1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: learn the stuff they don't want you to know. A 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. 5 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt. 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: Our colleague Nol is on an adventure but will be 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: returning shortly. 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 3: They call me Ben. We're joined as always with our 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 3: super producer, Dylan the Tennessee pal Fagan. Most importantly, you 10 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 3: are you. You are here. That makes this the stuff 11 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: they don't want you to know. There is a civil 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: war happening right now as we record. 13 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: This evening in the United. 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 3: States, well not yet as we record, but depending on 15 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 3: when you listen to this episode or a possible series 16 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 3: of episodes, your mileage may vary. There's a fascinating case, 17 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 3: in a heartbreaking case of civil war that's been going 18 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 3: on since twenty twenty or so out in Me and. 19 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: Mar oh yes, formerly Burma if you even if you 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: check it out on Google Maps, it says me and 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: Mar and then like Burma. Also. Yeah. We learned about 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: this a little while back. I think it was sometime 23 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 2: in August of this year. We learned about it from 24 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: a listener who called themselves surf Rider, and we still 25 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: are unsure if it's writ er. 26 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 3: Or rider, but either way, surf writer, thank you again. 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 3: We said we would follow up with an episode on 28 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: this and Matt, could you tell us a little bit 29 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 3: more about what surfrider or writer was talking about. 30 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: Surf Wright was specifically talking about criminal organizations that were 31 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: functioning on the border of Me and Mar, like basically 32 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: all the way all around the border of Me and Mar, 33 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: but specifically around one river. I think you say moa 34 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 2: river MOEI And it's basically apartment complexes, eat love, prey, 35 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: places where it's self contained. Basically, if you live in 36 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: one of these places, you just stay there. And out 37 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,839 Speaker 2: of these places, there's a lot of organized crime and 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: human trafficking where people are basically shipped in to function 39 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 2: there as cogs in a big old I guess scam. 40 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 3: Chain scam, slave farms. Yeah, we've explored. You know, mean 41 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 3: Mar is familiar to a lot of people aka Burma, 42 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 3: but there's a lot more that escapes the attention of 43 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 3: the West. It's a story of crime, conspiracy, and chaos 44 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 3: all spiraling out of control along the border of Myanmar 45 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 3: and much of the rest of the world seems to 46 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 3: will ignore the growing chaos. The world collectively looked at 47 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 3: the problem just like someone who sees a vagrant asking 48 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 3: for change at a traffic light. They made a passing 49 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 3: glance at me, Ammar, and they said, I have other 50 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: stuff to do. Well, guess what, folks, we don't. That's 51 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: our cold open. 52 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: Our Friday is fully open. Here we go. 53 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 3: Here are the facts. Okay, so it's interesting. We've been, 54 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 3: arguably Matt going through kind of a phase in exploring 55 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: mysteries and conspiracies in this region of the world, in 56 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 3: Southeast Asia. Wasn't too long ago that we talked about 57 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 3: the plane of jars, and thank you to our conspiracy 58 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,119 Speaker 3: realist who wrote in to correct us and say, actually, 59 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 3: these don't look like cauldrons or jars, these look like crocs. 60 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 3: See ours? Really? 61 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know, I saw some pictures. 62 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: You wrote a fantastic matter of fact, let's pull up 63 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 3: the name. You wrote such a fantastic letter to us. 64 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 3: Held off on answering it because. 65 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: We are saying crock pots like the thing my mom 66 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: used to make pot roast in Yes, okay, yeah, well, 67 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: what are we saying that just crocs. I don't know. 68 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 2: Is that a brand name. 69 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 3: I'm unsure, like that time we got in trouble for 70 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 3: saying Frisbee instead of I just know. 71 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 2: Do you plug them in? They're electric and they make 72 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 2: potatoes real nice and good. 73 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 3: I love it. I love I have an emotional you have, 74 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 3: you know how I like? I have three emotions a 75 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 3: year or something. One of those is affection for my crockpot. Yeah, 76 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 3: which is sorry, Grandma. 77 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 2: Just cook a little and slow baby. 78 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: That is caddyewampus. By the way, what is caddy wanting? 79 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 3: Caddywampus is the wrote oh about the difference between cauldrons, jars, 80 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 3: and crocs, to which we say caddy. That's a croc. 81 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a krak of caddywamp as vases. 82 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 3: Yes, there we go, they're vases. So the plane of 83 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 3: jars and Laos the mystery has not been solved. Myanmar, though. 84 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 3: If you've looked at the map from our previous exploration 85 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 3: of Laos, you'll see that Myanmar parentheses Burma is just 86 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 3: to the west of Laos. 87 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it borders a ton of countries. The border 88 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 2: that it shares with Laos is fairly small compared to 89 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 2: like Thailand, which is right south. 90 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 3: The whole peninsula base right split in half exactly. 91 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 2: But then you've also got China, what Bangladesh? And aren't 92 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 2: there is there more? Is it just mostly India? India too? 93 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 3: Gosh? 94 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: So they are they? Well, that's why, that's why this 95 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: episode is so complicated and interesting and potentially impactful, because 96 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 2: that the land that makes up me and mar potentially 97 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 2: has influence on so many other countries. 98 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 3: One hundred percent And well said. You know, some conspiracy 99 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 3: realist of a certain age may recall when this country 100 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 3: changed its name, because it didn't change its name to 101 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 3: Myanmar until nineteen eighty nine. Wow. Yeah, most famously when 102 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 3: Marvel Comics published a new edition of their encyclopedia. 103 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: Oh wow, I remember it. 104 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 3: That's the other thing that happened. Those are the two 105 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 3: I did. 106 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 2: But yeah, I remember when I was six years old 107 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,239 Speaker 2: and looked at at the old TV and they said 108 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: Burma is now Myanmar, and I was like, I'll remember 109 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 2: this for the rest of my life. 110 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 3: And they might be giants later really missed the ball 111 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 3: on that one, didn't They too much focus on Turkey? 