1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: Hi. I'm Brandon Webb, former ABCAL and New York Times 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,519 Speaker 1: bestselling author. If you're like me, you want real security 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: and defense news you can trust. You're probably tired of 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: hearing the same talking heads, guys who have never seen 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: the front lines, saying the same bs a hundred different ways. 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: It's why I founded soft rep dot com military grade 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: news produced entirely by our staff of military veteran journalists. 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: Sign up at soft rep for real news, real experience, 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: real experts. 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Join our community at soft rep dot com. 19 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: That's s o f r EP dot com. Ah beat force. 20 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: listening to software radio, special operations, military news and straight 22 00:01:27,120 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: talk with the guys and the community. Hey, everybody, welcome 23 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: back to Software Radio today. I'm going to be talking 24 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: about this crazy coronavirus and the Afghanistan pull out. And yeah, 25 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about two big important things. I'll start 26 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: off with Corona. As the coronavirus was coming out of China. 27 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: Um I was actually attending a Harvard Business School course 28 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: called O p M. It's it's a two year program 29 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: for business owners, but it's from people from all over 30 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: the world, and we have a handful of folks from China, 31 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: so it was it was interesting kind of seeing this 32 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: whole coronavirus emerged on the global landscape, and a lot 33 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,399 Speaker 1: of my classmates kind of concerned with what was happening 34 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: in our own small class because there was you know, 35 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: it's flu season. There definitely was a cold being spread 36 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: among the class um and then one guy ended up 37 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: catching a fever and getting hospitalized. Campus police showed up 38 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: to to another person's room on campus during the course. 39 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: We actually we live on campus for about four weeks, 40 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: and then watching kind of this whole media scare and 41 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: really hype, you know when you look at this. Unfortunately 42 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: we live in the age of the Internet, which is 43 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: great because news travels fast, but the traditional media outlets 44 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: primarily make most of their money off advertising, and it's 45 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: all about getting attention, right, so they need to grab attention, 46 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: so they you know, how can you direct people to 47 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: your news site if you're talking or reporting about Corona, 48 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: will you get some scary title? And and and unfortunately, 49 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: fear work to drive a lot of traffic to these 50 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: different sites, and so you end up with this like 51 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: global media almost like a media pandemic, let alone the 52 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: virus being a pandemic and itself, and then you get 53 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: this widespread concern and and you know, on the verge 54 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: of panic from a global population. And to give you 55 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: an example, I was in an uber this week and 56 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: the uber driver was saying that, you know, among the 57 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: drivers they were they were literally talking about how they 58 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: weren't picking up people in New York City with Asian names. Uh. 59 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: And then eventually the profiles these a lot of the 60 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: Asian profiles they changed to American names, so you know, 61 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: like Sam, Bob whatever, to kind of get around the 62 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: the prejudice. So it's really that part is is unfortunate 63 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: and a little bit sad to think that, you know, 64 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: anybody from Asia living in a city like New York 65 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: or the rest of America, whether they're they're traveling in 66 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 1: a subway or on an airplane, if if they have 67 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: the slightest cough, it's like everybody is ready to to 68 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,559 Speaker 1: uh to panic. That it just shows you, I think 69 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: how crazy the media is in in a little bit 70 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: irresponsible and just like spreading that the when I say 71 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: misinformation about Corona. You know, the the mortality rate of 72 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: Corona is a little bit higher than the basic flu 73 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: but most of those fatalities are in older people. Um, 74 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: when I'm talking Corona fatalities older people or people with 75 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: pre existing conditions, and so you know they I don't 76 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: think anyone's agreed on the exact mortality rate, but it's 77 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: somewhere between one percent and five percent. And it it 78 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: really you know, I read somewhere that if you're under fifty, 79 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: your odds are less than one percent fatality rates. So 80 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: it's really like just a bad version of the flu um. 81 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: And I remember