TBTL #4697 – To A Hammer, Everything Is A TAC

April 2, 2026
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Episode Overview

In this Thursday edition of TBTL, Luke and Andrew catch up as spring arrives in the Pacific Northwest with unpredictable weather and even more unpredictable local branding debacles. They dive deep into the rebranding saga of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ("Sea-Tac" vs. "SEA"), dissect a viral video of a Texas judge's outburst at an IT worker, share quirky frustrations about local news websites, reminisce about childhood wallets, and celebrate community with classic "Blursday" listener shout-outs. The show features the duo’s signature blend of regionally-infused banter, cultural commentary, and genuine friendship.

Key Discussion Highlights

1. Episode Banter & Spring Shenanigans

• [00:00–03:49] Opening Jokes & Catch-Up
  • The guys start with playful jokes (including “I’m a curd-mudgeon”) and riff about looking “fricking awesome” after a shower.
  • Immediate digression into misnaming the season ("Summer in the D") leads to a self-aware course correction: “Did I even say April once yet? I started with the entirely wrong statement.” – Luke [03:32]

2. Seattle-Tacoma Airport Name Controversy: SEA vs. Sea-Tac

• [04:10–23:05] Regional Branding Gone Wild
  • Luke and Andrew discuss the airport’s recent push to be called "SEA" instead of Sea-Tac, criticizing it as a pointless branding exercise:

    “When you have people whose job it is to deal with imaging, they like to mess with imaging. When you have an image hammer, everything looks like an imaging…" – Andrew [09:19]

  • They revel in regional naming oddities (ORD for O'Hare, MCO for Orlando), but defend locals' right to their terminology.
  • Reveal: Sea-Tac spent $300,000 on a rebrand—with little public buy-in.

    “I thought the people that work for the United Talent Agency were the most useless humans on planet Earth this week...I think I may have found their equal...branding consultants hired by the Port of Seattle at the cost of $300,000 to say, why don't you call it SEA instead of SeaTac?” – Luke [16:12]

  • Regional pride: Both hosts decry the attempt to erode local identity, and note labeling confusion at the airport is about signage, not the name.

3. Navigating Local Life, Tech Woes, and Neighborhood News

• [23:05–43:19] Small Town Newspapers & Tech Support Snafus
  • Luke vents about difficulty accessing his local paper’s website, wrongly assuming it was the site’s fault before realizing it was a browser caching issue.

    “I just felt so dumb…that’s probably almost always user error.” – Luke [25:41]

  • Andrew provides tech troubleshooting advice (restarting, caches), comparing it to making your bed each morning for “computer hygiene.” [36:15]
  • Charming detour: Both reminisce about childhood wallets and the thrill of carrying around "grown-up" things:

    “It’s a wallet like anybody else’s wallet.” – Andrew [50:13]

  • They discuss supporting small-town businesses, sharing genuine disappointment at the closure of a beloved local eatery, The Gifted Kitchen.

4. Community Corner: Dazzling Donors & Listener Shout-Outs

• [38:22–51:32] Celebrating TBTL’s Listener Community
  • Dazzling Donor: Jesse Robbins, who runs an inclusive Krav Maga school, gets an energetic readout—dedicating his shout-out to his sons Vincent and Frederick. [38:49]
  • Nick Kennedy, a long-time listener and low-power radio volunteer in Tacoma, plugs KTQA 95.3 FM (“transmitter is only 25 watts…broadcast radius is only a few miles”). [44:52]
  • Tangents: TBTL hosts listen to KTQA live, discuss regional radio nostalgia, and relive the particular joys of childhood with local community radio.

5. Top Story Analysis: Viral Video of a Bullying Texas Judge

• [51:32–68:26] Judicial Meltdowns and the Power of Going Viral
  • Luke unpacks a viral courtroom video where Judge Nathan Miller berates an IT worker for a technical snafu.

