1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,079 Speaker 1: learn the stuff they don't want you to know. A 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. Hello, and welcome back to 5 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: the show. My name is Noel. Our compatriot Matt is 6 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: on adventures but will be returning soon. They called me Ben. 7 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: We are joined as always with our super producer Paul 8 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: Michig control decond. Most importantly, you are you, You are here, 9 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: and that makes this stuff they don't want you to know. 10 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: It's the top of the week, which means it's time 11 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: for our strange news segment about spoiler alert for anyone 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: who is vaguely familiar with world news or news in 13 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: the US. There have been a lot of strange things 14 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: happening last Yeah, a foot there's been I was gonna 15 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: say there's a lot of career foot. Uh, there have 16 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: been a lot of strange things happening, some very inspiring, 17 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: some very frightening, and uh, today we're we're existing with 18 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: those things. History is still not written, but we wanted 19 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: to give you some stories that you might not have 20 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: heard because the news is uh, to put it diplomatically, 21 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: kind of occupied with some other stuff at the moment. Yeah, 22 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: it's one of those news cycles they talk about, the 23 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: twenty four hour ones, and this one's been going on 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: for what like a week now over a week. It's 25 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: definitely been a little more um all encompassing than one 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: might think in the edge of c E and now 27 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: we're still in another phase where there's been like celebration 28 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: on one side and consternation on the other side. But 29 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: still things are up in the air, so we're kind 30 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: of still in it. But you're right, then, let's give 31 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: a little respite from that vicious news cycle with some 32 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: strange news stories of our own. Um, where do we 33 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: even start? Shall we roll for it? Uh? Nominate? Who 34 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: goes first? I'm completely indifferent. Well, since we're talking about 35 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: getting away from it all, nol, why don't you do 36 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: the honors if you're okay with it? Because this is 37 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: a story that reminds I covered a story like this 38 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: earlier and I had read the same thing this. This 39 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: feels this feels like a good one, It feels interesting, 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: and it'll be one for fans of some earlier topics 41 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: we've discussed. Yeah, I believe you might have been talking 42 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 1: about the ghost ship tours or or rather the ghost 43 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: cruise ship tours where you could witness the empty cruise 44 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: ships out in the harbor or no, I mean that 45 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: that's a great one I'm specifically talking about Earlier I 46 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: had done a thing for Strange News Daily. Uh, I 47 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: always spoil it too much. But for a while during 48 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: the pandemic, there was an airline company in Asia that 49 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: would take you through like you could go to the 50 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: t say essentially for fun and then go sit on 51 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: a plate. You know. I heard a version of that story. 52 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: To have to get too far away from this actual 53 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 1: one that we're talking about today, but where I think 54 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: we might be talking about two different things. But the 55 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: version that I heard was a flight out of Taiwan 56 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: that was like considered a sight seeing flight. So yeah, 57 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: you definitely go through all the security and you do 58 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: sit on the plane, but then you take a little 59 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: trip around the block as it were. Uh and um, 60 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: you know, sort of enjoy your own home turf from 61 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: the air. Um. Not the case with this one. Also 62 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: out of Asia. This story, the headline says it all 63 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: Singapore introduces cruises to nowhere. That's a great tagline. The 64 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: cruise to nowhere. I mean, I think we've all felt 65 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: that way at some point or another. I think you're 66 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: probably right that's true. Uh what is it like? I'm 67 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: as a talking head song, I'm on a road to nowhere. 68 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: But UM, yeah, it's it's it's a thing that's starting 69 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: to you know, become part of the new vernacular of 70 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: like COVID safe travel. UM Singapore has announced that it 71 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: will do a pleasure cruise that won't actually dock anywhere 72 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: or go into port anywhere, and that'll be starting, um 73 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: this very month, November. UM It is through the National 74 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: Tourism Board of Singapore and it's partnered with these two 75 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: specific cruise lines for the whole you know venture. One 76 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: of them is called Genting Cruise Lines World Dream and 77 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 1: then also Royal Caribbean Internationals Quantum of the Seas. In 78 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 1: one of the better UM ship naming situations that I've 79 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: personally run across. But yeah, UM, it's gonna be a 80 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: little bit of a different animal than which you might 81 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: be used to. UM. It's going to depart and return 82 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: from the very same spot with no stops in between. 