Red, White, and Like Whatever

The heat is disrespectful, Prime Week is annoying, and we’re both one weird interaction away from snapping, so we’re channeling it into something useful and way more entertaining. We start with real life updates (Nicole moves, Heather is melting on the route) and then get oddly practical about summer survival: what to say to your mail carrier, what not to say, and how a cold drink can change somebody’s entire day.

From there, the conversation takes a sharp turn into true crime with reactions to Maternal Instinct, including the gut-punch details that raise big questions about accountability, warning signs, and what happens when institutions hide behind rules. That naturally opens the door to a second kind of outrage: the recycled claim that women are “too emotional” to lead. We talk emotional regulation, double standards, and why the world might look different if leadership actually valued listening and restraint.

Then we build a July 4 “on this day” timeline that doubles as a Gen X nostalgia hit: early Independence Day celebrations, Jefferson and Adams dying on the same date, slavery ending in New York, Walt Whitman, the Statue of Liberty, Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 debut, Two Live Crew’s Banned in the USA free speech fight, and Hotmail launching on July 4 as internet-era “freedom.” We close with beach town fireworks memories, traffic realities, and the kind of chaotic water park stories that only make sense if you grew up the way we did.

Subscribe, share with your favorite Gen X friend, and leave a review. What’s your most memorable Fourth of July story?

Transcript

Theme Song And Welcome

SPEAKER_05 0:04

Two best friends, we're talking fast. We're mixing to our case, we're having a blast. Seeing these dreams, be on screens, it was all bad. Oh like you know, it's like whatever. Never never never laughing, sharing, our story forever. We'll take you back like whatever.

Prime Week Rage And Moving Wins

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Welcome to Like Whatever, a podcast for, by, and about Gen X. I'm Nicole, and this is my BFFF, Heather. Hello. So Heather's hot and tired.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Hot, tired. I hate Amazon Prime Week.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Even though she ordered from Amazon Prime. I did. I am the problem. I know. I did. I did. And it's super hot here, only going to be hotter. It's gonna be like the temperature of lava at the end of this week. It is, and she has to work in it. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

I love my job.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

You get a two-day weekend though. I know.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

I know you need it.

SPEAKER_00 1:15

Not weird. You're not gonna leave the house, are you? No, no. You won't be able to get anywhere anyway. It's 4th of July at the beach. Nope.

SPEAKER_02 1:23

I plan on barricading myself in Friday and then not leaving until Monday morning. Probably a godly hour of the morning.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Yeah. I I had a good week. I moved. Yes, you did. I now have a place. Yep. Super excited.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

Lovely.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Yeah. Got help from my son-in-laws and my daughter.

SPEAKER_02 1:53

Excellent.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

Good kids.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Mm-hmm. Very good. They just wanted a 30-pack of bushlight, so that was easy. They were going fishing after we moved, so they needed it for the cooler. Sure, sure, sure.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

I've just been bitching the last half an hour about my week.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

So. Yeah. She's she's miserable. But she does have her patch.

SPEAKER_02 2:20

I do have my patch.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Thank God. I don't have to be a bit more. I know.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

I would be in jail right now. Yeah. It's been a journey. Yeah. But I'm I'm back. I'm back on my patch. We're getting that regulated. We're getting uh the estrogen back in. Estrogen's flowing. We're getting it.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

We're getting there.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Even though I can't really read yet, but nope.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

That might be back for permanent until the heat

How To Treat Mail Carriers

SPEAKER_02 2:45

goes away. Yeah, true that. Do me a favor, all of you listening. Please do not say to your marrow carrier, stay cool out there. Try to stay cool. Don't remind us of the heat. We're aware.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Offer them a cold beverage. Preferably water or Gatorade. Yes. Other than that, leave them alone.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

I have a lot of people that freeze Gatorade and put it in their mailbox. And that's lovely because by the time you get to it, it's nice and cold and thawed out. That is so thoughtful. It is very nice. I have people who leave water bottles that are frozen.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

I was gonna leave something out for my trashman today and I forgot. Plus, this is a new place, I don't know what time the trash comes. And it came kind of early. Right. I work from home, so yeah. Well now you know. Maybe next week I can before, yeah.

unknown 3:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Leave him something.

SPEAKER_02 3:42

We always appreciate, um, we have we all have a house or two on our like this one route. Oh my god, this guy. I would love I would I would give him a kiss square on the lips if I could. He has a whole little mini fridge out on his porch, and it is always fully stocked. And I don't mean just stocked with like water and Gatorade. I mean there is candy in there. There is snacks. Wow. Like that, you don't even know how that brightens your day when there's like a little snack tray on a on a porch that says please take one deliver. It's just it brightens your whole day. The beverages always are a win. I even had one lady, there's a dairy farm right down from my one um stop, and the one lady will sometimes go and get me an icy from I'm not a big fan of icy's, but I appreciate it because usually she gets me like lemon lime, and that's a little bit much, but I will drink it. My Tism takes a back seat when it's this hot, and I'm just like, you know what, I'm gonna suck this ice down, even if it's got lemon lime on it. But yeah, just be kind to your it's really hot. Those trucks do not, unless they have the newer trucks or the mettress, they do not have air conditioning. It is like driving an easy big oven around. And that fan that they have in there, just it's a convection oven. It just blows hot air at your face. You're air frying. Yes, you really are. And then in my truck, which I like to deal with because in the winter it's handy, but in my truck the heat runs all year long. So not only do you have the lovely heat outside, but then you also have the added heat that my heat doesn't turn off in the in the truck. And I don't want to have them fix it because then in the winter it won't run at all, because that's how they fix things. And I'd rather have heat in the winter when it's cold. Yeah, definitely. So just you know, just if you think about it and you see a mail carrier, just you know, hand them a nice, cool, refreshing or just smile at them.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Yeah, don't stop and talk to them. No, we get busy. They are trying to get back to the air conditioning.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yeah, like say hey, how you doing and keep moving. Keep it moving. Yeah, and if you have like a centralized box where all your mail goes to, do not sit there and stare and wait for them to get done with your box. Just come back in 10 minutes, 20 minutes. Like, come back. I hate it. I hate when people stare at me. It does not make me move any faster.

SPEAKER_00 6:25

Do you ever tell them take a picture? It'll last longer.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

No, I try to have as little interaction as possible because otherwise I'm gonna blow my top and nobody wants that.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

Oh man. Oh,

Maternal Instinct And True Crime Shock

SPEAKER_00 6:40

I meant to tell you I watched Maternal Instinct. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, that's something. Wow. Like I watch a lot of true crime. I have a degree in psychology, like this girl. Like, I would love to know what her mental health diagnosis is are. As long as my arm. Yeah, probably all of them.