what happened so in Puerto Rica was 82 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: with Zeka. There was this massive Zeca scared and I 83 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: live half the year in Puerto Rico and I've known 84 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: people that got zica and just got over it. It 85 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: really was dangerous if you're pregnant, but other than that, 86 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: it was just a regular flu virus. So, you know, 87 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: I think we watch all these movies like Outbreak and 88 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: Afraid of the the zombie apocalypse unfolding in real life, 89 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: when in reality, you know, it's you know, we're so 90 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: globally connected now through air travel and information um that 91 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: you know, obviously any type of new strain of viruses 92 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: is going to be scary. No arguing that. But I 93 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: think the media has largely caused this massive panic and 94 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: now you have unfortunately, you know, I've talked about this 95 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: in the past about you know, what's going to happen 96 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: to the economy. It's very interesting because you know, you 97 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: see this some wild swings in the in the stock markets. 98 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: You've got some real concern people are they're talking about postponing, 99 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: potentially canceling the summer Olympics in Japan. Um. You have 100 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: major events being canceled throughout the US, A lot of 101 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: trade shows. My own trade show h y p O 102 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: has a global Event Leadership event every year. This year 103 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: it was in San Diego. That event has been canceled. 104 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: So the unfortunate thing is, you know, a lot of 105 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: this is going to impact the US economy. Where it's 106 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: really showing up is how how reliant we are on 107 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: China for a lot of textiles and consumer goods. And 108 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: now we're seeing that these factories with the Chinese New 109 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: Year happening just before the outbreak the coronavirus and Chinese 110 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: near everything shuts down. You know, they factories closed, everyone, 111 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: everything kind of shuts down. And then on the on 112 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: the end of that the coronavirus happening, and now you know, 113 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: companies that rely on products made in China aren't able 114 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: to source their products, so the supply chains are impacted 115 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: and everyone's kind of feeling the squeeze. Add to that, 116 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: like I said, all these major trade shows getting shut down. 117 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: There's like major, major blow to the economy. So you know, 118 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: you saw the interest rates lowered in the US. I 119 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: think what's gonna happen is more people are gonna stay 120 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: home this summer. They're not going to travel abroad. But 121 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: it's an interesting thing that's happening, and it could potentially 122 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: it will impact the economy that you know, could have 123 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: a negative effect and put US into recession globally, or 124 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: you know, it could foster cooperation globally between governments and 125 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: and actually potentially stave off the recession for a little 126 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: bit longer. Everything goes in cycles, right, So markets go 127 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: up and down, economies go up and down. We've been 128 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: in a pretty bullish economy now for for one of 129 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: the longest runs in American history, so it's just a 130 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: matter of time before we see some type of correction. 131 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: But but anyway, the coronavirus, it's uh, definitely a thing. 132 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: I don't think it's as bad as as people think. 133 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: You know, I almost I was talking to my friend 134 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: this morning at breakfast, like I almost wish I could 135 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: get it myself and get over with, get it over with, 136 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: so I do not have to worry about it. But anyway, 137 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 1: I did write a piece on software up just how 138 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: to prepare for the coronavirus. But it's really you know, 139 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: the piece that I wrote is essentially how to prepare 140 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: for any kind of natural disaster or event like coronavirus. 141 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: And I'm more worried about this media induced panic driving 142 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: people to rush out to the grocery store, and obviously 143 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: that this is already happening because I normally keep a 144 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 1: go bang in the house, and I keep a little 145 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: bit of a fresh water supply and reserve and some 146 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: basic basic stores. But I went in and bought some more, 147 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: some more stuff from my own, my own purposes. Then 148 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: I could see like places on Amazon where stuff was 149 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: out of stock. And so the article I wrote was 150 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: essentially just like what you should have on hand normally, 151 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: just to be prepared. And I'll go down the list 152 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: and share that with you. And this