Best Bufnagle Podcasts (2025)

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Ep 259: Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars Doing Their Thing — A Conversation with Big Brain Smart Head™ Maura Donahue 48:10

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6d ago48:10

48:10

Rafe invites his sister, Big Brain Smart Head™ Maura Donahue, to discuss her recent adventures with shepherding a flock of monarch butterfly caterpillars from hatching to chrysalis stage. The discussion is one filled with wonder and awe, a conversation edged with the understanding that everyday processes that take place mostly unseen in Nature are …

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Ep 258: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: "Living in the Stupidest Time Ever" — The Buf Takes On Some Listener Questions 37:53

13d ago37:53

37:53

Re-dropping a classic episode from 2023: Harry and Rafe address some listener questions surrounding great saints, why so much focus on Imago Dei, and all the great stuff we have learned doing the Buf for all these years. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts a…

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Ep 257: Train Collisions, Insects, Algebra, and Infinity 23:45

20d ago23:45

23:45

Rafe tackles a classic high-school algebra problem and discusses that, when teaching, there is a real need to actually show students the tricks and procedures for getting to answers; the idea that students should be encouraged to try to reinvent the wheel, when the solution has been developed and is shared amongst the educated, is just silly. Be de…

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Ep 256: Sewing Machines and Listening to God 29:38

27d ago29:38

29:38

Rafe tells the story of the repair of a sewing machine and somehow ends up with the idea of God giving us (or him) puzzles to solve so as to give us Great Joy. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, …

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Ep 255: Aviation History: Lift, Thrust, And An Unknown Brush With Greatness (part 2 of 2) 30:55

1M ago30:55

30:55

Harry joins Rafe to discuss the principle of lift, problems the Wright brothers needed to solve before their airplane could be complete, how jet engines work, and an unknown brush with greatness that Rafe had years ago. This is Part 2 of two episodes. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an inde…

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Ep 254: Aviation History: Lift, Thrust, And An Unknown Brush With Greatness (part 1 of 2) 31:26

1M ago31:26

31:26

Harry joins Rafe to discuss the principle of lift, problems the Wright brothers needed to solve before their airplane could be complete, how jet engines work, and an unknown brush with greatness that Rafe had years ago. This is Part 1 of two episodes. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an inde…

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Ep 253: "What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to reward?" — The Book of Esther (part 2 of 2) 38:05

2M ago38:05

38:05

In this second of two episodes, Rafe discusses the second half of the Book of Esther, a tale of political intrigue, cleverness, faith, and duty. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you hav…

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Ep 252: "Perhaps it was for a time like this that you were made queen?" — The Book of Esther (part 1 of 2) 41:02

2M ago41:02

41:02

In this first of two episodes, Rafe discusses the first half of the Book of Esther, a tale of political intrigue, cleverness, faith, and duty. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have …

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Ep 251: Respect the Boundaries: Virtue, Art, Cities and Societies, and Cancer 21:21

2M ago21:21

21:21

Rafe takes on the topic of boundaries and freedoms and how the restrictions we put on ourselves in all endeavors bring us the freedom that we seek. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you …

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Ep 250: Makers Leave Their Image and Likeness Imprinted on Their Creations 35:26

3M ago35:26

35:26

Rafe recalls stories of his father crafting things and tells stories about crafting things himself, all while watching professionals using industrial techniques that fail to allow the story of the maker to be imprinted into the craftwork. In the end we learn that the image and likeness of a creator gets imprinted into his work, just like your Maker…

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Ep 249: Leftovers, Dinosaurs, Swimming Pools, Secret Pals, and Gratitude 37:37

3M ago37:37

37:37

Rafe relates a number of stories that link together and reveal again the infinitude of the variety of the Good. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have asked how you can help out. Wel…

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Ep 248: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: Pledging Lives, Fortunes, and Sacred Honors 47:28

