Latest / Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories / Venezuela, 2026 culture predictions, Tim Walz & football playoffs | Ep. 51

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Venezuela, 2026 culture predictions, Tim Walz & football playoffs | Ep. 51 · Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories

0:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Hi, I'm Connor Jones.
0:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Mike Atama Sella.
0:06
[SPEAKER_01]: And this is Culture Brief, a Dinnison Foreign Podcast where we navigate the constant stream of top stories and news, politics, sports, pop culture, technology, and so much more.
0:15
[SPEAKER_01]: And we do it all from a Christian perspective.
0:17
[SPEAKER_01]: And Micah, my goodness, 2026, has already started and it is starting off with the bang.
0:22
[SPEAKER_01]: We got so much to talk about.
0:23
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a give us a rundown of what we're hitting on today.
0:26
[SPEAKER_00]: start off with a bang.
0:27
[SPEAKER_00]: It's so awesome to be back with you guys with you Connor excited to jump into 2026.
0:35
[SPEAKER_00]: This is our 50 first episode.
0:37
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for taking this journey with us and sharing the podcast with your friends.
0:42
[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, we're just really grateful for 2025 and we're really excited for what God's gonna do in 2026.
0:47
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Connor, you asked what are we gonna talk
0:52
[SPEAKER_00]: How about that?
0:53
[SPEAKER_00]: 2026 predictions.
0:55
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to give you some some fun predictions there.
0:57
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to talk about Tim walls and the scandal We're going to talk about Zoron mom, Donnie football and so much more.
1:04
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's jump into the brief the brief
1:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Mike, I feel like we should have known something that was about to happen in Venezuela because as we talked about last year, there's that Twitter account, the pinnogon pizza report that just focuses on all the pizza restaurants around the pinnogon and DC, and if they're getting a surge in business, when business surge in the middle of the night on Saturday, we should have known something was happening, and it did.
1:28
[SPEAKER_01]: And it was laid out perfectly in Jack Ryan season two, John Krasinski, who you may know as Jim Helper in the office, literally laid out all the strategic reasons why Venezuela is important to the U.S. to rush it to China to everyone in the world, and then overnight on Saturday, we saw it happen.
1:47
[SPEAKER_01]: United States went into Caracas, Venezuela, captured Nicholas Maduro, the dictator leadership in his wife, and brought them back to the United States.
1:56
[SPEAKER_01]: They was called Operation Absolute Resolve, and let me just say, it was really impressive.
2:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Was it needed?
2:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Should we do it?
2:03
[SPEAKER_01]: That's not for me to say.
2:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, we're going to discuss that, but what we cannot deny is what the United States pulled off here in this operation was an absolute masterclass in military operational strategy in terms of all the ways that every single aircraft, every single person performed their job, performed their duty, got in and out, grabbed them without anybody really being able to put up a fight.
2:27
[SPEAKER_01]: How about that, Michael?
2:28
[SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
2:30
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm a full believer in American excellence.
2:35
[SPEAKER_00]: We can debate the merits of the action, but just like this, or bombing the nuclear facilities in Iran, getting in, getting it out, doing it quickly, no casualties getting the job done.
2:48
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think people want to mess with us, man.
2:51
[SPEAKER_00]: I think this is really impressive.
2:55
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely it makes the world aware that the United States is still the super power here right it's not just talk man for it's just been a lot of talk for a long time like what oh wait, you know even us right like oh wait.
3:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we're we're really good at this.
3:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's, it's the second time since Trump's been president again that he's just posted this like, you know, this thing on truth social worries like we just perform this insane operation they're in they're out it's done and we're like, holy cow when did this happen how to give the details and then video start coming out of his way a lot of us have seen it helicopters flying in low fighter jets flying over there's some gunfire some missiles being shot.
3:32
[SPEAKER_01]: And since video I'm sure there will be TV shows or movies about this operation exactly I can't wait to hear one of the guys who is on this operation on a podcast probably like the Sean Ryan podcast just talking about what went down and how they did it how they pulled it off we're going to hit on that because as we're saying yeah the US special forces.
3:47
[SPEAKER_01]: specifically the Delta Force alongside CIA operatives, DEA and FBI, so we're talking about law enforcement, working with the military, went into crocus that grabbed Maduro and his wife straight from their palace.
3:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this was like a 30 minutes in and out type of operation.
4:03
[SPEAKER_01]: It took several hours, it started at 1046 p.m. that's when Trump gave the green light on Friday night.
4:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And by 329 a.m. Nicholas Maduro was on the USS Iwo Jima, just impressive.
4:14
[SPEAKER_01]: They got him and his wife as they were running to a safe room in their palace, but they apprehended him before he could reach it.
4:21
[SPEAKER_01]: There were a total of 150 aircraft to use during this execution, which is just insane.
4:27
[SPEAKER_01]: The coordination that that takes to use so many aircraft going into the country at the same time from all.
4:31
[SPEAKER_01]: around America as well as the Caribbean 20 different locations these aircraft took off from.
4:36
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't know how many operators there were in terms of special forces and whatnot, how many soldiers were used.
4:41
[SPEAKER_01]: But there was at least several dozen, went in.
4:43
[SPEAKER_01]: There were at least 75 people killed in the attack that includes 24 Venezuelan security officers, 32 Cubans who were assigned by Cuba to protect Maduro, and it sounds like our special forces just went in there and kind of wiped out this entire security force that Maduro had.
4:59
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's supposed to be some of the cuban's top security apparatus, you know, and then they grabbed them, flew back to the U.S. U.S. Ewojima, and they did face gunfire.
5:10
[SPEAKER_01]: There were a few small injuries.
5:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't believe two soldiers are still out of service, but the rest of them that were sustained minor injuries are already back in service.
5:18
[SPEAKER_01]: The New York Times also reported that this all started back in August when the CIA put operatives on the ground and they got secretly into Venezuela, and they started gathering intelligence.
5:28
[SPEAKER_01]: turned them all over essentially in Venezuela that turned against Maduro gave them all the insights all then information that needed allowed them to track his every movement.
5:35
[SPEAKER_01]: New exactly what do we do and from that they built a mock example of the palace that he lives in and Kentucky and the Delta Force was practicing for months this operation of getting in out exactly every single room that is crazy dude I need a special mini series or a movie stat
5:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's amazing.
5:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, if you want some of the similar, I thought about this.
5:57
[SPEAKER_01]: If you want some of the similar to watch about how this would have gone down, I would suggest either the movie, Cicario, which includes Delta Force operatives.
6:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Black Hawk down, which is a failed operation to a sense, but you still get an idea of how they would have done this.
6:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
6:09
[SPEAKER_01]: And then Zero Dark 30, man, where they built it, a replica of...
6:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Bin Laden's compound and practice and practice and practice.
6:17
[SPEAKER_00]: All these guys are credible movies, man All the movies.
6:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, just go watch those and you'll get an idea of how these guys operate.
6:23
[SPEAKER_01]: How confident they are how skilled they are Nobody nobody's ever scared to do these things.
6:27
[SPEAKER_01]: They're just they just know what they're doing.
6:29
[SPEAKER_00]: It's insane Bless some brother god bless our troops, man seriously
6:33
[SPEAKER_01]: no kidding yeah uh and now maduro his wife they are in manhattan uh or they've been and died in the manhattan they're staying in a Brooklyn detention center they're here they're in the US they're in jail and they are facing life sentences uh the Trump administration did frame this operation as a federal law enforcement action yeah that did not require congressional approval so basically they're saying it was law enforcement with the help of the military to get into the country but really that's why the FBI and DEA
6:59
[SPEAKER_01]: written on this operation to make it seem like this is not really a military action, but it also is this is kind of some of the debate there.
7:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Just so you'll know, you're able to do that because in 2020, under Trump's first term, Maduro was charged in New York for narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine and other crimes.
7:17
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's what they were carrying out.
7:18
[SPEAKER_01]: The warrant for his arrest on this.
7:20
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's not just Trump, Joe Biden was a part of this, too.
7:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Trump had placed on his head in 2020 from 15 million to 25 million dollars.
7:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So Biden and his administration really wanted Maduro captured as well.