should be something 153 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: you should have at all times. It's just a good 154 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: kind of peace of mind if you have, whether you 155 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 1: live alone or you're with the family and loved ones, 156 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: you should have this stuff on hand just all the time. 157 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 1: That way, if something does happen, you're prepared, because most 158 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: often what happens is some event occurs and by the 159 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: time you're running out to get resupplied, you're already way 160 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: behind the power curve. Um. So my thing is like, look, 161 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: if you don't have what you need now, just go 162 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: and stock up and put it in a closet or 163 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: the basement somewhere, and just forget about it and know 164 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: that you're prepared. If if stuff, if stuff were to happen. Like, 165 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: let's just say they put a quarantine on your local city. 166 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 1: Now you can't travel outside of the city limits. Imagine 167 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: it's gonna happen with people running out to the pharmacy 168 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: grocery store. All the stuff is going to be gone 169 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: within seconds because the local supply chains are affected. In 170 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: any type of quarantine scenario, you can't get goods and 171 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: services in and in and out of the city. So 172 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: just a good idea, So I'll go down the list. 173 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: You know, clean drinking water is huge. Um. I would 174 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: definitely invest in some type of water far purification as well, 175 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: like whether it's tablets or filters. That way, if you 176 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: do have to use your local water supply, at least 177 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: you have a way to kind of clean and filter 178 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 1: out the bad stuff, and also stock up on bottles 179 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: of water, you know, like big jugs, just to kind 180 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: of put it aside. You know, there's a lot of 181 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,719 Speaker 1: high calorie survival meals out there. I'm a big fan 182 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: of mountain house. Some don't need to be heated or 183 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: have water added. Unfortunately, most of the mountain house stuff 184 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: you do have to add water and heat it. I 185 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,719 Speaker 1: would avoid buying any type of old military m r 186 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,319 Speaker 1: E s. We call meals ready to eat only because 187 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: there's just a lot of a lot of fake m 188 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 1: r e's out there. You don't know what you're getting. 189 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: Um So, unless unless you have a hook up from 190 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: somebody in the military that given you a couple of boxes, 191 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: I would avoid that just by the by the commercial 192 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: survival stuff. I'm very easy to go at Amazon or 193 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: wherever and verify from the reviews whether it's whether it's 194 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: good or not. A lot of you can get organic, canned, 195 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: and dry food options. You definitely don't want to be 196 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: in a situation where you're living off survival meals for 197 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: two weeks um as as your only option. I did 198 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: it in Afghanistan for about four months, and it was 199 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: not a pleasant experience. A good first aid kit everybody 200 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: should have, like the basic kind of day to day 201 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: first aid. But and then also you know, you should 202 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: have a little bit more than the basic day to 203 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 1: day what we call boo boo kit in the military. UM, 204 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 1: I would definitely have some some serious um stuff to 205 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: to dress like wounds, and I'm talking like what happens 206 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: around the house. You cut yourself really badly, potentially you 207 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: need to so so somebody up suiture them up. You 208 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: should have a suitor kit, some type of tourniquet, lots 209 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 1: of gauze. There's this some real good technology they on 210 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: clotting gauze kits that that really stop the bleeding. And 211 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: then obviously with that goes you should educate yourself on 212 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: some basic first aid and YouTube is a great resource 213 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: to be honest. They're just basic stuff like toiletries, right, soap, alcohol, 214 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: hand rub, like disinfectant, but just the basic toiletries that 215 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: that you're gonna need. Pets supplies food for your pets 216 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: to a lot of people just don't don't realize. In 217 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: some cases, probably you've got more reserved pet food than 218 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: you do food for your own family. Um, but it 219 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: is good to think about the pets. Um some type 220 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: of you know, basic mask with filtration that that's in 221 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: a case where you'd have to like move out in 222 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,679 Speaker 1: the open environment, if an outbreak were to happen in 223 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: your area, you'd at least have some basic protection. And 224 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: we do have some of those. We we found a 225 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: pretty good source in the software store. Um we and 226 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: we just got we just got resupplied after we sold 227 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: out the initial batch um. If you have young kids, 228 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: you know, I would think about some type of board games, 229 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: activities to keep the kids occupied. Books. But also if 230 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: you have infants, you gotta stock up on the baby 231 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: stuff right the whether it's formula, food, diapers, all that, 232 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: all that stuff. I always think having a also a 233 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: good portable radio is a good idea. Of spare batteries um, 234 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: as well as head lamps. You know, when the lights 235 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: go out, the power goes out, you always want to have. 236 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: Candles are good, but LED suh, they last so long 237 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: even with the basic batteries that you know. I'm a 238 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: big fan of hands free lighting sources like an LED headlamp, 239 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: plenty of those available on the internet, and an ari 240 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: I portable GPS also a fan of that, you know, 241 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: these portable GPS maps. If you do have to navigate somewhere, 242 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: at least you have a portable option with battery backup, 243 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: always a good thing. I would also think about kind 244 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: of that one good outfit you could put on and 245 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: wear for several days. You know, a good jacket, all 246 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: weather jacket. I'm a big fan of natural materials like wool, 247 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: because you can wear wool socks for several days. Wool 248 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: has a natural tendency to eliminate odor. We used to 249 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: have a saying in the military cotton kills because when 250 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: you get cotton wet, it's the worst. So big fan 251 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: of wool, natural materials as underlayers, not only as wool 252 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: warm when it's wet or when you sweat in it. 253 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: It's a natural material, very rugged and resistant to to odor. 254 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: So huge fan of just kind of any type of 255 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: wool socks. And they have some great kind of you 256 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: I use wool sock liners from r I as my 257 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: kind of everyday sock because they're they're just great. What else? Um, 258 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: Also like one good backpack per person, and make sure 259 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: there's a pack for everybody. Have some first aid, you know, 260 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: a mini first aid kit in every pack, some food, 261 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: some portable water filters. Everyone should have their own kind 262 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: of go bag for the family and this stuff like 263 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: once you prep it, you just put it away and 264 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: forget about it, right, So that that's the that's the 265 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: point I'm getting at here. Just have it put away. 266 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: If ship does go down, you're prepared and you know 267 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: you've got a plan together. And speaking of plan, if 268 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: you do have a family, you've got to come up 269 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: with a basic, simple plan like, hey, if if something happens, 270 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: you're at kids are at school, you're at work, We're 271 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: gonna rally have a rally point and that could be home, 272 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: that could be a relative's house, someplace where they know 273 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: if if they lose cell phone signal, like they go here. 274 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: Everybody is going to meet at this spot. And the 275 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: simpler the plan, the better, and everybody should know what 276 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: that is so that I can't emphasize that enough. And 277 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: I always even when I travel with my kids, it's okay, 278 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: something happens, whether it's a God forbid a terrorist attack 279 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: like what happened in Paris, but this is the plan. 280 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: Go here. If we get separated, this is what you do. 281 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: Because look, we're so reliant on our cell phones these days. 282 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: If the cells towers go out, you need to have 283 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: that basic plan. M always a surprising how many people 284 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: just don't put enough time into it or have that 285 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: conversation with the family. I'm Brandon Webb, former Navy seal 286 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: and founder of the Create Club. Tired of the same 287 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: old gift ideas. Want military grade survival gear delivered to 288 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,919 Speaker 1: your doorstep, then get Create Club. The box built by 289 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: Navy seals, Army rangers, and special ops guys with backpacks, 290 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: holsters and more military grade gear. It's a perfect gift 291 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: for the guy and life. Subscribe to create club and 292 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: will also include The Killing School, my best selling e 293 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: book about America's elite snipers. That's Craig Club dot com. 294 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: C r A T Club dot com. Anyway, that's kind 295 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: of my tips on coronavirus again, you know, to recap. 