4.10.25 Debate over fluoride, speaking up in Australia, and reclaiming lost luggage

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – Episode 4.10.25

Release Date: April 10, 2025
Host: Mary Reichardt and Myrna Brown
Produced by WORLD Radio

---

1. The Fluoride Debate in Utah and Beyond

Overview:
The episode kicks off with a groundbreaking decision from Utah, the first U.S. state to ban fluoride in public tap water systems. This move has ignited a nationwide debate about the benefits and potential risks of water fluoridation.

Key Points:

• Historical Context:
  For over 80 years, fluoride has been added to public water supplies to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce dental decay, a practice endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a major public health achievement.

• Utah’s Decision:
  In March 2025, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in its public water systems, effective May 7th. Scott Paxman, CEO of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, stated, “We have kept our fluoridation levels at 0.5” and emphasized a move towards eliminating fluoride altogether.

• Health Concerns:
  Critics like Dr. Jack Kahl, a member of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, argue that fluoride is a neurotoxin that may impair brain development, particularly in fetuses and infants. Kent Covington highlighted these concerns at [09:10], stating, “Using a neurotoxin to control tooth decay has some disadvantages and concerns.”

• Public and Professional Response:
  While some communities and states (e.g., Florida, Ohio, Kentucky) are considering similar bans, many dentists and public health officials are defending fluoridation. Dr. Johnny Johnson from the American Fluoridation Society pleaded, “There is no credible evidence that there are neurotoxic effects from fluoridated water. Please keep fluoridation in your water.”

• Future Implications:
  The CDC's stance might shift if Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proceeds with his plan to stop recommending fluoride. Proponents of the ban argue for alternative dental hygiene practices, focusing on reducing sugar intake and promoting better oral care habits.

Notable Quotes:

• Kent Covington [09:10]: “Using a neurotoxin to control tooth decay has some disadvantages and concerns.”
• Dr. Johnny Johnson [11:30]: “There is no credible evidence that there are neurotoxic effects from fluoridated water. Please keep fluoridation in your water.”

---

2. Free Speech and Government Overreach in Australia

Overview:
The episode delves into a contentious legal battle in Melbourne, Australia, where Canadian activist Chris Elston (known as Billboard Chris) is challenging Australia's attempts to censor his social media posts related to transgender issues.

Key Points:

• The Case:
  Chris Elston faced pressure from Australia's online regulator to geoblock one of his tweets criticizing transgender activist Teddy Cook. The regulator threatened a hefty fine of $470,000 if Elston did not comply.

• Public Demonstration:
  While in Australia for a tribunal hearing, Elston protested by wearing a sandwich board advocating that "children cannot consent to puberty blockers," drawing significant public attention.

• Support and Opposition:
  The trial saw attendance from free speech advocates and faced disruption from transgender activists, highlighting the polarized nature of the debate. Supporters like Jasmine Sussex emphasized the need for diverse voices in protecting children's welfare.

• Legal Arguments:
  Elston's lawyers, backed by organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom International and Australia's Human Rights Law Alliance, argued that his posts constitute legitimate public discourse and should not be classified as cyber abuse under Australia’s Online Safety Act. The government, however, contended that the posts could lead to serious harm.

• Broader Implications:
  Kent Covington remarked on the global trend of increasing censorship, drawing parallels with Middle Eastern blasphemy laws and Western censorship practices. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for digital free speech worldwide.

Notable Quotes:

• Myrna Brown [19:08]: “This is a war for the safety of our kids. It’s information warfare. It’s psychological warfare. But we have to fight it.”
• Brian Owens [16:00]: “Our purpose is to redeem the lost, unclaimed and rejected for the glory of God.”

---

3. Reclaiming Lost Luggage: The Owens Family Legacy

Overview:
Shifting gears, the podcast explores the intriguing world of lost luggage through the lens of the Owens family, who have turned unclaimed suitcases into a unique retail business.

Key Points:

• Origins of the Business:
  Founded in 1970 by Doyle Owens, the company began by purchasing unclaimed bags from bus companies. Starting with a $300 loan and a borrowed 1965 Chevy pickup, Doyle saw potential in what others discarded.

