In this week’s Two Grumpy Vets and a Duuude, we celebrate a birthday (the Duuude's) and dive into a lively, winding conversation about intentional living, service, and everyday grit. We kick off with retail rants (Walmart vs. H‑E‑B and the lost art of customer service), drift into wealth, power, and philanthropy, and spotlight the Bentonville/NW Arkansas boom. From there we hit military life—why a one‑time $1,776 payout matters to junior service members—then swap stories from the road: high‑wind trucking hazards, governed rigs, and the science of getting blown around at 70,000 lbs. We cover nicotine’s grip, addiction recovery, and mindset triggers; ham‑radio contest woes and sunspot cycles; winter storms out West; cold‑weather Army “Mickey Mouse” boots and Alaska training; plus moonshine stills, Jeep tires, and the economics of tire warranties. We also get into health: VA visits, amniotic‑fluid injections for shoulder pain, new hearing aids that stream calls and music, and how better hearing changes daily life (from birdsong to turn‑signal clicks). Not only that, but we round it out with AI image/video tinkering, backups and local models, pet antics, Mardi Gras timelines, and a quick Value‑for‑Value segment on how listeners can support the show. Programming note: we’re off for Christmas and back on New Year’s Day. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Resources mentioned (non‑sponsored):
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR) — free admission supported by philanthropy
• SolarHam for solar and sunspot activity (ham radio propagation)
• VA audiology and ortho care discussions (hearing aids; context)

Email Us:
Rich -- mailtto://rchelson@gmail.com
Bryan -- mailto://circlecast@gmail.com

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