McGST Podcast
96 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago -Random thoughts about the world today and discussions with interesting people about the world from yesterday.
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Episodes
McGST Podcast Episode 98 (unfairness)
May 07, 2023 16:00 - 34 minutes - 47.3 MBJoanne and I discuss unfairness and Artificial Intelligence. Will the latter help the former? Music by Tom Munch More at McGST.com
McGST Podcast Episode 97 (resilience in the UK)
January 06, 2023 20:55 - 50 minutes - 69.8 MBJoanne and I ask two questions in this episode- Is a 20 year old today as resilient as a 20 year old was 30 years ago? How do we fix the NHS, and by association the UK? Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 96 (the nasty party)
October 19, 2022 17:11 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBA quick rant to myself about how the UK government has negatively impacted my life over the past 12 years, and how they dealt the final blow just a few weeks ago. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 95 (living with empty nest syndrome in a failing United Kingdom with a cockapoo)
October 06, 2022 19:50 - 1 hour - 93.4 MBSome questions from me to Joanne- How real is empty nest syndrome? Where does the UK go next? Managed to end up debating trans rights… Do you regret buying a cockapoo? Final thoughts: The un-ultra Apple Watch Ultra Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 94 (trade unions, bye bye Boris, Roe v Wade)
June 24, 2022 21:09 - 1 hour - 112 MBIn this episode Tom and I discuss the following- Trade unions: have they lost their power? Are workers suffering? Is this a natural change that is unavoidable? How long has Boris got left? The recent Supreme Court decision on Roe v Wade Music by Tom Munch More at McGST
McGST Podcast Episode 93 (non-Apple/Amazon support, what's next and should life be hard?)
April 09, 2022 20:34 - 23 minutes - 31.6 MBMy recent experience dealing with ASUS on a Chromebook repair. What's the next big thing and do we even need it? Is life meant to be hard? Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 92 (we make them more human than they are)
March 31, 2022 20:17 - 40 minutes - 55.3 MBWe make them more human than they are. I didn’t have much time to edit this one so the sound may be ropey in places. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 91 (living in bubbles, taking in refugees, Apple, dogs and YouTube)
March 18, 2022 21:00 - 39 minutes - 54.7 MBJoanne and I discuss our ignorance of other people’s lives and answer some questions- Would you take in a refugee? You talk a good left-wing game. Sam Why do you stick with Apple? The products are so boring and closed-down. Kennie - Related from this tweet- 'Apparently, Russia has now blocked the App Store. This means Russian users won't be able to install any apps, download VPNs or perform any software and security updates. It also means that Putin's grip internally is getting tighter a...
McGST Podcast Episode 90 (why do so many of us want to change our lives?)
February 21, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MBJo and I discussed our desire to change where we live, the jobs we do and so much more in the latest episode. It seems that we are not alone as the following from The Sunday Times states- Just when we thought we had the pandemic beaten, it brings a further wave of pain: we are burning out and dropping out en masse. New figures show that midlife Britain is in peril of doing a Reggie Perrin — leaving its work clothes piled on the beach and disappearing. Official figures last week showed that...
McGST Podcast Episode 89 (I think I know why Johnson is still PM, Jimmy Carr's moment and I'm running out of space)
February 05, 2022 22:27 - 15 minutes - 21.7 MBWhy is Boris Johnson still Prime Minister? I think I know why. The explosion of complaints over Jimmy Carr's World War II joke is worrying. Site update: running out of space... Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 88 (the Withings Scanwatch)
February 04, 2022 20:00 - 16 minutes - 22.4 MBThe Withings Scanwatch is the best hybrid watch I have used to date, and possibly the best fitness watch of all. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 86 (Should we ban private education etc? Levelling up, the digital economy and our old favourite, Covid)
January 09, 2022 11:44 - 1 hour - 130 MBTom and I talked for some time about ideas to improve the lives of everyone and how we should be levelling up opportunities. We inevitably discussed moving on from Covid and, at the end, fell back into old ground. It went on for longer than I expected so maybe ignore the last 20 minutes!;) References- 12 "myths" about education in Finland debunked End State by James Plunkett Inside Barnet hospital Music by Tom Munch
McGST Podcast Episode 85 (Merry Christmas)
December 22, 2021 12:53 - 19 minutes - 26.5 MBI tried to be positive when looking back on 2021, I really did. I failed of course, but I am more positive about 2022. Thanks for visiting the site and listening to the podcast this year. I hope you all have a peaceful and safe Christmas and New Year. More at McGST.com. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 84 (are we storing up tech health problems for the future?)