112 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 3: But okay, names aside, people have been living in this 113 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 3: area since far before we started calling it what we 114 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 3: call it today. The first human settlers appeared on this 115 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: central plaine because there are plains and there are hills, 116 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 3: and the people are often called like the plains people 117 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: or the hill people. The first humans were there eleven 118 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 3: thousand years ago. And I love what you brought up there, 119 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 3: Matt about it's the luck of the draw in the 120 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 3: geography here. It's been a nexus point for all kinds 121 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 3: of exchanges. I mean, it's sandwiched in between these two 122 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 3: homes to ancient civilizations India and China. They're always trying 123 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 3: to spend, like send stuff to each other, yes, sometimes 124 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 3: send wars to each. 125 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 2: Other sometimes and expand their borders, but often they're attempting 126 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 2: to trade because in order to fight wars and other 127 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: parts of the world, you have to have a significant 128 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: amount of money coming in, usually via trade. Yeah, I 129 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: want to just quickly talk about that eleven thousand years number, because, 130 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: like we've talked about on the show numerous times, that 131 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 2: is the best evidence we have right now of human 132 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: beings living in that area, right so, and we are 133 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 2: discovering year over year that human beings have been around 134 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: doing stuff for way longer than we even think or expected. 135 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 3: It changes every year, just like the nomination for world's 136 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 3: oldest person, that's the world record with the most turnover. 137 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 3: I think that's a really good point, Matt, because when 138 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 3: we say whenever we say evidence indicates humans, we're in 139 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 3: so and so or doing so and so by x 140 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 3: amount of time, it means that's when we found physical evidence. Yes, 141 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: and the world is hungry, especially this part of the world. 142 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 3: It eats the creations of man, including human remains so hungry, 143 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 3: so so famished. Tune into our later episode, by the way, 144 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 3: on the future of poop. Just always be closing, always 145 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 3: be closing, you know it is. 146 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: It's the type of side hustle I never expected. But 147 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 2: it is like a gift once you realize that you 148 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 2: can sell your own poop if you're diligent enough. Yes, 149 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: or Dylan Genta enough. Oh gosh, he could sell his 150 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 2: poop right now, like today, I will. 151 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think we're going to leave this in. I 152 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 3: would I'm not saying one hundred percent sold, but I 153 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 3: would love to read some literature and hear the pitch. 154 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 3: Oh yeah yeah. And also just a quick shout out 155 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 3: to Dylan. We could leave this part at Dylan is 156 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 3: the guy who taught me that you can eat cheetos 157 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 3: with chopsticks. What to keep your fingers clean. 158 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 2: That seems like a lot of work but also kind 159 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: of fun. 160 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 3: So everybody's got a weird side hustle. Anyway, it's our segue, 161 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 3: and we're going to talk about some dangerous side hustles 162 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 3: for now. What you need to know is, once upon 163 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 3: a time, this place that we call mean Mar today, 164 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 3: it had a massive reputation for surrounding countries. Records from 165 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: China show that from the first century BCE to the 166 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 3: ninth century Common era there was something called the Pew 167 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 3: Government Pyu and we're not native speakers, so partner pronunciation. 168 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 3: This government. They didn't have prisons, they didn't have slaves, 169 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 3: they had quote no fetters or chains. And for the 170 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 3: rare criminals who got in trouble with this benevolent government, 171 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 3: the only punishment was quote a few strokes of a whip, 172 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 3: which surely still hurt. 173 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 2: Like yeah, dickens, but well, I mean strokes of a whip 174 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: that would that's like tearing flesh right for sure, and 175 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 2: it's way in my mind, it's way worse than maybe 176 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 2: some of at least the rumors and then actual policies 177 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 2: in Singapore of the caning that we heard about a 178 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 2: long time ago. 179 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a different thing too. But caning's very damaging. 180 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 2: Yes, not good, but not the same as the velocity 181 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 2: that a whip attains when it. 182 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 3: Not the same laceration potential. 183 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: That's a good way to put it. 184 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I think that's true. And also it depends 185 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 3: where you hit people. Like the old maritime punishment or 186 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 3: torture and was also used on enslaved people is bastinado when. 187 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 2: They would put you in like a box of scorpions. No, no, no, no, no, no, 188 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 2: that's just hook. 189 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 3: Okay, I think that's just hook. But it is a 190 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 3: great idea, very fear factor. No, that's where they beat 191 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 3: the bottom of the feet. Oh yeah, because it hurts 192 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 3: a lot and it prevents you from it lowers your mobility. Yeah, 193 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 3: it's evilly well thought out. We're going to see some 194 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 3: of that anyway. We need to know this. Despite mean 195 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 3: Mar's modern day reputation, earned or unearned, it had a 196 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 3: much longer reputation in the past, being a very peaceful place. 197 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 3: It was pretty extraordinary both back then and in the 198 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 3: modern day. But it's no longer the case because Matt, 199 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 3: like we said, with an exus point where you can 200 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 3: be a facilitator of cultural exchange, you also have a 201 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 3: lot of people hungry for your real estate. 202 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 2: Oh for sure. And you essentially cross a river and 203 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 2: then you're in me and Mar from any you know, 204 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 2: any direction, unless you're coming in from the Bay of Bengal. Yeah, 205 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 2: you're just you're strolling through the place. And empires surely did. 206 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 2: Some of them just came through, you know, like rolled 207 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 2: through and caused some damage and some chaos. Others stuck around, 208 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: like I believe it was it was Japan that stuck 209 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 2: around for quite a while and officially occupied the place. 210 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:34,599 Speaker 2: But you also had companies that were de facto countries, 211 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 2: like the British what was it, the British East India Company. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 212 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: not great. Who else is in there? Oh, mongol the 213 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:48,319 Speaker 2: Mongolian invasions that occurred, and not just one. There's a 214 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 2: whole bunch of conflict that's been going on there for 215 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: a long time. It's another one of those places where 216 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 2: I've never had Me and Mar specific cuisine or like Burmese, 217 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 2: but I imagine it's an They're one of those places 218 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 2: in the world where there's so many different influences from 219 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 2: all of the strife, but also people who get displaced 220 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 2: there and then stay there. I would love to see whatever. 