• Operational Insights:
  Today, under Brian Owens' leadership, the business processes thousands of lost bags weekly across the nation. The operation involves sorting, cleaning, testing electronics, appraising jewelry, and repurposing or recycling items as needed.

• Unique Finds:
  In 2023 alone, the company uncovered over 2 million items, including unexpected treasures like live snakes, shark teeth jars, and mounted ram heads, turning each bag into an "archaeological dig."

• Community and Charity Work:
  Beyond commerce, the Owens family established a charitable arm in 1995, which decorates lost luggage and donates them to children in foster homes, replacing impersonal garbage bags with personalized, colorful suitcases.

• Business Philosophy:
  Brian Owens emphasizes redemption and purpose, stating, “Our purpose is to redeem the lost, unclaimed and rejected for the glory of God,” reflecting the company's mission to find value and meaning in what many consider useless.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Owens [25:14]: “I come from the UK and more and more frequently we're seeing tweets shut down posts, shut down people, silence for speaking out on the truth.”
• Kent Covington [26:35]: “When you open a bag, it's a bit like an archaeological dig. I vicariously in some ways learned a lot about the world through the lens of an unclaimed suitcase.”

---

4. Trade Wars and Tariffs: An Ongoing Struggle

Overview:
Interwoven with the main stories, the hosts discuss the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China, highlighting recent developments and their economic implications.

Key Points:

• Tariff Adjustments:
  President Trump announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs, replacing them with a uniform 10% tariff on all imports, excluding China. This strategic move aimed to ease market fears and negotiate fairer trade deals.

• Market Reactions:
  The Wall Street markets responded positively, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average soaring by nearly 3,000 points—its best day in five years—while the Nasdaq rose by 10% [01:08].

• China’s Retaliation:
  Despite the pause, China imposed new retaliatory tariffs of 84% on U.S. goods, prompting President Trump to threaten an increase to 125%. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant labeled China as the "worst offender in the global trading system."

• Political Dynamics:
  Even some Democrats who previously opposed Trump's tariff policies found themselves supporting them against China, recognizing the need to counteract unfair trade practices.

• Future Prospects:
  President Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, emphasizing that both nations would eventually negotiate terms beneficial to the U.S. economy.

Notable Quotes:

• Cal Thomas [28:14]: “China takes total advantage of the United States. They steal our intellectual property using cyber theft.”
• Kent Covington [29:53]: “The efficacy of tariffs can and should be debated, but we need to remember that both sides of the aisle have threatened to use them.”

---

Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It presents a multifaceted exploration of contemporary issues ranging from public health and free speech to unique entrepreneurial ventures and international trade dynamics. By intertwining personal stories with broader societal debates, WORLD Radio provides listeners with insightful analysis grounded in journalistic integrity and ethical considerations.

Notable Closing Quote:

• Myrna Brown [31:40]: “The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World’s mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires.”

---

Thank you for tuning into WORLD Radio's The World and Everything In It. Stay informed and inspired by subscribing to our podcast.

Transcript

[Mary Reichardt]

Good morning. Utah pulls the plug on fluoride in tap water. It's the first state to do it. What's driving the decision?

[Kent Covington]

You know, dentistry is always attempting to control the rate of decay. Unfortunately, using a neurotoxin to do that has some disadvantages and concerns.

[Myrna Brown]

Also a freedom of expression showdown in Australia after a man known as Billboard Chris speaks out to help kids and laws luggage. Where do all those orphan suitcases go? We follow the trail.

[Kent Covington]

We have tractor trail, loads of bags that come through every week's packed to the gills.

[Myrna Brown]

And world commentator Cal Thomas on politics and tariffs.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's Thursday, April 10th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Good morning.

[Mary Reichardt]

Time now for the news with Kent Covington.

[Cal Thomas]

Stocks rallied in a big way on Wednesday after the president announced he is pausing most of his wide ranging tariffs for 90 days, replaced by a 10% tariff on all imports. The president said he and his top advisors had been considering this move for.

