Episodit
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First world problems
We open with movies you keep thinking about.
John answers last week’s trivia about the smallest country and offers an architectural question.
We delve into admittedly first-world complaints this week. Tim’s are linked to recent travel experiences with his dog guide. John’s concerns include items like healthcare and “world-champion” Americans.
John has a double dose of whack-jobs this week, both from the Presidential address to Congress.
Tim’s hero of the week, Undo Medical Debt is a nonprofit that helps address the problem of medical debt with a novel strategy.
Referred to in this podcast:
U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form
Riding With Lyft And Uber Isn’t A Joy For Disabled People With Service Animals
Service Dog Statistics - Total Vet
Opinion | Trump, says Rubio, shows courage. Looks more like petty meanness. - The Washington Post
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Ask not what your country’s employees do for you.
We welcome listeners from Finland and Israel.
We share movies that surprised us and old films that stand the test of time.
John answers last week’s trivia and gives a geography question this week.
Tim tries to compare corporate downsizing with DOGE’s efforts while John asserts that government is fundamentally different. To John, DOGE’s efforts look clumsy and politically motivated.
Tim gives examples of government waste along with an anecdote from his time working for the feds. He wonders How much waste is acceptable.
Tim’s whack-job is a professor who tells students what to think instead of teaching them how to think.
John’s hero would not “kiss the ring.”
Referred to in this podcast:
Missing $4.7 trillion? Missing code left billions in public spending unaccounted for
Starbucks to lay off 1,100 corporate workers in CEO’s restructuring plan | Starbucks | The Guardian
University of Wisconsin professor calls RFK Jr 'psychopath' in viral lecture
At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep – The White House
Journalism on sale: How USAID doled out millions to buy journalists, media groups
UW-Madison cancels planned tech talk of blind doctor with conservative views | The College Fix
Dollars for Research at the NIH - Ideas First
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Puuttuva jakso?
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We begin with a listener email and discuss bad movies we enjoy and movies with large cultural footprints.
A listener answers John’s last trivia question and John offers another.
We dive into “victimless crimes,” revisiting gambling from last week. We wonder if winning and exploitation are synonymous.
Tim builds a case for concern over cannabis and the mixed incentives for governments who profit from its sales.
John reviews the cost of a currently failing system and the benefits of regulation and taxation.
John’s whack-job has started doing what he believes far too late and just looks inconsistent.
Tim’s heroes are brew pub employees who wouldn’t let someone go in the drink.
Referred to in this podcast:
Harmfulness Tax: Legalize and Tax Drugs
US gambling giants face scrutiny over VIP programs: Profits take priority over people’
VIP gambling
A Systematic Review: Adolescent Cannabis Use and Suicide
We’d love to hear from you. Send comments to [email protected]. Let us know your favorite bad movies or your thoughts on weed.
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· We begin with a shout out to our new listeners from Puerto Rico and Vietnam.
· We share the best Super Bowl commercials.
· Then, we acknowledge the phenomenal expansion in sports betting.
· John considers gambling to be a victimless crime while Tim conceives of mobile
gambling as fundamentally different from putting a few bucks on the Big Game. We consider what changes could help.
· Our sponsor offers a party game with a purpose.
· Tim’s whack-job is a governor who seeks to disconnect actions from their consequences with her opposition to federalism.
· Meanwhile, John’s heroes act honorably with full knowledge of the consequences while they try to uphold the rule of law.
Referred to in this podcast:
Opinion | Super Bowl betting will be huge. Fretting over it soon to follow. - The Washington Post
New York Gov. Hochul rejects Louisiana's extradition request for doctor over abortion pill case
Seventh prosecutor in Eric Adams case resigns and calls out Trump’s former lawyer in scathing letter | CNN Politics
We’d like to hear from you. Send comments to [email protected].
Pass it on. Please, share, like, and subscribe.
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We discuss when one of us was canceled and give a sneak preview of the talk.
With the Oscars approaching, we share thoughts on our favorite films from various genres. We recognize some less well-known films and how movies can intersect with memories.
We try out a new segment: “This, that, or the other,” focusing this week on authenticity in casting of movies.
John’s whack-job knows better than to support tariffs but does it anyway.
Tim’s hero is coming back after cancelation by the mob and talks about her experience.
Referred to in this podcast
Treasury Secretary Bessent says tariffs aimed at bringing manufacturing back to US | Reuters
The Poetics of Social (In)Justice - by Michele Seminara
We would love to hear from you. Send trivia answers, favorite movies, suggestions to [email protected]
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We begin with a thought experiment to demonstrate the power of an algorithm like TikTok’s to shape one’s understanding.
