A&G Replay Tuesday Hour Three

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode: A&G Replay Tuesday Hour Three
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In the A&G Replay Tuesday Hour Three episode of the Armstrong & Getty On Demand podcast, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into a range of topics spanning political discourse, public health debates, sleep statistics, and the latest trends in technology and homemade culinary crafts. The episode combines serious discussions with light-hearted banter, providing listeners with both insightful commentary and entertaining conversations.

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Section 1: Senator Rand Paul’s Stance on Vaccines

The episode opens with a critical examination of Senator Rand Paul's comments on vaccines, particularly his perspective shared during the RFK Jr. hearing.

Key Discussion Points:

• Vaccination Nuances: Rand Paul emphasizes the importance of personalized medical decisions rather than blanket mandates. He states, "[...] I'm pro vaccine. But on the COVID vaccine and on the COVID illness there was a thousand fold or more difference between the elderly and children. If you don't acknowledge that you're committing malpractice, you're showing your ignorance." (Timestamp: 01:42)

• Hepatitis B Vaccine Debate: Paul questions the necessity of mandating the Hepatitis B vaccine for all children, arguing for more nuanced discussions based on individual health conditions. He remarks, "There's such a belief in submission. Submit to the government, do what you're told. There is no discussion. There ought to be a debate." (Timestamp: 03:50)

• Autism and Vaccine Correlation: Addressing the controversial topic of vaccines potentially causing autism, Paul insists on the importance of maintaining an open mind for ongoing research. He asserts, "We shouldn't just close the door and say we're no longer because we believe so much in submission, we're not going to have an open mind to study these things." (Timestamp: 04:52)

Host Reactions: Jack Armstrong and Michael respond critically to Paul's viewpoints, highlighting the ethical implications of vaccine mandates and the potential erosion of public trust. Armstrong reflects on the tangible impacts of COVID policies on children, stating, "Poor little kids running around with masks on, can't see, you know, the other kids' faces or whatever for no reason." (Timestamp: 02:19)

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Section 2: Unpacking Sleep Statistics

Transitioning from vaccines, the hosts explore alarming sleep statistics reported by national health organizations, discussing factors that influence sleep quality among adults.

Key Discussion Points:

• Prevalence of Sleep Issues: Jack Armstrong highlights a statistic from the CDC stating, "Nearly 40% of adults report falling asleep during the day without meaning to at least once a month." (Timestamp: 19:05) This surprising figure prompts a deeper investigation into underlying causes.

• Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors: The conversation reveals that sleep problems increase with lower education levels, reduced family income, and rural living. Michael muses, "Lower Income. Rural people have more sleep problems than hard-driving urbanites." (Timestamp: 22:37)

• Impact of Lifestyle: The hosts hypothesize that factors such as higher rates of substance use, obesity, and lack of exercise in lower-income and rural populations may contribute to these sleep disturbances. Michael summarizes, "I think that is weighted those statistics in that direction." (Timestamp: 24:51)

• Racial Disparities: It's noted that white adults report more trouble staying asleep every day compared to Hispanic, Black, or Asian counterparts. Michael humorously attributes this to "white guilt," though the underlying reasons remain unclear. (Timestamp: 24:07)

Host Reflections: Jack Armstrong admits his personal struggle with sleep, calling it a "crisis" and contemplating medical consultation. He shares his nighttime frustrations, saying, "It's driving me nuts. It's a horrible feeling." (Timestamp: 27:40) Michael and Katie contribute anecdotes about intentional napping and the difficulty of unintentional sleep attacks.

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Section 3: Technology and Culinary Crafts

Shifting gears, the hosts engage in discussions about the latest in virtual reality technology and the resurgence of homemade culinary activities.

Key Discussion Points:

• Apple Vision Pro VR Headset: Jack Armstrong expresses excitement about the new VR technology, describing its immersive photo capabilities. He muses, "It's almost disturbing. [...] It screws with your head, man. It really does." (Timestamp: 11:31) Michael contemplates the psychological impacts, questioning if humans can handle such realistic recreations of memories. (Timestamp: 13:07)

• Bread Making Craze: A lighter segment covers the growing trend of homemade bread, reminiscing about traditional methods and the superior taste of homemade vs. store-bought products. Michael shares a personal story, "I grew up in Wisconsin with a lot of homemade butter. And homemade butter is just so much better than what you get in the store." (Timestamp: 34:07)

• Homemade vs. Store-Bought: The hosts discuss various homemade delights, including butter, bread, and cookies, highlighting the satisfaction and quality that come from crafting these items personally. Katie mentions her attempts at sourdough bread, adding to the camaraderie and shared experiences. (Timestamp: 34:07)

Host Banter: The playful interactions continue as the hosts joke about mishaps in homemade baking, such as cats ruining proofing bread loaves and humorous takes on the challenges of advanced VR experiences. Michael quips, "We are openly having some of these conversations thanks to RFK Jr. And his advocacy." (Timestamp: 10:10) transitioning smoothly into lighter topics after serious discussions.