[Kent Covington]

Days and we decided to pull the trigger and we did it today and we're happy about it.

[Cal Thomas]

The dow added nearly 3,000 points for its best day in five years. The president acknowledged that the tariffs had spooked the markets. But he said America was in his view, being taken advantage of by just about everyone.

[Kent Covington]

And somebody had to do that with we had to take the medicine, we had to go through the operation and that's what we've been through. And a lot of presidents would not have done it. No president would have done it, I think, but it had to be done.

[Cal Thomas]

Trump said the 90 day pause will allow time to negotiate fairer trade deals with many countries around the world that have reached out to the White House in recent days. But there will be no immediate ceasefire in the mounting trade war with China. After Beijing announced new retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods of 84%, President Trump said the U.S. will raise the tariff on Chinese imports to 125%. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant says Beijing is the worst offender in the global trading system.

[Kent Covington]

They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world. And I can tell you that this escalation is a looming are for them.

[Cal Thomas]

Even some Democrats critical of Trump's tariffs and trade policies overall support those tariffs against Beijing. And with regard to the tit for tat escalations of the trade war, the Trump administration is effectively telling Beijing we can do this all day.

[Kent Covington]

They are the surplus country that their exports to the US are five times our exports to China so they can raise their tariffs, but so what?

[Cal Thomas]

China, though, says it will fight a trade war to the very end. Still, President Trump voiced optimism yesterday. He said Chinese leader Xi Jinping is a very smart guy, and he said he believes the two sides will eventually strike a deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson was planning to hold a vote last night in hopes of approving the framework for a massive budget bill to come later. That would have been a big step toward advancing President Trump's agenda. But some Republican holdouts scuttled those plans, forcing Johnson to postpone the vote. The speaker says he understands, though, where they're coming from.

[Kent Covington]

Their concerns are real.

[Cal Thomas]

They really want to have true budget.

[Kent Covington]

Cuts and to change the debt trajectory.

[Cal Thomas]

That the country is on. So do I. The holdouts say to avoid piling onto the national debt, steeper cuts are needed to go along with the tax cuts in what President Trump calls the big beautiful bill. Johnson said he's hopeful that the House will try again today to move forward on a vote at the White House on Wednesday. President Trump also spoke to reporters about top concerns overseas, beginning with Iran. U.S. and Iranian negotiators are slated to gather in Oman, Jordan on Saturday to restart nuclear talks. But one reporter asked, if those talks fail, is the US Prepared to take military action? Oh, if necessary, absolutely, the president expounded, saying that if it comes to that, the US Would not be alone.

[Kent Covington]

Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. He'll be the leader of that, but nobody leads us. We do what we want to do.

[Cal Thomas]

But the president stresses that he prefers a diplomatic solution. Trump on Wednesday also said that a peace deal in Ukraine remains a top priority.

[Kent Covington]

They got to make a deal. When schools get blown up and bad things happen like I'm hearing about, it's no good. I hope we're going to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine.

[Cal Thomas]

So far, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has flatly rejected a U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire, and he's placed conditions on other, more limited ceasefire proposals that have those talks stalled. Meantime, in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, firefighters picked through the rubble in battle dragon flames yesterday after Russia launched a massive drone attack. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also says large numbers of Chinese nationals have joined Russian soldiers on the battlefield. He's accused Moscow of recruiting them on social media. Some residents in Kentucky who were forced to evacuate amid massive flooding are beginning to return home, or in some cases to businesses they left behind. David Meyer is the owner of Glenn's Creek Distillery. He says he has no idea what he'll find or what the financial impact will be.

[Kent Covington]

I can only imagine, which I don't really want to do. We've got a lot of equipment, forklifts and things like that, lawnmowers, things that are completely underwater.

[Cal Thomas]

While some are returning home, other residents are being urged to wait until the waters recede further. The Ohio river is still causing headaches, with flood warnings in effect until Sunday afternoon.

[Kent Covington]

Foreign.

