Badlands Media

Badlands Story Hour Ep. 175: Jaws

Chris Paul and Burning Bright drop into the water for a look at Spielberg's 1975 classic, and yes, the animatronic shark holds up better than you'd think. The guys dig into why practical tension still beats modern CGI, trade theories on whether Jaws would scare anyone who first saw it as an adult, and take a hard swing at Spielberg's recent output along the way. Expect real talk about shark encounters, a detour into Moby Dick style "nature doesn't care about your plans" philosophy, and some genuinely funny tangents about beach trips gone wrong. Stick around for listener boosts, chat shoutouts, and the reveal of next week's pick, a 1997 mind bender that's already got the chat buzzing. Grab a snack, maybe stay out of the water.

SITREP Ep. 161: Vietnam Huey Pilot Rick Talks Hot LZs and War Stories

Grab your coffee (or bourbon pecan, your call), because CannCon and Alpha Warrior trade the news desk for the hangar this week. They sit down with Vietnam War veteran and Huey pilot Warrant Officer Rick McAninch, who flew assault helicopter missions with the 334th and trained alongside the 317th Air Cav. Rick walks through what it actually took to fly troops into hot LZs with no night vision, why tail rotor failure is not the day ruiner you would expect, and a few stories that prove gear regulations were a lot looser back then. Expect a tiger encounter, a near miss with mortar fire, and enough helicopter trivia to make you rethink every war movie you have watched. It is equal parts history lesson and buddy comedy, told with the kind of respect only guys who have been there can offer.

Badlands Book Club: The Creature From Jekyll Island - Chapter 8: Fool's Gold

CannCon and Ashe in America crack open Chapter 8 of The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin, and things get spicy fast. This week's theme: Fool's Gold, the story of how paper money without any real backing became the norm, and how fractional reserve banking let banks issue more gold receipts than gold they actually had. They trace fiat money all the way back to Marco Polo's account of paper currency in Kublai Khan's China, then jump into colonial America's wild ride through inflation, devaluation, and eventual return to sound money. Expect tangents on tallow, brisket, and a healthy dose of disbelief at how casually governments have always printed their way out of trouble. It is history, economics, and a little bit of chaos, delivered with the hosts' usual mix of humor and genuine frustration.

The Choice S4E6: Dedication

Ashe in America and Ghost are back to unpack Season 4, Episode 6 of The Chosen, "Dedication," and this one is doing a lot at once. Expect a surprisingly deep detour into Alexander the Great and how his conquests reshaped the world Jesus and the disciples actually lived in, plus a spirited debate about which Bible verses tend to get conveniently trimmed by preachers who like half a promise more than the whole gospel. Hanukkah brings warmth, tradition, and family scenes worth savoring, but the hosts also dig into Judas's growing impatience, the quiet courage of an unlikely disciple in a moment of crisis, and a devastating letter that closes out the episode on a gut punch. Ashe and Ghost trade sharp character analysis with plenty of tangents, humor, and a shared appreciation for the show's attention to detail. It is equal parts Bible study, TV recap, and buddy banter, and it sets the stage for what they promise is a very big episode next week.

The Daily Herold: 7/9/26 - Election Overhaul Deep Dive and Platner's Exit

Jon Herold works through a New York Times deep dive on the many ways Trump is using federal power to try to shape the 2026 midterms, walking through nationalization efforts, redistricting battles, election security cuts, and ongoing fights over voter rolls in states like Georgia and Minnesota. He shares some skepticism about whether these efforts have produced any real world results yet and invites the chat to weigh in. There is also a look at Graham Platner's Senate campaign collapsing under new allegations, Trump's on camera reaction to it, fresh testimony from Lance Twigs in the Tyler Robinson case, and a couple of business headlines including a wave of new chip manufacturing investment. Sponsor breaks and some lively back and forth with the chat round things out for a fairly dense Thursday show.

