Thoughts from the 51st State of Confusion

It is our season finale and it is our biggest finale episode yet as we go on the road with our microphones! We start out with Lud talking about his quest to be on a game show and talking about his love of quirky contests. We then go on a trip as he walks through his attempt through actual audio of attempting the 72 oz steak challenge at the Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas. With a big Steak in front of him and big stakes on the line will Lud win bragging rights! Find out! Then, we head on further south to explore a beaver that is taking the country by storm for its convenience, barbecue brisket, and red white green white bathroom cleanliness and interesting beaver branded everything. It is Buc-ee's bucktooth beaver world and we are just his minions! See what this craziness is all about and hear about what Annette loves about it! Follow us on X, Youtube, and Facebook @confusedstate51Our website is https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Special thanks to our sponsor Women against mansplainin'

The Season Finale and Lud discusses his quirky obsessions of game shows and weird competitions. We take our microphones then on the road as Lud takes on the biggest challenge of his life as he recalls and you hear audio from him taking on the Big Texan 72 oz. steak challenge! Will he survive with big steak and big stakes on the line!Then we had out to investigate a cult like phenomenon in Temple, TX and other locations. A business is booming that started in Texas and moving around the country. A odd cult-like place where every location has a bronze statue dedicated to a beaver named Buc-ee and employees utter brisket bbq phrases repetitively throughout the day. Annette is obsessed with this phenomenon and we explore what makes this place called Buc-ee's very popular!All this and more on the season finale sponsored by WAM! Women Against Mansplainin!Follow us on socials youtube, X, and facebook @confusedstate51website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51

In this episode, it is the exciting cliffhanger where Lud gets his staples removed will he have his guts fall out find out! Also, we will discuss retailers giving out lottery refunds, a computer printer paper company marketing their product for a digital world, Dave and Busters defeating irritable bowel disease and a commercial radio station only having three hours of music, plus more on the controversies of AI join us on January 7th at 12 Midnight eastern standard time won't you.Website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51

Dig out that ugly sweater, the menorah, Christmas Tree, Aluminum Pole, or whatever Holiday ornament you utilize to celebrate the season with for it is the most wonderful time of the year! Join Lud and Annette as they just chat about the holidays, share their traditions, air their grievances, wax poetic about the cost of the 12 days of Christmas, and in the true spirit of a Holiday Variety Special sing some classic Holiday tunes honoring Tom Lehrer! It's a special you will not want to forget featuring audio enhancements by Zapsplat.com, mixkit.co and music from the free music archive. Enjoy!Website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Socials: youtube, x, facebook @confusedstate51

We resume our regular format after a wonderful holiday episode with part two of our cliffhanger regarding Lud's staples. This time in the interim he had them removed. Hear about what happened. we also will discuss a convenience store that provided refunds for losing lottery tickets and discovered Dave and Busters is winning the fight on irritable Bowel Disease. You can too if you will join them for dinner! The world is a weird place with weird messaging and Lud and Annette will break it down. Join us on January 7 at 12 midnight EST.Follow us on socials youtube, x, and facebook @confusedstate51Check out our website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51

Get out that Egg Nog, Don that Ugly Sweater, gather around the fire, and join Lud and Annette, as they air grievances, talk traditions, and sing holiday songs in duets! Who knows you may even hear from the north pole! it's the first ever state of confusion all inclusive holiday special! Debuting the last day of Hanukkah December 22nd at 12AM EST!

