Asma Khalid (2:49)

America is changing and so is the world.

Tristan Redman (2:53)

But what's happening in America isn't just the cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

Asma Khalid (3:01)

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington D.C. i'm.

Tristan Redman (3:04)

Tristan Redman in London and this is the global story.

Asma Khalid (3:07)

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

Tristan Redman (3:13)

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Jack Armstrong (3:21)

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center.

WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser (3:27)

Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

Jack Armstrong (3:29)

Armstrong and Getty.

Joe Getty (3:30)

And now he.

Jack Armstrong (3:34)

Armstrong and Yeti.

Joe Getty (3:37)

Not live from Studio C where Armstrong and Getty. We've taken the day off.

Jack Armstrong (3:42)

We're just exhausted. Yes, but you can enjoy this incredibly carefully prepared Armstrong and Getty replay. Hours, but minutes of effort went into distilling the show to its finest essence.

Joe Getty (3:54)

It's very. So it's okay.

Jack Armstrong (3:56)

So sit back and enjoy an Armstrong and Getty replay.

Joe Getty (4:00)

I'm gonna become bike riding guy. You're one of those guys who wears a really skin tight clothes, walks around the Starbucks.

Jack Armstrong (4:07)

Oh.

Joe Getty (4:10)

I'm not actually, but I pictured.

Jack Armstrong (4:12)

You more shirtless, over tanned, messy, probably stolen bike guy. Right. You're going like Tour de France riding a kid's bike.

Joe Getty (4:20)

I'm somewhere in between. I'm gonna be in probably jeans, tennis shoes and a T shirt. But I am on a real bike, not a. Not a child's bike. I took out of someone's backyard.

Jack Armstrong (4:28)

The suburban gentleman look.

Joe Getty (4:31)

Exactly.

Jack Armstrong (4:31)

That is the look. Why not? We were talking yesterday about an absolutely blockbuster report in the Hill about how vast majorities of college kids don't believe the garbage they've been indoctrinated in, but they're afraid to say it.

Joe Getty (4:47)

That is one of the more important things for people to know that I can remember. I mean, this is important information.

Jack Armstrong (4:55)

Yeah. And we hammered this pretty good yesterday. But 78% of students told us they self censor on their beliefs surrounding gender identity. 72% on politics in general, 68% on family values. They value what are traditionally known as family values, but they dare not speak it on college campus. And more than 80% said they'd submitted classwork that misrepresented their views in order to align with professors. You give them a chance and they will tell you what they really think. And we're on the cusp, I think, of a huge move toward the Youngsters recognizing what's being done at colleges. It's not education at all, it's indoctrination. But those poll numbers were stunning and encouraging.

Joe Getty (5:47)

Well, the important thing to me, though is just realizing that as human nature, that we're all so susceptible. I don't know about all, but so many people are susceptible to this.

Jack Armstrong (5:57)

Yeah.

Joe Getty (5:57)

Of keeping your mouth shut if you think most people don't agree with you. I keep my mouth shut in most social situations about political stuff, but.

Jack Armstrong (6:04)

Right. Well. And the whole concept of a preference distortion, which I find so interesting that you, because everybody around you is silent, you think, oh, I'm probably one of the only people who believes this because they agree with the powerful people who are telling us all what we ought to believe. But no, you're all sitting there thinking the same thing. Yeah.

Joe Getty (6:23)

And I don't know how many times probably everybody's had this situation where that is going on and somebody says, you know, I'm a gun owner and me too, me too. And oh, geez, okay, so we're not all.

Jack Armstrong (6:35)

Well, or whatever the topic is. And that's the crazy thing, you know, to. If you find yourself in college and thinking, you know, this, this stuff about, you know, the gender bending madness, a man can just become a woman and that's really a woman. And, and all the other stuff they, they teach these poor kids, all the critical theory stuff. If you have the courage to stand up and be that rebel and think, you know what 10% of us are together, I'm going to stand up and say, so then all of a sudden 85% of the class is on your side. You are a rebel. But, you know, you're not nearly as alone as you think.

Joe Getty (7:11)

Yeah. You can't blame people, though. I mean. Oh, I'm not blaming them at all. First of all, everything that's been presented to all of us led us to believe that this is what most people on college campuses thought was this stuff.

Jack Armstrong (7:22)

Well, that's part of the insidious plot. That's what propaganda is.

Joe Getty (7:26)

Sure. And telling everybody, including the teachers who are going to grade you that they're wrong, completely wrong, is not always your best move.

Jack Armstrong (7:36)

Right. Oh, yeah. Well, that's why 80% of the kids submitted work that they didn't believe because they had to get their grades and move on in life. Nearly four out of five.

Joe Getty (7:47)

I don't believe this, but I'm going to pretend I do to get along. That's amazing.

