August 7, 2025 • 24 mins
(August 07, 2025)
Homeowners say Army Corps. Botched L.A. fire cleanup, agency documents concur. Millions of Californians may lose health coverage because of new Medicaid work requirements. ChatGPT adds mental health guardrails after bot ‘fell short in recognizing signs of delusion.’ How one company maintained a monopoly on U.S. fire retardant.
Homeowners say Army Corps. Botched L.A. fire cleanup, agency documents concur. Millions of Californians may lose health coverage because of new Medicaid work requirements. ChatGPT adds mental health guardrails after bot ‘fell short in recognizing signs of delusion.’ How one company maintained a monopoly on U.S. fire retardant.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM
six forty KFI.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
AM six forty Bill Handle here with the morning crew.
It is Thursday, August seventh. Today Joel Larsgard comes aboard
at eight o'clock and we have Moe Kelly joining us
at eight fifty. So the eight o'clock hour at here
at Kfios in the morning is mo and Joe Larsguard
(00:28):
makes it easy for me, that's for sure. Also tomorrow
Footy Friday Neil does his segment, two segments and then
we do ask Handle Anything. So with that in mind,
let's tell folks out there in radio land. You hate that,
don't you?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I love that?
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well, no, you're doing it with your tongue and you
chay and that's fine. No, not, I've heard people talk
called radio land it's cringey.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
In any case, ask handle Anything is when I asked
personal questions and tell you how it happened. It developed
as a result of what was going on for years
here at KFI. But the point is that one is
collar driven. We need you to get involved with this,
and here's what happens. You go to the iHeartRadio app.
During the course of this show. You click onto the
(01:18):
bill handle show. There'll be a microphone in the upper
right hand corner. You click on there, and now you're
recording and you can well, we ask you to ask
a question, personal question, and then we have a great
time with it. I don't hear the questions until they're
on the air same time you are. Neil chooses the
question and I am genuinely humiliated by them. Now going
(01:39):
over to the LA fires, the Army Corps of Engineer
was tasked with cleaning.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Up the debris.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, there aren't enough Army Corps of Engineer folks that
can clean up but nine thousand areas, nine thousand homes
and structures, so they tracked it out. I mean, that's
simply the way it works. They and here's what families
had the right to do is clear your own and
(02:11):
probably do a better job, or ask the Army Core
of Engineer to come in and remove the debris and
clear your land, which most people chose.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
But you had to sign waivers.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You had to say, Okay, whatever you do, I can't
come back and either sue you or complain to the government.
Except they are complaining to the government. So thousands of
homes in Outadena and Pasadena became ash rubble, and the
wildfire survivors hoped that federal disaster workers would clean the place,
(02:47):
remove all the debris the contamination, which means they had
to go down six inches to remove the soil. And
that's the way to clean up any given lot.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Now, one of the rules is.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
That the corp of Engineer and its contractors would only
remove debris from the footprint of the house, and that
is the foundation and where it stops outside the foundation
your land, your yard.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
They didn't do and they are complaining. Now.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
The reality is is eight hundred complaints have come in.
You have nine thousand structures that were affected with the
Army Corps of Engineer cleaning up virtually all of them.
Most of it was done in thirty days. It was
incredible in terms of how quickly it was done. Gavin
Newsom said, this has never been done like this at
(03:44):
this speed and he was absolutely right. So the footprint,
of course had the majority of the debris, but right outside,
what if you had a swimming pool that was contaminated,
which they were on, We don't do that. What if
you had debris outside of the footprint.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Now we don't do that now.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
The people who hired contractors, of course, had their yards,
their lots completely cleaned up. But I don't even know
how much money it costs to hire a contractor to
remove the debris, how many tens of thousands of dollars
that it would take. So about a third of those
eight hundred complaints that were reviewed by The Times, the
(04:30):
only Times of this story, alleged that the federal crews
either didn't thoroughly remove wildfire debris or failed to follow
their own protocols. That they had protocols that they just
failed to follow. And Andrew Welton, who is a university
professor who studies natural disaster, said there are no formal standards,
(04:53):
There are no requirements after a disaster like this when
it comes to environmental safety and cleanup.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
UH.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
There was one primary contractor, a company Environmental Chemical Corporation
UH and said that the cleanup was overwhelmingly receiving positive feedback,
which you know, I would argue that's probably the case
because if you have eight hundred complaints out of nine thousand, Uh,
(05:23):
what is that eight hundred out of nine thousand? Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Is that about ten percent carry the one?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, Oh, okay, I'm going.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
To change my mind. That's a lot of people complaining. Yeah,
ten percent I didn't do. Actually pretty high.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I didn't do.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I did not do the math. Now, uh the never mind, Yeah,
that's a nevermind.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Uh but.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Uh, the big the big issue here is the contaminated
soil that was still left. That becomes a problem. How
do you build on contaminated soil? How do you get
a permit on contaminated soil?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And what does the city do?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And I don't know how that works because once it's
on the record that the land the soil is contaminated,
I don't even know if the city lets you build.
