Getting to Third Space with Lamar and Tom

The Iowa Investigator tells 3-minute stories about his home state of Iowa. He has at least 85 thousand followers on TikTok and 31 thousand followers on Facebook and Instagram. Including us. Today we meet The Iowa Investigator. 

The Iowa Investigator is J.T. Vonderhaar, an Iowa native who decided to give TikTok a spin only a few years ago while still working as a banker. He focused on interesting stories and facts from small town Iowa (towns less than 1,400 people at first). He challenged his viewer to share and spread the word about his stories if they wanted to hear more. They did. Today J.T. travels the state as The Iowa Investigator visiting towns (both small and large) and focuses on uncovering some of the most interesting stories Iowans, and others, have never heard. 

J.T. is a graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he majored in business administration and minored in history. He is a former basketball player who has also been an assistant and head coach for high school teams in Eastern Iowa. For more than 10 years, J.T.’s career was in banking. When The Iowa Investigator became one of the fastest growing TikTok-ers in the state, he left his full-time position to follow his passion to learn more about the forgotten and lesser known stories about his home state. 

Learn More

To learn more about The Iowa Investigator and his stories, you need to visit his Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok pages. The following are links to his stories on Facebook. They are but a sampling of the more than 600 videos he has produced.

The Iowa Investigator discusses:

Jack Trice - https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1H37wxjUMw/

The Sweet 16 Capital of the World - https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18GpNceQma/

Iowa and the Underground Railroad - https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BC6pGYYbs/

Iowa's Name - https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EJx3avi9h/

Lexington of the North - https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DqtyzkTWS/

Nikita Khruschev's Visit to Iowa - https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CJbVmqpSh/

The Underfunding of Iowa Schools - https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CEQ4BFQQp/

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Kindness seems out of vogue right now. But we don’t believe that to be true. We believe there are a lot of people in our world who are choosing kindness even in the face of cruelty.

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA and Iowa; Original Publishing Date, June 9, 2026.

Memorial Day is this week and today’s podcast features a Table Talk between Lamar and Tom about the meaning of Memorial Day and its origins. You may be surprised by what you didn’t know about Memorial Day. Join us!

Learn More

The Wounded Warrior Project

From History Facts 

Memorial Day was Originally Called “Decoration Day”

Did you know it is Legally Required to observe a National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day?” 

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Kindness seems out of vogue right now. But we don’t believe that to be true. We believe there are a lot of people in our world who are choosing kindness even in the face of cruelty.

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Meet Lamar and Tom

Lamar Roth and Tom Klaus are lifelong friends exploring how to get to a 3rd Space - a space where two or more people with opposing viewpoints, ideologies, and worldviews can come together to hear, listen, share, and connect with one another. Together Lamar and Tom hope to carve out a 3rd Space where everything can be on the table for open, straightforward, honest, and, yet kind and respectful inquiry. 

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA and Iowa; Original Publishing Date, May 26, 2026.

Starting In 2027 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed in 2025) enables scholarships for private school tuition, tutoring, and transportation for families with incomes up to 300% of the area median income. Is this really a good idea?

In today’s podcast, Lamar and Tom talk with LaMonte Rothrock who has been an educator throughout his career. LaMonte began his teaching career as a music educator. His career’s journey led him down several paths. From music education he became a counselor and eventually an administrator. He worked in public schools and in a private prep school. In the later stages of his career he moved into college administration. At every step and turn, LaMonte learned what he needed to know to help students be successful. 

In this Table Talk, we discuss whether the education provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill will actually help all students or whether it will mostly help those from families whose wealth and education level already give their students an advantage. States must opt in. What is your state doing? What would you like it to do? 

