Maggie Rose has landed her first Grammy nomination for her latest album, "No One Gets Out Alive." It's nominated for Best Americana Album, a fitting category, though on my first listen of it earlier in the year, I declared it to be the album of the year in every category. I walked away from cable news after the election two months ago. I just needed a break, I told myself. Now, I can't imagine ever returning. In my brief time away, I have come to realize that those platforms aren't all that meaningful to me. Their product is the argument, the disagreement, the conflict. That product wasn't provoking thoughtfulness in me, it was preventing it. So, that break I needed has become a lifestyle change for which I'm grateful. There are far better sources for perspective, yes, even coming from this political columnist, than the pundit world. In 2025, I recommend we invest more of our time listening to those better voices. Rose has a beautiful and powerful voice, and her years of Nashville experience combine to make her a true professional at her craft. The metal-head inside of me was drawn to her hit's title—I was expecting something dark and nihilistic—which was my mood at the time. Wrong. The title track is a guide on how to embrace life and living, because we only live once. It's an Americana lesson, through a voice that sounds like a combination of Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin. It's perfect. The song is simple. "Call the boy. Ask the girl. Have no regrets when you leave this world. Cause you know no one gets out alive." What else is an example of simple? The benefits of a fluoride-enriched public water supply. The CDC has all the data to show how we are healthier as a result of fluoridation, and don't confuse that term with the state. Collier County in southwest Florida, where I spend some of my wintertime, will remove fluoride from its water supply on January 1. There's no evidence-based benefit of the move, just barbershop theories that likely came from the cable news playing on the shop's tv. Turn it off. Read the data. Don't trust the CDC? Pick any of the countless other scientific studies that reached the same conclusions. It will be five minutes well spent. Then go listen to some new music, watch a new movie, or read a new book.   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert  

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