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PODCAST

A Vague Knowledge of Everything

Rosemary Cusson-O"Brien and Hope Collins

A conversational podcast which talks about a different topic every week that we only had a vague knowledge of before. From the CDC, to the Electoral College, to the difference between Polygamy and Polyamory, we aim to learn as much as possible about the world around us.

education self-improvement

All Episodes

95:33

#GirlBoss - MLMs and the Problematic People Who...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/06/28

This episode discusses multi-level marketing companies. We go over the differences between MLMs and Pyramid Schemes, the problematic structures that often lead to people going into debt, and profile just a few of the ardent supporters of this business model. DISCLAIMER: This is absolutely not targeted at anyone who is now, or was at one time a part of an MLM. The episode is meant to inform and to provoke careful consideration, not to victimize people who are just trying to make some money. We

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72:39

"Masculinity and Fatherhood"- A Conversation with...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/06/21

In honor of Father's day, this episode is all about fatherhood and masculinity. Hope's dad, Mark, tells us all about his experiences with fatherhood, and how how raising three daughters shaped him into the man he is today. And stay tuned until the end to hear a throwback clip of Rosy's dad, Paul, on his last day as a radio DJ, before he went back to school to become a chemical dependency counselor. Happy Father's Day, everyone!

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67:31

"If You Like it, You're a Fan" - Combatting...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/06/15

In this episode, we invite Hope's ex-boyfriend (AKA husband), Griffin, and our good friend Rob, to talk to us about gatekeeping as it relates to video games and gaming culture. We discuss the reasons people gatekeep, the harm it does, the implicit or explicit sexism involved, and how to recognize and fight against it.

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123:12

From Vagina Candles to Energy Healing: A Brief...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/06/06

This episode was meant to be two parts, but the editing didn't seem to work out, so its coming at you as a supersized podcast. First we discuss Gwyneth Paltrow, the origin of Goop, and its meteoric rise. Then we take the second half to talk about the very problematic Netflix show that came out of it. Its a wild ride, and our driver is a privileged blonde celebrity whose pandemic low point was... eating bread?

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66:31

The Case For Cannabis: Ep. 3 - Codifying Racism: The...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/05/31

In this episode, we discuss the early use of cannabis in the US and the overt racism that led to its prohibition. Its a pretty wild ride, and Harry Anslinger is at wheel. Join us for a dive into the origins of the United States' embarrassing and anti-factual stance on cannabis.

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61:11

"I'm Crying Tears of Empowerment"- Captain Marvel and...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/05/28

In this episode, Hope takes us through the story of how some comic book "fans" tried to tank Captain Marvel before it even came out. We also discuss the sexist double standards faced by any female actor playing a superhero, especially in a standalone movie.

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93:37

"F*** You, Beau Brummel!"- The Fascinating and...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/05/20

Our good friend Brendan Reed joins us this week to talk about masculinity. From the Stoics, to chivalry, to Beau Brummel and beyond, the history of what we call masculinity, is a complicated story that gives meaningful context to the way we view men in society today, and the way they view themselves. *This is our first intercontinental episode!! Big thank you to Brendan Reed, who joined us all the way from Sydney, Australia!!

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61:25

The Case for Cannabis, Ep 2- Trichomes, Terpenes, and...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/05/13

In this episode, we discuss how cannabis works in the human body. We go over the basic compounds found in cannabis and how each of these can be helpful (or harmful in some cases). Also, Rosy shares her experiences as a cannabis user in the US, how it varies state to state, and what she had to do to get her medical card.

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84:24

JK Rowling's Misinformation and Prejudice Against...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/05/06

In this episode Hope and Rosy talk about why people are calling JK Rowling transphobic. We discuss her activity on Twitter, in addition to the essay she posted on her website, breaking down the timeline, and talking about the difference between her version of events and what actually took place. This is not a hit piece, but rather, an attempt to understand what she believes and why, and to factcheck the claims she makes about transgender people and the laws that apply to them. Although we did not

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69:31

The Case for Cannabis: Part 1 - Medical Marijuana...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/04/28

As a medical marijuana patient, Rosy is very passionate about legalizing cannabis. This series will discuss different aspects of the conversation, starting with the medicinal benefits that many people get from medical marijuana.

