Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand - "Let's Take A Deep Breath For 5 Years"

Release Date: December 13, 2024

Host/Authors: Jack Armstrong, Joe Getty, Katie Green, Michaelangelo, Hansen

1. Unconventional Mourning: Ashes in a Movie Theater

The episode opens with a poignant and unusual story about a woman from Wisconsin who chose to leave her father's ashes in a movie theater. This act stemmed from a strained relationship, leading her to dispose of the remains under the seats during a screening of "Beetlejuice."

• Jack Armstrong [03:29]: “An urn full of ashes found in a movie theater in Wisconsin. It appears the mystery has been solved.”

• Katie Green [05:04]: “In a lot of unhappy families you do. What do you have to do to minimize conflict?”

2. Concerns Over a Chinese-Staffed US Navy Recruiting Office

Katie Green highlights a troubling discovery shared by a listener about a US Navy recruiting office in Alhambra, California, entirely staffed by Chinese-speaking individuals. The recruiter’s primary contact method is via WeChat, a platform controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), raising fears about data security and potential espionage.

• Katie Green [05:13]: “Every recruiter here is Chinese, as well as all the people coming to enlist. The working language here is also Chinese.”

• Jack Armstrong [09:10]: “If you know anything about it, email or text.”

3. The Perils of Deepfakes in Modern Media

The hosts delve into the growing threat of deepfakes, referencing a video that purportedly shows Noam Chomsky criticizing postmodern literary theories. They discuss the difficulty in distinguishing real from fabricated content and the broader implications for public trust.

• Katie Green [14:32]: “This is like a sophisticated deep fake and he's a military guy. He catches some other inconsistencies...”

• Jack Armstrong [16:35]: “What is information at that point?”

4. Critique of Academic Theories: Critical Race Theory and Postmodernism

A heated discussion ensues about the validity and impact of critical race theory and postmodern literary theories in academia. The hosts express skepticism towards the methodologies and conclusions drawn by scholars in the humanities, contrasting them with the rigor of the sciences.

• Jack Armstrong [20:11]: “If you're a professor of women's trans ethnic studies or something... And the people who made it up would say, well, so does string theory.”

• Katie Green [21:42]: “...enter Balaz Borough's paper 'Queering Autoethnographic Reflections from a Gay Parent through Surrogacy,' masquerades as scholarship...”

5. Family Dynamics: Balancing Birthdays and Holiday Celebrations

Jack Armstrong shares personal anecdotes about celebrating his son's birthday, which falls just before Christmas. The overlap has led to emotional challenges within the family, particularly for his older son, who felt sidelined upon the arrival of his new sibling.

• Jack Armstrong [26:53]: “His brother Sam is two. When we bring home Henry from the hospital on Christmas Eve... he just collapsed on the floor crying.”

• Michaelangelo [29:08]: “I want two sets of presents.”

6. San Diego County's Super Sanctuary County Vote

A significant portion of the episode focuses on San Diego County's controversial decision to become a "super sanctuary county." Supervisor Jim Desmond, the sole vote against the measure, argues that it endangers community safety by preventing local law enforcement from reporting serious crimes committed by illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

• Supervisor Jim Desmond [30:38]: “Under this policy... San Diego county would be legally prohibited from directly coordinating with ICE.”

• Jack Armstrong [33:08]: “Trump won the election. You saw all of the polling on all the border stuff. It's between 80 and 90% Americans want secured borders.”

7. Reflections on President Trump's Influence and Media Manipulation

The hosts discuss former President Donald Trump's activities post-presidency, including his symbolic participation at the New York Stock Exchange. They touch upon the influence of AI and deepfakes in shaping public perception, emphasizing the challenges in discerning authentic political actions from fabricated ones.

• Jack Armstrong [15:58]: “If you haven't seen the video of Trump and Jill Biden... it's so damn real looking.”

• Katie Green [17:20]: “He outed the people on his side.”

8. Holiday Preparations and Personal Reflections

Shifting to lighter topics, the hosts share their experiences and frustrations with holiday preparations, such as decorating Christmas trees and managing family expectations. They humorously discuss the costs and efforts involved in maintaining holiday traditions.

• Jack Armstrong [44:33]: “I should have a tree up. It should be decorated. There should be presents under the tree...”

• Katie Green [47:12]: “I met a listener the other day, and when he found out I was on the show, the only thing he said to me is, I love it when you guys play by the dip.”

9. Call to Action: Standing Against Hate

Concluding the episode, the hosts advocate for unity and resistance against growing hate within the country. They encourage listeners to join movements aimed at combating hate and fostering a more inclusive society.

• Katie Green [51:55]: “We can change the momentum. It's time to take a timeout against hate.”

• Jack Armstrong [52:03]: “Join us in calling for a hashtag. Stand up to hate or posting the Blue Square emoji.”

Notable Quotes:

1. Supervisor Jim Desmond [30:38]:
   “San Diego county would be legally prohibited from directly coordinating with ICE. This effectively protects the offenders from deportation, allowing them to remain in our communities where they could cause that same harm.”

2. Katie Green [14:32]:
   “Unless it's a deep fake... it is scary, right?”

3. Jack Armstrong [15:58]:
   “If you went back 10 years and showed me that I thought, holy crap, Donald Trump and Joe Biden got in a fight. It's only because I'm aware of AI and it's so unlikely that that would happen that I jumped to the fact that it's AI.”

4. Katie Green [21:42]:
   “As its title suggests, the paper relies heavily on autoethnography, a method that is essentially a diary entry trying to pass as a rigorous analysis.”

5. Jack Armstrong [33:08]:
   “Trump won the election. You saw all of the polling on all the border stuff. It's between 80 and 90% Americans want secured borders.”

Conclusion

In "Let's Take A Deep Breath For 5 Years," Armstrong & Getty tackle a range of topics from personal family stories and holiday preparations to pressing socio-political issues like immigration policies and the dangers of deepfakes. The hosts blend humor with critical analysis, encouraging listeners to reflect on both personal and national levels. The episode serves as a microcosm of contemporary challenges, urging unity and vigilance in an increasingly complex world.