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Conclusion

The A&G Replay Tuesday Hour Three episode skillfully weaves together critical discussions on public health policies and societal issues with engaging, relatable conversations about everyday life and technological advancements. Hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty provide listeners with a balanced mix of insightful analysis and entertaining dialogue, making complex topics accessible while maintaining an enjoyable listening experience.

Notable Quotes:

• Rand Paul on vaccine mandates: "If you don't acknowledge that you're committing malpractice, you're showing your ignorance." (01:42)
• Jack Armstrong on the impact of COVID policies on children: "Poor little kids running around with masks on, can't see, you know, the other kids' faces or whatever for no reason." (02:19)
• Michael on sleep statistics: "Lower Income. Rural people have more sleep problems than hard-driving urbanites." (22:37)

This episode offers a comprehensive exploration of contemporary issues, enriched by the hosts' dynamic interactions and thoughtful commentary.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Foreign.

[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Michael]

Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Rand Paul]

I vaccinated all my kids. I believe vaccines one of the modern miracles beyond all pale. The Speckled Monster is a great book about the introduction of the smallpox vaccine in 1720 into our country. All miracles. But I'm not a one size fits all. It's not all or nothing. I chose to wait on my hepatitis B vaccine and we did it when they went to school. Does that make me an awful person? Does that make me an anti vaxxer? Because I questioned the government dictate of whether I do it and I'm not speaking for anybody else, I'm only speaking for myself. But for goodness sakes let's have an honest debate about these things.

[Jack Armstrong]

Senator Rand Paula, Kentucky who's an ophthalmologist, he's an actual medical professional weighing in at the RFK Jr hearing yesterday and.

[Michael]

You heard the main point of his screed there at the end and you'll hear it more, the idea that can we stop insisting we must all be of lockstep on some of these difficult questions. We have to have an atmosphere of honest debate and he's absolutely right. Anything else to add or shall we plunge on? Let's hit it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Biden's FAA exceeded its goal in.

[Michael]

Hello Michael.

[Rand Paul]

The COVID vaccine.

[Michael]

Pay attention.

[Rand Paul]

If you ask me my opinion, there are reporters run up and down the soil and they say you still anti vaccine. No, I'm pro vaccine. But on the COVID vaccine and on the COVID illness there was a thousand fold or more difference between the elderly and children. If you don't acknowledge that you're committing malpractice, you're showing your ignorance. If you say a six month old must be mandated to get it. The science is not there. So all this blather about the science says this and the science says that. No it doesn't. The science actually shows that no healthy child in America died from COVID Look it up. No healthy child died from COVID An.

[Jack Armstrong]

Amazing stat given the fact that we had yellow caution tape around playground structures and little kids wearing masks. Good lord, we haven't even talked about that part of it. So there was a school being closed and the parks being closed and all that sort of stuff. Poor little kids running around with masks on, can't see, you know, the other kids faces or whatever for no reason.

[Michael]

Right. Even when that became clear because of Trump derangement syndrome. Absolutely unforgivable. Rand Paul rolls on.

[Rand Paul]

So if you ask me my advice as a physician, if you were 65 or older or overweight and some other conditions, I would have said hell yes, I'd take the COVID vaccine. The risks of the disease were real and much greater than the vaccine. But if you ask me, should my healthy 6 month old get it? See, these are the nuances you're unwilling to talk about because there's such a belief in submission. Submit to the government, do what you're told. There is no discussion. There ought to be a debate. You're not going to let him have the debate because you're just going to criticize and say it is this and admit to it or we're not going to appoint you. But, but it's more complicated than that. And this is why people distrust government, because you're unwilling to have these conversations and go home. Ask your Democrat young mothers, your Republican young mothers, if they're vaccinating their kid for hepatitis B and they're like, well, do I have to do it on day one? Is this precious little baby? Is there science to say you shouldn't do it? Probably not, but it's my kid. You know, it's like there isn't clear cut science saying not to.

[Jack Armstrong]

I need to start saying nuances instead of a nuance.

[Michael]

Please don't, please don't do that. He pointed out earlier in his screen, I guess it was edited out, that hepatitis B is generally spread through drug use, needle drugs and sexual.

[Jack Armstrong]

You're making an assumption that my six month old is not a smack addict having unprotected sex with randos.

