In Search of Sanity

Are you tired of the toxic nonsense of today’s ‘we’re right and anyone who disagrees with us is wrong’ conversation? Our conversations and observations are for you. An irreverent, light-hearted yet thoughtful non-partisan current affairs Podcast that considers some of the most challenging issues facing our society and communities.

15 Mins iSoS: Let We The People Decide. 02/25/2022

15 Mins iSoS: Let We The People Decide. Mark and Clive dive into two local issues - redistricting (aka gerrymandering) and allowing voters to choose vacant elected positions. It seems that more and more the body politic want to adjudicate issues in the courts or in the chamber and view the idea of voting as inconvenient and unnecessary. Their commentary wont surprise you as they advocate for the supremacy of voters, but the origin of the term 'gerrymandering' might! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/22256306

Niel Young Wants To Cancel Joe Rogan! Really? 01/28/2022

Niel Young Wants To Cancel Joe Rogan! Really? Mark & Clive are scratching their heads that Neil Young, an icon of freedom and anti-establishment protests, appears to have become infected with cancel culture complex and a victim of the outrage industrial complex. This is not the behavior of sane or reasonable people. At least let's hope not because we love Neil and respect Joe even if we don't always agree with everything they sing or say. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21935414

15 Mins iSoS: The State of Freedom in America 01/12/2022

15 Mins iSoS: The State of Freedom in America Mark & Clive take a brief look at the recent Cato Institute annual report: 'Freedom in the 50 States' and how California fares. No prizes for guessing where it ranks, although the 'most free' State might surprise you. It's hard not to be partisan when those adjudged to be 'most free' are all governed by Republicans, while those 'least free' by Democrats. Perhaps it all depends on what freedom means to you! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21754214

15 mins iSoS. Moving on From January 6th 2021. 01/07/2022

15 mins iSoS. Moving on From January 6th 2021. While President Biden & President Trump continue their slanging match, Mark & Clive look forward and ponder what we can learn from the seismic events of 6/1/21. Whatever your political leanings there is something in this podcast for everyone. Unless you are a member of the body politic, in which case there are some questions to be asked and opportunities to be grasped. It's time to move on. Can someone tell the politicians that? /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21708155

15 mins iSoS: The Politician's Gravy Train. 01/05/2022

15 mins iSoS: The Politician's Gravy Train. When Mark & Clive applaud AOC, you know you're in for a thought provoking and entertaining 15 minutes. Today they take a closer look at the profiteering politicians who make money from buying and selling stock while privy to information not easily available to us mere mortals. As always, they have a few choice words for those on the gravy train and suggest some reasonable and pragmatic solutions to solve the problem. Don't expect any of them to be adopted anytime soon! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21684530

What Kept Mark & Clive Sane in 2021? 12/31/2021

What Kept Mark & Clive Sane in 2021? It would be a sorry state of affairs if the architects, producers and presenters of a show whose sole purpose is a search of sanity failed to find any themselves. To cap off 2021 Mark & Clive share what three things kept them sane in this most insane year. Some of them might even surprise you! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21644612

We Just Don't Trust Media Anymore. 12/29/2021

We Just Don't Trust Media Anymore. Mark & Clive kvetch about the demise of media's reputation. Why do 58% of Americans believe that “most news organisations are more concerned with supporting an ideology or political position than with informing the public”? What can be done about it? It's hard to find a silver lining but there are signs of hope. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21628073

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity 12/24/2021

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity Mark and Clive explore the issues around the progressive policy of forgiving all student debt. Looking at the numbers, the implication is that the cohort who will benefit most are white graduates from the elite universities. Is that 'progressive' or just another form of 'white privilege'? On face value it does seem hypocritical. Is there a fairer way or is it unfair to future graduates and the nation as a whole to forgive debt in the first place? /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21595709

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity 12/13/2021

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity With Roe v Wade being challenged in The SCOTUS, Mark & Clive take on the touchy subject of abortion and come up with a controversial compromise. You cant please all the people all the time. That's where democracy can make a difference. Please invest 15 minutes to hear their idea and tell us what you think. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21464897

15 Mins In Search of Sanity 12/06/2021

15 Mins In Search of Sanity Mark & Clive consider the words of Ronald Reagan, "Trust, but verify" and Abraham Lincoln "The people when rightly and fully trusted will return the trust", question why only 32% of people trust mainstream media and discuss ideas to solve the problem. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21396014