221 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 2: Whatever the cuisine, I don't know what you would call it, 222 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 2: but whatever the Me and Mark cuisine is, I want 223 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 2: to try. 224 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 3: They usually call it Burmese cuisine. Yeah, I've I don't. 225 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 3: Our best bet for you and Dylan and myself would 226 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 3: be to go to Beauford Highway and just roll the dice, 227 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 3: which I love doing. 228 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 2: Just ask around, just ask around. 229 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 3: Be cool. But I have tried it in other parts 230 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 3: of the world and you nailed it because it's a 231 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 3: It's almost like Peruvian cuisine in that there are so 232 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 3: many other influences that they're great curries. I know you 233 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 3: love a curry. 234 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 2: Yeah so. 235 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 3: And I also know that every time we talk about 236 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 3: a far flung country, we have to talk about the food. 237 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 2: Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean it's. 238 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 3: Important, man. And also I think maybe both of us 239 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 3: skipped breakfast. I know, but we know for sure that 240 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 3: the British East India Company famously asks, well, just walk 241 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 3: out the street for that one. But we also know 242 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 3: that to your point, mat after amid Japanese occupation, the 243 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 3: country we now call Mianmar declared its independence in nineteen 244 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 3: forty seven with the Burma Independence Act of nineteen forty seven. 245 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 3: Not the most creative name, but an awesome idea. We're 246 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 3: all about independence. Problem is when a country moves out 247 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 3: of occupation or colonialism and becomes independent, it is also 248 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 3: at one of the most vulnerable periods in its history. 249 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 3: The time after immediate independence is very, very dicey. 250 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 2: Oh, I mean, well, it's it's such a difficult thing 251 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: to do. You're trying to establish what the government looks 252 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 2: like and how it functions right in this independent nation. 253 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 2: You also need a strong enough military to defend that 254 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 2: nation and or gain independence from whoever you know is 255 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: occupying your nation that you want to build. But then 256 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 2: you've got to be really careful with that military, make 257 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 2: sure it's not too powerful and it doesn't want to 258 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: just take the reins and decide what happens or doesn't 259 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 2: happen in your new country. 260 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 3: Exactly. Yeah, that is the Oh, you nailed it. That 261 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 3: is one of the trickiest parts, especially of any kind 262 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 3: of representative democracy, any kind of you know, even constitutional monarchy, 263 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 3: where there is some kind of voice for the people, 264 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 3: it has to exist in conjunction with the military. And 265 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 3: that's why so many constitutions separate what the military can 266 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 3: and cannot do with civilians. And that's also why militaries 267 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 3: have such a reputation for being compromised, especially in post 268 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 3: colonial countries. Cough Wagner, cough cough Africa, cough cough everywhere. 269 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 3: Right now side gigs, we were talking about you know 270 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 3: what I mean, some people sell poop, other people sell nations. 271 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: Hi, I specialize in private special operations, I mean party, 272 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 2: I mean gigs. 273 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 3: I'm a tourist, I'm a consultant. I would love to 274 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 3: have a conversation with the colonel. 275 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's cool, it's cool. We're just totally I'm just 276 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: gonna go on the roof or in the basement with 277 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: this suitcase. Yeah, and everything's cool. But it really is 278 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 2: a it's a it's a messed up thing that everybody 279 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 2: has to do because in the end, it's ideas, and 280 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 2: when you're forming a new government, especially you know, in 281 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 2: revolt of some existing thing, you got to make sure 282 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 2: everybody's on the same page. And how in the heck, 283 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 2: do you get everybody on the same page. It's not possible. 284 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: Some people are going to think differently than whoever the 285 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 2: founders are right, and if they've got weapons and know how, 286 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 2: then you could be in trouble. 287 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 3: And often the so called agents of revolution just want 288 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 3: to have the same terrible operation, the same horrific machine, 289 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 3: but they want to be the one at the lever 290 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 3: which makes it now good. 291 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, there sure is. There are a lot of goods 292 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 2: going through this specific port, on this specific border. It 293 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 2: should sure would be nice if I was the one, 294 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 2: you know, taking the bribes every time the illegal goods 295 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 2: went across. 296 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what people in the world of nation states. 297 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 3: That's often what people mean when they say they solved 298 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 3: a problem. They mean now they are profiting from the 299 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,919 Speaker 3: earlier problem, because that's what they were solving for anyway. 300 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 3: So what we're saying is it makes sense. Unfortunately that, 301 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 3: like so many other countries in the region, modern day 302 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 3: Meanmar has been best with its own struggles inner turmoil, 303 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 3: foreign intervention continues, government upheavals violence, it's continuing unrest and 304 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 3: conflict to this day. And that's because just less than 305 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 3: two decades after independence, it's nineteen sixty seven and the 306 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 3: military does a coup d'ta. Yeah, they just come in. 307 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 3: Perhaps it was their idea, but maybe maybe. 308 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 2: But again, there's so much potential influence. Yeah, yeah, there's 309 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 2: so much potential influence. And we do have to say 310 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 2: mentioned it earlier, specifically influenced from India and China, because 311 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 2: they are the two most populous countries in the world 312 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 2: and they're also two of the most powerful. In India 313 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 2: is definitely, I mean, it's up there, don't I don't 314 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 2: know if you can say the number four most powerful 315 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 2: or whatever. But India has a lot of strength, a 316 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 2: lot of military mind might in a lot of technology. 317 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 2: China has the same. So it you can imagine even 318 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 2: back in sixty seven, that influence there. 