Welcome to the show!!

US Political and Social Issues

• Government Shutdown and Civil War Allegation: They state the US government is currently shut down , which is causing severe problems for federal employees, including one anecdote about a military family struggling to get medication for their children
• Protests and ICE Agents: They discuss videos of protests in Oregon, including humorous instances of a person in an inflatable frog costume , as well as more serious accounts of ICE agents using rubber bullets on a priest and ramming a woman's car
• Antifa and Ideology: The hosts debate the nature of Antifa, asserting it is an ideology rather than an organization, and note the irony of those speaking against it refusing to say the word "fascist"
• RFK Jr.'s Claim: They mock an alleged claim by RFK Jr. that linked circumcision to an increased likelihood of autism due to Tylenol use
• Trump and Other News: They mention Trump being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and the confusing headline about a Canadian provincial leader, "Alberta says Prime speaks from love". They also express interest in how outside-US listeners perceive the US, asking them to email the podcast

National Parks: The hosts discuss the effects of the government shutdown on National Parks, including reports of vandalism.

• Great Smoky Mountains and Car Rally: They recount an unpleasant experience in Gatlinburg during a car rally, where participants were driving recklessly and vandalizing businesses, leading to gridlock that prevented emergency services from getting through. They note that the Great Smoky National Park is largely handled by Great Smokies Organization and Native American/residential communities, allowing most of it to stay open despite the federal shutdown
• Fat Bear Contest: One host shares that the winner of the annual "fattest bear contest" is Bear 32, "Chunk," whose estimated weight is over 1,200 pounds

Book Reviews

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton: The first host found it confusing initially but praised the unique narrative structure, which is told from the shared point of view of a character named Abby, who is revealed to be a fungus injected into non-human, plant-based villagers. The plot involves a scientist's murder that triggers the plant-people to take control and build a utopia.

Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu: The second host discusses this book, which deals with themes of rape. The plot follows a man named Jai, who is a servant/handyman, as he escapes a massacre at a rehearsal dinner and sets out to avenge his brother. He finds and hatches a dragon egg and attempts to return to his homeland with a foreign princess, all while navigating a magical system that involves linking one's "mana"

Tarot Reading and Conclusion The episode concludes with a two-card tarot reading: the Four of Pentacles (examining one's relationship with money/financial security) and the Seven of Pentacles (hard work and persevering toward a better harvest). They thank the audience and encourage them to rate, subscribe, and email the show.

We are also happy to announce that we Have a book club! We are reading The DiscWorld Series! We are moving to book 5, Sourcery

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If you have a topic/book recommendation or if you need someone to talk too, you can email us at thewaywarddragons@gmail.com

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