Learn More

School Choice is Booming in Iowa: Are Students Better Off? https://www.npr.org/2026/04/19/nx-s1-5683199/education-school-choice-iowa-students-charter-school-cedar-rapids 

Federal Program Will Bring Private School Choice to At Least 4 New States https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/federal-program-will-bring-private-school-choice-to-at-least-4-new-states/2026/01

School Vouchers Explained: What the New Federal Program Means https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/edcast/25/10/school-vouchers-explained-what-new-federal-program-means 

U.S. school choice tax credit scholarship program https://ballotpedia.org/U.S._school_choice_tax_credit_scholarship_program 

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 
• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 
• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/
• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 
• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/
• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news
• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA; Original Publishing Date, May 12, 2026

You know about earworms, right? It’s a piece of music that gets stuck in your brain and won’t leave you alone. (“Baaabeee shark…”) Sorry about that. 

There are questions that are like earworms, too. In our last podcast our guest, Joel Kauffman, asked us if we are making a difference with Getting to 3rd Space and, if so, how do we know it. His questions have been earworms for us ever since. 

We started this podcast in September 2023. We are now in our 4th season and we’ve done 68 podcasts, most of them on audio and video. We are not tech savvy guys so we don’t know how to gather all the stats we need to know about our true reach. Because we do this for free, we can’t afford to hire anyone to do this kind of thing for us. So we do the next best thing…we try to make educated guesses based on the stats we can easily find and on feedback from listeners/viewers. 

Still, our minds have been spinning as we think about if we are having an impact with this podcast. We decided to explore those questions more fully in this podcast. Of course, this leads us to ask YOU: What do you think? Are we making a difference? Our conversation in either audio or video can be found on Substack at https://klaushaus.substack.com/ You have a choice of listening to the audio only or watching on YouTube. We hope you tune in and then tell us what you think.

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

We are halfway to Thanksgiving and we’d like to make sure we have plenty of Acts of Kindness to share at that time. Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

• Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

• Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

• Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

• Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA; Original Publishing Date, April 28, 2026

What is the state of our democracy in the U.S. today? What does it mean to be a democracy? Lamar and Tom check in with historian Joel Kauffman on these and other questions. 

Joel Kauffman is a professor, coach, reader, and world citizen. His interest in the world in which we live has led him to learn more about it through the study of history and in conversations with people from all walks of life. Joel taught courses at Hesston College, including a couple with Lamar, engaged students and pushed them to think more carefully and critically about the world they were inheriting from their elders. In this Table Talk, Joel similarly pushes Lamar and Tom to thoughtfully consider the state of American democracy and what it will take to preserve it.  

Learn More

Walden by Henry David Thoreau - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/205/205-h/205-h.htm

The Constitution of the United States of America - from the Bill of Rights Institute https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Constitution.pdf also from the National Constitution Center https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution

What is a Democracy? Department of Government, Georgetown University - https://government.georgetown.edu/news/democracy-governance/what-is-democracy/ 

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA; Original Publishing Date, April 14, 2026

It’s Lamar & Tom’s Second Annual Oddly True for April Fools’ Day podcast! Here’s how it works. Each tells the other three stories ripped from the headlines that are odd but true. However, the story teller changes a single detail in one of the stories making it only mostly true. The other has to correctly guess which story has been changed. 

Learn More

Tom’s Stories:

• Wild turkeys terrorize Wisconsin neighborhood, chase postal workers https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/05/wild-turkeys-Janesville-Wisconsin/6431770305690/
• Badger found hiding in California high school storage closet https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/03/12/Madera-Animal-Control-high-school-badger/5391773339110/ 
• N.Y. governor steps in to save resident's 'PB4WEGO' license plate https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/26/license-plate-PB4WEGO-Gov-Kathy-Hochul/3131772123934/

Lamar’s Stories:

• Making your bed every morning could actually have this health drawback https://nypost.com/2025/12/08/health/making-your-bed-every-morning-could-have-this-health-drawback/ 

• Frozen Dead Guy Days https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_Dead_Guy_Days 

• Dog Sets Guiness World Book Record for Longest Tongue https://youtu.be/gdOH5HF3rHE?si=2S2pa35T13OKIEA2 

And the winner is…

Well, it’s a tie. However, in the podcast we say that Tom won. During editing he realized he had confused the story of the turkeys in Wisconsin with this story from Canada: https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/25/canada-Ottawa-turkeys-chase-man/7251772035813/

Since Lamar guessed the turkey story wasn’t quite correct, he also gets a point. So, now the score is 1 to 1. The competition continues…April Fools Day, 2027.

