Normally Podcast: U.S. Troops Attacked in Syria, Hanukkah Shooting in Australia & America’s Reading Crisis

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: U.S. Troops Attacked in Syria, Hanukkah Shooting in Australia & America’s Reading Crisis
Date: December 16, 2025
Hosts: Mary (D) and Carol (C)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Mary and Carol (standing in on “Normalely” during the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton holiday break) tackle a trio of grave headlines: the killing of U.S. servicemen in Syria, a devastating Hanukkah shooting on Bondi Beach in Australia, and America's worsening reading crisis among students. The hosts bring their usual intelligence and candor to the issues, weaving in personal anecdotes, tough questions about media priorities, and a plea for cultural self-confidence.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Troops Killed in Syria (04:35–10:25)

• Event Summary: Two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and an American interpreter were killed in Syria, with three additional U.S. soldiers wounded during a mission confronting ISIS and Iranian influence.
• Media Blindspot: The hosts criticize the lack of media coverage, emphasizing the need for American media to prioritize the deaths of American servicemen.
  • “It’s just a giant tragedy and we need to commemorate them.” — Mary (05:39)
• Details & Context:
  • Names of fallen soldiers: Sgt. William Nathaniel "Nate" Howard (29) and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar (25)
  • The attack was suspected to be a case of ISIS infiltration; several suspects arrested; Trump vows retaliation.
  • Trump’s Response: Trump posted on Truth Social promising "very serious retaliation."
    • “There will be very serious retaliation. He said this was an ISIS attack against the US and Syria... Ahmad Al Shara is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.” — Carol (07:03)
• Policy & Military Lessons:
  • Discussion of U.S. deterrence and the risks of letting such acts go unanswered.
  • The complexity of the U.S. role in the Middle East; need for smart responses without nation-building.
• Culture of Service: Personal reflections on military families, the sacrifice of service, and the importance of public appreciation.
  • “My kids...say thank you for your service to them. This is just a reminder that...they're literally frequently on the front lines of defending us, even if we don't know anything about it.” — Carol (09:13)

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2. Hanukkah Shooting in Australia & Global Terror (14:35–22:58)

• Event Summary:
  An attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, Sydney, resulted in at least 15 deaths, including a rabbi, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl. A fruit vendor heroically intervened and survived.
  • “An incredibly brave early forties fruit vendor overtook one of the shooters who was armed while he was not and probably prevented a lot more carnage.” — Mary (15:10)
• Gun Control Debate:
  The hosts scrutinize renewed Australian calls for stricter gun bans, noting that gun ownership is already highly restricted.
  • “It doesn't work. Like here's your evidence that banning guns doesn't work. The guns were banned. These men had, they're the most banned. Yeah, the most banned there. And yet here were a father son duo opening fire, reloading, having absolutely no problem doing that and no police stopping them.” — Carol (16:05)
• Ideological Dimensions:
  • Strong criticism of reluctance to confront radical Islamic ideology as a motivator for terror.
  • Extends concern to Western civilization as a whole, not just the Jewish community.
    • “It's not anti-Muslim to say that radical Islamic ideology is propelling a lot of this. I have Muslim friends who agree...” — Carol (16:50)
• Global Context:
  • Reference to a foiled Christmas market attack in Germany and an FBI-intercepted New Year’s plan by a left-wing pro-Palestinian group (“Turtle Island Liberation Front”).
• Cultural Confidence:
  • “If you don't have the cultural self-confidence to say our way of life matters...you are not allowed to attack them in the name of your radicalized religion, you're not going to be able to protect yourself.” — Mary (17:54)
• Personal Losses:
  • Tribute to Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was crucial in welcoming ex-Soviet Jews to the Australian community.
  • Note on Arsen Ostrovsky, an Israeli-Australian who was wounded but survived and celebrated Hanukkah in hospital.

