The Rants And Raves Podcast

Episode 76 Crazy, But That's How It Goes

While the West Coast is engulfed in flames, Jess takes a trip down memory lane and Dana plays Teacher.  A listener rant has Dana feeling the frustration of dealing with Customer Service, specifically with the VA. Jess loses her mind over the abbreviation of food names, especially ones that use letters that aren't in the real name to begin with! Hollywood Corner reminds us that whether we are Swifties or not, Taylor Swift does good things and has a positive influence over her fans. Corrections Corner comes from Jess' husband and some listeners provide a few Follow Up Corners.  Rave #1 is a list of organizations to explore for ways to help victims, front line workers, and animals affected by the devastating fires currently burning in California, Oregon, and Washington.  Rave #2 is an office building in the UK where the security guards gathered all the plants from 12 stories of offices and created a makeshift greenhouse. 

California Community Fund - https://www.calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund/

Oregon Community Fund - https://oregoncf.org/oregon-wildfire-relief-recovery/

World Central Kitchen - https://wck.org/news/california-fires-stories

California Fire Foundation - https://www.cafirefoundation.org/support-us/

Red Rover - https://redrover.org/2020/09/09/westernfires/

Episode 75: You're Gonna Hear Me Roar

What has Jessica and Dana talking about Steve Guttenberg and Dana's top 5 list?  Why does Dana think in an alternate universe that she is Allen and Jessica is Dan Tipton?  Jessica can relate to a listener's rant filled with frustration over doctor's visits which include selective memory and unnecessary advice.  Dana is the perfect narrator for a listener rant regarding the use of "Please, and Thank You!" after being told to do something and there is no room for debate. Oh Wow Corner is really for the birds, tuppence a bag.  Weirdo of the Week is ready for Halloween 365 days a year and Dana thinks it's fine as long as he is happy.  Rant #1 is LA Fruit Share, a concept that brings neighbors together to pick, gather and share their produce with others and give the surplus to local food banks. Rant #2 is Ivory Ella, a certified B Corp who gives 10% of their proceeds to a variety of causes, saving the elephants being one of them. 

Food Forward - https://foodforward.org/

Ivory Ella - https://ivoryella.com/

Episode 74: Buzz, Boo(ze), Beach

Dana and Jessica go to new lengths to try and be in unison, but end up sounding like a beginner's acting class. Massive trees and mosquitos, two things plaguing Jessica's neighborhood that got the local fireman to come out.  Dana is the perfect narrator for a listener rant about pet etiquette in public spaces.  Jessica is furious over click bait that tricked her into thinking she had found the answer to healthy boozy cocktails.  Imma Scurred Corner has Dana being the freak that she is who would love to stay at the abandoned hospital and orphanage tour in England. Hollywood Corner has Jessica excited about the connection between Wu Tung and Ice Cream.   Rave #1 is the Dreaming Zebra Foundation, a 501c non profit providing greater access to the arts for children and young adults, in part thanks to their art recycling program.  Rave #2 is the Topsail Turtle Project and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in North Carolina, helping to ensure as many baby sea turtles can make it to the ocean after hatching as possible.  

Dreaming Zebra Foundation - https://dreamingzebra.org/index.php

Topsail Turtle Project - https://www.seaturtlehospital.org/

Episode 73: Litter Bug, Pet Bug, Potato Bug

When a listener is torn between whether to act like Dana in a situation, or to pull a Jessica when catching a Litter Bug in the act.  Dana is totally over the culture of "pets as accessories" and is tired of what people get away with because of it.  What the What Corner has Jessica petrified at the thought of transparent to opaque bathroom walls becoming a thing she might encounter in the future.  Weirdo of the Week has Dana questioning why someone ate the very thing they swore had the image of Jesus on it.  Rave #1 is the team of biologists at UC San Diego that are creating biodegradable flip flops made of algae "foam."  Rave #2 is The Giving Keys, a social impact company working to end homelessness through employment and with the sale of their "keys."  

The Giving Keys - https://www.thegivingkeys.com/

Episode 72: Blasting, Blowing, Bella

Dana questions whether a rant about people blasting 'bad' music is from a listener or Jessica.  The answer to what Jessica and Dana think about leaf blowers is literally blowing in the wind.  NOPE Corner is Dana's worst nightmare and involves a 'fake' salad for way too many Euros.  Oh WOW Corner is a perfectly spaced message about, well, social distancing. Update Corner covers the arraignment of the Meth Bow Lady. Rave #1 is Hooray For T shirts, a campaign with a design from Amanda Kloots, 'Hooray For Life'  that gives a portion to the WHO Covid Relief Fund in honor of her late husband Nick Cordero who died from Covid 19.  Rave #2 is Bella Tunno, a B Corporation that literally gives a minimum of "one for one" with every one of their kitschy, adorable and wise designs.  