So there are all kinds of complaints. And in January
when the cleanup started, the plan was straightforward and the
Army Corps vowed straight out contractors would remove toxic ash
(06:32):
and wreckage from destroyed homes and would go down six
inches of top soil that were contaminated. Well, as I said,
there were all kinds of limitations. Only the structural ash footprint.
A wide range of debris outside was ineligible for removal. Driveways, sidewalks, patios,
(06:58):
pool waters, lawns. Nope, they didn't do it. So how
then do you clean up any given lot. So there's
we'll see what happens. And when you signed, when you
asked the core, you had to sign a complete liability waiver.
(07:20):
You get what you get, all right, So much for that.
Let's oh, health benefits. One of the big aspects of
the Big Beautiful Bill, as it changed America pretty dramatically,
is starting in twenty twenty six, the year of strangely enough,
(07:40):
the midterms, the rules of Medicaid change now. Medicaid is
the government paid for medical program, insurance program that low
income people are eligible for and people who are disabled,
and it provides free and subsidized health insurance to those folks.
(08:01):
And the number of people that are going to be
off Medicaid, well, everybody's trying to figure this out because
we don't know at this point, we don't know how
many people are going to lose their coverage. And there
are two arguments here, one on each side, one of
them being let me argue for the Big Beautiful Bill
right now, and that is there's a work requirement as
(08:25):
part of this bill. If someone is to receive Medicaid,
that someone has to prove every six months that they're
looking for work or are employed and don't make enough money.
If you're not working, you don't get it. That's assuming
(08:45):
you're able bodied and you can work. Haven't figured out
yet how do you approve it? Because this thing is
still in its early stages, and most Americans think that's okay,
that receiving tax laws and just sitting on your ass
is not something that everybody appreciates.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And I do too, you know, I.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Don't like that you of paying taxes so you don't
have to work and you get free medical although the
argument about national health is a different one. So that's
the basic premise of the new Medicaid bill. So the
argument on the other side, and this government state governments particularly,
(09:31):
is how many people are going to lose their coverage?
Five point one million people in California are eligible and
receive medical Medical is California's version of Medicaid.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
We took that over and what over.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Ten percent of the population of California receives medical I mean,
that is a huge figure. And what the Democrats are
arguing is that a huge number of people will lose
their insurance coverage. In the tens of millions of people
across the country are going to lose their insurance coverage,
(10:15):
and so they argue that the big beautiful bill takes
away from those people who desperately need it. The government
is saying, we're not taking anything away. We're just making
people meet requirements. And there are certain exceptions. If you've
got if you're pregnant, whether you're male or female, if
(10:37):
you're disabled, if you're a caregiver, there are exceptions to that.
But for the most part, if you happen to be
able bodied, guess what, you have to prove you're looking
and otherwise you are not going to get Medicaid. So
that means it's going to move over to the states.
(10:58):
That's one thing about the Trump administration. One of the big,
big issues with the Trump administration. One of the beliefs
is relying on the federal government for everything is not
particularly a good idea. The states should take over a
lot of what the Feds do. FEMA, for example, FEMA
is disappearing, and what Trump said is the states should
(11:21):
do this. Although the argument is, you have these natural
disasters that are so extraordinary and are so overwhelming, a
state doesn't have the ability to deal with it. They
just don't, and it takes the federal government. And frankly,
most of the money comes from the federal government.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
States receive the vast number of dollars counties in terms
of just doing their work.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
It's federal money. I mean, think about it.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
We pay enormous taxes to the federal government, and the
federal government then funds various programs. Now California is a
different animal because California, it takes on a lot of
the work itself, which is why we have the highest
state income tax in the United States, marginal income tax.
