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December 16, 2025 10 mins

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A morning rant turns into a meditation on what we owe each other. We start by speaking plainly about a cruel public comment tied to a killing and why even supporters can demand better. Decency isn’t partisan; it’s a baseline. A real apology can lower the temperature and keep us human — especially when grief is involved. From there, we lighten the mood with a very online holiday debate: the rise of the “naked” Christmas tree. Are bare branches and clean lines a soothing aesthetic or just a hollow flex? We share why some people crave calm minimalism while others treasure a tree thick with memory — handmade ornaments, chipped baubles, and the stories they carry. Style tips sneak in too: small palettes for serenity, balanced sizes for flow, and intentional placement so even an eclectic tree feels cohesive.

Then comes a sharp swing: an 86-year-old gets fined after spitting out a wind-blown leaf. It’s a small story with a big point about proportionality, discretion, and why zero-tolerance policies can backfire when they ignore context. Respect for rules grows when enforcement feels fair and human. Finally, we end on the kind of local heroism that restores faith. A Florida chef notices a regular’s sudden absence, calls to check in, then drives over when the phone goes silent. He hears a faint cry and opens the door to find the man injured and dehydrated — and likely saves his life. Hospitality at its best is community care, and the practical lesson is clear: pay attention, keep a soft roster of regulars with consent, and don’t ignore a missed routine.

The thread running through every segment is simple: words shape culture, and attention saves people. If the vibe of the season means anything, it’s found in the choices we make when no one’s filming and when the timeline moves on. Listen, weigh in on the “minimalist vs memory” tree debate, and tell us which story stuck with you. If you felt seen, share this with a friend, hit follow, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find the show.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:30):
Well, hello and good morning.
It is Tuesday, I think December15th, 16th, something like that.
Hell, I don't even know anymore.
Um, well, I have scoured the NewYork Post to try to find some
other news that is not so awfuland heavy and heartbreaking and

(00:50):
terrible.
And I think I've found a coupleof of articles.
So we will get right to it in aminute.
But first, I need to talk aboutDonald J.
Trump and his nasty ass commentabout the murder, the slaying of
Rob Reiner and his wifeMichelle.
Well, he didn't really sayanything about Michelle, but he

(01:11):
said to about Rob Reiner.
He put out a true social thatwas just horrible.
And then he doubled down on itwhen reporters asked him about
it.
Mr.
President, shame on you.
Now I have supported you.
I'll still support you with yoursome of your policies, not all
of them.
Uh, but you need to come out andcorrect that and apologize.

(01:32):
I know you won't because youdon't believe in that kind of
thing.
But just know that yoursupporters and other, not just
me, some big names too, uh,they're really embarrassed by
this.
They're embarrassed by you andyour awful, awful words about
Rob Reiner.
Shame on you.
Shame, shame, shame.
If you don't have anything niceto say, don't say anything at

(01:54):
all.
Keep your mouth shut.
Can you do that?
Okay, I'm sorry.
I went on my rant.
Now we need to go on to thestories from the New York Post
that I put out here today.
We are going to start off with astrange celebrity naked

(02:17):
Christmas tree.
Trend sparks pushback.
Ornaments are a must.
Apparently, there's this newminimalist Christmas tree look
going around.
Uh, celebrities have picked upon it where they've either not
put any decorations on it atall, like nothing, not even
lights, just throw up a tree.
That's dumb, or just put lightson it.

(02:39):
I can handle that.
I'll go with just lights on atree.
That's okay.
Um, or just the very minimalornaments, and that's fine too.
I like the look of a minimalisttree.
That's not bad.
My tree, last year when Trumpbecame president, when we voted
him in again for the secondtime, third, um, uh you know, it

(03:03):
was December.
He had wasn't quite sworn in,but he was president-elect, and
I got went out and got all reddecorations for MAGA.
So my tree is nothing but red,red ornaments, red tinsel, red
everything on the tree.
It's all red.
So I guess that's kind of aminimalist look.
Uh, I have a lot.

(03:23):
I mean, I bought a lot ofdifferent kinds of I've got
glittery ones, I've got mattefinished ones, I've got shiny
ones, I've got all kinds of thedifferent sizes.
I think it looks really good.
I put out a picture of it nottoo long ago.
So if you want to go dig throughthat, you can.
If you dig through my socialmedia feed to find it, you can.

(03:44):
So all um, let's see, as peopleall over the country prepare to
travel to see loved ones thisChristmas season, an unexpected
obsession is driving home.
The less is more adage.
Now, they have pictures of someof these, and to me, they're not
really minimalist, if you askme.
And of course, they got theKardashians uh out there in
front of their trees lookinglike they're ho selves, they're

(04:05):
ho ho selves.
Good heavens, put some clotheson.
Um, but their tree doesn't lookminimalist to me.
They have a lot of lights on it.
Whatever.
Okay, so we're gonna move on.
If you like that kind of thing,comment and let me know if you
like.
Maybe that's the question of theday.
That is the going to be thequestion of the day.