We lay out the role for executive orders and their relationship to the rest of government. What do they say about the scope of government and the power assumed by presidents.
John describes Biden-era orders which may have led to the Democrats’ loss in 2024.
Tim shares President Trump’s recent executive orders which range from the reasonable to the seemingly unconstitutional.
We answer Ben’s trivia questions from last week and John offers another from the world of baseball.
We hear from our film sponsor on progress with representative casting.
Tim wonders if people like his whack-job know how out of touch they are.
John’s heroes encourage companies to just be quiet.
Referred to in this podcast:
Why Can’t ‘West Side Story’ Just Cast a Puerto Rican Maria?
Opinion | Corporate Leaders Need to Keep Their Mouths Shut - The New York Times
Statement on 'Visioning' Committee
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We begin by acknowledging recent pardons and the President’s constitutional authority to do so.
Our special guest, Ben Siders, explains Congress’s role to legislate in areas of national security and the typical deference that the courts pay to that role. Then, he explains what the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act actually says.
We share our thoughts on the measure and how other countries approach security and business ownership.
John worries about the possibility of overly broad interpretations of the law and Tim tries to draw a distinction between an app on a smartphone and “speech.”
Tim’s whack-job shows how feelings about TikTok have real world consequences.
Ben’s hero is a boy who showed extraordinary courage to protect another.
In John’s Dispatch from America, he tells of a hero who helped create the profession of nurse practitioner.
Referred to in this podcast:
H.R. 7521
Loretta Ford, champion of nurse practitioners, dies at 104 - The Washington Post
11-year-old honored as ‘local hero’ after dog attack
Menasha man charged for starting fire at Wisconsin congressman's office - WPR
What happened to Michael Vick’s dog-fighting dogs? ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel’ finds out
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We would love to hear from you. Send your feedback to [email protected].
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We continue the discussion on Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) from last week.
We put microaggressions under the microscope. John questions whether microaggressions are an actual or necessary component of DEI.
Tim shares his experience taking diversity, equity, and inclusion training at a flagship, state university which is north of Illinois.
Our sponsor features a contemporary alternative to Where’s Waldo.
John’s whack-job has fallen far from once being worthy of admiration.
Tim’s hero opened the world for blind folks.
We end with the words of Dr. Martin Luthur King in honor of his holiday and his dream.
Related to this podcast:
Michelle Obama Responds to Reported Rift With Biden Family - Newsweek
The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt
Dr. Martin Luthur King speech on Love
Welcome to our new listeners from Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Please remember to subscribe, like, review, and tell people about our podcast.
We would love to hear from you. Send feedback, suggestions to [email protected].
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John and Tim give their book recommendations to each other, and we share books recommended by our listeners.
John offers his trivia answers and we both share new questions.
To provide context, we review the trend of rollbacks of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives at universities and companies.
Then, we dissect the goals of DEI and some of the tactics which are commonly employed.
We address how companies change their focus based on who is in power. Is this a sign of opportunism or a response to governmental overreach? Are people who resist DEI efforts automatically racists?
Tim calls out someone who did not attend a state funeral and John praises a hero who upholds the notion that everyone is entitled to a defense.
Referred to in this podcast
As all other first ladies attended Jimmy Carter's funeral, Michelle Obama was on a Hawaiian vacation and couldn't spare time
McDonald's, Walmart: These companies are rolling back some DEI policies - ABC News
A look at DEI eliminations at colleges across the US | Higher Ed Dive
Study: DEI Training Could Make Racial Tensions Worse
Books recommended in this episode
Energy for Future Presidents by Richard A. Muller
Language in Thought and Action by S. I. Hayakawa
The Gatekeepers by Chris Whipple
The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America by Collman Hughes
Remember to share, subscribe, rate and review. We would love to hear from you. Send comments or ideas to [email protected]
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We begin by touching on Notre Dame football’s convincing win.
Then, we segue into net neutrality and congestion taxes.
We review predictions and worries about the Trump presidency including its impact on international affairs, immigration, the weaponization of government agencies, and the Department of Governmental Efficiency.
Along the way, we visit questions like whether government can do things well or efficiently and why people who work for government need unions if the government already represents the people.
John shares a trivia answer and a multi-faceted trivia question for next week.
Our dispatch from America is someone who went on to success after shrugging off a phenomenal child career.
John’s whack-job went out of his way to get involved in a process he shouldn’t have, and Tim’s heroes went out of their way to save lives.
