Always Excellent, Mediocre Or Super Sucky?

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand: Episode Summary – "Always Excellent, Mediocre Or Super Sucky?"

Release Date: April 30, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Always Excellent, Mediocre Or Super Sucky?", hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into a variety of pressing topics with their signature blend of humor and insightful commentary. Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Armstrong and Getty navigate through current events, societal issues, and listener interactions, providing listeners with a comprehensive and engaging discussion.

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Health Concerns: The Flu and COVID-19 Comparisons

Timestamp [00:26 – 02:26]

The episode opens with a discussion about public health, specifically focusing on the influenza virus and its impact. Joe Getty references a New York Times article highlighting the flu's severity, noting that it leads to an estimated 36,000 deaths in the United States each season. He reflects on personal health habits, stating:

“I am not a hypochondriac. I think I'm the opposite of a hypochondriac. To my peril, I ignore things that I should have paid attention to.” ([00:44])

Jack Armstrong connects this to the COVID-19 pandemic, reminiscing:

“Remember when Covid first hit, what we were comparing death rates to was flu. And it wasn't, you know, overwhelming, but it was a lot of people.” ([02:17])

The hosts underscore the unpredictability of flu severity and the importance of timely medical intervention.

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Vatican Conclave Security: An Inside Look

Timestamp [02:38 – 08:50]

A significant portion of the episode delves into the security measures surrounding the Vatican's conclave—the secretive process of electing a new pope. Referencing an article by tech guru Kim Commando, Joe Getty provides an in-depth analysis:

“Kim Commando really needs to marry a guy named, I don't know, Rocky Sniper or something like that.” ([03:15])

The hosts humorously critique the extensive security protocols, likening the Vatican's measures to scenarios from a Tom Clancy novel:

“The security isn't tight. It's basically a Tom Clancy novel on espresso.” ([04:58])

Key points discussed include:

• Signal Jamming: Complete shutdown of WiFi, Bluetooth, and other transmissions to ensure secrecy.
• Physical Security: Use of non-linear junction detectors and spectrum analyzers to detect any unauthorized devices.
• Infrastructure: Dual-layer privacy film on windows, making them opaque from the outside, and magnetic sensors to prevent window manipulation.
• Surveillance: A command center monitoring 654K cameras and employing advanced technology to thwart any potential breaches.

Jack Armstrong raises pertinent questions about the necessity and effectiveness of such measures:

“What if some of that stuff got out?” ([06:47])

The discussion culminates in contemplating the balance between tradition and modern security needs, highlighting the lengths institutions go to preserve secrecy.

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Modern Warfare: The Rise of Swarm Drones

Timestamp [08:36 – 11:10]

Joe Getty transitions the conversation to modern military tactics, specifically the obsolescence of traditional armored vehicles in the face of advanced drone technology. Referencing insights from a British podcast, he shares expert opinions:

“Armed vehicles are now a thing of the past. They cease to have any value whatsoever.” ([10:42])

This perspective is challenged by another expert, sparking a debate on the future of warfare. The hosts draw parallels to historical shifts in military technology, such as the introduction of ironclad ships during the Civil War, emphasizing how technological advancements render previous methods outdated.

Jack Armstrong expresses enthusiasm for the topic:

“I would love to hear that. Yeah. Please do. Bring that to us.” ([10:43])

The discussion underscores the transformative impact of technology on military strategies and the inevitable evolution of combat methodologies.

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Listener Mailbag: Censorship in Libraries and Patriotic Canadians

Timestamp [11:34 – 27:53]

The episode segues into the mailbag segment, where listener emails bring forth diverse topics:

1. Censorship in Libraries:

   • Dan's Complaint: Libraries in New York are reportedly removing conservative books while promoting progressive literature. Dan shares his experiences with "woke" titles being featured in children's sections, expressing nostalgia for classics like "Berenstain Bears."
   • Hosts' Reaction: Both hosts critique the selective representation of viewpoints, debating the balance between inclusivity and censorship.

2. Patriotic Canadian Consumerism:

   • John's Story: John describes the strain in his marriage due to increased Canadian nationalism and economic protectionism, exacerbated by political tensions with the U.S.
   • Hosts' Take: Armstrong and Getty empathize with the personal impact of geopolitical conflicts, highlighting how political decisions can infiltrate personal lives.

3. Gender vs. Sex:

   • Paolo's Insight: Paolo discusses the distinction between sex (biological) and gender identity (personal belief), arguing that conflating the two leads to societal tensions. He draws parallels to religious beliefs, suggesting that respecting gender identity shouldn't infringe upon objective classifications.
   • Hosts' Commentary: The hosts agree with the nuanced approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding definitions to mitigate misunderstandings and biases.

