Episode 57

Date: December 26, 2025

Episode 57 Summary:

• According to our sources, the law says that only congress may set the name of the board, says a Kennedy https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/photos-kennedy-center-adds-trumps-name-to-memorial-congress-created-for-jfk
• DoD manual says don't follow illegal orders. See page 254. https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD-LAW-OF-WAR-MANUAL-JUNE-2015-UPDATED-JULY%202023.PDF
• Usually to one month old, and often continuing up to three months, a baby's vision will be quite blurry. Even as its vision improve, conceptually distinguishing between seen people / objects may not kick in until 3-5 months of age. So, we estimate, you probably shouldn't fear at all wearing a mask around a child during that time. Whether you should fear afterward we also doubt, but pre-3-months, our doubts have evidence.
• Extra history gotta pay for your own stay in prison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWG8cvs5ubQ
• AI Summary
• In the first segment of the podcast, Bud and Mike engage in a spirited debate about the recent controversy surrounding the Trump-Kennedy Center. This discussion is sparked by Donald Trump's installation of himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center Board, and Congress's decision to allocate a substantial $300 million towards the center's renovation. Bud and Mike contemplate the implications of using public funds for such purposes, suggesting that private investment might have been a more taxpayer-friendly approach, albeit lacking the appealing allure of Trump's proven expertise in building projects. The conversation takes a critical turn with the announcement of the renaming of the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, an act met with notable backlash from figures like Representative Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, who argued that such a name change is as inappropriate as renaming the Lincoln Memorial. The co-hosts express dismay at what they perceive as an egotistical move, drawing uncomfortable parallels to dystopian concepts where a leader's name is omnipresent in everyday life—imagining scenarios where citizens might find themselves using everything from "Trump toothpaste" to "Trump hairbrushes." Mike argues that this move oversteps legal boundaries, citing explicit laws which state that only Congress can approve such a name change, and that the executive does not have overriding authority in this context. The discourse morphs into a broader critique of the administration’s handling of power, touching upon issues of governance and the symbolic nature of historical landmarks. The dialogue resonates with echoes of cautionary tales from history, comparing the situation to totalitarian regimes where leaders’ images and names are omnipresent, suggesting a need for judicial intervention and public accountability.
• The conversation seamlessly shifts to the second segment, where the focus is the alarming outbreak of whooping cough in Texas, revealing a fourfold increase in cases compared to the previous year. The hosts weave a narrative around the impact of this resurgence, emphasizing the vulnerability of newborns who are yet to be vaccinated, further evoking a sense of communal responsibility to safeguard the most fragile members of society. This segment resonates with an emotional story about a young baby hospitalized with the disease, underscoring the potent, empathetic instinct that compels humans to protect their young, a sentiment evocative of the nurturing qualities observed in rabbit communities. They explore the deeper societal implications of this outbreak, which is largely attributed to vaccine hesitancy and decreased immunization coverage across 70% of jurisdictions. Bud reflects on personal experiences and discusses the protective measures his family considered, such as wearing masks around infants, to highlight the dramatic shift in personal health strategies that have arisen amidst growing distrust. Mike examines the broader cultural and political landscape, attributing part of the hesitancy to the balkanized media environment, which allows misinformation to proliferate unchecked. He laments society’s collective forgetfulness of the pre-vaccine era's hardships and discusses how certain segments of the population are increasingly resistant to vaccination due to ideological reasons. The hosts note a worrying trend of self-segregation based on vaccination status, with wealthier or more educated neighborhoods seemingly more compliant with vaccination recommendations, thus creating a disparity that echoes broader themes of inequality and access to healthcare. The conversation expands to consider philosophical questions about societal trust, individual rights, and the interconnectedness of public health measures, driving home the need for renewed societal cohesion. Ultimately, both segments of the podcast invite listeners to reflect on the themes of governance, public responsibility, and the necessity of interdependence in addressing these pressing contemporary challenges.

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