Episodes

  • Ep. 086: Top Horror Films Set in Rural America

    Ep. 086: Top Horror Films Set in Rural America
    Nov 2 2024
    For this Halloween Special, Lyndsey Quinlan, Digital Marketing Associate for the Cardinal Institute, and Jessica Dobrinsky, Staff Writer for the Cardinal Institute, join Garrett Ballengee to discuss horror films set in rural locations. They share their favorites and explore themes of folklore, rural horror, and hicksploitation. They also take a deep dive into what makes a good horror film and look at literary themes, the power of music and lighting in film, human psychology analyzed through film, and some history behind scary movie genres. If you enjoy horror films, and even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy this riveting discussion of top horror films set in rural America. Follow Jessica & Lyndsey Follow Jessica Dobrinsky on Twitter https://x.com/jldobrinsky Follow Lyndsey Quinlan on Twitter https://x.com/its_Lynds_ Films Discussed Night of the HunterNight of the Living DeadTexas Chainsaw MassacreChildren of the CornEvil Dead 2 Sleepy HollowThe Blair Witch ProjectThe Witch Additional Resources & Mentions Nightmare Before Christmas - film Hicksploitation – theme/trope Film Noir - genre Harry Powers – serial killer West Virginia Penitentiary a.k.a. Moundsville Penitentiary Horror Film - genre Leaning on the Everlasting Arms – Hymn Once Upon a Time There Was a Pretty Fly – Song White Zombie – film Slasher – genre Head Cheese – food Video nasty – type of film Stephen King – author Carrie – novel Comedy Horror – genre The Evil Dead – film Necronomicon Ex Mortis – fictional book from a film Ash vs. Evil Dead – TV show Sam Raimi – film director Bruce Campbell – actor and producer The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – book Atmospheric Horror – genre Found footage – film technique Flying Ointment Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer - @Aviv5753 Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Donate, Newsletter
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    2 hrs and 15 mins
  • Ep. 085: Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Part 2

    Ep. 085: Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Part 2
    Oct 29 2024

    Emma Ayers, a native of East Tennessee and Religion & Culture Writer with the Washington Times, joins us today for the second half of our discussion of Hurricane Helene disaster recovery. She shares her perspective on the culture, economy, and people of East Tennessee and how they are responding to the unprecedented natural disaster of Hurricane Helene. She also shares a little about mule trains and other non-traditional ways that Appalachians are helping each other in their time of need.

    Additional Resources:

    East Tennessee Hurricane Helene Recovery Resources: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2024/10/10/east-tennessee-flooding-rescues-resources-hurricane-helene-relief/75608482007/

    Tennessee Disaster Recovery Map: https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/projects-region-1/hurricane-helene-recovery.html

    Barstool Conservatism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barstool_conservatism

    Mule Trains: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/sep/30/north-carolina-residents-use-mule-trains-to-delive/

    Social Trust: https://www.socialcapitalresearch.com/trust-and-trustworthiness/

    Follow Emma’s work at the Washington Times: www.washingtontimes.com

    Ways to Donate & Support:

    Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-helene/

    Look for actual individuals who live in the area who are looking for help on the ground.

    Garrett Ballengee, Host

    President & CEO - @gballeng

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer

    Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer - @Aviv5753

    Follow:

    YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

    Support:

    Donate, Newsletter
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    34 mins
  • Ep. 084: Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Part 1

    Ep. 084: Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Part 1
    Oct 22 2024
    (We had some unusual technical difficulties when recording this episode. So please forgive any choppiness that may result – we did what we could to edit it as smoothly as possible.) Brooke Medina, Vice President of Communications for the John Locke Foundation, joins Garrett Ballengee to discuss the impact of Hurricane Helene on Western North Carolina and how these Appalachian communities are responding to this unprecedented disaster. Additional Resources: John Locke Foundation: https://www.johnlocke.org/about/team/brooke-medina/ Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-helene/ Baptists on Mission: https://baptistsonmission.org/ Cajun Navy: https://www.cajunnavyrelief.com/ Donate to Hurricane Helene Refief: https://www.johnlocke.org/help-support-hurricane-helene-relief-efforts-in-western-nc/ Shop to Support Relief Efforts: https://johnlockestore.com/collections/restore-western-nc Carolina Journal: https://www.carolinajournal.com/ Hurricane Helene: https://www.axios.com/2024/10/04/hurricane-helene-deadliest-us-storms-death-toll Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer - @Aviv5753 Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    33 mins
  • Ep. 083: Are there any Scandinavians Lefse in Minnesota?

    Ep. 083: Are there any Scandinavians Lefse in Minnesota?
    Sep 24 2024
    Shawn Peterson, President of Catholic Education Partners and long-time resident of Minnesota, joins this episode of the Forgotten America podcast to weigh in on the selection of Tim Walz as the Democratic VP nominee. He also shares about the political history of Minnesota and its cultural history and shifts. If you’re curious about the Upper Midwest and its Scandinavian roots, Garrett’s discussion with Shawn will be enlightening. Mentioned in this Episode: Red Wing boots from Minnesota https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug Minnesota Iron Range: beautiful old towns up there that have fallen into disrepair, very hard-working salt of the earth people https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Gilbert Norwegian Lefse https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18082/norwegian-lefse/ Catholic Education Partners https://catholiced.us/ Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer - @Aviv5753 Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Ep. 082: Is Values-Based Education Still Relevant Today?

