2 Crickets In A Thorn Tree

What is journalism ?

Nick and Gabriel chat about flying cars, the DA's march to Luthuli House and what the definition of journalism is. Recommendations: Gabriel: https://youtu.be/3vkgROIINEs Nick: Greyhound https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6048922/

20 Jan 2023 2 hr 37 min

Year of the Rabbit

Gabriel and Nick chat about loadshedding, America at the end of last year, South Africa at the end of last year and if AI is going to destroy us all.

13 Jan 2023 2 hr 25 min

The wrong impeachment!

Gabriel tells Nick about why he thinks that Ramaphosa's impeachment case is the wrong one, and why it matters. Recommendations: Nick Century of Crisis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwXlr4_pGhM Gabriel: Supreme Court oral arguments https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-476

6 Dec 2022 1 hr 44 min

The tribe, the child, parole and the rule of law

Nick and Gabriel chat about a U.S. supreme court case involving Native American children, the release of Chris Hani's killer, the ongoing Zuma legal battles and Ramaphosa's visit to the UK. Recommendations: Nick: Walking Streets of South Sudan https://youtu.be/sNSIhIzr3io Gabriel: The Soccer World Cup https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/watch/1abAi3NllBGQ1Q92mXqDWq

26 Nov 2022 2 hr 12 min

The affirmative vote

Nick and Gabriel discuss the U.S. Supreme Court case on Affirmative Action at Harvard. They then chat about the recent U.S. mid-terms and what they mean for the future of the Republican Party. Recommendations: Nick: BLOODYWOOD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iKjSCTxke8 Gabriel: Copenhagen https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0340057/

11 Nov 2022 2 hr 34 min

The terror of gerrymandering

Nick and Gabriel chat about terror threats and the problem of gerrymandering. Recommendations: Nick: Pennsylvania Senate Race Full Debate 2022: Dr. Oz vs Fetterman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wb0423dxs Gabriel: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-1086

28 Oct 2022 2 hr 11 min

The Puritanical impulse

Gabriel and Nick discuss the direction of the country and how it could be gravely threatened by the wrong kind of puritanical impulse. Recommendations: Nick: TikTok Parent ByteDance Planned To Use TikTok To Monitor The Physical Location Of Specific American Citizens: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/10/20/tiktok-bytedance-surveillance-american-user-data/?sh=140674c36c2d Gabriel: The Unbearable Peace https://granta.com/the-unbearable-peace/?ref=The+Browser-newsletter

22 Oct 2022 2 hr 26 min

Frames of reference, Truss and Prince

Gabriel and Nick discuss the current messy state of British politics, and then head into a winding discussion of some of the cases before the U.S. supreme court, notably on the issue of copyright. Recommendations: Nick: WeBuyCars: https://www.webuycars.co.za/ BB King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp0rRff7gWk Gabriel: Vanity Fair: PURPLE FAME https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/1984/11/purple-fame FT: Positive feedback:…

14 Oct 2022 2 hr 09 min

A bad week for South Africa

Gabriel and Nick chat about the difficult week for freedom and prosperity in SA with the retaking of Joburg by the ANC as well as the passage of the land courts and expropriation bill. Recommendations: Nick: The Dispatch https://thedispatch.com/ Gabriel: How Nickelback became the most hated band ever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFC4OFWIPtw

30 Sep 2022 2 hr 01 min

Rounding out two big weeks

Nick and Gabriel discuss the latest threats to property rights in SA, the abortion debate, their thoughts on the upcoming U.S. midterms and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Recommendations: Nick: "The weakness of Xi Jinping" https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/xi-jinping-china-weakness-hubris-paranoia-threaten-future Gabriel:The Antislavery Activist That Time Forgot: Historian Walter Stahr on Salmon P. Chase…

18 Sep 2022 2 hr 01 min

What is incitement anyway?