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3. Shooting at Brown University (20:30–22:58)

• Summary:
  Two students killed in a campus shooting, including Ella Cook, the vice president of the Republican club; a Jewish professor was present. Motives unclear at recording time; shooter still at large.
  • “Again, we don't know exactly what motivated this, but apparently the...professor was Jewish. This woman was a leader of a Republicans club on campus.” — Mary (21:04)
  • “Amy Swearer...pointed out the shooting occurred in the classroom of Professor Rachel Friedberg, who is Jewish, part of the program in Judaic studies...” — Carol (21:39)
• Media & Security Concerns:
  • Commentary on lack of suspect apprehension and limited security camera coverage.
  • Advice to be cautious with suspect information until verified.

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4. America’s Reading Crisis (26:35–32:18)

• Main Points:
  • U.S. students now read fewer full books than ever; often only one or two are assigned each year.
  • Reading scores are at historic lows—even at elite colleges students lack full book reading experience.
    • “Many teenagers are assigned few full books to read from beginning to end, often just one or two per year. According to researchers and thousands of responses to an informal reader survey by the New York Times, 12th grade reading scores are at historic lows...” — Carol quoting NYT (27:08)
  • Example: Nationally used curricula like McGraw Hill’s Wonders contain only short texts, not whole books.
  • The disadvantage will grow between children who read full books and those who don't.
    • “It will give such a distinct advantage to the kids who can read full books...the book readers will succeed ahead of them. It's inevitable.” — Carol (30:55)
• Actionable Advice:
  • Parents are urged to make their children read books at home to compensate.
  • Personal stories about developing a book-reading tradition during COVID school closures.
  • “You can correct it in your own home.” — Mary (29:32)
• Book Recommendation:
  • “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” — a family favorite; recommended for its humor and heart for holiday reading.
    • “It has some politically incorrect, funny stuff in it. Perfect. It is a blast. And I cry at the end every year because it's so beautiful. So enjoy that with your kids.” — Mary (31:45)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you don't have the cultural self-confidence to say our way of life matters...you're not going to be able to protect yourself.”
  — Mary (17:54)
• “It doesn't work. Like here's your evidence that banning guns doesn't work. The guns were banned...And yet here were a father son duo opening fire...”
  — Carol (16:05)
• “It will give such a distinct advantage to the kids who can read whole books...the book readers will succeed ahead of them.”
  — Carol (30:55)
• “You can correct it in your own home.”
  — Mary (29:32)
• “My kids...say thank you for your service to them. This is just a reminder that...they're literally frequently on the front lines of defending us, even if we don't know anything about it.”
  — Carol (09:13)

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Important Timestamps

• U.S. Syria Attack Discussion Begins: 04:35
• Details, Reactions, and Cultural Reflections: 05:35–10:25
• Hanukkah Shooting in Australia: 14:35
• Gun Control and Cultural Confidence Debate: 16:05–18:36
• Brown University Shooting: 20:30–22:58
• America’s Reading Crisis: 26:35–32:18
• Book Recommendation (“Best Christmas Pageant Ever”): 31:29–32:06

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Tone & Final Thoughts

Despite the episode’s heaviness, the hosts balance seriousness with warmth, reminding listeners of individual empowerment (especially for parents), the importance of cultural confidence, and finding community even during tragedy. The camaraderie, wit, and authentic concern for policy and people alike mark the style and tone throughout: resolute, sometimes somber, always focused.

Final message:
“Read your books, guys... When things get weird, act normally.” — Carol (31:15, 32:18)

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Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human season two of unrivaled basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max Want to sell.

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[A]

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[D]

Hey guys, we are back on Normale Ly, the show with normally takes for when the news gets weird. I am Mary Kraftman.

[C]

And I am Kyle Markowitz. We're gonna have a really sad show today. The news is not good top to bottom. So let's start with a little lightness. How was your weekend?

