Harmonious Gentlemen

In this episode, the gents talk about phones and social media. More specifically, should our kids be using them? Would schools be better with a phone ban? Would students be better off? Why don't we just do something about it?

Chris brings the heat with a surprise topic. Do we have free will? What does that even mean? Is God moving us around like pieces on a game board? Are we cogs in the machine of evolutionary nature? We hope you choose to listen to this episode, but if you don't, we hope fate leads you there anyway.

The gentlemen return for part two of a conversation about gambling and its effect on society, addiction, mental health, and where we're headed with sports betting. It's a topic they've discussed before, but this time, the gents are joined by long-time listener, friend, and ex-casino employee, Mike. He shares his thoughts on the issue and tells a few stories from his days as a dealer and pit boss. At the end of the episode, the crew takes an expensive field trip.

Brian Keating is a professional speaker, writer, broadcaster, international nature tour guide, and naturalist. He joins the gents to talk about travelling around the world exploring the greatest wonders of nature, elephant funerals, hippo attacks, zoos, office owls... and much more! . . . #nature #wildlife #canada #alberta #ecology #naturalist #travel #animals

In this episode, the gents are joined by long-time listener and contributor, Kenton. As a follow-up to Graham's recent episode about the science of Climate Change, they discuss Alberta's recent energy crisis, our reliance on fossil fuels, the push for cleaner energy sources, and the role of private industry in solving environmental problems. As a long-time employee within the Oil and Gas sector, Kenton provides a new, although not uncommon, perspective for the gents to approach harmoniously. He provides data, experience, and thought-provoking insight to a topic that's so important globally, and has significant relevance within Alberta specifically. It's a great conversation, and we can't wait for you to hear it. . Thanks again to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

Can you define anxiety? Can you identify anxiety in people around you? Do you, or someone close to you, struggle with anxiety? How should we deal with increasing rates of anxiety? Can we talk about it harmoniously? . Thanks again to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

How much time do you spend each day thinking about the news and current affairs? Is this healthy? Are you in the know, or blissfully unaware? Where do you get your news? Facebook? Twitter? Tik-Tok, YouTube, Instagram, or Threads (like Graham)? Or do you surf the web, watch TV, or read the newspaper - like the actual, folded up bundle of paper and ink, newspaper? Or are you enlightened by podcasts? Do you trust the media you consume? Are you losing your appetite? Or is the news a consistent part of your daily diet? Is it making you healthier? Are you a better person for it? Linguist, author, human rights and political activist, Noam Chomsky says: “All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.” But he also says: “The general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't even know that it doesn't know.” So what do we do? Is the news essential to our survival? Or is it killing us? . Thanks again to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

In this episode, Graham quizzes Chris and Tyler about the science of Climate Change. Without getting too political, they talk about responses to the Climate Change Crisis and share their feelings about the topic as it comes up in conversation with friends and family. What is Climate Change? How big of a deal is it? Do we talk about it enough? What actions are required in order to solve the problem? Give this episode a listen to rekindle the conversation about this topic, but stay tuned for part two with a surprise guest, coming soon! . Thanks again to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

Consumerism, Christmas, and a Layered Sandwich Cake . Merry Christmas from the Gents! Join them at Phil's for a conversation about the value of tradition, the consumerization of popular holidays, and strange cakes. . Thanks to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

Today, gamblers have more options than ever. The AGLC’s paradoxical mandate is to ‘maintain the integrity of gaming activities while maximizing the financial return (to Albertans)” - akin to a person committing to a healthy diet but also to eating as much as possible. Our government is addicted. But as long as citizens keep electing leaders that are happy to fund society on the backs of gamblers, and as long as Albertans like us keep showing up to volunteer, the same might be said for all of us. That we are all addicts. ("Who Wants Albertans to Gamble More?" - Evan Osenton, AlbertaViews.ca). . Thanks to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

Join the Gents as they chat with surprise guest, Jonathan Luscombe about growing up Queer in Central Alberta. In more recent years, Jonathan has played a big role in a local Pride Society, working towards creating a safe and inclusive community for all people. In this conversation they touch on a number of topics including the value of grassroots advocacy, nuanced communities, empathy, drag, and politics. Jonathan shares stories of challenge and success while working towards their goals, and a vision for how to continue the conversation harmoniously. . This episode is brought to you by our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

As the autumn winds whisper through the streets, it's not just the leaves that shiver. Some say the ghosts have a habit of making an appearance when you least expect it, and the line between the living and the dead gets blurry enough to make you question your sanity. Welcome to Red Deer, where the ghost stories are as real as the misnamed elk themselves, and the mysteries are as thick as the evening fog… . This episode is brought to you by our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca . . . #mystery #haunted #alberta #canada #society #culture #conspiracytheories #reddeer #history #ghosts #paranormal