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI (for our “outer space” looks in this episode)

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA and Iowa; Original Publishing Date, March 31, 2026.

Have you ever felt disconnected from the decisions that shape our world? 

Today Lamar and Tom are discussing the tragic loss of six Iowa National Guard members in Kuwait. Their sacrifice reminds us of the heavy toll of conflict and the often confusing nature of war.

As they reflect on this, they also consider the broader implications of military actions and the importance of transparency in decision-making. It's vital to stay informed and engaged with these issues that affect us all.

What are your thoughts on the disconnect between leadership and we the people, particularly as it relates to the decision to go to war? Leave us a comment. 

Learn More

Americans, more than others, see their fellow citizens as “bad” or “very bad.” How does this play into what is happening in Trump’s decision to go to war? Do we see other non-citizens even worse? Do we consider them even human? 

Pew Research: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/05/in-25-country-survey-americans-especially-likely-to-view-fellow-citizens-as-morally-bad/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#how-have-views-on-morality-changed-over-time

Tell us what you think. What does this do to us?

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Meet Lamar and Tom

Lamar Roth and Tom Klaus are lifelong friends exploring how to get to a 3rd Space - a space where two or more people with opposing viewpoints, ideologies, and worldviews can come together to hear, listen, share, and connect with one another.

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA; Original Publishing Date, March 17, 2026.

In this episode of Getting to 3rd Space, we are going to try and answer a question we are getting more frequently from friends, followers, listeners, and viewers: “But what can I do about the situation in our country?” Frankly, we were a bit stuck. So we went to Perplexity (https://www.perplexity.ai/) and asked it this question: People ask me, about the current social and political situation in the United States, "What can we do?" What can I tell them?

Here’s a summary of what we learned (and we’ve put a few links below if you want to learn more): 

First, don’t give your power away to despair. Feeling hopeless only helps the people who want us numb and quiet.

Second, shift your focus to where you have real leverage: local life. Pick one local issue you care about—democracy, climate, housing, gun safety, public schools, racial justice—and commit to one concrete role.

Third, invest in relationships. Talk with your neighbors, your faith or civic groups, your coworkers. Listen more than you lecture. Share good information.

And finally, use the tools we have. Vote in every election, especially the small ones. Call or write your representatives once a month on the issues that matter to you.

If enough of us do small, steady things in one chosen corner of public life, it adds up. The question isn’t ‘Can I fix everything?’ It’s ‘Where can I be faithful and consistent?’ That’s how we bend things in a better direction.”

Source: Perplexity⁠ and ask it this question: People ask me, about the current social and political situation in the United States, "What can we do?" What can I tell them?A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes

• FactCheck

• Politifact

• RealClearPolitics

• Reuters FactCheck

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check

• All Sides

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart

Meet Lamar and Tom

Lamar Roth and Tom Klaus are lifelong friends exploring how to get to a 3rd Space - a space where two or more people with opposing viewpoints, ideologies, and worldviews can come together to hear, listen, share, and connect with one another.

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2026. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA; Original Publishing Date, February 17, 2026.

Liz Weaver joins Lamar and Tom in this episode of Getting to 3rd Space to talk about collaboration, trust, and transitions. Liz retired recently from her role as Co-CEO of Tamarack Institute in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Tamarack is known for its work in catalyzing collective action with diverse leaders to solve major community challenges including ending poverty, building youth futures, building belonging, and addressing climate change in cities and communities, within Canada, and around the world. 

Liz Weaver spent a significant part of her career with Tamarack where she led teams in creating resources, facilitating change initiatives, and 34,000 learners and members to do the same. 

In this long-form conversation, Liz, Lamar, and Tom talk about how facilitators can build trust and create collaboration between and among individuals holding diverse ideas. They also discuss Liz’s recent research and publication on workplace transitions and, of course, acts of kindness.