    “This little a-hole of a judge is like, no, it wasn’t a false alarm. It’s like, oh, who cares? The system is working, dude. Just…whatever.” – Luke [53:52]

  • Andrew highlights the “copaganda”-style moral outrage of courtroom viral videos and the danger when judges become internet celebrities:

    “We love it if…we’re seeing some judge articulately and unflinchingly go after a defendant…But it’s these frickin’ judges…on their high horse…to put on a show.” – Andrew [58:44]

  • The hosts stress how judicial temperament can unfairly impact people and rail against the larger trend of judges moralizing for the cameras.

    “The idea that…so much of the fate of people who are caught up in the legal system is about the mood the judge is in…so messed up.” – Luke [67:04]

  • Both hope the internet’s scrutiny leads to accountability, at least in this rare case.

6. Moisture Mysteries, Homeowner Woes, and “Just Put the Boxes Back”

• [69:58–71:21]
  • Andrew reveals a plumbing (or seepage) mystery — hoping it’s an easy repair, but real talk: “Have you considered just putting the boxes back?” – Luke [70:58]

Blursday Time: Celebrating Listeners’ Special Days

• [72:09–87:29]
  • Listener Grant turns 10: Parents write in to share how much they love seeing him “blossom into a wonderful, loving and kind young man.” [75:02]
  • Tim from Alan: “Wishing a very happy Blursday to my favorite 10…from your Forever 11, Alan.” [75:55]
  • Kevin (March 31): Often overshadowed by his son’s birthday, gets his own shout-out: “This is your day, Kevin.” – Luke [76:54]
  • Alex from Christina & Ernest: First-time parent, adjusting to new routines—all the love from family. [78:09]
  • Meta-discussion on Alaska Airlines app logo changing to include Hawaiian Airlines.
  • Annie B from Kelly: “She is kind, hilarious, and the most amazing sister and auntie anyone could ask for.” [85:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Pointless Branding:

  • “When you have people whose job it is to deal with imaging, they like to mess with imaging. When you have an image hammer, everything looks like an imaging…” – Andrew [09:19]
  • “The branding consultants hired by the Port of Seattle at the cost of $300,000 to say, why don’t you call it SEA instead of SeaTac?” – Luke [16:12]

• Childhood Wallet Outrage:

  • “What do you mean it’s a kid’s wallet?! It’s a wallet like anybody else’s wallet.” – Andrew [50:13]

• On the Judge Video:

  • “He is power tripping on the highest level. And I’m so glad that he got caught…” – Luke [54:51]
  • “We should be mad at more of these judges, I guess is my point.” – Luke [68:33]

• On Technology & Computer Hygiene:

  • “Opening up a laptop for me that has just been open for weeks on end…feels like getting into bed that I haven’t made in a couple of weeks.” – Andrew [36:15]

Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|----------------| | Opening jokes & banter | 00:00–03:49 | | Seattle-Tacoma Airport name & regionalism | 04:10–23:05 | | Newspaper tech troubles & local boosterism | 23:05–43:19 | | Dazzling Donors, community radio shout-outs | 38:22–51:32 | | Texas judge viral video analysis | 51:32–68:26 | | Homeowner woes, water mysteries | 69:58–71:21 | | Blursdays (listener celebrations) | 72:09–87:29 |

Tone, Takeaways, & Style

• Tone: Warm, rambling, regional, and gently irreverent. The hosts combine genuine frustration with affectionate ribbing and a shared fondness for the idiosyncrasies of local life.
• Style: Freewheeling, self-aware, and deeply community-centric.
• Takeaway: TBTL remains a celebration of the quirks of personal and civic identity—whether debating airport names, championing small businesses, or calling out abuses of authority…all while keeping things “too beautiful to live.”

Best for listeners who love:

• Regionally-rooted comedy,
• Local civic drama,
• Community radio and newspapers,
• The everyday struggles (and victories) of tech troubleshooting,
• Empathetic takedowns of public jerks,
• Endearing listener celebrations.