Badlands Daily: 7/9/26 - Jack Smith's Classified Mess, Maine's Platner Fallout & Iran Strikes Back

CannCon and Alpha Warrior kick off with a Chuck Grassley bombshell claiming Jack Smith's own office mishandled classified material while prosecuting Trump, then dig into what that could mean for the special counsel himself. From there the two go head to head, genuinely head to head, over the unraveling Graham Platner scandal in Maine and whether a similar controversy around his would be replacement holds up to scrutiny. It gets spirited. The guys also revisit new details from the Tyler Robinson trial, including a disputed unspent round and fresh interview timelines. On the geopolitics side, Iran and the US trade blows again in the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM rolls out strike footage, and Trump fields pointed questions about skipping the new Air Force One over security concerns. Sponsor breaks, tech gremlins, and plenty of banter round out the show.

Devolution Power Hour Ep. 473: Iran Round Two, DOGE Debate, and Rumble Woes

Jon Herold and Burning Bright are back for a Wednesday session that opens with bathroom demolition chaos before diving into the real construction project: tearing apart the DOGE narrative. Was it a genuine cost cutting crusade or a "narrative delivery vehicle" for waking people up to government waste? The guys hash out both sides after a rough reaction to a poll about it.
From there it's straight into the Iran situation, which appears to be heating back up despite the earlier ceasefire talk, plus what it means for energy markets, gas prices, and the ongoing tug of war between Trump's deal making instincts and hawks pushing for more. There's also chatter on rumble payment processing hiccups, some community shoutouts, and the usual banter that makes the show feel like hanging out with friends who happen to be neck deep in the news cycle.
Grab a drink, this one runs long.

The Shipwreck Show Ep. 62: Charlie Kirk Fallout, Christian Awakening, and McConnell Conspiracies

Shipwreck is back after a wild news week, wading through the Charlie Kirk trial fallout, the Candace Owens versus Turning Point USA divide, and a fresh round of Mitch McConnell conspiracy talk (yes, the collagen ad makes a comeback too). She digs into the Christian Zionism debate, questions why curiosity gets treated like a crime online, and reacts live to a stack of viral clips on segregation, the IDF military merger rumor, and Laura Loomer's latest headlines. Between the political tangents there's genuine heart: a save the marriage pep talk, trad wife discourse, fiber goals, and a baby bird rescue on her daily walk. It's unfiltered, funny, a little chaotic, and refreshingly honest about not having all the answers. Pull up a chair, mute your triggers, and settle in.

Space Revolution Ep. 26: Why Space is a Path to Truth

Ever wonder why a bunch of satellites floating in the sky matters so much to your daily reality? Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven L. Kwast sits down with Chris Ponder to lay the groundwork for their new "Tools for Truth" series, starting with a crash course in orbital mechanics that's part physics lecture, part treasure map. They break down the difference between low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and geosynchronous orbit, and why that distinction matters far beyond rocket science. Along the way, the conversation drifts into the difference between "intelligence" and "information," how ancient logic and rhetoric still hold the keys to discernment, and why space itself might be one of humanity's best shots at building an incorruptible ledger of truth. Expect big ideas, some fun visuals, and a reminder that this is a journey best taken one lesson at a time.

The Daily Herold: 7/8/26 - Air Force One Jitters, NATO Fallout, and Seth Rich Documents

Jon Herold rolls into hump day with a lighter mood, opening with a shoutout to a fan painted portrait of his cat before diving into the noise around Trump's Air Force One travel plans and the speculation over why he's flying home the old fashioned way. He plays a few clips from the president's press gaggle, including some candid comments on assassination odds and the ongoing Iran conflict, then breaks down Trump's rocky NATO stop in Turkey and the fallout with allies like Spain and Denmark. There's a look at fresh DOJ action on noncitizen voting, a Nebraska lawsuit tied to overseas ballots, and another twist in the long running Seth Rich documents saga. Jon also works through a couple of sponsor segments and some good natured chat interaction along the way. It is a loose, conversational ride through a fairly newsy Wednesday.