[D]

It was pretty good. Had to take the. Not had to. This is one of my favorite yearly events. We go to a little Santa brunch where they get to meet Santa and we have a nice, nice meal with our friends. Love it. And you get the kiddos dressed up. And as we were leaving, as is customary with children, I'm leaning over my 4 year old daughter and she's putting on her shoes. And part of the long struggle of getting a decent outfit on, she's putting her shoes on and I'm like, oh, those are the wrong feet. But who cares? Like, if you want to change them, change them. If you don't, no big deal. And she goes, that's okay, mom. And then she triumphantly jumps into the air, into my shoes. Oh, no, it hurt. I do not have a broken nose. I do not have a mark. Like, we're in a good. We're in a pretty good place. But in the moment, it hurts so bad. And I was like, you broke my face. To my oldest daughter, I was like, can you take over here? Deal with this. Like, try not to cry, try not to flip out. And all was well. Like I said, I am unmarked. Just bruised and ego a little bit sad.

[C]

Yeah, you look great. You don't, you don't look like you, you took a beating. But yeah, those kids, they could like exuberantly love you into a lot of pain.

[D]

Yes, it happened. And Steve said, don't leave yourself unprotected like that.

[C]

Right, right. It's your fault, which, like, you know.

[D]

I've had a lot of kids. I should know. I should know.

[C]

Yeah. We are deep in holiday party season down here in Florida. Buck Sexton had a really fun one on Thursday. Dave Rubin had one on Saturday. The gang was all there. You were missed. You are always welcome in South Florida. You know this. You don't have to suffer up there in the cold. You could come down to our chilly, but still, you know, pretty good. 70 degrees.

[D]

No party season down there. Does look great. Because I do have an issue with dressing up and going out in the cold.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And I do it basically once a year. I do black tie in the cold. And that is the Travis Manion foundation gala, which I did on Thursday. And it was beautiful. Yeah, man.

[C]

Sweater dresses. I like sweater dresses personally, for that could do that. They really, they work very well. All right, let's talk about all the terrible stuff going on in the world and how much it sucks. We're actually going to start with there were two U.S. army soldiers and an American interpreter killed in Syria on Saturday. And we're starting with that because it's such an under reported story. It's just not out there at all. And we understand that there's a lot of news. We're going to talk about Bondi in the next segment. But I do think, and you know, I could be accused sometimes of being not America first because I dare be Jewish, but I do think American news should lead our news. I think American deaths, especially military deaths, should be at the top of our news feed. And so we're going to talk about it on here. The Name of the two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers are Sgt. William Nathaniel Nate Howard, he was 29, of Marshalltown and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Grimes. It's just a giant tragedy and terrible. There were three other soldiers wounded. They are apparently doing well. But we lost these two young men and it's just a giant tragedy and we need to commemorate them.

[D]

This is part of a support system or a port support mission that US troops are doing. About 900 of them are stationed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group and to hinder Iranian influence. They think the shooter was sort of an inside job who had infiltrated but was an ISIS guy and I believe he was taken out by in, in retaliation apparently. I just read that Syria has arrested five in this plot and Trump, of course, is vowing retaliation. This seems like an what might be an interesting early test of the relationship between this Syrian president who was not an ally but then sort of became an ally. Right.

[C]

Who was just at the White House. Yeah.

[D]

Who was just at the White House and Trump. But it's terrible news to hear right before the holidays. And I'm glad you brought it to all of our attention because it did get lost in the news this weekend.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

These are the first combat deaths since. Since Trump took office.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

I guess, I guess National Guard, the, the young woman in D.C. but she, that was not a combat death per se. That was different.

[C]

Trump posted on Truth Social. There will be very serious retaliation. He said this was an ISIS attack against the US And Syria and a very dangerous part of Syria that is not fully controlled by them of Syria. Ahmad Al Shara is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation. And as has become his closing comment, he wrote thank you for your attention to this matter I don't know where this leads, because, look, nobody wants a hot war in the Middle east, and nobody wants, obviously, more American troops on the ground. I feel like everybody's kind of united in that thought. But you also can't let stuff like this go.

[D]

Just.