SPEAKER_03 7:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:07

Like, wow. Yeah. That was nuts. She had a hysterectomy. Yeah. And everyone kept telling him.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

I know that poor guy. He's just a simple country guy.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

I know. I don't know. I don't know. You think what? I think he thought that money was coming. I think he was just. He had it in his head that he was getting that money and he was gonna get a boat and his yeti.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

And that is true, but how do you get a hundred thousand dollar truck when you don't have the money yet? Like, nobody's giving me that loan if I'm like, I'm getting an inheritance for sure. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 7:50

Well, I the only thing I can think of is she must have had very convincing paperwork. I guess. That had said, you know, that was either notarized or I guess. I don't know, but I I don't know. Don't everybody and then the thing like, okay, I get it, HIPAA is a thing. But when all those other doctors are like locking down hospitals thinking she's coming in for a baby.

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Yeah. Yeah. And the other two were like, well, we can't really say. Well, they said they couldn't say anything unless it was hurting somebody else.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

That's hurting somebody, like, yeah. Even if she's gonna steal a baby, yes, from not a womb, yes, one that's already here, yes, that's hurting some like you gotta step like you gotta step, you gotta break take the hit on that one. Break take whatever I don't know what what how you get in trouble or what trouble you get into or for breaking HIPAA, but you gotta take that hit on that one. And you gotta you gotta find out. You gotta say, hey, she's nuts. Something's about to go really bad.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Man, I'll give it to her though. She stuck to her story. Uh she did not bend even after they were like, ma'am, a baby did not come out of there. Yes, it did.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

I mean, she shoved the placenta in her pants.

unknown 9:10

I know.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

Oh, the so you didn't hear trigger warning. I'm about to get graphic. Skip ahead. They didn't even give half of they didn't give any of the forensics in that. So the what was the lady who died's name? Nora. No, no, no. The the This is terrible. Reagan? Reagan. Reagan's fingernails were still in the placenta. So she was clogging to keep the placenta in her. That she broke her nails off in it.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

Ugh.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Yeah, I did notice they didn't go into any detail, and it had to have been it was bad. Really, really bad.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

Like it was 131 stabs, slashes and stabs, and she was alive when the baby was cut out of her. I mean, obviously, because she had left her fingernails in the placenta. But yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Like I come and go with the death penalty. But I mean, yeah. Look, there's no fixing that.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

No, no, no, no, no. Yeah. I I yeah, I agree with that one. There's no fixing that.

unknown 10:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

It was kind of neat though, not any of that, but I talked about what had happened when I was a kid.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

And a high school classmate of mine reached out, found out she's a faithful listener. Thank you, you know who you are. Um, and she said that she had remembered it as well, which was good because I was like, did I make this up in my head? Because it's so crazy that it happened.

SPEAKER_02 10:59

But yeah, she actually My sister, that's what my sister was scared. We had a guy that worked for us that was off. Um, and she was pregnant, and he would ask her all the time about her pregnancy. He also came in one day. I don't know, I had cut my look, I don't keep my hair the same way for longer than like six months. So it's either longer, shorter, bangs, no bangs, 18 different colors, and don't keep my hair the same. And I came in one day and he's like, What have you done to your hair? And like was just a creeper. And my sister swore he's going to kill me and he's going to take my baby. She was scared to death. I there was a rash of them at the time, I guess. I don't know, but she was she just knew someone was gonna steal her baby.

unknown 11:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

So I made sure I was like, have you watched? Did she? Yeah, she was like, Fuck yeah, I did. Holy shit.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Yeah, so if you haven't seen it, like I think it's about an hour and a half long documentary on Netflix. It's oof, it's it's intense. Like I basic kind of knew the basic story. It was kind of the same thing with that girl that crashed her car, the crash. Yeah. Um I was like, I already know the story. What are they gonna tell me? They gonna

Period Myths And Women In Power

SPEAKER_00 12:20

tell you.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

Alrighty then. Also did want to do a kind of rant. Oh, not a full rant. I didn't know. Because I already did that before we got on here. Um, I was listening, I was on the tickety talk, and they uh so I guess the debate that's back, uh I don't know why, is why are women why do you think women are not fit to lead? And of course, what's the number one thing they say? They get their period. Yes, and they're too emotional. Too emotional, yeah. Here's my thing about that. Because like at one I was like, why? I don't understand. But now, wait, I do get it. I don't think it's right. Just let's be clear. I think women actually are better leaders, but and we have better control of our emotions than men do. You know why? Because we're allowed to express them and men can't. Yep. So it's not that we're more emotional, it's just that you get to know about our emotions. Yep. And men don't. And suppressing your emotions is not healthy for you. Well, you know, men commit 90% of the violent crimes, and most crimes are committed by men, and that's and it's all, you know, anger issues, and so you know, obviously they have more emotional nonsense than we do. But I think that women are better leaders because we are capable of setting our emotions aside.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Yes. And not letting it not you can bombing Iran because our panties are in a bunch.

SPEAKER_02 13:53

Because somebody wants to say that you're in the Epstein files a million times. I'm just saying it's not been working very well for the past, I don't know, however long human beings have been on Earth. Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Maybe some civilizations did it, and it sounded like it was very successful.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

Yes. I think it's maybe time we try because it's not going very well having the men in charge.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

I think it's been my experience anyway that women are better at delegating. Yes. And listening to whoever's advising them. Yes. Whether it's employees, staff, co-workers, yes, councils.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Yes. They're better at taking in all of the information and making a decision rather than I'm in the Epstein files one million times. So now I have to go kidnap a leader of one country and then bomb another country and blow up boats. And then have a UFC fight on the lawn of the people's house. I don't know how we got in this timeline, but yeah. We need to get out of it.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

Okay. I'll get started then. Okay. So we are recording on June 30th. So happy last day of Pride Month. Yes. We had so much fun um dedicating our episodes to pride. Um, but keep it going, everybody. That's the month, but keep on advocating or supporting or

July Fourth History That Still Matters

SPEAKER_00 15:35

speaking up. All right. So today I want to talk about events that happened on July 4th.

SPEAKER_02 15:46

I forgot to say fuck around and find out.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

Oh, we're gonna fuck around and find out about events that happened on July 4th. America. My life really has been a whirlwind in the past couple days with the move and unpacking and trying to figure out where things are. I had to brush my teeth with my finger the first night because I could find my toothpaste and not the toothbrush. Oh yeah, do what you gotta do. Yeah, that's how I used to do it when I spend the night at my friend's house and I forget my toothbrush. Alrighty. So I went through and I found some things that happened on July 4th. Um some of them related to our history, some Gen X things. Some I did a little write-up on, some I just stated the fact.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

So here we go.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

All right. Oh, and my I got this from onthisday.com and Wiki and some co-pilot, the MSN co-pilot or whatever it is. I don't know. I love that.

unknown 16:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

That's my buddy.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

All right. So the first Independence Day celebration in the United States took place on July 4th, 1796, marking the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

It's the 250th this year. And us from the Delaware know that we are the first state. Yeah. And I deliver mail in the first town of the first state. So it's gonna be a big deal Friday, Saturday.