December 11, 2021 20:41 - 24 minutes - 34.3 MBI this episode I discuss, with myself, if the tech we use today could cause health problems in the future when we realise what effect they have on us. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 82 (The menopause, the manopause and men’s mental health)
November 01, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 88.8 MBThis was quite a long discussion between Joanne and I, but we covered a topic that has been on our minds for some time. Is women’s mental health talked about more because it is often linked with milestones in their lives? Is men’s mental health not talked about because men themselves don’t talk about it? Do men suffer from the manopause when their partners suffer from the menopause? Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 81 (we have learned nothing / we have no margins)
October 20, 2021 06:00 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBWhat have we learned about dealing with Covid one year later? In the UK, not a lot... Where have our margins for creativity gone? Are we all using our tech the same way now because the tech brands want us to do so? Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 80 (Scared of going to work)
October 10, 2021 19:36 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MBFor how long can someone go to work where the fear is strong? It's not just a stressful job, it's not just busy, it is scary... Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 79 (Johnson’s time is running out)
September 25, 2021 18:52 - 33 minutes - 45.5 MBWe will have a new Prime Minister by Christmas… Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 78 (the iPhone 13 isn't bad, but the iPhone 11 is too good)
September 23, 2021 06:00 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBWhy I won't be upgrading to the iPhone 13 or Apple Watch series 7 for two very different reasons... Why I shouldn't really be thinking about upgrading any device. Why Biden and Johnson are talking nonsense... Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 77 (Talking to a teenager in 2021: part 2)
September 13, 2021 06:00 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBAlice and I discussed gender (again), AirPods Pro, paper books and a few other select subjects. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 76 (Talking to a teenager in 2021)
September 11, 2021 06:00 - 43 minutes - 60.2 MBMyself and Alice sat down to have a chat and we managed to cover quite a few topics such as resilience, education and the differences between our generations. It was an enjoyable discussion. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 75 (Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit Brexit...)
September 06, 2021 06:00 - 34 minutes - 47.4 MBIf you are looking for a happy and cheery podcast episode to listen to you may want to avoid this one. We found ourselves falling down a rabbit hole and we struggled to get out of it, but alas everything we discussed is actually happening. Seriously, DON'T LISTEN! Would you vaccinate your child? A third wave is incoming because of so many completely avoidable problems. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 74 (Fweedon Fighting Uneducated Maskless Working From Home People)
August 12, 2021 06:00 - 59 minutes - 82.3 MBThere is no misspelling in the title of this podcast. Fweedom Fighters are real. In this episode Tom and I discuss the following- How do we fix education to make it suitable for 2021? It appears that a lot of what we teach children, and how we do it, is purely out of habit and tradition. Is Google right to want to pay employees less if they work from home? What is the philosophy behind mask wearing and is it really a stepping stone to more tyrannical things in the future? Tom and I very ...
McGST Episode 73 (is competition good or bad?)
August 05, 2021 06:00 - 58 minutes - 80.4 MBI started off by talking about competition, with myself, while waiting for my daughter in the car. Excuse the sound quality, but I only had my iPhone handy at the time. When I got home the conversation continued with my son, Thomas, and we began with a quick discussion about trans athletes followed by competition. It’s fair to say that we went deep on the subject of whether competition is a good or bad thing, or if it is inevitable. Music by Tom Munch
McGST Podcast Episode 72 (Can only men and women compete in the Olympics?)