Jack Armstrong (7:52)

Yeah, yeah. But that's, you know, that's indoctrination especially of youth, is all about fighting unfairly and bullying and convincing kids that everybody believes it and anybody who dissents is a bad person. So, yeah, I don't blame the kids at all. No, I want to fight against the evildoers who are bullying them anyway. More good news. And if San Francisco is doing it, it's going to spread. San Francisco has embraced a new tool to clear homeless camps. You know, I've noticed city officials pointing to cleaner streets as evidence that more active approach is working. I feel like my reporting, it's cruel and nasty.

Joe Getty (8:33)

I feel like my reporting, with my own circumstances was leading the way long before the Wall Street Journal or others picked up on this. On the East Coast, San Francisco is a complete. If you haven't been in a long time, it's a completely different looking city than it was a year ago. It's amazing.

Jack Armstrong (8:50)

Indeed, between July of last year and July of this year, the city arrested or cited more than 1,080 people on illegal lodging charges. That's over 10 times the number of arrests during the same period a year earlier under the progressive former administration.

Joe Getty (9:06)

Last time I was in downtown San Francisco, I saw a homeless person. 1. And that person was being talked to by somebody from the city about how you got to get out of here.

Jack Armstrong (9:15)

So the residents and business owners complaining about safety as encampments grew have finally been heard. Now, of course, the activists say you're merely shifting the homeless population around the city and putting homeless people at greater risk. Shut up. Need to shut up, drug addicts. Yeah, yeah, shut up. So San Francisco is doing a good job. It is possible, even under some of the bizarre court rulings recently, and also, and this is out of San Francisco as well. Once seen as a model of progressive drug policy, San Francisco stands now as a morbid example of how harm reduction has gone astray. That's. This is one of the shibboleths, one of the gods of the left is that you've got to help junkies do drugs safely and comfortably. What's the look? I get the clean needles thing. I get the impulse there.

Joe Getty (10:13)

What's the theory on that, though? How's that supposed to end that? That people will, on their own decide, you know what, I don't want to live in my own filth on the.

Jack Armstrong (10:23)

Street at some point. Yes, okay. Yes, exactly. Yeah. In fact, this gal, who's the executive director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, called the shift in San Francisco away from the harm reduction quote, moronic and antithetical to what we know works but the problem in San Francisco and other progressive cities is that harm reduction has become completely divorced from recovery. What began as a campaign to keep people alive long enough to recover from addiction has devolved into a philosophy that no longer considers recovery as necessary or even desirable. The question of whether or not harm reduction is successful comes down to whether it's treated as a gateway to recovery or as an alternative to it. So there you go. It has become an alternative to getting off of drugs.

Joe Getty (11:14)

What percentage? So I'm, I'm not a big.

Jack Armstrong (11:16)

Financed by you, the taxpayer.

Joe Getty (11:18)

I'm not big on the, on rehabs and that sort of stuff because they are incredible, incredibly unsuccessful and nobody pays any attention to that. But of people that, I mean, that's just for regular people, of people that are so far down the whole drug road that you're sleeping on the street next to another drug addict. How many of those people ever clean up, I wonder?

Jack Armstrong (11:38)

1%?

Joe Getty (11:39)

Half of 1%? I'll bet it's very, I'll bet it's very, very low.

Jack Armstrong (11:44)

Yeah, I'm guessing, you know, a pretty good chunk of them continue using into their 40s, 50s, and then they succumb to, you know, the sort of thing middle aged addicts do. As, you know, a coroner once said in response to the question, who's your most common customer? They said male, 50s, alcoholic, and I'm sure drug addict. Now, because that was, that was gosh, 15 years ago, I think they would probably say, you know, middle aged drug addict or young drug addict. Anyway. More good news, though. Don't want to get focused on the bad news. Want to get focused on the fact that a lot of the insane policies of the left are being abandoned, even in places like San Francisco. Different topic, but kind of the same area. Boston Children's Hospital, the Harvard Medical Research and Training hospital that specializes in children's care, had previously insisted that they do not perform genital surgeries as part of gender affirming care on patients under the age of 18. But a journal of Clinical Medicine studies published a couple of years ago that was improved, blah, blah, blah, describes chest surgeries for those over 15 as well as genital surgeries for those over 17. And the Trump administration has subpoenaed all sorts of information from them. And because of that, at least partly. And this is from the New York Times. Reload, please. There it is. Hospitals are limiting gender treatment for trans minors. Both of those phrases ought to be in quotes because they're made up even in blue states. Three prominent medical centers in California recently announced they would stop the treatments, citing pressure from the Trump administration and from from sanity. So that's good. There's a lot of real madness being rolled back. Good progress domestically. Love it. Let's not focus on the the grim stuff. The Armstrong and Getty Show. Get more Jack, more Joe podcasts and.

