Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] You're listening to Public Facing the podcast and the first installment of Things I Never Told you'd.
[00:00:10] Since season one, episode seven aired way back in late November of 2025, we now have experienced two of the government closures, as well as a closure currently focused on the Department of Homeland, specifically to ICE agencies.
[00:00:36] Now I'm with the experience of going through the closures, and no matter how temporary they may be, we seem to be being conditioned to experience what I can only understand to be more closures, more, I guess, of the seeing the slow burn of our government agencies as every American is affected in one way or another due to cutbacks, due to layoffs, due to furloughs, due to a variety of different things.
[00:01:29] And a lot has happened with our government and our country, even internationally From November of 2025, ongoing from the natural state. This is Public Facing the Podcast Foreign welcome to Public Facing the Podcast. I'm your host, Joel Holman.
[00:02:03] It's a pleasure to be here with you today.
[00:02:05] Now we found ourselves walking through a lot. We've walked through Veterans Day, we walked through Thanksgiving and that fiasco, as well as, you know, potentially other family get togethers. And then right around the corner from that was Christmas.
[00:02:29] Now we know what type of capitalist type of a situation that we've had to go through with that. And so we've really have walked through a lot.
[00:02:42] And now actually past Christmas came New Year's, 2026, and I'm so grateful for it.
[00:02:51] Now we went through yet another closure from the government.
[00:02:59] And at that one, even though it was for a short time, and then in February, while we made it through Valentine's Day, now we're here beginning of March, although we're just now coming into the fifth day.
[00:03:18] You know, we still have a lot that we're enduring. I mean, in the meantime, we've had our government people to try to negotiate deals with Iran.
[00:03:33] Those talks, they went on for some time and I guess it became clear that talks were breaking down and the Iranian government had no plans whatsoever to abandon their efforts to obtain nuclear weapons.
[00:03:51] You know, this was there had to been some telltale signs before our government, the United States government and President Trump making the determination that we absolutely could not let Iran obtain those weapons or make those weapons if they had on hand, you know, the materials that could make them operational.
[00:04:20] And so that's what precipitated the current state that we're in with our conflict in the Middle east with Iran. And the United States has really shown its capabilities there.
[00:04:35] You know, the materials and the weapons that either were already there or could have been enriched to the point where, you know, they, they could somehow do some damage to our country and our people. I think at last check what they have on hand feasibly could have made 11 nuclear bombs. So that's something.
[00:05:00] Now, this episode is really not about politics or the kind, but I had to share that I started this message today being sort of showing a roadmap as to where we've been and where we are now and some things that I wanted to share to bring us into the future. Because, you see, today's message is largely about, and I've titled it as such, things I never told you.
[00:05:34] And so in sharing some of those things that, you know, during my episodes, perhaps maybe I didn't clarify or I thought would, you know, be useful for us to get to share with one another.
[00:05:52] You know, what I share is largely built on things that matter to me, obviously. But there are things that I believe that you, my favorite listener, is also interested in. And also I would go as far as saying that these things are related both to my experience or my research that I've done. And again, I don't have all the answers, nor do I have the final say on everything.
[00:06:29] So what I do have is experience in where I have a lot.
[00:06:36] I really have a little experience in a lot of areas.
[00:06:40] And I'm not an expert or what I would call an expert on any of those, but I would say that I'm pretty well seasoned in several areas.
[00:06:55] One of the areas that I've been pretty well seasoned, I think, has been with respect to GMRS radio and amateur radio.
[00:07:08] And the the ruling is likewise for people with GMRS license as much as it is with a HAM license or amateur radio license, in the simple respect that, as I told you for GMRS that there is no exam required for that licensure. You simply go to the fcc.gov you get an FRN number, and then you go ahead and you do your application for the GMRS license. There's no examination. You simply submit your application, pay the money, and within a matter of a few days, you generally have your call sign for your GMRS license. And that seems to be pretty standard.
[00:07:58] So what you'll find, though, some of the fine print that maybe I wasn't, I didn't just share with you at the time of the broadcast was there are certain limitations.
[00:08:15] Limitations like you have to live in the United States to get an FCC license, number, call sign, etc.
[00:08:25] But what I didn't necessarily clarify because I guess part of me sort of expected if you were interested, that you would know, you know, look up the rules and everything, because you have to, you know, follow a questionnaire, but make sure that you qualify through all the rules because it asks you those in those rules in the beginning. I guess again, some things I never told you were in respect to GMRS radio and even ham radio. That would be, if you're a felon, you may be disqualified from obtaining a license for either ham radio or GMRS radio.
[00:09:25] Now, like, you would have to communicate whatever the situation is with the fcc, and they would obviously, you know, make the determination. Nobody else would be able to do so. But be warned that if by chance you do have a felony, that is, you know, it's on your record, then you may already be ineligible for such a license or to obtain the call sign.
[00:10:00] Now, switching gears.