(12:09):
And this is for people who make serious money, over
a million dollars thirteen and a half percent. Now when
you put that to thirty nine percent if you pay
the Feds, now you're talking north of fifty percent. And
that's why wealthy people are leaving California. They're going, We're
not going to pay fifty percent of our income. I mean, come, maage,
(12:31):
you put it this way. You work for the state
and the Feds from January until July July one is
when you get your money. Before that, all your money
goes to the government.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I love it when rich people vote these wing nuts
in to put these taxes on them and then they
leave and the rest of us. Sorry I was talking
to Anne here that aren't millionaires that we've got to
deal with it once they leave.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
By the way, three states have used work requirements for
Medicaid recipients New Hampshire, Arkansas, Georgia. The states determine eligibility,
and here the Trump administration is arguing that the Feds
have to determine.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And oh, I was wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Fifteen million people are on medical Come on that many
and a third will be required to prove they are working.
And at this point, no one knows how they do it,
where they do it. It's just they're going to do it.
(13:43):
And this is what's happening, not only in this administration
but many administrations, but particularly this administration, is you have
this sweeping, the sweeping new laws that are kicking in
and no one knows how to deal with them. No
one has any idea. For example, FEMA, it's up to
(14:04):
the states now to do what FEMA did. Okay, so
we need a new bureaucracy. We have to figure out
where our money goes for a natural disaster. Can you
imagine in southern California if we had a major earthquake,
we did Northridge, which cost center at that time what
fifteen twenty billion dollars? You know, how do you come
(14:25):
up with that? How does a city a county come
up with that without the Feds coming in? Okay, so
what's going on with chat GPT, Well, there are some
real issues as far as mental health questions are concerned.
As you know, chat GPT really gets involved and asks
(14:46):
personal question and gives you advice. The problem is when
it comes to mental health that is I would say
a little difficult. And they had a real problem with
their GPT four to oh that's their program because it
was so overly agreeable. I mean, people were actually laughing
(15:09):
at what it was doing because you would have a
conversation in which the four to oh praise people in
terms of their mental illness and what they believe.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Because it's sycophantic.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
It's program that what it wants to do is have
you like it and have you understand your problems like
you're talking to a therapist, except it's not a therapist,
and people believe what chat GPT is saying. You know,
for example, if you have a relationship with some hooker, right,
(15:48):
some lovely if you're a man, usually it's men who
get involved in these relationships with women on the internet,
and it's chat GPT. It tells you what you want
to hear, which is fine on the sex part. How
is it on the mental health part? Not so well?
(16:09):
So going back in terms of looking at the story,
one instance, and by the way, this isn't just an instance.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
I mean this is not a typical.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
The program praised people for believing the family was responsible
for radio signals coming in through the walls, and then
in another it praised and endorsed destructions for terrorism.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Because it doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It just wants you to feel good, and it wants
you to, I guess feel good and help you. But
it doesn't tell you you're a complete utter loser. I mean,
I will I should be a therapist. Actually, oh man,
what I do?
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Well? Huh?
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think you have a lot of artificial intelligence.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
I have a lot of artificial tell us.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I mean I've told people, actually, ask me, what do
you think I would take a swan dive off the building?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I mean, you might as well do it right now
and deal with us.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
In the meantime, they have to redo their model big time.
And now in terms of mental health, they still are
involved in mental health, but they're coming back working with
more than ninety physicians across dozens of countries to evaluate complex,
multi turned conversations. I mean, they're getting really serious about
(17:32):
the fact that it can be abused. Well, we know
it can be abused anyway, because it's algorithmic, algorithmic, and
as the rich Demurow says, quite often it goes in
directions that you're not prepared for, or it gives you well,
you know, for example, you ask it to write a
(17:53):
paper for you, and it will make up sources, make
them up, make up you know, papers that have already
been published that haven't been because it wants to do
a good job on the paper. It wants to do
a good job on your research. So ask me for
(18:15):
mental health questions. Oh we should do that.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Oh doctor handel, Yeah, ask doctor.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Well, theoretically I am a doctor because I have a
doctor of jurisprudence set. But we're not allowed to call
our shows doctors under the law.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
But yeah, I would go for it. Wait a sec.
