Topic: Checks

The Washington Post database of Donald Trump's "false or misleading claims" is scrutinized for being overly subjective and pedantic. Specific examples are cited, such as the Post labeling a claim about winning Texas as a lie and nitpicking the difference between 50 and 51 years regarding unemployment records. The process is described as "ant-fucking" due to the focus on minor rounding differences in job growth statistics.

Reuters and the Associated Press are criticized for fact-checking the term "mass formation psychosis." The hosts argue that the media's aggressive denial of the phenomenon—claiming it is not an academic term—is actually evidence that the psychological state exists among the public.

Colin McCarthy, seeking the title Sir Loudneighbor of the Loess Hills, donated after a series of coincidences involving the number 12.34. He requested several classic show jingles, including "Climategate" and "Amen." McCarthy also expressed interest in seeing photos of John C. Dvorak's home stereo system, which the family promised to provide eventually.

The hosts acknowledge high-value donors, including a $1,840 contribution from the Commodore Archduke of Central Florida. A note from an anonymous tanker broker recommends a documentary titled "Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching" and offers industry expertise on global shipping.

John Dvorak details his family's Christmas meal plans, which include a three-rib roast and a cellar full of wine. He mentions that his daughter Mimi is snowed in in South Dakota and unable to attend. Adam Curry shares that his wife is cooking a ham and bacon sourced from Nolo Check Meats.

Kash Patel faces questioning regarding an unsigned memorandum stating there was no incriminating client list in the Epstein documents. The discussion shifts to the background investigation of Jeanine Pirro, with senators citing Fox News executives who allegedly described her as a "reckless maniac." Patel maintains that background check adjudications are handled by career professionals and are not discussed publicly.

A recurring rumor regarding former National Security Advisor John Bolton and a supposed "fart sniffing club" in New York is discussed. An AI assistant named "Error" is consulted to verify the claim, reporting that there is no credible evidence or reports to support the story. The hosts debate the reliability of AI in debunking or confirming obscure urban legends.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson criticized impending ICE enforcement actions as "cruel and unconstitutional," claiming there are no longer checks and balances in the federal government. The mayor's office is preparing for potential tactical deployments and "mini tanks" in the city. This follows President Trump's order to federalize the National Guard to assist in immigration raids across major metropolitan areas.

The reliability of AI as a single point of failure for fact-checking is debated, with concerns raised about hallucinations and inherent biases. One host attempts to use the "Debunk Bot" live, testing its response to theories about chemtrails and barium in jet fuel. The experiment concludes with the host dismissing the bot as "junk" after it fails to provide a convincing counter-argument.

Adam Curry shares his experience using Global Entry, noting that the system now relies almost entirely on facial recognition rather than physical cards. He describes the seamless but "disgusting" process of being identified by cameras and cleared by customs without showing ID. The hosts argue that Real ID is a precursor to a broader, mandatory facial recognition tracking system for all citizens.

Media outlets like Euronews and the BBC's "Verify" segment have debunked a satirical conspiracy theory claiming JD Vance was responsible for the death of Pope Francis following their meeting. The rumor was amplified by Jack Schlossberg, grandson of JFK, on social media. The Vatican confirmed the Pope's death was due to natural causes following a battle with pneumonia.

CNN issued a correction regarding the "transgender mice" story, noting a confusion between "transgender" and "transgenetic" research. The hosts also mock Van Jones for his perceived lack of preparation during a panel discussion, suggesting he is too busy managing the $100 million he received from Jeff Bezos.

Sacramento news station KCRA performs a fact-check on Donald Trump's social media claims regarding California's fire response. The station disputes Trump's assertions about water restoration legislation and the grounding of firefighting planes, while confirming that some fire hydrants did indeed run dry in the Palisades.

President Trump escalated his feud with Twitter after the platform applied fact-check labels to his tweets regarding mail-in ballots. Trump threatened to regulate or close down social media companies, though legal experts noted the First Amendment limits such authority. Simultaneously, a series of news reports featured identical scripts praising Amazon's $800 million investment in employee safety and wages during the pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined the current crisis as an "infodemic," characterized by an excessive amount of information that makes finding reliable solutions difficult. The WHO provided guidelines for the public to mitigate the spread of rumors, including checking facts, choosing trusted sources, and spending less time online. The initiative aimed to promote science-based information over digital disinformation.

Mainstream outlets including Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair publish headlines portraying Donald Trump as a threat to voters and an admirer of historical slavery. CBS News reported a story claiming Trump complained about a $60,000 funeral bill for a "Mexican" soldier, which was later refuted by the soldier's family on social media. The hosts argue these outlets are intentionally being "caught" in lies to influence public perception.

The FBI quietly revised its 2022 crime data, turning a previously reported 2.1% decrease in violent crime into a 4.5% increase. This revision accounts for an additional 80,000 violent incidents, including over 1,600 murders and 7,700 rapes. The discovery, highlighted by economist John Lott, contradicts previous "fact-checks" by media figures like David Muir during presidential debates regarding falling crime rates.

John C. Dvorak issues a "retracted tip" regarding AliExpress, warning listeners that the site sells fraudulent high-capacity USB drives. He recommends a software tool called "Check Flash," written by a Ukrainian developer, to verify the actual storage capacity of new flash drives. The segment advises users to test all new storage media for "phony baloney" headers and potential malware before use.

Donald Trump challenged Kamala Harris to return to Washington D.C. immediately to sign a bill closing the southern border. While Trump used the word "bill," critics noted that the President has the authority to secure the border via executive order without new legislation. This semantic distinction was used by media fact-checkers to label Trump's broader point about border security as false.

Kamala Harris repeated several widely debated claims during the debate, including the "fine people on both sides" narrative from Charlottesville and the "bloodbath" comment. Fact-checkers have previously noted that the Charlottesville quote excluded Trump's condemnation of neo-Nazis, and the "bloodbath" remark referred specifically to the economic impact on the auto industry. Harris also blamed Trump for the January 6th Capitol riot, while Trump pointed to Nancy Pelosi's failure to secure the building.