4 chapters across the catalog
Tokyo Olympics, Spectator Capacity and Cheering Ban
The International Olympic Committee announced that live local spectators for the Tokyo Games will be limited to 50% capacity, with a maximum of 10,000 people. In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Japanese government has banned cheering at all venues.
The Spectator, Globalization Narrative, British Cultural Decline
Fraser Nelson of The Spectator argues that the Brexit movement was a reaction against globalization rather than specifically about the European Union. This shift in narrative is criticized as propaganda intended to demean Brexiteers by suggesting they were misled or naive. Observations on the decline of British pub culture and the failure of multiculturalism, as previously admitted by David Cameron, are cited as underlying factors for the current social climate.
No Agenda Donation Slump and Wine Spectator Skepticism
The podcast reports a significant drop in donations, resulting in a lack of executive producers for the current episode. This leads to a debate on whether discussing food and wine alienates the audience. A story about a deceptive wine list in Athens, Greece, serves as a critique of Wine Spectator's reliability, followed by a review of a 2004 Damilano Barolo from Siena Ristorante in Austin.
Greek Tourism Anecdotes, Wine List Scams, Olympic Air Smoking
A personal anecdote describes a deceptive "award-winning" wine list at an Athens restaurant where rare bottles were listed but unavailable for purchase. The story also compares the poor service and smoking on Olympic Air flights to the modern fleet of Turkish Airways.