319 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 3: Is possible, incredibly strong. And let's not forget that there 320 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 3: is still at that point, there are still post colonial 321 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 3: forces from the game that are involved. There's still you know, 322 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 3: like shout out to BRIDGERD. Kipling's Kim, you know, the 323 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 3: Brits are still there in some capacity, and of course 324 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 3: sixty seven you've got French Indo, China, you've got the 325 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 3: US definitely not being there. 326 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, the US was not a part of any of that. 327 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 2: Uh uh no, no, nor was the Soviet Union in 328 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 2: any way. 329 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,719 Speaker 3: Shame on you for these unfounded allegations. But yeah, for 330 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,719 Speaker 3: one reason or another, this military Coupjata. We're not oversimple. 331 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 3: We don't want to oversimplify a lot led to it. 332 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,439 Speaker 3: We do clearly suspect for an intervention of some sort, 333 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 3: the military dictatorship ends up ruling more or less the 334 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:19,159 Speaker 3: same up to now, up to twenty twenty four, is 335 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 3: we record this spoiler, they're super duper weird. I'm just 336 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 3: an observation. They're very into astrology. Oh yeah, yeah to 337 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 3: Burmese astrology. It's the reason they moved the capitol. 338 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 2: That's amazing on it. I have not encountered that in 339 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: any of the research today. I'm gonna look into that 340 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 2: after this, and we all should, because that is fascinating. 341 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 2: That's a whole episode I want to know. 342 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,479 Speaker 3: Yeah, but we should totally do that, and before we 343 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 3: uh what do you call it? Before we seem as 344 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 3: though we are casting aspersion here, Let's also keep in 345 00:20:55,320 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 3: mind that former US presidents have had court astrologers, Oh yeah, 346 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 3: which is basically a magician. 347 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 2: Gosh, that's exciting. 348 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,719 Speaker 3: At that point, and we're not saying there's anything wrong 349 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 3: with astrology, western or other derivations. 350 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. You know, if I ever become president, I'm gonna 351 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 2: have like a court Duncan Trussell who's just there to 352 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 2: be like, we got a finger moouth of this man. 353 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 2: And I'll be like, oh, Duncan, you're. 354 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 3: Right, I'm gonna just have a straight up court magician. 355 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 3: Oh okay, no, wait, We'll have a court magician like 356 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 3: a Copperfield is this your card kind of guy? And 357 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 3: then we'll have a court sorcerer and it'll have to 358 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 3: be the weirdest person we could find. 359 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 2: I'm gonna get. I'm gonna get officially a new position 360 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 2: in the West Wing called the West Wing Warlock. And 361 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 2: I love it. And he he just haunts the place. 362 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 3: Okay, yes, yeah, I love it. I love it. Wesley 363 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 3: West Wing Warlock. Let's hope his name's Wesley. 364 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 2: We just call him w. 365 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 3: Didn't some guy already get that nick? I think so, well, 366 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 3: we'll cast him then if he's already got the nickname, he's. 367 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 2: Just he's just in this Oh, he's in his sanctum 368 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,120 Speaker 2: in the West Wing, just painting. 369 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 3: Just painting weirdly intimate pictures of himself. Oh I love 370 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 3: it in the top. That's that's the real magic. It's 371 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 3: the paintings we made along the way. 372 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 2: Oh wow, I don't know how we got here, and 373 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 2: it's my fault. 374 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 3: And here you know, we're gonna magic it back because 375 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 3: look as crazy and I kind of derail this on that, 376 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 3: as crazy as it sounds. Yes, the leadership of Myanmar 377 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 3: is what we call a military junta. There aren't really elections. 378 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 3: Every time there is an election and the people have 379 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 3: spoken or you know, the upper middle class or whatever 380 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 3: is spoken, then boom, boom boom, there's another coup, a 381 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 3: cuckoo coup, right, and this happens again and again. They 382 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 3: crush opposition. In the case of the twenty twenty general election, 383 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 3: it didn't go their way. They pointed Anjong Sansuki, who 384 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 3: is a world famous activist, and when the election didn't 385 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 3: go their way, the military, known as the Tatma dal H, 386 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 3: staged another coup. And part of the turmoil we're in now, 387 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 3: this civil war that begins in the wake of this 388 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 3: other coup, is because of the point we raised earlier. 389 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 3: There's a lot of ethnic diversity. This is not this 390 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 3: is not near as homogeneous a place as say Norway 391 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 3: or Japan. 392 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 2: No, No, it's weird to talk about this, but fifty 393 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 2: six percent are Burmese, which is like, I was born here, 394 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 2: I grew up here, I know everything here, I speak 395 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 2: the language I am a I am. 396 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 3: Burmese, similarly like Han Chinese exactly. 397 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 2: But then the rest, I mean, the rest is just 398 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 2: split up between all of these different cultures that have 399 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 2: gone through the area. 400 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 3: The Karen, the San. 401 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 2: The Karen's a big deal. 402 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 3: The Karen is a huge deal. 403 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,120 Speaker 2: And it's we're not being silly about that. 404 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 3: We're being kind of silly. 405 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 2: But that's a real that's a real thing. 406 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 3: It is a real thing. 407 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 2: A bunch of the issues that have been happening recently 408 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:13,919 Speaker 2: are about the Karen. 409 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 3: Yes, one hundred percent. There's also a conflict between other groups, 410 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:23,360 Speaker 3: the Shan, the Laou, and the Karen. There are multiple 411 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 3: moves for secession, for autonomy, multiple contradictory religious or ideological goals. 412 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 3: It's it's a huge stew right just even unto the language. 413 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 3: The official language is Burmese, but there are tons of 414 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,719 Speaker 3: indigenous languages and they're mutually unintelligible. In some cases. Diversity 415 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 3: is always a huge benefit to a country over time, 416 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 3: but mismanaged internal conflicts in diversity can lead to chaos, 417 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 3: which is why Meammar has been in that civil war. 418 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 3: Even the civil war is messy. All right, you got 419 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 3: the military on one. 420 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 2: Side, Okay, that's easy. 421 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 3: They're not the official government, but they do run everything. 422 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 3: And then you've got the National Unity Government. Wait a second, 423 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 3: nug Yes, they're the government in exile. 424 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 2: Okay, so they don't. 425 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 3: Run the thing. But when the UN has their little parties, 426 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 3: these are the folks who show up. 427 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 2: That's so funny. 