    Ep. 082: Is Values-Based Education Still Relevant Today?
    Sep 9 2024

    Dr. Barker is the President of Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina and joins us today to talk about current challenges in higher education and the importance of an education that teaches values and not just skills. Fun Fact: his home state is West Virginia, so Garrett kicks off this discussion by asking Dr. Barker about his hometown of Clarksburg. Dr. Barker shares stories about the Italian heritage of West Virginia, his time as a military chaplain, and how he came to work in higher education. If you care about the future of post-secondary education and wonder how we got to a place with such a broken system, this is an episode you’ll enjoy.

    Learn more about Southern Wesleyan and Dr. Barker at https://www.swu.edu/about/who-we-are/our-president/

    Garrett Ballengee, Host

    President & CEO - @gballeng

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer & Editor

    Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Follow:

    YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

    Support:

    Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Ep. 081: What Makes An Appalachian?

    Ep. 081: What Makes An Appalachian?
    Aug 14 2024

    J.D. Vance’s selection as President Trump’s Vice-Presidential running mate has kicked up a renewed firestorm around Vance’s Appalachian bona fides and his book Hillbilly Elegy. Is he legitimately Appalachian? What does it even mean to be Appalachian? In this episode of Forgotten America, Garrett is joined by Anthony Hennen, journalist and fellow Appalachian, to discuss this Vice-Presidential pick and what it might mean for the region.

    Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s Commentary on J.D. Vance

    https://x.com/douglaswburns/status/1817976888695951677

    https://x.com/SeanPEngland/status/1815366244624740751

    J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy

    https://www.amazon.com/Hillbilly-Elegy-Memoir-Family-Culture/dp/0062300547

    Follow Anthony’s Work

    https://expatalachians.com/author/anthonyh

    https://tfas.org/news/tfas-announces-recipients-of-2023-24-robert-novak-journalism-fellowship/

    https://www.thecentersquare.com/users/profile/anthony%20hennen/

    Garrett Ballengee, Host

    President & CEO - @gballeng

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer & Editor

    Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13

    Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

    Follow:

    YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

    Support:

    Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Ep. 080: Have Men Been Forgotten?

    Ep. 080: Have Men Been Forgotten?
    Jul 30 2024
    Daniel Corcoran joins Forgotten America to discuss men’s issues and why he feels our modern culture is leaving men behind. Statistics across a variety of sectors show that men are struggling with mental health, criminality, friendship, overall well-being, purposelessness, and society’s perception of men. Dan & Garrett discuss these issues, how they affect men, and ways we can improve the lives of boys and men. Keep up with Dan’s work: Overcoming the Divide – YouTube Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@overcomingthedivide Men of Tomorrow – podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/men-of-tomorrow/id1752861808 @dancorcoran28 on Instagram Some Relevant Statistics Mentioned in this Episode: 15% of men don’t have a close friend (5 fold increase since 1990) 4 times more likely to die by suicide but 10 percentage points less likely to seek help 10 Million working-age men are not working or looking for work 71% of opioid overdoses are men 80-93% of men comprise prison populations Additional Resources Mentioned: Richard Reeves: https://richardvreeves.com/ True Detective Quote: https://www.shmoop.com/quotes/world-needs-bad-men.html @TheTinMen https://www.instagram.com/thetinmen/ Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins https://a.co/d/5iFYOas Stoic Philosophy https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stoicism Camille Paglia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Paglia The Art of Manliness https://www.artofmanliness.com/ Jordan Peterson https://www.youtube.com/user/JordanPetersonVideos Jocko Willink https://jocko.com/ Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer & Editor Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Ep. 079: What is a Hoosier?: Two Perspectives on Indiana

    Ep. 079: What is a Hoosier?: Two Perspectives on Indiana
    Jul 16 2024
    Two Hoosiers join the Forgotten America podcast to discuss the differences between two very different regions of Indiana. Sarah Milligan, Assistant Director of Community Engagement for the Institute for Quality Education, and Cesar Roman, Director of Community Engagement, share about life in Hardinsburg, IN and East Chicago, IN — one a rural, southern community and the other a bustling metropolitan satellite of Illinois. It’s clear that despite very different experiences they both love their state. Join us as we learn about the history of Indiana, the variety of cultures represented, and the work Sarah & Cesar are doing to improve access to high-quality K-12 education in the Hoosier State. Hardinsburg, IN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardinsburg,_Indiana East Chicago, IN https://eastchicago.com/ Zelle’s in East Chicago https://www.zelsroastbeef.com/ Rooster’s Hen House https://www.facebook.com/RoostersHenHouseRestaurant/ One of the wealthiest cities in the US https://www.carmel.in.gov/ Time Zones in Indianapolis https://faqs.in.gov/hc/en-us/articles/115005225448-Indiana-Time-Zone-Information Institute for Quality Education https://www.i4qed.org/ https://www.i4qed.org/calculator State bird: Cardinal State flower: Peonie Highest Point in Indiana: Right on the border of OH. Hoosier Hill Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer & Editor Communications Director - @akieffer13 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter
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    55 mins