LG XBoom Advertiser (13:46)

Our hot links@armstrong.com stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra durable LG X Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom and for a limited time save 25% at LG.com with code Fall25 Bring the Boom XBoom.

WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser (14:19)

Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? WashablesOfAs.com has your back, featuring the Annabe Collection, the only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out. Where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slipcovers made with performance fabrics. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Check out washablesofas.com and get up to 60% off your Anna Bay sofa backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return, shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back. Upgrade now@washablesofas.com Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (15:19)

TiVo plus gives you 300 plus channels of movies, shows, sports, even kids favorites.

LG XBoom Advertiser (15:25)

All free.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (15:26)

And no, we don't want your credit card. Watch Live watch on demand. Watching your PJs eating pizza. It's all right there on your TiVo home screen. With so much variety, from comedy and action to live news and family programming, you'll never run out of options. TiVo plus free, binge worthy and always on. Check us out@tivo.com this is Jacob Goldstein.

Jacob Goldstein (15:51)

From what's yous Problem? Business software is expensive, and when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing. Slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform. Save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other. Check out Odoo at O D O o dot com. That's O D O o dot com.

Asma Khalid (16:33)

America is changing and so is the world.

Tristan Redman (16:38)

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

Asma Khalid (16:46)

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington D.C. i'm.

Tristan Redman (16:48)

Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global story.

Asma Khalid (16:52)

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

Tristan Redman (16:58)

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Jack Armstrong (17:04)

So my, my sweetheart Judy and I spent eight days in London and had an absolutely wonderful time. I, I loved England as I suspected I would. It's a very interesting place. I've become a fan of day drinking and not, and not, not in that like vacation drinking all day long way, but in the like you have a pint at lunch at a pub and then you go do what you're going to do. You're not quote unquote drinking. You just have a beer because it's nice and it makes you feel slightly more cheerful.

Joe Getty (17:39)

Why did we, how did we develop our attitude we have in the United States over the years? Because I remember when I was in Italy thinking the same thing. Everybody would come in to restaurants like people who are working their jobs. They'd have a glass of wine, eat their food and then go back to work. And that is seen in the United States is just insane. Just absolutely crazy.

Jack Armstrong (17:58)

Yeah. The Europeans have what I would call a very European look or view of drinking that I found refreshing. Speaking of pubs, so we rented a flat in, in Mayfair, if you know where that is. Doesn't matter. New Bond Street. Lots of like crazy high end shopping, mostly populated by Kuwaiti oil money.

Joe Getty (18:20)

Oh wow.

Jack Armstrong (18:21)

By the by, guys walking up the street with four chicks and the beekeeper out, really going into perfume stores and spending just ungodly amounts of oil money and lies. For real.

Joe Getty (18:31)

That's not an exaggeration. You saw a guy walking up the street with four women in the beekeeper outfit in eight.

Jack Armstrong (18:38)

In eight days? Many times. Yes. Wow. I mean one to six women in the beekeeper. Wow. Yeah. Anyway, they are basically sex slaves or.

Joe Getty (18:50)

Cleaning your house slaves or whatever.

Jack Armstrong (18:52)

And everybody Just tolerates that with no rights. That's correct. Yes. And Brits are not super duper happy about the completely, wildly unfettered immigration from Muslim lands over the last 20 years. More on that another time. But anyway. But out our windows onto the street, there was a little like just half a block long street and there was a pub on each side of it at the other end. It was 100 yards from us maybe as we looked out the window. And it was so cool every day and more and more as the week went on. At 4:30 or so, certainly by 5:00 clock there would be so many people standing in and outside the pub having a pint with their co workers and friends and a laugh and a conversation before they went home for the day.

Joe Getty (19:42)

Sounds like a recipe for sexual harassment.

Jack Armstrong (19:45)

Oh my God. And, and it wasn't. They were drinking. No, they were talking with people because they worked with people and they met their buddies and they talked about the football match, which is soccer, and just. It was so nice. Yeah. Anyway, yeah. And I thought, wow, I could get used to this in a hurry. Although the, the pub thing, we, we went to this one historic pub. We met our next door neighbors from home. Weirdly enough, they were over there at the same time. We decided to get together. We go to this pub. Hundreds of years old pub, drenched in history. Legendary. The Prince something or Lord what's it? Or I don't even remember the name, but it was very atmospheric. But anyway, so we're sitting there having dinner and we're having, you know, a couple of pints and we decide it's time to eat and we order like four small plates off the menu and the waitress comes back and says, I'm so sorry. We were actually out of the calamari and the, the pucker fish or whatever the hell it was and also the, the, the beef Wellington and we're like, oh, okay, it's like 6 o' clock at night. All right, all right, all right, all right, we'll order those other things. She comes back and like two of those three are out.