Referred to in this podcast:
Opinion | Why is the left flailing? Look at New York vs. Florida. - The Washington Post
At Luigi Mangione’s Perp Walk, Mayor Eric Adams Appeared Stage Right - The New York Times
Teenagers save couple from burning home
Why Government Can’t Build Broadband or Charging Stations… Or Anything! - YouTube
To our dozens and dozens of listeners:
John and I are suggesting books for each other to read. If you have ideas for us, send them to [email protected]
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We fondly remember President Jimmy Carter, and we share events from our own holidays.
We address the critical question of whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie and we find more common ground than expected.
We debate our favorite holiday movies and songs.
Tim calls out a college football coach who cannot seem to win or play fair.
John praises heroes who open their hearts to rescue dogs.
We end by thanking all those who have made the podcast what it is.
Referred to in this podcast:
Obituary: Former US President Jimmy Carter
Die Hard starring Bruce Willis
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
starring Chevy Chase and Juliette Lewis,
Elf starring Will Ferrell
Home Alone starring Macaulay Culkin
Love Actually starring Hugh Grant
Valentine’s Day featuring Penny Marshall
For the new year, we are going to suggest a book for the other host to read. Please send in your suggested books to [email protected].
Have a Happy New Year!
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We touch on school violence and discuss where the focus should be in seeking solutions.
We listen to feedback from a friend-of-the-show on his ideas for healthcare and the role of profit. We compare the U.S. to other countries and use those differences to suggest changes including what Tim would do in his fictional healthcare company.
We highlight some of our favorite charities.
For his whack-job, John calls out a hitter who has hit it big, and Tim praises the DOJ and FBI for catching foreign agents trying to police people in America.
Referred to:
Can U.S. physicians ask about gun ownership from How Stuff Works
Doctors per Capita by Country 2024
What drives health spending in the U.S. compared to other countries? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker
Crazy like us: The Globalization of the American Psyche by Ethan Watters
New York man pleads guilty to running Chinese police station in Manhattan | The Guardian
Why Juan Soto's massive Mets contract has made so many people furious
Welcome to our new listener(s) from Kenya.
We’d love to hear from our dozens and dozens of listeners. With feedback, trivia questions or answers, show ideas, or guest pitches, write to [email protected].
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ideasfirst.substack.com -
We review how the Affordable Care Act changed the healthcare landscape in the United States. We wonder if health insurance is fundamentally different from other types of insurance.
John asserts that healthcare should not be “for profit,” and Tim contends that external interference with the doctor-patient relationship is part of the problem. Thus, we approach the classic question, what can the government do well or at least better than the private sector?
John answers a listener’s trivia question and offers a new one about women in politics.
Our Dispatch from America focuses on a healthcare pioneer.
Tim’s whack-jobs need to work on their own lives and John’s hero demonstrated what is right about America.
Referred to in this podcast:
Google forced to intervene after McDonald’s gets ‘review bombed’ over NYC shooter Luigi Mangione’s arrest | The Independent
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We would love to hear from our dozens and dozens of listeners who now span five continents and hail from twenty-eight countries.
Send questions, comments, show ideas, guest pitches, or trivia answers to [email protected].
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ideasfirst.substack.com -
We start with Notre Dame football and then discuss the assassination of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health Care.
We welcome, Graham, from Gen Z into the Western branch of BBAB studios for a discussion of the challenges facing America. We hit on social media, lock down drills, and what democrats need to do in future elections.
John’s Dispatch from America highlights the power and surprises that nature can offer.
Tim’s whack-job is a media personality who thought Chat GPT was a good source of facts to tweet and got caught.
Graham praises the potential for change in Syria.
Referred to:
Ana Navarro Invents Fictional Person to Defend Hunter Biden
Laptop from Hell: Hunter Biden, Big Tech, and the Dirty Secrets the President Tried to Hide by Miranda Devine
Example of Super Twins in the news
We would love to hear from you. Send guest pitches, questions, comments, ideas, or trivia answers to [email protected].
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We begin with podcast highlights, an update on Australia’s social media ban for youth, and our thoughts on gratitude.
We tackle our favorite holidays and Thanksgiving dishes.
We answer the question, “How good is Kamala Harris’s stuffing recipe anyway?”
John offers a new trivia question.
We revisit coaching blunders with John’s whack-job of the week.
Tim shares the story of a pilot who aims to help people have turkey on the table for Thanksgiving in rural Alaska.
Referred to in this podcast:
In Huge Black Friday Deal, Dyson Vacuum On Sale For Just $7,000 | Babylon Bee
Bears fire Eberflus amid 6-game skid, name Brown interim coach - ESPN
In Alaska, a pilot drops turkeys to rural homes for Thanksgiving | AP News
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We would love to hear from you. Send topics, ideas, questions, or answers to [email protected].