3M ago47:28

47:28

Re-dropping a classic episode from Independence Day 2022: From fireworks to sparklers to lawn darts, America's Independence Day provides an opportunity to look back to build understanding of how and why the American colonies broke away from the British mother country. After centuries of colony-building and decades of disagreement with the behaviour…

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Ep 247: Let's Talk About The Buf at 250 — Big Brain Smart Head™ Bob Luzenski interviews Rafe 51:08

3M ago51:08

51:08

As the Buf approaches 250 episodes (all in season 1!!), the Buf's most frequent guest, Big Brain Smart Head™ and America's Favorite Rocket Scientist™, Bob Luzenski, takes over the host chair and peppers questions at Rafe. In typical Buf fashion, the answers cover more topics than they were intended to cover and the topics drift all over the map, fr…

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Ep 246: When and Where Does the Sun Stand Still? — Winning the Global Solstical Lottery 28:04

3M ago28:04

28:04

Rafe looks into the upcoming June solstice and which lucky locations will get to see the sun at its absolutely highest point. Of course, to get there one must discuss time zones and UTC offsets and silly daylight time and all such things. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podca…

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Ep 245: What Does it Mean? — Statistics, Carl Jung, Shakespeare, and Humanity 42:11

4M ago42:11

42:11

Rafe looks at what means mean and why they are not all they might be cracked up to be. Along the way we hear stories about Zach's youth, about Amazon's call centers, about support sets and mass functions, about Carl Jung, and Hamlet and Horatio, and we come to the conclusion that indeed there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of i…

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Ep 244: Old is New Again — Lessons Learned Restoring an Antique Phonograph 40:04

4M ago40:04

40:04

Rafe discusses restoring a 100-year old Edison Amberola 30 phonograph, how he did it, and the surprising lessons that he learned. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have asked how you…

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Ep 243: Let's Talk About Beauty — A Thought-provoking Conversation with Master Carver and Big Brain Smart Head™ Patrick Webb 49:06

4M ago49:06

49:06

Rafe has the honor of hosting master carver and Big Brain Smart Head™ Patrick Webb on the Buf to discuss beauty, carving, architecture, education, the difference between economy and ecology, and the sacredness of human hand craft, among other things. Patrick can be reached through the Preservation Works, Ltd. website or on Linkedin or other places …

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Ep 242: There Will Come Soft Rains — A Line in a Poem in a Story in a Novel on a Podcast 32:11

4M ago32:11

32:11

Rafe talks about catch-phrases, punchlines, Fig Newtons, soft rains, Martians, talking dogs, and caring, but not necessarily in that order. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have ask…

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Ep 241: Horses, Frogs, and Stagecoaches — A Wonderful Conversation with Big Brain Smart Head™ Maura Donahue 50:25

5M ago50:25

50:25

Rafe entertains (or is entertained by?) his sister, Big Brain Smart Head™ Maura Donahue. Together they discuss horses and frogs, stagecoaches and getting to where you want to go, the forthcoming hurdles awaiting higher education, the joys of learning new things in new ways, trusting your gut, hitting a curveball, and much, much more. Maura can be r…

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Ep 240: Punishment, Temptation, Testing, or Consequence — What is Actually the Cause of Your Suffering? 40:10

5M ago40:10

40:10

In a follow-up to Episode 239's discussion of Sin, Suffering, and Death, Rafe pursues the question of the source of your suffering. Is this certainty of life due to punishment? Temptation? Testing? or simple Consequence? Rafe looks at each one of these and comes to the conclusion that it's not divine punishment; it's probably a combination of simpl…

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Ep 239: "A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet" — What's In a Name? 31:00

5M ago31:00

31:00

Rafe does a solo discussion of the concept of naming, a uniquely human thing to do and a necessary component of our status as Imago Dei. Along the way we'll learn the reason for Rafe's four names, discuss naming conventions, investigate Adam's assignment to name the animals (and Eve!), and the nature of God's name and why it should be hallowed. ***…