Joe Getty (21:04)

So should she ever get around to admitting we're not actually a restaurant, we.

Jack Armstrong (21:08)

Don'T have any food at all. We just have a menu.

Joe Getty (21:11)

We just hope we're working on the part. Most people start drinking, they forget if they're hungry.

Jack Armstrong (21:15)

So at one point I said it would save time if you just told me what you do have. But we end up with this mess of food.

Joe Getty (21:23)

You bloody tarts. Did you say that?

Jack Armstrong (21:26)

I shouldn't have. But I Didn't know. And finally, so at the end of the evening, and it was lovely, she comes and says, can you tell me what you actually ordered and got?

Joe Getty (21:38)

Oh, boy.

Jack Armstrong (21:38)

And I'm like, wait a minute, that's your job. We're supposed. No, no, no, you tell us. And it was just part of it is tipping is not really a thing there. Now they've got a service charge that's like 5, 6, maybe 10%. But you feel it because they're not earning it. They're like, look, I'm getting my 6%, okay, no matter what.

Joe Getty (22:07)

Gotcha.

Jack Armstrong (22:08)

So if you have to like order 24 foods before I bring you three, just because we're playing this little game of we might have it, we might not, why don't you order? Find out. So, you know, it's, it's pluses and minuses. Because the whole tipping thing is. It's stressful, especially if you don't know local customs. But yeah.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (22:27)

Michael, how was the food over there overall in England?

Jack Armstrong (22:32)

Overall kind of good, not great. But once you realize how to order and what to order, it's. It's better. But yeah, the Brits are not famous for food for. For good reason. If you say, hey, what's a great meal around here? People will send you to an Italian restaurant or an Indian restaurant for. For good reason. But the other thing about workers that I found interesting, we, we had a tour guide at the British Museum who was just terrific. He was a professor of history. And, and he said, yeah, that exhibit is shut down because there no employees, there's no one to work. I said, what? That's odd. He said, oh, yeah. Since COVID everybody stays home, they live with their parents, they're collecting government checks, you can't get people to work.

Joe Getty (23:16)

Wow.

Jack Armstrong (23:17)

And I thought that was so interesting and exactly what you hear from so many employers in the state.

Joe Getty (23:21)

Yeah, we had that conversation with my family in the Midwest of the United States. I don't go to other countries and give them my money. I stay in the United States. And we had the same conversation on how number of restaurants, including the one we were at, was really. They. They weren't seating all the seats, not because they were crowded, but because they didn't have enough help. How is that still a thing?

Jack Armstrong (23:48)

Yeah, I know. It's amazing. And universally universal.

Asma Khalid (23:51)

Apparently Armstrong and Getty.

LG XBoom Advertiser (23:57)

Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with The Ultra Durable LG XBoom Portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom and for a limited time save 25%@LG.com with code fall25. Bring the boom. Xboom.

WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser (24:29)

Let's be real. Life happens. Kids spill, pets shed and accidents are inevitable. Find a sofa that can keep up@washablesofas.com Starting at just $699, our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you can say goodbye to stains and hello to worry free living. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, they're kid proof, pet friendly and built for everyday life. Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space, whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers. It's time to upgrade to a stress free mess proof sofa. Visit washablesofas.com today and save. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (25:28)

TiVo plus gives you 300 channels of movies, shows, sports, even kids favorites.

LG XBoom Advertiser (25:34)

All free.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (25:35)

And no, we don't want your credit card. Watch live, watch on demand. Watching your PJs, eating pizza. It's all right there on your TiVo home screen. With so much variety from comedy and action to live news and family programming, you'll never run out of options. TiVo free, binge worthy and always on. Check us out@tivo.com this is Jacob Goldstein.

Jacob Goldstein (25:59)

From what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com America.

Asma Khalid (26:31)

Is changing, and so is the world.

Tristan Redman (26:35)

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

Asma Khalid (26:43)

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

Tristan Redman (26:45)

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the global story.

Asma Khalid (26:49)

Every weekday we'll bring you A story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

Tristan Redman (26:55)

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Joe Getty (27:00)

We need transition music for this one, Michael.

Jack Armstrong (27:02)

Here we go. Every time you describe the difference between a beat and a groove.

Joe Getty (27:15)

Yeah, that's mad. There's the magic right there.

Jack Armstrong (27:18)

Listen to this for a minute. I'm telling you, that organ in the background. Underappreciated. Harder than it looks too. Oh, it can come and go. Like, love the groove. Are you kidding?

Joe Getty (27:37)

So I think this is somewhat self explanatory. A woman trying to sell her sneakers online and meet the guy. Anyway, here, here's how it turns out.