[C]

Just go. Right. And that's really what often is expected from Israel. Israel is expected to just, you know, take it on the chin and move on a lot of the time. And I think this kind of thing brings home to Americans that you can't do that.

[D]

You just can't.

[C]

You have to fight back.

[D]

Yeah. And I think the Houthis is a good example of Americans having to eventually just take out a bunch of Houthi capabilities because they were after targets that mattered to us and specifically American targets. And eventually, you have to do something about that. And if you lose deterrence.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

As we did during the Biden years, the price of regaining it can get really, really high. And. And so taking care of this stuff quickly, I think, is the. The preferred method, even though for some people. And I think Trump's very comfortable with it. Trump's very comfortable with, like, you did something wrong. We're taking care of that. But it doesn't mean troops on the ground or nation building.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

That's his sweet spot.

[C]

I was gonna say the same thing. It's his sweet spot. If Trump has one, that's it. He. Look, he doesn't always handle every situation the way I would like him to handle it, and he doesn't always say the right words, but in times like this, I think he actually shines. So I will also add that just because America's not in a hot war doesn't mean our troops are. Are not in danger. And this is a good reminder of that. My kids to this day, they're 15, 12, and 10. They think every time they see somebody in a military hat or in uniform, obviously, but also police officers, firemen, they say, thank you for your service to them. And I think this is just a reminder that we might not think of it as they're in harm's way all the time, but they are. They're literally frequently on the front lines of defending us, even if we don't know anything about it.

[D]

Yeah, it's true. And even in cases where they're not on the front lines per se, there are still deployments, there's still families who pay the cost back home. And having just spent Thursday, Friday, parts of Saturday with the families who are involved with the Travis Manion foundation, you meet These. These stunning folks who sometimes didn't serve themselves but, you know, paid the full price with their spouses or their brothers and are still out there trying to serve the American people. And to, uh, if you have. If you never have been or if you've never watched an Army Navy game, worth. Worth trying to do that at some point during your life just because the pageantry, the commitment of every single person there on the field to sacrifice everything for your freedom.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Is really something. And you know, I love my SEC football, but that is a. Is a different level of experience and something that I think everyone should try to take in at some point in some way, because it does help appreciate these things.

[C]

Tell us who you root for. Just tell us.

[D]

Oh, I'm a Navy girl. Okay. Yeah, but it's all pretty friendly. Yeah. You know, the rivalry. Good fun.

[C]

I saw some people mad about some Georgia football with you this weekend.

[D]

We'll get into that. But it's a separate issue. But on this one, I think we can all be friendly rivals.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

When it comes to army neighborhood Navy and appreciate everyone.

[C]

We'll take a short break and come right back on normally with some more sad and devastating news from the last few days. Be right back.

[A]

Season two of unrivaled basketball is here, and the talent is unreal. The best women's players on the planet are running it back with even bigger moments and bigger stakes. Don't miss as Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more take the court and redefine the game. This isn't your regular season. This is unrivaled, where the pace is faster, the energy is higher, and every athlete shines. Unrivaled basketball. Season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO. Max.

[B]

Hey, everyone. Ed helms here, and hi, I'm Kal.

[D]

Penn, and we're the hosts of Irsay.

[B]

The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the iHeart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new Audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role would I play?

[C]

You know what? I can see you as Mr. Mr. Darcy. You got a little Colin Firth.

[B]

Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett here. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Wanna sell your car your way? Who wouldn't? That's why CarMax offers a car selling experience designed just for you with online and in store options. Want to know what your car is worth quickly? Get an online offer in under two minutes. Want to think it over? Use OfferWatch to keep tabs on your car's value over time. Plus CarMax offers flexible selling options with express drop off in store or pick up at home. Selling your car is in your control with CarMax. Want to drive CarMax pickup? Not available everywhere. Restrictions and fee may apply. See carmax.com for details.