(04:26):
Do you like a minimalist treewith hardly any decorations on
it?
Or is your tree packed full ofchildhood memory ornaments and
all kinds of other things?
Let me know.
Uh that is the question of theday.
Okay, moving on.
This 86-year-old is fined$335for littering.
But get this.

(04:47):
After spitting out a leaf thatblew into his mouth, what was he
supposed to do?
Swatch you on it and swallow it?
You know this is not America.
This has to be overseassomewhere.
Sorry, I'm got a frog in mythroat here.
Where does that term come from?
Frog in your throat.
What the hell?
All right, this certainly leafedhim with a bad taste in his

(05:10):
mouth.
That's terrible.
An 86-year-old Englishman washit with a prop preposterous
fine for littering after twoenforcement officers saw him
spit out a leaf that had blowninto his mouth.
What was he supposed to do?
It's a leaf.
A leaf is not littering.

(05:30):
A leaf is part of nature.
These people, I swear.
Roy Marsh had stopped for a restwhile walking through a car park
in the tourist town of Skegnuson English East England's east
coast, when the wind blew a bigreed into his mouth, he told the
BBC.

(05:52):
I spat it out, and just as I gotup to walk away, two enforcement
officers came up to me, Marshsaid.
The bewildered octogenarian saidthat when the officers accused
him of spitting on the ground,he responded by calling one of
them silly boy.
Uh-oh, that's probably what didit.

(06:13):
However, Marsh quickly realizedthey were not joking, and he was
fined$335.
It was all unnecessary and owlout of proportion, he recalled.
Marsh said the fine was expectedto be reduced to$200 after an
appeal, but he was stillrequired to pay the full amount.

(06:33):
Fuck you! You can take your$200and shove it where the sun
doesn't shine.
I'm not paying it.
Put me in jail.
I spit a leaf out of my mouth.
Okay?
Mm-mm.
No.
I'm sorry I got all hot andbothered about that.
I'm sorry I cursed.
I'm sorry.
Not sorry.
We are going to leave you with afeel-good story here, y'all.

(06:57):
This is humanity how as itshould be.
And I hope you go look at thepictures of this.
Of this story.
Florida chef saves regular lifeafter 78-year-old stops showing
up for daily meals.
He's the best friend.
He's that best friend.
A Florida chef is being creditedwith saving the life of one of

(07:21):
his regular diners after theelderly man didn't show up to
the restaurant he's been eatingat twice a day, every day for a
decade.
Okay, so the guy didn't show upfor a couple of days.
They figured he was sick, sothey called him up.
Obviously, they know him, theyknow where he lives, they have
his phone number.
And so the chef calls him andthe guy answers.

(07:41):
He says, I'm sick.
So the chef decides to send overhis regular gumbo that he gets,
which is light on the rice, nocrackers.
And so they send over the foodto him, and the and the old man
says, I insisted that you leaveit on the porch because I don't
want to get anybody sick.
So they did that.
And then a few days later he'sstill not showing up, and they

(08:03):
call him again.
This time the man doesn'tanswer, and it goes straight to
his voicemail.
And so the chef goes over thereand starts knocking on his door.
He didn't hear anything, he'sconcerned, he he's worried for
the worst and everything, and ashe started to walk away, he
could hear somebody in there andyelling help.
So this guy had fallen on thefloor.
So on the third day though, hisphone went straight, the

(08:24):
voicemail.
Stallworth told CBS News heoriginally feared the worst.
He left the middle of his shiftand drove straight over to
Hicks' apartment.
He knocked on the doorrepeatedly, but there was no
answer.
And right when I was going toturn, I heard something, a voice
just like help, and then Iopened the door.
He was lying on the ground, andI didn't know what his condition

(08:46):
was.
That was the scariest part rightthere, Stalworth told the
outlet.
His best friend had fallen,broken two ribs, and was
severely dehydrated.
The septigenarian, now they'recalling him a septigenarian.
Well, this is a different story,sorry, was hospitalized during
his arduous recovery, but thededicated staff at the shrimp

(09:07):
basket endeavored to keep hisspirits high and delivered his
usual order daily.
And they have a picture of thechef and the patient in the
hospital.
That is a feel-good story if yougo and look.
Alright, I guess that's all Ihave.
We're still hearing more aboutthe Bondi Beach.
And I, you know, they're thesereporters are killing me calling

(09:30):
it a father and son team thatshot and killed Jewish people.
They're they may be father andson, but what they are, they're
Islamic terrorists.
That's what they are.
Call them what they are.
They're a father and son.
How about terrorists from Islam?
Is the Islam uh Muslims?
How about that?

(09:50):
Muslim terrorists.
Let's call them that.
Because that's what they are.
They still haven't found any anyany more further information
about the shooter at the BrownUniversity.
Hopefully, that story's probablygonna dwindle away.
Ugh, I don't know.
Alright, I gotta go.
Uh, I hope y'all have a greatday.

(10:12):
Sorry I got a little hot there.
Started cussing.
I'll try to do better.
Okay.
Gotta go.
Thanks for listening.
Bye.
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