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Analyzing Media Coverage: LAPD and the Weezer Bassist's Wife Shooting

Timestamp [13:04 – 17:13]

A major highlight of the episode is the in-depth analysis of a controversial incident involving the LAPD and Gillian Shriner, wife of Weezer's bassist. The initial news reports painted a chaotic scenario where Shriner, a gun owner, was involved in a shootout with the police during a high-speed chase. However, Armstrong and Getty delve deeper, presenting a more complex narrative based on body cam footage:

“She was actually in her backyard. And because the carjackers had been vaulting fences and running around the neighborhood, the cops were shouting orders at her while loud helicopters were circling overhead. They shot her in her backyard, and she ran inside and called 911 thinking she had been shot by the carjackers.” ([14:16])

Key Points Discussed:

• Misinformation in Media: The discrepancy between initial reports and actual events highlights issues with media accuracy.
• Police Protocols: The confusion and chaos of the situation raise questions about proper police response and decision-making under pressure.
• Public Perception: The hosts explore how such incidents influence public trust in law enforcement and the broader implications for community-police relations.

Joe Getty emphasizes the importance of thorough reporting:

“Accuracy is our hallmark.” ([15:48])

The discussion underscores the necessity for media outlets to provide comprehensive and accurate information, especially in high-stakes situations.

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Mind Blank Moments and Neuroscience Advances

Timestamp [16:21 – 17:09]

Shifting gears, the hosts explore the phenomenon of "mind blanks"—moments when one's mind goes completely blank. They discuss how recent advancements in neuroscience, particularly through Elon Musk's Neuralink, are beginning to unravel the mysteries of brain activity during such episodes.

“It's like if you look at a bell curve, it's just the... The big... The biggest... The big chunk in the middle is going to be a standard deviation in a big curve...” ([25:27])

Jack Armstrong provides an insightful breakdown of statistical concepts related to human traits, enhancing the discussion's depth.

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Final Segment: Fashion, AI, and Supreme Court Decisions

Timestamp [27:21 – 35:40]

In the concluding parts of the episode, Armstrong and Getty touch upon several topics:

1. AI Wearable Assistants:

   • Katie Greener's Concern: The rise of AI assistants raises questions about privacy and data recording. The hosts discuss the balance between technological convenience and personal privacy.

2. Supreme Court Rulings:

   • Religious Charter Schools: The hosts dissect a landmark New York Times report on Oklahoma's potential use of government funds for religious charter schools, discussing the implications for the First Amendment and the separation of church and state.
   • Justice Amy Coney Barrett's Recusal: The episode briefly touches on her decision not to participate in specific rulings, reflecting on judicial impartiality.

3. Elon Musk and Political Dynamics:

   • Musk's Role in the White House: The hosts joke about Elon Musk's involvement in governmental affairs, highlighting the intersection of technology and politics.

4. Fashion and Personal Changes:

   • The hosts humorously discuss their wardrobe changes during the show, adding a personal and lighthearted touch to the episode's end.

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Conclusion: Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement

Timestamp [35:40 – End]

Armstrong and Getty wrap up the episode with lighthearted "Final Thoughts" from their crew, showcasing their camaraderie and humorous outlook on personal and technological topics. They encourage listener engagement through their website, armstrongandgetty.com, inviting feedback, opinions, and participation in future discussions.

Jack Armstrong concludes with a signature sign-off, reinforcing the show's blend of serious discourse and approachable banter:

“Armstrong and Gettysburg.” ([36:30])

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Notable Quotes

• Joe Getty on Flu Impact:
  “I am not a hypochondriac. I think I'm the opposite of a hypochondriac. To my peril, I ignore things that I should have paid attention to.” ([00:44])

• Jack Armstrong on Vatican Security:
  “The security isn't tight. It's basically a Tom Clancy novel on espresso.” ([04:58])

• Joe Getty on Modern Warfare:
  “Armed vehicles are now a thing of the past. They cease to have any value whatsoever.” ([10:42])

• Jack Armstrong on Media Accuracy:
  “Accuracy is our hallmark.” ([15:48])

• Joe Getty on Gender Identity vs. Sex:
  “If I say I'm a woman, I'm a woman. Thank God.” ([21:44])

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Final Takeaways

"Always Excellent, Mediocre Or Super Sucky?" offers listeners a multifaceted exploration of contemporary issues, blending humor with critical analysis. From public health concerns and Vatican security to media accuracy and modern warfare, Armstrong and Getty provide a thorough examination of topics that resonate with a broad audience. Their engaging dialogue, supported by insightful quotes and real-world examples, makes this episode a valuable listen for anyone seeking informed and entertaining discourse.

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For More Episodes and Information:
Visit armstrongandgetty.com to access additional content, participate in discussions, and stay updated on future podcast releases.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty. Hey, guys, listen to this. I saw that Uber is offering teenagers.

[Joe Getty]

Free rides home from prom and back.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know, some 30 year olds gonna get in with the suitcase, like, yeah, I'm going to the airport prom.

[Joe Getty]

Take me to the airport prom.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah, we're having a travel themed prom. It's at the airport.