428 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 3: I'm sorry I should say Sessions. I don't think the 429 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,719 Speaker 3: UN is hitting people up on the group chat. 430 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, got a party, be there promptly at eight point fifteen. 431 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,640 Speaker 3: Hit them with an LMAO to take the sting off, right, Yeah, 432 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 3: I'm learning how to text. 433 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: But that is interesting though, that there's a there's an 434 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:48,679 Speaker 2: official recognized government that runs the show as far as 435 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 2: the rest of the world is concerned. But then in 436 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 2: all actuality, it's essentially the military slash official other official government, 437 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 2: not the Unity government, the other one. 438 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's kind of like in Somalia. Right, because warlords 439 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 3: run huge regions of the area, but there is a 440 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 3: government in exile, largely in exile that this is an 441 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,640 Speaker 3: unfortunate thing that happens. But those aren't the only two 442 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 3: sides of the civil war. There is also a monopoly 443 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 3: of rebel groups right, often with indigenous roots to a 444 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 3: particular ethnicity or people's And. 445 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 2: That's like the Karen group we're talking about, exactly exactly. 446 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 2: Sorry you're still going up, please continue. I was just 447 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,479 Speaker 2: interjecting so that in the way my mind made that connection, 448 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 2: I wanted other people to make that. 449 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 3: Yes, the Karen. Tell us a little bit about the 450 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:40,360 Speaker 3: Karen while we're here. 451 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 2: Uh oh, sorry is it in here? Because I don't 452 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 2: know if I could tell fully about it. I read 453 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 2: about it though. 454 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 3: We know it's spelled like the name Karen. Has nothing 455 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:54,360 Speaker 3: to do with the memes except in our heads and 456 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 3: in our hearts. 457 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 2: That is correct. Here we go. This is I'm gonna 458 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 2: re from a story here from Irrawadi from February twenty eighth, 459 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, so a while ago. Yeah, and this 460 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 2: goes back to the original stuff we were looking at 461 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 2: when we went to b and mar In that listener 462 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 2: mail episode. But this was about Karen National Union or 463 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 2: the kN U, and specifically it was about their involvement 464 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 2: in a quote Chinese project in Mirawadi. This is one 465 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 2: particular city that where it's like a border city that 466 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 2: we've talked about there there connects to Thailand and it's 467 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 2: all about that place KK Park, which was one of 468 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 2: those suburban hubs where all that crime was happening. Sure, 469 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 2: but I don't know that I can fully tell you 470 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 2: about this Karen National Union or the militaries that they control. 471 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that that can be tough because the situation 472 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 3: is somewhat fluid to be quite honest. But the Karen 473 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 3: are what are called Taibeto Burmo people or Burman people, 474 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 3: so have roots in Burma in Tibet and they're they're 475 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 3: an ethno linguistic group who are about they're pretty small, 476 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 3: they're about six point six y nine nice percent of 477 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 3: the population. A lot of people from this group have 478 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 3: moved into Thailand, got it through the notoriously porous Thai 479 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 3: Burmese or memr border anyway. So there's this crazy complicated 480 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 3: civil war. It's absolutely terrible for the civilians. We've got 481 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 3: one official government that is in exile. We've got a 482 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 3: military junta, We've got a ton of other folks in between, 483 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 3: secessionist groups, GETTIA fighters, and then of course I'm just 484 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 3: pretty heinous, straight up criminals. Oh yeah, who are just 485 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 3: there the way that vultures go to a charnel pit. 486 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 2: Yes, and from various countries that are just illegally in 487 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: the country and just do their thing because for some 488 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: reason they feel like they can get away with it, 489 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 2: and perhaps they can get away with it, maybe a 490 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 2: little more easily than they could if they were on 491 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: their home turf. 492 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 3: Yeah. As of March twenty twenty three, the United Nations 493 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 3: estimated that post February twenty twenty one COUPS, seventeen point 494 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 3: six million people in Mianmar required humanitarian assistance, one point 495 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 3: six million were internally displaced, run out of their homes 496 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 3: and their towns, and over fifty five thousand civilian buildings 497 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 3: had been destroyed. Now, how many refugees are there and 498 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 3: other adjacent countries, we simply do not know. 499 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 2: You know, there was a bit of a program within 500 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 2: the US to bring in ME and R refugees, which is, 501 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 2: at least from what I'm reading, is looking to be 502 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 2: shut down by the current administration or the incoming administration, 503 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 2: So it'll be interesting to see what happens there. 504 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 3: And if you want to visit Meanmar, bad news. All 505 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 3: travelers are warned to stay away, even if you are 506 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,959 Speaker 3: a refugee or if you've relocated and you're part of 507 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 3: the diaspora, your nation state is probably going to warn 508 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 3: you not to go there, especially the major cities, the 509 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 3: new capital. The clashes between the government and exile and 510 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 3: the hunta and all these other opportunistic forces mean that 511 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 3: multiple groups consider themselves the rule of law in the country, 512 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 3: the state power and the only real operative definition of 513 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 3: state is the monopoly over violence, So multiple actors feel 514 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 3: they have a monopoly over violence. You step out of 515 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 3: line one time and one in the wrong person's opinion, 516 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 3: you are in jail and no one's going to help you. 517 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 3: Nowhere is the chaos more visible than along those borders Bangladesh, 518 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 3: in China, allows Thailand. It seems to be trouble at 519 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 3: every single international line. So what is happening and why? 520 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 2: We'll get into it right after a word from our sponsors. 521 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 3: Here's where it gets crazy, all right, before we dive 522 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 3: into even deeper conspiracies here, Matt, I propose we take 523 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 3: a look at the border country by country. 524 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 2: Ooh, let's do this. 525 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it's a spoiler. It's not a super pleasant story, folks. 