Fifty years ago, Chris' grandparents worked as psych nurses in Michener Center, where, at the time, over 1000 patients lived and learned. Alberta in the sixties, seventies, and eighties had more patients institutionalized, per capita, than any other province in Canada. It’s not a secret that Michener Center’s legacy included archaic and dehumanizing practices that needed to end. Abuse, neglect, and even forced sterilization were a part of the culture there. The Proverbs say, “A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.” How do we measure the reputation of a community? Can a city or town have values? Whose job is it to uphold them? When we pull down the walls of a mental institution or a residential school, do we convince ourselves that we have undone what went on behind them? It’s not hard to imagine that there is more than dust and rubble buried in the piles that are left behind. . Thanks to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

In 1954, the face of the Prince of Darkness was discovered lurking in the Queen of England's hair... Inspired by the similarly-named blog post by Kevin Anderson (see link below), this episode is a departure from the usual format, but a return to the familiar topic of conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories are an important part of our history, and taking a closer look at how a specific controversy was handled by a prominent Albertan can tell us a lot about who we are. The question is, what can we do about it? . A special thanks to Kevin Anderson, author of Conspiracy Theories and the Canadians who Love Them, and instructor of Canadian history and Canadian Studies at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University. His blog post on activehistory.ca was relied on heavily for this episode. Check it out at https://activehistory.ca/blog/2020/11/16/conspiracy-theories-and-the-canadians-who-love-them/ . Thanks to the anonymous voice actor who played John Blackmore. . Thanks to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

In this episode, the Gents were joined by author, pastor, and all-around great guy, John Van Sloten. In a back room, surrounded by oak barrels and beer, they discussed the challenges of discerning God's voice, alternative views of "Church", macro-zoom lenses, and John's beautiful new book, God Speaks Science. . Thanks to our harmonious friends at: Blindman Brewing: www.blindmanbrewing.com Veldhuisen Construction: www.veldhuisen.ca Cilantro and Chive: www.cilantroandchive.ca The King's University: www.kingsu.ca

In this reflective journey, the gents take a deep dive into their first 98 episodes, candidly exploring moments of changing their minds, grappling with hypocrisy, and confronting regrets. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation as they set the stage for a brand-new century of harmonious discussions. . Thanks to Blindman Brewing, 5024 General Store, and Cilantro and Chive for making this possible. And thanks to Red Hart Brewing for hosting us. . Come celebrate with us on September 16th at Blindman Brewing in Lacombe. It's their anniversary party, and there will be live music, games, and great beer. Plus, we'll be recording our 100th episode and giving away some cool, new merch!

Who's into conspiracy theories now? . Have you heard the news? Apparently, some pretty powerful people have been keeping secrets from the general public. This doesn't really surprise us, but when the secret involves space-age technology and alien bodies, it definitely piques our interest. After discussing our own thoughts on whether or not this is legit, we connect this story to other conspiracy theories and our feelings about their harmful impact on society. . We'll be taking a few weeks off during August, but will be back in full force starting in September. Keep an eye out for special re-release episodes and details about our upcoming 100th Episode Celebration!

In this special adventure episode, the Gents take part in Pub Quiz Night at Red Hart Brewing before heading in separate directions to enjoy the beginnings of their summer holidays. They keep each other in the loop as they adventure in their own unique ways. Summertime is here! Build community, have some fun, and keep it harmonious!

In this episode, we get together with Dave Dale to debrief Alberta's recent election and talk about the state of democracy as a whole. Dave ran in the Lacombe-Ponoka riding as a member of the NDP. He reflects on the experience of running for election, knocking on hundreds of doors, losing the race to Jennifer Johnson (and her cookie dough comments), and remaining harmonious while campaigning as an underdog. Full disclosure: we reached out to candidates from multiple parties in various Central Alberta ridings, but Dave was the only one who got back to us! What a gent!

Join hosts Tyler, Chris, and Graham on The Harmonious Gentlemen Podcast as they dig into the intricacies of dissent, protest, and civil disobedience, all while savoring mouthwatering giant pancakes at Phil's restaurant. The gentlemen examine the distinctions between legal protest, civil disobedience, and revolutionary action, tackling profound questions about their personal thresholds for taking action against injustice. With syrup flowing and plates piled high, Tyler, Chris, and Graham reflect on the historical significance of civil disobedience, drawing inspiration from influential figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. Then, they discuss their own willingness to engage in acts of civil disobedience, navigating the ethical complexities involved. They invite listeners to ponder their own moral compass and consider the role of dissent in shaping a more just and equitable society. Prepare to be challenged and inspired as The Harmonious Gentlemen Podcast pushes the boundaries of civil discourse, inviting listeners to explore the power of collective action and personal convictions.