[Cal Thomas]

Covington. And still ahead, Utah pulls the plug on fluoride and tap water. Plus freedom of expression in Australia. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's Thursday, the 10th of April. This is World radio and we thank you for listening. Good morning, I'm Mary Reichard.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Up first, a debate bubbling up in America's tap water. For 80 years, communities have added fluoride in their water to strengthen tooth enamel, starting with Grand Rapids, Michigan, back in 1945. But now concerns about the side effects of fluoride are turning some people against that long standing policy.

[Mary Reichardt]

This week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Said he will call on the CDC to stop recommending fluoride. And in March, Utah became the first state to ban it altogether. Other states may soon follow. World Journalism Institute Mid career graduate Rachel Leland wrote this story and World's Travis Kercher narrates.

[Travis Kircher]

Dr. Kirby Hetker did not think much about the significance of fluoride in dental health until she got involved in medical mission trips to Guatemala.

[Mary Reichardt]

It took me until my third year.

[Myrna Brown]

To realize, like, these people don't have community water.

[Mary Reichardt]

They don't have fluoride in their water.

[Travis Kircher]

You know, the pediatric dentist practices in Shelbyville, Kentucky. When families fill out forms in the brightly decorated waiting room, Hetker asks about the water they drink.

[Brian Owens]

City water or do you use well.

[Mary Reichardt]

Water or what kind of water do you get?

[Travis Kircher]

Dr. Hetker realized she was seeing similar problems in Kentucky to what she saw in Guatemala. Some children drinking well water had softer teeth.

[Brian Owens]

So it took me several years in.

[Myrna Brown]

My practice to start believing and seeing the difference. And then once I did, I was.

[Mary Reichardt]

Like, okay, so there is a difference.

[Travis Kircher]

Fluoride does naturally occur in some groundwater and helps reverse tooth decay. But since the 1940s, local water operators have added fluoride to the tap. The Centers for Disease Control calls it a top 20th century public health achievement and estimates that 63% of Americans have access to fluoridated water. But fluoride has its critics and they are gaining Traction.

[Kent Covington]

You know, dentistry is always attempting to control the rate of decay. I certainly support that. Unfortunately, using a neurotoxin to do that has some disadvantages and concerns.

[Travis Kircher]

Dr. Jack Kahl is a dentist in Louisville. As a member of the International Academy of Oral medicine and toxicology, Dr. Call is concerned about how fluoride affects brain development. As a neurotoxin.

[Kent Covington]

That type of toxin in the body just means that it interferes with the proper function of our neurological system, particularly the brain, and then particularly with the fetus and infants, because their brains are just in the very initial stages of formation and development that the fluoride can interfere with that.

[Travis Kircher]

Dr. Call compares fluoride to fillings made with mercury, another neurotoxin that has been falling out of favor in recent years.

[Kent Covington]

The use of mercury fillings has gone down some, but it's still being used. Fluoride use in dentistry, if anything, just continues to skyrocket because unfortunately, our society, most modern societies, are so addicted to the use of sugar, everything's sweetened.

[Travis Kircher]

But a growing number of communities are questioning the use of fluoride. Last year, a federal judge in California ruled the Environmental Protection Agency must reevaluate fluoride's health risks, particularly its impact on children's brain development. The EPA is appealing that decision. But the ruling concerned officials in nearby Utah.

[Cal Thomas]

We've always touted that we've got safe.

[Kent Covington]

Drinking water, and that just really bothered me.

[Travis Kircher]

Scott Paxman is CEO of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District in Utah. His team lowered fluoride levels from 0.7 to 0.5 parts per million in January. Two months later, Utah's governor signed a law banning fluoride in statewide public water systems. The ban goes into effect on May 7th.

[Cal Thomas]

So we've kept our fluoridation levels at 0.5.

[Kent Covington]

We haven't ordered new fluoride.

[Cal Thomas]

So we're basically hoping to run close to being out.

[Travis Kircher]

Lawmakers in other states like Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky have proposed similar rollbacks. Many dentists are pushing back against what they see as misguided attempts to tear down an effective public health measure. At an April 1st Miami Dade County Commission meeting, American Fluoridation Society President Dr. Johnny Johnson urged lawmakers not to drop fluoride.

