a good life. They also employ their cognitive powers in order to determine why professional athletes are excessively paid lots of “buckazoids”, like the soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo who grabs $88 million a year for kicking a ball around. Finally, in light of George W. Bush’s all too human attempt to put on a fashionable, plastic rain poncho during Donald J. Drumpf’s inaugural speech, Albertotle, Steveocrates and Paulato provide impeccably reliable and undeniably useful instructions, especially for “dubya”, on putting on a poncho. After listening to our 38th episode tell us your values and why they matter to you. Send your values to aspstuffradio@gmail.com or tweet them on our Twitter page.
Happy & Healthy New Year listeners of ASP Stuff Radio! Its 2017 and Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato are back from their overextended winter break bringing you a brand new episode of non-fake stuff that will surely make your brain buzz; stuff like Donald Drumpf’s illegal and unethical refusal to divest from his Trump Organization (which would include his Trump Steaks sold at the Sharper Image) and his violation of the 1967 anti-nepotism law; or stuff like the Austrian teenage woman who sued her parents for posting and sharing “embarrassing” nude baby photos of her on the Facebook. The show closes with an original game created by Paulato where he debunks or validates some assumptions (supplied by Alberotle and Steveocrates) about babies and parenting.
Merry Christmas (or whatever secular alteration suits your preference) to all of our listeners of ASP Stuff Radio! In this joyful episode of non-political stuff Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato talk about the “McRib Girl” and her desperate plea to bring back McDonald’s McRib in Santa Clarita, but more importantly they share their exhaustive investigative research on the origins of (and other fun facts on) candy canes, eggnog and gingerbread cookies. Steveocrates even tells the sad tale of the fox and the gingerbread boy. As a merry “X-mas” parting gift ASP play a cheerful game of Word Sneak, often played by Jimmy Fallon and his guests on The Tonight Show. Enjoy! Here’s the list of assigned words to help you keep track of who’s winning in the game:
Turkey’s are starving and hungry for human beings! That’s no lie, its the truth! But how would you know that it is true if there’s no reliable method to mark the distinction between truth and falsity especially considering that many claims from various media outlets are misleading, if not false? “Just show me a real turkey eating a real human!” Fair enough. In this truth-revealing episode ASP discuss the sudden surge of “fake news” that erupted days after the 2016 presidential election. Because it appears to be a trending global phenomenon “fake news” could negatively impact public trust throughout the world, much less the nature of truth. However, journalism fakery is nothing new. Dating back to the 1950s the U.S. government had set up a iniquitous scheme to control and manipulate the masses through the American Press called Operation Mockingbird. But don’t fret, this program has been put to rest, I think. To end the show on a truly high note the three seekers of post-truth play a post-Thanksgiving game called “The Turkey That Wants to Eat Humans”. How would you rebut an intelligent turkey’s argument for wanting to eat you? Find out how Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato reason their way out of the Turkey’s gripping jowl.
Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments in the history of U.S. politics, Donald J. Trump (a.k.a., Drumpf) has won the 2016 presidential election. And what better way to alleviate your negative emotions (or reinvigorate them) from this devastating loss than listen to our politically charged and electromagnetically induced stuff-commentary, and entertaining thought-provoking analysis? We do lighten but not necessarily enlighten your mental load a bit by talking about Starbucks’ green unity cup and their highly anticipated 2016 holiday cups. We also feature a very special unidentified guest on this enthralling episode: M.B.Bot!
[By the way, America’s genuine voice is expressed by the people of the United States of America, and not the so-called Electors. Thus, Trumpeters who voted for Drumpf cannot consistently say that “America has spoken” because it was in fact Hillary Clinton that substantially won the popular vote.]
DISCLAIMER: Listening to this episode may cause intermittent explosive diarrhea in your head.