83 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: UM of course you know to to stay and keeping 84 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: with the ability to social distance the ships will never 85 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: be booked more than fifty percent capacity in our only 86 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: allowing Singapore residents to board. There's a quote from Keith 87 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: tan Is, the CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board, where 88 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: he says this cruise pilot is a valuable opportunity for 89 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: cruise operators to reinvent the entire cruise experience in order 90 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: to regain the confidence of passengers. That's interesting, Ben, I'd 91 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: love to talk about that aspect with you. This is 92 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: almost like, you know, cruise has got such a bad 93 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: rap early in the pandemic because there was that ship 94 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: that that had to dock in like Japan. I believe 95 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: it was for like weeks, you know, where people were 96 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: not able to leave, are able to go home, and 97 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: it was a real, real big news story and certainly 98 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: not a good look for the cruise industry in general. 99 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: Um So this is almost like a like a an 100 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: experiment to try to get sort of faith of the 101 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: public back so that they can maybe say, hey, we're back, 102 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: and we figured out a way to make this uh 103 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: not terrifying. Yeah, for sure. I mean I think that's 104 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: I believe we were talking about the same flights there 105 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: in Taiwan. I think you're correct that they were doing 106 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: a sightseeing thing, but that's instructive because what they're doing 107 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: with that flight is trying to reassure passengers that they 108 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: have instituted safety measures, right, And I think you're on 109 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: the money that this is this is the primary goal 110 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: for this ccation or this round trip in Singapore. This 111 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: is something that I think is on the mind of 112 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: a lot of people in the industry because just earlier, 113 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: earlier this month, I believe, wait, actually today, there there's 114 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,919 Speaker 1: been some analysis coming out about the massive decline that 115 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: cruise industry is facing, like h ticket sales or profits 116 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: are down ninety four nine percent, and people are getting 117 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: freaked out because this is such a big business. So 118 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: anything they can do to convince people that it's safe 119 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: to hop back on the high seas, uh, they're They're 120 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: obviously going to do it, and governments are helping a little. 121 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: The c d C here in the US just issued 122 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: in order last week I think about resuming cruise ship 123 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: operations in some kind of phased approach. Of course, the 124 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: US is still encountering record rates of COVID transmission, so 125 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna be lagging behind uh, Singapore. We've been talking 126 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: a lot about cruise ships. Do you think it's like 127 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: vicariously traveling because we're stuck here? I guess so. Um, 128 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: I just I want what would it take for you 129 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: to want to be a part of this like pilot program. 130 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: To be one of these kind of lab rats, it 131 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: has to be someone that really is all about either 132 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,559 Speaker 1: the industry or just people that really love love cruise. 133 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 1: I've never personally kind of understood it, but um, you know, 134 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: I think they're not being fully forthcoming about what will 135 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: be happening on the ship, like because I know a 136 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: lot of the on ship amenities and you know, activities 137 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: and meals and all that. That's a big part of 138 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: the experience too, which I think it's part of the 139 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: reason that you and I are both in the same 140 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: page about Well, if I was going to go somewhere 141 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: by sea, I would want to get off and you know, 142 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: find the local stuff and then just use the ship 143 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: exclusively for for traveling between destinations. But there's you know 144 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: a lot of these cruise ships basically like a like 145 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: an amusement park, you know, on on the high seas, right, 146 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: So there's gonna be a lot of changes in the 147 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: way those on ship interactions happened too, wouldn't you think? Yeah, yeah, 148 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: I mean to answer your first question, I would definitely 149 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: I would go on this. If they flew me to 150 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: Singapore for free to go on it, I think that 151 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: would be worth it, because, in my opinion, I would 152 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: be paying for a flight to Singapore and all the 153 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: adventure that wonderful country contains by h you know, possibly 154 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: risking my life on a really nice cruise ship. And 155 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: that's fine. Like that's how James Bond travels, you know 156 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: what I mean. He doesn't ever pay for tickets on stuff. 