Learn More

From Tamarack Institute: 

• Resource Hub
• Collaboration: The Act of Building Trust
• The Collaborative Organization
• Liz’s transition guide: The Human Side of Workplace Transitions

Other Facilitation Resources 

• CoCreative Consulting
• Liberating Structures
• Session Lab

For Knitters

1898 Fisherman’s Knit Hat (sorry, Tom called it the 1892 hat)

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Kindness seems out of vogue right now. But we don’t believe that to be true. We believe there are a lot of people in our world who are choosing kindness even in the face of cruelty.

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

What do we do with the acts we learn about in this survey? We save them and feature them in our Thanksgiving show each year…anonymously unless you prefer we use your name.

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2025. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA and Ontario, Canada; Original Publishing Date, February 17, 2026.

When you are wondering about rumors, conspiracy theories, folklore, fake news, and urban legends, who ya gonna call? Not us…but how about Snopes.com?

Today Lamar and Tom start by talking about the upcoming season of the Frederick Flying Cows basketball team and a new photo project that Lamar is undertaking. However, the conversation transitions into a deeper examination of four articles from Snopes.com that illustrate gaslighting (which the guys discussed in their last podcast), information that needs more context, and how misinformation can be linked and result in some terrible outcomes, such as the death of Renee Nicole Good, by manipulating public perception.

Learn More

Image claiming to show Renee Nicole Good's car aimed at ICE officer isn't what it seems ⁠https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/renee-good-car-ice-image/⁠ 

Repeal of 24/7 Rule for Nurses in Skilled Nursing Care: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rfk-jr-health-department-nurses/ 

USPS Postmark Rules: https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/12/30/usps-postmark-rules/ 

Nick Shirley’s investigation into alleged Minnesota day care ‘fraud scandal’: What we know: https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/12/30/nick-shirley-minnesota-daycare-fraud/ 

A 3rd Space Survey: Acts of Kindness

Do you have an act of kindness that you’d be willing to share? You can participate through a Google Forms Survey at this link: https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5

There you will find two kindness questions we’d like you to consider and then respond to:

• What is an act of kindness you’ve received that made a difference to you?

• What is an act of kindness you have done which you hope changed another person’s life?

Finally, please share this survey because an act of kindness shared begets others.

How We Check Ourselves

Fact Checking: Because there are a lot of things happening…some true, some false, some unbelievable…we use the following fact checking sites. Take a look for yourself:

• Snopes - https://www.snopes.com/ 

• FactCheck.org - https://www.factcheck.org/ 

• Politifact - https://www.politifact.com/

• RealClearPolitics - https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ 

• Reuters FactCheck - https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ 

Because media can have its own biases, we also rely upon these sites to help us get balanced coverage:

• Media Bias/Fact Check - https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/

• All Sides - https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news

• Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart - https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive 

Meet Lamar and Tom

Lamar Roth and Tom Klaus are lifelong friends exploring how to get to a 3rd Space - a space where two or more people with opposing viewpoints, ideologies, and worldviews can come together to hear, listen, share, and connect with one another.

Want to watch us do the podcast? Visit the Klaus Haus Productions YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KlausHausProductions. 

Comments? Suggestions? Ideas for guests or topics? 

Send us a voice message on Spotify or email us at [email protected] and [email protected].

Credits:

Wild Opinions and Nonsensical Musings by Lamar Roth & Tom Klaus

Images by Getty Images, Pexels, Pixabay, Roth Images, and Cyberlink AI

Final review and approval by Jake and Ebie Dawgs Inc. 

Photos by Lamar Roth are copyrighted by Roth Images, All Rights Reserved. For permissions or additional information: [email protected] and https://www.rothimages.com/

Getting to 3rd Space with Lamar and Tom is produced and sponsored by Klaus Haus Productions LLC and Acorn Consulting, LLC. © 2025. All Rights Reserved. Permissions: [email protected]. 

No living creature was harmed in the production of this film but a lot of Colombian coffee was consumed.

Recorded using Riverside.fm - http://riverside.fm/ - from “home studio” locations in Maryland and Kansas, USA and Iowa; Original Publishing Date, February 3, 2026.