In the cautionary mortal words of Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Trick or treat, bang bang!” Our first anniversary show, and thirty-third episode, is stuffed with mind-watering treats to ward off evil spirits (in case they’re listening) and tricks to welcome and entertain the rest of the natural and supernatural world. Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato play a game (inspired by Jimmy Fallon) called Say Anything (the Halloween and Autumn edition), De-Spookify that Short Somewhat Scary Story! and ASP Stuff Battle: Franken-Trump vs. Witchery Clinton. Who do you think will win in this ultimate battle? Cast your vote on our Twitter page or the poll below! But there’s more tasty tidbits in the bag to be had: not only will you literally hear Alberotle share his uncanny encounter with Casper the ghost you’ll also learn many thrilling stuff about Halloween, e.g., the origins of parents’ fear that their child’s Halloween candy is poisoned. On that upbeat note, Happy All Hallow’s Eve!
Despite temporarily existing in three distinct far away galaxies, Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato manage to produce episode 32 with the aid of state of the art deep space communications equipment. In this pulmonary artery-grabbing episode ASP discuss the recent “devastating loss” of the San Francisco Giant’s final postseason game against the Chicago Cubs, and then showcase various instances of Donald J. Trump’s racially discriminatory remarks and actions although he claims to be “the least racist person that [you’ll] ever [meet]”. You be the judge of his moral character after listening to the show. Speaking of morality, the trio of stuffologists ponder a not too distant moral conundrum that we may all one day face: should you “drive” a self-drive car that is programmed to always value the lives of many over the lives of fewer individuals? Cast your moral decision on our Twitter page!
In honor of his career of 67 years of baseball, Alberotle (aka Albeppo), Steveocrates and Paulato pay homage to Vincent Edward “Vin” Scully, one of baseball’s greatest, respectable sportscasters in America. In episode 31 you’ll have the rare opportunity to listen to several audio excerpts and interviews that illustrate Scully’s pleasant character, his soothing voice, humor, musical talent, and lyrical style of broadcasting. (He really can make dirt sound intriguing.) To conclude our Scully tribute we play a game of Vin Scully Impressions! Vote for your favorite impression on our Twitter page! ASP then talk about what’s his name who wants to legalize the pot?, and they cover the critical moments of the first 2016 presidential debate between your beloved two candidates: Clinton and Trump. In particular, the pertinent focus is on Trump’s obsessive urge or natural ability to weave his sniffs (most likely encoded subliminal messages) into his political, empty rhetoric. Having said that, don’t have a post-pot smoking ‘Aleppo moment’ like this guy again, and instead enjoy the second game of our show called Count Those Sniffles! Stay tuned at the end for David Letterman’s 1992 interview with Vin, or watch the video below!
Music: “Victor Dance Orchestra” by The Great One Step From the Free Music Archive Attribution CC BY
“2 Intermezzi – II. Allegretto” by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry; performed by Steve’s Bedroom Band. (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
In episode #30 Alato, Steverotle and Paulocrates faithfully devote some time to the intriguingly mysterious nature of canonization, or the religious act or process that formally declares a dead person worthy of sainthood. To become a saint, the potentially pious person must be involved with at least two miracles and they have to be proven. But what is a miracle and can scientists ever empirically verify them? We particularly focus on the recent canonization (by Pope Francis) of Mother Teresa of Calcutta/Kolkata. But before we get into all that super duper natural stuff ASP spout their political views on Colin Kaepernick(el)’s steadfast refusal to stand during the U.S. national anthem and Gary Johnson’s deer in headlights moment when he didn’t know what Aleppo was. “And [who] is [Gary Johnson]?!” This guy! ASP conclude (sort of) this non-soporific episode with a 2nd round of ASP StuffRadio Poppycock (aka Balderdash)! “And what is [a snotter]?” Don’t be a deer in headlights; listen to our thirtieth episode to find out! By the way, during the 2016 Rio Olympic games the Japanese pole vaulter Hiroki Ogita’s prized possession did in fact “aggressively graze” the bar.