296 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 1: I think the media has not done the general population justice. 297 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: They're really good. It's kind of fearmongering to drive page views. 298 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: In reality, the Corona virus or COVID nineteen, it's it's 299 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: it's a nasty little virus, but the odds of odds 300 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 1: of you dying from it are extremely extremely low. And 301 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: so just just keep that in mind. And I'm I'm 302 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: guessing it in the next few years we're going to 303 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: get some type of version of it anyway, because it's 304 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: just the way people pass viruses and we get sick 305 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: and we build our immune system and you know, the 306 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,360 Speaker 1: cycle of life continues. So it just is what it is. 307 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: So onto the next topic, and before I get into Afghanistan, 308 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 1: I do want to remind people please email us your 309 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: questions radio at soft rep dot com, Radio at soft 310 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: up dot com. Any type of interviews, topics, guests you 311 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: want to see on the show, please let us know. 312 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: I will say Peter Bergh's team reached out to us 313 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: last week, so we're looking forward to having Peter Berg 314 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 1: on the show. As many of you know, Peter Berg 315 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 1: directed Lone Survivor. He's got a new movie out on 316 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: Netflix that we'll talk about when he's in studio. And 317 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: again if you have if you haven't seen my friend 318 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 1: Todd's movie, Last Full Measure, please check that out, The 319 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: Last Full Measure. It's it's a based on a true 320 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: story of Air Force Paara rescue men in Vietnam getting 321 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: awarded the Medal of Honor. Great story, great movie. Todd 322 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: is a good friend of mine and he is also 323 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: a big supporter of the military, So I appreciate you 324 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: going and showing support for The Last Full Measure. Let's 325 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: talk about Afghanistan, right, we're looking at close to twenty 326 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: years in Afghanistan. Um, I've talked about it before. I 327 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: think about it as my generation's Vietnam with with just 328 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: a better homecoming. Really, after the first three what I 329 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: could say around three years. Three years of occupation in Afghanistan, 330 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 1: America really should have just pulled out. And if I 331 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: had the magic wand and I could go back in time, 332 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: you know, we would have pulled out of Afghanistan entirely. 333 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: You know that the main objective when I when I 334 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: went over there with Stale Team three was disrupt the 335 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: terrorist training networks that have been established post Soviet withdraw. 336 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: As you remember, um in the eighties, the CIA and 337 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: the US government, we're backing the mujiah Hadeen and Afghanistan 338 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: that we're fighting the Soviets, and the Mujiahadeen was essentially 339 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: morphed into al Qaeda and a Solomon Laden. You know, 340 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: after the Soviets withdrew, Afghanistan became this like haven for 341 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: Mudan training camps. You know that that kind of proliferated 342 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: into Bin Lauden kind of leading the al Qaeda and 343 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: looking for the next you know, enemy of Islam, which 344 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: was clearly in his eyes, America, the United States occupation 345 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: of the Middle East. You know, they had this major 346 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 1: kind of run, free run and free reign of Afghanistan 347 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: to kind of you know, turn it into this trained 348 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: terrorist training network, and post nine eleven, it was clear that, okay, 349 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: we need to go in Afghanistan, wipe these training camps 350 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: off the face of the earth, you know, kill as 351 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,239 Speaker 1: many terrorists, bad guys as we can, essentially sending a 352 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: message that look, America is not going to take this 353 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: kind of thing as well as the rest of the 354 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: free world. And I think that's why it was very 355 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: easily easy for the US to kind of build a coalition. 356 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: And that coalition was pretty strong. You know, you have Poland, 357 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 1: the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, most of Free Europe, Australia 358 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: and New Zealand participating in this coalition in Afghanistan. We 359 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: largely accomplished that mission in the first couple of years. 