[Joe Getty]

So all of a sudden I'm coughing and I can't stop coughing. And I've been sick for tomorrow. It'll be three weeks. And I did a whole flight of antibiotics. And the only reason I bring this up is did you see the article in the New York Times over the weekend? They caught the flu and never came home. The virus leads to an estimated 36,000 deaths in the United States each season, many of them so sudden that families are left reeling. I am not a hypochondriac. I think I'm the opposite of a hypochondriac. To my peril, I ignore things that I should have paid attention to. I've done that multiple times in my life. So I've got it going the other direction, I think. But this article freaked me out a little bit about people who get the flu and, you know, mostly, mostly really old people die of the flu. That something was going to get you anyway. You know, it's just we're all going to die. I don't know if you're aware of that. Something's got to get you. I mean, it's got to be some specific thing that probably pushed you over the edge at the end, but there's.

[Jack Armstrong]

A lot of people to get the flu.

[Joe Getty]

And then just all of a sudden you're past the point of fixing and you die. It happens fairly often.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

And they had all kinds of examples. It's not common, like, I mean, percentage wise, but they had a lot of examples in New York Times that were just horrific. God dang it. You come down with the flu and you're like a healthy 38 year old dad or whatever, and you waited a day too long and now they can't get the liquid out of your lungs or something and you're over.

[Jack Armstrong]

Remember when Covid first hit, what we were comparing death rates to was flu. And it wasn't, you know, overwhelming, but it was a lot of people.

[Joe Getty]

Anyway, it's getting better now. I got a cough I never had before, so I figured this is my last day. Do we know Kim Commando? I feel like we know. Do we meet her somewhere? We had her.

[Jack Armstrong]

We talked to her a couple of times. The tech guru gal. I haven't heard her name in quite a while. I assume she's still doing what she does.

[Joe Getty]

She is. And she wrote an interesting article yesterday. How the Vatican is locking down the conclave about the secrecy around the electing the Pope thing, which if you, if you're old enough to remember and have been through it a time or two, the cardinals all lock themselves in the Vatican and we look for puffs of white smoke. And that's really the only thing we get. That's the only news you get out of there at all, which you're about to find out, until the puffs of white smoke and then out comes a new pope on the balcony and the crowd goes wild.

[Jack Armstrong]

Kim Commando really needs to marry a guy named, I don't know, Rocky Sniper or something like that.

[Joe Getty]

Right? They have very tough kids.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, please. Born in uniform.

[Joe Getty]

Or they have poet trans kids. I don't know. You never know. It's unpredictable. Kim Commando. You think keeping a secret in today's world is tough? Try running one of the most important elections on the planet while dodging drones, AI survival and smartphones in every pocket. When Pope Francis passed away, the Vatican went into immediate lockdown mode to protect the conclave, the centuries old process where cardinals vote to elect the next pope. The security isn't tight. It's basically a Tom Clancy novel on espresso. It says there, the moment the doors close, which is it today, that they're closing the conclave down. And one of the cardinals said they think it'll just be two or three days. Anyway, it's this week. The moment the doors close, they flip on a broad spectrum signal jammer. All WiFi dead, Bluetooth buried. Air tags, technological dust. They can stop any sort of transmission or modern technology. Directional antennas flood every window and rooftop gap just in case. Before the jammers fire, tech crews sweep rooms with non linear junction detectors. Those are handheld wands that sniff out hidden circuits and anybody's trying to spy in any way. And spectrum analyzers, hunting rogue signals. They sweep again after the cardinals get in and once again after the voting starts. Every person and everything gets inspected three times, from clothing to pens to the crosses around your neck. Rosaries and eyeglass frames to make sure nobody is communicating in any way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Boy, do they give everybody a colonoscopy too. I mean, yikes.

[Joe Getty]

You, I find it kind of odd that you don't feel like you can trust the cardinals voting to not be wearing eyeglasses with a hidden microphone in it. I mean, you really shouldn't be a cardinal.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Please speak into the rosary.

[Joe Getty]

By definition, you should not be what you are. And in the role you're in, if you can't be trusted, I wouldn't think.

[Jack Armstrong]

I would think there would be something like the death penalty. Not literally, but you get booted out for even attempting to smuggle anything in. I. I would hope.

[Joe Getty]

Since satellites can read a license plate from orbit. I didn't know that an AI lip reading can turn shaky long lens video into a full transcript. The Vatican's answer is dual layer privacy film on all the windows. A metallic tempest rated laminate. It blocks 99% of light and nearly all infrared. From outside, every window looks like a black mirror. Inside, the cardinals see only a dull gray glow. You're not allowed. You're not allowed to crack any windows open for fresh air. SW6 Swiss Guards World somersault like Cirque du Soleil and tackle you. Magnetic sensors scream if a window budges more than a quarter of an inch. Cardinals aren't even allowed to look outside the windows during the conclave.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. This is crazy, isn't it? Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

The Vatican only covers 0.17 square miles. It's about the size of a small 18 hole golf course if you can picture it. But its security grid rivals the most secure of major airports in the world. Deep below St. Peter's Square, a command center watches 654K cameras, microwave fences and RF triangulation arrays that flag any surprise transmitter.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow, that's something. All to like the leader of a, you know, religious sect. An important one, a big one. But I mean, what if some of that stuff got out? Hey, Luigi seems to be leaning toward Jimmy.