A show densely packed with gravity-defying stuff, ASP first sample appetizing topics that involve helium balloons, a claustrophobic cat, fart collecting catheters, dusty haboobs, and tipping—but not the kind that calls for “fully grown female animal[s] of a domesticated breed of ox, used as a source of milk”. The first course of food for thoughtful stuff is served and Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato discuss the recent law that was passed on August 1st, 2016 that permits licensed gun owners to carry concealed, loaded weapons on any Texas campus. Do you think guns will make any campus safer? Vote below or on our Twitter page! ASP next indulge in the second mental meal and talk about the ongoing Olympic games displacement of thousands of poor people, most recently in Rio de Janeiro. On a lighter note, and for a cerebral watering dessert, ASP conclude episode 29 with a spellbinding game of Backwards Spelling Bee: The Baseball Edition! (Note: A very special someone makes a unique shout out @ the 43:28 & 43:52 mark)
In this long-awaited twenty-eighth episode of stuff ASP discuss the S.F. Giant’s astonishing and unexpected acquisition of the lefthander pitcher Matt Moore from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for their impressive “homegrown” infielder Matt Duffy (“Duffman”); a classic fan favorite of the Giants. Fortunately, Moore will be sticking around far beyond the 2016 season and Skeeter (Duffy’s cat) won’t be losing weight anytime soon. As Paulato heads out for a life-changing assignment, Alberotle and Steveocrates plunge into the murky waters of politics and confer about the FBI’s recommendation to drop charges against Hillary Clinton, and the long-delayed release of the “missing” 28 pages that link the 9/11 hijackers with employees of the Saudi Arabian government and Saudi royals—primarily, a former Saudi ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, whom was a close confidant of President George W. Bush. Finally, Aristolbert reveals several disturbing rape allegations (read the most recent federal lawsuit here) against Donald Trump, the 2016 Republican Party nominee for President of the U.S. (Somebody is definitely doing the “alleged” raping). The overly stuffulated show closes with an oddly informative game called Fake or Real News? Enjoy!
ASP tinker around with some highly controversial bioethical stuff: chimeras! In Greek mythology, a chimera is “a fire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail”. In relation with biology a chimera is defined as “an organism containing a mixture of genetically different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryo”. Should scientists and doctors be allowed to develop these chimera-technologies and techniques to help save or improve human lives? Ponder as you listen to the show and cast your vote below or on our Twitter page. (If you’re curious, check out a real human chimera right here!) ASP also discuss the recent deadly and questionable police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana, and Micah X. Johnson’s violent attack on police officers in Dallas. If this stuff isn’t enough, we touch upon the latest Nintendo mania of Pokémon Go and how it can help you inadvertently discover unexpected non-pokémon, inanimate things. Finally, the dynamic trio play a game called Guess that Acronym! You think you know what TGIF means? Guess again.
While the world wildly panics over “Brexit” ASP calmly and collectively discuss the UK’s consequential decision to (unofficially) abandon the European Union, UKIP’s anti-immigration (and probably racist) motivations to proclaim independence from the EU, and voter’s “Bregret”. ASP then shine a light on an intriguing piece of information from the FBI’s investigative report regarding the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, FL. The report indicates a timeframe of when the victims died. However, this fact blatantly and surprisingly contradicts eye witness testimony and the mass media’s narrative. Even former Judge Andrew Napolitano stresses that “[n]obody died until 5:13 in the morning”. To lighten the stuff up a bit, ASP play a game and slightly modified version of Balderdash (ASP StuffRadio Poppycock!). What is an acrocephalic? You can learn what it is in an amusingly entertaining way by listening to the show!
Season 2 of ASP StuffRadio begins with a colossal stuff-punch in the cerebral gut as ASP take a peak behind the fabricated veil of the mass media and uncover an alternative (and possibly questionable) account of the monstrously inhumane acts committed by a couple of “lone wolves” that occurred in a state in the southeastern region of the US, on a peninsula that extends into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t lose hope, for near the end of the show the trio of overburdened minds play a lighthearted game of Guess That Animal! and talk stuff about sports: the S.F. Giants and the San Jose Shark’s performance in the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals.