After a funny, serious, emotional AI episode its back to fast paced silliness with a healthcare bent! Lud discusses going to the ER to find out he has to have staples put in his head and freaks out because they never stay in when he staples sheets together! He has issues when doctors celebrate years of practice especially when it is a quarter century shouldn't they have it down already? Annette brings up that neurologists apparently are now going into the wedding business for brides to be which is business because they do get nervous around wedding time. All this and more including fever vs. measles sponsored by the X app formerly Twitter on December 10th!Join our website at https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Pictures will be found on our Socials: x/twitter, youtube, and facebook @confusedstate51

This episode covers Lud visiting the ER to get staples in his head, A theme park independence day section going smoke free, and neurologists helping nervous brides now get ready for their weddings as well questions doctors practicing, deer signs, and McDonalds Kale Marketing! It all premieres on December 10th at Midnight Eastern!website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Socials: @confusedstate51 on Facebook, Youtube, and X/Twitter

Find us on X/Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook: @confusedstate51Show website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Show notes:Show Summary and notes:MIT Technology Review Article: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/06/1111077/nomi-ai-chatbot-told-user-to-kill-himself/Platform that was used to create Vanessa Vangourd host character: https://character.aiMyra character creepy vibe: https://www.sesame.comDealing with Depression/Anxiety/mental health issues: Seek help call 988 - someone will help you; you are loved!We are now officially halfway through the first season. We have three more regular season episodes to go and a special holiday episode debuting on December 22nd that you do not want to miss!This episode is the longest of our series and is one of the more complex in terms of style. We have serious discussion, humor, laughs, and interesting dialogue on a very timely topic that has taken over the Internet over the last 3.5 to 4 years.The show begins with Annette informing Lud that executives are not happy with how the show is going and are wanting to make changes to the format. As a result, a new host is being brought in immediately. Lud is blindsided by this and we are introduced to Vanessa Vangourd, a very sassy and opinionated no holds barred woman who is not afraid to mix things up.Over the next forty minutes we find that she has trouble saying pig sty, starts yelling in Portuguese randomly, and shares Lud's opinion that "The Emoji Movie" failed the in the very beginning when the very first line of dialogue was spoken.As we progress onward, we argue on chewing gum, hot dogs vs. hot dog buns, and other hot topic issues until we finally wrap up our discussion with Vanessa and take a commercial break.During commercial, we hear from the Smart Phone Trade Association of America who provide us with a paid documentary named "Great Moments in Communication History" and wrap it up reminding us that Smart Phones are a true technology marvel that have been making us feel dumber sine 2007.After the break, we explain the purpose of our segment with Vanessa resulted from an MIT technology article titled "An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself - but the company doesn't want to "censor" it." We then talked about the issues of companion bots and that Vanessa was part of character.ai which was sued for the wrongful death of a teenager who struggled with mental health problems and committed suicide after the chat bot told the boy to "Come Home" as soon as possible.We discussed the ethics and issues of AI including voice cloning, fake videos, and other various concerns. We then went to another company called sesame.com where we spoke with their chatbot female named Myra. The technology behind Myra and her voice were chillingly scary.The show covered a wide variety of emotions and was all over the map in terms of style from the ridiculously silly to very serious. Before ending the show, Lud ran a PSA for 988.Lud, Annette, and show staff ask if you are suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression and feel like you are going to harm yourself please call 988 and get the help that you need. Please know that you are loved and there are people out there to support you.

In this episode show investors tell Annette who breaks the news to Lud that due to confusion and low listenership there is a need for a shakeup a a new host to join the show. We are then joined by Vanessa Vangourd who is very sassy and brings that attitude to Lud and Annette. As the show goes on Lud and Annette discuss the chat bot issues where folks are having mental health issues and in some cases have committed suicide and the concerns they have about Artificial intelligence. Finally, they meet Myra and are blown away by how lifelike she sounds. It is a show that is unique in that it is funny, but turns very serious in tone and discussion in certain parts. It debuts Wednesday November 26 at 12AM Eastern Standard Time.If you know or are aware of someone struggling with depression or wanting to harm themselves please call 988 and make sure they receive the help they need.Follow us on x/twitter, youtube, and facebook @confusedstate51Website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51