7:33
[SPEAKER_01]: And so it's kind of hard when you see Democrats rally against this operation and you look back and you're like, well, you guys wanted him captured.
7:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
7:41
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what the Republicans are saying.
7:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
7:42
[SPEAKER_01]: And then, yeah, Attorney General Pambani announced that he was being charged with a whole bunch of things that carry life sentence and we'll see what happens there.
7:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Maduro did tell the judge on Monday that he was, quote, kidnapped and still president of his country before he pled not guilty.
7:58
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's kind of the update there on Maduro's legal side.
8:01
[SPEAKER_01]: I will say there seems to be a bit of a disconnect on what the plan is now, Steven Miller is one of Trump's top advisors, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, and really kind of oversaw this whole thing.
8:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And then Donald Trump himself, they're all three saying different things.
8:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Who's running the country?
8:16
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't really know.
8:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Is it the US?
8:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Is it the interim?
8:19
[SPEAKER_01]: President, who was Maduro's vice president, her name's Delsea Robbins.
8:22
[SPEAKER_00]: There lies the problem, right?
8:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
8:24
[SPEAKER_00]: There lies the problem.
8:25
[SPEAKER_00]: That's the central question.
8:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Also, just a small note on Steven Miller.
8:28
[SPEAKER_00]: That's an intense dude.
8:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
8:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Steven Miller is a very intense guy.
8:34
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, um, he might come up later because his wife is the one who posted picture of Greenland with the American flag over it so on Twitter, which is a soon soon.
8:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, literally some like that.
8:44
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, we know we'll get back to that in a minute, but yeah, he isn't an intense guy and they all have their own agenda, they all have their own egos, the three of them, Miller, Rubio and Trump and they all probably have their own idea of what happens next and they don't seem to fully be on the same page.
8:59
[SPEAKER_01]: uh... rubios trying to like say we're not fully run in the country we we're gonna let this uh... vice president take over become the new president she is now sworn in as the new president delsy rubies is and they're trying to work with her is what they're saying in trump did say uh... that she and the the new intern government agreed to send thirty to in
9:17
[SPEAKER_01]: between 30 to 50 million barrels of oil straight to the U.S. now and that the resulting revenue will be controlled by him as president of the United States and he says to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.
9:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe there are already starting to work together.
9:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's the idea is they want Venezuela to be opened up for U.S. companies to come in there and grab the oil start investing into the oil economy
9:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Was this a regime change?
9:43
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't really know technically it was maybe half a regime change They took out the regime leader, but they didn't install somebody that the U.S. had intended a lot of people that they were going to install The woman who won the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year she used the opposition opponent there Marie Maria Karina Machado But Trump basically on Saturday and his first press conference pretty much just dismissed her and was like
10:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Nah, she's a very nice woman, but she lacks the support to lead, but as well, it's quite be true.
10:08
[SPEAKER_01]: CIA did an analysis.
10:10
[SPEAKER_01]: They said that as well that if she came in power, just cause more chaos, the military does not support her, it might cause chaos in the streets, so they determined the CIA did that it would be best to just keep Rodriguez in power for the time being.
10:22
[SPEAKER_01]: and rubio man he's been big on the details for Venezuela this is obviously something he really wanted to get done he's always had a target out for Cuba as well that's where his parents and grandparents are from is Cuba so he's always wanted to do something there to make part of the story yeah yeah and yeah rubio and then he rubio also speaks Spanish so that's a big piece of this here he's been speaking in Spanish to a lot of these leaders in Latin America as secretary of state trying to explain to them why they would do this
10:48
[SPEAKER_01]: And he says, you know, we want Venezuela to move in a certain direction, because not only do we think it's good for the people of Venezuela, it's in the U.S. National interests as well.
10:56
[SPEAKER_01]: That still seems to be up for debate, right?
10:58
[SPEAKER_01]: That's where we're headed with all of this, and that's what's going to take, you know, precedent over the next few weeks in conversations.
11:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Not just that.
11:06
[SPEAKER_01]: The administration's also making veiled threats towards other countries as we just mentioned.
11:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Greenland seems to be next in line for something to happen, right?
11:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Mike, I mean, what we're seeing Trump continues to say.
11:17
[SPEAKER_00]: He was probably next in line.
11:19
[SPEAKER_00]: Uh, it might be in this military military there'd be there'd be more of a precedent to go and do like what you did with Maduro, milit like a military infiltration of Greenland seems unnecessary and I don't know what legal precedent you would have with that one.
11:35
[SPEAKER_00]: So, but that would be a question.
11:36
[SPEAKER_00]: That's a different strategy for Greenland Greenland.
11:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Rubio did say about Cuba to your point.
11:41
[SPEAKER_01]: He said if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be concerned.
11:44
[SPEAKER_01]: So kind of putting them on notice, giving them a threat and awarding right.
11:49
[SPEAKER_00]: the type of got to just throw around threats like Steven Miller and Trump every day threaten somebody.
11:55
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's just that's a part of what they're doing.
11:58
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, that's a part of their negotiation strategy.
12:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Trump starting to fall through on some of those threats, which surprises a soul, right?
12:05
[SPEAKER_00]: But Rubio saying that doesn't say that type of stuff off, and he's quite a bit more calculated.
12:10
[SPEAKER_00]: More of a career politician than Steven Miller and Trump, you know, I say he's not a career
12:18
[SPEAKER_00]: He's a late career politician.
12:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, late and new career out of it.
12:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, what do you know instead of retiring?
12:23
[SPEAKER_01]: He did this.
12:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he had a quite a retirement Job, you know Yeah, anyways, you're right Rubio's very strategic about that, which is why I think a lot of people are taking the Greenland thing seriously Because Trump keeps bringing it up.
12:35
[SPEAKER_01]: He even said let's talk about Greenland in 20 days like he's saying let's figure out this event as a way of thinking and then I'm going to focus on Greenland They're trying to say that they just want to buy Greenland from Denmark Greenland is a Danish territory belongs to Denmark
12:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Denmark is a NATO ally.
12:48
[SPEAKER_01]: This would be bad if the U.S. tried to just take over Greenland and some form.
12:52
[SPEAKER_01]: So they're trying to say we want to buy it from them.
12:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Denmark doesn't seem to be willing to do that.
12:57
[SPEAKER_01]: And they also are saying we got to take Trump's threats to take it over military.
13:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Seriously, because like you just said, Micah.
13:02
[SPEAKER_01]: He makes threats and then he does tend to follow up on some of them.
13:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, I mean, if there was a percentage, it would be a lot less like that he actually does something from his threats, like using words.
13:13
[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, recently, yeah, he, I definitely can understand why Denmark and White NATO would be up in arms, hoping and believing that
13:27
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, and in a above board way, true.
13:30
[SPEAKER_01]: The problem with NATO is if the U.S. is not a NATO, NATO does not stand nearly as powerful as it does towards Russia and any other enemies right now.
13:37
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's kind of their issue there.
13:39
[SPEAKER_01]: They need the U.S. and NATO.
13:41
[SPEAKER_00]: So, well,
13:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, yeah, I mean, that's a longer discussion, and I bet you we will have some discussions about this because I'm starting to actually believe the US is going to find a way to acquire Greenland, but my thought process would be, okay, if you take over Greenland militarily who's going to stop America, like who's going to step in and say, no, NATO's strength, you know, the foundation is America.
14:05
[SPEAKER_00]: So what exactly would it do?
14:07
[SPEAKER_00]: So Trump could take that, you know what, like I'm tired of waiting?
14:09
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just going to do this.
14:11
[SPEAKER_00]: There are many, many problems with that.
14:13
[SPEAKER_00]: So my, again, like I said, my hope would be that they could offer the people of Greenland some sort of agreement.
14:19
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what I've been reading some sort of like agreement and some guarantees and some financing things like that that could actually make this work if it's going to happen.
14:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the White House did say on Tuesday, President Trump and his team are discussing a range of options to acquire Greenland, preferably buying it from Denmark, but stresses that utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander and chiefs disposal.
14:40
[SPEAKER_01]: We should mention the reason is because Trump says it's very strategic for national security.
14:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Correct.