In this overly stuffed episode of ASP StuffRadio’s season 1 finale Alberotle, Steveocrates and Paulato converse about the upcoming California primary elections (June 7th 2016), Donald Trump’s pit stop in Redding, and crossover voting (aka ‘transpartisan’ voting). The inextricable trio then share their thoughts—some of them highly counterintuitive—on the boy who fell into a gorilla’s ‘enclosure’ at the Cincinnati Zoo: did the zookeeper do the right thing by shooting Harambe the gorilla? And why aren’t the barriers more secure? ASP shift their cosmic gears and indulge in the grand conclusion of the mentally cramping issue on whether the universe is a sophisticated, mind-dazzling simulation (listen to episode #23 for part I of this ear-watering topic). To conclude the season finale, ASP play a variety of challenging, thrillingly fun-filled games!
In this philosophically mind-warping episode, Alberotle and Steveocrates (Paulato was out in the world thoroughly conducting an existential investigation) cast light on the ignorance of Bill Nye the so-called “Science Guy” when he half-heartedly responded to a question from a philosophy undergrad about whether philosophy is a “meaningless topic.” A & S then conceptually exercise their brain power on a cosmically “hot topic”: Is the universe a computer simulation? Apparently Neil deGrasse Tyson thinks this is a (literally) rambunctiously laughing matter. The debate took place at the Hayden Planetarium in memory of the late Dr. Isaac Asimov. The panelists who participated in this event were David Chalmers (philosopher), Zohreh Davoudi (theoretical physicist), James Gates (theoretical physicist), Lisa Randall (theoretical physicist), and Max Tegmark (cosmologist – not to be confused with cosmetologist). Finally, A & S play a Musk-inspired game of Would You Rather: would you rather see Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders zip through a Hyperloop?
While Steveocrates was out on assignment in Europe making an everlasting business proposal to an important executive at Love, Inc., Alberstotle and Paulato discuss the untimely tragic demise of Prince and, at least to us old fogies, great “pop” music. A & P then shoot the stuff on the S.F. Giants, umpbots and whatnots in baseball: should we introduce a robot umpire (or automated strike zone) or keep the occasionally erroneous human element behind home plate? A dose of politics is in order so Plaulato updates our (few) listeners on the recent primary election results and then reveals a talent of Carly Fiorina (aka Celine Dion’s doppelgänger): she can sing awfully creepy original children’s melodies. It is seriously disturbing. Beware kids. Finally, Alberstotle and Paulato conclude the show with a cosmically intense game of ASP Stuff Battles III! Who do you think will win? Lawrence Krauss the ferocious feline or Neil Degrasse Tyson the rumbling bear? You can vote below or by visiting our Twitter page!
Socrateve and Aristolbert have a crack at a blatant scheme against cats! Certainly scientists wouldn’t massage their “cold hard” evidence and fabricate tall tales of friendly felines “causing” humans to intermittently explode their rage on the road or even commit suicide. Could these furry critters magically manipulate the brain’s of women to cheat on their beloved spouses, or mysteriously render children to become mentally deficient in their reading skills? In any case, the 2016 baseball season is in the crisp, fresh air and Alberotle and Steveocrates stuffisticate the first two weeks of the overall performance of the S.F. Giants. They also play an informative game of Giants Trivia! Before concluding with an impressive scientific fact about the human genome, the Greekaraguans get their political and moral fix on Trump’s evasive response on whether women should be punished for having an abortion. Be sure to listen to Vin Scully’s retelling of Mad Bum’s sagacious snake story at the end of the show. This show was produced by Feline Toxoplasma Ghandi.
ASP Stuff Radio resurrects and continues their quest to thrash out stuff! In episode 20, Alberotle (risen from the phlegm of the liquid lung) randomly rants on sports fans and their obsession with national anthems and adult beverages at (baseball) games, as well as Jesus and zombies. The Stuffperts then discuss modern cultural values as it relates to the latest sports social media controversy where Los Angeles Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell secretly recorded teammate Nick Young, aka Swaggy P, describing his cheating exploits with women who aren’t his celebrity fiancé Iggy Azalea. This is a mouthwatering, juicy-stuff candy to chew on: Do we side with the “bro code” or moral principles? As Paulato takes off for a game of Greek Ball, the political gears are set and Steveocrates & Aristolbert discuss (1) fowl feather friends and their revealing relationship with “Birdie” and Trump, (2) eurocentrism and terrorism, and (3) the flagrant voter fraud that occurred during the Arizona primary election on March 22nd. We wrap our overly stuft up show with a game called Who’s Too Cool for School? Bald-bearded man or Popped collar guy? Be sure to vote below!