It's not ask.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Handle anything on Friday, it's ask handle for advice for
I can do religious advice one week.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
No, I've often wanted to fill in my dead and
resurrected body.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I am asked to fill in for The Jesus Show
for decades marginal spiritual advice, and there I am, and there.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Are people advice from Judas.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yes, if you've ever listened to The Jesus Show, and Neil,
you'll tell us this.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
There are people that actually are suicidal that call in.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Well we don't. We purposely do not take those calls
on the program. I understand early on they there were
some that got through, but no, that's not the program
for that. That there are better but yes we have
I know that's some pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
And what the appropriate the appropriate answer?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Do it? Do it?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Now?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
You and I are are strange friends. Well, it's odd
that we get along really.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, excellent.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Oh, as a matter of fact, the Zelmans ask, we're
going to we are going to use your words. I know,
I know, I'm just trying to think and you know
I'm going off in different directions here.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
There is a event.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
And by the way, we're going to spend the rest
of this segment because we're running pretty short, so I'll
do the monopoly on us fire retardant maybe tomorrow. But
Neil and I are hosting this event. And here's why
I'm bringing this up. We're taking Zelmans testing to the
test whether or not it really does its job, which
of course it does. And we are inviting five people
(20:19):
and their guests to join us for dinner at the
Anaheim White House. We're curating the menu, which means garlic
and onions, and it's going to be breath, breath, breath,
and then we're all going to engage in taking Zelmens
and seeing if it works.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
It's like a drug den, it is.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
We're all going to engage in taking Zelmans in a
tent with a fire and steam in the center.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
And we're doing it at the Anaheim White House. Of
course we will, and they're producing that special menu for us.
So five people and a guest. So, and I'll tell
you why I'm bringing this up in a minute. The
way you get entered into this contest be one of
the five people is you go to Zelman's Z E
L M I N S. Zelmans dot com and the
(21:08):
promo code is KFI. Now what have I have not
talked about as part of the event. Phenomenal food of
course Zelman's uh and you'll get samples of Zelman's. I
think we're giving away swag too. Uh yeah, we'll be well,
we'll be giving away some fun swag. And then the
added attraction for those of you that have ever been
(21:31):
with Neil and I while we are eating, the joys
of seeing Neil and I stuff are faces usually with
two hands going simultaneously in huge quantities.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That tracks also there, you know, there are things that
apply and rules and regulations all that, and if you
want to find out more about that, you can find
that out at zelmans dot com as well. And you
know how you can enter without purchase.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Okay, and we have a minute and a half left,
So Neil, why don't you horror your dinner?
Speaker 1 (22:05):
How dare you? You mean my dinner coming up? Yes,
this Saturday? Yes, from two to five, actually two to seven,
because we'll I'll do the show two to five live
and then five to seven we will have Tiffany Hobbs.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
It's going to be great. We're calling it my birthday show.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
But the reality is it's just a good excuse to
go out and have some great food. It's at Desconzo
Restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. It's right near
the LaBrea Tarpit and we've just been looking to do
a remote there because I love their food and rob
Ariano there, the owner is just a really really nice
guy and they're good at what they do. And I said, well,
(22:44):
you know, it's around ish my birthday, let's come out
and just do that. So he's put together all kinds
of great stuff and including free apps and complimentary apps
and things like that.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Complimentary appetizers. Yeah, he said, complimentary apps.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
That's what you can call mapps. Oh okay, I didn't
know that. Yeah you can.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Okay, So that's confusing though. It's not like you're going
to get on your cell phone or something. But all
you need to do is RSVP via an email, and
so you send one to rs VP at Desconso Restaurant
dot com and tell us your name and how many
people you're bringing. And we'd love to have you there.
(23:23):
I'd love to say hello, shake your hand and hang out.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Have you ever noticed, Amy and the events that Neil
and I do together are always food oriented.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Everything is food orian.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
If you're not going to feed my listeners something, I
don't you know, I don't want to do it.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
And you're the same way all right, I think I
get that from you.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
All right, coming up Joel lars Guard and Joel is
going to join us and comment on Neil and I
hooring our next foody event, which we do on a
regular basis. Joel Larsguard, who we have not seen in
a month, is with us how to Money, and he's
heard on Sundays here on KFI. So we're gonna spend
(24:07):
another fun half hour when we come back. Amy in
the KF No, this is KFI. No, hold on, that
was my fault, so listen. Yeah, that was so let's
do that again. This is KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
You've been listening to the Bill Handle Show.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Catch my show Monday through Friday, six am to nine am,
and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app
You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM
six forty KFI.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
AM six forty Bill Handle here with the morning crew.