157 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: He just has to go somewhere and risk his life. 158 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: So in a way, I would be like, uh fictions 159 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: most terrible spy and James was a terrible spot. Yeah. 160 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: I sort of answered my own question too, so as 161 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: I want to they lask for volunteers for this or whatever, like, No, 162 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: not not at all. In fact, the airline in question 163 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: I think we were talking about was Quanta UM and 164 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: those were seven hour flights that just you know, departed 165 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: and then turned back around UM and those sold out 166 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: in just ten minutes. That being said, I don't know 167 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: how many exactly there were, uh, and I can't imagine 168 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: they're doing a ton of these destination lists cruises as well, 169 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: but there must be a contingent of folks that are 170 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: really itching too to get out and you know, see 171 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: the skies, the friendly skies or the fair sees or 172 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: what have you. I don't know if that's even a 173 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: thing people say, but I just said it. And in 174 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,599 Speaker 1: looking into this there is your right. Then there is 175 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: some other news. Not only is the is the cruise 176 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: industry taking a bit of a bath in terms of finances. 177 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: But Royal Caribbean, Yeah, it was barely on purpose, um, 178 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: but I will go with it. Royal Caribbean has canceled 179 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: nearly all of their remaining cruises for the rest of Um. 180 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: So that's a thing. And it's interesting that isn't It 181 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: wasn't one of these ships, a Royal Caribbean ship involved 182 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: in the Singapore story if I'm not mistaken here. Let's 183 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: see Royal Caribbeans International Quantum of the Seas. So um, 184 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 1: maybe this is them kind of you know, trying trying 185 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: that they're getting in on this too. And I guess 186 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: this is something that could be applied to you know, 187 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: all of these cruise lines. Okay, let's take a quick 188 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: second and go to a word from our sponsor, and 189 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: then we'll be back. And we're back with the rest 190 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: of this strange news. I did find an article from 191 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: the Points Guy, which is one of those travel you know, 192 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: sad the traveler type websites, and the headline is I 193 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: just boarded the first cruise ship to sail in the 194 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: Caribbean since March. This is what the process was like, um, 195 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: and describes arriving at the port of Barbados. This gentleman, 196 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: Gene Sloan who wrote this article, UM, and then uh, 197 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: you know, getting to the port of Barbados and then um, 198 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: in order to board the cruise ship, he was in 199 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: a line you know, of course, wearing masks and social 200 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 1: distance and then kind of ushered into this medical tent 201 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: and described it as being face to face with staffers 202 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: in full contagion gear, masks, goggles, medical gowns, the works. Um, 203 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: in order to get a COVID nineteen test. And he 204 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: already had several just to even get to that point. Um. 205 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: A friend of mine who is just visiting actually when 206 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: he returns back to Brooklyn, New York, where he is 207 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: from he is required by the regulations put in place 208 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: in that city to self quarantine for two weeks, you know, 209 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: on the honor system, because he's traveled outside of these 210 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: defined borders of the city, and it can't really yeah, 211 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: it can't really be enforced there in the U S. 212 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: I'd be curious to see if you're how the points 213 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: guy was required to have a contact tracing napp on 214 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: his devices. That's what happened in Singapore. And you know, 215 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: the contact tracing app is is weird because I I'm 216 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: someone who is UH diplomatically put skeptical about the excuses 217 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: that institutional opportunists used to a road personal privacy or 218 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: increased surveillance. But contact tracing seems like a smart thing 219 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: because we've seen it work in other countries like South 220 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: Korea or Israel. UH. And and now this is a 221 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: billion dollar industry, the cruise industry. So we know that 222 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 1: countries that weren't very successful at addressing the pandemic early 223 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,839 Speaker 1: on or still aren't super successful at it, like the US, UH, 224 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: they're losing billions of dollars, not just like not just 225 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: the cruise lines, the U S economy is losing billions 226 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: of dollars and various government agencies are aware of this. 227 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: Like I don't know if you saw this, but I 228 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: mentioned how the CDC issued those phased reopening policies for 229 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: cruise ships. I didn't tell you is the funniest part. 230 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: This is about a week ago the c d C 231 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: specifically said cruise ships can set sail again just without passengers. 