14:44
[SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of rare earth minerals, which we've talked about on this podcast, what that means for building AI computers, what that means for building weapons.
14:50
[SPEAKER_01]: You need those rare earth minerals.
14:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Greenland is filled with them and they're pretty much untested.
14:54
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, and Greenland's in the Arctic, and there's just a lot of stuff
14:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Right now about how there's some future wars that are going to play out in the Arctic because of how important that area is and how it
15:04
[SPEAKER_01]: overlaps with the other side of the world and things like that too true and they've also made threats towards Mexico and Columbia all this to say I found this statement from political to be very telling and kind of just wrapping up the whole thing with this operation.
15:17
[SPEAKER_01]: It says a president who wants to chastise his predecessors for endless foreign wars and fruitless nation building announced that America is now in charge of Venezuela and is going to run everything.
15:28
[SPEAKER_01]: But casually threatening five more nations around the world with US intervention.
15:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Kind of true.
15:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he ran on no more foreign intervention, no more for ever wars and he hasn't exactly started that, but he could be that I think that's definitely a contradiction.
15:41
[SPEAKER_00]: This is this is a slap you in the face right in front of you called a spade calling a spade to spade.
15:46
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a contradiction to a T. This is coming off a bit hypocritical, very hypocritical from what he ran on.
15:53
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, like you and I were talking about even before the show, Connor.
15:56
[SPEAKER_00]: this America first movement, it just depends on what your definition is.
16:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Because I see people out there right now, it's like, okay, being America first is protecting now and in the future American interests.
16:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Other people would define America first, which in the main line, MAGA movement would define it this way of a more isolationist view of America first of
16:17
[SPEAKER_00]: no more funding wars, no more boots on the ground, none of that.
16:20
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to isolate, we're going to stay out of things that I've nothing to do with us.
16:24
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think this is a central question.
16:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Why does America have to continue to be the world's police?
16:29
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm just asking that.
16:30
[SPEAKER_00]: It's almost even more of a rhetorical question for us to all ask ourselves and read up on why does America have to continue to spend time and resources when we have our own issues here state side, plenty of them, why do we have to continue to be the world's police?
16:43
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a good question.
16:44
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a big question.
16:45
[SPEAKER_01]: That is what a lot of people are asking.
16:46
[SPEAKER_01]: That's kind of what Trump ran on.
16:48
[SPEAKER_01]: He was like, I don't want to see the world anymore.
16:50
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the biggest things he ran on you could say.
16:52
[SPEAKER_01]: He would probably say we're not being the world's police.
16:55
[SPEAKER_01]: We're just doing what's, you know, what I want to basically, we're like the world's bully in a way.
17:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Like we are the most powerful.
17:01
[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to do what we want to do.
17:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think is the way that he would to say, okay.
17:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, oh, and I should just mention, I feel like.
17:10
[SPEAKER_01]: had this operation gone poorly, gone south.
17:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Had it been a Black Hawk down situation, which happened in the 90s when Bill Clinton was president, same type of operation, go into a city, grab a target, get out in 30 minutes.
17:23
[SPEAKER_01]: That operation would completely south in that marred Bill Clinton's presidency for a while.
17:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Like people were like, why were we in Somali?
17:29
[SPEAKER_01]: What are we doing there?
17:29
[SPEAKER_01]: All that?
17:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Had this happen in Caracas?
17:32
[SPEAKER_01]: I think everybody views this whole thing totally different.
17:34
[SPEAKER_01]: Totally.
17:34
[SPEAKER_01]: If we lost any soldiers or an aircraft or anything like that, if any lives have been lost on the American side, everybody sees this operation completely differently.
17:41
[SPEAKER_01]: But it was a success.
17:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Just like Iron Man.
17:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Correct.
17:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Nuclear bombing was.
17:44
[SPEAKER_01]: So I want that paint that helps paint your picture of how you respond to something like this.
17:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
17:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
17:51
[SPEAKER_01]: We got a great question from Wilson on our Instagram DMs.
17:55
[SPEAKER_01]: He sent us this this question.
17:57
[SPEAKER_01]: He said in light of the capture of Maduro, how does a country have the ability to capture another nation's leader and how do you feel about us leading that country for the time being?
18:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Great question.
18:07
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a great question Wilson.
18:09
[SPEAKER_01]: There's been a lot of people talking about the legality of this.
18:11
[SPEAKER_01]: How, what gives us the right to do this?
18:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Is this not what Russia just did to Ukraine in 2022, just invading willy-nilly because they wanted to, could China take this as a way to say, well, if you guys do it in Venezuela, we can do it in Taiwan.
18:25
[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to just take Taiwan over at some point.
18:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Could they point this back as president?
18:29
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a little bit different.
18:30
[SPEAKER_01]: There's several reasons why.
18:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to lean on Jed Rubenfeld here.
18:35
[SPEAKER_01]: He is a constitutional law professor.
18:37
[SPEAKER_01]: So this is like his area of expertise at Yale.
18:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
18:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
18:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
18:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
18:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Smart guy.
18:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Smart guy.
18:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
18:42
[SPEAKER_01]: He's about as smart as us.
18:44
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
18:45
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
18:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
18:46
[SPEAKER_01]: No.
18:48
[SPEAKER_01]: He did say that the U.S. did the very same thing.
18:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And this did happen 1989 George H. will be Bush sent in U.S. troops and a small it was kind of like a month-long operation in Panama where we captured their leader Noriega at the time.
19:00
[SPEAKER_01]: And that was a bigger operation than this
19:06
[SPEAKER_01]: the course actually upheld that as a legal thing after years of litigation and careful consideration.
19:11
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's because kind of like this situation, the U.S. and 50 other countries don't actually recognize, they didn't recognize Noriega and they don't recognize Maduro now as the leader of Venezuela as the actual rightful president because he lost democratic elections.
19:25
[SPEAKER_01]: He just stayed in power and never left.
19:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Correct.
19:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Because it matters because you're right.
19:30
[SPEAKER_01]: yeah he's a dictator and one of the questions is can you just take another country's president well the u.s. technical as a law this is all foreign leaders anybody who's in charge as head of state is actually immune from u.s. prosecution but because the u.s. and all these countries do not recognize material as the true head of state then he has worn out for his
19:51
[SPEAKER_01]: So that outstanding arrest warrant that I mentioned from 2020 made it legal for the U.S. to go in and grab him as a law enforcement operation.
19:59
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what they did.
20:00
[SPEAKER_01]: However,
20:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Rubinfeld says that Trump's plan to quote, run Venezuela for the foreseeable future.
20:07
[SPEAKER_01]: That's obviously much more murky.
20:08
[SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of questions around that.
20:10
[SPEAKER_01]: It's almost universally accepted that the president does not have the power to make war without congressional consent.
20:15
[SPEAKER_01]: And a targeted seizure of a fugitive is not war, but presidents across several administrations have done this.
20:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Obama did this, Clinton did this George W. Bush did this.
20:24
[SPEAKER_01]: This is a common thing.
20:26
[SPEAKER_01]: But if they try to do something further in Venezuela,
20:31
[SPEAKER_01]: congressional approval through the war powers act would need to apply in the administration and have to obtain that approval.
20:37
[SPEAKER_01]: That is expected to happen on Thursday.
20:40
[SPEAKER_01]: The day you may be listening to this, the Senate is going to vote on a war powers joint to resolution that would actually bar the U.S. from military action in Venezuela without their authorization.
20:50
[SPEAKER_01]: So we'll see what the Senate votes on there.
20:52
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the House may have to pass that as well.
20:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And Trump may be able to even veto it.
20:57
[SPEAKER_01]: So may not matter for Venezuela, but it could prevent
21:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Yep.
21:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
21:03
[SPEAKER_01]: That's the legality side of things, but Micah as we've talked about.
21:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Here's a big question.
21:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And this is what I think you're wanted to dive into.
21:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Why do this?
21:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Why do this operation in all of Venezuela?
21:13
[SPEAKER_01]: What benefit does this offer to American people?
21:16
[SPEAKER_01]: How does this affect American to it?
21:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Just trying to focus on affordability.
21:19
[SPEAKER_01]: They want childcare.