[Joe Getty]

And what are you going to do with that information?

[Jack Armstrong]

Take Luigi's family hostage and say no. Pope Jimmy. You know, I'm sure there's an explanation for this, but maybe it's that I don't care that much. I can't imagine why you'd go to such extraordinary lengths to protect anybody or prevent anybody from getting even a whiff of how things were going.

[Joe Getty]

If you told me today who the Pope is going to be that they announced on Saturday but said keep it a secret. I would because I don't care.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'd forget 10 minutes later. Who'd you say it was again?

[Joe Getty]

The Swiss Guards. Renaissance stripes hide modern muscle HKMP7s, FN scar rifles and drone jamming guns that blast a 500 meter RF cone. I. I don't claim to know what all this stuff means. Counter UAV radar tracks anything with propellers and intruding drone pancakes before it grabs a single photo.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, wait a minute, why don't we have that? Like protecting all of our military bases. And like New Jersey famously last winter time when all those drones were menacing the poor people of the Garden State.

[Joe Getty]

Then when white smoke rises, the system pivots to crowd protection for the over 200,000 pilgrims they expect to flood St. Peter's Square. Facial recognition is run locally to dodge hacking simulators, track burner phones to make sure there are none. And comms are encrypted so the guards stay synced. That seems like a lot of incredible tech for a thousand year old tradition.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I'm sure there are answers to these rhetorical questions, but maybe not. What if the aforementioned Cardinal Jimmy was going to get the non people found out two hours early. So what?

[Joe Getty]

I don't wanna.

[Jack Armstrong]

Is there heavy wagering at the Vatican? Is that it?

[Joe Getty]

I don't want to get in trouble, so I won't bring it up. But there is. There is secret keeping in our industry that they take to ridiculous lengths and it's stupid. So it's possible they're doing the same thing with the Popes. It just. They.

[Jack Armstrong]

You're talking about the slave labor we use to power the transmitters, right?

[Joe Getty]

We have a thousand little people on bikes pedaling. That's what makes the radio work.

[Jack Armstrong]

And they're not slaves. We let them out for fresh air once a month.

[Joe Getty]

The drone thing reminded me maybe I'll do this tomorrow. Listen to. There's a great British podcast, Ukraine Daily something or other. I should post it. It's so good. If you're into the whole Russia, Ukraine thing. They have an update every day and it's not super long, but anyway, they interviewed a couple of different people about how the war has. Warfare has changed because of Russia, Ukraine. And there are several things about warfare that have changed drastically and forever. Like really big things that it's just going to be the future of the way people battle it out. With one, one prominent military guy who was running the Ukrainian forces declaring armed vehicles are now a thing of the past. They cease to have any value whatsoever. Now they had another expert on there that quibbled with that but like tanks have been tanks for over 100 years since World War I, and they cease to have any value since. Swarm drones have. Well, remember early in the war when we had Mike Lyons on our military guy and he's talking about Russia losing these tanks. And he said, that's not a thing. You don't lose tanks. Nobody loses tanks. What you do now, you lose them every time you try to do anything because of these swarm drones.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Joe Getty]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. I would love to hear that. Yeah. Please do. Bring that to us.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. And that's the way military history works. If you're a fan of the Civil War, you know when the Monitor and what was the name of the other ship to Iron Mac? The Merrimack. But the two ironclad ships got into it and it was the end of like 400 years of sea battles being a certain way. And it ended that day because it no longer the technology just wasn't the same anymore.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. And I know the Monitor was a class of ships. Not the name of the ship does just it doesn't matter. How about this? I think this would be amusing. Next segment. A little bonus mailbag. Some emails we've gotten on a number of different topics, including the wife of the Weezer bass player and her shooting. You know, we should. Well, yeah, we can do it. Next segment, My.

[Joe Getty]

My brother sent me a text and I forgot to look it up. He said, have you seen the video? And I have not. Yes, I have not.

[Jack Armstrong]

It explains a lot.

[Joe Getty]

I want to hear about that because I've been asking for weeks, how in the hell do you squeeze off a shot at LAPD and you're not dead? How does that happen? Does this explain that?

[Jack Armstrong]

And then she went back inside, etc.

[Joe Getty]

Hang out with the baby.

[Jack Armstrong]

Will be explained.

[Joe Getty]

All okay, cool.

[Jack Armstrong]

The meaning of life. Everything. All of it. Wow. Next segment.

[Joe Getty]

Wow. Cool. That's next.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty, we went big on.

[Joe Getty]

This one day when you were gone. It was a Friday and you were gone. You had abandoned the show to play.

[Jack Armstrong]

Golf or something in your time of need. Yes.