[A]

Stay cozy, stay home and save big online during Lowe's December deal drops because honestly, why go anywhere when the deals come to you? Check this out. Lowe's is going to give you two free select tools from dewalt, Craftsman or Cobalt when you buy a select battery or combo kit. Yep, two tools free. It's basically a holiday miracle. Plus rewards members get free standard shipping all month long. Yet another reason not to leave your couch. Kick back, click around, let the savings roll in. Shop New December deal drops on lowe's.com every week this month. Fresh deals, cozy vibes, zero effort.

[C]

Breaking news everybody. Not everything is terrible. I repeat, not everything is terrible. The Ripple Effect with Jenna Kim Jones is proof that the Internet it hasn't ruined humanity entirely. Let me start by saying it's a great day to be a gray shirt team Rubicon. You know, it truly is a team. Those folks, myself included, all had one desire which is helping folks in disaster. Trying to be a little bit of hope in a really really bad situation. It's like magic you guys. So put down your doom scroller and.

[D]

Pick up your faith in humanity and.

[C]

Join me Jenna for the Ripple Effect. It's a reminder that you can start.

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A ripple that changes everything.

[C]

You really can.

[A]

We give just that nugget of hope.

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Helping other people for some of our gray shirts. It's during a time when they need help and by helping others it helps them.

[C]

Listen to the Ripple Effect with Jenna.

[A]

Kim Jones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.

[C]

Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[D]

All right, we are back on normally and again the the news is heavy this week. In Bondi beach in Australia there was an attack on a hanukkah gathering. The first night of Hanukkah on the beach. At least 15 people were killed in an attack in Sydney including a 10 year old girl, a long serving rabbi and a holocaust survivor. If you have been paying attention to the News this weekend you saw that a, an incredibly brave early forties fruit stand fruit vendor overtook one of the shooters who was armed while he was not and probably prevented a lot more carnage. He was shot himself, but it looks like he will survive. And just my prayers to everybody and also commendation to that guy. It was having seen the video. It was an incredibly risky and brave thing to do.

[C]

Really amazing. Yeah. It was such a devastating story to wake up to on Sunday. It's just, you know, Bondi Beach, I've never been there, but it's obviously a very well known, very chill beach. Australians in general are, I always found to be very mellow people. The Hanukkah celebration part, my daughter had been on a beach in South Florida having a Shabbat celebration the day before. It hits really hard and I hate that the conversation is now turning to how much more can Australia ban guns? Like it just, it doesn't work. Like here's your evidence that banning guns doesn't work. The guns were banned. These men had, they're the most banned. Yeah, the most banned there. And yet here were a father son duo opening fire, reloading, having absolutely no problem doing that and no police stopping them. The police didn't do anything for 10 minutes of this shooting. You know, I understand, I understand the fear and everything, but if the police aren't going to do anything and you're an armed, you're leaving it to unarmed fruit stand man to help you. That's not always going to work out even as well as it worked out here. So it just, it's really bad. And the fact that Islamic terrorism continues to rear its ugly head the way it is here and a couple of other situations that we're going to talk about right now, it just, it's an ongoing thing and so many people refuse to call it what it is. And it's not anti Muslim to say, say that radical Islamic ideology is propelling a lot of this. I have Muslim friends who agree that radical Islamic ideology is propelling a lot of this. So I, I don't know, I, I, I don't know where the west goes from here. Leah Leibowitz had a great piece in Tablet today where he talks about, you know, the Jews are going to be fine, we're going to lick our wounds, take care of each other, move on. It's Western civilization that we all have to be concerned about. And that's what I'm most afraid for. And I, I, I think I've said it on here before, but I'm Israel, I'm worried about America. I'm worried about where we're going and the paths that we are following. And I just don't want us to end up like Europe or like Australia. And it sometimes feels like we're heading in that direction.