21:20
[SPEAKER_01]: They want health care.
21:20
[SPEAKER_01]: All that stuff.
21:22
[SPEAKER_01]: How does this help us with that?
21:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Are we going to fall into another
21:26
[SPEAKER_01]: debacle in another country in a far off land that sends boots on the ground in lots of expenses lots of tax dollars all of our military focus what does Venezuela have to do with the average American you know what was this really even about drug trafficking that was kind of the precedent of this is what they got maduro on with its charges we've been striking boats for the last four months in the Caribbean was this even about drug trafficking or is this truly just all about oil lots of questions lots of questions what do you think?
21:54
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, okay.
21:55
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to give us five pros and five cons to this operation, you know, Connor and I as the host of Culture Brief.
22:02
[SPEAKER_00]: We love a good pros, cons list.
22:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's effective for figuring out how we feel about a story about a headline, but it's also good to help us make big decisions like whatever it might be.
22:12
[SPEAKER_00]: Just put it all like pinned to paper.
22:13
[SPEAKER_00]: So we've been reading up a lot on this and I know that it's just dominated the news and and I'll say from the start.
22:19
[SPEAKER_00]: We feel the tension that you're probably
22:23
[SPEAKER_00]: That in some ways this does seem like a good thing in other ways.
22:27
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't really understand it.
22:29
[SPEAKER_00]: The concept of running another country Makes me feel uneasy from the start right like it's it's one thing to capture the leader It's another thing entirely to to occupy a country that that doesn't feel like what America does anymore America just doesn't something like that in a very long time and I think that we have to understand that a lot of these big decisions there can be multiple reasons for it
22:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Like yes, is it money related?
22:55
[SPEAKER_00]: Is it oil related?
22:56
[SPEAKER_00]: Is it drug related?
22:57
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, to all of them.
23:00
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's yes to all of them.
23:01
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that that's okay.
23:02
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think if we look at a lot of the complex and big decisions, we make in our lives, or that we've seen made at corporations, whatever it might be in our government and in the past, there's a lot of reasons to do things.
23:12
[SPEAKER_00]: Good and bad.
23:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
23:13
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to give you five pros for why the operation could work, why this could yield something.
23:17
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to start with the positive and then move to the negative.
23:19
[SPEAKER_00]: So, number one, it removed a central destabilizing figure in the region.
23:24
[SPEAKER_00]: Capturing Maduro removes the individual most responsible for Venezuela's political repression, economic collapse, and alleged narcotrafficking network, and it also, for many Venezuelans, his absence alone changes that trajectory.
23:38
[SPEAKER_00]: No matter how much those on the left get frustrated about this, and I understand the frustration in some ways.
23:45
[SPEAKER_00]: In another way, you cannot deny the absolute celebrations in the streets that have happened in America and across the globe of all of these Venezuelans that have fled that dictatorship.
23:55
[SPEAKER_00]: They are celebrating.
23:57
[SPEAKER_00]: every single Venezuelan interview that I've read left and right new sources.
24:02
[SPEAKER_00]: They are absolutely ecstatic about the future of their country.
24:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Now that Maduro is out.
24:07
[SPEAKER_00]: So that cannot be denied.
24:09
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, second pro.
24:11
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a clear demonstration of US capability and deterrence.
24:15
[SPEAKER_00]: The scale and precision of this operation, like Connor Brookdown, signals that the U.S. is willing and able to act decisively in the Western hemisphere, especially when criminal regimes seem to maybe threaten American communities through drugs and instability.
24:31
[SPEAKER_00]: This is this is great.
24:33
[SPEAKER_00]: to demonstrate and not just talk about American deterrence and capability.
24:38
[SPEAKER_00]: I personally believe it's important to every once in a while not just talk to talk, but actually walk the walk, you've just got to choose the right time and we can debate on if this was the right time or not.
24:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, thirdly make clear that this Western hemisphere, he's saying, this is my domain.
24:51
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't mess with us.
24:54
[SPEAKER_01]: This is this belongs to the United States.
24:56
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I mean, like, if you like it or not, I mean, like, whether if you like it or not, like,
25:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Who's, I mean, who else?
25:02
[SPEAKER_00]: Right?
25:03
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, okay.
25:04
[SPEAKER_00]: Thirdly, this is another pro legal grounding for the capture itself.
25:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Like so unlike open-ended regime changes, this action was tied to an existing US indictment and warrant.
25:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Supporters argue that matters because it frames the operation as enforcement of the rule of law not necessarily conquest, which you just kind of broke down.
25:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Fourth,
25:27
[SPEAKER_00]: Minerals and regional security.
25:29
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a big reason why this is happening, okay?
25:32
[SPEAKER_00]: Supporters believe stabilizing Venezuela could unlock major oil and mineral production, like Connor noted earlier, the largest oil reserve in the world is in Venezuela.
25:43
[SPEAKER_00]: It reduces long-term migration pressure in it weakens, Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence in the Americas.
25:50
[SPEAKER_00]: If Venezuela flips from an adversary, a line-state, into a functioning partner, it could reshape the regional geopolitics now and in the future, and in the fifth one.
26:02
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a narrow but real opportunity for reset.
26:05
[SPEAKER_00]: This moment creates a window for humanitarian access, political transition, and economic stabilization that did not exist under Maduro.
26:13
[SPEAKER_00]: It's fragile and far from guaranteed, but supporters argue it's still better than permanent stagnation.
26:19
[SPEAKER_00]: But you know, I would say that fifth one feels
26:22
[SPEAKER_00]: like the hardest one to accomplish, that when that pro feels like a little bit difficult to get there because, you know, if you're not going to run it, well, Maduro's second third, fourth, right hands are over the country now, and they feel the same way Maduro does.
26:39
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm not necessarily sure if you're not going to run the country, and again, I don't think that we should run the country, if you're not going to do that, and there isn't
26:49
[SPEAKER_00]: then what you can hope for is that, you know, their allegiance flips to America basically with all the minerals and oils that they have, but I don't think it's necessarily, it doesn't look like it's going to be an easy path to actually establish some sort of democratic free government and society.
27:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree with that.
27:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I will say all these pros that you're saying it does just list out that strategic significant to Venezuela.
27:15
[SPEAKER_01]: What it means for economies.
27:17
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, even right now, the US just boarded a ship that left Venezuela that we've been chasing for two weeks before we got to Russia, because we know how important that oil is for Russia and they're still taking over other oil tanker ships to prevent Russia and Iran for getting the oil.
27:30
[SPEAKER_01]: That's who Venezuela's oil goes to is our
27:35
[SPEAKER_00]: Venezuela has been the oil refinery and gas station for America's enemies for years.
27:41
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I mean, there is a strong strategic reason for this.
27:47
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a lot of what ifs, right?
27:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, let me give you the cons quickly.
27:50
[SPEAKER_00]: For why this is going to face challenges.
27:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Why this might not work out.
27:54
[SPEAKER_00]: So, number one, it's blurred lines between capture and occupation.
27:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Like we've been kind of touching on, it's this fine line.
28:00
[SPEAKER_00]: A targeted seizure of an indicted individual's one thing.
28:03
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, but claims that the U.S. will run Venezuela pushes this into murkier constitutional and international territory, and it raises immediate war power concerns like you just talked about.
28:14
[SPEAKER_00]: Secondly, it's unclear in state and leadership plan.
28:18
[SPEAKER_00]: So, so when is this going to end?
28:20
[SPEAKER_00]: What does this look like two months from now?
28:22
[SPEAKER_00]: If the same political figures remain in power, just without Maduro, it risks becoming a, you know, it risks just becoming what
28:31
[SPEAKER_00]: Decapitation theater like okay, we're gonna take out this one person and then that's gonna fix everything Rather than actual real change thirdly another con.
28:41
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a high risk of mission creep And I say that because history shows that the hardest part is not taking out a leader But actually managing what follows after it security vacuums power struggles resentment can quickly pull the US into a longer and costly or potential war
28:58
[SPEAKER_00]: presence internationally, that's a problem.
29:01
[SPEAKER_00]: That has to be avoided or we're just making the same mistakes as we have in the past so many times as a country.