August 03, 2021 06:00 - 32 minutes - 44.9 MBJoanne and I discuss Laurel Hubbard's participation in the Olympics as a transgender athlete. We thought we knew where we were with the subject until the end and then it hit us. It came to us that this cannot be resolved in a way that would satisfy the majority, if anyone. Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 71 (Marriage, brands, pay rises and being woke)
July 25, 2021 15:01 - 39 minutes - 54 MBQuestions- I got married last year and am looking forward to many years of happiness. What’s the secret? You two seem very happy together. Lucy You both speak highly of Apple products. What other brands do you like and / or rate as highly as Apple? Douglas Sick of NHS people moaning. You get a 3% pay rise when many people have lost their jobs and homes. Many of us would kill for your job security! Billy You are woke. I hate woke people and you are a coward for taking comments off your si...
McGST Podcast Episode 70 (my Apple Watch instinct)
July 20, 2021 06:00 - 7 minutes - 10.4 MBLikely my shortest episode yet in which I talk about my instincts with regards to where the Apple Watch will go next, and how the Garmin Instinct compares to it. They are polar opposites in literally every way, but Apple has the room to kill it overnight. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 69 (freedom day!?!)
July 19, 2021 15:33 - 9 minutes - 12.5 MBA very short episode in which I discuss, with myself, how the UK's freedom day is going so far. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 68 (a potentially unfathomable nightmare)
July 17, 2021 07:30 - 55 minutes - 76.2 MB“Surely the infection rate + the pinging app + Monday’s potential free for all = a potentially unfathomable nightmare. Why does it feel like the government is in complete denial about this? It’s absolutely bonkers.” James O’Brien “Boris Johnson’s plan to lift virtually all of England’s pandemic restrictions on Monday is a threat to the world and provides fertile ground for the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants, international experts say. Britain’s position as a global transport hub w...
McGST Podcast Episode 67 (the nocebo effect)
July 12, 2021 18:41 - 19 minutes - 27.1 MBThe ‘nocebo effect’ is new to me, but it may answer a lot of the questions I have had over the past year about the differing ways people have handles the pandemic. The ‘luxury effect’ details a recent experience in a high-end jewellers that made me feel completely alien to the world of luxury. Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.com.
McGST Podcast Episode 66 (personal irresponsibility)
July 06, 2021 17:35 - 12 minutes - 17.5 MBA quick talk about personal responsibility and masks. Who exactly is the government protecting with their new unlocking in the UK? Image via The Times. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 65 (the last one)
June 28, 2021 17:51 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBJoanne and I answered some of your questions to start- Any good new music recommendations? Matt Why have you not done YouTube? Marie No government has succeeded with Covid. We need to accept it is here for years! Get over it! Stan What 1st and 3rd party apps can you not live without? Tyme Why end the site? Robson And then we discussed the relevant merits of Garmin and Apple for fitness and smartwatchery… Thanks for listening to the podcast over the past year. Really do appreciate the ...
McGST Podcast Episode 64 (Are we living in the Hunger Games?)
June 04, 2021 20:41 - 39 minutes - 53.7 MBJoanne and I discussed three questions that has been sent in and then we tried to cover near impossible topics including how long we will have to live with Covid for and if we are in fact all living in a version of the Hunger Games. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 63 (Amazon’d, are we stuck and being the parents of adults)
May 15, 2021 12:12 - 55 minutes - 76.5 MBAre we stuck using Amazon and does the company have too much of a lead to ever be caught? Are we stuck with covid restrictions for years to come and are we heading back to exactly how we were pre-covid? Thought on being the parents of adults. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 62 (The need to create)
May 04, 2021 20:11 - 13 minutes - 18.3 MBThe need to create is undeniable for many of us… Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 61 (Royalty, psychopaths and God)
April 09, 2021 19:35 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBA quick chat with Alice about- The Royal Family Megan and Diana Black + white does not = black God A new beginning Psychopaths Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 60 (Why fix something if I won’t get credit for it?)
April 07, 2021 18:06 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBSome thoughts about why we tend to prefer to fix things rather than preventing a problem from happening. “Climate change is a political problem of the future. A government of now isn’t interested in doing anything that costs them money NOW. Covid is different because they have to do something now.” Simon. “I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one Shaun & Joanne. Most people don’t care. Most people don’t care as they don’t see or feel the effects of the climate change...
McGST Podcast Episode 59 (Do any of us really care about climate change?)