15 Minutes iSoS 11/30/2021

15 Minutes iSoS A light-hearted yet fact laden and considered review of the 'When Harry Kissed Santa Claus' ad from Norway's Post Office that went viral. Woke smoke or a valuable cultural contribution? It all depends. Find out where our sleigh lands on this issue........ /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21326423

15 Mins In Search of Sanity (Make That 30!) 11/25/2021

15 Mins In Search of Sanity (Make That 30!) After Mark explains Thanksgiving to Clive, they look at the ambition and actions of the newly formed Paso Robles Diversity Panel. Clive reports back on his participation in a public workshop. They look at the elephant in the room. Think about how you celebrate a history and a culture that is both a force for good and sometimes part of the problem and discuss some practical ideas to help everyone feel like they belong, /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21285986

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity 11/19/2021

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity Mark and Clive question who, if anyone, wins in the latest show trial caused by violent protests resulting from another police shooting. As usual, no person or agency involved comes out smelling of roses as once again partisan politics taints the whole tragic episode. Listen to find out who deserves the least amount of credit and sympathy and what, if any, sanity can be found in other example of a trail where it seems the only winners are unreasonable people. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21222179

15 Mins In Search of Sanity in LaLa Land 11/15/2021

15 Mins In Search of Sanity in LaLa Land With Clive reporting from a rare visit to Los Angeles to see the last Monkees Concert, Mark wonders if bands where half the original members are dead should still be billed as The Monkees, Chicago or The Who. Clive thinks they should. They also look at Mask compliance in LaLa Land (Hint: there doesn't seem to be any), Lockdowns in Austria and dog poop on Hollywood Boulevard. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21168110

15 Minutes iSoS - Transgenderism in High Schools. 11/12/2021

15 Minutes iSoS - Transgenderism in High Schools. Nobody at the local high school comes out smelling of roses in the latest controversy. Not the teacher, not the students nor The Administration. Where does equity end and politics/virtue signaling takeover? Who should be taking the lead in issues relating to beliefs and lifetsyles? Teachers or Parents? Is 'safetyism' "coddling" the next generation? They conclude that to support a cohesive and vibrant community, we should be accepting of different beliefs and lifestyles, even if we don't approve of them. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21144881

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity 11/10/2021

15 Minutes In Search of Sanity Mark & Clive introduce a new In Search of Sanity series. A 15 minute look at a recent news story or community issue through a non-partisan lens. Today they cover COP26, the climate change conference in Glasgow and wonder why our political and corporate leaders ask us to 'do as they say, not as they do'. Most reasonable people want to do what they can to tackle climate related issues, so why do the elites treat us like children? /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/21123578

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 21 02/05/2021

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 21 Mark scratches his head as President Biden reneges on his pre-election promise not to rely on Executive Orders to make policy and wonders what happened to his commitment to work with both parties. He takes a closer look at some of those Executive Orders and wonders what 'reasonable people' will think of them. While on the issue of what is on the mind of reasonable people, Mark looks at the demands of Teachers' Unions and their catastrophic impact on children's education. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17829308

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 20 01/30/2021

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 20 Mark gives us his own unique view on the Inauguration and nobody is spared. Flexing his 'equal opportunity offender' muscles Mark takes aim at both sides of the body politic and then shares his ideas on how politicians and the media may start to serve us, the 'reasonable people'. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17751578

TMWS ThoughtCast Episode 19 Part Two 01/19/2021

TMWS ThoughtCast Episode 19 Part Two This might be Mark's best ThoughtCast so far. You decide! In Part Two, in a search for ideas and not ideology, Mark makes a Hail Mary attempt to find some suggestions on how we might navigate our way out of this "nice mess we've gotten ourselves into". He calls a Brit. Clive. They know all about revolutions! As Sun Tzu said "There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare." It's time to stop the fighting and start rebuilding the 'United' in The United States of America. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17601212