Podcast Announcer (27:45)

We had met up because I was going to sell him my sneakers. He just wanted to sniff my feet and I didn't feel comfortable with that. I mean, you could have my sneakers all you want. I mean, I don't care. I'm not wearing them, you know, they're just stinky old sneakers. But people like weird things. And I met him down in the parking garage. He did a three point turn and actually hit me with a car. Ran me over. I hooted. Met a lot of people who have foot fetishes. Nobody has ever done anything to this caliber.

Joe Getty (28:15)

A lot of questions here. Yeah.

Jack Armstrong (28:19)

Go ahead and start. Jeez.

Joe Getty (28:25)

Now maybe she has some of those. Because my son deals in the world of rare sneakers and it's a thing. And people buy and sell them online and they're worth hundreds of dollars. And, and, but, but I mean, why was she selling her shoes on used shoes?

Jack Armstrong (28:42)

Because she was offered money so the dude could smell her stinky old sneakers.

Joe Getty (28:48)

Okay.

Jack Armstrong (28:49)

And then he said, you know, it's crazy.

Joe Getty (28:52)

While I'm here, you mind if I just like I go to the source?

Jack Armstrong (28:55)

Well, it's exactly. You know, my dear, it strikes me as we're conversing here in this parking garage that it seems odd to go to the second hand, if you will, the smell of your foot within your sneakers when your very feet are there at the end of legs. So perhaps I could, well, I don't know, sniff on your feet here in this parking garage. And she said, sir, that is a bridge too far. I will sell you my stinky ass sneakers, but you'll not be sniffing on my tootsies.

Joe Getty (29:27)

So he says, well, fine, then let's agree to disagree. And he walks over to his car, gets in, does a three point turn. Yes, not a U turn, a three point turn. Apparently the space was not wide enough to allow a single turn. He does a three point turn, comes back and hits her. How hard much did he hit you? As you seem to be kind of recounting this story in a jovial manner as opposed to lying on the cement going.

Jack Armstrong (29:55)

Yeah, something tells me it was a glancing blow. But a guy was charged with aggravated battery, which is good after reviewing his background, and this is surprising the cops.

Joe Getty (30:09)

Aggravated a battery is a full step worse than jovial battery.

Jack Armstrong (30:13)

He's been the subject of other incidents involving the same modus operandi.

Joe Getty (30:19)

So he buys you sneakers online, and then every time he meets the person, he says, so while I'm here, let's eliminate the middleman.

Jack Armstrong (30:29)

Right. An aggressive scent. What is the upcharge for the. The foot sniffing.

Joe Getty (30:38)

So your belief is that she knew exactly why he wanted the sneakers. She's one of those people that sells her clothing for people to smell, which I find weird and disgusting. But. But I wouldn't outlaw it between two consenting adults. If you want to enjoy my soiled garments and are willing to pay for me, that trade can happen.

Jack Armstrong (30:57)

Well, as usual in modern crappy, crappy journalism, some. Some of the most obvious questions that immediately popped to mind evidently didn't occur to this journalist. Like the lead says, she said that blah, blah, blah, told local news she met up with this guy in order to sell him a pair of used sneakers. Okay, let's start right there. She's a petite female, 28 year old dude is not going to be wearing her sneakers. Did at any point she ask, why do you want to buy my sneakers? How did he come to know she had sneakers to sell?

Joe Getty (31:35)

Right. Okay.

Jack Armstrong (31:37)

Did she realize there was a quasi sexual dynamic going on here? And merely. Well, if you judged merely by what she said, she just didn't want him sniffing on her feet, but knew why he was buying the stinky old sneakers. People like weird things, she said. Yeah.

Joe Getty (31:55)

Okay, it makes sense now because the part at the end where she said, I. I've met a lot of people who like to smell feet. And I thought, okay, I've not met any. So how come you've met lots? But that makes sense. Now you're saying that that's. That's what she's up to?

Jack Armstrong (32:13)

Yeah, in that world.

Joe Getty (32:15)

Yeah. Okay, so she. And maybe this is profitable. Maybe I should look into it. Maybe she goes to famous footwear, buys discount shoes, wears them for a week, puts them on ebay, and sells them.

Jack Armstrong (32:26)

For 100 bucks to pervs.

Joe Getty (32:28)

Yeah, it's entirely possible you've declared it a perversion.

Jack Armstrong (32:33)

You know what? I apologize for that. And I retract it to. To enthusiasts. Anyway, here's, here's another head scratcher for you. It's right in the middle of the article. The untrained eye wouldn't even have noticed this Jack, so. But then she said things got scary. She said this guy whose name is El Monsi Circle of Southwest Miami Dade.

Joe Getty (32:59)

Florida, man ran out of the room.