526 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 3: If we start with Bangladesh, which is also the title 527 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 3: of a great song by our friend Himes and your 528 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 3: old Drug. But if you start with Bangladesh, let's go 529 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 3: to the Diplomat. They have a great article about this 530 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 3: where they point out that Bangladesh is having problems with 531 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 3: the border guard police on the Meanmar side illegally crossing 532 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 3: the border and getting in fights with the border guards 533 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 3: from Bangladesh the Myanmar forces. Because there's no single authority 534 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 3: who decides what is or isn't legal, they're very difficult 535 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 3: to negotiate with. So Bangladesh is facing continual incursions, mortar attacks, 536 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 3: gunships are coming in, and then they go back to 537 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 3: who they thought was the authority, Meanmar, and then they 538 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 3: just keep passing the buck. Oh that's a different warlord. 539 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 3: Oh you're looking for the you know, the Karens or whatever. 540 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's such a weird situation just to have a 541 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 2: hole like in this case, like one hundred people coming 542 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 2: across a border from ME and MAR saying hey, it's 543 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 2: not good over there. Help and then they're like, uh, 544 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 2: y'all can't really trust you here. But then also there's 545 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 2: mortars coming from the ME and R side, right, you're 546 00:32:59,000 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 2: just like. 547 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 3: Well, also, yet we have to keep in mind those 548 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 3: the border guards from Myanmar who are incurring into Bangladeshi territory. 549 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 3: They're often chasing and attempting to kill ethnic minorities from Myanmar, 550 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 3: the Rohinga in particular. 551 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 2: Who are perhaps escaping situations on that side. 552 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 3: Of the world straight up refugees. These are not tourists, 553 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 3: These are not merks, These are not consultants. These are 554 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 3: innocent people who are running for their lives. Quite literally. 555 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 3: The government of Myanmar or the ruling junta, has expelled 556 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 3: the ethnic Rohinga into Bangladeshi territory actively since nineteen seventy eight, 557 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 3: and just since August of twenty seventeen, there have been 558 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 3: more than one point three million Rohinga refugees stuck in Bangladesh. 559 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 3: They have nowhere to go. It's not just that they 560 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 3: feel unsafe back home. It's that even when they try 561 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 3: their home, government won't let them men yeah, and will 562 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 3: attack them. 563 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Bangladesh itself as a country has had so 564 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 2: many problems over the last twenty years that I've been 565 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 2: paying attention at least. And I've known several people from 566 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 2: that country who you know, openly talk about the issues 567 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 2: of the country they love and wish they could go back, 568 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 2: even to Bangladesh, but they just can't. It's just so, 569 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 2: it just makes me really sad, especially for all these 570 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 2: people who are displaced, and it is God, it makes 571 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 2: me thankful and hopeful for countries that do have robust 572 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 2: programs to bring in refugees. Yes, but I think it's 573 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,480 Speaker 2: weird because you also have to be aware that those 574 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,760 Speaker 2: those kinds of programs do have major issues. 575 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 3: Sure. 576 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 2: Wow, that's so. It's so interesting just how complex any 577 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 2: one little issue is that we're dealing with here in 578 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 2: me and. 579 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,759 Speaker 3: Mar Yeah, we'll also think, you know, things like the 580 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 3: flaws inherent and lot of systems for Hey, you're a refugee, 581 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:08,280 Speaker 3: may the odds be in your favor? That is fed up, Yes, 582 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,160 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. So this is and thank 583 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,760 Speaker 3: you for the beep there, Dylan. We feel strongly about 584 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 3: this because the rest of the world has done very 585 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 3: little to stop the ongoing violence at this specific border 586 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 3: in Bangladesh, but also in me and Mar and the 587 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,800 Speaker 3: region throughout the United Nations. The rest of the planet 588 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 3: seemed distracted by other disasters, you know, Ukraine, climate change 589 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 3: driven natural disasters, the growing instability inside Myanmar and along 590 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 3: that border in particular. 591 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 2: I don't know. 592 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 3: Here's the thing. When you ignore a problem, Yeah, the 593 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:53,359 Speaker 3: problem remains unsolved, but the problem also gathers momentum. You 594 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 3: pay interest on the things that you ignore, right, and 595 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 3: the interest is adding up to the principle here, which 596 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,280 Speaker 3: is that, depending on how things play out, the collapse 597 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 3: of Miandmark could destabilize the whole region, all of South Asia, 598 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:12,879 Speaker 3: all of Southeast Asia getting nasty really really quickly. And 599 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 3: that's something that the government of China, the big dog 600 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 3: in the area, is very concerned about. And it's probably 601 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 3: why they support the military also because I think they 602 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:24,839 Speaker 3: control the military. 603 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:26,280 Speaker 2: You think China does. 604 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 3: I think well, I think they heavily influence the military. Again, 605 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 3: astrology controls the military, but I think China has a 606 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 3: lot of influence on it. 607 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 2: Got Yeah, astrology controls all of it and everyone everywhere, right, 608 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 2: at least if you believe, if you believe. 609 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 3: That, Uncle g what's your sign? 610 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 2: It's in the stars. But but I see what you're saying, 611 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 2: and that is when we say the government there were 612 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 2: talking about the junta, the one the government that took over. 613 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 3: Right, not the democratic government in exile. 614 00:36:55,880 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 2: The unity that is at the UN Uh huh. Yeah, yeah, we're. 615 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:02,799 Speaker 3: Not talking about those guys. We're talking, like you said, 616 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 3: about the military. And for some time now, China has 617 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:10,359 Speaker 3: been concerned about the stability of its neighbor to the 618 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 3: south Miami. Yeah, mean Mars buffer state with India, because 619 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 3: you know, China and India real frenemies and they also 620 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 3: they need that buffer state. But China also has the 621 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:26,560 Speaker 3: most control over mem r now and even though it's 622 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 3: a vassal state, being a vassal state doesn't prevent it 623 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 3: from bucking against Beijing. They kind of they will go 624 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,440 Speaker 3: their own way if they feel motivated or if the 625 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 3: stars are right. 626 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 2: And just for people who are unaware of vassal state 627 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 2: that it's not saying that China has complete control over them, 628 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,520 Speaker 2: but they do function for a lot of the needs 629 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:49,280 Speaker 2: of a controlling country in this case China. 