[D]

Five men were also arrested in Germany, suspected of being involved in a plot to drive a vehicle into a Christmas market. So it is not just the Jews. And I bet you can guess the ideology that drove that plot. Thank goodness it was broken up. But I, I think you're right, Carol, that unless we are honest about what is happening here and take practical measures to make sure that the people you're welcoming to your country are not either already radical or becoming radicalized while they're here, you're going to run into more and more of this everywhere. And if it's politically incorrect or frowned upon to even point that out, we have a serious problem. And as you we talked about in one of our last episodes, if you don't have the cultural self confidence to say our way of life matters, our Christmas markets matter, our public menorah lightings matter, you are not allowed to attack them in the name of your radicalized religion, you're not going to be able to protect yourself.

[C]

Yeah, you have to name it before you can do anything about it. As we're recording this, Cassia Akiva posted that the FBI stopped a terror attack planned for New Year's by the left wing pro Palestinian group Turtle Island Liberation Front. Turtle island is an indigenous term from North America adapted by radical leftists who reject the continent's name as colonialist. It's not going to be just Jews.

[D]

No.

[C]

People need to wake up and see that this continues to be an attack on Western civilization in general. One of the victims on Bondi beach is Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger. And I just want to note he has been and I had a couple of friends post about him on Instagram. Particularly welcoming my community of ex Soviet Jews who moved to Australia around the same time that I moved to America. Really an extra sad loss for my people. Let's say he was apparently a real force in welcoming the people that moved to Australia and making them feel Australian, part of the Australian Jewish community. And that's so important.

[D]

Ugh. It's terrible. Just the range of victims. One guy was there as like a freelance photographer. It's just terrible. As always. And like you said, it will immediately pivot to banning guns.

[C]

They're already doing it. Yeah.

[D]

I'm not sure how much more illegal you can make murder to begin with.

[C]

That'S always the question. How much more can you make murder illegal? I also want to note arson. Ostrovsky, who is a Twitter friend of mine for a long time, he had recently moved from Israel to Australia, was on the beach. The bullet grazed his head. He posted pictures of himself bleeding profusely. But he looks like he's going to be okay. He's was lighting like candles in the hospital last night and we're obviously praying for arson.

[D]

I want to note also, we do not know the motive of it yet. The Rhode island shooting at Brown University, another place where guns are very, very, very banned.

[C]

Very banned. Yeah.

[D]

And Rhode island in general has very strict rules. Two students died at Brown University and at least one, it was in an economics study session. One of the shooting victims is Ella Cook, who was the vice president of the Republicans Club. And again, we don't know exactly what motivated this, but apparently the. The professor was Jewish. This woman was a leader of a Republicans club on campus. There are very few.

[C]

Right.

[D]

Conservatives on Brown's campus. She was a visible one. They do not have this shooter yet as we are. So we don't know a lot here. But I do think those things are notable. And another tragedy to see a 19 year old killed at this stage in her life who clearly was a leader, who clearly was gifted. And we will find out more about that. But very, very low percentage of conservatives on campus.

[C]

Right. It's odd if that is a coincidence. Amy Swearer, who is at the Heritage foundation and she's a senior legal fellow there, she's brilliant, especially on the issue of guns, but on basically everything that she writes. But she pointed out the shooting occurred in the classroom of Professor Rachel Friedberg, who is Jewish, part of the program in Judaic studies and whose research focuses on the intersection of economics and Jewish studies. That seems like it might be incredibly relevant. It could be random, but doesn't sound like it.

[D]

Many of these facts are worth considering and then when we know more, we'll know more. Also, as always, it's worth being careful about people you name in the wake of these things. The person of interest's name was out and picture was out and he was later released.

[C]

Yeah, so I had his name and I didn't release it because it wasn't a hundred percent. And I had it at like high 90s and it's still. I was like, okay, let's hold off on this. But yeah, it's scary actually that they don't have him yet also, like, how could they not have him? I'M hearing from kind of normie friends being like, I don't get it. How is there not. Aren't there security cameras everywhere? Like we see the cameras everywhere. How could they not have this guy yet?

[D]

The press conferences are not with local folks are not inspiring a ton of confidence at this moment. They say that there just weren't a lot of cameras in that building. They are asking the public for more information and hopefully we will have more progress to update you with in the future. But sad news again.