[Joe Getty]

With on. Because it just didn't make no sense to me. And I was like reaching out to law enforcement people, everything like that. How do you squeeze off shots at LAPD and you end up going back in the house and hanging out with the babysitter for a while and then coming out and surrendering of your own free will. And how does that happen?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I wish I had some of the original accounts of the events in which Gillian Shriner, wife of the bassist of the band Weezer, ended up getting shot by the lapd, squeezed off shots them and then went back inside to take a nap or what have you. And my recollection. And Jack, correct me if I'm Wrong. From the. The coverage shortly thereafter was that I thought she was on her driveway.

[Joe Getty]

That's what the original reporting was. You had the high speed chase. The people in the high speed chase jumped out of the car, ran around the neighborhood. One of the guys got in the backyard and pretended to be watering plants, which is pretty clever, actually, if you've seen the video. But they apprehended him. But anyway, she knew there was all this hubbub going on in the neighborhood. She's a gun owner and she was out in the driveway with her gun. Cops yell, drop the gun. This, this was the original story. You might correct all this. Sure. She's out in the driveway with the gun. Like, what's going on? Cops see her, they don't know what's going on either. They don't know who she is or anything. Like they just see a person with a gun, drop the gun. She turns toward them and squeezes off a shot or two. They shoot at her, apparently hit her. She goes in the house, hangs out with the babysitter for a while, discusses things. Well, suppose I better get out to the lapd. I squeezed off a couple of shots at him and they want to talk to me. So she went back out.

[Jack Armstrong]

So, Jack, to set up the. The rest of the discussion, a question for you. Would you describe most news coverage, especially local? As always, excellent, mediocre, or super sucky.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, all right, so here's the deal. She may have been out on her driveway at one point, but I watched a good bit of the body cam video, video that's been released, and she was actually in her backyard. And because the carjackers had been vaulting fences and running around the neighborhood, the cops were shouting orders at her while loud helicopters were circling overhead. They shot her in her backyard, and she ran inside and called 911 thinking she had been shot by the carjackers.

[Joe Getty]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

So the scene was much, much more confusing and chaotic than it was described.

[Joe Getty]

You haven't, you haven't included her squeezing off shots at them? Did that never happen?

[Jack Armstrong]

Thinking that, you know what, I need to. I don't remember. And I'm reading a written summary here too, but yeah, I believe she did, but she thought she was being confronted by the. The carjackers anyway and is not a crazy person. And, you know, where this goes, nobody knows. But I just thought it was interesting. The contra between the reality and the initial coverage, which is, you know, theme we've sounded many times on the show.

[Joe Getty]

Is a video entertaining?

[Jack Armstrong]

No. Well, no, that's that's rather a. A flip way to describe it. It's interesting, revealing and troubling.

[Joe Getty]

I thought the video, it's a woman.

[Jack Armstrong]

Almost dying at the hands of the lapd and. And conceivably she could have killed a cop.

[Joe Getty]

Right. The carjacker.

[Jack Armstrong]

Because of chaos and confusion, the carjacker.

[Joe Getty]

Who jumped the fence. Hey, there's a pool here. Immediately strips off his shirt and grabs a hose and like calmly start bushes. That was pretty good.

[Jack Armstrong]

I like that. I mean, I admire that. For cleverness. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, so. And if there is yet another round of revelations to come out that perhaps contradicts this round of revelations, we will bring it to you here. Accuracy is our hallmark. Oh, we just got a minute left. Gosh dang it. We've got a handful of emails I wanted to get to.

[Joe Getty]

We could do them next.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I suppose so. Yeah. Also, I tell you what, we'll combine a handful of emails with what happens when your mind goes blank.

[Joe Getty]

That's.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ever have those moments? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's. Science is beginning to study it and it's. It's definitely a thing. As the kids say, it is its own phenomenon. Wow. Neurologically speaking.

[Joe Getty]

I don't know if I've ever heard anybody discuss this before. It's a common expression. Sorry, my mind went blank.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Joe Getty]

And then you wait for a second and then the information comes back. Usually up.

[Jack Armstrong]

Up until very, very recently, as Elon Musk could tell you with his neuralink company, our ability to figure out what was happening in your brain specifically was practically nil. It's made enormous leaps forward recently.

[Joe Getty]

All sounds good. If you miss it, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.

[C]

Every time we hear a Hispanic name on tv, whether or not the anchor is Hispanic, we suddenly have to shape shift into a perfect Hispanic accent. Police arrested 25 year old Elan Alain Sanchez. And I mean that honestly. Why do we do that? When I say Alejandro Mayorkas, I just say Alejandro Mayorkas. But on cnn, it's Alejandro Mayorkas. I'm Irish. When police arrest someone with an Irish name, I don't say, Police just arrested 25 year old Charlie McLaughlin. Like, stop that. Stop.

[Jack Armstrong]

That is so great. We've been making fun of that. Hermon Hernandez. All of a sudden, oh, yeah, there's.

[Joe Getty]

One of the guys on Saturday Night Live that's part of his routine is mocking that whole thing. And it's very, very funny.