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 19 Part One. 01/18/2021

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep 19 Part One. This might be Mark's best ThoughtCast so far. You decide! Just as we thought we could look forward to a new year, the insanity went ballistic. In Part One Mark looks at the tragic actions of the last week through multiple lenses. Nobody comes out smelling of roses, least of all the body politic. Mark finds some more odorous than others. In Part Two, Mark looks for ideas not ideology to navigate our way out of this partisan mess. He calls a Brit. Clive. They know all about revolutions! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17593565

Ceasefire Episode 1 01/06/2021

Ceasefire Episode 1 In Search of Sanity presents a new ThoughtCast that brings two protagonists with opposing views together in search of sanity and common ground. We aim to explore 'ideas not ideology'. The first episode looks at the claims that the American people were cheated because the US Presidential election was tainted by wide scale material election fraud. Sanity prevailed in that two reasonable people were able to agree to disagree while still reaching a consensus on the best way forward. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17448305

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 17 01/06/2021

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 17 Mark starts the new year by throwing cold water over lots of subjects, including himself. Sometimes its invigorating, and sometimes he gives his subjects a good soaking. Warning us all against being victims of the hysterical response of Main Stream Media, Mark reminds us that our democracy is not in danger and that nothing is new in our world. Including the fact that both parties have a history of trying to influence the electoral college and invalidate votes and attempts to defeat the virus. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17439974

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep16 12/30/2020

TMWS ThoughtCast Ep16 Mark wraps up an 'insane' year by discussing the latest news locally and nationally, including SLO City's decision to award a 10% pay raise to its highest paid employees, while raising taxes. He calls Clive to get an update on what is happening across the pond with the emergence of a new ' UK mutant virus'. Together they look forward to 2021 and commit to evangelising the principle of independent thinking and being reasonable! Wishful thinking or more insanity? /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17373962

MW ThoughtCast Ep.15 12/03/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep.15 Whether it's elections, journalism & media bias, free speech or free will, Mark ponders why it is that everything we hold dear seems to be under attack and why it is trust has collapsed in our institutions and in our communities. If the 'way Its working isn't working', what do we need to change to get things back onto an even keel? /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/17054219

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 14 11/20/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 14 Mark looks at the hypocrisy of our State and National political leaders. While we the common folk are locked down, Governor Newsome and other members of the political elite ignore the very rules they insist we follow. Plus Mark looks at Trump's final acts as he looks to keep his followers 'Enraged & Engaged'. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16892813

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 13 10/29/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 13 After being deluged like the rest of us by waterfalls of campaign material, Mark has ticked his boxes and sent in his ballot. In this ThoughtCast he looks forward to what the next 4 years might look like, both nationally, across The State and locally on The Central Coast. Will we be laughing or crying? Probably a bit of both. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16591478

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 12 10/25/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 12 The second part of Mark's recent conversation with his In Search of Sanity Partner - Clive Pinder. Mark praises Diane Feinstein. Clive lives up to his 'equal opportunity offender' billing as they tackle the question of why people move to The Central Coast from LA & SFO because they love the community spirit and neighborly values born of 'Pioneer Principles'; then immediately look to challenge those principles and change them. Plus Mark asks Clive for his POTUS prediction. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16539881

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 11 10/25/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 11 Mark is joined by Clive, his Co-Founder of In Search of Sanity to have a reasonable conversation about topics of the day. Trying to understand why you can fly in a plane but not go to church? If putting your mask on between bites will really help reduce infection rates? Plus Mark challenges Clive on his opinions on their local newspaper - The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Something here for everyone, and while you might not agree, you may think a little differently. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16539608

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 10 10/20/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep. 10 Mark brings his usual irreverence to a quick fire review of some of the more absurd news stories of the week so far. From Michigan militia using PT Cruisers, to ICE Cube being accused of selling out black people! Alas none of our political leaders, nationally or locally, come out smelling of roses! Heidi Harmon & Donald Trump especially, and you don't often see those two names in the same sentence! Heidi earns it for a classic case of opening mouth before engaging brain! /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16478669

MW ThoughtCast Ep.9 10/17/2020

MW ThoughtCast Ep.9 In this ThoughtCast Mark notes that politicians seem to have perfected the art of not answering questions directly. Journalists seem to have perfected the art of not asking direct questions. While The World Health Organisation seem to change their mind on what the right answers are regularly, with catastrophic economic consequences. /episode/index/show/insearchofsanity/id/16439309

In Search of Sanity

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