232 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: It kind of defeats the purpose, right, Well, it's um 233 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: in terms of like what these new regulations might look like, 234 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: you know, before a vaccine or whatever. Any your guess 235 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: is as good as mine, but in this particular situation 236 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: that is kind of heralded. Like the points guy said, 237 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: he described this as the watershed moment for the cruise industry, 238 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: which has been eyeing to restart in the Caribbean for 239 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: many months. Um. But as we saw that that it's 240 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: not doesn't seem to be the case going forward. But 241 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: it's interesting the kind of protocols that this started to 242 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: put in place and perhaps will become codified. He says 243 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: he was subjected to a battery of tests, including pulse 244 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: oxidation test and UM. Also you know, required to submit 245 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: UM quite a bit of medical documentation from his own 246 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: you know, uh gp, I imagine and where he had 247 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: where he traveled, if at all, in in the days 248 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: leading up to that, especially probably in the last three weeks. 249 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: Maybe have you ever tested positive for COVID nineteen. It's 250 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: it's a scary thing. I do have to note, though, 251 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: having not traveled officially, just Singapore, it's a very crowded, 252 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: dense place, you know. Got I've got some friends who 253 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: lived and lived there now And in addition to be 254 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: pretty expensive compared to a lot of other places in 255 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: the world, privacy is kind of at a premium. Open 256 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: space is for sure at a premium. So maybe just 257 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: the idea of going through all this, all this regular role, uh, 258 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: just to stand on the deck of a ship and 259 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: be able to look out into the wide open spaces 260 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: of the world, maybe that's worth it for some people. 261 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: I could definitely feel that. I mean, I've gotten I've 262 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: just got h on road trips, you know where I've 263 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: I've just said, okay, I'm just gonna I'm gonna drive 264 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: literally until I hit the ocean and then I'll drive back. Now, 265 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: I mean wander less typically, you know, I mean it 266 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: just refers to wandering and moving around, uh, and just 267 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: kind of getting out of your comfort zone. Uh that 268 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: there was another stage of testing that I didn't even 269 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: realize until I was we were talking a kind of 270 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: like a breeze past it. But uh, a second round 271 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: of testing once you actually got on the ship in 272 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: order to get checked into your cabin. Um. He described 273 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: it as, after the initial check in station, he was 274 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: directed to an isolated outdoor seating area isolated by party UM, 275 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: and then was called up to another medical screaming desk 276 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: where he was had this temperature taken, UM, had his 277 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: blood oxidation levels taken with like a fingertip device, and 278 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: then also UM, he had had to fill out another 279 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: round of paperwork of medical forms exactly to your point, Ben, 280 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: about where he traveled and all of that stuff again 281 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: so a second time UM. And then he passed with 282 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: a you know, appropriate temperature and everything checked out, blood 283 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: oxygenation was UM. And then he had to sit in 284 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: the isolated area again UM, and then he had to 285 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: take another COVID test. You have to test negative for 286 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen at least twice before being allowed to board, 287 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: and then if if you leave for any port of call, 288 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: you probably have to test again. So Basically they're doing 289 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: the never ending story three trials to get on the boat. 290 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: It's like when a tray you has to has to 291 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: go through those those different gates, um swamps of sadness 292 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: and all that too. Different different part of the movie. 293 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: But I still think of that as, Yeah, that was 294 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: that was testing his uh, his his fortitude because he 295 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: lost his beloved horse. But I did I maybe missed 296 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: book earlier when I said this test was only to 297 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:39,479 Speaker 1: check in. The previous test was even before getting on 298 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: the boat. And then you get onto like a gang 299 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: plank situation, I imagine where this is. And after that 300 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: you're taking this other round of test before actually getting 301 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: on the boat. But you do have to pass the 302 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: rapid test twice before getting on. So so there's several Okay, 303 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: so several I think again, the three what is it? 304 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: The Great Riddle Gate, the Magic Mirror Gate, the Okay Gate, 305 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: I think those are an uh never ending