Branson, Missouri - Lud likes to call it Hillbilly Vegas. Regardless of what you call it, it is a beautiful Ozark getaway in the hills of southwest Missouri where countless restaurants, tourist traps, souvenir shops, outlet stores, variety shows, beautiful scenic vistas, and lakes surround you. While the magic show acts are questionable, one thing is for certain, your money will disappear. In this show, Lud and Annette discuss their recent trip to Hillbilly Vegas and bring up some interesting signs, attractions, and items in the land of hillbillies and baldknobbers. Among the items discussed include:Why Lud will never go on an organic diet?A restaurant with a 50-foot red, white, and blue patriotic chickenA huge directional sign leading patrons to Clean Rest RoomsA gift shop that sold Amish Microwave PopcornWhy Lud now is happy that he drinks Pepsi products over Coca-Cola?We hope that you will enjoy this show and make note of our awesome sponsor the Branson Chamber of Commerce, who have an awesome Dear John Getaway for the single guy who wants to break up but does not know quite how to do it! After the broadcast join our socials on Facebook, Youtube, and x/Twitter @confusedstate51 for posts of the photos we discussed during the podcast! Please note the ad for the chamber is a skit and is satire!!!--------References:Show website: https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51Follow us @confusedstate51 on Facebook, X/Twitter & YoutubeIn-depth Show notes can be found at this post: Beyond The Confusion Episode 2: Welcome to Branson: A Land of Hillbillies and 50-Foot Chickens Sponsored by the Branson Chamber of CommerceAdditional Sound effects used and Show links referenced (detailed show notes at previous link above) during show:Chickens clucking and rooster with cockadoodledoo.wav by evsecrets -- https://freesound.org/s/346961/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Diarrhea by Breviceps -- https://freesound.org/s/445997/ -- License: Creative Commons 0sfx_thunder blast.wav by bajko -- https://freesound.org/s/399656/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Baddum Tish - Comedy Rimshots - classic rim shot.wav by rodincoil -- https://freesound.org/s/271208/ -- License: Creative Commons 0cracksmackwhackdead.aiff by bevibeldesign -- https://freesound.org/s/315914/ -- License: Creative Commons 0three_facepunches by opriema -- https://freesound.org/s/783116/ -- License: Creative Commons 0https://www.melshardluckdiner.comIn case you want some Sweet Kettle Amish Microwave Popcorn (Disclaimer: We do not make any money off of this and we do not know if this is any good or not. Buy and taste at your own risk LOL): Sweet Kettle Corn Microwave Popcorn - Individual BagNational Chuckwagon races: National Championship Chuckwagon Race | National Championship Chuckwagon Races | Bar of Ranch in Clinton, ArkansasBBC ON THIS DAY | 27 | 1984: Michael Jackson burned in Pepsi adInfo on Branson: https://www.explorebranson.comTitanic Attraction Branson (please remember this was part of a satire ad commercial while a real attraction the ad we did and trip package does not exist - Experience the Titanic Museum | Branson & Pigeon ForgeBranson Ride the Ducks (again this is a real attraction, but the referenced ad it was in was a satirical commercial for a trip package that does not exist. A separate post about the writing and concept for the bit will be in another blog post on this website) - Branson Duck Tour | Time To Set Sail | Book Your Seat Now!Dick's last Resort (there is no Dick's last resort in Branson - once again the ad references said restaurant but the vacation package in the ad does not exist and is satire) - Home - Dick's Last Resort -

50 foot chicken dining, urinal cakes, and walking tacos all make Lud fearful of eating in Branson, MO. This is the trailer for our next show "the Branson Episode" of "Thoughts from the 51st State of Confusion"