[Michael]

The idea that a one day old kid needs that vaccine, then it's, you know, if I'm wrong about this, I will manfully announce it and apologize. But I suspect very, very strongly that the idea is we will get much higher compliance if we have the Hep B vaccine. Part of the battery of things that you give the kid in the hospital while the kid is there. And you know, if we let people wait until it's actually necessary, we'll get lower compliance and more people will get sick and hurt and die and the rest of it. Again, maybe it's sort of kind of well meaning, but I think we're all sick of that sort of paternalism and dishonesty to get us to comply. Rolling along.

[Rand Paul]

But on autism, there's no good science of anything to show what causes autism. We don't know. It's a profound disease. I know many moms here and dads who have kids with autism. I know them personally, I've met their kids. But the thing is is they saw their kids developing completely normal, maybe speaking 100 words go to no words at about 15 months of age. Now there isn't proof, there isn't proof that the vaccines cause it. That's true. There isn't proof that it caused it. But we don't know what causes it yet. So shouldn't we be at least open minded? We take 72 vaccines, could it be, I don't know. But we shouldn't just close the door and say we're no longer because we believe so much in submission, we're not going to have an open mind to study these things. And so it's sort of this crazy notion.

[Michael]

I have found no compelling evidence that indeed autism is caused by inoculations. Vaccines. On the other hand, as Rand Paul makes clear, again that's yet another example of if we even have an honest debate and look at this and have some more studies and all in an open way, we will have lower compliance rates. It's all about compliance. And again with, with a few exceptions maybe I think complying with a lot of the vaccine policies is a really, really good idea. But the days of being able to just shout to the sheeple what they have to do and they'll all line up and do it even though you're presenting it dishonestly. I just, there's too much information out there. They can't get away with it anymore.

[Jack Armstrong]

Are there 72 that your kid has to get to go to school now?

[Michael]

I've seen that repeatedly. I don't know that that's true.

[Jack Armstrong]

If it's half that many, that's a lot.

[Michael]

Total doses perhaps. Yeah, including boosters.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, I'm so cynical about government. It's just particularly pre Covid we paid so little attention to this. How, why would I believe that somebody somewhere doesn't think, hey you know what? You get this on the mandated list that's worth $5 billion. How do we get that through whatever committee to get, you know, adding one more when there's already 71 or 36 or whatever shots, adding one more that nobody's paying any attention to. You just take your kid to the doctor and they tell you you need this group of injections to go to first grade and everybody just says okay, there's so much money involved. I find it hard to believe that there's zero malfeasance going on.

[Michael]

Yeah, there's very, very little profit in vaccines, but times a billion, maybe it becomes significant. You know the aspect of it that I think is likely. Well, I don't have any proof this is happening, but the government and its mandates, particularly in the wake of COVID I think deserve whatever is the opposite of the benefit of the doubt. If somebody came to me and showed me the secret memo that said, look, if we get 98% compliance with this vaccine, we will prevent 10,000 deaths a year. It's going to result in about 1,000 kids being autistic, but as a net gain, it's good. So we're just going to be quiet about the autism stuff. And I don't actually believe that's happening. But if you do, because of what you've observed from the government, I can't call you crazy.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. There's no possible way they know what the long term effect of the combination of some of these vaccines are because they haven't been around long enough.

[Michael]

Right. More of the randy man.

[Rand Paul]

Schizophrenia. I would put in the same notion. You have a kid who's completely normal to 18 or 19 and their brain goes haywire. How does that happen? It's the most bizarre disease. Shouldn't we be open? Could it be our food? It might be vaccines, it might be our food. But autism is more common. I don't know about the schizophrenia statistics, but autism is more common. Shouldn't we want to be open minded instead? We're so close minded and we're so consensus driven that the science says this? Well, science doesn't say anything. Science is a dispute and 10 years from now we could all be wrong.

[Michael]

Roll on, curly, roll on.

[Rand Paul]

Twenty years ago they did this enormous study and they said everybody over 50 should take an aspirin. I thought, well, that's a pretty good idea, it makes sense. But you know what? 20 years later they measured it and they found if you had no heart disease and you were taking aspirin, your chance of dying from a brain bleed or from a stomach bleed were greater than the risk of heart disease. You have heart disease, they still say take an aspirin. If you don't, they've changed your mind 20 years later. But would you have all said I was crazy and I should no longer be in public discourse? If I had said 20 years ago, I don't feel like taking an aspirin, I ride my bike all the time. I'm afraid it might hit my head. But that's what country's about, what dissent is about.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's a good example.

[Michael]

Yeah. Yeah, it is one Final clip.