story may 306 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 1: not hold up for everyone, you know, uh, it may 307 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: seem dated, but I think it's I think it's an 308 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: impact I think it's an impactful tangent. Uh. The big 309 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: question that I have when I hear this, when I 310 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: hear this stuff. First off, shout out to everybody who 311 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,439 Speaker 1: is tuned into the show today who has worked on 312 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 1: a cruise ship or is involved with the industry. We 313 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: know times are tough and wish you the best. But 314 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: my media question is is there enough financial juice here 315 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: for someone to conspire to try to rig the game? 316 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? Like if there was a 317 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: if there was a positive test, or if there was 318 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:54,680 Speaker 1: somehow an outbreak, would the cruise lines one be capable 319 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 1: of covering it up? And to would they attempt to? 320 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: I don't know the answer. I would hope not. Um, 321 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: I would hope not after all of the bad press 322 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: that they got so early on. Not that they I 323 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: don't necessarily think they were trying to cover it up, 324 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: but it was not enough was known about it. They 325 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: just didn't quite know how to respond. And that's not 326 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: entirely you know, and an act of negligence. But um, 327 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 1: I would really truly think that with everything that we've 328 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,479 Speaker 1: been through as a country and everything that business has 329 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: been through, that no one would try to cover it 330 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: up because it's then you're just gonna get pilloried, you know, 331 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: and then you're really done. Yeah, because the cruise industry 332 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 1: themselves had suspended voluntarily, at least in the US, suspended 333 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: cruises until one after the CDC replaced their total lockdown, 334 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: their no sail order with what they were calling the 335 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: conditional sailing order, which is still the boats can move, 336 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: but no passengers. So hopefully we can get the Conspiracy 337 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,719 Speaker 1: cruise on on the high seas one day. Get that open. Yeah, 338 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: there was one more little step I wanted to add, 339 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: just because it's interesting and it involves a cool gadget 340 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: that I've ever seen before. Um, once he's passed these 341 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: two tests and tested Nagat on these two COVID tests, UM, 342 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: only then is he actually allowed on the ship. UM. So, 343 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: like I said, the second test was on the pier, 344 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: and then okay, you pass, You go up. And the 345 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: last step before getting on is to have your luggage 346 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: entirely sprayed down by what looks like something somewhere between 347 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: a dust buster and like a super soaker. Um. There's 348 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: an employee wearing you know, surgical gloves in a mass 349 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: holding this thing. It's like green and white plastic and 350 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: it sprays a big you know, like a like like 351 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,919 Speaker 1: if you turn the nozzle on a UM container of chlorox, 352 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: you know the way where it causes like the wide 353 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: spray or whatever. It looks like that. But that's it, 354 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 1: I guess after all that he's on the ship and uh, 355 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: presumably having a wonderful time, but I don't know, it 356 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 1: seems like a lot. But there is a silver lining, um, 357 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: you know, when all of this rigor does allow a 358 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: situation where I would think the fifty capacity ship is 359 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: comfortable not wearing masks because masks are in fact not 360 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: required on board, even even among the staff. So you 361 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: you have gone through this kind of or deal to 362 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,959 Speaker 1: get on, but then you can sort of trick yourself 363 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: into thinking that you're in a normal cruise situation, that 364 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 1: everything's cool. So that's I guess positive, Like I could 365 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 1: I could see now that I'm seeing that side of it, 366 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: I could see it feeling worth it now to escape 367 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: the weird reality that is going to the grocery store 368 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: and everyone wearing masks and all of the signs on 369 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 1: the highway saying, you know, remain indoors. You know, the 370 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: the kind of weird sci fi world that we found 371 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: ourselves in that our brains have kind of normalized. Actually, 372 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: the more I'm thinking about this sounds kind of heavenly. 373 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll sign up. Have you been on this cruise? 