SPEAKER_00 17:18

Yeah, it's a good thing you don't have to work. I know. Um, this was the first time the holiday had been observed as a national commemoration following the adoption of the declaration on July 4th, 1776. By 1796, the United States had been a republic for over two decades, and the nation was still in its formative years. The 20th anniversary was a significant milestone symbolizing the maturation of the new republic. Celebrations in you know what? First of all, that's not that word maturation. I feel like it just came out like 10, 15 years ago, and it was only used in sports for the longest time. Because when sports commentators started using maturation, I was like, is that a real word? I don't know, it just wasn't anything I encountered before. All right. Uh, celebrations of seven in 1796 reflected both the pride of the American people and the ongoing challenges of governance and unity.

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Imagine that. And here we are, two hundred out the gate.

SPEAKER_00 18:26

While the exact details of the 19th, sorry, 1796 festivities are not fully documented. Historical records indicate that the day was marked by public gatherings, speeches, and patriotic displays. One notable example is an oration delivered in Worcester or Worcester, Massachusetts, um, on July 4th, 1796, which was part of the anniversary observances. Uh such speeches often emphasized the values of liberty, democracy, and the importance of preserving the new nation. They didn't speak loud enough. We can't hear them. Where are you, forefathers? Um rolling in their grave. All right, July 4th, 1826. Past presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both die on the 50th anniversary of the declaration of the time.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Isn't that crazy? Like any other day, there's 364 other days you can die. And they both died on the same day. That's crazy. It is Jefferson and Adams. Sadly unfortunate for the federal workers because you get the day off of a presidential funeral.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Right.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

So yeah, you got robbed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

No fair.

SPEAKER_02 19:52

Sorry, Postal Service people then. Pony expressors.

SPEAKER_00 19:59

Um all right. And July 4th, 1827. So a year later, slavery is abolished in New York City. Hooray! Or in New York, I mean, the state, not the city. Uh slavery in New York officially ended on July 4th, 1827, following decades of gradual emancipation laws and abolitionist efforts. New York's path to abolition began with the Gradual Emancipation Act of 1799, which freed children born to enslaved mothers after July 4th, 1799, but required them to serve as indentured service and servants until adulthood. That's the biggest bunch of bullshit. Did you hear that sentence? Freed children born to enslaved mothers, but required them to serve as indentured servants until adulthood. Um oh, and by the way, adulthood for men was 28 years old. Wow. And women was 25 years old. Yeah. That's like midlife back then. You're not wrong. Right. Uh, this law left thousands of enslaved people born before 1799 in bondage. To address this, the New York legislature passed a law in 1817 declaring that all remaining enslaved individuals would be freed on July 4th, 1827, 10 years later, making New York the first state to legislate total abolition of slavery. They really dragged their feet on this. They did. They really did. It still makes me angry that Texas didn't find out till like 20 years later. Wow. That one always fires me up. All right. When emancip well, the people in Texas knew the slaves didn't know. Uh when emancipation took effect, roughly 4,600 enslaved men and women were freed, representing about 11. 11% of the state's black population. African American communities organized celebrations on July 5th, known as the 5th of July, to commemorate freedom while avoiding potential violence on Independence Day. I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do. Black churches held services of prayer and thanksgiving, and leaders like William Hamilton delivered speeches emphasizing the historic significance of emancipation and the end of slavery as a defining moment for the community. Prominent abolitionists, including members of the New York Manumission Society, as well as African American activists and ministers, played a crucial role in advocating for emancipation. After 1827, New York City abolitionists such as David Ruggles and Abby Hopper Gibbons continued to fight for nationwide abolition, assisting escape to slaves escaped slaves through the Underground Railroad and denouncing those profiting from slavery.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

Which have you ever seen the um oh what is it? There's a movie on like Netflix or something about the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman. It might have been Harriet, it might have been called just Harriet.

SPEAKER_00 23:17

Or it was called Tubman. That sounds like one or the other. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:20

It's come straight through here.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:23

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

It goes through Milford.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Right by my high school.

SPEAKER_02 23:26

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 23:27

It's crazy. Mm-hmm. It's pretty cool. Mm-hmm. I'm glad that our state was on the right side.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Um probably only half. True. If we're being honest. Not this half. No, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_00 23:44

Um, the abolition of slavery in New York reflected both economic and social changes as the state's economy shifted from ag agriculture to commerce and industry, reducing reliance on enslaved labor. See, they quit farming when they didn't have free labor. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. I was gonna say something about current times and farming and labor, but I won't. Okay. Um, despite emancipation, African Americans faced political and social challenges, including disenfranchisement under the 1821 New York Constitutional Convention, which limited voting rights for free black men to those owning substantial property. So nobody. Yeah. Um, yeah, they they were tricky little little fellas. All right, next. This one's in here just for me, and it's just one sentence. Um, July 4th, 1855, in Brooklyn, New York, the first edition of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass Book of Poems is published. My favorite book of poems ever. Lovely. My favorite poet. Uh July 4th, 1884, the Statue of Liberty was presented to the U.S. in Paris.

SPEAKER_02 25:00

I've seen the one in Paris.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

It's little.

SPEAKER_02 25:03

It's littler. It's we. Have I actually seen both of them? I have seen the big one too. I've seen the big one a lot of times. I didn't go into it, but they I could they was under construction when I went to Elton.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

I can't remember if I've ever even been on the island.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

Liberty Island or whatever the fuck the island's called. I've just ridden a Staten Island ferry a lot. I've been on the island. We went to the island, but they were you couldn't go into the they were redoing it.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

Yeah. I don't I don't think I've ever been in there. Oh well.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

I wouldn't have gone in it anyway, because it's just steps. I don't think they have an elevator, and I'm not trying to climb steps.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

For real.

SPEAKER_02 25:44

It's too far. I don't care enough. I'm not American enough to climb all those stairs. I don't need to see it from the inside. See your goods. Yeah, let's throw a camera in there and good.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

All right, the next one's for you. July 4th, 1924. Italian immigrant chef Caesar Cardini creates his famous salad for the very first time at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. Two brute.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

I love me a Caesar salad. Huh? Yeah, you do. That's created in Tijuana. That's hilarious that it was created in Mexico. I know.

SPEAKER_00 26:25

I thought that was the funniest part. And that's a good salad. I know. I've been craving one since I did the screen. No kidding. Guess what I'm getting on my way on. That's good for you. You need fluid. You need more. Especially because the medication you're on is now they're saying it causes massive dehydration.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

You know what it does though? I have been craving like I like milk anyway. Like I'm a big milk drinker, always have been. Man, I cannot get enough. I have to stop on my way home almost every day at Wawa and get a tiny little thing of milk every day.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

I bet your worm belly loves that.