[Rand Paul]

So just ask you to look at the larger picture and give the guy a break. Who says, I just want to follow the science where it leads without presupposition. I think really what we have up here is presupposition. You've already concluded it's absolute, that autism isn't caused by it. We don't know what causes autism, so we should be more humble in what we say. Sorry, I didn't get to a question.

[Michael]

That doesn't make me say therefore. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. But you can't deny that we are openly having some of these conversations thanks to RFK Jr. And his advocacy. He's. He's got some really troubling conflicts of interest. And he's half a con man, if you ask me, but still knows how.

[Jack Armstrong]

To turn lemons into lemonade. You find a dead bear, what do you do? You just leave it there? You bury it? No, you come up with a hilarious prank.

[Michael]

Not to mention the underrated bringing a whale's head home, chainsawing it off the whale, and then strapping it to the roof of your car as its juices drip down the window.

[Jack Armstrong]

Barbaric. Okay, we got on a topic earlier we need to fix. When we come back, as we finish strong with the is flatulent speech, I vote no. I don't think it has First Amendment protections.

[Michael]

It is unmistakably speech in this instance. And I believe that Thomas Jefferson would agree with me. Certainly Ben Franklin, who's a big fan of flatulence.

[Joe Getty]

Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. The Armstrong and Getty show. The Armstrong and Getty show.

[Jack Armstrong]

I am thinking about buying the Apple Vision Pro VR headset for myself for my birthday. What sold me on wanting to maybe own it this time around is the, the update that Apple just did that I've been reading about. So you can take VR3D spatial photos now with your phone, or you can take them with the VR. And then when you look at those photos, it's almost disturbing. As we all know, there's something goes on with a, with a 2D photo. I mean, it's nice to look at a picture of your kid's fifth birthday party and now they're, you know, college kids. It's cool to have that picture, but there's something that's lost with the 2D ness of it or something like that. The photos in the VR headset are as if you're sitting there and it, it's. It screws with your head, man. It really does. But I guess with the new technology, the Latest technology, they do a pretty good job of that. With all your old photos from your phone of turning it into 3D and having the feeling of you're actually there. I don't even know if I can handle it emotionally to, To. To look at some of those photos, to be back in the room when they're born or their second birthday party or the videos. Oh, my God, I don't even know if I could handle it. I don't know if human beings can handle it. Can you handle being right back in that moment where it completely fools your brain like you're there, oh, my God, my kids are two again. I just. Just thinking about it gives me the. Gets me all excited, is just. So I'm going to try that out and see what that's like.

[Michael]

Yeah. That's a really intriguing question, though, because, you know, something that left in my mind immediately was there were no photographs at all until fairly recently. And, I mean, a tenth of a blink of an eye on the evolutionary sc. How far back do you have to go, really? Anything that happened, anything more recent than 200 years ago is obviously, clearly, indisputably something we're not designed for. Might be harmless or it might be good. I mean, like antibiotics, for instance. Thumbs up on antibiotics.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. You're not RFK junior.

[Michael]

But, no, the. The idea of pictures of your kids so you can permanently remember how they looked at a. At a certain age is something that was unknown on Earth until very, very recently.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure. How about if you can. If you can be there. I don't know. I don't know if we're built that way. I saw an example when I did the. The demonstration at the Apple Store of a kid's birthday party recorded on that device. And it was like I was sitting at that birthday party.

[Michael]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

And, man, ah, your. Your wedding, your. Your people. People who have passed mom and dad, you know, no longer alive. And here you are sitting at the dinner table. Talk. You can't talk to them, obviously, but it's. It's as if for your brain that it's real.

[Michael]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I was reading about the reviews before I dropped a fair amount of money on this thing and everything like that. And there was a. There was a link on there about the advances they've made in. What do you guess, pornography on the VR thing. And I had to click on that. And I almost wish I hadn't now. I haven't seen what that would be like in a Vision Pro, and I won't, because I'm not going to Try that. I don't want it on my computer. I don't want to link to whatever site you get it. But I was looking at the videos and it. And since I've had the experience of the sitting at the kid's birthday party or sitting by the lake and knowing how 100% real that was, looking at the VR video even in 2D and thinking, oh my God, if that was in full 3D, like I'm in the room. How would any man ever leave their house? I mean seriously, it's going to be.

[Michael]

Take a break on Sunday afternoons to watch football.

[Jack Armstrong]

We already have a problem with Internet porn.

[Michael]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm asking, is the human brain ready to, you know, relive your kids 2 year old birthday party? Is a human brain ready to be completely fooled, completely fooled by a sexual interaction?