374 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: Do you live in Singapore? Do you understand what we're 375 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: talking about? With that dense population and the need for 376 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: open spaces. I would almost call you know, sometimes just 377 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 1: the press of people can become what I would call 378 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: socially claustrophobic, if not physically. Uh, we're going to We're 379 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 1: gonna pause for word from our sponsor and will return 380 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: with a cryptid story. A cryptids. This is the this 381 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: is the classic stuff that'll want you to know kind 382 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: of things that we missed. I know I've done. I 383 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: did a story previously about animals. Actually have a have 384 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: a habit of doing stories about weird animals. But this one, 385 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: this was this was pretty neat. So when travel to 386 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: Virginia in the United States, Virginia has been Virginia like 387 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: the area of US, Virginia have been home to all 388 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: kinds of cryptids in the past, the most famous of 389 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: which probably is moth Man, which no you and I 390 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: uh saw on a on a tribulation filled road trip 391 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: or car stuff. Um and I believe we we we've 392 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: all remarked on his is quite impressive. Physique of the 393 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: statue that is, and the mothman story is something I'd 394 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: like to cover as more in depth as we go 395 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: back to more classic stuffing when you know things, but this, 396 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: this feels like classic Virginia. Uh. Virginia Wildlife and Management Control, 397 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,479 Speaker 1: which is a local kind of pest control service, started 398 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: getting these weird calls on their hotline very recently, just 399 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: just several days ago, people were complaining about a strange 400 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: looking snake in mid Lothian, Virginia, which is just outside 401 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: of Richmond. While so mid Lothian has almost the air 402 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: of like some sort of den of monsters or creatures, 403 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: it sounds like something biblical in a weird way, or 404 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 1: like maybe out of Norse mythology. Are yeah, or Clive 405 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: Barker's um, oh, there's that Clive Barker novel that the 406 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 1: film Night Breed is based on. Median. Yeah, Medians, the 407 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: one I'm talking about, Yeah, Midian, the cemetery that serves 408 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: as home for monsters. So imagine you see a foot 409 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 1: long snake like thing. I'm just gonna describe this. You 410 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: can see the picture. It's uh, orange and black with 411 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: a white stripe running down. It's like Okay. It's mostly 412 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: orange and it has a white stripe bordered by a 413 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: thick black outline running vertically up and down the length 414 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: of whatever its body is. And at one end it 415 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: kind of has uh, what looks like a hammer shape, 416 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: like a hammerhead shark. Almo, what, Yeah, it's huge and 417 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: it looks For most casual observers, this would look kind 418 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 1: of like a sea snake, right, because we were used 419 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: to seeing sea snakes with their very colorful, odd arrangements 420 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: of hues and in all the you know, all the 421 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 1: discovery documentaries Delda David Attenborough stuff. It turns out this 422 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: snake people were freaking out about is not a snake, 423 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: and it's also kind of immortal. That's the lead. Yeah, okay, 424 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: all right, I'm hold on a second, I gotta pull 425 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 1: up a picture of this thing. Um immortal? Okay, Ben 426 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: tell tell us more plea. So this is not a sneak. 427 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: It is a hammerhead worm. Hammerhead worms are not native 428 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 1: to Virginia, which is why all dear conspiracy realists in Virginia. 429 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: That's probably why all of you are going, what what 430 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: the hell? I've never seen that? Uh. The hammer head worm, 431 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:10,719 Speaker 1: otherwise known as bipallium is toxic, so it's dangerous. It's terrestrial, 432 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: it's a flat worm, it lives on land. It is 433 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: a predator, it is a cannibal. Uh. They don't necessarily 434 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: pose danger to humans, but there's something you would notice 435 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: in the wild. And they also because they are invasive, 436 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: they may pose an incredible threat to local ecosystems. And 437 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 1: you know, the normal like the good Virginia earthworms. Nobody 438 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: asked about the Virginia earthworms. They're real like, uh, well, 439 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: not salt of the earth worms of the earth. Remember 440 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 1: that episode of King of the Hill where somebody tricks 441 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: Hank into using crack rocks as fishing lures. It's okay, 442 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:52,919 Speaker 1: But the best part of it is he really feels 443 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: strongly about hand digging worms and he goes it. All 444 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: starts with a hand dug American war um and uh 445 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: this this I don't know, yeah exactly, but then he 446 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:12,159 Speaker 1: gets led astray and then ultimillions up buying crack um. 447 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: But that's what happens when when you when you abandon 448 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: your morals, uh, and you go somebody else's way, bad 449 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: things happen. This is a beautiful looking creature, though ben 450 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: I have to say, I mean it really does. You 451 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: mentioned Clive Barker earlier. It kind of reminds me something 452 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: out of like a Clive Barker situation or maybe like 453 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: a Tim Burton um. But it it really does look 454 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: exactly as you describe it and has that perfect hammer 455 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: head shape. What kind of teeth does it have? Like? 456 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: What is it poisoned just to the touch or can 457 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: you get a hammer head worm bite? Here's how it works. 