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Ep 238: "Preparation for the Antagonist World" — A Most Pleasant Conversation with Big Brain Smart Head™ Annie Holmquist 36:56

5M ago36:56

36:56

Rafe is joined by author and Big Brain Smart Head™ Annie Holmquist to discuss her learnings from Russell Kirk about four principles for childhood success: happy family, extended family interactions, regular reading exposure, and the freedom to explore. In classic Buf style, the conversation drifts on and off the topic and wanders into other realms …

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Ep 237: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: Lessons From the Passion; Power, Corruption, Truth, and Progress 19:32

6M ago19:32

19:32

Re-dropping a classic episode from Lent 2023, Rafe takes a short solo episode to discuss the Passion and how it is the oldest and most common story in history: power is threatened by Truth so Truth gets killed. But Truth has that odd little habit of coming back, which gives us Easter. Technology may advance but Man stays the same: driven by power a…

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Ep 236: Suffering, Death, Sin, and Falling Rocks — How Ought We Think About Avoiding These? 37:33

6M ago37:33

37:33

Harry and Rafe discuss three things that people seek to avoid: suffering, death, and sin and where we ought to put our priorities. And along the way, we come to understand the nature of sinning and why it is the worst of these three things, as the other two simply cannot be avoided except at great peril to one's soul, and also to see ourselves as r…

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Ep 235: Time Zones, Daylight Time, and Busybodies — What Time It Is Where and When 38:08

6M ago38:08

38:08

Rafe goes after time zones and daylight time and how things are so complicated and goofy that it defies belief. We start with understanding Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), address the sun moving at 15 degrees per hour, and then drop in a dash of summer time adjustments and we get the wacky time settings in place today. ***** As always, you can re…

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Ep 234: Snowflake Bentley — The Breathtaking 100-year-old Snowflake Photographs Done by W.H. Bentley 31:41

6M ago31:41

31:41

Rafe discusses Wilson Bentley and how he developed a method to take photomicrographs of snowflakes and make snow, one of the grand beauties of our universe, even more beautiful. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this …

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Ep 233: Spinning Goat Hair and Seeking the Garden of Eden 15:51

7M ago15:51

15:51

Rafe talks about his daughter Olivia's substack and a post from a different blog about seeking the Garden of Eden in things that are simple, beautiful, soft, and comfortable. Olivia's substack can be found at https://spinningthegoatshair.substack.com ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an indep…

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Ep 232: Backyard Radio — The Story of Radio Station WEPB-LP FM with Big Brain Smart Head™ Mickey Guffey 37:43

7M ago37:43

37:43

After the release of Episode 229 in which the Buf discusses a unique low-power radio station in Noblesville, Indiana, Rafe goes on the hunt to make contact, somehow, with the people at the station. Following some internet leads, he eventually reaches the creator, owner, and operator of 106.3 FM WEPB-LP radio, this week's Big Brain Smart Head™ guest…

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Ep 231: "Gravity is Lumpy and Athena Has Better Legs" — A Rocket Update with Big Brain Smart Head™ Bob Luzenski, America's Favorite Rocket Scientist™ 48:03

7M ago48:03

48:03

Rafe is joined by the Buf's most frequent guest, Big Brain Smart Head™ Bob Luzenski, America's Favorite Rocket Scientist™, to discuss what is happening in the world of Bob and the world of rockets: winter, flowers and bulbs of Spring, model train shows, big rocket launches, lunar landers, and much more. ***** ***** As always, you can reach the Buf …

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Ep 230: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: Shrove Tuesday — How Pancakes and Mob Football Lead You to Fasting and Lent 38:19

7M ago38:19

38:19

Re-dropping a classic episode from Lent 2023, Harry and Rafe discuss wild, wonderful, and wacky Shrove Tuesday traditions and how they bring us to understanding the balance between feasting and fasting and staying in the the middle of the highway of virtue. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is a…