It is Thursday, August seventh. Today Joel Larsgard comes aboard
at eight o'clock and we have Moe Kelly joining us
at eight fifty. So the eight o'clock hour at here
at Kfios in the morning is mo and Joe Larsguard
(00:28):
makes it easy for me, that's for sure. Also tomorrow
Footy Friday Neil does his segment, two segments and then
we do ask Handle Anything. So with that in mind,
let's tell folks out there in radio land. You hate that,
don't you?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I love that?
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well, no, you're doing it with your tongue and you
chay and that's fine. No, not, I've heard people talk
called radio land it's cringey.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
In any case, ask handle Anything is when I asked
personal questions and tell you how it happened. It developed
as a result of what was going on for years
here at KFI. But the point is that one is
collar driven. We need you to get involved with this,
and here's what happens. You go to the iHeartRadio app.
During the course of this show. You click onto the
(01:18):
bill handle show. There'll be a microphone in the upper
right hand corner. You click on there, and now you're
recording and you can well, we ask you to ask
a question, personal question, and then we have a great
time with it. I don't hear the questions until they're
on the air same time you are. Neil chooses the
question and I am genuinely humiliated by them. Now going
(01:39):
over to the LA fires, the Army Corps of Engineer
was tasked with cleaning.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Up the debris.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, there aren't enough Army Corps of Engineer folks that
can clean up but nine thousand areas, nine thousand homes
and structures, so they tracked it out. I mean, that's
simply the way it works. They and here's what families
had the right to do is clear your own and
(02:11):
probably do a better job, or ask the Army Core
of Engineer to come in and remove the debris and
clear your land, which most people chose.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
But you had to sign waivers.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You had to say, Okay, whatever you do, I can't
come back and either sue you or complain to the government.
Except they are complaining to the government. So thousands of
homes in Outadena and Pasadena became ash rubble, and the
wildfire survivors hoped that federal disaster workers would clean the place,
(02:47):
remove all the debris the contamination, which means they had
to go down six inches to remove the soil. And
that's the way to clean up any given lot.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Now, one of the rules is.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
That the corp of Engineer and its contractors would only
remove debris from the footprint of the house, and that
is the foundation and where it stops outside the foundation
your land, your yard.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
They didn't do and they are complaining. Now.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
The reality is is eight hundred complaints have come in.
You have nine thousand structures that were affected with the
Army Corps of Engineer cleaning up virtually all of them.
Most of it was done in thirty days. It was
incredible in terms of how quickly it was done. Gavin
Newsom said, this has never been done like this at
(03:44):
this speed and he was absolutely right. So the footprint,
of course had the majority of the debris, but right outside,
what if you had a swimming pool that was contaminated,
which they were on, We don't do that. What if
you had debris outside of the footprint.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Now we don't do that now.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
The people who hired contractors, of course, had their yards,
their lots completely cleaned up. But I don't even know
how much money it costs to hire a contractor to
remove the debris, how many tens of thousands of dollars
that it would take. So about a third of those
eight hundred complaints that were reviewed by The Times, the
(04:30):
only Times of this story, alleged that the federal crews
either didn't thoroughly remove wildfire debris or failed to follow
their own protocols. That they had protocols that they just
failed to follow. And Andrew Welton, who is a university
professor who studies natural disaster, said there are no formal standards,
(04:53):
There are no requirements after a disaster like this when
it comes to environmental safety and cleanup.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
UH.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
There was one primary contractor, a company Environmental Chemical Corporation
UH and said that the cleanup was overwhelmingly receiving positive feedback,
which you know, I would argue that's probably the case
because if you have eight hundred complaints out of nine thousand, Uh,
(05:23):
what is that eight hundred out of nine thousand? Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Is that about ten percent carry the one?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, Oh, okay, I'm going.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
To change my mind. That's a lot of people complaining. Yeah,
ten percent I didn't do. Actually pretty high.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I didn't do.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I did not do the math. Now, uh the never mind, Yeah,
that's a nevermind.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Uh but.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Uh, the big the big issue here is the contaminated
soil that was still left. That becomes a problem. How
do you build on contaminated soil? How do you get
a permit on contaminated soil?
