The Omaha Bugle-Global News Network

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A thought-provoking look at the news--offering entertaining insights into politics, economics, and popular culture--which are occasionally grounded in actual facts.

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155 episodes
Updated June 25

Episodes155

Newest first

Jul 12, 2025 · 38 min
Do Russia and China Care About Iran?
Send us Fan Mail In the wake of the American bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities, Adam and Jeff discuss the apparent lack of response by either Russia or China to the attack. Adam believes that the lack of response is due to the reluctance of both countries to call attention to themselves due to their failure to respond in any meaningful way. Jeff suggests that neither Russia or China have any type of mutual defense treaty obligations with Iran, because they would both be concerned that Tehran would pull them into a war with Israel and the United States. Indeed, any patronage by Russia and China of Iran may be nothing more than a coldhearted calculation of influence buying in the Middle East. Iran could be seen by both Russia and China as a foothold whereby they can challenge the hegemony of the United States in the Middle East without getting their hands too dirty. Jeff suggests the muted responses of both China and Russia to the bombings reflects the increasingly poor prospects facing both countries due to declining economic growth rates, declining populations, and a generally deteriorating geostrategic position in the international system.
Jul 12, 2025 · 34 min
The Omaha Bugle Discusses New Global Population Estimates by the United Nations and Two Kids Down the Street
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff turn their attention to a recent report that the United Nations has lowered their predictions that the global population in the year 2100 will be at least a billion less than past estimates. Adam and Jeff return to a recurring theme that demographers, like everyone else, get caught up in the trends and forget to question the long-term viability of those very same trends. Jeff points out that many demographers take a bird's eye view of population trends whereas others ask individuals about their preferences and draw their own conclusions. In short, it appears that most women do not want to have 6 or 7 children and sit in a grass hut all day long, instead preferring to pursue careers and other opportunities that were not always available to them in the past. This mystifying trends appears to have surprised most demographers who have had to drastically revise downward their predictions about the world's population in the coming decades. In the spirit of efficiency, Jeff predicts that there will be 7 billion people in the world in the year 2100, pointing out that he did not waste any time hiring an expensive, credentialed staff that was going to get the prediction wrong anyways.
Jul 12, 2025 · 28 min
Adam and Jeff Talk About Jeff's Recent Trip to Iceland
Send us Fan Mail In an attempt to reach listeners who are not necessarily interested in the pseudo-fact news stories that are typically featured on the Omaha Bugle, Adam and Jeff talk about Jeff's recent trip to Iceland. Jeff provides an account of some of the "touristy" things that he and his family did while roaming through southern Iceland including venturing into warm mineral springs baths, shopping and dining in the capital city of Reykjavik (where absolutely no bargains are to be had), and roaming around the countryside. Although Iceland is about the size of the state of Kentucky, it has only about 400,000 people--all of whom are legally required to be blonde. Jeff did attend the Independence Day parade in Reykjavik where he saw exactly two floats go down the main thoroughfare. However, he was disappointed that there were no balloons floating overhead. Jeff also talks about the cuisine of Iceland, much of which is sea food--including delicacies such as fermented shark--which is so appalling in taste, texture and odor that some masochists find it oddly alluring. Other delicacies for the more adventurous types include ram's testicles. Jeff also admits to some frustration with driving in Iceland because the top speed is only 90 kilometers per hour--which is around 55 miles per hour.
Jun 19, 2025 · 39 min
Will the United States Win the Tariff Tango?
Send us Fan Mail Noted trade experts Adam and Jeff discuss the new American trade policy of greatly increasing tariffs on most foreign imports. They debate whether across-the-board increases in tariffs on imported goods is a strategic action or simply a blunt instrument approach to cutting down America’s enormous trade deficits. Jeff points out that the current policy is prompted by the desire to reshore industries and rebuild our domestic supply chains. Adam sees the increases in tariffs as a strategy to force other countries to build their products in the United States so that they do not get shut out of the American market by higher tariffs as the Japanese car industry chose to do when its auto exports were limited to the United States in the 1980s. Both see tariffs as a way to force other countries to the table now as opposed to waiting a decade or more to possibly work something out at the WTO.