[Kent Covington]

There is no credible evidence that there are neurotoxic effects from fluoridated water. No country is stopping it. Please keep fluoridation in your water. Thank you very, very much.

[Travis Kircher]

The commissioners voted 8 to 2 to stop adding fluoride to the water. But Miami Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava can veto the decision by April 11th. The CDC maintains that community water fluoridation is a safe and cost effective measure to prevent tooth decay, though that could change if Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. S request to stop recommending fluoride becomes agency policy. Dr. Hetker in Kentucky says if parents are concerned about the toxicity of fluoride, they should be less concerned about their water and more focused on teaching their children to spit when they brush their teeth.

[Kent Covington]

Like eating a Chiba toothpaste or eating.

[Brian Owens]

Fluoride supplements, that's where you're getting to the toxic levels.

[Travis Kircher]

Dr. Hetker and others fear that without at least some fluoride in community water, many children will grow up with teeth more susceptible to cavities. At the same time, she recognizes fluoride is not the decisive factor.

[Myrna Brown]

I'm not really going to be as worried about pushing the fluoride as I am going to be about pushing the better hygiene and not giving my kid.

[Brian Owens]

A taste for sugar every time.

[Myrna Brown]

You know, I mean, that's so important.

[Mary Reichardt]

To grow up with, like understanding that.

[Myrna Brown]

Water is a healthy alternative and not soda.

[Travis Kircher]

For World, I'm Travis Kircher.

[Myrna Brown]

Coming next on THE World and everything in it, Free speech or government overreach. A viral post followed by an order to take it down. And now a courtroom battle in Australia. Elon Musk and a Canadian activist are calling out Australia's attempt to censor a social media post.

[Mary Reichardt]

World correspondent Amy Lewis attended the trial in Melbourne and has the story.

[Brian Owens]

Canadian Chris Elston is known across the Western world as Billboard Chris.

[Myrna Brown]

Hundreds of thousands of children have been indoctrinated to believe that they were born.

[Brian Owens]

In the he was in Australia last week for a tribunal hearing about one of his tweets from last February. While he was in town, he also took the opportunity to live up to his name. He stood in a public space wearing a large sandwich board that declared children cannot consent to puberty blockers.

[Myrna Brown]

I just kept learning more and more about this starting in 2019 and couldn't.

[Cal Thomas]

Believe what I was reading.

[Myrna Brown]

And I consider this to be the greatest child abuse scandal in the history of modern medicine.

[Brian Owens]

He only engages in conversation with people who approach him and he believes in freedom of speech.

[Myrna Brown]

Well, if we can't talk about this issue, for example, if we can't even discuss child abuse going on, how are we supposed to stop it?

[Brian Owens]

Last year, Elston tweeted his objection to Australian transgender activist Teddy Cook's appointment to a World Health Organization panel. The topic caring for children struggling with their Sexuality. Elston posted a link to a Daily Mail article. It included photos that Cook shared publicly on social media. Cook takes male hormones and advocates for taxpayer supported trans surgery for any aged child. She also promotes a wide range of sexually deviant behaviors. Cook asked Australia's online regulator to remove the photos but made no objection to Elston's words. But the Commissioner went a step further and insisted X geoblock the entire post for Australians or be fined $470,000. X Agreed, but promised to appeal the decision. Last week, Ex and Elston joined forces at the Administrative Review Tribunal in Melbourne, Australia to fight the Commissioner's overreach. The trial was open to the public and the public showed up. At least a dozen free speech advocates crowded into the room while more than a hundred viewers watched online. Not all were supportive. A Canadian transgender activist disrupted the proceedings early on and was blocked from attending the first session. One woman on Elston's side is Jasmine Sussex. So why do I support him?

[Myrna Brown]

Because we need more men to get involved and stand up for children.

[Brian Owens]

She calls herself another Esafety Commissioner victim. The Commissioner geoblocked one of her tweets criticizing men's attempts to breastfeed using a cocktail of lactose inducing drugs. However, I can support Chris to do that.

[Myrna Brown]

Good work, you know, and men bring a different kind of energy and experience.

