This is a timely, must-listen-to episode.

John Boland and Tim Cordes interview Edward Davis who was the Boston Police Commissioner during the Boston Marathon bombing and manhunt.

Edward Davis describes how he saw federal and local agencies worked together towards common goals. He shares what it was like contributing to the movie Patriot’s Day and how a certain scene connects with the real events.

Ed Davis teaches us about the nature of policing and law enforcement and explains that “What you’re seeing on the street with ICE is not law enforcement.”

Former Commissioner Davis offers his hero, Brian O’Hara, the police chief of Minneapolis.

Referred to:

Sir Robert Peel’s Policing Principles - Law Enforcement Action Partnership

Patriots Day (2016) - IMDb

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After touching on the College Associated Minor League (CAML) football championship, John Boland and Timothy Cordes launch into CAML football trivia.

We preview upcoming guests including Ed Davis, the former Boston Police Commissioner.

John marvels at the absurdity of the Buddies needing to talk about the U.S. seeking to acquire Greenland, and they compare it to a bad Hollywood plot.

They review Greenland’s strategic importance and acknowledge the damage to NATO that could result from direct military action. Tim asserts that there are distinct types of force and other ways to pursue U.S. interests in Greenland. The Buddies struggle to identify the eight wars that President Trump claims to have ended.

Tim’s whack-job, the ACT, is colluding to hide students’ poor math skills and worsening attention.

John’s hero has donated gallons of blood.

We close with the words of Dr. Martin Luthur King Jr.

Referred to:

MLK’s Nobel Acceptance Speech

The “Enhanced” ACT

new American College Test (ACT) compensates for children’s waning abilities

Donate Blood | Find a Local Blood Drive | American Red Cross

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John Boland and Timothy Cordes address the fatal shooting in Minnesota. John describes the powerful video, and they consider what threat a driver poses.

The Buddies review RFK Junior’s new dietary guidelines, finding much to agree with in it.

John poses a trivia question about the worst college football team of all time.

John and Tim review the U.S. action in Venezuela highlighting that Nicolas Maduro was a terrible leader who helped destroy his nation’s prosperity among other things. John wonders whether the U.S. should only involve itself in actions to support its strategic interests. Tim draws contrasts between the action in Venezuela with George H.W. Bush’s intervention in Panama which involved legal charges first, collaboration with Congress and bipartisanship.

John’s whack-job rushes to defend the indefensible while Tim’s hero has organized regular people to help strangers in need.

Referred to:

Post on Code Angel and truckers

Correction: Gary Bolyer is the author of the Substack describing the truckers mentioned in the podcast, not the trucker as stated in the podcast.

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John and Tim talk with Dalia Al-Aqidi who is challenging Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s Fifth congressional district. Dalia talks about her appreciation for America, illegal immigration, and terrorism. Dalia discusses her opponent, and we demonstrate the power of civil discussion when she and John discuss the Iraq war. Dalia chimes in with her whack-job and heroes of the week.

Related to this podcast:

Dalia Al-Aqidi for Congress | Standing Together

From the humor files:

Sad: Ilhan Omar Tells Brother It is Time They Start Seeing Other Siblings | Babylon Bee

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John and Tim muse on saying “Merry Christmas.” We review Christmas tree trivia. Then, John and Tim launch into a ‘clip show,” drawing on times when they surprised each other with heterodox opinions on China and the Department of Education. They share moments from interviews with Bob Ricks, Lisa Ekman, Gina Bennett, and Wes Pritchett. The Buddies play pieces related to Charlie Kirk and hope as well as feature a Bald, Blind, and Buddies original spoof.

This is a wonderful place to join The Buddies and start listening.

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After a podcast update and a round of trivia, John and Tim play what do those song lyrics really mean.

Then, the buddies explore a damning report from UC San Diego describing how a growing proportion of its admitted students are unable to do even middle school math. We touch on grade inflation, elimination of standardized testing, and the longer education complex. We explore technology in the classroom and the dichotomy between perception of education writ large and one’s local school.

As a further example of the floundering of the longer-ed complex, Tim offers his whack-job, John Lucas, a vice chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison whose job appears to be to provide innocuous banalities in response to real questions.

Our hero acted swiftly to prevent further loss of life during tragedy.

Referred to:

American Kids Cannot Do Math Anymore - The Atlantic

UCSD Senate Administration Work Group on Admissions Report

Campus Reform | UW–Madison students report new wave of violent political stickers across campus

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We discuss Senator Mark Kelly’s video urging troops not to follow illegal orders and the related blowback. How is Trump using presidential authority differently and what might constitute an illegal order.

We pass through the looking glass into a world of an AI voice clone of John.

Tim’s whack-job is anyone who cares about Lane Kiffin’s next coaching gig, and John does not understand why people follow The Royals.

John’s hero is waking up from a long slumber.

Referred to:

Opinion | Pete Hegseth, not Mark Kelly, should be facing justice - The Washington Post

Is Military Law Federal Law? Explaining the UCMJ’s Role - UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice - Military Law

Boat Strike Revelations Spur Bipartisan Anger at Hegseth | TIME

Lane Kiffin inspires coaching carousel chaos like no other, from Al Davis to the airport - The Athletic

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John Boland and Timothy Cordes each share three observations that give them hope. From the Catholic Church to the New York Football Giants, and from politics to universities. They praise ingenuity and the American spirit which is refreshed by immigrants.

John and Tim recount heroes who have saved lives, enriched lives, and creatively looked out for others.

Referred to:

James Harrison, whose rare blood protected millions of babies, dies at 88

A Prominent Federal Judge Declares He Will No Longer Hire Clerks from Yale Law School

More Campuses Earn “Green Light” Free Speech Ratings From FIRE

At Catholic Churches, Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Takes Center Stage - The New York Times

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John Boland and Timothy Cordes discuss the pending release of the Jeffrey Epstein documents, acknowledging the evil that Epstein and his facilitators perpetrated.

 We ponder if the wealthy operate under different rules and why. We discuss complicity and opportunism both first ignoring Epstein and now scrutinizing the files. We discuss the dangers of moral relativism and wonder about any further fallout from the release.

Tim’s whack-jobs, the Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin pay a quarter million dollars to not have to admit they discriminated based on race.

John’s heroes did something unfathomably hard.

Referred to:

The banality of evil: how Epstein’s powerful friends normalized him | Jeffrey Epstein | The Guardian

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story: Brown, Julie K. Amazon.com

UW Board of Regents settles racial discrimination lawsuit for $265,000 - WPR

U. of Wisconsin Apologizes for Doctoring Photo to Portray Campus as Diverse

Pray for Tyler Robinson’s Family - WSJ

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Timothy Cordes and John Boland dive into lawfare, the use of law for political ends.

But first, they give an update on College-Associated Minor League Football. They try to interpret a U-2 song lyric, and John offers baseball trivia.

Tim and John try to define lawfare. Tim asserts that part of the problem is the vagaries of federal law and the power of the DOJ making anyone vulnerable. John is appalled at how Trump is going after political enemies. Tim points out the hypocrisy of those whose opinion of the tool itself depends on who is wielding it.

John calls out the Trump ballroom and Tim praises the Wisconsin legislature for working toward cell phone bans in public schools.

Referred to:

 Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent: Harvey Silverglate, Alan M. Dershowitz

Trump pick Stephen Miran confirmed to Federal Reserve Board; will also keep White House job

Without Intent Revisited: Assessing the Intent Requirement in Federal Criminal Law 10 Years Later | The Heritage Foundation

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