[Jack Armstrong]

As you pointed out earlier, what if it was a, you know, Chinese name and I launch into a Chinese Accent. No matter who I am.

[Joe Getty]

Do it. Newscasters.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Or, you know, somebody with an. Obviously like, you know, probably. There are very few white women named Shaniqua, for instance.

[Joe Getty]

Well, am I projecting or am I right here that when they do that on NPR all the time, they're basically.

[Jack Armstrong]

The time, all the time.

[Joe Getty]

They're basically saying to those of us who don't, you're doing something wrong.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Yeah, exactly. I'm being authentic. No, you're not. You're just doing it with Latinx people. You freaking transparent dip asses. Let's run through a handful of emails real quick. We often do this at the beginning of the show, but there are several I wanted to squeeze in. Dan writes, guys, heard your discussions yesterday about woke libraries. Yeah, indeed. Libraries in New York are kicking out any conservative books because they don't represent all points of view. Meanwhile, they have all these wildly radically progressive, gender bending books in there. They're utterly transparent. But Dan says, I tweeted this experience a while back about the library. I grew up going to the featured books. The featured books on top of the bookshelves in the little kids area were all woke titles like Rainbow Hands, Rainbow Parade and Leo's Lavender Skirt. And my personal favorite was Ibram X Kendi's Goodnight Racism. Because nothing puts a child to sleep better than reminding them that the world is racist and stacked against them. Call me old fashioned, but I want my kid reading the Berenstain Bears, not the Castro Bears. Haven't been back in and I live a half block away. It's sad.

[Joe Getty]

So the problem, of course, is they get those books in there that the vast majority of parents don't want in there. And if you try to get them out, they call you a book banner or a censor sensor.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. Total change topic. John with no H rights. Guys heard you guys talking about how patriotic Canadians have become only buying Canadian products. And I can assure you firsthand this is not a gimmick or a fad. My wife is Canadian. We got married last year on a K1 visa. Long story short, her friends and family could not attend our small courthouse wedding because of the time frame. Blah, blah, blah. We were planning on having a second wedding her family and friends could attend on her first anniversary. We had to cancel that after all her friends and family refused to come to the U.S. wow. She used to be excited to tell her friends and family about her experience living here, but now it's become very uncomfortable and awkward for her. A lot have a lot of damage. Has been done by Trump's unnecessary assault on Canada. And truthfully, I only give a crap now because of how difficult it's made that dynamic of my marriage.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, boy. I don't want to get involved in your family situation, but not going to a family member's wedding because of the dust up between Trump and this. I.

[Jack Armstrong]

All right, you know, you're right, that's a bit much. But there's real anger and animosity there, and it's going to last.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, you're getting married in Texas. I know there are abortion laws. I'm afraid I can't attend your wedding.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, that makes you a wackadoodle. On the other hand, you know, the Canadians are pissed and they will drop their gloves, trust me. Uh, let's see. Paolo writes, guys, trans folks and many others make a distinction between sex and gender. Sex is biology. Gender identity is personal feeling or belief. That's fine, but problems arise when a person expects to be treated as though their gender identity is their sex. The more militant of the trans folks tend to do exactly that.

[Joe Getty]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

If. If I say I'm a woman, I'm a woman. Thank God. The UK's Supreme Court ruled unanimously. That was Balder Dash, the military, ironically among the most vocal in asserting the difference between sex and gender. Then he says, certainly legally, in most contexts, gender identity is no more relevant than a person's religion. In fact, it's very similar to religion. It's a dogmatic belief, like a religious belief. We know nothing about it except what the believer tells us. Persons should be treated differently based on their gender identity only to the extent that people of different religions are treated differently, which is to say practically never. And gender is no more appropriate on a passport than is religion. It goes on on that vein. I think it's a good point. Finally, it's way out of bounds to refer to not accepting trans folks beliefs as trans hate or refer is to the non believers themselves as transphobes. It's equivalent to calling a Catholic, calling a person who doesn't believe in trans substantiation a hater or a cathlophobe.

[Joe Getty]

Good one.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I would agree. There are a number of conservative publications that use trend the term transgender in quotes, which I think is appropriate. Let's see. And then finally this. I thought this was revealing and smart. B writes. Lately my personal hero Jack has admitted he gets sick more than average.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, that's one of the worst things I've ever had to admit in my life.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. And we, the rest of the Cavemen have decided you're weak and thrown you out of the. The. The. The cabal, the tribe, the herd. How do you arrange cavemen? Is that a herd or a flock?

[Joe Getty]

Rightfully so.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. And then he gets into the interesting part. To me, a lot of people throw the word average around. The truth is, as you probably felt yourselves, average is a marker of the center and not a good discriminator. The 49th percentile and the 51st percentile are almost indistinguishable from one another, and bulk of the population sits there. Instead, when people use the words below or above average, what they have intuitively learned and most likely mean is someone outside that big, bulgy group in the middle where a majority of the population sits.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. You're outside the one standard deviation.