630 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that's a great point. At economically, dependence upon 631 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 3: China for trade, for instance, financially dependent therefore in many ways. 632 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 3: So in twenty twenty three, just last year, as we record, 633 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 3: China called for a ceasefire in mean Mar because a 634 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 3: group of ethnic fighters sort of Gunni of fighters, captured 635 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:17,000 Speaker 3: several border crossings between Meanmar and China. And so China 636 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,279 Speaker 3: like a this is a terrible comparison with China, like 637 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 3: a parent had a sleepover, walked to the door, yelled 638 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,880 Speaker 3: down into the stairs, into the den and said, you 639 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 3: kids piped down, you know. 640 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:30,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 641 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 3: And while China was saying, okay, let's have a ceasefire, 642 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 3: and you guys stopped firing at each other, they also 643 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 3: kept firing. They conducted live fire drills on the side 644 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 3: of the frontier, and they did the classic move that 645 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 3: folks you would do too if you were them. He said, 646 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 3: just practicing. 647 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:54,720 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we're just practice with drills and stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 648 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 2: just a just a drill, guys, we're just testing out 649 00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 2: new tech or old tech, making sure it's still just 650 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:07,799 Speaker 2: we're doing it right outside. It's like yelling down into 651 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 2: the basement and then just starting to fire weapons into 652 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 2: the ceiling. There's nobody there, and there's nothing up there, 653 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:16,919 Speaker 2: but you can definitely hear the gunshots. 654 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:23,960 Speaker 3: While continually yelling calm down, down the stairs, everybody calmed down. Yeah, 655 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:28,320 Speaker 3: the explosions will continue until you, guys mellow out. Is 656 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 3: kind of what they did. And you can see this 657 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 3: quoted in state run Chinese media and also, yeah, we 658 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:38,240 Speaker 3: get it. Any member former current of a military force 659 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 3: knows that you do have to continually train because otherwise, 660 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:46,399 Speaker 3: when you're in a real situation, you will have no 661 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:46,920 Speaker 3: idea what. 662 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:50,759 Speaker 2: To do exactly. And this is something I've never thought about, Ben, 663 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 2: Just thinking about the arms that an infantry would have. 664 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:59,840 Speaker 2: If you leave those arms somewhere in a barracks just 665 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:04,120 Speaker 2: sitting around for i mean even months. Oh yeah, those 666 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:06,480 Speaker 2: things aren't going to work right when it's time to 667 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 2: take them out and use them. So just like this 668 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:13,120 Speaker 2: thought of not only keeping the troops well oiled, yeah, 669 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 2: but also but. 670 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:17,279 Speaker 3: Love them up man, keep them loop. 671 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:19,759 Speaker 2: But that's what you have. You literally have to do 672 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:21,360 Speaker 2: that with firearms. 673 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, you do. You have to. You have to 674 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 3: break down and clean the machine. The maintenance cost is 675 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,040 Speaker 3: a cost and material. It's a cost in time, and 676 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,600 Speaker 3: it's also a cost in human resources, right, because one 677 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:36,480 Speaker 3: of the reasons the US military is so dangerous is 678 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 3: not just because of all the cutting edge, evil toys, 679 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:45,880 Speaker 3: but it's also because you have battle hardened leadership, You 680 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:51,440 Speaker 3: have experienced troops and officers, and a lot of militaries 681 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,759 Speaker 3: don't really have that nowhere near on that level. You know. 682 00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 3: It's the thing we don't often talk about, but it 683 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:57,280 Speaker 3: is true. 684 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 2: Anyway, them oiled, so loop them up. 685 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,840 Speaker 3: So Dylan is loving this. Yeah, yeah, the side of approval. 686 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 2: All right. 687 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:12,680 Speaker 3: So as of this summer twenty twenty four, China's military 688 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:19,319 Speaker 3: is yet again just practicing along the border, just doing 689 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 3: some drills, you know what I mean. Pay no attention 690 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:25,320 Speaker 3: to all these troops in the Yunnan province in southwestern China. 691 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:28,759 Speaker 3: They're playing outside exactly. 692 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,680 Speaker 2: I cannot get the image of the guys from Predator, 693 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:36,279 Speaker 2: like out of my head's all in the jungle, so 694 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:38,240 Speaker 2: sweaty's no shirts? 695 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:43,399 Speaker 3: Oh my god? Yeah, Like, what is it? What's going on? 696 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 3: What do you see? It's I love this scene to 697 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:54,280 Speaker 3: wear spoilers by the way for Predator, where in former 698 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:59,280 Speaker 3: Governor Schwarzgnegger decides that he has to you know, the mud, 699 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:01,240 Speaker 3: the mud on the chest. 700 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, man, you gotta get cold. Can't let him 701 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:09,040 Speaker 2: see because the hot, hot oiled chest. 702 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 3: And it's not like this alien can't switch to ultraviolet whatever. 703 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 3: But also it reminded me of Bugs Bunny watching old 704 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:21,840 Speaker 3: Bugs Bunny cartoons back in the day. I realized, and 705 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:25,279 Speaker 3: there is a non judgmental statement, there's an observation. I 706 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:29,759 Speaker 3: realized that a lot of his plans and schemes unnecessarily 707 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 3: involved him putting on makeup and address interesting, like, he 708 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:36,360 Speaker 3: really went out of his way for that part of 709 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:40,440 Speaker 3: the scheme, you know what I mean? And so Arnold 710 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 3: our question for you, with all due respect, did you 711 00:42:44,719 --> 00:42:48,680 Speaker 3: really have to smear mud on yourself? And you know, 712 00:42:49,120 --> 00:42:51,520 Speaker 3: I think he did, snude, I think he did. Yeah, 713 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 3: But why if you felt like he had to do it, 714 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:57,000 Speaker 3: I think you would have done it without the alien, 715 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,640 Speaker 3: you think so. I think the jungle just gets to you. 716 00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:01,879 Speaker 2: Man, I get it. I get it. And those were 717 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:06,160 Speaker 2: some huge weapons they had out there, and that probably 718 00:43:06,160 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 2: gets hot firing off. You know, just think about all 719 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:13,160 Speaker 2: the rounds. It's not it's it's warm when you're firing 720 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:14,360 Speaker 2: an automatic weapon. 721 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:18,240 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah. It's also also the point about the jungle 722 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:25,400 Speaker 3: is is quite salient because we know that it Earth's 723 00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:29,360 Speaker 3: biomes can absolutely like eat entire cities. It's happened before. 724 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:30,919 Speaker 2: I love that you're trying to bring this back. 725 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:32,840 Speaker 3: I don't think I'm trying. 726 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:36,319 Speaker 2: We just know we just went so far. 727 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:40,520 Speaker 3: But the jungle is. The jungle is a character in 728 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:41,120 Speaker 3: the story. 