Aristotle (A), Socrates (S) and Plato (P) talk about fishy flatulence saturating the oceanic waters of the Earth, Mr. Donald Trump’s (beautifully) small hands, astute supporters of Trump/Hitler(?), Sith Lord Noam Chomsky’s profound take on a possible Trump take over, and the extreme shift in the political spectrum. Phew! Oh wait, and Hunter Pence’s obsession with cold brew! Be prepared for a mentally disturbing game of Would You Rather? for the finale of our stuft-pack show!
Aristotle and Socrates? You better believe it. They get their Greek on and discuss a variety of citrusy topics, unfortunately, without Plato’s wit. A & S nonetheless answer a deeply probing question about the timing of dark matter raised by Gustavo Castro (a Brazilian listener with rump matters). We then plow through the last 2016 Republican Debate in Houston before Super Duper Tuesday; we particulate-ly highlight Super Rubio’s (finally) break through moment of him roasting Trump’s rump. Stuft up with political fodder we have a crack at the hotly debated Apple versus FBI issue. This sounds like an ASP Stuff Battles segment, but we conclude with a more spectacular game of ASP Stuff Battles II: Hunter Pence’s scraggly, wiry beard vs. Mad Bum’s maddening snot rockets. Who do you think will win this colossal battle? Cast your vote below or vista our ASP Stuff Radio twitter page!
What does coughing, barking and the allegedly new 9th planet have in common? Absolutely nothing except that we talk about this stuff in our latest (17th) episode. We stuff-cuss Hillary Clinton’s bizarre dog impression and her seriously suspicious well-timed bout of coughing in key moments (its so bad that not even a whole pack of lozenges will relieve her incessant hawking, hemming and barking.) We also banter on “unpledged delegates” (aka the political puppeteers that embrace grassroots activists), Trump’s disturbing infatuation with his very own daughter, and the Sith Lord Pastor David Manning’s vitriolic outburst on the LGBT group that’s trying to raise money to buy his church at a foreclosure auction. The ASP trio cosmically shift their gears and talk about the new Plato (sorry Pluto) that’s comfortably situated in our homely solar system. And finally, enjoy as you take part in an our newest enthralling game called “Guess that (S.F.) Giant!”
Black Panthers, black oil, and bumping black holes are some of the corpulent topics that ASP chew on for episode numero sixteen. Listen to the dazzling audio clips of the gravitational waves that were recently discovered and recorded by “wild-eyed” scientists. For the politically inclined we also snack on the New Hampshire primary election results, the wizardry of the super duper delegates and Marco Rubio Roboto’s poor performance from last Saturday’s (2/6) Republican debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester. If you can curb your anxiety you will not be disappointed with an enthralling game of Would you rather hiccup forever or never yawn when you absolutely need to yawn? And, to top it off with some mind-bending space-time sprinkles we play our own version of Colbert’s Friday Night Fights called ASP Stuff Battles! Who’ll win in a brutal Stuff Battle? The Pillsbury Doughboy or Snuggle Bear? Fill out the poll on our Twitter page or right below!
Disclaimer: This episode may most likely cause irritable mind syndrome. Oh, and a lot of expletives are exclaimed by yours truly. It was the caffeine. Listen at your own discretion. With that said…
ASP have been severely bitten by an infectious hot topic: the Zika virus. We were rationally compelled to follow the white rabbit and understand the mysterious origins of this contagion. What’s the truth? Nobody knows. Let’s flip a coin to decide. Speaking of “toin cosses”, we also discuss the silly shenanigans behind the recent Iowa cockatoo-kiss results: Trump childishly unable to accept defeat, Conniving Cruz playing dirty old tricks, non-blowhardin’ Jeb Bush sadly begging his audience to “please clap”, and on-the-run Carson…well…what happened to him? Oh, he needed a pair of clean underwear. We conclude with a fun philosophy game! Would you permanently plug into the Experience Machine? Be prepared for a mind-awakening experience!
