The Stix & Stuff Podcast

Misinformation. Disinformation. Malinformation. Three words thrown around every day that most people can't tell apart. From the courtyard at the Crawford In-Town Ranch, Tom breaks down all three, explains why he thinks the American news media has mastered one of them, and calls out the stories he says you're being fed on purpose.
Then, for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, a challenge: put your charity dollars where they'll do the most good. Tom explains why the Stix & Stuff Podcast is now a monthly donor to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, how to vet a charity before you give, and why one well-known organization doesn't make his cut.
In this episode:– Misinformation vs. disinformation vs. malinformation: definitions and the difference– "We report, you decide"? Tom's case that the media has already decided for you– Data centers, ICE, and the midterms: the stories Tom says are being spun– How to vet a charity: overhead, watchdog ratings, and the 75% rule– Tunnel to Towers: 91 cents of every dollar to the cause, and mortgage-free homes for the families of fallen first responders and service members
Timestamps0:00 – Welcome from the courtyard1:09 – What misinformation actually is1:45 – The data center example2:55 – What disinformation is, and why the media is a master at it4:57 – Malinformation: truth out of context6:10 – Abolish ICE: Tom's take on the real agenda7:19 – Heading into the midterms: beware the half-truth7:56 – Doing something good: the 25th anniversary of 9/119:08 – How to vet a charity (and why the ASPCA doesn't make Tom's cut)10:44 – Tunnel to Towers: where your $11 a month actually goes12:37 – Closing thoughts
Do something good this week: donate to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org.
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaReal Talk. Rural Life. Common Sense.Sponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Tom lights up a Nicaraguan cigar in the courtyard at the Crawford In-Town Ranch and breaks down the most talked-about technology of our time in plain English — no computer science degree required.
In this episode:– What AI actually is: data processing, learning, prediction (simpler than you think)– Data centers: why one side of the aisle suddenly can't stand them, and what Tom thinks is really behind it– "Don't let the chickens run the hen house": Tom's case for independent AI oversight that isn't Republican, Democrat, or Big Tech– Autonomous cars, AI drive-thrus, and the "nobody wants to work" tirade– Why Tom says the AI race matters as much as the Industrial Revolution did
Timestamps0:00 – Welcome from the courtyard (and the fake chickens)1:36 – Why today's topic is "AI in your pie"2:17 – What AI actually is: the 3 basic parts4:24 – So what's the big deal? Chickens and hen houses6:54 – Data centers and the campaign against them8:34 – Cigar break9:19 – The internal combustion engine, and why we can't slow down now10:16 – AI, jobs, and skilled labor11:58 – Autonomous cars: friend or foe?13:34 – Elections, algorithms, and the SAVE America Act16:02 – What's coming next on Stix & Stuff
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Take care of yourself, enjoy life, and do something special for somebody this week.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaReal Talk. Rural Life. Common Sense.Sponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

What happens when immigration, religion, politics, and American identity collide? Tom takes the gloves off for another "Did You Know?" commentary.
His argument runs from the Barbary Wars and America's earliest conflicts in North Africa to present-day immigration, Muslim communities in American cities, and the political strategies he believes are reshaping the country. Tom contends that demographic change in states like Michigan, Georgia, Texas, and New York carries consequences beyond religion or culture — for elections, political power, and the direction of the country.
In this episode:– The Barbary Wars and early American history– Immigration and assimilation– Changing American demographics and voting blocs– Democratic and Republican political strategy– Tom's argument about where he thinks it's heading
Agree with him. Disagree with him. Hear the argument before deciding, then do your own homework.
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaReal Talk. Rural Life. Common Sense.Sponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

What does George Costanza have to do with retail theft? Less than you'd think, but Tom gets there.
Back at the Crawford In-Town Ranch for another "Did You Know?", Tom starts with the staggering scale of retail shrinkage in stores across America — the numbers, what retailers are seeing on the ground, why the losses hit everybody's wallet, and why he thinks the problem isn't being taken seriously.
Then the conversation turns to data centers, AI, and what comes next. With data centers becoming a fight in communities across the country, Tom takes on the biggest arguments — electricity, water, noise, local tax revenue — and whether America can afford to fall behind in the AI race.
Agree with him. Disagree with him. Yell at the screen if you need to. Just don't steal the screen.
And a milestone worth celebrating: Stix & Stuff has passed one million views. To everyone who's watched, subscribed, shared an episode, or stumbled into this wonderfully weird corner of the internet — thank you.
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaReal Talk. Rural Life. Common Sense.Sponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

