Armstrong & Getty On Demand - Episode: "More Expensive & Slower Than A Bus!" Summary

Release Date: May 16, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

1. Bruce Springsteen's Controversial Concert Remarks

[03:07 - 04:53]

The episode kicks off with Jack Armstrong and Phil Graham discussing Jack’s recent experience at a Bruce Springsteen concert. Jack shares his frustration with Springsteen's political commentary during the show, which he felt was exclusionary and disrupted his enjoyment of the concert.

• Jack Armstrong: "I held my breath and waited it out like a painful dental procedure. Then when the second chapter began, that's when I would have said, all right, fuck this." [03:29]

• Phil Graham: "The part that bothers me the most is it's got that whole 'I'm cool and all you people are cool' that agrees with me, and we're the cool people, and people that don't agree with us are uncool people. That is enough to drive me out of the arena." [03:47]

The hosts critique how Springsteen's approach alienates segments of his audience by creating a divide between supporters and detractors.

2. Satirical Jingle on California's Bullet Train

[08:10 - 13:57]

Transitioning from music to infrastructure, Jack Armstrong introduces a humorous jingle he crafted about California’s bullet train, highlighting its inefficiencies.

• Jack Armstrong: "Bullet train more expensive and slower than a bus. Hansen has been working on songs about California's idiotic, just spectacularly evil theft." [08:10]

Phil Graham enthusiastically praises the jingle, discussing its catchy nature and potential popularity.

• Phil Graham: "That has to catch on. The bullet train more expensive and slower than a bus." [09:13]

They delve into the logistics and public perception of the bullet train project, emphasizing public skepticism and budget concerns.

3. U.S. Presidents and Vladimir Putin: A Critical Analysis

[32:45 - 40:50]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing the interactions between recent U.S. presidents and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The discussion critiques the attempts of Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump in handling relations with Putin, portraying them as naive or overly accommodating.

• Phil Graham: "He [Putin] would murder your child if it benefited him. He's that guy." [37:57]

• Jack Armstrong: "Trump clearly is prone to being swayed by flattery. I mean, that's just beyond denial at this point." [38:30]

They reference Tom Rogan’s writings, detailing how each president underestimated Putin’s manipulative tactics.

• Jack Armstrong: "Mr. Clinton did nothing of the sort. He intimidated the Russian media, cultivated an inner circle of oligarchs, and took Russia down the road of totalitarianism." [35:54]

The hosts express concern over President Trump's approach, predicting that any meeting between Trump and Putin would likely result in mutual praise, neglecting global security issues.

• Phil Graham: "Trump said earlier today, he said, it's time. It's time Putin and I meet. We got to make that happen. And I'm really concerned about how that meeting goes." [39:05]

4. Technical Failures in U.S. Airports

[18:44 - 22:54]

Jack and Phil shift focus to recent technical outages at major U.S. airports, specifically Denver and Newark, highlighting the potential dangers these failures pose to aviation safety.

• Jack Armstrong: "I read that the Denver airport was recently hit with an outage and some pilots couldn't contact air traffic control for six minutes." [18:44]

• Phil Graham: "Air traffic controller in the Wall Street Journal today talking about how close call that he had a week or so ago at Newark and how he's really worried there's going to be a crash soon because of these various outages." [19:01]

They discuss the systemic issues within the aviation communication infrastructure, stressing the urgency of addressing these vulnerabilities to prevent potential disasters.

5. Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

[45:12 - 50:30]

In the concluding segment, the hosts share humorous and personal anecdotes, including Jack's experience at a medical appointment and Phil's thoughts on balancing work and family life. They also touch upon emerging cybersecurity threats related to Chinese-manufactured solar panels with rogue communication devices.

• Jack Armstrong: "We are so asleep. Anyway, let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap things up for the day." [26:55]

• Phil Graham: "Maybe figure out how to sleep better, have more meaningful relationships, cook more that search for practical knowledge." [45:33]

Finally, they promote upcoming content and encourage listeners to engage with their merchandise and online platforms.

• Jack Armstrong: "California's bullet train. More expensive and slower than a bus. Expected to sell it like hotcakes. We will see you on Monday." [49:54]

Key Insights and Conclusions

• Political Division in Entertainment: The discussion around Bruce Springsteen underscores how political statements within entertainment can polarize audiences, potentially diminishing the overall experience.

• Infrastructure Critique Through Humor: The satirical bullet train jingle serves as a medium to critique the inefficiency and high costs associated with large-scale infrastructure projects.

• Presidential Diplomacy Failures: The analysis of U.S. presidents' dealings with Putin highlights ongoing concerns about effective foreign policy and the dangers of underestimating adversarial leadership.

• Aviation Safety Risks: Technical failures in airport communication systems are presented as critical issues that require immediate attention to ensure passenger safety.

• Cybersecurity Concerns: The mention of Chinese-manufactured solar panels with potential security vulnerabilities emphasizes the growing risks in the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape.

Notable Quotes

• Phil Graham on Springsteen's Concert:
  "People that don't agree with us are uncool people. That is enough to drive me out of the arena." [03:47]

• Jack Armstrong on the Bullet Train Jingle:
  "The bullet train more expensive than slower than a bus hey, play 15 for us, Michael." [09:21]

• Phil Graham on Putin:
  "He would murder your child if it benefited him. He's that guy." [37:57]

• Jack Armstrong on Presidential Relations with Putin:
  "Mr. Putin was shaped by the brutal maximalism of the KGB's Red Banner Institute. But Mr. Trump is not the first US president to take an unrealistic view of his Russian counterpart." [35:54]

This episode of Armstrong & Getty delves deep into the intersection of politics, infrastructure, and security, all woven together with the hosts' characteristic humor and critical analysis. Whether you're interested in the nuances of political discourse or the intricacies of modern infrastructure projects, this episode offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of these topics.