29:09
[SPEAKER_00]: Fourth Con, civilian and humanitarian consequences.
29:12
[SPEAKER_00]: There's large scale military actions in dense urban areas, almost always
29:19
[SPEAKER_00]: the vice president was sworn in, they're consolidating power, they're arresting journalists, they're throwing people in jail in the streets.
29:26
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't want demonstrations.
29:27
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't want this to turn into, hey, we would like to vote and actually elect our leaders, Venezuela's like, nah, we're not going to let that happen.
29:34
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
29:35
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're already seeing that happen.
29:36
[SPEAKER_00]: And then fifth con credibility gap around motivations is the best way to put it.
29:40
[SPEAKER_00]: So while drug trafficking is the legal justification, the heavy emphasis on oil and strategic control,
29:46
[SPEAKER_00]: raises skepticism about what is the real intent of this, both internationally and then among Venezuela and themselves.
29:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, you just can't pinpoint, there's only one reason to do this.
29:57
[SPEAKER_00]: That's just that's just not the case.
29:59
[SPEAKER_00]: So anyway, those are the five pros and cons.
30:00
[SPEAKER_00]: I hope that helps.
30:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a good layoff.
30:04
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, there's just hit there's still lingering questions.
30:06
[SPEAKER_01]: There will be for a while and yeah, I don't even know if the administration has a full plan here.
30:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I think they knew the pros and they maybe didn't think through all the cons.
30:15
[SPEAKER_00]: So well, that's that's why we're getting three different messages from the White House.
30:18
[SPEAKER_00]: because they haven't necessarily decided what that looks like.
30:21
[SPEAKER_00]: They're definitely just one little step at a time.
30:24
[SPEAKER_00]: So let me give you the bigger picture of this and let's do the spiritual application.
30:26
[SPEAKER_00]: So was this the right move, Connor Jones?
30:29
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe.
30:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe.
30:32
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe.
30:32
[SPEAKER_00]: It was bold.
30:33
[SPEAKER_00]: It was fast and undeniably effective in its narrow objective.
30:38
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
30:38
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, absolutely, but history reminds us that removing a dictator is the easiest part building something afterwards is when nations can stumble on their decisions here.
30:49
[SPEAKER_00]: In this this moment forces a deeper question, are we witnessing a limited law enforcement action with defined boundaries?
30:56
[SPEAKER_00]: or the opening chapter of another American experiment in controlling outcomes abroad, which, again, was the, that second part is exactly what Trump ran against, it can't turn into that.
31:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Nobody wants that.
31:09
[SPEAKER_00]: The answer will be found not in speeches, but in what happens next, how long the US forces stay and who ultimately is gonna hold power and what their openness is going to be to working with America, working with American oil companies along those lines.
31:23
[SPEAKER_00]: All right.
31:25
[SPEAKER_00]: So, Dr. Jim Denison, the founder of our ministry has written on this extensively in his daily articles this week, been very helpful for us as we process through this story.
31:35
[SPEAKER_00]: So, Dr. Denison makes a helpful distinction in moments like this between power and trust.
31:40
[SPEAKER_00]: So, let's talk about the difference between power and trust for a minute.
31:43
[SPEAKER_00]: Nations instinctively lean towards power.
31:47
[SPEAKER_00]: control leverage scripture repeatedly calls God's people to something deeper than power control leverage Psalm 20 reminds us of this some trust and chariots some trust and horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God that does not mean governments should ignore justice or security it does ultimate it does mean ultimate hope though that
32:14
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't have to place our hope and trust in military strength or geopolitical dominance.
32:19
[SPEAKER_00]: This story presses on our personal lives as well as I was thinking about this.
32:23
[SPEAKER_00]: We all want control.
32:24
[SPEAKER_00]: We want control over outcomes, over people, over narratives.
32:29
[SPEAKER_00]: We want to control, okay, if I'm going to take this first step, I want to make sure that that fourth step is going to, you know, it's going to be ironed out.
32:37
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be taken
32:39
[SPEAKER_00]: Naturally take that first step unless we know it's gonna work out in the end.
32:43
[SPEAKER_00]: So like nations, we often justify it by telling ourselves It's for the greater good, right?
32:49
[SPEAKER_00]: But Jesus, he chose a different way.
32:52
[SPEAKER_00]: He laid down power instead of seeds instead of seizing it in a moment, right?
32:58
[SPEAKER_00]: He trusted the Father's will even when obedience looked like to everyone lost.
33:03
[SPEAKER_00]: So here's the challenge.
33:04
[SPEAKER_00]: Where in your life are you relying on control rather than trust?
33:09
[SPEAKER_00]: Where are you convinced that if you take charge, things will finally work out?
33:14
[SPEAKER_00]: And what would it look like for you to loosen your grip and believe that God is already at work, even when the future feels so uncertain?
33:22
[SPEAKER_00]: Because lasting peace in nations and in hearts is not built on domination.
33:28
[SPEAKER_00]: It begins with surrender to a king whose kingdom does not rise and fall with the headlines.
33:34
[SPEAKER_00]: We belong to the eternal kingdom.
33:36
[SPEAKER_00]: Matter what country you're listening from no matter what situation you find yourself in right now, whether it's it's an addiction or struggle in your family or just hopelessness that you're dealing with with something exterior.
33:48
[SPEAKER_00]: You can lay claim and lay hold.
33:50
[SPEAKER_00]: to the foundation and the rock.
33:52
[SPEAKER_00]: You can build your life on the rock and say, I am going to trust in God, not in something man-made, not in power, not in control.
34:00
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to trust in God, the author of everything, the maker, the creator.
34:04
[SPEAKER_00]: We can lay claim to that no matter how difficult things may seem.
34:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's also true, and it's so important for our own personal lives.
34:13
[SPEAKER_01]: I think even in the situation with Venezuela, it's a good call to action to remember there are so many people there who do not know the Lord, maybe not for the gospel to get in there.
34:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like, we can be praying for the gospel to reach all this, including even right now when I ran the people in Iran are protesting there two weeks in the protest against the terrible regime there, right, and Trump has threatened Iran Trump has
34:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, all that to say, man, if these countries can be opened up, both the internet, you know, even just that, getting opened up there.
34:48
[SPEAKER_01]: If they can be open up to people to be able to come in more freely, missionaries, Christians, and not be so targeted against Christian organizations, that's a really good opportunity for the gospel.
34:57
[SPEAKER_01]: We can be pray for that for the people.
34:58
[SPEAKER_01]: That's great, man.
34:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, all all just big stuff we're obviously going to continue to get updates on Venezuela and potentially any other, you know, military actions that we take across the world will obviously come back every week with new updates as they come.
35:12
[SPEAKER_01]: So this is just a big question, Mark.
35:15
[SPEAKER_00]: So now you all understand why I said Venezuela three times at the beginning because now we're just now done with our deep dive on Venezuela.
35:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for joining.
35:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Now let's jump into the mail back.
35:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah guys, y'all are awesome.
35:33
[SPEAKER_01]: We heard from a lot of you over the last few weeks.
35:35
[SPEAKER_01]: We were off for the last couple weeks.
35:37
[SPEAKER_01]: We did a recap episode at the end of December.
35:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And some of you guys sent us some great feedback.
35:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe even a little critique here or there.
35:44
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's let's hit on it.
35:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's hear it.
35:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's hear it.
35:49
[SPEAKER_01]: We got I'm only mentioned this because we got two people saying the same thing.
35:52
[SPEAKER_01]: One was anonymous person on Spotify.
35:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's a comment saying hey.
35:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Love learning for you guys, but I do have to weigh in on the favorite Christmas movie from two weeks ago.
36:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Michael gave us a list of top 10 Christmas movies.
36:03
[SPEAKER_01]: She said, I cannot believe a Christmas Carol did not make the list.
36:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Ed also emailed us and said, somehow a Christmas Carol should be included in everyone's top 10.
36:12
[SPEAKER_01]: So, Michael, do you care to explain why you left a Christmas Carol all the time?
36:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we were getting roasted, you know what was interesting.
36:17
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, like I said, I was looking at all of these different sources, because when I would go and try to find a top 10 Christmas movie list of all time,
36:25
[SPEAKER_00]: all of these different resources would have different lists.