Jun 19, 2025 · 33 min
Should the United States Take Over Greenland?
Send us Fan Mail Anxious to display their recently acquired knowledge about all things Greenland, Adam and Jeff address whether the United States should take over Greenland and the means by which it should do so. They talk about the fact that Greenland is heavily subsidized by Denmark and that if the United States should take it over, it will inherit that same open-ended obligation to keep the Greenlandic economy, afloat for years and years to come. They also talk about past efforts by the United States to buy Greenland outright from Denmark for cash. However, Jeff points out that this approach (which has been rejected repeatedly by Denmark) does not have any appeal to the Greenlanders themselves because the money would be going to the Danish government.. Adam and Jeff discuss a more innovative approach whereby the United States would bribe every man, woman and child in Greenland with large sums of cash to persuade them to switch sides and join the United States. They even offer to oversee the money transfers in person by taking trunks full of cash to the various Greenlandic settlements and obtaining proxy votes in favor of joining the United States.
May 21, 2025 · 42 min
"The Return of the King". The First Hundred Days of Trump's Presidency: Part One
Send us Fan Mail Adam opens the show solo because Jeff is on assignment overseas with a group of cartographers mapping the tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip for a new travel guide. Jeff discusses the workplace hazards in Gaza as he and his colleagues make their way through boobytrapped tunnels, losing the occasional finger or toe to an explosive device. Adam and Jeff then turn to the theme of the show which looks at some of the major policy changes that have taken place in the first 100 days of the second Trump presidency--most notably immigration. Adam points out that people always act in their own self-interest and are willing to give their life savings to traffickers in order to come to the United States where they can receive food and lodging benefits not typically available to many Americans. Jeff points out that the Biden Administration seemed to believe that open borders would allow enough people to come into the country who would have an undying loyalty toward the Democratic Party and thus reward it with an electoral majority for years, if not generations to come. However, Adam and Jeff point out that most groups of immigrants typically split their votes among the major parties by the second or third generation, rendering the "demographics is destiny" argument moot. They also consider instances in which government agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Education have been created and funded but have had little positive impact in recent years due to misallocated funds and bureaucratic sclerosis. Adam believes the government should limit itself to certain core functions such as national infrastructure (e.g., TVA, interstate highway system), a universal postal system and national defense, whereas Jeff is hoping that he can avoid stepping on another explosive device before he returns home.
May 5, 2025 · 39 min
More Executive Orders from the Desk of President Donald Trump
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff discuss some of the more recent executive orders signed by President Trump and suggest that the sheer number of these executive orders may be diluting their effectiveness. One order which directs that Washington D.C. be made safe and beautiful is little more than a directive that the relevant officials do whatever they can to make Washington D.C. great again. As with other orders such as one which directs that bank payments be made safe and efficient, many of these orders appear to be more aspirational in nature instead of offering concrete steps to take. Unfortunately, Jeff and Adam are both painfully aware that the modern banking system is incredibly efficient insofar as debiting monies from their accounts is concerned. However, the speed with which deposits are credited back to their accounts harkens back to the days of the Pony Express. Yet another executive order directs that the White House set up a task force to deal with FIFA (the governing body of professional soccer competitions throughout the world) even though most people in the United States do not watch professional soccer or even realize that FIFA is not a light and flakey bakery treat. Yet another executive order directs that a strategic bitcoin reserve be established; Jeff is unsure, however, how you stockpile something that is basically an imaginary asset.