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64:30

The History of Easter With Dr. Sandra Collins!

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/04/20

Before Easter, we sat down with our resident Theology expert, Hope's Mom! Don't worry, she's a real expert, and has a wealth of knowledge on the topic. She told us about the history of Easter, and the spread of Christianity in the Western world.

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107:16

Bad Science, Dangerously Misapplied- The Story of the...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/04/05

In this episode we talk about the history of the Body Mass Index, and why it should absolutely not be a metric by which to measure individual health. We also get into medical bias, fat-shaming, and why methodology in scientific studies is super important. Have fun getting angry with us!

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76:17

"Who Hurt You, Alton Brown?"- Competition Cooking Shows

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/03/23

In this episode we discuss our shared love of The Great British Bakeoff, explore whatever the hell Cutthroat Kitchen is, and Rosy forgets the existence of the word disguise.

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108:28

Stop Saying People are "Drinking the Kool-Aid" -...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/03/14

This episode focuses on the story of the massacre of Jonestown. We talk about the methods through which Jim Jones amassed hundreds of followers, and how their "Father" became their collective tormentor. We compare Jones methods with NXIVM and Scientology, breaking down the things that led to the People's Temple becoming a high control cult that brainwashed almost 1000 people.

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77:34

Community Guidelines Mean Nothing if Companies Won't...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/02/22

We created this episode to address the growing number of fake or plagiarized YouTube videos out there, giving people "life hacks" that are more trouble than they are worth, or creating baking videos that will never yield the promised result. After discussing that, we took a trip to YouTube's community guidelines, to try to understand why some people are being demonetized or censored and others aren't. The answer was... just a lot of speculation. Join us, as we try to untangle the complexities of

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63:19

"This is Why We Have a Code of Ethics!" - Henrietta...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/02/17

In this episode, Hope explains the story of Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose extraordinary cells have been used to fuel medical research for decades. As we make our way through the story, as told by Rebecca Skloot, in her book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," we discuss the importance of communication, honesty, and most importantly, consent, in the medical field. Its a rough one, but at the end we talk about puppies, so there's that.

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76:33

"Wait, Are You a Big Deal?" - An Interview with One...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/02/08

Ever meet someone in one context, then realize later that, in a different context, that person is kinda famous? Well, that happened for Rosy this month, when she contacted an old friend she was pretty sure was a video game designer. As it turns out, he was one of the founders of Valve, and did a lot of their hiring. In this episode we interview Ken Birdwell about video games! He filled us in on the birth of Valve, the development of Half-Life, and what a video game company is interested in seeing

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66:39

"Pack Yourself Up, and Move On"- A Conversation About...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/02/01

In this Episode, we talked to Brogan McGowan, a new/old friend of Hope's. We talked with them about their experiences being mistreated by the medical community, and their efforts since to grow awareness about the lack of access to, or traumatic experiences within the US Healthcare system. Digressions include tall ships, Taylor Swift, and Hope and Brogan's shared college experience.

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87:44

"You Have to Answer in a Timely Manner!" - Weddings,...

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/01/26

In this episode, Hope and Rosy talk marriage! Not to each other, to our partners. We cover our proposal stories, our thoughts on engagement rings, and how much Rosy loves to be right.

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92:39

The US Capitol Insurrection and Weimar Germany

A Vague Knowledge of Everything ·

2021/01/18

We are once again joined by Capt. Ryan Downs! After a discussion of the recent attack on the capitol building, Ryan breaks down the parallels between the current US political climate and that of Germany after WWI. Digressions include Eddie Izzard, Jim Jones, and our friend Brendan, who we just can't stop gushing about.

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