360 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: While we didn't find bin Laden right away, um, we 361 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: know now that he escaped across the border into Pakistan. Ultimately, however, 362 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: we should have pulled out. And now we're here, almost 363 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: twenty years later. What the hell do we really have 364 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: to show for Afghanistan. Now we're trying to get this 365 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: p steal sign with the Taliban. But the point is, 366 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: I think Trump is right to say, let's end it 367 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: and bring American troops home. Um, the problem that I 368 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,399 Speaker 1: see and a lot of my fellow veterans is they 369 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: come back from later stage Afghanistan tours and I'm talking 370 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 1: post two thousand five. They lose friends over there, they 371 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: see not only not only their friends dying, but people 372 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: getting wounded and injured. They're coming back to the US 373 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: and they're kind of stepping back maybe their transition outside 374 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,719 Speaker 1: of the civilian world, and they're like, Okay, what the 375 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: hell was this all about? And I think that's where 376 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: that's where people really struggle psychologically, because they cannot rationalize 377 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 1: the terrible acts that they've done or seen overseas compared 378 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: to when I was there in two thousand Um, it's 379 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 1: very easy for me to come back and rationalize what 380 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 1: we did, having being deployed over there right on the 381 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: heels of nine eleven, having a very clear objective. Um, 382 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: it's very easy for me to come home and rationalize 383 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: the things that we did over during my my own 384 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: personal deployment, however, have had I put myself on the 385 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: shoes in a thought experiment of going and deploying in 386 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 1: two thousand ten and seeing and you know, terrible things happen, 387 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 1: and look, there always be some internet tough guys like 388 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: kill them all, like God sort them out. And in 389 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 1: the right context, I can get on board with that statement. However, 390 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: the reality is we're talking about young American seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, 391 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,479 Speaker 1: twenty year old men and women getting put into this 392 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: bureaucratic machine, and the gears are just grind grinding away 393 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: at their mental state, right, and so it's a it's 394 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: a serious thing, and it's why we're having a major 395 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: issue now with veterans suicide in the US. You know, 396 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 1: people literally, I'm talking. I remember I spoke to a 397 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,360 Speaker 1: marine a few months ago and he said, yeah, I've 398 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: lost more guys in my unit post deployment from suicide 399 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: than we did when we had casualties in Afghanistan. So 400 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: that's the reality of the situation. So I think it's 401 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 1: long overdue that the US withdraw troops from Afghanistan, long 402 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: long overdue. And I think Afghanistan, unfortunately, is not going 403 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: to be a better place, with the exception of potentially 404 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: a more stable government that will leave. So maybe that's 405 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: the probably the most beneficial part of leaving Afghanistan a 406 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 1: little bit better off, is that I'll have a more 407 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: stable government. I think we have to acknowledge that the 408 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: Taliban is a big force, UM, and not everybody wants 409 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: to live by the same UH standards as we do 410 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,199 Speaker 1: in America and the rest of the free world, and 411 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: we just have to make peace with that. UM. It's 412 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: just like communist China. Some cultures choose to live differently 413 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 1: and it's just a fact of life. We cannot force 414 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: people UH into cultural change overnight. It takes time for 415 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: people kind of a evolve and make their own decisions 416 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: and have regime change all that good stuff. So I 417 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: do think that it's it's time we pull out of Afghanistan, 418 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: and I'm glad to see we are. We are making 419 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: progress there, even though there is you know, obviously some 420 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: continued tension with the Taliban. But it looks like four 421 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 1: thousand troops within the hunt first hundred and thirty five 422 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: days are going to be withdrawal withdrawn out of the 423 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: current thirteen thousand troops currently deployed UM, so almost half 424 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: and there remaining would leave within fourteen months. So I 425 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: think it's a good it's a good move, you know, 426 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: and it's unfortunate that it hasn't been done probably seventeen 427 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: years earlier. Anyway, we cannot continue to run around the globe. 428 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: I've said this many times, UM and try and police 429 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: every possible conflict, UM and be the world's police. When 430 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: we have serious issues at home in America with with 431 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: our healthcare and education system, it's time for us to 432 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: kind of focus a little bit inward. We still have 433 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: to we have a responsibility as a world leader, but 434 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: we need to really start refining our global foreign policy strategy, 435 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: which you know, you ask any politician, they're going to 436 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: tell you a different answer, which is a big problem. 