[Michael]

No. No. Is the answer to your question no, it will decimate humankind or whatever part of it has that available.

[Jack Armstrong]

God.

[Michael]

Yeah, we, we have invented pleasures we are not meant to have as human beings that we can't handle that a lot of people can't handle. It will do us in.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, we're into brave new world territory there.

[Michael]

Yeah. Whether you know us on an individual level or as a civilization or as a species, it's without a question not good. Just because something can exist doesn't make it good. I mean, people need to get through that. Just because the society is doing something, just because your next door neighbors are doing something, just because on the Internet people say this is cool, does not in any way make any of it cool. You really. You know, I'm sure there's some brilliant philosophers who's been more eloquent on this than me, but you need to decide what sort of life you want to live independent of what you're being told by people making money or telling you what your lifestyle should be. Or you will be swept up by people who do not have your best interest in mind and you will crash on the rocks of pleasure.

[Jack Armstrong]

Crash on the rocks of pleasure. I think a lot of people would sign up for that. Even as described the way it was.

[Michael]

Just described, that was a rough draft. I'd hate for the metaphor police to come and arrest me for mixing too many of them together.

[Joe Getty]

But Armstrong and Getty, The Armstrong and Getty Show.

[Jack Armstrong]

I have some interesting sleep stats for you. Everybody sleeps or talks about sleep. It seems I. Everybody does sleep. It does seem. Everybody talks about sleep. I am having a. It's I now officially called a crisis. A sleep crisis. For the first time in my Life. So I got to spend some time looking into figuring this out. I mean, it's a crisis. I've had periods in my life, like lots of parents, where I wasn't getting enough sleep, but that was just because I didn't have, you know, the opportunity to spend enough time in bed sleeping. It wasn't because I couldn't figure out how to sleep. Now I can get into bed. And just like last night, I went to bed at, I don't know what was 9 o'clock. I laid there till at least 2am last time. I know. Completely awake the whole time. Oh, no. I had no caffeine from 10:00am I mean, I just. And I have no idea where this has come from. And it's just happened kind of out of nowhere. It's driving me nuts. It's a horrible feeling. And then obviously you got all the problems with being asleep. I'm looking at government statistics. This is from one of your national health organizations, something or other. Nearly.

[Michael]

Before we get to that, have you dealt with the guilt you have for having staged bum fights for all those years?

[Jack Armstrong]

Still staging bum fights?

[Michael]

The money.

[Jack Armstrong]

The money is great. Shame. And it's. Shame. It's easier than ever to find crazy, violent drum bums, so.

[Michael]

Oh, that's a good point. Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's really the golden era of staging bum fights.

[Michael]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

I could go right outside the radio station right now and find two crazy, angry people who'd be happy to fight each other for a couple of bucks.

[Michael]

He's not joking.

[Jack Armstrong]

I am not joking. Well, I'm joking that I am going to do that. I'm not joking that I could find two angry, violent people downstairs that would fight or maybe over in the sales room. I don't know. 40% of adults report falling asleep during the day without meaning to at least once a month. Do you fall asleep during the day at least once a month? 40% of Americans. I fall asleep driving way too often. Always have. Really?

[Michael]

Oh, achievement. That's not a minor story. Yeah. Katie's like, wait, wait. What? I know. I've been hearing this for years.

[Jack Armstrong]

You don't fall asleep driving.

[Katie]

You just tried to slide that right by us.

[Jack Armstrong]

You don't fall asleep driving.

[Katie]

No, I am operating.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I don't want to. It's not like I think it's cool.

[Michael]

I know, I know. Katie. I know we're on the radio and I don't.

[Katie]

I don't know what to say. You just.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, 40%, a lot of Americans fall asleep during the day without meaning to. At Least once a month. Do you, Katie?

[Katie]

No, no, I actually am not driving.

[Jack Armstrong]

At your desk or anything like that.

[Katie]

No, I simply can't do that. And I don't know.

[Michael]

Yeah, we're the same. That would be. That would be astonishing to me if that happened.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. I don't know if I believe this number, but it is. It's a. From the National Institute of Health's Health. Not. Not that I believe their statistics, but it's not most sleep statistics you hear. And then look for this. Almost all sleep statistics you hear about pillows and sleep and whatever, you look at the bottom and it's paid for by a mattress company or a pillow company or whatever. That's crap. But this is from the National Institutes of Health. That'd be a shocking number if 40% of adults fall asleep during the day unintentionally once a month.

[Michael]

I mean, even when I had my desk job and I'd go and have a big lunch and I was on the west side of the building, Gladys, I tell you, I remember it so well. And the office would get so warm with the afternoon sun shining on my office. And I'd have a full belly and I'd close the door like I was on an important call. Just think, maybe I catch 10 minutes to show. But that's on purpose. That was entirely on purpose.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do that regularly in the car or sitting in a chair or wherever. Yeah.