[Brian Owens]

To this as well. Another supporter flew over from New Zealand two years ago. Judith Hobson was attacked by a man at a free speech rally for women. Her attacker went free. And yet they're even stopping us from speaking online now. That should be a free forum. I hope the court will uphold the right to free speech and say that the E Commissioner has gone too far. The middle of the tribunal room was filled with attorneys, some for the Commissioner, others for XCORP and Elston. Alliance Defending Freedom International and Australia's Human Rights Law alliance partnered in backing Elston's case. Australian John Steenhoff was part of the HRLA team.

[Mary Reichardt]

This is an issue that's important for all Australians.

[Kent Covington]

This is not just a case for Chris. This is a case for everybody who wants to participate in the public square.

[Cal Thomas]

On contentious issues and not get shut.

[Kent Covington]

Down by the government.

[Brian Owens]

Lois McClatchy Miller represented ADF International.

[Kent Covington]

I come from the UK and more and more frequently we're seeing tweets shut down posts, shut down people, silence for speaking out on the truth. And as a global organization, we see this really a pattern of censorship emerging across the globe. Whether that's blasphemy laws in the Middle east or censorship laws in the West.

[Brian Owens]

The commissioner's attorneys argued that Elston's post qualifies as cyber abuse and breaches Australia's Online Safety Act. That law states that censorship is allowable if an ordinary person would think the post could lead to serious harm. The government's attorneys tried to characterize Teddy Cook as the ordinary, reasonable person. Elston's lawyers, however, argued that Teddy Cook, like Elston, is an activist and not a private person doing things in private. Elston says online platforms have become a global town square that should allow for public discourse.

[Myrna Brown]

But as we've seen here in Australia, they're trying to censor me on the digital town square and in the public town square both in Brisbane and Melbourne the other day.

[Brian Owens]

The outcome is uncertain, but the week long trial left the Australian public footing the bill for eight lawyers to shut down one tweet. They contend Elston mocked Cook's gender identity and intended serious harm because he shared Cook's workplace and personal photos by sharing the Daily Mail article. The trial was not only about whether or not a particular tweet about Teddy Cook should be available to Australians.

[Kent Covington]

This is a critical case for pushing back on censorship. It's the tip of the spear when considering that assumption that the government can control what its citizens, what its citizens can discuss and what the citizens can believe.

[Brian Owens]

It's also about whether Chris Elston and by extension Australians, Americans, Brits or anyone else has the freedom to express contrary views. For that, Elston is willing to make sacrifices.

[Myrna Brown]

Yeah, I'd rather be playing Settlers of Catan right now with my family, but yes, of course it's a sacrifice. But this is a war for the safety of our kids. In generations past we flew overseas to fight actual wars with guns and bayonets. This is a new type of war. It's information warfare. It's psychological warfare. But we have to fight it and.

[Brian Owens]

Sacrifices have to be made because if.

[Myrna Brown]

Someone doesn't fight back, we lose.

[Brian Owens]

Reporting for world, I'm Amy Lewis in Melbourne, Australia.

[Travis Kircher]

Additional support comes from the Colson Fellows.

[Cal Thomas]

Program, a nine month journey equipping Christians with clarity and courage to navigate today's culture. Colsonfellows.org World from Dort University, where pre.

[Travis Kircher]

Med students gain knowledge through undergraduate research and hone skills through hands on simulations.

[Cal Thomas]

Dort.

[Kent Covington]

Edu and from Evangelism Explosion International, helping.

[Cal Thomas]

Believers share the good news of Jesus with the world.

[Travis Kircher]

Evangelismexplosion.org.

[Mary Reichardt]

It'S not every day a kidney transplant turns into a love story, but for Mark Maggio of Virginia, it did you see Back in 1988, Mark received his first kidney transplant. It saved his life and introduced him to his transplant nurse, Anna Marie. She'd donated her kidney to her father before Mark became her patient. One thing led to another. Dinner, dating, marriage, three daughters. Fast forward 36 years and Mark needs another kidney transplant. And guess what? One of their daughters is the perfect match for dear old dad. A kidney gave Marc Maggio life twice.