Of course they’re not! They are “anti-government protestors”, members of the Oregon “militia” who were simply “occupying” federal land (the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge) that once belonged to the Paiute Indian Tribe before they were forced to leave and live on 10 acres of land near the city dump. The three inquiring minds of ASP come to grips with this deplorable issue but find some light at the end of the wormhole with a dose of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s eloquent, mic-dropping scientific prose on the non-flat curvature of the earth. Inspired by the gravity of Tyson’s hypnotic words we end with a game of “Would you rather live on an infinitely flat or boringly round earth?”
The ASP trinity is “suckin’ in” a politically packed smorgasbord of soot and smog: Ted Cruz’s insult of non-conservative liberal New Yorkers, Holy Roller Palin’s fanatic endorsement of Trump’s rump, Ben Carson’s creepy rant of blaming liberals for all the “wars” known to humankind (e.g., the “age wars”?), and Obama’s burnt lungs from “suckin’ in soot”. We then shift our nuclear gears and cerebrally venture into H-bombs and how they’re made, and Kim Jong-Un’s bold claim of having conducted a hydrogen bomb test; but it was most likely the kind of bomb that was set off in his filthy pants that registered a 5.1 on the Richter scale. Finally, we tackle the recent historical sports news of the NFL’s first female (Kathryn Smith) full-time assistant coach. Stuff all of this in your head!
“String Quintet in C Major, K. 515” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; https://musopen.org (Royalty free music. Public domain and copyright free classical music)
WARNING: This is our first “podcast snafu” where the audio is overly distorted/clipped, so listener’s ears beware. Audio engineer’s from around the world have done their best to salvage this recorded mess. Having said that…
In a drama packed internet broadcast, ASP StuffRadio discuss riveting global topics. Is Obama telling the truth when it comes to the facts? Is Matt Damon a funny guy in The Martian? Do the brothers in Compton deserve to be recognized at the Oscar’s? Does Joko Jokowi of Jarkta know how to throw it down in the face of the Ice Cyst terror? These stories and much more on this week’s 12th episode!
In our first 2016 (overstuft) episode, the ASP trinity nerdily review the new Star Wars movie The Force Awakens. We eventually move on with more serious matters such as Obama’s tears of sorrow over gun control, open carry gun laws (Texas becomes 45th state to pass open carry law), cow farts and greenhouse gases (Congress now permits meat producers to no longer report emissions from livestock producers), and a conspiracy theory of Chipotle’s E. Coli snafu & subpoena over the norovirus outbreak. We conclude with a captivating game of Valid or Invalid! At the end of our “stuft up” show enjoy an original remake of Mi Burrito Sabanero sung by Alana Merritt, and Jerry Seinfeld’s recent comedy performance (1/6/2016) on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!
In this 2015 finale a duo of A & S mentally wrestle with several riveting moral quandaries involving organ “donors”, trollies and very large objects. What would (or should) you do in these tighty whitie gripping scenarios? Send us your brilliant responses to aspstuffradio@gmail.com
ASP briefly gather around the warm fireplace Sunday early morning and touch on Trump’s ‘schlong’ (note the quotes!), a few Christmas myths/origins and then conclude with a cordial yet phenomenally trendy Christmas game called ‘What Reindeer Would You Be?’
Dark Christmas by Volition – The track from Christmas Rap by Kevin MacLeod was incorporated in this song, so everything else, e.g., audio/sound clips, synth tracks, etc. were added by Volition.
The force of ASP has been awakened, and boy does it smell! The ASP troika beam down on a variety of topics such as the Darkly Forceful Sifth Republican Debate, the S.F. Giants lightsaber acquisitions of Jedi Knights Jeff Samardzija & shoulder shimmy mind trickster Johnny Cueto, and our conclusion of the philosophically paradoxical Ship of Theseus (aka the Millennium Falcon of Han Solo). We suddenly get Jedi-mind tricked by Yoda (who legally immigrated to our galaxy) into talking about the Force and cosmic blasts, i.e., passing gas; the universe does on rare occasions.