[Jack Armstrong]

Precisely. He gets to that very thing. And. And it's funny because we've made jokes about how, you know, 2/3 of people think they're better looking than average, and that is obviously a paradox. But if the vast majority of people are average looking, because you don't average all the looks and come up with a number, we're talking about human characteristics. And so it could be that 90% of the people are at average. I just thought it was an interesting thought. I'll go ahead and finish it in case there's more to it. The dire news that being that if you can tell you're getting sick more than the average person, you're probably closer to the 16th percentile than the 49th. That is, you're probably around a standard deviation away from average. Jack, I truly hope you're on the road to recovery, and we'll pray for you. Oh, and then he says, P.S. another topic. If you bring back a no trump day, like during the first term, I would be very grateful.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. He makes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Jack, could you describe briefly, for those of us who have not taken a stats class, what is a standard deviation? I usually make the joke. It's. It's like you like to be spanked or wear leather. It's not a weird deviation. It's a standard deviation. Boy.

[Joe Getty]

In the most simple terms, it's just like if you look at a bell curve, it's just the. The big. The biggest. The big chunk in the middle is going to be a standard deviation in a big curve, and then you quickly drop off to two or three standard deviations. But the fir. One standard deviation covers the bulk of everything, which is kind of what you're getting to. Right. With the average intelligence or average looks.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

That is a better Way to look at it. And it makes you sound less crazy if you talk about. Because a standard deviation I think is 60 some percent. So. And then two standard deviation. Two deviations is. I think you get to 97%, if I remember correctly. But yeah, it covers a lot of people, one standard deviation. So that, that actually makes sense that like 2/3 of us think we're above average looking or 2/3 of us think we're smarter. It actually fits with that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. I. And I think maybe, I don't know, maybe I've been guilty of thinking of like average IQ, which to the extent that we can even measure IQ, which is definitely a, a big giant question mark. 100 is allegedly average IQ, but it could be that 85% of the population is between 98 and 102.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

On that scale. I don't know that to be true, but I think I've been guilty of thinking more like 100 is the median or there's above and. Right, exactly. Which is not necessarily true at all.

[Joe Getty]

Correct. Yeah. So I don't know what one standard deviation would be on IQ, but yeah, probably you got like 2/3 of people within 95 and 105 or something like that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

Interesting. What's the Elon Musk thing you said in my ear, Hansen? What did you. Oh, there.

[Jack Armstrong]

Elon Musk, another woman.

[Joe Getty]

So there was a story came out yesterday, Elon Musk no longer working from the White House. That shift has happened. Obviously. We've been hearing his name a lot less, remember there for quite a while. We were hearing Elon's name more than Trump's name. Trump is in the cabinet meeting. They're having a 100 day cabinet meeting with everybody and Elon is there and smiling and yucking it up and everybody else is having to listen to him and probably hating it to a certain extent. I don't know. But Elon's there now. We will finish strong.

[Jack Armstrong]

Next, Armstrong and Getty.

[D]

Elon, I love the double hat, but he's the only one that can do that, get away with it.

[E]

Well, Mr. President, now they say I.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wear a lot of hats.

[Joe Getty]

That's true.

[E]

Even my hat has a hat. The American people voted for secure borders, safe cities and sensible spending. And that's what they've gotten. A tremendous amount has been accomplished in the first hundred days. As everyone has said, it's more than has been accomplished in any administration before ever.

[Jack Armstrong]

Period.

[E]

So this portends very well for what happened for the rest of the administration. I think this could be the Greatest.

[Joe Getty]

So they're having a big Cabinet meeting there at the White House, and Elon's there, even though he's no longer working at the White House. Oh, and Trump said this.

[D]

You know, you're invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, I guess he wants to get back home to his cars and his.

[Joe Getty]

Everybody applauding Elon.

[D]

I'll tell you one thing, he's done an incredible job.

[Joe Getty]

Elon looks so relaxed. That is a guy who. Who's crafted a life and he's digging it. He is not stressed out about it.

[Jack Armstrong]

So it would seem, for whatever reason. I wish I could go back to the beginning of the Doge thing and craft a PR strategy for them. And it would not involve. Well, it would involve not having Elon quite as prominent, at least not after the very beginning of it, because there are all sorts of outlets acting like Elon. Pulling back means it's over.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

And if you saw the interview Brett Baird did with. Right, exactly. The interview Brett Baird did with those half dozen absolutely substantive, impressive men who were actually running the show, you wouldn't think that at all. Plus, they can still transition from reining in, you know, excessive personnel and redundant programs, that sort of thing, which is absolutely worth doing, even if it is a rounding error on the federal budget. It's just a good idea. But they can then segue to deregulation, which is incredibly important. So. And I just wish their purpose and who they are had been better, you know, explained to the American people. Landmark Supreme Court ruling. Ah, well, it's not a ruling exactly, but according to accounts, the Supreme Court appeared open today to allowing Oklahoma to use government money to run the nation's first religious charter school, which would teach a curriculum infused by Catholic doctors doctrine, according to the New York Times, which is accurate as far as it goes. Excluding the school from the state's charter school system would amount to rank discrimination against religion, according to Brett Kavanaugh. The justices appear to be divided along the usual ideological lines. They say, I read a great piece and I'm going to see if I can find it. I'm surprised I didn't save it. They were talking about the First Amendment and how it reads, congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and that those phrases aren't in opposition to each other. They're a thorough description of the government's role in religion. Congress shall not establish a religion or say, this is the good one. Fair enough.