From the Ellijay Cigar Lounge, high atop the square, Tom asks the question he says nobody in Washington wants answered: whatever happened to DOGE?
They found the waste. Tons of it. Then it all ground to a halt, and not one politician on the left or the right has been indicted. Tom's take — blunt and open — on fraud, term limits, and how a $175K salary turns into a $30 million net worth.
Timestamps0:20 – Live from the Ellijay Cigar Lounge0:57 – Where to eat, drink, and wander in Ellijay4:10 – Whatever happened to DOGE?6:37 – The Attorney General question7:47 – How does this keep happening?9:35 – Term limits12:04 – Where Tom actually stands14:15 – Do something special for somebody this week
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Visit the sponsors, all within reach of downtown Ellijay: Ellijay Cigar Lounge (on the square), House of Applejay (distillery, East Ellijay), Château Meichtry (winery, worth the drive), Buckley Vineyards & Buckley Downtown (new restaurant and tasting room), The Roof & The Door (restaurant upstairs, speakeasy downstairs — ask about a horse), and Smitty's Cigars (Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville).
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Tom sits down with Caroline Porsiel at House of Applejay Distillery in East Ellijay and tastes his way through the cocktail menu. If you're planning a trip to the North Georgia mountains or just want to know where the locals go, this is the stop — off Highway 515 in the old Sears building, visible right from the four-lane.
Cocktails featured:– Classic Appletini — vodka, Applejay, splash of lime– Hank's Cosmo — vodka, cranberry liqueur, lime– Applejay Mule — Applejay, Fever-Tree blood orange ginger beer, lime– Appalachian Iced Tea "The Chuck" — vodka, Applejay, iced tea, lime
Along the way: Applejay's run in the "Coolest Thing Made in Georgia" competition, why Caroline backs original artists over AI music, and how the distillery turned the 2026 FIFA World Cup into watch parties and a prediction game.
Timestamps0:00 – Welcome and a word on sponsors2:29 – Meet Caroline + "Coolest Thing Made in Georgia"5:11 – The Classic Appletini6:06 – Hank's Cosmo7:26 – The Applejay Mule8:39 – Appalachian Iced Tea: "The Chuck"10:06 – AI, music, and supporting original artists14:14 – World Cup 2026 watch parties18:23 – The free prediction game20:11 – Cheers and wrap-up
Local, leaf-peeper, or just passing through the Blue Ridge - come taste what Ellijay's pouring.
House of Applejay | East Ellijay, GA | houseofapplejay.com
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Part four of the "Divided America" series, from the Bobby Cox chair at the Ellijay Cigar Lounge.
After celebrating a 50,000-view milestone and a round of thanks to the local businesses that keep the show going, Tom digs into the trends he finds most disturbing about where the country is headed: primary elections with 20% turnout, a cultural apathy he sees taking hold in modern urban centers, a news media that profits from chaos, and a public that lets talking points do its thinking.
Are we looking at facts, or letting the narrative think for us? Tom's answer: take off the blinders and have the honest debate.
Timestamps0:00 – Catching up and a milestone: 50K views1:40 – Shoutout to the local Georgia sponsors7:28 – Old school vs. new school: the microphone debate9:15 – Divided America Pt. 4: disturbing trends10:15 – The baffling truth about voter apathy12:38 – Cultural apathy and the left's blind spots16:41 – Why the news media is the devil19:41 – Do something special for someone this week
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Where did the respect go?
Tom settles into the Bobby Cox chair at the Ellijay Cigar Lounge for part three of the "Divided America" series and takes on the death of civil discourse — the respectful, open exchange of ideas that's supposed to help a country find common ground, and that Tom says no longer exists.
Nobody gets a pass. Tom calls out the right — Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna, Rand Paul — for putting "principles" ahead of the people they serve, and the left for media bias, labels, and political violence. Then he gets to the fix, which starts with regular people: the next time someone disagrees with you, don't insult them. Ask them why.
Timestamps0:00 – Welcome: RIP Bobby Cox1:45 – Keeping the cigar lit2:24 – What civil discourse actually is3:05 – Calling out the right: MTG, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna, Rand Paul6:15 – Decorum vs. stupidity: why shutting down the government helps no one6:45 – Attack the ideas, not the person8:55 – Calling out the left: media bias, labels, and political violence11:00 – Protesting vs. anarchy12:00 – Handling someone who ignores the facts: just ask "why?"14:00 – The mental health crisis in America15:20 – Why Tom could never be a Walmart greeter16:28 – Do something special for someone this week
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Part two of Tom's "Divided America" series, recorded at the Ellijay Cigar Lounge.
This time Tom goes back to the foundations: the history of gerrymandering from its 1812 origins to today's software-drawn maps, and the "packing and cracking" of districts that, in his view, concentrates political power in urban centers at the expense of rural communities. With redistricting authority shifting back to the states, Tom asks whether a republic can hold its integrity when the road to the ballot box is drawn for partisan advantage.
In this episode:– From Patrick Henry's early maneuvering to the 1960s "one person, one vote" doctrine– Packing and cracking: how districts are drawn to dilute opposition votes– The rural–urban representation gap– Why immigration trends and census shifts shape future congressional maps
"Elections have consequences, but the maps that define them determine our future."
Opinions in this episode are Tom's alone and do not reflect the views of any sponsor.
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com

Adrian Stover is back on the show. The Ellijay native and Nashville recording artist sits down with Tom for a real, unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to chase music as a calling.
From having thousands of dollars in gear stolen — and miraculously recovered — to grinding it out on Broadway in Nashville, Adrian walks through the highs, the setbacks, and what he learned along the way. This isn't a polished industry story. It's the real one.
In this episode:– The gear theft, and how it came back– What the Broadway grind in Nashville really looks like– Songwriting in practice: inspiration is fleeting, so catch it in the moment– Protecting your voice, literally and figuratively– Why staying true to yourself beats chasing a label
Closes with a live performance of "Blue Eyes Across State Lines."
Stream Adrian Stover:Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/6DQtFmLsWmgCEbU98IyfQaApple Music: music.apple.com/us/artist/adrian-stover/1629483513Facebook: facebook.com/theadrianstoverInstagram: instagram.com/theadrianstover
Missed his first visit? Go back to the December episode for "Pretty Little Devil."
Stix & Stuff Podcast with Tom Crawford | Ellijay, GeorgiaSponsor inquiries: thestixandstuffpodcast.com