SPEAKER_02 27:11

Oh, it's been fantastic because I want it and then I drink it and I'm like, ugh. Although I have seen, and you can Google it because I did Google it. Milk is an excellent source to rehydrate. Yes. Okay. Yep. It just curdles, that's all. It just the stomach is just like, nah. We pulled the water out. Now it's cottage cheese or something.

SPEAKER_00 27:40

Oh man, I was so scared. Last night I ordered um DoorDash and it was some Japanese restaurant, and it was some kind of deal that I got on there. Um, so I ordered it without thinking. And then after I ordered it, I looked and it was the Japanese restaurant in the food court in the mall. Oh no. Like the non-existent mall, basically. And I was just like, oh my god, I've heard so many people talk about bugs and stuff. Oh no. And then I got it and it didn't taste great, and I couldn't eat much of it because I was like, this is gonna give me food poisoning. Yeah. It was pretty it was a bed toe box too. Like it looked like it was gonna be a really good deal, but yeah. No, not so much. I mean the fr the fried wontons were pretty good, but other than that. The sushi was horrible.

SPEAKER_02 28:26

I'm gonna stop at Wawa and get me a Caesar milk. And garlic bread. Garlic bread at the Wawa? No, I'll make my own garlic. Oh. Oh no, I can't because my bread was moldy. I made garlic bread last night and I had to pick the mold off.

SPEAKER_00 28:44

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 28:45

I do that. Yeah, I don't care.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

It's penicillin. It's good for you. I'm allergic to it, but that's okay. I think I mostly get it all. That's fine. You're not dead yet. All right, July 4th, 1960. America's new 50-star flag honoring Hawaiian statehood is unfurled. Mm-hmm. Yep. It's when the flag became whole.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

You know, nobody gave a shit about the flag up until like, I think it was like the 80s or the 50s, or I don't know, but nobody cared about it. When they would fly it in battle, like half the time it didn't have the right shit on it, and it was like all worn, and nobody gave it. I don't know why suddenly everybody gives a fuck about the stupid thing. Although let me just say this. I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to wear it as a shirt. If you're gonna get all bent out of fucking shape about people not handling it properly, because I did see something on Facebook yesterday about someone delivered uh an American flag and left it on the ground in its package, and it was clearly a flag, but okay, then don't put it on a tablecloth.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:56

And don't put it on underwear or a bathing suit.

SPEAKER_00 29:58

Yes, that has always been a huge pep peev of mine. It is in the laws of the flag that you are not to wear the representation of the flag anywhere on your clothing.

SPEAKER_02 30:10

You're not supposed to drape yourself in the flag. Don't get all bana shape that people want to burn it when you can't even not wear it.

SPEAKER_00 30:17

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, there's a lot of there's other rules too I can't think of right now, but nobody pays any attention to it. Get over it. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

Yeah, it's not sacred. Patriotism is in your heart, exactly, not on your sleeve. Right.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

Flags are like a way of celebrate. Like, I'm thinking of the World Cup. Like all those countries wear their flags on their backs, like little capes, and they wave them all over the like that's what it's like. You're showing your colors, but you don't have to like have down people for not doing it the way you think they should be doing it.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

And it's it's when you're allowed to protest by burning it.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

Yeah. You know what? If you looked away when somebody was burning the flag and didn't give them any attention, they wouldn't do it. They just want to get you all worked out.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

God they have been out of shape about the fucking flag. They do. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 31:08

Happy fourth.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

God bless America.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

All right. July 4th, 1969. Give Peace to Chance single by John Lennon and Plastic O No Band is released in the UK. Oh, we are saying that's all they say in that song, isn't it? I think that's I don't know. Anyway, I don't think so, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 31:39

I mean, I think I'm I don't know. Yeah, I don't know either. Not a big I just can't think of any other thing. It's not a big Beatles slash John Lennon fan. All righty. Probably not the one to give the information on that.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

All right.

Casey Kasem And Radio Nostalgia

SPEAKER_00 31:55

July 4th, 1970. Casey Kaesom's countdown radio program, American Top 40 debuts on Los Angeles Radio.

SPEAKER_02 32:02

There's nothing more American than Casey Kaesom.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

You got that shit right. Uh the first ever American Top 40 aired on July 4th, 1970, marking the debut of Casey Kaesom's iconic music countdown show created by Kaesem, Don Bastani, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program was designed to count down the best-selling and most played songs from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Canada to Mexico. The number one song on that first show was Mama Told Me Not to Call by Three Dog Night.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

I was gonna say Lee Greenwood. God bless America. Wait, no. I'm proud to be an American. When did I come out?

SPEAKER_00 32:47

Not on the fourth, because it's not in here. Um case CaseM's teaser format inspired, wait, teaser bio format inspired by a discarded music magazine brought each song to life with artist stories and trivia. Segments like long distance dedications became fan favorites.

SPEAKER_02 33:06

Oh my god, I love a long distance dedication.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Dude, if I like I caught her the other day, but it wasn't clear. But when I used to work for your restaurant um a few years ago about Delilah. Every night when I drove home, I got to hear Delilah.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

I love Delilah.

SPEAKER_00 33:23

I fucking love Delilah.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

You remember when you could just call a radio station? Like every radio station would have like a dedication night where you could dedicate.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

Or if you were really in love, you could just call the DJ and be like, Can you play chance? Can you please play? You're the inspiration. Dedicate it to Bill. Thanks. Robbie. The show ran for about three hours and quickly grew from seven stations to over 500 by the early 1980s. I used to love it. Oh heck yeah. That was a must-listen. Yeah. And you'd always try to guess what number one. And if last week's number one was like second or third, you're like, oh my god. Oh my god, we'll be number one.

unknown 34:10

Oh my god.

BET Awards And Pop Culture Taste

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Speaking of music, I watched the BET Awards the other night. Um, because in the beginning, they it's just like the Grammys. They promise you all the good stuff in the beginning, and that's all not till the end. Yeah, of course. So I was watching for Lizzo and Doji Cat and Queen Latifa and Lauren Hill and Cardi B. And then I first I had to watch all these acts that I don't know. Um and I didn't I feel like an old person, I didn't care for some of it. Yeah. I really was just like not everything is for us. It's not, but that's okay. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:53

Just like I said about the Super Bowl. Yeah. That's not my cup of tea, and not everything is for me. And good for him. But Bad Bunny, not my thing. God, that man is fine. He is attractive. But his music, I would rather listen to and literally not anything, because not country, but almost anything.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

That's wild. Like I love his music. I don't know what he's saying, but I don't like it. I love, love, love his music. But it's not for me. He's always had a thing for Latinos, though. On the way down here, I heard I um was listening to Spotify and Madonna's um La Isla Bonita. Oh hold on. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 35:40

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. What's the name of that song? Something playground.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

This used to be. No, not that one. You got the you're getting you're doing a all right, so I checked. It was Take a Bow. I couldn't remember the name of it. But I vividly remember the video with the Matador. Um and she's all swirling up in the bed, and he's out there with his fighting the bulls. He was fine too. I think it's Madonna's fault. I have such a thing for black Latin men. She did have a lot of them in her videos back then. Yeah. I think she's still a pretty big fan of the Latin Man as well. All right, let's see here. On July 4th, 1970, wait, the July 4th, 1970 debut was a cultural milestone in radio, blending music, personality, and community connection. Today, iHeartRadio's classic American Top 40 channel streams full-length chasm era chasm era shows from the 1970s to 1988, preserving the original sound. Which I thought was kind of neat. Yeah, yeah. I might have to go back and listen. Um, and then my final, no, I'm not my final. Um, my next, wait. Okay. My next um July 4th, 1975.