[Joe Getty]

Everybody gets it, even though we know which one's the good one.

[Jack Armstrong]

But if. If there are 23 different groups that are authorized to form up a charter school, and in Oklahoma specifically, the charters have a broad latitude to implement, and I quote, a very specific. A specific learning philosophy and adopt their own personnel policies and methods of school governance and to demonstrate they're not government surrogates. So if you have 22 different sorts of entities that can start a charter school, but not any religious entity, no churches can come anywhere near it because of the establishment clause. Well, you're ignoring the second part of it, prohibiting the exercise thereof, and you're discriminating against only one sort of people. That's people who espouse a certain religion.

[Joe Getty]

That's that whole freedom of religion versus freedom from religion thing.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, right. And. And I get that there are subtleties here, and it's not exactly a black and white argument. And you know what?

[Joe Getty]

I'll.

[Jack Armstrong]

I will find the words of people more learned than me in this stuff, but it makes sense to me. You got a dozen different philosophies represented by the various charter schools, just not for God's sake. People who do things for God's sake.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. I can imagine how this is going to be covered all day long today by the mainstream media.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Joe Getty]

Well.

[Jack Armstrong]

And some of the intriguing questions are, can they start in Islamic school that teaches Sharia law and that sort of thing?

[Joe Getty]

Good one. Or some sort of Satanism?

[Jack Armstrong]

That one comes up too, pretty frequently. Yep. Put on the old goat pants and dance around the fire.

[Joe Getty]

So Was it a 5?

[Jack Armstrong]

4. It's not a decision. It was just. I think they're just interpreting what was happening at the oral arguments.

[Joe Getty]

Okay.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. Interestingly, Justice Amy Coney Barrett was recused. Did she hear it on the appellate level, I wonder. Anyway.

[D]

I have some final thoughts, and some people say they are the greatest final thoughts they've ever heard. But if you look at what's happening, I would have to say Armstrong and Getty have some wonderful final thoughts. They are right up there with Abraham Lincoln and everybody knows it.

[Joe Getty]

Here's your host for Final Thoughts, Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap up the show. There is Michelangelo pressing the buttons. Michael, what's your final thought? You know, I'm thinking about improving my health and maybe getting rid of all processed foods. So, wait, are gummy bears processed foods? I believe they are, yes. So much for that idea. Farm to fork, baby. Katie Greener, esteemed news woman, has a final thought. Katie, you guys have given me a Complex today talking about that AI wearable assistant.

[Joe Getty]

I'm going to be checking everyone's wrists now for it. Yeah, Recording me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, Records everything and then sends you reminders and that sort of thing if you miss the segment. Jack, final thought.

[Joe Getty]

Am I wrong or did you come back into the studio after the commercials in a different shirt?

[Jack Armstrong]

I, I have changed. Yes.

[Joe Getty]

You're like Taylor Swift now. Yeah, just different. Different outfits throughout the show.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. Well, Cher is my hero here.

[Joe Getty]

I'm kind of a bad girl now.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm more of a cheerleader right now. I'm wearing the white skirt and boots. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, that's my thing. Actually have an appointment and moments, you know, My final thought was actually going to have to do with that personal assistant AI thing. I actually logged on to one of the websites and took a look because I'm an absent minded guy and, and I do a poor job of remembering what I'm supposed to do and I just thought, you know what, let's give it a couple of years. Let's give it a couple of like scandals and corrections, cautions and all and then maybe I'll start recording everything I do.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four hour workday.

[Jack Armstrong]

Of course, there are a lot of things I do nobody wants to hear about. Trust me. So many people. Thanks. A little time go to Armstrong and yeti dot com. We've got a lot of great stuff there. Hot links. You can drop us a note mailbagarmstrongandgetty.com if there's something we ought to be talking about or you want to weigh in with your opinion, pick up some Angie swag for your favorite angie fan.

[Joe Getty]

Tomorrow's May 1st, right? See then, God bless America.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm strong and Getty has been hijacked by the TQ plus, that's what people do.

[C]

That's not hyperbolic, that's academic.

[Jack Armstrong]

Even in Washington that math doesn't work.

[Joe Getty]

I'm sorry.

[Jack Armstrong]

There are haters.

[Joe Getty]

There's always going to be haters.

[Jack Armstrong]

I've been called worse. For those of you that don't understand. Ah, you're a rhino. You're a boomer, you're a Reagan idiot. I'll save you writing your moronic emails.

[Joe Getty]

I like that accent, whatever that was.

[Jack Armstrong]

On that high note.

[Joe Getty]

Thank you all very much.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.