437 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 1: I've I've harped on this over and over again. When 438 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 1: you have a very unclear foreign policy strategy, you get 439 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: into a situation where you drift along in Afghanistan for 440 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: twenty years, don't have anything to show for it. And 441 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: it's a shame that the probably close to a trillion 442 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:46,239 Speaker 1: dollars that has been pumped in to Afghanistan and the 443 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: loss of future generations of America relatively nothing to show 444 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: for it. UM. I can think of a much better 445 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: way to spend a trillion dollars at home and include 446 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: our basic health care services for the citizens as well 447 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: as our education system. UM. I believe that the US 448 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: is rich enough to have a robust um if we 449 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: can stand up, you know, these massive government bureaucracies too, 450 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: to essentially serve in multiple capacities in government, from the 451 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: I R. S to the state department to your your 452 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: local Just think of your local government and how much 453 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: they spend. You know, we can carve out some budget 454 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,919 Speaker 1: and start thinking about waste, not only to give to 455 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 1: shore up our public school system, but be able to 456 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: offer a free like taxpayer funded basic college education for 457 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: our own citizens, which is really investing in our country. 458 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: Right We're we're really losing. We're at a point where 459 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 1: we're losing our technology edge in multiple ways, from AI 460 00:28:55,160 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: to financial technology, communications technology. It's really an investment in 461 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: the future of America and the future generation by you know, 462 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 1: looking at the skill sets shortfalls in the US as 463 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: well as refining our immigration policy. Australia has a great 464 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: policy Canada as well, where they identify h skill sets 465 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: set shortages and then they let people immigrate that can 466 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: fill those skill sets. America we have a lottery system, 467 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: which is crazy to me that we have a lottery 468 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: in all these different countries and just let anyone in. 469 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: There's no rhyme reason to it. But anyway, I'm on 470 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 1: a little bit of a tangent now, but that's kind 471 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: of my feelings with Afghanistan. I'm glad it's happening. I 472 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: hope we can redirect some of that funding to these 473 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: critical programs that that definitely need a tention in America, 474 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: like the school system, healthcare, and and with the school system, 475 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: you know, I'm saying, look, I'm all, I'm a capitalist. 476 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: I'm all about free markets. The fact that you know, 477 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: I pay my taxes and my kids can go to 478 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: public school and get a good education. There's that's a 479 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: great thing. And and it should be the same for college. 480 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: Like some you know, kids that can't afford to get 481 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: into an Ivy League school or scholarship into these places 482 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: should be able to have to go to school or 483 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: a trade school and get trained up on technology or 484 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: whatever they're interested in and not have to leave a 485 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:29,200 Speaker 1: government like state owned or run school and leave it 486 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: with a hundred thousand dollars plus in student debt. It's 487 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: just it's a America is too great of a country 488 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: to let this happen, not to our own citizens and 489 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: in future generation, and we need serious change in this country. 490 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: I've been saying this for a long time now. You know, 491 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: people ask me all the time, Oh, you should run 492 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: for politics. Not a chance that's going to happen for me. 493 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: It's just such a I've given enough to this country 494 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: without putting my family through a nasty kind of political campaign. 495 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: It's and it's it's unfortunate the way you know, and 496 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:02,959 Speaker 1: none of us are perfect, right, We've all we've all 497 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: done things, we've regretted and made mistakes, done things like 498 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: stupid things that that we've learned from and hopefully become 499 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: better people. But to have that kind of exposed, and 500 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: even in the case where you look at the Supreme 501 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: Court Justice Kavanaugh getting a sixteen year old high school 502 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: when he was sixteen at a high school party, making 503 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: some off comment to you know, some girl at at 504 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: a party, I mean, it's just like crazy, you know, 505 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: think about when you were sixteen, all the dumb