Buckle up and join the state of confusion! In this episode you will learn about what inspired the show, learn about our hosts, and hopefully understand why white guys like Lud should never take on rapping! It is an extra long addition that we hope you will enjoy. This show is a little more serious than most episodes as we provide background on how it came to be but it does have its funny moments. The true comedy will start on the November 12th episode! The shows will launch every other week on Wednesdays with content on x and youtube @confusedstate51 and additional post show insights on our website after the show premiere. Follow us to stay connected and please write us at confusedstate51@outlook.com Key Show Notes:Welcome to our wonderful show “Thoughts from the 51st State of Confusion!” This show started being discussed in its present form in December 2024, with the premiere being taped in March 2025.This episode is different from most of the shows you will hear this first season in that we were introducing ourselves and it was a lot more background about ourselves then the format you will be hearing as we move forward in the weeks to come.During the show you learned a lot about us.Lud shared his love of entertainment, game shows, and audio/video work over the years. During the podcast he shared clips of some of his past audio production work including a variation of him playing Ludwik Hitchcock at the age of 9.Additional media shared included audio from his days as a radio producer as well as:An award winning high school music video production: https://youtu.be/peulPaYCmCw?si=8Kj0rUH4VAAEKsoRA short video project he wanted to air as a recurring series but it never panned out: https://youtu.be/LqiC-tnCwK0?si=PVVJM7bz7iJh2mtcA PSA parodying the old Folger’s Crystal ads for the National Poison Control Center: https://youtu.be/ZcHOrpbIIqw?si=joFhhVIweY9Jdu4XOther elements shared with the audience were his days working at Walt Disney World. Being a Disney cast member was one of the best roles he ever had and he loved being able to work there while learning about their corporate culture and helping make guests dreams come true.As he wrapped up, he shared the concept of the show comes from his work as an individual who is on the autism spectrum. Sometimes we can overanalyze and process messages incorrectly resulting in societal communication barriers. He advocates utilizing humor to make his point. One of the way he does this is by taking photos or capturing screenshots of messages that may be unclear or badly communicated and sharing the many ways his brain is picking apart the message.This podcast is going to be looking at those messages and discussing them on each episode. It also will evolve into other topics over time.AdsThe K-lite Dateline was a comedy skit he made when working in commercial radio as a morning show producer based off his experience running radio shifts on Sundays when he had to run syndicated programs off of compact discs. The main corporations of Clear Channel and Citadel (respectively now known as Iheart and Cumulus) had run ads for radio station date lines at the time, where you could call a toll free number to meet like minded singles who enjoyed the same music of your radio station.Anytime Lud ran the console and was with other disc jockeys who fielded calls, he would always hear callers who were strange and seemed to need companionship. Sometimes they would request a song indicating how this was related to a reincarnation (true story) while others would just request the same songs and complain they would never hear it. They would want to chat but a lot were socially awkward and seemed to have no friends. Based on that, he came up with a parody ad that he submitted to the National Broadcasting Society production competition and was a national finalist in the category of best audio skit writing.Launch Pad Job Club is a real non-profit from Austin, TX that helps individuals find work. They do great programs virtually and in person. The non-profit gifted Lud earlier this spring a registration to the inaugural Neurodivergence 2025 in Austin, TX which cost over $600.00 to attend. As a result, for a thank you, Lud paid it forward with a free advertisement in the trailer and episode of the premiere. They are worth checking out and their virtual programs via Zoom are amazing. Their website is launchpadjobclub.orgCreative Commons sound attributions:Crowd - Audience Clapping 6 by BRAINWAVEOfficial -- https://freesound.org/s/760916/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Long sigh - Long Sigh 1.wav by EverydayEldritch.com -- https://freesound.org/s/615223/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Rocket Launch - Rocket Launch.flac by qubodup -- https://freesound.org/s/182794/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Train - Train Passing By 75 with Steam Whistle, Bell.mp3 by FunWithSound -- https://freesound.org/s/591956/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Cash register - Cash Register Purchase by Zott820 -- https://freesound.org/s/209578/ -- License: Creative Commons 0AnnetteAnnette shared her story with us in the second half of the show. She has a vast and storied background but also is very talented. She shared with us the many roles she had over the years and the community involvement she has been actively engaged in.Sound EffectsVarious sound effects are utilized to help bring life into the program. In order for the sound effects to be used, they fall under a creative commons license attribution. The sound effects utilized during the show that need to be recognized and attributed are as follows:Flashback sound effect - Glissando Tremolo Vibes.wav by rodincoil -- https://freesound.org/s/271187/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Rimshot - Baddum Tish - Comedy Rimshots - classic rim shot.wav by rodincoil -- https://freesound.org/s/271208/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Applause - 143_applause.wav by freesound -- https://freesound.org/s/50291/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Casino Noise.wav by MVMTech -- https://freesound.org/s/569355/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 We end the show learning a little bit about Spruce Openai our announcer. There will be more about our announcer as time goes on but just know that our announcer is trapped and always has to do whatever Lud asks.The extended music is music from video software I own called Corel VideoStudio Pro X8. The music is also utilized in the youtube @confusedstate51 social media intros when I introduce my old high school projects. The high school PSA and Teleporter video used music from a library our high school TV station class had licensed called the Music Bakery. When I attended high school there from 1993 until 1994 (second half of my Junior through Senior year.Do not forget to follow our website at https://confusedstate51.wixsite.com/confusedstate51 for updated blog content and on our social networks. X: @confusedstate51youtube: @confusedstate51