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And what does the city do?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And I don't know how that works because once it's
on the record that the land the soil is contaminated,
I don't even know if the city lets you build.
So there are all kinds of complaints. And in January
when the cleanup started, the plan was straightforward and the
Army Corps vowed straight out contractors would remove toxic ash
(06:32):
and wreckage from destroyed homes and would go down six
inches of top soil that were contaminated. Well, as I said,
there were all kinds of limitations. Only the structural ash footprint.
A wide range of debris outside was ineligible for removal. Driveways, sidewalks, patios,
(06:58):
pool waters, lawns. Nope, they didn't do it. So how
then do you clean up any given lot. So there's
we'll see what happens. And when you signed, when you
asked the core, you had to sign a complete liability waiver.
(07:20):
You get what you get, all right, So much for that.
Let's oh, health benefits. One of the big aspects of
the Big Beautiful Bill, as it changed America pretty dramatically,
is starting in twenty twenty six, the year of strangely enough,
(07:40):
the midterms, the rules of Medicaid change now. Medicaid is
the government paid for medical program, insurance program that low
income people are eligible for and people who are disabled,
and it provides free and subsidized health insurance to those folks.
(08:01):
And the number of people that are going to be
off Medicaid, well, everybody's trying to figure this out because
we don't know at this point, we don't know how
many people are going to lose their coverage. And there
are two arguments here, one on each side, one of
them being let me argue for the Big Beautiful Bill
right now, and that is there's a work requirement as
(08:25):
part of this bill. If someone is to receive Medicaid,
that someone has to prove every six months that they're
looking for work or are employed and don't make enough money.
If you're not working, you don't get it. That's assuming
(08:45):
you're able bodied and you can work. Haven't figured out
yet how do you approve it? Because this thing is
still in its early stages, and most Americans think that's okay,
that receiving tax laws and just sitting on your ass
is not something that everybody appreciates.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And I do too, you know, I.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Don't like that you of paying taxes so you don't
have to work and you get free medical although the
argument about national health is a different one. So that's
the basic premise of the new Medicaid bill. So the
argument on the other side, and this government state governments particularly,
(09:31):
is how many people are going to lose their coverage?
Five point one million people in California are eligible and
receive medical Medical is California's version of Medicaid.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
We took that over and what over.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Ten percent of the population of California receives medical I mean,
that is a huge figure. And what the Democrats are
arguing is that a huge number of people will lose
their insurance coverage. In the tens of millions of people
across the country are going to lose their insurance coverage,
(10:15):
and so they argue that the big beautiful bill takes
away from those people who desperately need it. The government
is saying, we're not taking anything away. We're just making
people meet requirements. And there are certain exceptions. If you've
got if you're pregnant, whether you're male or female, if
(10:37):
you're disabled, if you're a caregiver, there are exceptions to that.
But for the most part, if you happen to be
able bodied, guess what, you have to prove you're looking
and otherwise you are not going to get Medicaid. So
that means it's going to move over to the states.
(10:58):
That's one thing about the Trump administration. One of the big,
big issues with the Trump administration. One of the beliefs
is relying on the federal government for everything is not
particularly a good idea. The states should take over a
lot of what the Feds do. FEMA, for example, FEMA
is disappearing, and what Trump said is the states should
(11:21):
do this. Although the argument is, you have these natural
disasters that are so extraordinary and are so overwhelming, a
state doesn't have the ability to deal with it. They
just don't, and it takes the federal government. And frankly,
most of the money comes from the federal government.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Anyway.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
States receive the vast number of dollars counties in terms
of just doing their work.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
It's federal money. I mean, think about it.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
We pay enormous taxes to the federal government, and the
federal government then funds various programs. Now California is a
different animal because California, it takes on a lot of
the work itself, which is why we have the highest
state income tax in the United States, marginal income tax.