458 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 1: So needs bipallium worms. They eat earthworms, slugs, insects, and 459 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: each other. Uh. Their mouths are also their anuses. Oh cool. 460 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: They immobilize their prey and then they extend their farynx 461 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: from their body where they secrete digestive enzymes onto this 462 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: hapless creature, liquefying it and then sucking the tissue into 463 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: its gut using cilia. And then once they've digested this 464 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: very unlucky thing. Uh, then they kind of like in 465 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 1: South Park where people started pooping out of their mouths 466 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: or whatever that it does that it's a very real 467 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: version of that. Uh. You say they're beautiful. I I 468 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: think they're super creepy. But to answer your question directly, 469 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: the they contain a neurotoxin called tetro dotoxin. That's how 470 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: they immobilize stuff. You can also find this in pufferfish. 471 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: That's one of the reasons why it takes a master 472 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: chef to prepare puffer fish in a non lethal way. 473 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: So I'm wondering, like, is there's something about eating and 474 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: pooping out of your mouth that just promotes good digestion 475 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: and allows you to live forever or is there something 476 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: else to play here? Thank you for the setup. I 477 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: appreciate that. Yeah, So here's here's the thing. Flatworms have 478 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: an astonishing superpower. It's one that's going to be familiar 479 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: to any long time listeners if you've checked out our 480 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: earlier series on immortality, which there are real versions of immortality. 481 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: Flat worms have something like this. If you cut off 482 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: pieces of a flatworm, those bits can regrow into complete worms, 483 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: and some studies have indicated those bits may possess the 484 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: memories of the original I'll call it hammerhead worm prime. 485 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: So how can they know that? By mazes? Wow? Sorry man, 486 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 1: I mean to sound incredulous. I'm just picturing some sort 487 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: of crazy worm mind reading situation. But of course you 488 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: can put the basic memory that a worm would have 489 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: would be something in terms of like remembering a path 490 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: or remembering, you know, an environment of some kind. Yeah, 491 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: if like, if that's so, here here's what it is. 492 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: There was a study published in the Journal of Experimental 493 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: Biology which found that decapitated flatworms not only retain memories, 494 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: but they transfer those memories to their new brains when 495 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: the brains grow back. And that's that's amazing. Like, imagine, 496 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: imagine if you cut off if you cut off your 497 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: arm or something like that, and then your arms slowly 498 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: grew back into a new you conspiracy realists, and this 499 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: thing also knew the stuff that you knew. It's a 500 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: grizzly superpower. It also feels like it would get really 501 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: complicated really quickly, you know what I mean, after about 502 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: the third iteration or so. Yeah, this is a pretty 503 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: nightmarish on a lot of levels. Um. I have to 504 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: say that the thing I found most interesting about this, 505 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: after all of that, all of those incredible superpowers, this 506 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: toxic venom neurotoxin, the ability to regrow itself and its 507 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: own brain and its own memories. At the end of 508 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: the day, it is just as susceptible to the bane 509 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: of all squishy little wormy creatures. Salt because you can 510 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,719 Speaker 1: still kill the things just by hitting them with some 511 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: good old fashioned sodium chlorine yep, or burn it all 512 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: the rules, Like I feel like a lot of inquisition 513 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: rules were based on Yeah, yeah, just salt it, burn it, 514 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Those are great ideas for 515 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: grilling steak and great ideas for killing immortal worms. So 516 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 1: before we sew this up, I do want to point 517 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,680 Speaker 1: out a couple of other cool things about them. Each 518 00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: individual has both testes and ovaries. Uh. They can also 519 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: reproduce a sexually. Usually worms reproduced by fragmentation. They leave 520 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: behind a tip of their tail or something stuck on 521 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 1: auto plants right that turns into an adult. So this 522 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: is how like if humans could do this, this is 523 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: how we would reproduce, you know what I mean, Like 524 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: you would be with your your your sweetheart or the 525 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 1: love of your life if you have one, and be like, 526 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: let's do it, honey. Let's let's cut off our thumbs 527 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: and let's like stick them over on this tree and 528 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: then come back and you know, we'll have two little usses. 