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ideasfirst.substack.com -
After reflecting on Daniel Jone’s departure from the New York Football Giants and Tim proposing a theory on quarterback development, we launch into Trump’s picks. Are they all serious or are they political Three Card Monty? Can you even be qualified to wrangle the federal bureaucracy? We share our thoughts on Dr. Oz, Tulsi Gabbard, and RFK Junior.
John offers his trivia question.
In this week’s Dispatch from America , we salute an internet outlet that will be missed while we acknowledge the reality of creative destruction.
Tim highlights the Four B movement.
John’s hero demonstrates that the laws must be for everyone.
Referred to in this podcast:
· The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America by Collman Hughes
· Other People’s Money starring Danny DeVito, Gregory Peck, Penelope Ann Miller
And Piper Laurie
· Autoblog, As We Know It, Is Dead - The Autopian
· Jussie Smollett conviction in hate crime hoax overturned by Illinois Supreme Court on NBC News
· Is the 4B Movement's Vision for Life Without Men the Next Political Protest? - POLITICO
Don’t forget to subscribe, review and share.
We love to hear from our dozens and dozens of listeners. Send ideas, comments, criticisms, trivia answers, or Holiday recipes to [email protected].
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After a brief sojourn into Seasonal Affective Disorder, we discuss laws or amendments that we would like to see enacted to improve America. Candidates include addressing gerrymandering, term limits, campaign finance, internet companies, and well-regulated militias. We agree that everyone should register for Selective Service.
Vote here for your favorite proposal from the podcast.
Our dispatch from America is a veteran with an incredible story.
John calls out a Yankee for a very bad play at a very bad time.
Tim’s hero is a republican who did not give in to Trump’s fake elector plan and knows when to compromise, too.
Referred to in this podcast:
Coping with the Seasons: A Cognitive Behavioral Approach to Seasonal Affective Disorder by Kelly J Rohan
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
LTA Disabilities W/SG Timothy Cordes | Mitzi Let’s Think About It.
Blind veteran helps others learn to sail | CNN
Five larger trends to make sense of the 2024 election | National Catholic Reporter
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We would love to hear from you. Send ideas, comments, criticisms, trivia questions or recipes to [email protected].
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Was the Presidential election won or lost? John posits that kitchen table issues, a frustrated working class, and democratic unpopularity sunk Vice-president Harris. Tim calls out the democrats’ condescension towards the average American.
We review the impact of abortion on the election and consider demographic shifts among voters.
Tim offers an immigrant’s story for his Dispatch from America.
We highlight the silliness of canceling college classes the day after Trump’s victory because of student distress.
John praises the kindness of people reaching out to each other after the election.
Referred to in this podcast:
Opinion | Democrats’ self-sabotage helped reelect Donald Trump - The Washington Post
Opinion | Can You Hear Me Now? - The New York Times
With acknowledgement and respect to the memory of Rod Sterling.
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Bald, Blind, and Buddies on Apple Podcasts
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We take a break from the election hype to address the down ballot matters of import to us all. We review kitchen table issues like preferences of breakfast cereal, snacks, and meal of choice. We also hear from experts on the topic—children.
A non-listener correctly answers John’s last trivia question and John offers another.
We share another Dispatch from America. John shares his republican whack-job and Tim praises a hero at the University of Wisconsin for his quick action.
Pleas, subscribe, review and share.
We would love to hear from you. Send ideas, comments, criticisms, recipes, or trivia answers to [email protected].
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We begin with corrections and respond to a listener comment on the difference between losing and conceding in life and elections.
We then share news of interest to us in the past week and get each other’s fresh takes. Stories involve Kamala Harris, the Pope, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos as well as wars and culture wars.
We share a Dispatch from America.
Jerry Seinfeld is our whack-job for backtracking on his free speech stance and now thinking comedians should docilely go where society herds them.
John’s hero left the Washington Post in protest.
Referred to:
US public schools burned up nearly $3.2bn fending off rightwing culture attacks – report | US news | The Guardian
Opinion | On political endorsement - The Washington Post
The Washington Post Bends the Knee to Trump
Vatican debate over women as deacons hits a big obstacle: Pope Francis - The Washington Post
Exclusive | Elon Musk's Secret Conversations With Vladimir Putin, a WSJ Investigation - WSJ
Washington Post editor at large quits after paper declines to endorse presidential candidate | Fox News
Why Does the WHO Exclude Taiwan? | Council on Foreign Relations
A Civil War: Army vs. Navy A Year Inside College Football's Purest Rivalry by Feinstein, John
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