36:28
[SPEAKER_00]: So I just kind of threw it all into one and said, okay, which ones are mentioned the most?
36:32
[SPEAKER_00]: And I made the personal decision to include Polar Express over a Christmas Carol.
36:37
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, because I saw them on their pretty equally.
36:42
[SPEAKER_00]: No regrets.
36:43
[SPEAKER_00]: You're able to feel the way that you feel and I feel the way that I feel.
36:47
[SPEAKER_01]: I will say there's like three or four Christmas Carol movies, so maybe that's part of why it's I know.
36:50
[SPEAKER_00]: I know right exactly exactly.
36:52
[SPEAKER_00]: There's these are two different ones.
36:54
[SPEAKER_00]: So these comments, they were mentioning two different versions of a Christmas Carol, even because they were one of my different monitors.
37:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, one one of the one with Patrick Stewart and I think Ed wanted his he was saying the old George.
37:05
[SPEAKER_01]: She's Scott the 1980 more version So do so many different and there's a Jim carry version all that anyways And then Josh also messaged us and said we aren't gonna discuss stranger things.
37:14
[SPEAKER_01]: This is the US of A.
37:15
[SPEAKER_01]: How are you gonna miss that?
37:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Well
37:16
[SPEAKER_01]: That's a great question, Josh, to be fair, we are last recorded episode.
37:21
[SPEAKER_01]: There was, I think, December, 19th, that's when we recorded that recap episode.
37:24
[SPEAKER_01]: And the second batch of stranger things episodes had not even come out yet.
37:28
[SPEAKER_01]: Now we've seen the whole thing, I say we, I have, the other problem here is Micah doesn't watch the show.
37:32
[SPEAKER_01]: And so, I don't think he has anything to do with that.
37:35
[SPEAKER_00]: I have seen everything up until this last season.
37:37
[SPEAKER_00]: They took too long to come out with it.
37:39
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm like, I don't even know if I want to spend my time on it.
37:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, this, this is the problem.
37:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I have been out out front in saying, like, for example, I love the Fast and Furious franchise, okay?
37:50
[SPEAKER_00]: They left me on a cliffhanger, like three years ago in the movie theater, where Dom was about to, you know, lose it all.
37:58
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm like, oh,
37:59
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's so as to come out yet.
38:01
[SPEAKER_00]: You know what I mean?
38:01
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you can't take too long.
38:03
[SPEAKER_00]: I lose interest.
38:04
[SPEAKER_00]: What do you want for me?
38:05
[SPEAKER_00]: We're talking about years, right?
38:07
[SPEAKER_00]: So we could have to acknowledge it.
38:09
[SPEAKER_00]: We could have mentioned it in the tune in section.
38:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Probably yeah, we could I mean it was like the biggest cultural thing going on for the last two weeks.
38:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we probably could have been shut up And I I did watch I watched the whole season.
38:21
[SPEAKER_01]: I found it to be okay.
38:22
[SPEAKER_01]: I did not love the finale I did not love the whole last season.
38:25
[SPEAKER_01]: I love season four.
38:26
[SPEAKER_01]: That was the best season by far This was a big kind of let down, but they wrapped up some stories pretty well anyways.
38:31
[SPEAKER_01]: It's worth watching.
38:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I think
38:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, Cody, let us know that we missed in our recap of the biggest things that happened in 2025.
38:37
[SPEAKER_01]: The one big beautiful pill act, which was a really big deal.
38:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know how we didn't land that one.
38:43
[SPEAKER_01]: That was a massive deal back in the summer and he says, I hope it will begin improving lives in 2026 and it's more targeted at those people on Main Street, not Wall Street and hopefully reduces taxes for hardworking Americans.
38:54
[SPEAKER_01]: This is true.
38:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I'm a massive deal.
38:56
[SPEAKER_01]: I hope that too.
38:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, so thank you guys for the mailback things.
39:01
[SPEAKER_01]: We got some other messages too.
39:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe we'll mention those in the coming weeks.
39:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Always send us e-mails at CultureBreathAddinisonForm.org.
39:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Find us on Instagram, leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube.
39:09
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see it.
39:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, guys.
39:14
[SPEAKER_00]: We've got our 2026 predictions.
39:17
[SPEAKER_00]: So we did this when we started the podcast.
39:19
[SPEAKER_00]: We started the podcast like first week of January, 2025, right?
39:23
[SPEAKER_00]: So we've been doing this for a little over a year now.
39:25
[SPEAKER_00]: And we did 2026 predictions.
39:27
[SPEAKER_00]: And in our last episode, the recap episode, we revisited those.
39:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, we're doing this again.
39:32
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so we've got four categories.
39:34
[SPEAKER_00]: Biggest movie at the US box office in 2026. Who will have the biggest song of the year in 2026?
39:41
[SPEAKER_00]: Who is not on our top five most influential people list in 2025 that will be in 2026 that was in the recap episode that we mentioned and then we're just going to do a general wild card prediction.
39:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Connor and I did not look at each other's answers.
39:55
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're we're doing this from the jump.
39:57
[SPEAKER_00]: This is the first time I'm seeing what he said.
39:59
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's do it.
40:00
[SPEAKER_00]: So first category biggest movie at the US box office.
40:05
[SPEAKER_00]: What did you say, Connor Jones?
40:06
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's going to be Avengers Doomsday, the, you know, I say back to Avengers.
40:10
[SPEAKER_00]: You dirty dog.
40:11
[SPEAKER_00]: I said the same thing.
40:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I mean, they made Billings of Dollars the first round.
40:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, there's been, this is the same thing you said.
40:18
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been a lot of years since they did this.
40:19
[SPEAKER_01]: So, does the, does the fandom die down?
40:23
[SPEAKER_01]: And right now, Avengers Doomsday is set to release on the exact same day as Doom 3.
40:28
[SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah, late this morning, which is interesting.
40:31
[SPEAKER_00]: You won't get the full box.
40:33
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I mean, if the criteria is it was released in 2026, absolutely, this will be the biggest one.
40:39
[SPEAKER_00]: But they're going to make a lot of money past 2026, because it's not set to release until December 18th.
40:44
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is going to be at the very end of the year.
40:46
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to tell you why I think Avengers Doomsday is going to be bigger.
40:51
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not.
40:52
[SPEAKER_00]: They've been so random with it the last few years.
40:55
[SPEAKER_00]: It's lost all of its steam.
40:56
[SPEAKER_00]: They're bringing back.
40:58
[SPEAKER_00]: uh... captain america for sevens captain america they're bringing back christ hymn's worth or i made their bringing back some of the junior yeah they're bringing back the og that made it legendary from the start that's why i think it's gonna be big they're actually doing what worked i think so too okay who'd you put for the biggest artists of the year morgan wallen i think we'll have the biggest song of the year he likes to do he does some classic country songs he likes to do kind of
41:26
[SPEAKER_00]: pop hip hop rap country two and collaborate with other artists.
41:29
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's going to collaborate with somebody big in the pop space and they're going to put out an absolute banger probably during the beginning of the summer.
41:36
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to take over and he's going to have the biggest song of the year.
41:39
[SPEAKER_00]: Are we thinking like Morgan Wallen and like Sabrina Carpenter team?
41:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to guess the second part because if I guess the second part I'm held accountable to that too.
41:46
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm saying Morgan Wallen is going to be listed on the title of the song that's going to be the biggest of the year.
41:52
[SPEAKER_01]: I considered him, but I did end up going with bad bunny, mostly because that's when he's already huge and he's doing the huge internationally, huge internationally, but yeah, he's doing the Super Bowl this year.
42:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's going to introduce him to a massive audience in America.
42:04
[SPEAKER_01]: He dropped some or bangers.
42:06
[SPEAKER_01]: He's got some good beats on his songs.
42:07
[SPEAKER_00]: I think if he has a bad performance, it's going to hurt him.
42:10
[SPEAKER_00]: This is true.
42:11
[SPEAKER_00]: if he has a bad performance is going to hurt him and we've seen some bad Super Bowl performances.
42:15
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's see.
42:16
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, let's see what he does.
42:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
42:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, who's your top five most influential person that was not on this past year's list that we added in December that you think will be in this upcoming December's list when we do.
42:26
[SPEAKER_00]: So I mentioned him as an audible mention, but he wasn't in my top five.
42:29
[SPEAKER_00]: I think Jensen Huang of, um, in video.
42:33
[SPEAKER_00]: So, video is creating, and there's been some competition, but so far, they're an American company creating by far the most advanced semiconductors for all things AI.
42:46
[SPEAKER_00]: So, as we see this increase and as we see the geopolitical pressure and just the international pressure from all of this, as we see that, I think he's going to be even more in the forefront, and I think that he absolutely is going to be on that top five.
43:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're already the biggest market cap company in the world now.
43:02
[SPEAKER_01]: They over the apple.
43:03
[SPEAKER_01]: So he's in charge of that.
43:05
[SPEAKER_01]: That's insane.
43:05
[SPEAKER_01]: The person I put was actually Marco Rubio a lot of that's because of what's happened last few weeks.
43:09
[SPEAKER_01]: He was already going up there, but man, he's just got so much influence over Trump and our international relations and obviously.
43:16
[SPEAKER_01]: military operations that we're doing.
43:17
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think Rubio could be there.
43:19
[SPEAKER_01]: If it continues this way, and if we really do take over more countries or Greenland or something, the Rubio is going to be in there, man.
43:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he's basically going to be, you know, you saw all those jokes like president of Venezuela, he's governor of Minnesota as in Cuba, Greenland, you know, yeah, he's, yeah, I think it's turned out kind of maybe the way that you and I described that we don't really want it to turn out.
43:39
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Rubio will be running a lot of countries.
43:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, for sure.
43:43
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, this is the fun one.
43:45
[SPEAKER_00]: What's your wildcard prediction for 26?
43:47
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, this is going to be a little bit harder to quantify, but I think we're going to see it play out in different ways.
43:51
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll have to kind of take it from aggregate data.
43:53
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think 2026 is when people admit out loud that outrage, fear-based, clickbait type of news is breaking them.
44:02
[SPEAKER_00]: And they start choosing slower, healthier media on purpose.
44:05
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm thinking about what's happening at CBS right now, for example.
44:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Right?
44:09
[SPEAKER_00]: So they completely change their structure, the new nightly house
44:17
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he did this whole monologue on like, hey.
44:21
[SPEAKER_00]: I love America.
44:22
[SPEAKER_00]: I love this country.
44:23
[SPEAKER_00]: I want what's best for this country.
44:25
[SPEAKER_00]: We are committing to fair balanced reporting.
44:29
[SPEAKER_00]: If they stick to that, I will start consuming CBS.
44:33
[SPEAKER_00]: Like if this large media corporation is actually going to commit to reporting the news not to the lens of bias, but actually showing both sides and giving me the truth from one source, I will absolutely start to consume it.
44:45
[SPEAKER_00]: And I just think that that's that's a lot of what people are looking for.
44:48
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's a lot of what we're doing here at Denison Forum, right as we take larger steps to become larger and have a bigger footprint in the media space as an organization.
44:58
[SPEAKER_00]: We see people are hungering for this, so I think that we're going to see it in 2026.
45:01
[SPEAKER_00]: I agree with that.
45:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I think people are done with that.
45:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I think this has been a trend, but you might be right.
45:06
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just going to finally, the camel's back is going to break this year.
45:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, my, my wildcard prediction is we're going to see a reversal of the birth rate decline.
45:14
[SPEAKER_01]: note anything in recent years to birth rate decline is been a big deal.
45:18
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, most is really about a lot of attention to this across the world, but even in America, there are far less bursts and there were even just two decades ago.
45:24
[SPEAKER_00]: It's 1.6 births per American woman, which is like, if that sticks, it's not sustainable.
45:31
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's like nearly half what it was like 40 years ago.
45:33
[SPEAKER_01]: But I think there's a big cultural tidal wave happening.
45:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Some of that's faith-based, some of that's people realizing family is much better of a priority to work and party and all the cultural things that the world tells us, a lot of things are changing and shifting, I believe.
45:47
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think we'll see that reversal.
45:48
[SPEAKER_01]: I will see that in the data.
45:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Man, I hope we're both right on this.
45:51
[SPEAKER_00]: That would be great.
45:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Wouldn't that be wonderful to look back at 26 and see both of these things change?
45:55
[SPEAKER_00]: That'd be great.
46:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, let's jump into checking because we got several things happening around the country and around the world that we want to update you guys on real fast So Michael, I know you want to talk about Nigeria.
46:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, let's run through this quickly.
46:08
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm I'm going to give us an update on the air strikes on ISIS and Nigeria US forces carried out air strikes against ISIS linked militants and northern Nigeria targeting suspected camps tied to recent attacks on Christians The strikes were conducted in coordination actually with the Nigerian government and
46:25
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's a joint operation.
46:26
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see what comes from that.
46:28
[SPEAKER_00]: But we did it.
46:29
[SPEAKER_00]: That has faded quickly since then as well as stuff.
46:32
[SPEAKER_00]: But yes, we literally did bomb some ISIS camps in Nigeria.
46:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's another threat that Trump followed up on.
46:38
[SPEAKER_01]: He said back in November, I'm going to do this.
46:40
[SPEAKER_01]: And then he did it a month and a half later.
46:42
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, kind of crazy.
46:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Meanwhile, here in the US Minnesota governor Tim walls, you may know that name because he was Kamala Harris's vice presidential pick and became a nationally known figure at the time.
46:53
[SPEAKER_01]: as governor of Minnesota he has said he is not going to run for reelection which he was in the process of doing all right he was already campaigning this because of a lot of scrutiny from a fraud just big fraud scandal in the state there's a lot uh... being uncovered and discovered about how much state funds were being yeah defrauded essentially
47:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Without Venezuela, if that wouldn't have happened, this would have probably been our biggest story.
47:16
[SPEAKER_00]: This would have happened.
47:17
[SPEAKER_00]: This would have happened.
47:18
[SPEAKER_00]: This fraud, Tim walls, the cover up, what's true, what's not true.
47:22
[SPEAKER_00]: It's been a whole thing.
47:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Independent journalists going to daycares that are sitting on it and finding empty daycares with no students enrolled.
47:30
[SPEAKER_01]: It's pretty bad.
47:30
[SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of this is also being targeted at the Somalian group, the Somalian immigrants and Minnesota.
47:36
[SPEAKER_01]: They're getting a lot of the heat for this.
47:37
[SPEAKER_01]: And some of it might be justified if they're the ones actually doing the fraud.
47:41
[SPEAKER_01]: That's a smart answer part of this right.
47:43
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot of a lot of tensions there.
47:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Either way, it led to his downfall.
47:47
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this man was running for Vice President last year.
47:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Now he can't even run for governor again in Minnesota.
47:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
47:52
[SPEAKER_00]: He is he's done probably in politics.
47:55
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and we'll we'll cover more on this as it comes out.
47:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
47:58
[SPEAKER_00]: So something else.
47:59
[SPEAKER_00]: Mom Donnie is now mayor of New York.
48:02
[SPEAKER_00]: Immediately he raised alarms with an opening address rooted in
48:07
[SPEAKER_00]: leaning into his socialist ways.
48:09
[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, Connor and I have been upfront, uh, us as a ministry.
48:14
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, socialism is not a great idea.
48:16
[SPEAKER_00]: Uh, and also, I think, uh, this, this concept of it's worked anywhere else or it's working anywhere else currently is just a fabricated lie.
48:25
[SPEAKER_00]: So we would have to see this happen.
48:27
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, maybe, you know, let's see if it works out here, right?
48:31
[SPEAKER_00]: But he rejected an individualism, the emphasize collectivism and framed government as the primary solution for everything, but including housing childcare, economic inequality, language, critics argue signals a sharp move away from the free market principles that and personal responsibility that we're used to here in America for the opponents of socialism, the concern is
48:53
[SPEAKER_00]: more about the trajectory of it, mom donnie's tone and early signal suggests a governing philosophy that, yeah, I mean, he's going to have to play both sides, but he is going to lead into what he was elected to do.
