Topic: Pencils

The hosts explain the "Value-for-Value" funding model, which eschews traditional advertising in favor of listener contributions. They review the artwork for the current and previous episodes, specifically praising Dame Kenny Ben for her "Bama pencil" drawing. The segment includes a review of the artist leaderboard and a call for new art submissions.

A listener with Asperger's and misophonia requests that the hosts stop clicking pens during the broadcast, describing the sound as highly stressful. John C. Dvorak switches to a mechanical pencil to accommodate the request, though he notes he hadn't previously noticed the habit.

The 2015 Apple product launch event is criticized for its scripted nature and lack of innovation. Specific critiques are leveled at the Apple TV, the iPad Pro's "Apple Pencil," and new features in iOS email management demonstrated by Craig Federighi. Claims are made regarding the behavior of Apple executives during product meetings, and the Apple Watch is dismissed as a failure.

The design for 2 World Trade Center, the final tower at the site, has been unveiled as an 80-story structure resembling a giant staircase. Designed by a young architect, the building has been nicknamed the "Stairway to Heaven." The discussion also touches on the trend of "pencil buildings" in New York, where entire floors consist of a single residential unit.

Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren reported strong Black Friday sales, highlighting a $65 Justin Bieber fragrance called "Someday." The fragrance is tied to a "Pencils of Promise" charity campaign. The hosts mock the initiative and propose their own "No Agenda Pencil of Promise" as a satirical merchandise item.

Artist Damien Hirst reportedly had a teenager arrested for stealing a box of pencils from one of his art installations. Hirst claimed the pencils were worth £250,000 because they were part of his exhibit. The hosts use this story to illustrate the perceived absurdity and inflated valuations within the modern art world.