[C]

Yeah. Sorry to bum everybody out for our second segment but had to talk about the big stories from the last few days. We'll be right back with more on normally and hopefully not a topic that makes us want to just lose it. Be right back.

[A]

Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January on TNT, TruTV and HBO. Max.

[B]

Hey everyone. Ed Helms here and hi, I'm Kal.

[D]

Penn and we're the hosts of Irsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.

[B]

This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the iHeart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new Audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role would I play?

[C]

You know what? I can see you as Mr. Darcy. You got a little Colin Firth.

[B]

Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett here. Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart Audio Book Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Wanna buy your way? Of course you do. That's why CarMax offers an experience designed just for you. Wanna start online, then visit the lot, then go back online? Sure. Wanna talk to a real person or chat online? Either works. Wanna take your time and compare all the makes and models? No problem. Then make up some time by filling out the paperwork at home and schedule express pickup or home delivery.

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Breaking news, everybody. Not everything is terrible. I repeat, not everything is terrible. The Ripple Effect with Jenna Kim Jones is proof that the Internet, it hasn't ruined humanity entirely. Let me start by saying it's a great day to be a gray shirt team Rubicon. You know, it truly is a team. Those folks, myself included, all had one desire, which is helping folks in disaster. Trying to be a little bit of hope in a really, really bad situation. It's like magic, you guys. So put down your doom scroller and.

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A ripple that changes everything.

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You really can.

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We give just that nugget of hope helping other people. For some of our gray shirts, it's.

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During a time when they need help.

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And by helping others, it helps them.

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Listen to the Ripple Effect with Jenna.

[A]

Kim Jones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.

[C]

Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we are back on. Normally I wouldn't say that this is a happy topic either.

[D]

No, but it's closer.

[C]

Yes, there's no death involved here, which is already a plus. Apparently kids no longer read books at all. And this, you know, you and I have been talking about this for so long that that reading has become something that is just not done. And especially full books is unheard of. It's awful. What a tragedy. And I don't understand how English teachers go along with it. And they don't make the kids read entire books.

[D]

Yeah, here's the New York Times reporting on it. And again, we've talked about this a lot. But it is helpful to have the New York Times backing up on this kind of stuff with reporting. It says in America high schools, the age of the book may be fading. Many teenagers are assigned few full books to read from beginning to end, often just one or two per year. According to researchers and thousands of responses to an informal reader survey by the New York Times, 12th grade reading scores are at historic lows, et cetera. I mean, even in at elite colleges, kids are getting there not having read books. Karen Vates, who is a great follow on Twitter Vates is V a I T e s. She follows this stuff and follows curricula and how they shape what we teach kids. And she says, what's disturbing to me is what she says is that this is something that everyone in K12 education knows, of course, but the, the info hadn't gotten to the normies until recently because normies assume, of course, you read books in school, but who doesn't read books?

[C]

Right?

[D]

But that is not the case. They do not read books in school. And as much as, you know, I think it's easy to clown on college students who turn out not great work or they're like, oh, you can't read any books. It's like, well, if they were never asked to do that.

[C]

Right, right. What do you want?

[D]

They have learned to do it.

[C]

Yeah. I would just say if you're, if your kid is not made to read books in school, make them read them at home. I just don't understand this whole like, well, they don't have to read it in school. So that's it. I don't know. Are we really heading towards a book free world, a bookless world? It sounds so sad.

[D]

Well, yeah, that's what I said. Not only is it a joy, but you learn to read tougher and tougher things as you go. Here's Karen's reporting on this earlier, which went pretty viral at the time, says Hillary is a sixth grader in Connecticut. For the last five years, she has been given an English language arts curriculum selected by her district, wonders, published by McGraw Hill in 2020. We all know McGraw Hill from growing up in schools. Wonders includes no actual books for Hillary sixth graders. The Wonders Grade six curriculum includes only short texts and excerpts. The average length of those texts is 7.3 pages. The longest text is just 18 pages. Those pages, those page counts include some full page illustrations. So it's actually more like 13 pages. And that's sixth grade. And she notes that many kids who are hitting chapter book level, which would be about fourth, fifth, sixth grade, even earlier, they're not getting introed to smaller chapter books. And I'm with you, Carol. The uplifting part about this story is that you can correct it in your own home.