729 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:42,360 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, for sure. 730 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 3: It's part of why the borders are so difficult to 731 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:49,480 Speaker 3: control outside of concentrated crossings. It's kind of like the 732 00:43:49,719 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 3: parts of this area are like the dairy and Gap, 733 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 3: which we're gonna do another episode on. But the government 734 00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:57,920 Speaker 3: also of China, even though they say, okay, we're just 735 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,800 Speaker 3: playing outside, we're just practicing, they also make no secret 736 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:05,880 Speaker 3: that they're actively spinning up and if any belligerent Burmese 737 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:09,919 Speaker 3: forces make it over the border, they're ready to tango. Yep. 738 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:14,359 Speaker 2: But China's also thinking about the money too, right there. 739 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 2: They've been working pretty hard. 740 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:17,720 Speaker 3: For the money. 741 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:20,680 Speaker 2: Yes, a lot of the tensions are occurring right along 742 00:44:20,680 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 2: the border, as we said right at the top of this, 743 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:25,719 Speaker 2: because people are still trying to trade in and out 744 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:28,800 Speaker 2: of me and Mar again to make money, and me 745 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:34,000 Speaker 2: and Mar's GDP is so reliant on moving goods out 746 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:36,160 Speaker 2: of me and mar into other places. 747 00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:40,439 Speaker 3: Sure it's official GDP, but also it's actual GDP, which 748 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:42,000 Speaker 3: are two very different numbers. 749 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:46,200 Speaker 2: Very true because there is a robust under the table 750 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 2: gross domestic product what do we call that? Yeah, gross 751 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:56,000 Speaker 2: domestic residue. 752 00:44:54,080 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 3: Gross disreputable product, a something like that. Like China is. 753 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:02,080 Speaker 3: So they're supporting Hunt and they tried to get They 754 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:05,520 Speaker 3: tried to do carrot and stick diplomacy, which sometimes works. 755 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:10,320 Speaker 3: They told the junta, Okay, you know, finger wag, you guys, 756 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 3: stop killing people. I don't care what the astrologer says. 757 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:17,080 Speaker 3: You got to stop killing at least the specific people, 758 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 3: or we're going to cut your trade routes and you 759 00:45:20,200 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 3: kind of need the money. They did that, It didn't work. 760 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,879 Speaker 3: The collapse continue, the instability spiraled, and so China has 761 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,720 Speaker 3: reopened some trade routes recently. But you can still cut 762 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:35,560 Speaker 3: the tension with a knife, just like in India. India 763 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:40,040 Speaker 3: gave China the cold shoulder they had previously. All right, 764 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:44,160 Speaker 3: So like in part of the Indian meandmor border, they 765 00:45:44,239 --> 00:45:48,000 Speaker 3: really want to focus on. You'll see something that happens 766 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:51,640 Speaker 3: a lot in different parts of the world. There's an 767 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:56,160 Speaker 3: ancient village, and then somebody in the days of the 768 00:45:56,560 --> 00:46:00,719 Speaker 3: ancient empios and the days of colodialism, just through a 769 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:03,560 Speaker 3: line and said, this is where one country ends, this 770 00:46:03,640 --> 00:46:06,080 Speaker 3: is where another one begins. And it's like an interstate 771 00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:09,360 Speaker 3: rolling straight through your town. So the people who have 772 00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:13,359 Speaker 3: lived there ever since. Technically, you know, some of them 773 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:17,880 Speaker 3: are in mem are technically some are in India, but 774 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,920 Speaker 3: it's a rural area. They've been living that way forever. 775 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:25,279 Speaker 3: They don't care. It does not really affect them in 776 00:46:25,320 --> 00:46:27,799 Speaker 3: their day to day, you know, kind of like when 777 00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 3: people live in the upper part of the United States 778 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:33,920 Speaker 3: and they're right on the border with Canada. 779 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:37,320 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, no, it's exactly. 780 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:39,840 Speaker 3: I think like, oh, I live in the US or Canada, 781 00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:42,640 Speaker 3: but I work in the other country. You know. Yeah, 782 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:45,200 Speaker 3: I guess I go through customs. But that's just Robert. 783 00:46:45,239 --> 00:46:46,960 Speaker 3: I see him every morning. 784 00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:48,480 Speaker 2: Exactly exactly. 785 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:54,279 Speaker 3: Oh, hold the phone, hmmm, I am yeah. This is 786 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:57,480 Speaker 3: going to be a two part episode, and literally hold 787 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:00,360 Speaker 3: the phone, because here in the middle of our series 788 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 3: on the troubled border of Myanmar, we're gonna pause. We'll 789 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:06,560 Speaker 3: be back later this week. In the meantime, we want 790 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:08,720 Speaker 3: to hear from you, fellow conspiracy realist. 791 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:12,480 Speaker 2: Oh yes, yes, we are not done with this story 792 00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:15,359 Speaker 2: at all. But hey, maybe you've got some thoughts that 793 00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:18,680 Speaker 2: have been conjured since we began talking about this. Why 794 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:21,520 Speaker 2: don't you find us on social media? We are conspiracy 795 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:26,840 Speaker 2: stuff on Facebook and YouTube, which definitely go to YouTube 796 00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:29,439 Speaker 2: check that out. And there's another thing. There's a third 797 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:34,399 Speaker 2: thing x and we are conspiracy stuff show on Instagram 798 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:39,719 Speaker 2: and TikTok and guys, if you want to contact us 799 00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:42,719 Speaker 2: with your mouth parts, why not give us a call? 800 00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:46,800 Speaker 3: Yes, literally, hold the phone. As we said, the number 801 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:52,440 Speaker 3: to dial is the following one eight three three std WYTK. 802 00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:55,480 Speaker 3: You'll call in, you'll hear a beep like so beep, 803 00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:58,680 Speaker 3: and then you've got three minutes. Go nuts, tell us 804 00:47:58,680 --> 00:48:01,680 Speaker 3: what's on your mind. Not to not to blow too 805 00:48:01,719 --> 00:48:04,080 Speaker 3: much smoke. But we've never said no to a compliment. 806 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:06,440 Speaker 3: Like Mark Twain, we can live off a good one 807 00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:09,200 Speaker 3: for like three months. There are just a few things 808 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:10,640 Speaker 3: we'd ask you to do when you call. 809 00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:13,239 Speaker 2: Give yourself a cool nickname so we can put it 810 00:48:13,239 --> 00:48:15,840 Speaker 2: in the system and know when you call in every time. 811 00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,120 Speaker 2: It's not to track you. It's just to know, Hey, 812 00:48:18,520 --> 00:48:20,400 Speaker 2: this is the same person with this thought, and then 813 00:48:20,440 --> 00:48:24,759 Speaker 2: we're building a story together. It's amazing. Do let us 814 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:26,520 Speaker 2: know if we can use your name and message on 815 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:28,719 Speaker 2: the air. If you've got more to say than can 816 00:48:28,719 --> 00:48:31,520 Speaker 2: fit in a three minute voicemail, why not instead send 817 00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:33,200 Speaker 2: us a good old fashioned email. 818 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:36,760 Speaker 3: We are the entities that read every piece of correspondence 819 00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:39,560 Speaker 3: we receive. Be well aware, yet to unafraid. Sometimes the 820 00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:42,800 Speaker 3: void writes back, Give us the links, give us the pictures, 821 00:48:42,840 --> 00:48:45,600 Speaker 3: Take us to the edge of the rabbit hole. Be 822 00:48:45,719 --> 00:48:47,640 Speaker 3: like humorous Harry. Send us some jokes. 823 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:48,920 Speaker 2: No, don't do. 824 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:52,600 Speaker 3: Send us some jokes that are of a different caliber. 825 00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:58,960 Speaker 3: Here's one. Why can't you tell kleptomaniac's metaphors because they 826 00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:42,080 Speaker 3: take literally conspiracy? At iHeartRadio dot com. 827 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:24,840 Speaker 2: Stuff they don't want you to know is a production 828 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:29,479 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 829 00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:32,440 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.