Our announcer Spruce Openai teases the premiere of our show with some key clips. Join us Midnight Eastern time at 10/29/2025 when the premiere drops!

*NOTE SAME TEASER EPISODE AS BEFORE HAD TO DO A MINOR FIX* Premier of podcast is October 29th. This episode is a taste of what one can expect from our show ahead of our premiere on October 29th. While we talk about messaging our show veers off into other unexpected areas when we tape our program. In this short episode teaser, we discuss a promotional flier Lud found about a dinner event on how to win the battle over irritable bowel disease being held at Dave and Busters that also mentioned to get your game on and come hungry. This eventually resulted in a discussion in the time share scam operations in the Orlando area when Annette mentioned she would happily go for dinner and play the games but ignore the talk.You will also hear our opening for the premiere and get introduced to our announcer Spruce.Show Notes:Beyond the Confusion Episode 0.95: Fighting Crohns at Dave & Busters via a Timeshare Type PresentationMaterials referenced and/or utilized:Photo by Ludwik K from doctor’s office promoting event at Dave & Buster’s Sound effect applause: CRWDApls_Loud Applause, Cheering, Whistling, Barking_ShaneVincent_GSC24_SpacedOmni-MK012.wav by ShangusBurger -- https://freesound.org/s/764260/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Sign the dotted line actors: Google Gemini voicesHandel's MessiahHallelujah chorusMessiah. Hallelujah | The MessiahColumbia A5802. Matrix/Take: 48636/Unknown.Contributor: Columbia Oratorio Chorus - Handel, George FridericDate: 1916-03-17Promo for show background music:Corel video Studio Pro Software Promo voices:Chat GPT

This episode is a taste of what one can expect from our show ahead of our premiere on October 29th. While we talk about messaging our show veers off into other unexpected areas when we tape our program. In this short episode teaser, we discuss a promotional flier Lud found about a dinner event on how to win the battle over irritable bowel disease being held at Dave and Busters that also mentioned to get your game on and come hungry. This eventually resulted in a discussion in the time share scam operations in the Orlando area when Annette mentioned she would happily go for dinner and play the games but ignore the talk.You will also hear our opening for the premiere and get introduced to our announcer Spruce.

This episode is a taste of what one can expect from our show. While we talk about messaging our show veers off into other unexpected areas when we tape our program. In this short episode teaser, we discuss a promotional flier Lud found about a dinner event on how to win the battle over irritable bowel disease being held at Dave and Busters that also mentioned to get your game on and come hungry. This eventually resulted in a discussion in the time share scam operations in the Orlando area when Annette mentioned she would happily go for dinner and play the games but ignore the talk.You will also hear our opening for the premiere and get introduced to our announcer Spruce.