Bundy Gacy And Serial Killer Logic

SPEAKER_00 37:00

This one's for me too. Ted Bundy victim Nancy Baird disappears from Leighton, Utah. Gotta get our true crime in. I can't see Ted Bundy's name and not put him in the script. I mean that just wouldn't be right. Whew, you know what else I watched? Um, People Magazine is doing on the ID channel. Um I Survived a Serial Killer. Have you seen commercials for it?

SPEAKER_02 37:26

I've seen the show before, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:28

And um not Ted Bundy. Gacy. Oh man. I'd I've been fascinated with him, but this was talking to victims and people who had gotten away from him, and I never want to hear anything about him again. He was so like like kids at summer camp, and he was like a teenage helper leading them out and then doing things to them. Like, and hearing these oh my god, I was like I mean, yes, he murdered uh teenage boys and all that, but many of them, yes. I think it was the little kid stuff that really because these were like little campers that this shit was having. And it was bad. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

John Wayne Gacy is uh bad. Yeah, you know who my favorite's not favorite. I know who your favorite is. Other than him. Okay, Pinkerton in Canada. The one that fed everybody to the pigs. Oh, yeah, and then fed the pigs to the neighborhood. It's ballsy. That's ballsy. That takes some balls.

SPEAKER_00 38:42

It takes some commitment too. I mean, you know, it really does project.

SPEAKER_02 38:46

You have to really be committed to be a serial killer. Let's like let's not joke around and I I mean it is a commitment, it's a project. You gotta be, you know, on your game. To be, especially nowadays, to be a serial killer now. Yes, I mean, you gotta be you gotta be good.

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Yeah, there are cameras everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 39:07

I mean, everywhere.

SPEAKER_00 39:08

Yeah. Does people just a lot of people, yeah, just a lot of people everywhere all the time.

SPEAKER_02 39:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

You really need to go up to like Alaska, yeah, Washington State. Yeah. Like you need to.

SPEAKER_02 39:21

Where the people are less. Yeah, exactly. And no one knows about them. Exactly. Like Alaska would be perfect because most people go to Alaska to but then on the other side of it, like you don't know what you're walking into with a lot of those people are escaping something else.

SPEAKER_00 39:34

That is true. So a serial killer might move to Alaska and then get murdered by another serial killer.

SPEAKER_02 39:39

Serial killer on serial killer violence.

SPEAKER_00 39:43

That is a show I want to see.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 39:46

Oh, I murdered a serial killer.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

Serial killing as a serial killer.

SPEAKER_00 39:54

Serial killing, serial killers. Oh, that's Dexter. That's already been done.

SPEAKER_02 40:01

No, but like not because they're serial killers, just because like you just stumbled upon exactly. Like my favorite line is when I forget, uh, when you're hitchhiking and they're like, oh, how do you know I'm not a serial killer? Because it would be really weird that there was two of them in the same car at the same time. That'd be crazy coincidence. And that's how you get booted out of someone's car. There you go. That is how you outsmart people who are going to conduct violence on you. You just say, I don't know. Maybe I am. How do you know I'm not? Exactly. Eileen Warno's killed a lot of men. Oh yeah. Women can be serial killers too. Yeah. Women can just cut babies out of people. So and women can be in charge too. That's women can do anything men can do and do it better. Yeah. I mean, you know how hard it would be to cut a baby out of somebody and not nick the baby? I don't know what the baby died of, but the baby did die.

SPEAKER_00 41:02

Yeah, they said that in the show. Yeah, I don't know if it was like a bled to death, maybe. When they pulled her over, she said it wasn't breathing, so and I felt like there was something else in there that made me think. I want to say it didn't cry when she cut it out or something.

SPEAKER_02 41:18

I mean, it was a bad C-section, so that's probably botched C-sections.

SPEAKER_00 41:23

I I always feel bad for those officers, man.

SPEAKER_02 41:26

Can you imagine walking into that? Any of that kind of stuff. Like, I just can't imagine having to like.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

Like when you don't know what's there. The detectors show up and they they are aware of what's going on. But that first cop that responded and walks in, and you have no idea, so you can't prepare or try to see less or any of it. It's just there.

SPEAKER_02 41:51

Well, and her other poor kid. Yeah. And then they also said in the one of the ladies on TikTok who is a forensic had went through all the crime scene photos. And apparently the older kid was still wearing pull-ups at the time, and apparently there was a pull-up that was soaked with urine on top of one of the pools of blood. Which means the poor kid came out with the wet diaper, took its own diaper off, and set it next to its mom, who was laying there dead with her guts over there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:25

Yeah, I figured. And I was assuming they had seen it because they said when the cop came to its bedroom door, it hid under the blanket. So that's something you don't forget. That's a brutal story. That was it was crazy. I know. Spoiler alert. You like Drew Crime. All right, next. Here's a little Gen X July 4th for you. On July 1989, at the age of 14, Drew Barrymore made a dramatic suicide attempt that became a pivotal moment in her life. I did not know that. I don't think I realized that either. I mean, it makes perfect sense. I'm not shocked. No. Um you for oh go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 43:13

Hold on.

SPEAKER_00 43:15

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 43:16

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 43:18

All right. You might want to do your story too.

SPEAKER_03 43:20

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:21

You always forget. You need to write it. Alright, hold on.

SPEAKER_06 43:28

Because I mean cute like and through her teenage bloke. So package sex and freak your soul.

SPEAKER_00 43:37

Alright, so we're gonna take a little break here after my one sentence about the next one.

The 1985 Diary And Gary

SPEAKER_00 43:45

Because I'm delirious for moving. Alright, so uh now it's time for my diet, my 1985 diary, and I can't skip this because I also found that my classmate enjoys it. And uh yeah, she wanted to know who Philip was. And I don't know. So it's too late. We're gonna have another mystery guest here. Go back and look at your yearbook or something. I know. All right, so this was July 2nd, 1985. Dear Diary. Today, me. I alright. So names are in here, but I'm gonna stay say stepsister because I'm trying not to use names. Today, me and my stepsister were downstairs, and I told her Gary was here. Gary. Then in parentheses it says, we all hate Gary. Fucking Gary. Who the fuck is Gary? I don't know. My sister and stepbrother said when Gary came, they were not going to play with him.