[00:10:04] When I was going through my Men's Health series, there were a few areas that I perhaps didn't adequately hit or even hit it all because there's a bit of information here in regards to prostate health.
[00:10:24] And I talked about bph, it's a fancy word for an enlarged prostate.
[00:10:34] But also when I didn't speak on the things that I never told you about, well, there was a situation there where I was actually going through a bit of a prostate health situation myself, personally.
[00:10:56] I do have bph, and I also have an elevated psa.
[00:11:02] That's the, the.
[00:11:09] In the blood test, the prostate. You can get your. Your level through a blood test.
[00:11:20] So it's nothing really invasive for that part, but I'll be going to my doctor middle of this month for a cystogram, which basically is a test on the bladder and the urinary tract and also for a prostate biopsy.
[00:11:45] Now, if you're not familiar with either of these, that cystogram has to do with testing for a blockage within the urinary tract and the bladder.
[00:11:57] And then the prostate biopsy, which it's not just one little snip, and then, you know, you go on your merry way.
[00:12:07] Well, usually you are looking at about 12 biopsies at that time.
[00:12:16] Actually, that's 12 specimens, and that's for the norm for an overall prostate biopsy. And then they send those off to pathology, and you usually get your results back in about a week.
[00:12:34] Now, that's if everything looks good. If there are things that look abnormal, well, then by all means, you may have more of those biopsies within that one biopsy session.
[00:12:55] So that said, all the Topics that I spoke on in both season one and this far into season two.
[00:13:08] I would just like to reiterate that in my opinion, you owe it to yourself and to your family to stay on top of your health conditions and that, you know, be in tune with that blood pressure and be in tune with your heart health, being the EKG and the like.
[00:13:41] Be purposeful with your respiratory health, that everything from your mouth and your nose and your throat all the way down and past your bronchi and into your lungs and all that, be focused on those things.
[00:14:00] Be in tune with your health of your liver and of your kidneys or your gallbladder, your urinary tract.
[00:14:14] I can't begin to say how many times that I've been to the doctor and was surprised to find out that maybe I had a urinary tract infection and had no symptoms. None.
[00:14:31] It snuck up on me and only through being aggressive and taking the antibiotics to get past it was the only way I got back on top with that.
[00:14:45] But let it be known that you're never going to hear me say to just go to the doctor for going to the doctor's sake.
[00:14:56] No.
[00:14:58] I'll tell you this, though.
[00:15:00] Routine exams also save lives.
[00:15:06] And being diligent about your health does save lives, too.
[00:15:12] And let us not forget the health of our brain.
[00:15:18] Let's not forget about our mind and our memory and our, you know, over time that might indicate maybe more than just forgetfulness, maybe something similar to, like a dementia or something similar to that of Alzheimer's or just a variety of things. And why don't I speak on any of that specifically?
[00:15:51] Well, it's because I'm not an expert on that. But I'm telling you that by going to my primary care doctor and getting a referral to a neurologist was one of the better things that have happened to me as a result, you know, because getting taken care of with the neuropathy in my hands, which ironically is also due from carpal tunnel.
[00:16:24] So that's something there, too.
[00:16:27] But I would be remiss if I didn't bring light onto mental health, things like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, among others.
[00:16:47] Now, I know that this is a fairly short episode today, but I know that these are things I never told you.
[00:16:55] And I want to take this opportunity to tell you now because I care about you, my favorite listener. And I know that out there you care, too.
[00:17:09] Now, this week marks week 10 that I've gone to school.
[00:17:17] And the area of my study that I've chosen is broadcast and podcast and radio announcing.
[00:17:26] You know, as a host, a form of a newscaster, a form of podcast host, whom I've had podcasts all the way dating back to 2006, and I was actually one of the first ones that those had. Might have even been as far back as late 2005. Pretty sure it was 2006 though.
[00:17:55] Now, although those programs were different than what this one is, the sentiment is still the same.
[00:18:05] I am a messenger.
[00:18:08] My job is to share that message with you, my favorite listener, as you go on through your day, you're out there living life.
[00:18:21] Maybe you're at the gym working out, or maybe you're taking a walk, or maybe you're out driving and you're listening to this episode. And that's cool too.
[00:18:35] Your listenership encourages me and I look forward to making more episodes just for you, that you might be entertained, that you you might be informed that it might trigger and be thought provoking and let those provoked thoughts become action steps or calls to action. Because what good is that information if you're not either using it yourself or giving it away?
[00:19:11] To you, my favorite listener, I encourage you to continue to listen to Public Facing the podcast and also that you could share Public Facing the Podcast with those around you, those near and dear to you, that you could point them to Our site at PublicFacingPod stream to listen to our episodes.
[00:19:41] If there's something that you'd like to share with me personally, by all means, feel free to email me at HelloPublicFacingPod stream, and you can also follow us at x.com PublicFacingPod I've enjoyed our time together with you.
[00:20:06] So to you, my favorite listener, I look forward to us coming together again very soon.
[00:20:13] Until next time, keep things upright and Public Facing.