April 05, 2021 12:52 - 26 minutes - 36.3 MBDo any of us really care about climate change? Probably not is the conclusion Joanne and I came to... Music by Tom Munch. by McGST.com.
McGST Podcast Episode 58 (You name it, we talked about it)
April 01, 2021 20:47 - 1 hour - 123 MBTom and I had what was supposed to be a quick discussion about a couple of topics. It went on a bit… We covered the following- Racism in the UK How do you solve big cultural issues such as race and gender? Should we celebrate difference more? Footballers ‘do’ deserve to be paid more than nurses. Are people too stupid to help us get through the pandemic? Does our government have too much power? Trump! Political obsession Are pro-lifers treated unfairly? Oh Canada If you woke up to...
McGST Podcast Episode 57 (What is music? Part 3. With Tom Munch)
March 29, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 132 MBOver the past year Tom Munch has been entertaining his fans through Facebook and while doing so he has had to learn upwards of 40 new songs a week to fulfil requests. In a troubling time for all of us we start off by answering a few music-related questions, but the discussion goes much deeper into what music means to all of us, and in particular in times of crisis. The result surprised me and it ended up likely being the best McGST episode to date (don't tell Joanne I said that...). What di...
McGST Podcast Episode 56 (Questions #5)
March 22, 2021 07:00 - 18 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this episode I answer the latest questions sent in by yourselves. Some people are getting angry...🙄 What have you learned from lockdown and what will stay with you? Carl Why do you love the EU so much? Look at the state of their vaccination program! Kris Any advice for someone new starting a website? Adam (aged 15) You are such an Apple fanboy! Lu-cern Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 55 (#notallmen)
March 15, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutes - 51.1 MBJoanne and I discuss #notallmen and it turned out to be quite a wide ranging discussion. References: the tragic Sarah Everard case and this thread by Julie Cohen. Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 54 (What makes a mechanical watch so special?)
March 13, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 27.5 MBWhat makes a mechanical watch special? There are almost too many reasons... Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 53 (What makes the not so special Apple Watch special?)
March 12, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 19.5 MBWhat makes the not so special Apple Watch special? It's a conundrum... Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 52 (What makes the Kindle so special?)
March 11, 2021 07:00 - 13 minutes - 18.5 MBWhat makes the Kindle so special? Is it because of everything it cannot do? Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.
McGST Podcast Episode 51 (What makes the iPhone so special?)
March 10, 2021 07:00 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBIn this short episode I try to answer a simple question. What makes the iPhone so special? Music by Tom Munch. More at McGST.com.
McGST Podcast Episode 50 (bullies, governments, cats and dogs)
March 09, 2021 07:00 - 36 minutes - 50.3 MBSomehow we got to episode 50 in which Joanne and I discuss the following- Should bullies be forgiven for what they did at school? Why do we let governments govern? QUESTIONS- Cats or Dogs? Millie I want a 50th birthday Rolex, but my wife is against the idea even though we have the money for it. Any ideas? Stan If we were told tomorrow that we have to lockdown for another year what would be the first thing you do? Terry What next for the podcast? Jane Music by Tom Munch. More at McGS...
McGST Podcast Episode 49 (My Princess)
March 03, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 75.1 MBI intended to talk to Alice about the way we use casual sexism in speech, but we needed up discussing gender fluidity, gender-specific toys for children, gay / straight / bisexual, men and women, fathers and daughters, and mums and sons. She opened my old eyes to a younger world. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 48 (citizenship, healthcare and digitised analogue tasks)
March 02, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 61.3 MBIn this episode Joanne and I discuss the right to citizenship, socialised healthcare (the good and the bad) and digitised analogue tasks. It was quite a low key epode and I was pondering whether to record it again when we were less tired, but I think it just about stands up. Music by Tom Munch.
McGST Podcast Episode 49 (citizenship, healthcare and digitised analogue tasks)
March 02, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 61.3 MBIn this episode Joanne and I discuss the right to citizenship, socialised healthcare (the good and the bad) and digitised analogue tasks. It was quite a low key epode and I was pondering whether to record it again when we were less tired, but I think it just about stands up. Music by Tom Munch.