Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode Title: That's Some Good S Right There!
Date: August 19, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode features Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty discussing key developments in global politics (particularly Ukraine, Russia, and nationalism), societal trends in language and culture, major health news, and reflections on George Orwell's Animal Farm as it hits its 80th anniversary. Military analyst Mike Lyons joins for in-depth analysis of the ongoing Ukraine conflict, the role of security guarantees, and technological shifts in military practice. The show balances serious geopolitical assessments with sharp-witted cultural commentary and some comic moments.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Situation in Ukraine: Security Guarantees and Negotiations

Timestamps: 03:39 – 05:09

• The hosts introduce Mike Lyons, military analyst, who offers context on the current state of the Ukraine war and recent diplomatic moves involving the U.S., European nations, and Vladimir Putin.
• Trump has publicly stated there will be "no U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine," even as negotiations over security guarantees and military support continue.

Notable Insights:

• European powers like France and the UK may provide ground support, but the U.S. will likely restrict involvement to logistical, air, and defense systems.
• Quote (Mike Lyons, 05:41):
  "This is probably the beginning of the beginning... The hard part is going to be getting Russian negotiators to sit down with Ukraine negotiators as well as the United States, trying to figure out how to redraw that map."
• The likelihood of a major peace settlement is questioned, with Lyons expressing skepticism about Putin's willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations.

On the prospects of pressuring Putin:
Quote (Mike Lyons, 06:45):
"Frankly, I still don't think there's enough leverage being put on Vladimir Putin to want to stop this anytime soon."

2. Security Guarantees and the Risk of Escalation

Timestamps: 06:45 – 08:14

• Discussion about how the West can support Ukraine without crossing Putin's 'red lines', especially avoiding full NATO involvement.
• The complexity of supporting allies with air cover and logistics without being drawn into a direct confrontation.

Quote (Mike Lyons, 07:19):
"Just the boots on the ground is where that thing could get... sideways quick."

• Referenced historical parallel: Dayton Accords in the Balkans and the consequences of U.S. troop deployments.

3. Putin’s Incentives and Internal Russian Dynamics

Timestamps: 08:14 – 10:09

• Analyses of Putin’s motivations and the internal situation in Russia:
  • High Russian and Ukrainian casualties, but limited internal Russian opposition.
  • Cultural and political differences mean Western expectations (e.g., "Russian mothers pressuring for change") are unrealistic.
• Lyons emphasizes the control Putin holds over disparate regions within Russia.

Quote (Mike Lyons, 09:31):
"He's able to pick different Russian tribes still out and send them to the battlefield into the meat grinder, fundamentally to their death. And then he'll continue to do that because they have four times the amount of people that Ukraine does."

4. U.S. vs. China: Naval Concerns & Military Tech

Timestamps: 10:09 – 12:50

• The U.S. is falling behind China in shipbuilding and port automation; Lyons expresses concern but optimism if the issue is prioritized.
• American military academies are drastically increasing emphasis on drone and AI technology in training and applications.

Quote (Mike Lyons, 11:39):
"It's incredible the amount of things that are taking place in the AI drone space... We're going to get to the point where a drone will be part of a basic kit of an infantry soldier, aside from their weapon and canteen and the like."

5. Peace "Ceasefire" vs. Settlement in Ukraine

Timestamps: 13:00 – 15:25

• The hosts analyze Leon Panetta's warning about the dangers of ceasefires in conflicts: they tend to freeze the status quo, often cementing territorial losses for the side most recently invaded (as seen in Korea).

Quote (Michael, 14:21):
"If Ukraine wants any chance of getting any land back or wants different borders than what they are now, you do not want a ceasefire."

6. Weight Loss Drugs: Ozempic and Wegovy

Timestamps: 20:34 – 24:36

• News update: Major price drop for Ozempic and Wegovy (from ~$1,000 to $499 per month).
• Hosts discuss the drugs’ expanding usage, potential to become as routine as blood pressure medicine, and concerns about side effects like nausea, intestinal issues, and rare dangerous complications.

Quote (Joe Getty, 22:28):
"I hope they can dial it in a little bit better because there are significant... side effects."