SPEAKER_02 44:42

Puff Gary.

unknown 44:43

Poor Gary.

SPEAKER_00 44:44

What's wrong with Gary? I don't know. Um Gary wasn't really here. He was just kidding. I told her that he was a kid. Oh shit. I know, Prankster. You are a prankster. My sister or my stepsister went out to the kids and said, I thought you guys weren't going to play with Gary. And I cracked up. That was fucking hilarious.

SPEAKER_02 45:12

Is Gary real? Or was Gary like a Well we all hated him?

SPEAKER_00 45:17

Was Gary just a made up? And then I just added, me and my stepsister are sleeping in the basement.

SPEAKER_02 45:23

I I too enjoy sleeping in the basement.

SPEAKER_00 45:26

I know you do. So poor Gary, wherever you are, I'm so sorry that we all hated you.

SPEAKER_02 45:34

When I was a why no one knew I was, I guess because autism wasn't a thing then, but why no one knew there was obviously everybody knew there was something wrong with me, but when I was little and we would go stay at my aunt's house, my um my mom's best friend, I always would sleep in her closet. And I wanted to sleep and begged to sleep in her closet. Well, she probably had a really big closet. She did have a nice closet, but that's neither here nor there. Because I think I slept in regular closets too. I've always liked closets. Like there's this we I have an Eve in my apartment that's like carpeted and it's like hot as fuck in there. But I have seriously considered because it is just big enough for me to lay down in. To be like a coffin. Yes. But it would be very warm. If I could get air conditioning in there, I would seriously consider sleeping in there. No, thank you. I love it. I think I could sleep in a coffin. Well, I don't think I could because I like to sleep on my stomach. I have to kick my leg out. So I'd need a lead to lid up. I'd have to have a pretty decent sized coffin for that. Like a double coffin. Ooh. There we go. But I could sleep and I like to sleep up against the wall. Yeah. Yeah. The wall's cooler. It's not just for that. I just like to have a wall. I don't know. So you don't fall out. Really struggle with that. My sister did, but I I never did. My sister used to roam the house. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:09

My sister used to have bad nosebleeds. Really? She'd wake up in the morning looking like somebody murdered her.

SPEAKER_02 47:17

Mine slept with her eyes open. Creepy as fuck. And she also wouldn't wake you up. She would just stand next to the bed and stare at you until you woke up. And so she's creepy.

SPEAKER_00 47:32

She is a little creepy. She still is creepy. She's cute.

SPEAKER_02 47:35

All right, back to you. Imagine that staring at you, though. The edge of your bed with a horrible lip.

SPEAKER_01 47:40

Anybody's staring at me.

SPEAKER_02 47:41

With a horrible lift.

SPEAKER_00 47:43

She's a terrible list. All right, back to Drew Barrymore. The event occurred

Drew Barrymore And Child Fame Fallout

SPEAKER_00 47:50

amid a period of intense personal turmoil marked by early fame addiction and emotional instability. By that time, she had already been exposed to drugs and alcohol from a young age, with her mother's social circle often involving substance use and chaotic lifestyles. Barrymore's troubled childhood included her father's struggles with addiction and her mother's frequent parties and relationships. At age 12, she had already entered rehab, and by 13, she had attempted suicide after succumbing to the pressures of fame and personal crisis. The July 1989 attempt was part of a pattern of self-harm and substance use that defined her early years. She didn't really have a chance there. It's a miracle she became what she did. An absolute miracle. Yeah. Like, shoo. Yeah. Good for her. I still can't watch her show though. She's too bubbly. I can't. I can't. I can't. I know. It's too much. I love her, but I can't. No. I can't. I can't take it. Uh the suicide attempt was unsuccessful, and it marked a turning point. Obviously. Spoiler alert. Oh my god, I swear to God, in my brain while I was reading the script, in my head, I was like, duh. Spoiler alert. She lived. And it marked a turning point. Barry Moore later reflected on her experiences, acknowledging the depth of her struggles and the role of her environment in shaping her mental health. She has spoken openly about her recovery, self-awareness, and the resilience that helped her rebuild her life. Barry Moore's story has since been the subject of documentaries and media coverage, often cited as an example of how early exposure to excess and instability can lead to severe mental health challenges, but also how personal transformation and determination can lead to a successful career and personal life. The let's see. All right, I took the date out. I think it was 1990.

Two Live Crew And Free Speech

SPEAKER_00 49:57

I remember 1990.

SPEAKER_02 49:58

July 4th, I was working that day.

SPEAKER_00 50:01

I can guarantee that. Alright, so in uh July 4th, 1990, Two Live Crews. Band in the USA. Band in the USA came out. I love that song. I know. The title single is a reference to the decision in a court case that Two Live Crews' previous album, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, was obscene. Uh the decision would later be overturned on appeal. Bruce Springsteen granted the group permission to interpolate his song, Born in the USA, which was very nice of him. Displeased over the decision of Florida Governor Bob Martinez, who, being asked to examine the album, decided it was obscene and recommended local law enforcement take action against it, and over the subsequent action of Sheriff Nick Navarro of Broward County, Florida, who arrested local record store owners on obscenity charges for selling the group's albums. And the subsequent arrest of members of the group on obscenity charges. Uh, the group included the song Fuck Martinez, which also included multiple repetitions of the phrase fuck Navarro.

SPEAKER_02 51:13

I did a uh on one of our episodes. I don't remember which one. At the end, I went I quoted that song. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 51:21

You did. I remember that. Yep. Uh fucking Florida, man. And how can you be arrested for saying something obscene? Like, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 51:35

We are bonded by the First Amendment. The freedom of expression. The freedom of the expression. As long as I agree with what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00 51:47

The group found two other men with the same names and had them sign releases as they thought that this action would make it possible for Martinez and Navarro not to sue them. Fuck Martinez is not included on Spotify's stream of Banned in the USA. However, it is included on Uncle Luke's compilation, Booty Calls and Chants. There were also VHS VHS tapes and laserdisc releases of the group discussing the band. The album was briefly parry parodied on a skit of In Living Color. In Living Color. In which Campbell, spoofed by David Allen Greer, is challenged to compose a children's song. Struggling to make a good song, he manages to come up with an unoffensive composures until the last line where he must rhyme the word to the skit is cut off by a narrator saying the following line is banned in the USA. Speaking of Florida, and I don't know if all these cases have happened in Florida. I'm sure they have.

Florida Water Dangers And Wildlife Rules

SPEAKER_00 52:55

No. You know how we've been having lots of shark attacks lately? Yeah. Well, the latest and greatest is alligator and crocodile attacks. I imagine that. Yeah. Like there was this huge one on a resort beach. They had video of it at night. It just drug a dude out into the ocean. They've never seen him again. I go. There was hungry. Well, in these there was a group of friends in Florida in their 30s swimming in outdoor water. Why would you get in outdoor water in Florida, anywhere? You deserve to get eaten by a woman got attacked. Her boyfriend tried to save her.