[Myrna Brown]

And love for a lifetime.

[Kent Covington]

Mm.

[Mary Reichardt]

It's the world and everything in it.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Thursday, April 10th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichardt]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Coming next on the World and everything in it, lost luggage. Two words that can spark instant stress even for the most seasoned traveler. In 2023, nearly 3 million checked bags went missing, got damaged, delayed, or stolen on domestic flights worldwide, 10 times that.

[Myrna Brown]

And during peak travel seasons like the one we're in now, the odds get even worse. So how do you avoid ending up empty handed at the luggage carousel? And where do those unclaimed bags eventually end up when you're airport bound? Three questions often scream louder than the wheels on your luggage. How long will I have to stand in line? Did I overpack? And will my luggage make it to my destination? Brittany Cody Hernandez has been there. The year was 2013.

[Mary Reichardt]

I flew in from Houston and it.

[Myrna Brown]

Was a very late flight and it.

[Mary Reichardt]

Said that my luggage was here, but nobody's luggage was here and they ended.

[Myrna Brown]

Up driving my luggage to my apartment the next morning. Everything was there. It just wasn't there when I wanted it to be. The 34 year old is a wife and mother of three, all under 10. So yes, ma'am. While her kids are in school, Hernandez also works as an independent travel advisor.

[Mary Reichardt]

I help people with travel from the beginning to end.

[Myrna Brown]

I appreciate y'all taking the time out today to hop on on this travel. Every Thursday, her two worlds intersect in a chat with an online group she started with moms from around the country. She's sitting on a bench outside the Pensacola International Airport in Florida. You can hear planes arriving and departing in the distance. Today's topic, making your bags stand out so that they're easier to find and identify if lost. I usually have a lot of ribbons. Oh, you use a black suitcase but.

[Mary Reichardt]

You wrap it in ribbons.

[Myrna Brown]

I like that.

[Mary Reichardt]

Okay, ribbons. I brought my polka dot colored bag.

[Myrna Brown]

That's always a standout. But most bags get lost due to a lack of identification. The Department of Transportation encourages travelers to label luggage inside and out with your name and number as well as the contact information of someone at your destination. And I hope you have a great rest of the afternoon. Hernandez has one more tip before she ends her call. Make sure you get a picture of your luggage, what it looks like, maybe if there's something specific in there that you know is costly. So if it is lost, you'll be able to have some type of photo or some type of information on it so that they can track it and know that it's yours. The tag airlines attach to the handle of your suitcase has tracking technology that gets your luggage to the right place at the right time most of the time. But if the system fails or if human error is involved, your luggage and its contents could end up in Scottsboro, Alabama, a little town in the northeast corner of the state.

[Kent Covington]

We have tractor trail loads of bags that come through every week, just packed to the, to the, to the gills.

[Myrna Brown]

That's Brian Owens, CEO of Unclaimed Baggage, a family owned business that repurposes lost luggage. His father, Doyle Owens, started the company in 1970. He overheard a group of bus drivers complaining about unclaimed bags left on their buses.

[Kent Covington]

And one guy said, you know, I don't know what to do with them. And that was the eureka that my dad had. And so he borrowed $300 from one of my grandfathers and borrowed a 1965 Chevy pickup truck from my other grandfather and went off and bought his first load of bags.

[Myrna Brown]

Owen says he was in sixth grade when his dad purchased those bags from the bus lines and brought them home to resell them.

[Kent Covington]

The guys in the family, we unloaded the trucks and helped open bags up and my parents would put prices on things. And we had a little makeshift store.

[Myrna Brown]

That we started out in 1978. The older Owens started landing contracts with domestic airlines. Today, Owens says his company is the country's only lost luggage retailer. Every day, teams of bag openers unpack, sift and sort through countless suitcases from airports around the country. In 2023, workers uncovered more than 2 million items. Clothing that has to be laundered and dry cleaned. Electronics that are tested and cleared of personal data, and jewelry that's cleaned and appraised. About one third of those items are sold in the 50,000 square foot retail store. Items that are not salvageable are recycled. Then there are those fast, fascinating finds in 2023, those included two live snakes, a jar full of shark teeth, and a mounted ram head.