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Ep 229: Interesting Connections — Serendipity, Rediscovering Old Things, and Proof By Contradiction 32:10

7M ago32:10

32:10

An chance encounter on a 100-watt radio station leads to learning all sorts of new things and discovering some things that Rafe never could have imagined. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some …

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Ep 228: Aphrodite and Meaning — How the True Nature of Meaning is Missing from AI 26:38

8M ago26:38

26:38

Rafe starts with a Shelley poem about the Birth of Aphrodite and wanders into backgammon, Christmas, AI images, mimesis, regression, aviation, and then emerges with the understanding that AI might be a fun toy but it's not possessing understanding the way a human being does — it has no concept of meaning the way we do. ***** As always, you can reac…

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Ep 227: "A Robot Can't Do That" — Nicholas Cage, Plato, Steampunk, and AI 33:08

8M ago33:08

33:08

Rafe discusses Nicholas Cage's lament over the coming of AI to film-making and along with it traces a history of Man's model for viewing Man as the hot technology of the times. Along the way we learn that Man is not a chariot, nor a wind-up clock, nor a steam engine, nor electric circuit, nor race car, nor rocket or a computer or an AI model; Man i…

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Ep 226: Cancel Buttons, Electronic Timers, and Wattage — Why This Ain't Your Grandfather's Toaster 29:36

8M ago29:36

29:36

Rafe finally gets an answer to why his toast takes so much longer to cook than it did when he was a kid, and it's not just an issue of nostalgia. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you ha…

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Ep 225: Times and Seasons — Free Yourself By Conceding to the Inherent Cycles of Nature 31:03

8M ago31:03

31:03

Harry and Rafe discuss the Nature of Time and how one conforms one's life to it. Do we live in harmony with seasons and cycles and rhythms of life or do we fight against them to control the world around us? Is what you are doing bringing you Joy? ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independe…

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Ep 224: "Happiness is a drawer full of warm socks." — Shoveling Snow, Leisure, Work, and Efficiency 41:07

9M ago41:07

41:07

Harry and Rafe discuss shoveling snow as a lead-in to a discussion of work, leisure, and riding both sides of the road, as Chesterton would suggest, and doing both the working and playing very well. Along the way they discuss all manners of Bufnagley things, including one of the Great Song by Dan Fogelberg, one that, in particular, mentions the sno…

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Ep 223: Age and Wisdom — Reflecting on the Close of the Sixth Decade 21:51

9M ago21:51

21:51

Rafe discusses turning 60 (!) and a lifetime pursuit of Wisdom. Job's Poem on Wisdom provides some insight. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have asked how you can help out. Well, h…

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Ep 222: Books, Books, Books 41:04

9M ago41:04

41:04

Harry and Rafe discuss books from 2024 and ones they hope to consume in 2025. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have asked how you can help out. Well, here's the answer: support us o…

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Ep 221: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: Luke's Christmas Story — "Be Not Afraid" 42:50

9M ago42:50

42:50

Redropping an episode from Advent 2022, Rafe goes solo to discuss the first two chapters of Luke's gospel, the backstory and the story of the Nativity. Along the way we cover the concept of quarter-year days and their bank holidays and the fundament of the Rosary, but in the end we learn to embrace the Hope promised through the patience of Advent, …

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Ep 220: "A Thrill of Hope / A Weary World Rejoices" — Bleak Midwinter, Rabbit Holes, and Christmas Carols 47:46

10M ago47:46

47:46

Harry and Rafe start with the idea of a bleak midwinter, dart down some rabbit holes and tell some stories of old shenanigans, and end up on Christmas carols, in particular Sleigh Ride, O Holy Night, Cradle in Bethlehem, Still, Still, Still, and Joseph's Song. Particular attention is paid to Paul Cardall's splendid instrumental version of Still, St…

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Ep 219: Bufnagle Classic Re-drop: Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe Change the World 34:48