7. George Orwell’s Animal Farm at 80: Lessons and Warnings

Timestamps: 29:14 – 39:12

• The show marks the 80th anniversary of Animal Farm, using it as a springboard to discuss:
  • How revolutions fuel their own corruption.
  • The incremental creep of power and the manipulation of language.
  • The erasure and rewriting of history, echoing major present-day trends in education and public discourse.
  • Propaganda’s power over physical coercion.
• Lively discussion of preference falsification and mass conformity, referencing today’s sociopolitical climate.

Quote (Joe Getty, 33:04):
"When they tell you what words to use and start changing those words and demanding that you use their words, not the words you've always used... they're trying to pervert meaning, and... they're demanding an act of submission from you."

• The hosts argue contemporary American education sometimes works as indoctrination and reference “preference falsification”—the tendency for people to conceal their true beliefs because they think everyone else believes differently.

Quote (Joe Getty, 36:23):
"Propaganda is more powerful than physical force."

8. U.S. Tariffs and Canadian Sentiment

Timestamps: 46:13 – 49:25

• Brief segment on escalating U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, and Canadian backlash ("elbows up")—including some Canadians swearing off travel to the U.S. over safety and national pride concerns.

Quote (Joe Getty, 48:17):
"They had such a... warped view of how dangerous the United States was."

9. The Great Cracker Barrel Remodel Debate

Timestamps: 49:48 – 52:14

• Hosts lament the planned modernization of Cracker Barrel restaurants, seeing it as an abandonment of nostalgic “old timey” Americana and classic merchandise.

Quote (Michael, 50:22):
"A fair amount of blowback from those of us on probably on the older end... who like the old timey look."

10. Brief Comic and Cultural Moments

• Jokes about spontaneous, uncontrollable bowel movements as a drug side effect (23:23–23:53).
• The “Labubu” fad is briefly referenced for comic effect (41:09).
• Jokes about Cracker Barrel changing to "Kale Vaz" and embracing hyper-modern café trends, culminating in quips about "drag queens escorting you to your table."

Notable Quotes

• On Ukraine war negotiations:
  "I still don't think there's enough leverage being put on Vladimir Putin to want to stop this anytime soon." — Mike Lyons (06:45)

• On revolution and corruption:
  "Power corrupts incrementally through small compromises." — Joe Getty, referencing Animal Farm (31:51)

• On language as a tool for control:
  "When they tell you what words to use and start changing those words... they're demanding an act of submission from you." — Joe Getty (33:04)

• On mass conformity:
  "Mass conformity is engineered, not natural... that's what they're trying to do to the kids, to teach them to mindlessly bleat..." — Joe Getty (36:31)

• On American perceptions abroad:
  "They had such a... warped view of how dangerous the United States was." — Joe Getty (48:17)

Additional Segment Highlights with Timestamps

• AI and Therapy: The hosts briefly flag an upcoming discussion on the rise of AI-based therapy services, particularly among teens (41:09).
• Pop culture/documentary plug: Reference to a new Eminem documentary "Stan" (54:52).

Memorable Moments

• A light-hearted rundown of potential side effects from weight loss drugs and quips about lifestyles that could “work” with spontaneous bowel movements. (23:23)
• Mike Lyons' passionate explanation of drone technology becoming as basic as a rifle or canteen for soldiers (11:39).
• The show’s repeated, joking invocation of self-awareness ("We checked that box!") after referencing trending topics or obligatory news items.
• The “Kale Vaz” and drag queen jokes in the context of Cracker Barrel’s controversial remodel (51:15–52:14).

Episode Takeaways

• The Ukraine conflict remains highly volatile, with all sides maneuvering around red lines, and much uncertainty about the success of Western security guarantees.
• Language, narrative, and propaganda—echoing Orwell’s warnings—play a crucial role in shaping politics and public opinion today.
• Medication-driven culture continues to expand to new frontiers, with weight loss drugs becoming more accessible and normal.
• Cultural nostalgia versus modernization is a resonant theme, whether in restaurants or national memory.
• The show balances policy insight with cultural satire, giving listeners both information and laughs.

For the full context, listen to Armstrong & Getty On Demand: "That's Some Good S Right There!"