• Goldilocksing The Pronunciation Of German Loanwords Into English
    Jan 23 2026

    In this (Non-Political) bonus episode, Mike and Peter discuss the pronunciation of German loanwords into English. When is it appropriate to hyper-articulate the German sound system and when is it just too much? When is the English pronunciation more appropriate? And at what point is a lazy English pronunciation just butchering the word, leading to a lack of comprehension?

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    24 mins
  • The Man Who Would Be King: Applying Aristotle's Politics To The MAGA Movement Pt2
    Nov 5 2025

    In this second part of a two part episode, Mike and Peter discuss Aristotle's Politics in the context of the "No Kings" (peaceful) protests, and the reality that MAGA would actually be okay with a King.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    27 mins
  • The Man Who Would Be King: Applying Aristotle's Politics To The MAGA Movement
    Oct 28 2025

    In this first part of a two part episode, Mike and Peter discuss Aristotle's Politics in the context of the "No Kings" (peaceful) protests, and the reality that MAGA would actually be okay with a King.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    18 mins
  • Distinctiveness And Degrees of Misspeaking
    Oct 16 2025

    In this episode, Mike and Peter discuss mispronunciation and other forms of misspeaking. They insist that there are degrees of mistakes in a hierarchical order, driven by context, distinctiveness, and commonality.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    32 mins
  • The Semiotics of Trumpism
    Oct 11 2025

    In this episode, Mike and Peter do a deep dive into the field of Semiotics and apply it to Pam Bondi, Trump, and MAGA, with some pop-cultural references along the way.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    38 mins
  • Mimicry and Mockery In Today's Politics
    Sep 18 2025

    In this episode, Mike and Peter discuss the differences between mimicry and mockery and how they're being used in today's political landscape.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    Not Yet Known
  • Who Are The Spokane 9? And Why You Should Know About Them
    Sep 12 2025

    In this episode, Mike and Peter welcome Bajun Mavalwalla whose son was arrested by the FBI for peacefully protesting ICE actions in Spokane, WA. This story has far-reaching implications for every American citizen.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

    https://www.gofundme.com/f/qq96hr-support-bajun-mavalwalla-iis-legal-defense

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    28 mins
  • The Sport Of Politics
    Sep 9 2025

    In this episode, Mike and Peter discuss the influence that professional sports, and primarily the NFL, have had on politics and the American voting psyche.

    Michael Fragomeni earned his Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude) and his PhD in Germanic Linguistics both from UC Berkeley.

    Peter Woods earned his BA in international affairs of Russia and Eastern Europe from George Washington University and his MA and PhD in Germanic linguistics from UC Berkeley

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    17 mins