(12:09):
And this is for people who make serious money, over
a million dollars thirteen and a half percent. Now when
you put that to thirty nine percent if you pay
the Feds, now you're talking north of fifty percent. And
that's why wealthy people are leaving California. They're going, We're
not going to pay fifty percent of our income. I mean, come, maage,
(12:31):
you put it this way. You work for the state
and the Feds from January until July July one is
when you get your money. Before that, all your money
goes to the government.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
I love it when rich people vote these wing nuts
in to put these taxes on them and then they
leave and the rest of us. Sorry I was talking
to Anne here that aren't millionaires that we've got to
deal with it once they leave.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
By the way, three states have used work requirements for
Medicaid recipients New Hampshire, Arkansas, Georgia. The states determine eligibility,
and here the Trump administration is arguing that the Feds
have to determine.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And oh, I was wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Fifteen million people are on medical Come on that many
and a third will be required to prove they are working.
And at this point, no one knows how they do it,
where they do it. It's just they're going to do it.
(13:43):
And this is what's happening, not only in this administration
but many administrations, but particularly this administration, is you have
this sweeping, the sweeping new laws that are kicking in
and no one knows how to deal with them. No
one has any idea. For example, FEMA, it's up to
(14:04):
the states now to do what FEMA did. Okay, so
we need a new bureaucracy. We have to figure out
where our money goes for a natural disaster. Can you
imagine in southern California if we had a major earthquake,
we did Northridge, which cost center at that time what
fifteen twenty billion dollars? You know, how do you come
(14:25):
up with that? How does a city a county come
up with that without the Feds coming in? Okay, so
what's going on with chat GPT, Well, there are some
real issues as far as mental health questions are concerned.
As you know, chat GPT really gets involved and asks
(14:46):
personal question and gives you advice. The problem is when
it comes to mental health that is I would say
a little difficult. And they had a real problem with
their GPT four to oh that's their program because it
was so overly agreeable. I mean, people were actually laughing
(15:09):
at what it was doing because you would have a
conversation in which the four to oh praise people in
terms of their mental illness and what they believe.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Because it's sycophantic.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
It's program that what it wants to do is have
you like it and have you understand your problems like
you're talking to a therapist, except it's not a therapist,
and people believe what chat GPT is saying. You know,
for example, if you have a relationship with some hooker, right,
(15:48):
some lovely if you're a man, usually it's men who
get involved in these relationships with women on the internet,
and it's chat GPT. It tells you what you want
to hear, which is fine on the sex part. How
is it on the mental health part? Not so well?
(16:09):
So going back in terms of looking at the story,
one instance, and by the way, this isn't just an instance.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
I mean this is not a typical.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
The program praised people for believing the family was responsible
for radio signals coming in through the walls, and then
in another it praised and endorsed destructions for terrorism.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Because it doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It just wants you to feel good, and it wants
you to, I guess feel good and help you. But
it doesn't tell you you're a complete utter loser. I mean,
I will I should be a therapist. Actually, oh man,
what I do?
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Well? Huh?
Speaker 1 (16:55):
I think you have a lot of artificial intelligence.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
I have a lot of artificial tell us.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I mean I've told people, actually, ask me, what do
you think I would take a swan dive off the building?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I mean, you might as well do it right now
and deal with us.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
In the meantime, they have to redo their model big time.
And now in terms of mental health, they still are
involved in mental health, but they're coming back working with
more than ninety physicians across dozens of countries to evaluate complex,
multi turned conversations. I mean, they're getting really serious about
(17:32):
the fact that it can be abused. Well, we know
it can be abused anyway, because it's algorithmic, algorithmic, and
as the rich Demurow says, quite often it goes in
directions that you're not prepared for, or it gives you well,
you know, for example, you ask it to write a
(17:53):
paper for you, and it will make up sources, make
them up, make up you know, papers that have already
been published that haven't been because it wants to do
a good job on the paper. It wants to do
a good job on your research. So ask me for
(18:15):
mental health questions. Oh we should do that.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Oh doctor handel, Yeah, ask doctor.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Well, theoretically I am a doctor because I have a
doctor of jurisprudence set. But we're not allowed to call
our shows doctors under the law.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
But yeah, I would go for it. Wait a sec.