Hooray For - https://www.b-unlimited.com/collections/hooray-for

Bella Tunno - https://bellatunno.com/

Episode 71: Carbs, Corners, and Causes

Jessica wants to know why the non traditional versions of pasta have even more carbs than classic semolina and furthermore why is she then torturing herself? Dana rants on behalf of a listener who is forced to be back at school as a teacher and is tired of parents putting in more than their 2 cents on Covid protocol. In Honor Of Corner is a young woman whose life was unexpectedly taken and how locals payed it forward to others by honoring her memory and love for running.  Kids are Amazing Corner is two 10 year old best friends who started a dog biscuit company and give part of their proceeds to a local food pantry.  Rave #1 is Masks for a Cause, a family owned business in Burbank who donates one mask to first responders, hospitals and homeless shelters for every mask they sell.  Rave #2 is Trusted World is a Texas based charity that scouts, collects and sources basic necessities such as food, clothing and personal care that allows first responders, non profits and school counselors to "order" items for their clients based on their needs. 

Masks for a Cause - https://masksforacause.com/

Trusted World - https://trustedworld.org/

Episode 70: Foot The Bill

Dana is back in LA but Covid never left so she and Jessica still can't record together in person.  A self proclaimed Foot Frenzied Fan gives Dana plenty to rant about as she also hates everything about peds and surely doesn't want to see what yours look like online.  Jessica decides to take action after seeing the flower arrangement she sent for a birthday looks nothing  like what she chose on their website.  What that What Corner is a garlic ring, not to be confused with a garlic knot. Oh Wow Corner is an old age home that recreated album covers with its senior residents and they are spot on.  Rave #1 is Everlane, a company who is transparent with its customers and ethical with its employees and manufacturing.  They are donating $5 from each purchase from their 100% Human Collection to the ACLU, Equality Now and the Human Rights Campaign. Rave #2 is Alissa B Custom Jewelry who is giving 10% of sales from her Pandemic Collection of Healing Jasper Necklaces to Meals on Wheels America.  

Everlane - https://www.everlane.com/collections/100-percent-human 

Alissa B Custom Jewelry - https://www.instagram.com/p/CDUaIbthUQd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Episode 69: No More Mr. Nice Guy, Cut It Out

Jessica asks Dana how many times she should be expected to be nice, patient, and understanding before she loses it when attempting to get a refill for two weeks.  Though they agree that of course people can change, Dana questions people who jump on the bandwagon of whatever is trending in an attempt to appear as though they have been "woke" all along in order to garner attention for themselves or their businesses.  How Rude Corner debuts this week with a woman who cut out of her hair appointment without paying.  What the What Corner is a journalist who really took a bite out of her newscast while on the air.  Rave #1 is the new children's book Greta and the Giants as well as 350.org which was discussed in the back of the book.  Rave #2 is Adventures to Dreams Enrichment a 501c non-profit designed to inspire and empower young minds in at risk communities by exposing them to education, cultural activities and mentorship with a focus on gardening/sustainability, STEAM and Art.  

350.org - https://350.org/

Adventures to Dreams - http://www.adventurestodreams.org/

Episode 68: Sneak, Swim, Shark

In Missouri, Dana gets an extra special visitor who thinks they bypassed Mr. Powell's state of the art surveillance system.  In California, Jessica enjoys a wine filled birthday surprise with complete strangers on Zoom.  Don't even think about trying to sneak past Dana in the Express Line if you have more than the allowable number of items unless you are ready to be called out by self proclaimed "Mouthy Dana."  Jessica is going to be real pissed if you talk about unimportant issues on the Next Door App and therefore detracting from the serious issues like robberies.  Weirdo of the Week takes a dive into an off limits watering hole.  What the What Corner is quite literally, a walking nightmare.  Rave #1 is A Place Called Home, helping young people in South Central LA to improve economic conditions and develop healthy and fulfilling lives.  Rave #2 is Ian Youngblood, a young Nurse in Arizona, who went to NYC to help work with the Covid epidemic and while he was there was diagnosed with brain cancer.  His wish is to be back in the hospital helping others, so some of his colleagues set up a Go Fund Me to help him with his medical expenses.  

A Place Called Home - https://apch.org/

Go Fund Me for Ian Youngblood - https://www.gofundme.com/f/beat-down-brain-cancer-for-nurse-ian-youngblood

Episode 66: Love, Masks and Caterpillars

This one's a doozy. The longest rant in the history of our podcast about people not wearing masks and it gets Dana so fired up, good thing she is staying with a fireman (her dad)! LOL Corner features a mom in England who didn't realize what her at home science experiment looked like until she posted it on Twitter.  Animal Instincts Corner is an adorable tale of a man who took to raising the very organic creatures found amongst his produce. Rave #1 is GLSEN - a non profit dedicated to LGBTQ inclusivity for children in schools K-12 and how Lane Bryant is giving a portion of their Pride collection to them.  Rave #2 is Heart of Dinner, a meal service born out of the need to work against stigma and discrimination towards people of Asian decent due to the Corona Virus.  

GLSEN - www.glsen.org

Heart of Dinner - www.heartofdinner.com

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xgqn7d/people-are-writing-notes-to-comfort-elderly-asian-new-yorkers