Once again, Trump ruffles the feathers of the masses with his outrageous and unconstitutionally fascist request to ban a particular religious ideology. ASP overindulge in this utter nonsense, but finally talk about…(drum roll)…CATS! We then briefly “wax” philosophical by introducing the Ship of Theseus and conclude with a philosophy game of “The Cannibal”. Yikes! [Does Theseus’s ship fundamentally remain the same ship after all of its planks have been gradually replaced? Send us an email with your insightful response: aspstuffradio@gmail.com]
Alas, another episode of terror and gun talk (“The Terrorist Talk Hour” as Paul says). The ASP triad do try to lighten up a bit with talk about Lawrence Krauss’s distaste of Christopher Nolan’s brilliant film Interstellar (2014) and talk about talking about cats. We conclude our stuff-talk with a spirited game inspired by Gita Atma Jaya’s creative question: If you had an Ice Cyst member and you were to torture them with a Christmas song which one would you play on repeat?
Happy Birthday to Woody Allen who recently turned 80 years old on December 1st, 2015!
ASP wallow in turkey-bastor-talk in light of Lawrence Krauss and Peter Singer’s discussion about the immorality of raising chickens and turkeys. They also expose a repressed truth about ‘Thanksgiving’. Finally, Steven pontificates several interesting aspects of Einstein’s special and general theory of relativity. You might get (mind) warped in (or by) the discussion!
Lo and behold! ASP lunge their intellectual knife into the core of Ice Cyst, but they hit the belt…they hit the belt. Give me a break…give me a break. If you’re interested in the “article” mentioned in this episode, then click here. It is a highly-recommended and informative piece written by Ben Horton.
The ASP trio “weigh in” (a bit too heavily) on the dreaded poppycock non-issue of Starbuck’s hatred of Christmas. We discuss Rubio’s offensive remark about philosophers (who make more than welding welders) and Larry David sounding strangely similar to Bernie Sanders (and vice versa). Plus we barely scratch the surface of Lawrence Krauss’s talk, which took place @ ASU (Oct. 16th, 2015) with the world renowned moral philosopher, Peter Singer. An explosive game of Would you Rather concludes this third fruitful episode of ASP Stuff Radio.
Enjoy an original composition at the end of the show by ASP entitled “What Homework Do You Have?”
In their second episode ASP discuss politics, the recent 2016 world series between the Mets and Royals, the S.F. Giants, Tom Hank’s uncannily recurring peeing performances in many of his films and whether or not Donald Trump’s “hairdo” is a worthy investment.
Alberotle and Steveocrates record their first “podcast” episode (10/29/15) of stuff. Aside from talking about some reasons why they decided to embark on the podcast, they also discuss several of the 2016 presidential candidates, e.g., Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton.
Don’t worry, these old-school plastic six-pack rings are now manufactured to be 100 percent photo-degradable and will deteriorate in a few weeks. Some rings are designed to be safely consumed by marine animals.
Plastic babies are on the loose!
ASP StuffRadio 
Episode #42 – It’s a Beautiful Day for Baseball, Let’s Play Two!
Alberotle and Paulato (along with a couple of special guests) enjoy a couple of San Francisco Giant’s 2017 spring training baseball games despite the moderately scorching heat. In this brief episode you’ll have the opportunity to hear their live play-by-play commentary of some snippets of the action. The first two audio clips were recorded at Scottsdale Stadium where the Giants played against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the third clip was taken from the Giants vs. Chicago White Sox game at the remote Camelback Ranch-Glendale stadium. Sit back and enjoy another lighthearted episode of baseball stuff!
Download episode #42!
Pictures from Scottsdale Stadium:
Picture from Camelback Ranch-Glendale Stadium:
Credits:
Organ music by Anthony Ouradnik. Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFR3S6jN0Ng and watch him play.