It's not ask.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Handle anything on Friday, it's ask handle for advice for
I can do religious advice one week.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
No, I've often wanted to fill in my dead and
resurrected body.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
I am asked to fill in for The Jesus Show
for decades marginal spiritual advice, and there I am, and there.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Are people advice from Judas.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yes, if you've ever listened to The Jesus Show, and Neil,
you'll tell us this.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
There are people that actually are suicidal that call in.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Well we don't. We purposely do not take those calls
on the program. I understand early on they there were
some that got through, but no, that's not the program
for that. That there are better but yes we have
I know that's some pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
And what the appropriate the appropriate answer?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Do it? Do it?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Now?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
You and I are are strange friends. Well, it's odd
that we get along really.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Okay, excellent.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Oh, as a matter of fact, the Zelmans ask, we're
going to we are going to use your words. I know,
I know, I'm just trying to think and you know
I'm going off in different directions here.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
There is a event.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
And by the way, we're going to spend the rest
of this segment because we're running pretty short, so I'll
do the monopoly on us fire retardant maybe tomorrow. But
Neil and I are hosting this event. And here's why
I'm bringing this up. We're taking Zelmans testing to the
test whether or not it really does its job, which
of course it does. And we are inviting five people
(20:19):
and their guests to join us for dinner at the
Anaheim White House. We're curating the menu, which means garlic
and onions, and it's going to be breath, breath, breath,
and then we're all going to engage in taking Zelmens
and seeing if it works.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
It's like a drug den, it is.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
We're all going to engage in taking Zelmans in a
tent with a fire and steam in the center.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
And we're doing it at the Anaheim White House. Of
course we will, and they're producing that special menu for us.
So five people and a guest. So, and I'll tell
you why I'm bringing this up in a minute. The
way you get entered into this contest be one of
the five people is you go to Zelman's Z E
L M I N S. Zelmans dot com and the
(21:08):
promo code is KFI. Now what have I have not
talked about as part of the event. Phenomenal food of
course Zelman's uh and you'll get samples of Zelman's. I
think we're giving away swag too. Uh yeah, we'll be well,
we'll be giving away some fun swag. And then the
added attraction for those of you that have ever been
(21:31):
with Neil and I while we are eating, the joys
of seeing Neil and I stuff are faces usually with
two hands going simultaneously in huge quantities.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That tracks also there, you know, there are things that
apply and rules and regulations all that, and if you
want to find out more about that, you can find
that out at zelmans dot com as well. And you
know how you can enter without purchase.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Okay, and we have a minute and a half left,
So Neil, why don't you horror your dinner?
Speaker 1 (22:05):
How dare you? You mean my dinner coming up? Yes,
this Saturday? Yes, from two to five, actually two to seven,
because we'll I'll do the show two to five live
and then five to seven we will have Tiffany Hobbs.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
It's going to be great. We're calling it my birthday show.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
But the reality is it's just a good excuse to
go out and have some great food. It's at Desconzo
Restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. It's right near
the LaBrea Tarpit and we've just been looking to do
a remote there because I love their food and rob
Ariano there, the owner is just a really really nice
guy and they're good at what they do. And I said, well,
(22:44):
you know, it's around ish my birthday, let's come out
and just do that. So he's put together all kinds
of great stuff and including free apps and complimentary apps
and things like that.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Complimentary appetizers. Yeah, he said, complimentary apps.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
That's what you can call mapps. Oh okay, I didn't
know that. Yeah you can.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Okay, So that's confusing though. It's not like you're going
to get on your cell phone or something. But all
you need to do is RSVP via an email, and
so you send one to rs VP at Desconso Restaurant
dot com and tell us your name and how many
people you're bringing. And we'd love to have you there.
(23:23):
I'd love to say hello, shake your hand and hang out.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Have you ever noticed, Amy and the events that Neil
and I do together are always food oriented.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Everything is food orian.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
If you're not going to feed my listeners something, I
don't you know, I don't want to do it.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
And you're the same way all right, I think I
get that from you.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
All right, coming up Joel lars Guard and Joel is
going to join us and comment on Neil and I
hooring our next foody event, which we do on a
regular basis. Joel Larsguard, who we have not seen in
a month, is with us how to Money, and he's
heard on Sundays here on KFI. So we're gonna spend
(24:07):
another fun half hour when we come back. Amy in
the KF No, this is KFI. No, hold on, that
was my fault, so listen. Yeah, that was so let's
do that again. This is KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
You've been listening to the Bill Handle Show.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Catch my show Monday through Friday, six am to nine am,
and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app
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