Jack Armstrong (33:02)

Wait a minute, what room? Oh, she met up with him at a hotel. Good idea to sell him used snakes.

Joe Getty (33:10)

That's a really good idea knowing we think that what it's. What's all about. So you're selling your sneakers to people that want to smell your dirty sneakers and you're meeting them privately. That's a terrible idea. You mail them to.

Jack Armstrong (33:25)

Then she said things got scary. She said Circle of South ran out of the room with what she thought were her shoes.

Joe Getty (33:35)

Okay, now that is very confusing.

Jack Armstrong (33:38)

Everybody, including you folks, are all making the same. Wait, what face? What she thought were her shoes. Did this guy have like 10, 12 pairs of women's shoes on him? Anyway, she said she ran after him to the parking area. She's like, you gotta pay me for my shoes that you sniff while you pleasure yourself. Otherwise it's theft. And she's quite correct. And she confronted dude like was yelling at him and chasing after him. That's when he got into his suv, did a rapid three point turn and actually hit her with his car as she was like confronting him and yelling at him. Which is obviously uncool. But again, again, you can be like America's leading seller of shoes, undergarments, whatever the hell you want if somebody's willing to buy them. I'm a capitalist. You go girl. But I think I, the news consumer, do deserve an explanation.

Joe Getty (34:42)

Okay, I need to look this up. Perversion generally means a deviation from what's considered normal. Natural or acceptable. Acceptable is the eye of the beholder. But certainly normal and natural, it would, it would count as a perversion.

Jack Armstrong (35:00)

I don't know, I might have to quibble with you there. There's one of the more striking things I ever read as a young man was pointing out the difference between average and normal.

Joe Getty (35:14)

How about natural? It's not natural.

Jack Armstrong (35:17)

It's a value judgment. It's not very entirely a value judgment.

Joe Getty (35:21)

Well, if one out of a million people are into it, is that natural? I suppose it is natural, yeah. It's an aberration. A natural aberration?

Jack Armstrong (35:28)

Yeah. If that's fairly consistent across time. The 10% of people are especially attracted to smells.

Joe Getty (35:36)

I'm perfectly okay Calling this guy a pervert?

Jack Armstrong (35:39)

Well, he's a shoe thief. Well, maybe again, he ran out with what she believed were her shoes.

Joe Getty (35:46)

He just ran out of here with somebody's shoes.

Jack Armstrong (35:49)

Right. I believe they're mine. Would be mine. That is not.

Joe Getty (35:54)

And the reporter's thinking, how did I end up on this beat? All right, what are the details? Writing it down.

Jack Armstrong (35:59)

How much college debt do I have from Columbia journalism School? I was going to change this fascist evil country and teach people about the patriarchy and white supremacy. Here I am reporting on Purvo Jim here and Sally Stinky Shoe and her scam. Although again, you know, if they're buying, sell. That's what I say. Nobody's harmed.

Joe Getty (36:23)

No, no, no.

Jack Armstrong (36:24)

Nobody harmed until you get run over by an suv. Hey, here's a quick word from our friends at Webroot. Did you hear about the TransUnion breach? Over 4 million people affected, man. That's a wake up call for all of us.

Joe Getty (36:36)

Yeah, these breaches are happening constantly. You see it in the news. That's why we use Webroot Total Protection. It's not just antivirus. It's identity protection for up to 10 people. Love that can get everybody in the family on it. Dark web monitoring and up to a million dollars in fraud, expense reimbursement, plus 24.

Jack Armstrong (36:53)

7 US based support and elder fraud head hotline. Oh my gosh, you can actually understand the people. If your identity gets stolen, it can take a couple hundred hours to fix it yourself. Webroot can handle it for you.

Joe Getty (37:05)

And it's got vpn, cloud backup, antivirus, the whole package. It's like the digital armor for your entire household. You're protected. You're protected holistically from all threats.

Jack Armstrong (37:14)

Yeah. And you don't have to have a half a dozen different accounts with somebody. It's one thing. Get 50 off webroot total Protection right now or webroot essentials@webroot.com Armstrong that's webroot.com Armstrong one more time. Check it out. Click look. Think webroot.com Armstrong the Armstrong and Getty Show. Get more Jack more Joe podcasts and our hot links@armstrongandgetty.com I'm pleased to announce.

Joe Getty (37:39)

This morning that the Department of Education will soon issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.

Jack Armstrong (37:46)

And this total protection.

LG XBoom Advertiser (37:50)

Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra durable LG X Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom and for a limited time save 25% at LG.com with code fall25 bring the boom XBoom.

WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser (38:21)

There'S nothing like sinking into luxury. At washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcover, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop now@washablesofas.com Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (39:21)

TiVo plus gives you 300 plus channels of movies, shows, sports, even kids favorites.