Gabriel and Nick chat about the EFF-Afriforum hate speech court case and some of the principles of free speech. They also chat about the Trump-FBI raid. Recommendations: Nick: https://dailyfriend.co.za/2022/08/26/sorcery-in-samlesbury/ Gabriel: https://youtu.be/pAeoJVXrZo4

28 Aug 2022 1 hr 41 min

The power of theater

Nick and Gabriel take a meander through the place of Bloemfontein in SA today, the Zuma medical parole trial, the speech Gabriel gave at UNISA, the power of theater and Republican Party Reptiles. Recommendations: Nick: Inda and Pakistan https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/partition-wasn-t-inevitable Gabriel: The danger of one thingism https://dailyfriend.co.za/2022/08/18/against-the-silver-bullet-or-one-thing-ism/

19 Aug 2022 1 hr 50 min

The Conservative Iceberg: SA Edition

Gabriel and Nick chat about the life of John Kane-Berman and then about the powerful and undiscussed conservative soul of South Africa which is rising to the surface with the collapse of the ANC. Recommendations: Gabriel: Lord Sumption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YleLkFnwqK0 Nick: Fusionism: https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/07/why-both-types-of-conservative-fusionism-still-matter/

5 Aug 2022 1 hr 50 min

Zuma's 2 steps to freedom

Gabriel and Nick chat about the IRR's legal arguments for why Jacob Zuma should not have been released from jail at the direction of Arthur Fraser and what Zuma can do to turn around his reputation and the country. Recommendations: Nick: Heilung https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVbc_Fwbt50 Gabriel: Sibelius Theme and Variations for Solo…

26 Jul 2022 1 hr 19 min

What even is the Middle East?

Nick and Gabriel ask the question, What is the Middle East? They also discuss the plans for an Eskom 2, South Africa's wild west past and Biden's trip to the Middle East. Recommendations: Nick: Tolkien Lore https://www.youtube.com/c/TolkienLorePodcast/videos Gabriel: The Churchill factor https://www.amazon.com/Churchill-Factor-How-Made-History/dp/1594633983 Philip Glass - Violin Concerto & Company Complete…

15 Jul 2022 1 hr 55 min

The passing of a PM and the resignation of a PM

Gabriel and Nick chatt about the shocking murder of Shinzo Abe and Abe's legacy they also discuss Boris Johnson and his final defeat lastly they mention Bheki Cele and his racist tirade. Recommendations: Nick: Goodbye, Boris https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/07/goodbye-boris/ Gabriel: https://twitter.com/TheKiffness/status/1545002632913342464

9 Jul 2022 1 hr 40 min

Maybe we should try convincing people?

Nick and Gabriel discuss recent rulings by the United States supreme court, the arguments that underpin them and the politics involved. Specifically the lies about the repeal of Roe v Wade, the underpinning of the administrative state and the opportunity for Democrats to win big. Recommendations: Nick: The Absurd 2nd…

2 Jul 2022 2 hr 10 min

Talking about difficult things

Gabriel and Nick chat about how not talking about the difficult things can very quickly backfire on you. Recommendations: Nick: Saudi Arabia and the U.S. https://thedispatch.com/p/saudi-arabia-welcomes-a-likely-reset Gabriel: The right thing to do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdfcR-8hEY Supreme court ruling https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf

25 Jun 2022 1 hr 44 min

There is a disturbance in the force

Nick and Gabriel chat about urban decay the end of ANC dominance and the cynicism of American politics. Recommendations: Nick: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/06/birthplace-saudi-state-becomes-tool-new-nationalism Gabriel: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/opinion/bimbo-tiktok-feminism.html

18 Jun 2022 1 hr 43 min

Just deserts

The internet assures me that the title's spelling is the correct one. Nick and Gabriel chat about a recent spate of firings, or more accurately a suspension, a firing and two election losses. Recommendations: Gabriel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1oeJwF5tG4 Nick: https://dailyfriend.co.za/2022/06/10/the-amritsar-crisis/

10 Jun 2022 1 hr 54 min