[Katie]

I think falling asleep on accident is like narcolepsy, isn't it? You just kind of start nodding off.

[Michael]

So it's a sign for sure. I sometimes fall asleep during hour three of our show. Wow, that was way out of line.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'll tell you what it is. Before I give the percentage. We. We've been trying to do this for years because if you give the percentage first, by the time you get to the. What it was. Nobody remembers the percentage exactly. This is the percentage of adults who had trouble falling asleep most days or every day in the last month. That would be me, 14 and a half percent, which is pretty. Pretty big chunk. Having trouble falling asleep almost every day. I have my whole life. So I just think that's the way I built pretty much. But not like lay there for hours, like has just hit me recently for some reason. It increases. And this is where I thought it was particularly interesting. And this is from the cdc. The percentage of people who have trouble falling asleep goes up as your education goes down, as your family income goes down, and as you become more rural, which is surprising to me.

[Michael]

Really.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Lower Income. Rural people have more sleep problems than hard driving urbanites.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, this is that, this is.

[Michael]

That sounds counterintuitive.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I agree.

[Michael]

But that's got to the dark of the, the, the country night. You got the crickets that chirping you just had, you know, you got flapjacks. What's those John Denver song?

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't know. What is the John Denver song?

[Michael]

You know, with the, the. Thank God I'm a country boy. Oh, got me my pipe. I got me old fiddle when the sun's coming up I got cakes on the griddle sounds. You not fall asleep with that lifestyle.

[Katie]

I wonder if they, I wonder if they have more trouble falling asleep because they're not as busy throughout the day. Maybe like the SL style. They're not. So go, go, go.

[Michael]

I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I don't know. I have no idea what that is. But then there the, there the statistics on staying asleep, which is a whole nother thing too, which I, I, and I know lots of people have you fall asleep, but then you wake up at one in the morning or two in the morning for some unknown reason and you lay there for a while, which I hate. I just hate that feeling. It's just the worst. And then, you know, you keep looking at the clock and it gets closer to when you got to get up and you're still tired. I hate it. But breaking it down again. So education, income goes down. The likelihood that you're not gonna be able to sleep goes up. A greater percentage of white adults had trouble staying asleep every day in the last month than Hispanic, black or Asian. Any idea why that is?

[Michael]

My white guilt keeps me up. I know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Yeah.

[Michael]

Robin D'Angelo really talked some sense to me. And now I can't go to sleep at night knowing that my ancestors 175 years ago did bad stuff.

[Jack Armstrong]

The crowd that has the least trouble, it would look like from the statistics, is urban, educated Asian people. Almost nobody has trouble sleeping, getting to sleep or staying asleep.

[Michael]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why that is, I have no idea.

[Michael]

Tiger moms, their heads hit the pillow and they're out.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. If you have any guess as to why that is with the. Because in my mind, you go up in income and education and people are like go, go drinking coffee, high pressure. But that's not. Doesn't fit in with the statistics.

[Michael]

Okay, here's your hillbilly elegy analysis. We are heavily weighted in semi rural to rural America with the former manufacturing job on disability, drinking too much, taking drugs, smoking cigarettes. Crowd and their Lifestyles just aren't conducive to getting sleep. They're obese, they don't get enough exercise. And that is weighted the statistics.

[Jack Armstrong]

Is that the typical rural lifestyle at this point? That's not my experience. But is that overwhelm the statistics now?

[Michael]

Well, yeah, I chose my words carefully as always. I think that is weighted those statistics in that direction. I don't know if it's typical or not, but there are a hell of a lot of people who do live like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

If you have less than a high school diploma, one in six haven't been able to get to sleep most days in the last 30 days. So education going down, is that. Is that the stress of how do I make a living? Or do you think that's because we've always liked the statistic to make this point of what is the statistic we like two out of three. That's my favorite. People who. People who get divorced are more likely to smoke or it's the other way around. People who smoke are more likely to get divorced. Smoking doesn't cause divorce or vice versa. But there's a lifestyle that goes with smoking generally. And so that's looking at life. So what I'm wondering about the. Less than a high school diploma. Are you more likely to like drink red bulls until 10:00 at night and then try to get to sleep than if you have a college education? I don't. I don't know that.

[Michael]

Yeah, that's. I think, yeah. You've led us to the promised land and well done. I say, I think if you looked at a list of say four or five or six. I don't study this stuff. I don't know, quote unquote, sleep disruptors, habits or activities. I think they would be more heavily on the lower income end. But I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Scratchers. The scratchers keep you awake trying to figure out if you match three numbers.