[C]

Right.

[D]

And I think I stumbled on doing this for my kids when schools closed because I did kick them out of the zoom school and because I didn't know how to do anything else, I said, we're going to read.

[C]

Right.

[D]

And so we read a ton of books and I have readers now, as a result, they love to read books. I know. Your kids do, too.

[C]

Two out of three, you know. Well, what are you gonna do?

[D]

That is a pretty good.

[C]

The third one reads books like he does. He doesn't like it. He sets a timer for his 20 minutes, like, you know, but. But he does it and he finishes them and he, you know, he has a certain number of books he completes every month. I don't even understand the. The. Oh, he doesn't. They don't. They just don't read whole books. No, he reads whole books. Again, under duress, but nevertheless, he does it.

[D]

Yeah. This is one of those things that I think can creep into curriculum and into K12 schools in such a. It's such a horrible idea. It was a bad idea from the start. It creeps in. And this confluence of the schools not wanting to admit they're not doing their jobs, plus parents wanting to just Cas on report cards without pushing their kids gets you in this really bad position where suddenly. Oh, an entire generation can't read books. That does seem bad.

[C]

It seems really bad. And it will give such a distinct advantage to the kids who can read whole books. It helps you in a variety of ways to just be able to hold your attention throughout. A whole book is something that the kids that are just swiping along and never reading full books will never have. And I'm telling you, the book readers will succeed ahead of them. It's inevitable. Yeah. Read your books, guys.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

When you're on vacation in the next few weeks, if you have any time off, read a book like, it's very good for you. It feels great. Makes you smarter. Enjoyable. The whole thing. Better. Better than TikTok.

[D]

I will do my annual recommendation, by the way. I read aloud a book called the Best Christmas Pageant Ever to my children. It's like 95 pages long. It's a novella written in the mid-70s, maybe early-70s. The prose is hilarious. The book is great.

[C]

I'm going to start bombing.

[D]

The kids will love it. It has some politically incorrect, funny stuff in it. Perfect. It is a blast. And I cry at the end every year because it's so beautiful. So enjoy that with your kids.

[C]

If you say the name one more time.

[D]

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. And it. Actually, I think Netflix made a movie of it last year.

[C]

You haven't watched the.

[D]

Oh, I watched the movie.

[C]

Oh, you watched it. Okay.

[D]

But I read the book every year.

[C]

Got it.

[D]

It's our tradition.

[C]

Okay. I thought you were saying you heard Netflix made it, but you haven't seen it yet.

[D]

No, I was trying to remember who made the movie.

[C]

All right, thank you for joining us on Normalely. Normally air session Tuesdays and Thursdays and you can subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts. Get in touch with us@ normallythepodmail.com thanks for listening and when things get weird, act normally.

[A]

Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball Season 2, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max how do I do it all during the holidays? 4 Shipt same day delivery With Shipt I can order groceries from Albertsons, decor from Michaels, even gifts for my furry friend from Petsmart. Plus my personal shopper brings everything I need that same day. That makes it a breeze to decorate, decorate, get my shopping done and make time for all the holiday parties. Do it all this holiday season with Shipt. Download the app or visit shipt.com that's s h I p t.com stay cozy, stay home and save big online during Lowe's December deal drops because honestly, why go anywhere when the deals come to you? Check this out. Lowe's is Gonna give you two free select tools from DeWalt, Craftsman or Cobalt when you buy a select battery or combo kit. Yep, two tools free. It's basically a holiday miracle. Plus rewards members get free standard shipping all month long. Yet another reason not to leave your couch. Kick back, click around, let the savings roll in. Shop new December deal drops on Lowes.com every week this month. Fresh deals, cozy vibes, zero effort.

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