Mar 9, 2025 · 45 min
The Omaha Bugle Talks With GOP Congressional Candidate Chris Eddy About the 2024 Elections and the State of the World
Send us Fan Mail Never shy about foisting their views on others, Adam and Jeff invite Chris Eddy, the retired general and recent GOP candidate for the 25th U.S. Congressional District in Florida to talk about what went right and what went wrong in his election bid. Chris provides a statistical analysis of the early voting and election day voting and focuses on some of the factors that may have prevented him from unseating the incumbent in a very tight election. Jeff asks Chris why Democrats appear to be willing to "die on the hill" for various issues that appeal to very small groups of voters. Chris also talks about the changes made in the last four years in the election laws of many states that caused the 2024 election to appear like a seamless process compared to the 2020 clown show that resulted in the Biden victory. Adam points out that President Trump is bringing in more loyalists the second time around due to the very mixed results he obtained during his first term when he relied heavily on Washington "insiders". All three seem to agree that Trump framing his policies as "common sense" rather than being motivated by ideological concerns would explain why Trump's policies are more popular than Trump himself--who is not exactly known for his cuddley demeanor.
Mar 5, 2025 · 41 min
Part One: Trump's Flurry of Executive Orders: Do They Really Matter?
Send us Fan Mail Always happy to offer their opinions to the public free of charge, Adam and Jeff convene to discuss the enormous number of executive orders executed by President Trump during his first few weeks in office. Some of them such as the banning of paper straws in federal agencies seem to be silly (except to those who have accidentally swallowed a soggy paper straw) while others such as the reaffirmation of the Second Amendment seem redundant since the Constitution (assuming we still have one) protects the right to bear arms. But Jeff and Adam suggest that these executive orders--all of which could be cancelled by the next president--are designed to change the mood of the country and the way in which the government is perceived. Whether the concern is the weaponization of the Justice Department or the inability of the country to speak to foreign nations with a single voice, Trump's numerous executive orders reflect a new energy (whether you like it or not) that has been largely absent during the past four years of the "Weekend at Bernie's" Biden administration. These executive orders also allow Trump to stake out positions and set goals for the always energetic Congress to achieve--if it can manage to get its act together for even a few hours. All in all, these executive orders may help to show that a new sheriff is in town and that the old ways of doing things (or not doing anything) are no longer acceptable.
Feb 4, 2025 · 43 min
The Omaha Bugle Salutes the Passing of President Jimmy Carter. . . Future Career Opportunities for Kamala and Joe
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff return to the air after receiving pre-emptive pardons from out-going President Joe Biden for any crimes they might have committed while not in the employment of the Biden Family Business or for any actions they might have taken while not serving on the J6 Committee. Adam and Jeff pay homage to the recently-passed President Jimmy Carter and point out that he was a decent person who was caught up in challenging events that defined his presidency in a negative way. To his credit, Adam notes that Carter never weaponized the government against any individuals even though Adam and Jeff could provide a lengthy list of people who should have been targeted for weaponization. They also discuss some possible future job possibilities for Kamala Harris and, based upon her campaign having lost $1 billion dollars in a losing effort and still ending up $20 million in the red, believe that anything having to do with money or counting might not be a wise choice. Jeff believes her unique speaking techniques would lead to an impressive career as a speech therapist. She could also work as a grade-school teacher due to her ability to incorrectly explain complex concepts using simple words. Jeff thinks she might be perfectly suited to be a cruise ship activities director due to her deliriously happy laughter which would no doubt encourage hung-over passengers to get up at 4 a.m. every morning to do their exercises. As far as Joe Biden is concerned, Adam and Jeff suggest he could be an outstanding Walmart greeter so long as he was tethered to the front door to keep him from wandering off. Another possibility might be for him to sit in a Christmas window display in a store on Fifth Avenue in New York City while eating an ice cream cone.