LG XBoom Advertiser (39:27)

All free.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (39:28)

And no, we don't want your credit card. Watch live, watch on demand. Watching your PJs, eating pizza. It's all right there on your TiVo home screen. With so much variety from comedy and action to live news and family programming, you'll never run out of options. TiVo plus free, binge worthy and always on. Check us out@tivo.com this is Jacob Goldstein.

Jacob Goldstein (39:52)

From what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com America.

Asma Khalid (40:24)

Is changing and so is the world.

Tristan Redman (40:27)

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

Asma Khalid (40:35)

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

Tristan Redman (40:38)

Hi, I'm Tristan Redman in London. And this is the global story.

Asma Khalid (40:42)

Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

Tristan Redman (40:47)

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Joe Getty (40:53)

Donald Trump at the Museum of the Bible making a couple of announcements. But Donald Trump went on to say, among things in his speech which will lead Joe into his Malcolm Gladwell story. I made the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, Trump said today, saying that men and women's sports isn't an 8020 issue, it's a 97. 3 issue. Despite that, the fact that it's probably about a 9010 issue, people were so convinced that it was a grenade you were stepping on if you said anything about it. People kept their mouths shut for a long time. Including Malcolm Gladwell, apparently.

Jack Armstrong (41:36)

Well, yeah. And it's worth observing that the keeping dudes out of girls sports thing is still illegal in some blue states, including the most populous state in the Union, where he used to still just have to announce, you're a girl and you can play girls sports and beat the hell out of the girls. And with the smile and nod and approval of the left, it's craziness. Anyway, it's worth pointing out that through the years, I mean, Malcolm Gladwell, he's written a bunch of like super popular bestsellers, but some of which I really liked. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, yeah, he, he pissed me off so much, I saw him participate in a debate and he like inappropriately played the race card and the cancel culture card in a couple of spots against Matt Taibbi and Douglas Murray in ways that were just baffling and unfair. Yeah. And I kind of soured on Gladwell. But as I was starting to say, I mean, he's been called one of the world's most 100 most influential people by time, back when that mattered. Foreign Policy magazine ranked him in its top 100 global thinkers. Newsweek chose him for the top 10 new thought leaders of the decade a number of years ago. Tipping point, huge bestseller. He has seven New York Times bestsellers, 23 million copies sold. His speaking fees are between 2 and $300,000 to come and do a speech. And as rich or I'm sorry, as Jim Garrity of the the National Review pointed out, you'd have to look hard to find a guy with a better, higher or more stable perch in the American cultural elite than Gladwell. And even this guy was afraid to say what he really thought for fear of getting canceled, which is good point. So, you know, pity the poor employee at some, you know, west coast, you know, corporation that's told, you have to believe this and say this or we're going to hound you out of here. But anyway, what we're talking about is.

Joe Getty (43:43)

Or a teacher at a school.

Jack Armstrong (43:45)

We're right. Oh, my God, what a great example, because there's so many great teachers of reasonable conscience who just have to choke down their disgust with what they're being told to teach and believe. But anyway, so Gladwell did this podcast, the Real Science of Sport podcast, which is interesting, but I won't go off on a tangent of that, but he and the. The moderator of the podcast had been on a panel together. Malcolm was the. The moderator and Ross Tucker is the other guy. Ross was on the panel as being against guys playing in girls sports. And I'll. I'll just pick up where Gladwell starts talking. Yeah, they stacked the panel. They stacked against you, Ross. They put a trans athlete and a trans advocate and you on the panel. And I was the moderator. And it was one of those strange situation situations where my Suspicion is that 90% of the people in the audience were on your side, but 5% of the audience was willing to admit it. It. I've become fascinated with this concept of a preference falsification lately, where forceful advocates for a minority position are so adamant and bullying that everybody sits there silently, then looks around themselves and says, well, I guess nobody else disagrees. I'm in a very small minority because everybody's being quiet. But as Gladwell now says, he thought 90% of the audience was with Ross, but only 5% were willing to admit it. Let's see. Tucker says, my recollection of it is that everything I said was met with deathly silence. And everything the other two said got cheered.

Joe Getty (45:25)

Sure.

Jack Armstrong (45:26)

And Gladwell says, well, the cheers. I mean, I think there was a hardcore of people who are ideologically committed to the position. But the idea that. I mean, there's many interesting things to say about that conversation. One was that it was a particular moment which has passed. We did a replay of that exact panel at the Sloan conference in March, and it ran in exactly the opposite direction.

Joe Getty (45:48)

Wow.

Jack Armstrong (45:49)

I. I get to my.

Joe Getty (45:51)

The bloom is off the rose thing on that topic.

Jack Armstrong (45:55)

Yeah. And then Gladwell says, and I think this is notable. I. I just think it was strange. I mean, I felt. I mean, the reason. I'm ashamed of my performance.