[Michael]

Don't know Bondo on your car. I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. I don't know if you've got any idea why as education goes down, sleep problems go up. Now I am a college graduate in a suburban area. I don't know I shouldn't be having. I don't know what the problem. I do drink Red Bull all day long. No, I actually can't drink that stuff. I don't know how anybody does. My son and all his friends do. They love it. And that's horrible. It's horrible. I limit him a lot.

[Michael]

Disgusting. Too horrible.

[Jack Armstrong]

But you know, I don't I don't know. I might actually have to see a doctor about this at this point. It's become a crisis. It's a. A crisis in my life.

[Michael]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

And I dread. Over the last several weeks, I dread going to bed even though I'm exhausted.

[Michael]

Just.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, God, I can't just lay there. And then, of course, that adds to it. It's like when you're worried about. If you're worried about your blood pressure. Your blood pressure checked.

[Michael]

Oh, tell me about it. Yeah. No kidding. Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Somebody suggested the three M's. Magnesium melatonin and masturbation.

[Michael]

Oh, boy. Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Night after night to get. And stay asleep.

[Michael]

Exercise, physical exercise.

[Jack Armstrong]

Clearly, I get. I get exercise. I'm not doing anything different. That's what's crazy. No changes in my life. Just all of a sudden can't sleep at all, like, hardly.

[Michael]

Oh, man. Age.

[Katie]

I wonder if the bang bangs are getting to you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Yeah. I don't know.

[Michael]

The double meal eating. For those not familiar with the term.

[Katie]

I don't sleep great when I eat like crap sometimes. So maybe, I don't know, stop going to Wienerschnitzel.

[Michael]

He does eat like a bear. Having discovered an unlocked door to Lake Tahoe cabin.

[Jack Armstrong]

What did I have for dinner last night? Let's just use, like a random meal, like last night.

[Michael]

This is science.

[Jack Armstrong]

Last night for dinner. Quarter pounder with cheese and a McFlurry.

[Michael]

So there's nothing to Katie's theory whatsoever.

[Jack Armstrong]

Clearly.

[Katie]

I'm just making it up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, my God. Who eats like that?

[Joe Getty]

Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. The Armstrong and Getty show. The Armstrong and Getty show.

[Michael]

This is pleasant and delightful. A bread making craze has begun in my extended family.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, cool. Yeah, I remember during the pandemic when people started doing that. And so, yeah, groovy.

[Michael]

Oddly enough, it began with a relative who has some sensory issues. Jack. Something you know about. I'm going to keep things vague to protect the innocent, but say my. It was my Uncle Morty. And we would make reference to Morty bread and how good it was. And Morty, when he would come for a visit, would always leave a loaf. Oh, and when I was through with Morty bread, I was very, very sad because it was so good.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm going to leave a loaf before I leave work today.

[Katie]

Oh, God.

[Michael]

Jesus.

[Jack Armstrong]

Boy.

[Katie]

You know, Jack?

[Michael]

You know what, Katie?

[Katie]

I just.

[Michael]

Do you want to go off and do our own thing?

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Could we?

[Michael]

Would you take me? Wouldn't ever. Yeah. Michael, you're hired.

[Katie]

You can watch Jack. We're out of here.

[Jack Armstrong]

You can, you can.

[Michael]

This is going to be like. And this. This is. This happened to me at least once in my youth. It was explained to me, hey, the band has got to break up. We just. We can't do this. And it's too much trouble to do that. And so we're breaking up. And then a week later, I hear, yeah, they're playing. They just got a different dude playing your instrument.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, my God.

[Michael]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, wow.

[Michael]

So that's what we're doing to Jack right now. Yeah, we. I'm really not gonna do a radio anymore.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's like the. They break up with you. Because I just. I just don't think I should be in a relationship right now. And then you see him walking down the street holding hands with somebody.

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

The next weekend. Oh, okay.

[Katie]

Well, I'm going into bread making. You guys have fun.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay. The bread making. I am. That's something. I would like to actually learn how to do one because I love homemade bread and it just seems like it'd be a cool craft.

[Michael]

And I pronounced having enjoyed some morti bread and then switched back to the regular stuff. Oh, my God, it's just so much better. And so Judy got a new mixer because our old mixer's motor was kind of funky. And so now she's got this big, like, industrial looking mixer. And she made a couple of loafs of what's known as the morty bread. And my law student daughter made herself some bread, although one of her two cats stepped on the bread as it was proofing, which I guess means rising or something.