Nov 23, 2024 · 38 min
The Omaha Bugle Offers Its Post-Mortem of the 2024 Election
Send us Fan Mail In discussing the outcome of the 2024 election, Adam and Jeff said that they were surprised by both the speed with which the winner of the election was decided and the almost complete lack of dirty tricks on election night. Indeed, they were expecting that a dump truck load of ballots would be found on a country road in Pennsylvania or Michigan or any other swing state. They also suggested that the Harris campaign suffered from several almost insurmountable challenges--not the least of which was the fact that Vice President Harris was the running mate of President Joe Biden--who was probably one of the worst chief executives in the history of the United States. So Harris had the unenviable task of running as an incumbent and having to tout the record of an extraordinarily inept administration. Moreover, she did nothing to convince voters during her tenure that she was anything other than one of the worst vice presidents in the history of the United States and, in fact, refused to do interviews for many weeks on the campaign trail to offer different ideas as to how she would handle things as president. The litany of failure including the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the weaponization of the Department of Justice, the dismantling of the southern border which enabled at least 10 million illegal migrants to enter the United States without any vetting at all, and the passage of enormous spending programs that kicked off the worst inflation in a generation all created enormous hostility toward the Biden Administration and probably made it impossible for his vice president to secure an election victory. Moreover, the Vice President's confusing speaking manner and her difficulty in connecting with ordinary individuals (particularly those who do not wear thousand dollar pants suits) made her prospects for victory even less likely in hindsight.
Nov 9, 2024 · 43 min
Has the Earth's Population Explosion Fizzled Out? Why are Women Choosing to Have Fewer Children?
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff return to the airwaves after an unexpected hiatus of several weeks that was prompted by a storming of the Omaha Bugle headquarters by local college students who occupied the broadcasting center and shut down operations to underscore their support for free speech. Fortunately, the students eventually left when they ran out of snack foods and energy drinks in the break room. However, they still vandalized the building and sprayed graffiti on all of the cars in the employee parking lot (except for the car owned by Jeff which was in a parking space that was apparently deemed to be too far away to be worth the trouble). Anyways, order was eventually restored and the first broadcast by the Omaha Bugle was released; it focused on the fact that national populations are shrinking throughout the world. East Asia, particularly Korea, Japan and China, have seen their populations begin to decline in absolute terms with Korea itself having a birth rate that is only 1/4 that of which is needed to stabilize the population. This decline is being mirrored to varying degrees throughout the world. Being males, Adam and Jeff then proceed to discuss why women might be choosing to have fewer children while acknowledging that the broadcast would probably have been better served had an actual woman been asked to discuss why women might not want to have as many children as in past generations. Nevertheless, they do offer a number of reasons such as the high costs of raising children, the desire of more women to have careers, and even the preference for a childless lifestyle that is viewed by many as being less problematic. Jeff then brings up some of the ways in which shrinking populations will invariably affect everything we make and consume; it will mark a complete reversal of the centuries-old paradigm of steadily expanding production and steadily increasing consumer demand for many products.
Sep 10, 2024 · 45 min
GOP Congressional Nominee Chris Eddy Returns to the Omaha Bugle
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff welcome a good friend of the Omaha Bugle, Chris Eddy, back to the program, for an unprecedented third appearance--an honor that would typically be reserved for presidents, kings and deep-pocket program sponsors. Chris provides Adam and Jeff with an update of his campaign to win the 25th Congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In particular, he talks about his recent win of the GOP nomination and his upcoming electoral battle with his Democratic opponent. Chris discusses the importance of bringing common sense to Washington, D.C., and reports that inflation and immigration are the two biggest issues cited by most of the thousands of voters with whom he has spoken. He also talks about the uneasiness that many voters have about the inability of the federal government to control its morbidly obese spending programs. Of particular concern is the fact that mandatory social programs and interest on the debt will swallow up almost the entire budget if things do not change in the next two decades--leaving nothing for defense, education or any other worthy discretionary programs such as possible broadcasting subsidies for the Mandarin version of the Omaha Bugle podcast.