SPEAKER_02 53:29

She died in the ambulance on the deserve to get if you're if you're gonna play stupid games and you win stupid prizes and swimming at night in alligator.

SPEAKER_00 53:38

Taylor Swift on the week of her wedding. She says that night. Well that's who I hear when you say it. Well.

SPEAKER_02 53:50

Anyhow.

SPEAKER_00 53:51

And then another little kid, he was fishing and reached down towards the water and the alligator bit his hand off.

SPEAKER_02 53:57

Like, stop going near wall. They live in the water. Like you can't be surprised if you're in Florida tromping around in alligator-infested nests and you get bit. Like you can't, it can't be a surprise.

SPEAKER_00 54:08

Yeah. I mean, when I in November when I was in Florida, we went to like a national or a state park or something where they have alligators, but they had like a boardwalk up above. And I went out and I looked at them there, and the rest I looked at from the car.

SPEAKER_02 54:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:23

Look, there's an alligator. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:25

You know what? He's faster than me on land and in the sea. Very fast. I'm gonna stay away from it. Just like you know where else I don't go? Anywhere that bears are, because they are faster than me. Yep. Yep. I also have a hundred percent chance of never being bit by a shark. Say I do not go in the ocean.

SPEAKER_00 54:44

I used to, but I won't anymore. That's where they live. I didn't live this long to be dumb enough to get eaten by a shark.

SPEAKER_02 54:51

And if you came running through my living room in your underwear, I'm gonna bite you too. Yeah, exactly. Like, get the fuck out. I know.

SPEAKER_00 54:59

I know. People don't respect their environments.

SPEAKER_02 55:02

No, stop fucking with wildlife.

Bug Spray Sales Pitch Gets Shut Down

SPEAKER_00 55:05

Speaking of respecting environments, I was out on my new porch, um, front porch, and a sales guy came up and he was trying to get me to debug my yard. He was he had a special, he just did the blockover. They have extra materials, they're giving it to everybody for blah blah blah. And I kept trying to say no and kept trying to say no, and he kept trying to say I was like, dude, I purposely plant things in my yard to draw in bugs. I am not going to have you spray my yard. Well, it's friendly for bugs. I don't care. I I like bugs. Keep your chemicals. We need bugs, they're very important. Keep your bug juice somewhere else. Exactly. Or take my no for an answer, and then I won't have to lecture you about bugs.

SPEAKER_02 55:47

That's the problem. No means no. And you should have said that. No means no. Oh, yeah. And then I should have been like yelling rape in my friend. You should do that. No. Just say no means no, buddy.

SPEAKER_00 55:59

Yeah. Well, he was a young kid. I wasn't trying to be mean. I am.

SPEAKER_02 56:03

And I know he's trying to make some money. Okay. But once you say no, like that's the end. Exactly. The end. Exactly.

Hunting The Secret Shitter

SPEAKER_02 56:10

We have a apparently I just found this out yesterday. And now guess he's on the hunt. Oh god. Oh yeah, I got a new target. Uh oh. Found out that apparently there is a secret shitter somewhere. Because there was over by our dumpster. The neighbor girl told me, Did you see that pile of shit over by the dumpster? And I was like, I was wondering what the fuck that was. And she was like, It's this dude. And she described him. So now I have a description. And then she said, I told our landlord, and he said that somebody shit in the go-kart track. That is literally under my house.

SPEAKER_00 56:51

So there are cameras out there.

SPEAKER_02 56:53

Yes, everywhere. I don't know how they didn't see. I do know how they didn't see, but but now, guess who's on the case? Yay. And literally nothing else to do. And is awake at fucking four o'clock every morning. Yay. So sweet. Stay tuned because I had I had lovely dreams about it last night after I woke up and was like, I went out and smoked my cigarette and at 327 and I came back in and I was like, oh yeah. I wish that motherfucker would. I really do. Because he's coming in this house. And once you come in the house, game over. I believe in all the amendments.

SPEAKER_00 57:40

All right. Here is my final event for

Hotmail And The Early Internet

SPEAKER_00 57:45

the July 4th. Hotmail was officially launched on July 4th, 1996, by Sabir Bataya and Jack Smith as the first free web-based email service. Hotmail was co-founded by Batia and Smith, who had previously studied together at Stanford University and worked at Apple and Firepower Systems. The service was designed to allow users to access their email from any computer via the web, breaking free of ISP-based email limitations. The launch date, July 4th, 1996, was chosen to symbolize freedom, aligning with American Independence Day. I'm not gonna lie, I do still use my AOL email. I know you do. So do my parents.

SPEAKER_02 58:37

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 58:37

I don't care. I love my I love my AOL mail. Yeah, that's fine. It's like 40 years old. My parents is actually hotmail.com.

SPEAKER_02 58:46

I never, I don't think I had a hotmail. I'm sure I did have a hotmail, but yeah, my parents are still rocking the hotmail. I currently have like 10 different Gmails.

SPEAKER_00 58:57

The idea for Hotmail emerged from the founders' frustration with restricted access to their personal email accounts at work. They initially needed $300,000 to start the project and secured funding from investors, including Draper Fisher, Drevetesen, in exchange for equity. Additional funding challenges were overcome through loans to maintain control of the company. Hotmail's early growth was fueled by a viral marketing strategy. Every email sent through Hotmail included a signature line. PS, I love you. Get your free email at Hotmail. I don't remember that. I don't. Uh which encouraged recipients to sign up. I remember the CDs coming in the mail every other day. Yes. This approach allowed Hotmail to rapidly expand, reaching over 300,000 users within three months and nine million users in its first year. The success of Hotmail attracted Microsoft, which acquired the company in 1997 for an estimated 400 million, which just sounds like chump change these days. This acquisition marked one of the largest all-cash internet startup deals of the era and integrated Hotmail into Microsoft's suite of online services, eventually evolving into Outlook.com. Hotmail's debut is widely regarded as a pioneering moment in web-based email, setting the stage for free, accessible email services, and introducing innovative marketing techniques that influence future internet startups. So that's the end of my facts. Although Heather reminded me during a break that I forgot, well, I didn't even think about putting the bicentennial in here. And she said evil Knievel was there and everything, and I don't remember all that.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:46

Maybe I'll do it next week. After. Let's get through, let's see what happens. Who the fuck knows what's gonna happen this year this year? Things could go horribly wrong. This could be the last 4th of July we ever have. Oh Lord. I know I didn't