529 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: Well when you say like that, man, it sounds pretty romantic, right, 530 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: We've all been there, you know what I mean, Like, 531 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: who was it Van Gogh cut off his ear, probably 532 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: in a similar attempt. There's also it's a really freaky 533 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,720 Speaker 1: Buerk film. It's actually when she was married to Matthew Barney, 534 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: the performance artist. Or no, not that one. This is 535 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: a different This is called drawing restraint nine, where they 536 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: use Japanese ceremonial flaying knives to slice the flesh off 537 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 1: of each other's bodies until they like morph into whales 538 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: or something. Again, you know, we've all been there. Uh, 539 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: These these hammerhead worms have been invading France as well 540 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: for nearly twenty years. Uh. Virginia just seems to be 541 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: a new a new beachhead, a new hammer head for 542 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: this species. And at this point we have to wonder 543 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: what's going to happen to the natural world as the 544 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: climate continues to change or evolve, or we're gonna see 545 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: more invasive animals reach into new ecological niches, into new 546 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: parts of the world as the former rulers of those 547 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 1: areas find life increasingly difficult. The answer, probably in some 548 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: way is yes, but the details of how that works 549 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: out remained to be seen. In the meantime, Virginia don't 550 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:08,359 Speaker 1: eat any hammer head worms. Uh. Lovers of the high 551 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 1: season cruise ships, let us know if you plan to 552 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: take a maritime adventure soon, and then also tell us 553 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 1: your weirdest animal stories. I think I meanted this to 554 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:22,279 Speaker 1: off Airnal. I was so sad. I found this fantastic 555 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 1: paper on the theory that octopuses might be the descendant 556 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 1: of some sort of extraterrestrial or alien life form. And 557 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: the paper was pretty interesting, But but it was from 558 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 1: so I didn't think it qualified as news. Yeah, but 559 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:41,720 Speaker 1: I still want to read it, and I think listeners 560 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:45,240 Speaker 1: probably will too. My heirite part about I was watching 561 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: um uh John Oliver talking about the election results. At 562 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,880 Speaker 1: the end, he uh he gave everybody thirty seconds to 563 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: react in whatever way they wished, you know, emote, and 564 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: he chose to do so by reciting interesting facts about 565 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:02,719 Speaker 1: sep sephalo pods and his favorite one, my favorite two 566 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:05,720 Speaker 1: is that their brains are spread throughout their entire body, 567 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,720 Speaker 1: which I think is pretty awesome. And those are arms, 568 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: not tentacles. Don't be a philistine. Uh So, Yeah, we 569 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: want to hear from you. We hope you enjoy today's segment. 570 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: You can reach us on the internet. We try to 571 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:22,760 Speaker 1: be easy to find. We're on Instagram, We're on Facebook, 572 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: We're on Twitter. We like to recommend our Facebook page. 573 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: Here's where it gets crazy, where you can hang out 574 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: with our favorite part of the show, your fellow listeners. 575 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:33,840 Speaker 1: That's right. You can also join us in our favorite 576 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: place on the internet. That here's where it gets crazy 577 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: Facebook group where memes are exchanged, friendships are forged, and 578 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 1: um yeah, it's just a good place in general. 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On that 588 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: same tip, please go to iTunes or whatever they call 589 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,399 Speaker 1: it now Apple Podcast. Leave us a review there. Um, 590 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: we would be most appreciative and help people discover the show. Yes, 591 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,360 Speaker 1: massively appreciated. Uh. You know, every time you give us 592 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: a review. Uh, hammer head Worm gets its wings or 593 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: something of that nature. What if you don't feel like 594 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 1: social media like get it. It's been stressful for a 595 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,840 Speaker 1: lot of people, and these studies about social media that 596 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 1: come out in the next few years are going to 597 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: be fascinating. If that's the case, go ahead and give 598 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: us a call directly. We're one eight three three st 599 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: d w y t K. You've got three minutes. Uh, 600 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: give it to us with both barrels. Uh. It can 601 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 1: be related to this, can be related to another topic 602 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 1: you'd like us to cover in the future. We want 603 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 1: to hear from you. Let us know if we can 604 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,520 Speaker 1: use your name on air. And if you hate all 605 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: of that, there's one way you can always contact us 606 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: our good old fashioned email where we are conspiracy at 607 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:23,319 Speaker 1: iHeart radio dot com. Stuff they don't want you to 608 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 1: know is a production of I heart Radio. For more 609 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:28,919 Speaker 1: podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 610 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.