Sep 9, 2024 · 38 min
Part Three: Artificial Intelligence vs. Natural Stupidity: A Thought Provoking Look at the New World of AI
Send us Fan Mail The third and final installment of the epic discussion of artificial intelligence by Adam and Jeff marks yet another towering contribution to the intellectual legacy of Western civilization. Adam points out that artificial intelligence has merely accelerated the trend toward greater technical sophistication while increasing the vulnerabilities of nearly every aspect of modern society. Jeff argues that our computerized world is increasingly vulnerable to unauthorized users who are able to inflict massive damage to databases and electronic systems alike. The fact that an electric power grid could be disabled by high-school aged hackers playing hooky is a scary thought, especially when you consider how quickly society degenerates into a sort of moldy, dusty preindustrial abyss when the power gets shut off for a few days. On a brighter note, Adam points out that hacking the power system will not affect his ability to shoot looters with his guns. The fact that people create algorithms which arguably enable machines to think in ways not originally contemplated by the programmers is of great concern but Jeff is not optimistic that global leaders can agree to a set of binding principles to restrain the malevolent aspects of AI--especially when everyone assumes the worst motives of their adversaries.
Sep 9, 2024 · 40 min
Part Two: Artificial Intelligence vs. Natural Stupidity: A Thought Provoking Look at the New World of AI
Send us Fan Mail In their continuing efforts to point out that artificial intelligence has nothing to do with preservatives and food dyes, Adam and Jeff continue their discussion regarding various issues posed by recent advances in the field. Certainly they are both keenly aware of the fact that AI has helped to create a self-generating surveillance state in which everyone with a phone can collect photos and data and essentially provide enormous amounts of information to virtually anyone who might wish to access that information--whether for good or evil. As far as the ability of AI to offer predictive algorithms as to when future crimes will occur, Jeff suggests that we already have a pretty good idea where we want to focus our policing efforts based upon where most crimes have occurred in the past. Adam and Jeff are also both concerned about the lack of privacy and the fact that any conversation overheard by a cellphone usually brings about a torrent of advertisements for products that might have been referenced in that particular conversation. Jeff is quite adamant that he does not want to have a virtual assistant such as Alexa in his household as he already has too many people telling him what to do. Adam and Jeff also wonder about complaints that AI could be biased because most of the scientists in the field are male and from leading developed nations. Jeff's best suggestion is that everyone learn English as a universal language for commerce and science so that they are not excluded from advances in AI. Finally, Adam brings up Asimov's three laws of robotics which basically were designed to prevent humans from being strangled by sentient robots while they slept.
Aug 29, 2024 · 40 min
Part One: Artificial Intelligence vs. Natural Stupidity: A Thought Provoking Look at the New World of AI
Send us Fan Mail Never reluctant to showcase their artificial intelligence about matters of culture and politics at fancy cocktail parties, Adam and Jeff consider some of the pressing concerns about the brave new world of artificial intelligence. They also discuss the fine line between extremely sophisticated calculators and sentient machines that are able to reason independently of any inputs or commands. They point out that many pioneers in the AI field want to restrict or limit its use even though it is likely that bad actors and bad governments would evade or simply ignore any global treaties restricting the uses of AI. Although Jeff has great faith in the wisdom and judgment of government regulators, he is concerned that there are very few bureaucrats who know enough about AI to be able to offer meaningful regulations. Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics are cited by Adam as a possible general code that could be incorporated into the development of future AI applications but there is always the nagging concern that nasty countries will do whatever they can to take advantage of any self-imposed limitations undertaken by other signatories to AI-related treaties.
Aug 10, 2024 · 33 min
Free College Isn't Really Free
Send us Fan Mail Having returned from their worldwide concert tour as the opening act for Taylor Swift, Adam and Jeff discuss the idea proposed by both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that college be made free to everyone. They consider the staggering amount spent each year for post-secondary education and the number of households filing tax returns to determine that the actual bill for "free college" for each taxpayer each year would amount to thousands of dollars. Jeff points out that a government mandate that everyone be able to attend college for free would simply result in the schools jacking up the tuition as much as possible because college would be a basic right available to all--no matter how qualified or motivated each student might be. As college loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, lenders have no incentive to restrict the amounts of money they loan to applicants. As a result, there is an enormous amount of money sloshing around in the system which merely encourages schools to keep jacking up their costs year after year. Jeff points out that college is supposed to be a learning experience and not a 4-year visit to an amusement park so there is no reason that education costs cannot be contained. Unfortunately, the vast expansion in recent decades in non-teaching (e.g., administrative staff) has compounded the incessant rise in college costs.
