Hero or Dick

Prison is meant to punish, protect the public, deter crime, and rehabilitate, but we keep running into evidence that those goals collide in real life. We dig into how incarceration works in the US, why recidivism stays high, and what reform could look like without pretending prison should be comfortable. 

Thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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Nobody is okay, the microphones are finally working, and we’re doing the only responsible thing: putting a pile of snacks on the table and debating them like it’s a civic duty. From cereal and cookies to chips, queso, and movie theater popcorn, we talk favorites, childhood memories, and why “just a handful” rarely ends there. Listener picks fuel the discussion, a small-town popcorn shop starts sounding like a business plan, and we consider what all this snacking does to our bodies. Snacks: Hero or Dick?

Thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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Dogs are good company and a lot of work. We talk about the routines our dogs have trained us to follow, and why a walk with plenty of time to sniff can change their day. We get into how dogs came to live with us, what their senses can do, and the work they do for people.

We also have opinions: use a leash, don’t assume “he’s friendly” settles anything, and know the difference between a service dog and a comfort dog. There’s some dog culture, a few fast takes on gear and training, and, inevitably, barking. 

Thanks!

~ Kate & KJ

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We start with Dolly Parton—her music, business sense, philanthropy, and the rare ability to become enormously famous without giving people much reason to dislike her. Then we move to Anthony Bourdain, a much messier Hero or Dick case: Kitchen Confidential, Parts Unknown, drugs, travel, food, fame, family, and the contradictions between the empathetic guy on television and the asshole he freely admitted he could be.

Somewhere in there we also talk saunas, because apparently KJ can't stay on topic. Where do you land on Bourdain: hero, dick, or both?

Thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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What is camping, really? We trace its evolution from survival to recreation, debate tents versus RVs, glamping, van life, and campground culture, and share our own favorite camping memories, meals, and mishaps. Along the way we explore the history, economics, etiquette, and quirks of America's favorite outdoor pastime. So...is camping still about escaping civilization, or have we simply brought civilization into the woods? 

Thanks for tuning into another episode of Hero or Dick! 

~ Kate & KJ 

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We order from Amazon. Probably more than we should. In this episode, we ask whether the convenience is worth the cost.

We follow Amazon from a garage startup selling books to one of the most powerful companies in the world, look at the role MacKenzie Scott played in its early years, and examine how Prime, Kindle, and AWS transformed the way we shop—and the internet itself.

Then we turn the box over. Worker quotas. Union battles. Counterfeit products. Fake reviews. Packaging waste. Taxes. Billionaires. How much is enough?

Thanks for tuning in to Hero or Dick!

~ Kate & KJ

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Fireworks are supposed to be pure fun. But the closer you look, the more complicated they become. We start with a Fourth of July recap—bonfires, s'mores, and fireworks across the lake—before digging into where fireworks came from, why we love them, and what they really cost.

We talk injuries, pollution, pets, PTSD, billions of dollars spent every year, and whether our priorities make sense. Then it's time for the verdict: Hero or Dick?

As always, thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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Kate returns from a trip to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, sending us down a Frank Lloyd Wright rabbit hole. We talk prairie style, open floor plans, organic architecture, and why Wright's ideas still shape the way we live today.

We also dig into the man behind the buildings: scandal, affairs, Taliesin, murder, money troubles, and the question at the heart of the episode—can someone be a hero and still be a dick?

Plus, road trip stories, food stops, travel mishaps, and a Fast Five on vacation destinations.

Hero. Dick. Or both? Tune in and decide.

Thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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America turns 250 soon, and instead of uncomplicated pride, we found questions. We talk patriotism, propaganda, immigration, inequality, surveillance, AI, and the cost of “progress” in modern America.

From 1776 to today, we look at the country’s biggest achievements, failures, contradictions, and myths—then ask the only question that matters: hero or dick?

As always, thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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Welcome to another episode of Hero or Dick!

This time around, we take a look at Mary Todd Lincoln.

From early loss to life in the White House, we get into what people still argue about: the spending, the behavior, the grief, and the need for control.

Laudanum, trauma, and a bad reputation—do these point to a misunderstood hero, or a selfish dick?

Tune in to find out!

Thanks for listening!

~ Kate & KJ

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