Beach Town Fourth Memories And Fireworks

SPEAKER_02 1:01:00

even thought of it that way. I mean it's hard to say. Um I just wanted to when I was a kid growing up at the beach, you know, kind of a big deal, the 4th of July here. Um, when we had our restaurant so it's the we're on a barrier island. If you don't know what a barrier is technically, it's kind of a barrier island. It's not a true barrier, but anyway. And so Ocean's it's Ocean City, Fenwick, and Bethany. So two Delaware towns in one ocean city is Maryland. Ocean City has had fireworks ever since I was a wee little girl on the boardwalk, and then they got this nice little park down the north end of town, Northside Park. But there and then Rehoboth to our north, which is the next big town up, like Bethany and Fenwick are kind of small, and then Rehoboth is the next biggest town up, and then there's mil there anyway. So Bethany and Fenwick did not have fireworks, so the whole town would be dead. There would be nobody because they would all be in Ocean City or Rehoboth. So when we had our restaurant in Bethany, we closed. We had a parade and that was busy, but you know, come three o'clock when everybody was leaving the beach, you could close. So we would. We had a boat, and my dad would take us out on the boat and we would watch the fireworks from the bay.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:26

That sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:27

It was, it was very lovely. I hate fireworks, I don't get it. I can see them every Sunday at Northside Park. I can see it from my window. They have fireworks. I don't get the fascination with them.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:42

I can see that. I don't go out of my way to go see them since my kids are grown. I mean, it was fun when I had kids.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:47

I just I've never I mean, like, I liked doing that because we were out on the boat. And you know, we would bring the grill out there. Anything on the boat is there. Yeah, I mean, we would have a good time and there'd be all the other boaters out there and it would be fun. But I just I don't get it. I don't understand the joy of fireworks. It's loud. Maybe that's my issue. It's too loud. I don't understand other people that are not sanctioned to set off fireworks. I do not understand setting off your own fireworks. Mm-hmm. I don't get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:22

I don't I don't get what you have to go through to get to Rehobith to watch the fireworks.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:31

My nephew's birthday party is on the 4th of July this year. I don't know how I'm gonna get there. I'm gonna have to drone myself in and then drone myself out. Then when Bethany did get fireworks, of course we had to work. Like that's that's literally so Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. But summer doesn't get rolling until the 4th of July, really. So 4th of July is one of the busiest days of the year. This year, because it's on a Saturday, if it's on like a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, fucking forget about it. This place is insane because everybody's got the weekend off, and it's ever everybody it's ugh, it's just a nightmare and a half. I mean, and that's probably why I don't like it, because it just be it's just it's always been a burden to you. It really has been. Trying to get anywhere is a nightmare.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:24

Trying to even traffic coming down here today was it's heavy.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:29

Yeah. It's starting already. Yeah. And well, because people, yeah. Everybody took the whole week. So I get it. It's you know, I understand other people, but I just trying to get anywhere. It's just impossible. And you just want to get home and no one will let you. And then it's just so busy when you're trying to work, and then the problem is, is there's limited amount of time when people come off the beach to get their showers to get their spot for the fireworks, and they want to eat all of them in the one hour time frame, and they're angry because they have decided to eat at the exact same moment as everyone else, and don't understand why it's so busy. Like they thought of the idea of having dinner before the fireworks.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:27

I'm just glad I didn't spend five to twelve thousand dollars to be here this week when it is going to be as hot as the sun, no relief, no clouds, no shade, no rain, just hundred degree weather. I think it's three days straight. Yeah. We're gonna have a hundred degrees, and I'm sorry, I know that you have to work in it, but if I spent all that money on this vacation, yeah, it's too hot to go on the beach. It is. The sun would burn your feet off. I mean the sand. It is. I mean, at least the ocean's cold. It is, but who else is in the ocean that lives there? You can't see through our water at all. You can't. Once you get past ankle deep, you can't see what's under there. Nope. And there's stuff that lives there. Yeah, and it's been so hot, I'll bet the jellyfish are already here. Those little fuckers.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:18

It's probably still too cold. Probably. I'm already I have we have where I live is a water park. And I already decided that on Thursday, because I think Thursday and Friday are gonna be the two worst days. I'm already gonna tell the landlord that I'm gonna need to be in the lazy river after everybody.

Midnight Water Park Stories

SPEAKER_02 1:06:35

They'll let me in after everything closes. One of them will.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:38

Usually I'm like legally, I broke into a water park when I was a teenager. Actually, I broke into two. The one that was where Jungle Gyms is that used to be that big tall mountain. We climbed the whole back of the mountain. It was four of us. And it was like midnight, and we were drunk. And we were gonna go down slides, and we got to the top and realized no, it was so bright up there at night, all those lights, and everybody from the road would have seen us. So we like rolled back down the hill. And then we went to the one in Midway that's tucked back behind the Yeah. Yeah. And that one, the water wasn't running, but we would just swish the water and then jump. Yeah, we broke into that at like midnight. It was really, really fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:21

When I was a kid, we would have not on the 4th of July, but um my dad would have would rent out what water slides used to be really big. They're not anymore. For whatever reason, there are hardly any of them left. I guess because it's a huge liability. Um, but he would rent out for restaurant parties in like like the weekend after or right in August at some point when right before everybody went back to school, and in the middle of the night, they would rent it out from like midnight to like four in the morning. That would be sick, sure. But he would bring my sister and I because anybody who went down the slide with my sister and I, they couldn't roughhouse with them. And because my dad was significantly older than most of the employees, we were forced at like two in the morning to slide down water slides with my dad and anyone else who wanted to take a break from horseplay, and they were all drunk. It was a t I'm telling you, when I tell you my parents were terrible, like that one there. You just have sometimes I'm like, what were you th like these are all a bunch of drunk restaurant people in their late teens, early 20s? I love that so much. And you just shluffed us out in the middle of the night, and we're like, hey, if I have one of these, you cannot rough out. And so we would be forced to go down the water slide all night long. I know. Everybody like hears my stories and they're like, How is that about you do it year after year after year after year after year at two o'clock in the morning when you're trying to sleep.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:10

And sleep has always been important to you.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:12

Extremely. Even my sister will tell you it was horrible. Yeah. Because it's nothing but drunk people. I don't like drunk people anyway. And you're the only two kids there, so it's not like you're having fun.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:25

You were just there to serve a purpose. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:31

Whatever. Well, thank you. Thanks. I drank my root beer too fast. Uh oh. I know it makes me nauseous. Um yeah. Happy Fourth of July. Yes. If you're so inclined. Yes. I'm gonna be in my house. Sam's

Wrap Up And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_02 1:09:50

probably asleep by the time the fireworks come on. Um, you can like share rate review. Please do. You can find us where all the podcasts live. All of them. Um we have a website, www.likewhateverpod.com. Um I'll put a new t-shirt up in case anybody cares. It's pretty funny. It is. I love it. So uh likewhateverpod.com, you can find it in the shop. Uh-huh. Uh, you can send us an email. We'll go easy with your favorite Fourth of July story. And I'm sure it's not gonna be about being forced on water slides and all the things.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:42

Maybe it is.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:43

Maybe.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:44

Two like whateverpod at gmail.com or don't like whatever.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:49

Whatever.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:50

Bye.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:52

We'll say you bad is like whatever.