Apex Live 010 - Mushroom in the Middle

We're (finally) back with our first episode of 2018! Before the show, we look at some of the classes that should be offered at Steve U, praise the everlasting brilliance of '80 pop culture (listen for the unexpected Mr. Belvedere reference), cheer on the Israelis as they carry out military action in Syria, and look at stupid memes while telling horrible jokes. Once the show begins we wish the listeners a severely belated Happy New Year, drop in another critique of the Varsity Blues barbecue scene that somehow leads to a discussion about Bill Paxton, Randy Travis, and country music in the 1980s. Our lengthy hiatus is discussed and explained, and our discussion of egomania, megalomania, and politicians is rudely interrupted by a message from Dave Markert... leading to an unplanned ambush interview. After the break, Steve plays with an ancient whistle and discusses his oldest son's baseball acumen and proper grenade-tossing technique. From there, the discussion turns to the military action in the Middle East against Iran, the simplest implications of President Trump's decision to de-certify the Iran nuclear deal, and the possible prophetic significance of current events. Then it's time for another Virginia Tech update, talking about an event involving the women's lacrosse team and a postgame celebration video that landed VT on the national headlines for all the wrong reasons. Finally, we discuss "On the Spot", a new interview segment that will be featured on future episodes of the podcast, and highlight the importance of finding common ground. We're back to it, and we'll talk again soon. Music: Intro: "End of Summer" by The 126ers Rejoin: "Cielo" by Huma-Huma Outro: "The Coldest Shoulder" by The 126ersSpecial Guest: Dave Markert.