10M ago34:48

34:48

In an episode originally dropped in December 2023, Harry and Rafe discuss the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego in 1531. A decade after the fall of the Aztec empire, Diego, a peasant convert in present-day Mexico, is visited four times by the appearance of the Virgin Mary, who tells him to ask the bishop to build a church on Tepeyac Hill …

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Ep 218: Heroic Virtue, Rat Poison, and Wrestling with God — Big Brain Smart Head™ Fr. Elliot Zak Answers Hard-hitting Questions from the Buf 37:57

10M ago37:57

37:57

Rafe and Harry welcome back Fr. Zak to again answer the questions that you have always had but have been afraid to ask! ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some of you have asked how you can help …

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Ep 217: Vanilla, Garlic, St. Nicholas, and Irish Bars — A Conversation with Big Brain Smart Heads™ Sarah Schutte and Zach Donahue 44:17

10M ago44:17

44:17

Rafe welcomes BBSHs Sarah and Zach back on the show to discuss holiday traditions related to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Advent, and a whole bunch of other things. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such,…

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Ep 216: It's Always All About Children 25:12

10M ago25:12

25:12

Rafe recounts a collection of recent interweb findings that spur him to think of the Joys that are children — in fact, they are really the only reason for doing anything. So, get going: get married and have some kids. ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also…

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Ep 215: "An Episode That Triggers a New Way of Seeing" — A Conversation with Big Brain Smart Head™ Italian architect Ricardo Buratti 49:07

11M ago49:07

49:07

Rafe welcomes Big Brain Smart Head™ Italian architect Ricardo Buratti to discuss the nature of doing difficult things, being digestible to other people, being unforecastable, destiny, and putting yourself in positions to learn new ways of seeing. Ricardo's contact information: https://www.rb-arc.be/contact/ Ricardo's web page: https://www.rb-arc.be…

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Ep 214: Benchy the Tugboat — A Discussion About 3D Printing 32:30

11M ago32:30

32:30

It turns out Harry got a 3d printer some time ago so Rafe decided to ask him to tell us all about it so you can probably guess how this is going to go... ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, this is an independent podcast so your hosts also carry all the expenses of running this podcast. As such, some o…

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Ep 213: Risk, Trust, Freedom, and Community — A Conversation with Noé Morin from La Table Ronde de l’Architecture 44:10

11M ago44:10

44:10

Rafe welcomes Big Brain Smart Head™ Noé Morin, Vice President of La Table Ronde de l’Architecture (TRA), the organization that oversaw the summer schools Rafe attended in July and August of 2024. Noé describes the history and goals of TRA and he and Rafe discuss some of the grander learnings from the summer and come to the conclusion at the end at …

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Ep 212: Catching Rockets; How Hard Could It Be? 45:53

11M ago45:53

45:53

Rafe is joined by Big Brain Smart Head™ Bob Luzenski, America's Favorite Rocket Scientist™, to discuss the recent engineering masterpiece by the engineers at SpaceX: catching a 71m long rocket that is falling to earth. Join us to find out why this feat was so spectacular. ***** ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** A…

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Ep 211: "Create Beautiful Good Things in Love" — Final Part (part 5) of Summer School 2024 Recap 39:28

12M ago39:28

39:28

Rafe describes the fifth and final part of his 8-week summer school: final project work, a parade for the Assumption, final presentations, craft week, a trip home, and some final take-aways: Try something new. Good people make all the difference. Seek Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Create beautiful good things in Love. Link to La Table Ronde de l'Arc…

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Ep 210: Starliner, Space Rescues, and Software 47:37

12M ago47:37

47:37

Rafe is joined by Big Brain Smart Head™ Bob Luzenski, America's Favorite Rocket Scientist™, to discuss issues surrounding Starliner and the complexities of space flight, engineering, and software. Recorded in mid-September, let's see how prescient they are... ***** ***** As always, you can reach the Buf at [email protected] ***** As you know, t…