49:04
[SPEAKER_00]: And I understand why he was elected, because there's a lot of people out there struggling.
49:09
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, just, I mean, this is going to, this is going to set in New York up as a true national test case for whether openly socialist governance can work at scale or not.
49:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, um, good luck, New York.
49:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I have a prediction on how this one will go, but we'll see.
49:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Same.
49:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe I'll maybe we'll.
49:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, something else that happened is Doug LaMalfa, the Congressman out of California, sadly he died this week at age 65 suddenly and out of nowhere.
49:34
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, this is sad for his family, this is sad for his friends and we're praying for them.
49:38
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, as they grieve and all of that, but it also was pretty, it's got a pretty big implication on Congress because it drops the Republican house majority down to 218 versus 213 Democrats.
49:49
[SPEAKER_01]: So that they already had a narrow margin, especially with certain Republicans not voting on the Republican side a lot of the times.
49:55
[SPEAKER_01]: So Mike Johnson speaker of the house, he's got a lot to work with or not a lot to work with really to take such a slim majority, man.
50:02
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't have like more than like two defectors or something.
50:04
[SPEAKER_00]: And then lastly, there is a big scandal with GROC and X right now.
50:10
[SPEAKER_00]: So Elon Musk's AI chatbot GROC is being used on X and it's facing intense backlash after reports that it's being misused even currently to create AI-generated images involving minors, including non-consensual and inappropriate content, prompting sharp condemnations from authorities in the EU, the UK, India, elsewhere, the US Justice Department.
50:32
[SPEAKER_00]: made a statement as well, who have called the material illegal and are demanding stronger safeguards.
50:38
[SPEAKER_00]: So, like, grock itself posted this apology on X for it, but people are still testing it and it's still happening.
50:45
[SPEAKER_00]: And so, you know, this, this absolutely, this has to be curved somehow some way.
50:50
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not a good thing at all.
50:51
[SPEAKER_01]: And this is not just a grock problem.
50:52
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this is, this is something that's going to be true with AI just going for them with AI in general.
50:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
50:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
50:58
[SPEAKER_01]: By the way, Elon Musk was meeting with Donald Trump this week, so they're
51:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Friendship is back on, I suppose.
51:03
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they had a private dinner to throw man says back on throw man says back on see what comes from it this year.
51:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah, we'll see Let's give some tune in updates on things you guys should know it's coming up this upcoming weekend and upcoming week
51:20
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so CFP playoffs, we've got the semi finals coming up.
51:24
[SPEAKER_00]: It's been overall, like the college football playoffs have been really entertaining.
51:28
[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of teams winning.
51:29
[SPEAKER_00]: I did not expect three of the four teams in the semi finals.
51:32
[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't expect to be there.
51:35
[SPEAKER_00]: The only one that's there that I expected to be there is Indiana and it's crazy that I'm saying that from the beginning at all, but Ole Miss versus Miami and the festival in January 8 that 630 central time on ESPN and then you got Indiana versus Oregon and the peach ball in January 9th at 630 those are going to be both great games on ESPN that one's in Atlanta and then you get the championship game coming up on January 19th at 630 in Miami, okay.
51:59
[SPEAKER_00]: College football transfer portal is on and my goodness.
52:03
[SPEAKER_00]: There are over 4,000 division one players currently in the transfer portal making this one of the busiest cycles ever.
52:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, saying it's a mess that is happening during the playoffs.
52:12
[SPEAKER_01]: I will never understand the problem.
52:14
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a problem.
52:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Things there has got to be some governance to this man.
52:17
[SPEAKER_00]: It is the wild west out there.
52:19
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a problem and something needs to be fixed.
52:22
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.
52:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Meanwhile, hey, we've got NFL playoffs this weekend too.
52:26
[SPEAKER_01]: We've got some great games dude.
52:29
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm excited for this on on Saturday.
52:30
[SPEAKER_01]: There's several games here.
52:31
[SPEAKER_01]: We got the Los Angeles Rams versus the Carolina Panthers should be interesting.
52:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Here's the one I'm really excited for.
52:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Micah, you probably are two at 8 p.m. Eastern.
52:39
[SPEAKER_01]: We got the Green Bay Packers going to Chicago potentially in the snow and playing the bears.
52:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Can you imagine this divisional like rivalry
52:51
[SPEAKER_00]: it's it's going to be a great game both teams are used to playing in that type of climate I think the bears win handedly.
52:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think so too.
53:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, it's just crazy that I'm saying that.
53:01
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm saying in Indiana is going to win.
53:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm saying the bears are going to win.
53:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Crazy.
53:06
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like a different different world.
53:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Sunday we've got the Buffalo Bills on the going to the Jacksonville to play the Jaguars, that's at the 1pm Eastern Time 430pm.
53:17
[SPEAKER_01]: We got San Francisco 49ers at the Philadelphia Eagles.
53:20
[SPEAKER_01]: We cannot stand either of those teams as Cowboys fans, but also be watching.
53:24
[SPEAKER_01]: In the 8pm Los Angeles Chargers at the New England Patriots, a Monday night is a big game.
53:28
[SPEAKER_01]: We got the Houston Texans playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
53:31
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a crazy time in the NFL play off to go on coaches are getting fired.
53:34
[SPEAKER_01]: They've been seven head coaches fired that includes John Harball after 18 years at the Baltimore Ravens legendary coach 18 years.
53:41
[SPEAKER_00]: It's unheard of here and in a head coaching position coaches get like two years Max if it's not going well and then they get fired so eight two years
53:50
[SPEAKER_00]: congrats on a great run there and Baltimore, but he will, he has the pick of the litter where he wants to go.
53:56
[SPEAKER_01]: That's that's correct.
53:57
[SPEAKER_01]: There's seven openings.
53:58
[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to definitely get the top one that he wants.
54:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
54:01
[SPEAKER_01]: As some get 18 years, some get one, your Pete Carroll got fired by the Raiders.
54:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Got one here.
54:05
[SPEAKER_00]: That's true.
54:06
[SPEAKER_00]: That's true.
54:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, people got one here.
54:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
54:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
54:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I just wanted to mention something real fast.
54:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Some of these players have been really cool going to the playoffs about their faith, including Tyler Loop of the Baltimore Ravens, who missed the kick to send them to the playoffs.
54:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the last I get really hard.
54:19
[SPEAKER_01]: He's a rookie that had to be the hardest moment, probably one of the lowest points of his career.
54:23
[SPEAKER_01]: But he still stuck to faith.
54:24
[SPEAKER_01]: He pointed back to Romans 828 after the game and he said, God works for the good of those who love him and have called, have been called according to his purpose.
54:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I love that.
54:31
[SPEAKER_01]: He turned back to his faith and that's where his confidence lies, not in his kicking ability.
54:35
[SPEAKER_01]: And then the Texans, man, they're doing some cool things.
54:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Demico Ryan's is the head coach there.
54:39
[SPEAKER_01]: CJ Straud is the quarterback with the Texans as they head to their Monday night game.
54:43
[SPEAKER_01]: And they're both just saying the team is focused on God.
54:45
[SPEAKER_01]: That is where they're getting all of their energy.
54:47
[SPEAKER_01]: That's where they're getting all their joy.
54:48
[SPEAKER_01]: They are a fun team to watch, even on the sideline.
54:50
[SPEAKER_01]: They just look happy and as a way us love something different about them.
54:53
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it sounds like Christ is moving through that locker room.
54:56
[SPEAKER_01]: I love that.
54:57
[SPEAKER_00]: Which is so cool.
54:58
[SPEAKER_01]: What a great witness.
54:59
[SPEAKER_01]: It is Dimico Ryze's cool coach man.
55:01
[SPEAKER_01]: So love that and John Harbaugh has been leading his team in pairs as well But yeah, man, last to look forward to this weekend and this upcoming week and we'll get back next Thursday with the new episode So guys, thank you for joining us on this episode of Culture Brief a Dinosaur form podcast any articles that we mentioned will be posted any links will be posted If you enjoyed today's episode, please like subscribe and rate or review this podcast and share it with a friend and make sure to sign up for alerts to follow us have a good week Bye