[Kent Covington]

We say that when you open a bag, it's a bit like an archaeological dig. I vicariously in some ways learned a lot about the world through the lens of an unclaimed suitcase.

[Myrna Brown]

Owen says he hopes the world can learn a few things from his father. In 1995, Owens launched a charitable arm of the company that invites local students and volunteers to decorate found luggage. Then the charity delivers the brightly colored hand painted suitcases to children in foster homes. The once lost, now personalized luggage replaces the garbage bags many foster kids use to transport their belongings.

[Kent Covington]

We think about it from a kind of a redemption point of view. Our purpose is to redeem the lost, unclaimed and rejected for the glory of God.

[Myrna Brown]

Reporting for world I'm Myrna Brown in Pensacola, Florida with Reporting in Scottsboro, Alabama. Today is Thursday, April 10th. Good morning, this is the World and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichardt]

And I'm Mary Reichardt. The White House announced yesterday a 90 day pause on most of the recent tariffs, though the trade war with China continues. Here is WORLD commentator Cal Thomas.

[Kent Covington]

Guess who said this, quote, china takes total advantage of the United States. They steal our intellectual property using cyber theft. Not only do they steal our intellectual property, they keep our good companies out and say the only way you're going to be able to sell your American products in China is if you come to China, make them there and give us the techniques and intellectual property. Hmm. Was that Elon Musk? Nope. President Trump. Wrong again. That was then Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2018. On another occasion that same year, the Democrat from New York said the US Needed to get tough with China, adding that he was much closer to President Trump on this than he had been with Republican President Bush and Democrat President Obama. In Schumer's words, they let China get away with everything. Speaking of former President Barack Obama, he said this in 2018 while in Johannesburg, South Africa. It's also proper for advanced economies like.

[Cal Thomas]

The United States to insist on reciprocity.

[Kent Covington]

From nations like China. More than 20 years earlier, Democrat representative from California Nancy Pelosi said this about China and its most favored nation status in 1996.

[Mary Reichardt]

In terms of tariffs, I think it's interesting to note that the average US MFN tariff on Chinese goods coming into.

[Kent Covington]

The United States is 2%, whereas the.

[Mary Reichardt]

Average Chinese MFM tariff on US goods going into China is 35%. Is that reciprocal?

[Kent Covington]

What changed and caused many Democrats who previously favored tariffs to now excoriate Trump over the tariff policies they once supported?

[Myrna Brown]

Why?

[Kent Covington]

Politics, of course, politicians can change positions faster than they can change lanes. The efficacy of tariffs can and should be debated, but we need to remember that both sides of the aisle have threatened to use them. On Wednesday, the president announced a 90 day pause in his implementation of tariffs. China was the lone exception. As the trade war with that communist country continues, the stock market reacted swiftly. The Dow Jones industrial averages immediately jumped by 2,500 points. Nasdaq rose 10%. The Dow is still 2,000 points under where it was when Trump first announced his tariff regime. But the market's quick response should calm, especially retirees with modest investments in their 401k accounts. Some financial analysts believe Trump has the upper hand with China, as that country's economy is anything but strong. China's leaders don't want to lose face with the U.S. and if President Xi Jinping mishandles this war, his leadership could be threatened. President Trump might consider a nationally televised address in which he would explain in simple terms his goals and how all of this will play out. So far, all this razzle dazzle hasn't resulted in any foreign nations, especially members of the European Union, reducing or dropping their tariffs against the US they appear to be waiting and seeing what develops. They're not alone. I'm Cal Thomas.

[Mary Reichardt]

Tomorrow, ethics professor and World Opinions managing editor Ann Andrew Walker joins us to talk faith and culture on Culture Friday. And music reviewer Arsenio Arteza dusts off the classics to reintroduce us to a couple of legendary voices. You won't want to miss it. That and more tomorrow. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The psalmist writes, the righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord they flourish in the courts of our God they still bear fruit in old age. They are ever full of SAP and green to declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Verses 12 through 15 of Psalm 92 go now in grace and peace.