Aug 2, 2024 · 31 min
Getting Joe Biden to Leave the White House
Send us Fan Mail Presidential politics experts Adam and Jeff offer their opinions as to how Joe Biden could be enticed to leave office. This podcast was recorded before Biden decided to end his quest to be the 2024 Democratic nominee and subsequently misfiled by an intern who happens to be the daughter of the chairman of the board of the Omaha Bugle. The intern was subsequently promoted to news bureau manager and the podcast is being posted for its historical value. Also of interest is the fact that the podcast was recorded in the Omaha Bugle bomb shelter so the sound quality is a little off but that may be of little concern if the bombs start falling. Anyways, Adam and Jeff offer the several possible ways that Joe Biden could be enticed to resign the presidency before the end of his term including impeachment (for which the Democrats have become very proficient in filling out the paperwork), an Article 25 removal of President Joe Biden based upon his unfitness for office, and, most importantly, a golden retirement package that would give the Biden family tens of millions of dollars in cash, create a slush fund to build a presidential library twice the size of the Obama library, and provide million-dollar annuities for all the Biden grandchildren (or, at least, the ones whom the family decides to acknowledge).
Jul 18, 2024 · 45 min
Biden v. Trump: A Presidential Debate for the Ages
Send us Fan Mail Noted political analysts and green belt judo students Adam and Jeff compare notes on the first 2024 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Adam managed to sit through the entire debate believing that he had stumbled onto an hour-long parody on the Comedy Channel. However, Jeff was more fortunate, having elected to go to an all-you-can eat buffet while the debate was on and thus missing the entire performance. However, both correspondents drew similar conclusions: Joe Biden was floating around in space and Donald Trump was shadow boxing and no one in the country who listened to the debate emerged the better for the experience. Biden's performance caused his loyal political allies to call for Biden to get off the ticket--which only goes to show that politicians form the most long-lasting friendships. Trump, for his part, merely had to breathe in and out steadily for an hour to cruise to an easy win. The White House blamed Biden's political advisors who had helped him prepare for the debate for his poor performance because they were apparently responsible for him rambling on incoherently and staring off into space. Biden's performance will probably not earn an Emmy but it did cause all of his potential replacement candidates such as Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris to pinky-swear that they have absolutely no interest in Biden's job . . . until such time as they are forced to accept the job for the good of the country.
Jul 18, 2024 · 42 min
Expanding Costs and Shrinking Military Forces . . . World War II as the Once and Future Weapon Procurement Model
Send us Fan Mail Adam and Jeff, who know almost everything about everything and are not reluctant to regale their listeners with endless facts and opinions, consider why the U.S. military continues to shrink even as the defense budgets continue to rise. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer defense contractors available to bid on weapons systems that are increasingly complex and costly. Jeff points out that high-tech weaponry is also more vulnerable to technical glitches and may not be as durable as older weapons systems in battlefield conditions. The Pentagon has also outsourced much of its manufacturing capabilities so that the U.S. Navy, for example, builds very few ships because it no longer has neither the shipyards nor the skilled personnel to do so. This loss of defense manufacturing capacity has forced the United States to rely on foreign suppliers--some of whom, such as China, may not be totally concerned with our welfare. In sum, Adam and Jeff believe that the entire military weapon procurement system needs to be streamlined with less emphasis on cutting edge technology with its incessant change orders and cost overruns and more emphasis on sheer numbers. After all, even the most sophisticated weapons can fail in a hostile military environment.