Joe Getty (46:03)

And you should be ashamed. You should be actually ashamed.

Jack Armstrong (46:09)

Yes, yes, yes. Whenever you're being a coward in the face of bullies who are pushing a perverse and ugly ideology and you don't stand up. Yes, you should be ashamed, especially when you feel like you can't in your real life. I get that.

Joe Getty (46:24)

Especially when you're ungodly wealthy and the only thing you're risking is the opinion of some nut jobs who you think you're going to run into at a party. I mean, that is some weak tea, right?

Jack Armstrong (46:38)

Yeah. Gladwell especially ought to be monumentally ashamed. But here's what he says. The reason I'm ashamed of my performance on that panel is because I share your position 100%. And I was cowed. The idea of saying anything on this issue. I was in, I believe, in retrospect, in a dishonest way. I was. I was objective in a dishonest way. Well, a lot of the real howlers pass without comment because I didn't. And I said to you in an email, bubba. Oh, and I. He's talking about Riley Gaines. They were trans athlete there. They were the trans athlete on the panel. And at one point they turned to you, Ross, and they said, ross, you have to let us win. And it was at that moment I realized this position is gone to the furthest extreme. What the trans movement is not asking for, they're not asking for, you know, a place at the table. They're not asking to be treated with respect and dignity. What they're asking for is that no one question the considerable physical physiological advantage they bring to the sport. And no one can question if they're going to win these races by 5 seconds. Suck it up. That's what they were asking. Right.

Joe Getty (47:44)

So there's no point in beating up on Malcolm Gladwell, really. I suppose.

Jack Armstrong (47:49)

Can we? Come on. It's good cardiovascular exercise.

Joe Getty (47:52)

So you let people like Riley Gaines put their physical safety at risk by speaking what they believed, or J.K. rowling's sticking her neck out. You agreed with them, but you're too.

Jack Armstrong (48:07)

Big a freaking coward.

Joe Getty (48:09)

And you want to be able to go to cool New York parties without anybody giving you the side eye that you kept your mouth shut. I mean, that's so freaking weak. I'd be ashamed to walk in public if I were that person. Yeah, M. Gladwell, you should be ashamed to be in public. I mean, seriously, that is so damn weak. You're ungodly rich. You're as successful as you can get. You've got nothing to lose, zero to lose by saying the truth. And you still were too big a coward because, well, I want to be the cool guy at the party. God, that's so weak.

Jack Armstrong (48:40)

I don't.

Joe Getty (48:40)

But I don't want to talk about that because there's no point. What the the interesting part that we should all take to heart is that even at that level, people are willing to go along with the crowd if it's just easier.

Jack Armstrong (48:56)

Yeah, even at that level.

Joe Getty (48:57)

So if, even if that level, people are willing to go, we have to, we have to factor that into every phenomenon that comes ever again in our lives, whether it's climate change or trans or anything.

Asma Khalid (49:08)

Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty the Armstrong.

Jack Armstrong (49:12)

And Getty Show.

LG XBoom Advertiser (49:15)

Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with The Ultra Durable LG XBoom Portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because, let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom and for a limited time, save 25%@LG.com with code fall25. Bring the boom XBoom.

WashablesOfAs.com Advertiser (49:46)

Life's messy. We're talking spills, stains, pets and kids. But with Annabe, you never have to stress about messes again. At WashablesOfAs.com, discover Annabe sofas, the only fully machine washable sofas inside and out, starting at just $699. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com offer. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

TiVo Plus Advertiser (50:45)

Over 300 channels, zero bills. That's TiVo plus curated movies, new series and sports highlights. No credit card, no logins, just TV that gets straight to the good stuff. Grab the remote, press play and start watching TiVo plus free binge worthy, always on. Check us out@tivo.com hey everyone, it's Sophia.

Sophia Bush (51:02)

Bush, host of the podcast Work in Progress. Lexus is a company that believes in the importance of setting a standard. For me, a standard that matters to me is being a friend, being a person, being a co worker who shows up. The standard Lexus has set for themselves is to experience amazing. Lexus's benchmarks are feelings, things like exhilaration and joy. And amazing can only be achieved by knowing people on a deeper level. It's feeling like your car was designed and built just for you. A machine that makes you feel more human. Because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing. So experience amazing at your Lexus dealer.

Asma Khalid (51:53)

In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down. Unlock elite gaming tech@lenovo.com dominate every match with next level speed, seamless streaming and performance that won't quit and push your gameplay beyond limits with Intel Core Ultra processors. That's the power of Lenovo. With intel inside, maximize your edge by shopping@lenovo.com during their back to school sale. That's lenovo.com.

Jack Armstrong (52:23)

This is an iHeart podcast.