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Michael]

And so one of the loaves is robust and very healthy looking. And the other loaf is really just. Excuse me, loaf. The cat ruined it.

[Katie]

Damn cats.

[Jack Armstrong]

The cat stepped on the bread. But you're going to go ahead and make it anyway, doesn't that. Yeah, yeah.

[Michael]

I mean, you put it in the oven at 350 degrees for half an hour or whatever. It is fine.

[Katie]

I don't know that I want litter box bread.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, this tastes a little like whatever a cat walks through.

[Michael]

Well, now, I will tell you this. Having babysat my daughter's cats for three weeks over Christmas, she does occasionally get ready the bleeper. She does occasionally refer to their mittens because they, you know, they. They poo. They poo in the box, then they walk out of the box.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's. That's. See, that's not a tasty term.

[Michael]

That's not like they.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Dip their toes in some paws in some sort of disinfectant. On their way. Must clean the paws after one poos. You know? No, they don't do that.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's a great term.

[Michael]

It is.

[Jack Armstrong]

And discuss. We've got cats, Michael. They're walking.

[Rand Paul]

I'm gonna use that term padding around.

[Jack Armstrong]

Mittens all over your house.

[Katie]

I'm gonna start calling people Mittens.

[Michael]

This is great. Oh my goodness. This is meant to be charming. Folks, I apologize.

[Jack Armstrong]

Gotta work this guy at work. Mitten told me the other day.

[Katie]

Listen here, Mittens.

[Michael]

But a bunch of mittens around here. Why do I put up with it?

[Jack Armstrong]

I know.

[Michael]

Anyway, where was I? Oh, I was going to talk about the various things that are so far superior in their homemade versions.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Michael]

But we've kind of drifted so far away from it. Like I. I brewed beer for a while. My brother brews beer and it's so good. He's actually got the cooler with two taps. And anytime we visit his house, he has home brewed beer in kegs on tap.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Michael]

Icy cold on his patio. It's ridiculous. Oh, it's. Although if I lived like that, I would be a flaming alcoholic and £375.

[Jack Armstrong]

And if there's a downside.

[Michael]

But I'd be happy and I wouldn't be thinking about my problems and people would be more interesting. But bread might be at the top of the list. Beer is close. I say cookies and I'm. I'm a bit of a purist. Maybe a bit of a pain in the ass. I know that's hard to imagine. I will not eat store bought cookies. I just. I won't. Because the calories and the taste. No.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Katie]

Oh, those cookies that I sent you guys. The picture of. Of her break that I made.

[Michael]

I know. It's. It's. It's just.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's like sex.

[Michael]

It's so good.

[Jack Armstrong]

I grew up in Wisconsin with a lot of homemade butter. And homemade butter is just so much better than what you get in the store. It's like a different thing.

[Michael]

You put brother.

[Jack Armstrong]

I wouldn't know if you put homemade. And I had forgotten how good it was. So this field trip my son went on to a couple years ago, they churned butter. They. I spent more time churning than the kids did. But as I was one of the chaperones. But I churned up exactly their weedy little arms. I turned up the butter and I'd forgotten how good it is. You put homemade butter on homemade bread and you have a flipping treat right there.

[Katie]

That sounds wonderful.

[Michael]

I'm guessing there. Go ahead, Katie.

[Rand Paul]

Oh, no.

[Katie]

I'm just. I'm in the process of trying to make sourdough bread because that's my favorite of like. And I haven't. I haven't gotten it down yet because it's complicated. But yeah, we missed the whole getting.

[Michael]

A starter going during COVID saying, I wish we had, but yeah. Jack, I'm sure there are semi overpriced, like, electric butter churns you can get from, you know, Sharper Image or whatever, wherever you buy that stuff these days.

[Jack Armstrong]

We did it the old timey way with a. Well, looked like the thing you've seen in old timey movies with a stick and a cylinder with a hole in the top. Kind of looks a little sexual, but, I mean, you're. You're doing this thing.

[Michael]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dr. Freud, he's fair enough. But yeah, homemade butter. That's what you got to add. You have homemade bread with homemade butter. Oh, so good.

[Michael]

Wow.

[Katie]

I'm looking at how to make homemade butter, and it doesn't look that difficult.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's not hard at all.

[Katie]

I'm gonna try it today.

[Jack Armstrong]

Do it. Yeah. And then report back.

[Katie]

Oh, so good.

[Michael]

Get me a tub.

[Jack Armstrong]

Not that sort of stuff that mittens sell over there at the store.

[Michael]

Oh, I know it. I know it.

[Joe Getty]

The Armstrong and Getty Show. Get more Jack, more Joe podcasts and our hot [e-mail].