ship 506 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: that that we all did back then and having that 507 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: and now in the age of the Internet just being 508 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: on display for everybody. So look, I'm not I'm not 509 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: interested in politics. I'm I'm interested as a concerned citizen 510 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: having these conversations and using my being a member of 511 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: my local Business Chapter. Being a former member of the 512 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: SPA's advisory board as a veteran, you know, I do 513 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: believe in giving back and continue continuing to serve and 514 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: contribute UM as a citizen of this country. But I 515 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: have no interest in running for politics, So so please 516 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: don't please don't ask again. UM. Anyway, just uh a 517 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: short show this week. I am looking forward to getting 518 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: back in studio and getting some really good guests for 519 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: you guys. Again, don't hesitate to write in your questions. UM. 520 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 1: I hope you're checked. You've checked out the new site 521 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: at soft rep dot com and seeing a lot of 522 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: the changes that we made as well as the Craig 523 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: Club dot com. You know we're we're constantly trying to 524 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: improve both the content experience. I will update you on 525 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: this where we are talking to a major video game 526 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 1: publisher in the US about doing a soft Rep sniper 527 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: first person shooter video game for console. That's exciting. We've 528 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: also got several several inquiries on some film and television rights. 529 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 1: Deal is now because we have I've done a lot 530 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 1: of software books in the past on our own. Now 531 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 1: we actually have an author direct portal, So any any 532 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 1: writer who's interested in telling a military story, whether it's 533 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 1: fiction or nonfiction, can now upload that manuscript on our 534 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: software books page. And we are now publishing several books UM, 535 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: and planned to publish a lot more that we could 536 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 1: potentially turn into TV series in films. So we're excited 537 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: about that. A lot of good stuff happening. Yeah. What 538 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: else I'm trying to think of? H Yeah, I covered 539 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 1: the most of the game. The software books, UM. You know, 540 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,480 Speaker 1: we'll probably get twenty plus titles out this year. It'll 541 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: be e book format on available on Apple, Eyebooks and 542 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: Amazon and Audible as well. And if the books UH 543 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: the advantage of Amazon, when you do an e book 544 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: on Amazon, it automatically offers a print on demand copy. 545 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 1: But if we get a book that's doing really well, 546 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: we will do a hardback print on that and sell 547 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: it into uh some of the indie bookstores, potentially Bards 548 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:12,440 Speaker 1: and Nobles. Well. But exciting stuff happening. UM. Always interesting journey. 549 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: We started software and Software Radio eight years ago and 550 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:20,839 Speaker 1: we've learned a lot along this this journey. Appreciate the 551 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: listener support. Oh. The last thing I would mention we 552 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: recently signed the I Heart Media we're gonna get support 553 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 1: of iHeart Studios for the podcast, so we're looking forward 554 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: to that. I Heart gives us a ton of access 555 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:38,879 Speaker 1: to some really interesting guests rosters well, so we're looking 556 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: forward to for that relationship. This year. My Heart has 557 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 1: been a great partner for us, super exciting stuff on 558 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,879 Speaker 1: the horizon. Appreciate all the support. Like I said, our 559 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:55,640 Speaker 1: content team here that Software Media is veteran run and 560 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:59,839 Speaker 1: we appreciate that. We believe in making a decent prof 561 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:04,359 Speaker 1: fit decently and we're big supporters of military charities and 562 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:09,959 Speaker 1: employing veterans. And I'm my first and philosophy, I would 563 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 1: much rather give a hand up than a hand out. 564 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 1: And I think we've really learned a lot along the 565 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,920 Speaker 1: way and how we operate, and we have a great team. 566 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: So I'm really fortunate for that, and I appreciate your 567 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,040 Speaker 1: guys support. So um, if you don't follow me on 568 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: Instagram and Twitter at Brandon T Web Brandon t as 569 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: In Tyler at web w E B b UM, I 570 00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 1: run those accounts myself, please follow us at Software on 571 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:42,920 Speaker 1: Twitter and on Instagram as well. I will see you 572 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: guys very soon out here. You've been listening to Self 573 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:53,760 Speaker 1: Rep Radio. New episodes up every Wednesday and Friday. Follow 574 00:35:53,840 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: the show on Instagram and Twitter at self rep Radio.