Episodes

Monday Aug 10, 2020
DS #113: The Quality of Mercy
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
This episode is all about the power of forgiveness, featuring stories from my own life, as well as people from all walks of life — from the Nazi Holocaust to post-9/11 hate crimes. Let us learn from their powerful examples how to live without hatred in our hearts.
Links

Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
DS #112: Faith Stevenson
Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
On this episode, I spend an hour with my friend and teaching neighbor Faith Stevenson. We discuss education, literature, race, geography, Waffle House, and a dozen other topics. Enjoy!
Links
- ESP: @DukeSkath
- Books
- Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye
- Arthur Golden: Memoirs of a Geisha
- Tayari Jones: An American Marriage
- Movies
- The Color Purple
- School Daze
- 13th (Full feature)
- Music

Thursday May 28, 2020
DS #111: Garrett Crowell
Thursday May 28, 2020
Thursday May 28, 2020
This episode features a raucous and entertaining conversation with my friend Garrett Crowell. He knows more about comics than anybody I know, so I asked him to discuss Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Transmetropolitan, and the movie Bob Roberts in the age of Trump. (Spoiler alert for all of those!) Along the way, we discuss the history of comics, documentary films, and why we enjoy screaming in parking garages. Enjoy!
Timecodes:
- 6:20 - Watchmen
- 25:50 - V for Vendetta
- 45:30 - Transmetropolitan
- 70:20 - Bob Roberts

Sunday May 03, 2020
DS #110: Vive La Révolution!
Sunday May 03, 2020
Sunday May 03, 2020
After a year and a half, we're back with an hour of coronavirus chatter, economic ranting, and pop culture critiques. In this episode, Eric dives into the armed idiots reacting to Stay at Home orders in the US; French hip-hop; and Michael Moore's dumb new movie. Check it out! Listen now! DO IT LIVE.
Links, baby:
- The Atlantic: Why the Coronavirus Is So Confusing: A guide to making sense of a problem that is now too big for any one person to fully comprehend
- ESP on Medium: Chaotic Reflections: Mind Health in March 2020
- ESP: Resisting Oversimplification: Thoughts on Kony 2012
- NYT: ‘Instead of Coronavirus, the Hunger Will Kill Us.’ A Global Food Crisis Looms.
- Vice: Where You’re Out of Work Makes All the Difference in the World
- Talib Kweli: The People's Party Interview with Chuck D
- Pumpkin & Vin'S da Cuero: Make Boom Bap Great Again
- ESP on Twitter: A thread about "Planet of the Humans" (lots of links there)

Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
DS #109: Snow, Students, Stories, Socialism, Solidarity, and Stuff
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
Wednesday Jan 23, 2019
Join Eric S. Piotrowski as he rants and reflects on the MAGA/BHI/Indigenous Drumming incident; marginal tax rates; Donald Trump; what we didn't learn after the 2008 crash; the inactivity of Betsy DeVos; the influence of hip-hop; the political campaign of The Duchess; and a dozen other topics.
Send feedback and links to @DukeSkath. Thanks for listening!

Thursday Jul 19, 2018
DS #107: Shae Crowell
Thursday Jul 19, 2018
Thursday Jul 19, 2018
This episode features a superb conversation with my good friend Shae Crowell. She's a teacher, a singer + choral leader, a union thug, and many other things. She's got great things to say about how education works, why class size matters, what history is, and why music is important.
Enjoy!
Topic Index:
- 2:00 - Life as a student
- 8:30 - Student teaching + early jobs
- 27:00 - Teaching philosophy
- 52:00 - African-American History
- 64:30 - Economics
- 70:00 - Unions
- 80:30 - Parenting + education
- 85:30 - Nashville in Harmony

Saturday Jun 02, 2018
DS #107: No No SEO
Saturday Jun 02, 2018
Saturday Jun 02, 2018
On this episode I explain why I don't give two farts about Search Engine Optimization or Income Stream Maximization Programs. I also complain about Donald Trump, explain about why drinking on Memorial Day is not an insult to The Troops, and introduce you to the second-best song called "Warm It Up" ever made.
Send questions! Give feedback! Holler at 'cha boy!
Twitter: @DukeSkath
email: esp@fbesp.org

Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
Ds #106: Not A Sh@#head
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
In this irregular episode, Eric P ruminates on guns, resistance, and cultural elements that keep us going. It's scattershot and sophisticated -- so enjoy!
Holler at 'cha boy: @DukeSkath

Saturday Oct 07, 2017
DS #105: MindWipe
Saturday Oct 07, 2017
Saturday Oct 07, 2017
This show is a little different. By popular demand, I have recorded an audiobook version of my introduction to mindfulness, MindWipe. So I'm sending it out through the stream. I hope it's useful.
If you'd like a free PDF of the book, a cheap Kindle version, or a slightly-more-expensive print copy, visit my website http://www.just-text.org
As always, please get in touch via email or Twitter: esp@fbesp.org or @DukeSkath

Saturday Jun 24, 2017
DS #104b: Richard Webster
Saturday Jun 24, 2017
Saturday Jun 24, 2017
It's the conversation too dangerous for live television. (Also I'm not allowed on television.) I sit down with my friend Richard Webster to dissect the concepts of white privilege, intersectionality, class warfare, and why capitalism is immoral. Join us with an open mind and let us know what you think.
Twitter: @DukeSkath (Eric) and @RealRichWebster (Rich)