WEBVTT - Short Stuff: Mojave Megaphone

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, and welcome to the short Stuff. Find Mohave Josh,

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<v Speaker 1>And there's Mohave Chuck, and Mohave Jerry's out there somewhere,

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<v Speaker 1>and so is Mohave Dave. And this is short stuff

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<v Speaker 1>about something I had never heard of before, Chuck the

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<v Speaker 1>Mohave Desert megaphone, Yes, mohab, how are you, Mohave. I'm good,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Mohave Mohave you sure? So dumb? Have you ever

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<v Speaker 1>been to the Mojave Desert? I guess you have to

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<v Speaker 1>have been if you've ever driven from Los Angeles to

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<v Speaker 1>Las Vegas? Right, yeah, boy, that's a that's not the

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<v Speaker 1>most fun ride in the world. I gotta say, barren,

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<v Speaker 1>isn't it. Yeah, it's pretty barrens everywhere, Yeah, exact tumbleweeds

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<v Speaker 1>and dead mafia bodies and and me and my old

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<v Speaker 1>friend John Pendell driving to Vegas to get him a

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<v Speaker 1>Crispy Creme Las Vegas T shirt and then driving that

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<v Speaker 1>does it just does not seem right to call him John.

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<v Speaker 1>I know him as Johnny, and I always wi Johnny

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<v Speaker 1>Pendell sounds like a bad kid at school. He was,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, he was a decent kid. He's probably laughing

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<v Speaker 1>because he gets in touch with me every time we

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<v Speaker 1>mentioned him, so he'll laugh at that, so I know

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<v Speaker 1>he is. That's why I can out him as a

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<v Speaker 1>bad kiddo. So, um, did you guys ever go see

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<v Speaker 1>the Mojave megaphone or had you heard of it before?

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<v Speaker 1>I had not heard of it until I found this

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<v Speaker 1>article on how stuff works. Actually nice work, well, nice

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<v Speaker 1>workhouse stuff works for really turning us onto something. No,

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<v Speaker 1>I hadn't already said. Okay, I've never heard of this before,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's mohave okay. Um. So in the Mojave Desert,

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<v Speaker 1>it is a matter of fact, in the Mojave Desert

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<v Speaker 1>National Preserve, there is what looks a lot like a

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<v Speaker 1>giant um weathered steal megaphone bolted pretty much permanently to

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of boulders on the top of like a

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<v Speaker 1>hill um and it weighs a lot and no one

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<v Speaker 1>can make heads or tails of not only how it

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<v Speaker 1>got there, but what it is and how long it's

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<v Speaker 1>been there. It's a bona fide mystery. Yeah, this is

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<v Speaker 1>nuts to me that nobody has come out and knows

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<v Speaker 1>the origin of this thing. I know, like surely by

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<v Speaker 1>now somebody would have been like, oh, I know the

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<v Speaker 1>guy who put it there, and here's here's what it is,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, and by the way, this is Banks. He's

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<v Speaker 1>real identity kind of person, you know what I mean. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>so the Majabi Desert is uh or this thing is

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<v Speaker 1>located actually in the Mojave Desert National Preserve and sort

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<v Speaker 1>of a it says, a remote corner, but they're all

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<v Speaker 1>fairly remote, and it's just you know, it could be art, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>it could be a horn of some sort, like maybe

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<v Speaker 1>a siren, and you know, we'll get to some of

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<v Speaker 1>these in a little more detail, but it's it's just

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<v Speaker 1>crazy to me that no one knows how this got there,

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<v Speaker 1>especially because it has, you know, sort of shape like

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<v Speaker 1>a megaphone. But it's the kind of thing where it

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<v Speaker 1>seems like one would be able to say, oh, well, no,

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<v Speaker 1>that used to be a thing, because there were other

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<v Speaker 1>things that are shaped just like this, right exactly, there's

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<v Speaker 1>nothing like that. And like you're saying, nobody's come forward

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<v Speaker 1>to be like this is what it is, or everyone

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<v Speaker 1>has to preference what they're saying with with I think

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<v Speaker 1>or I I see it as you know, like it's

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<v Speaker 1>all just interpretation, which is great um and if you

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<v Speaker 1>just describe it a little further, it looks like two

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<v Speaker 1>slightly different sized rocket boosters um placed top to the

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<v Speaker 1>top or mouth to mouth. I like to think that

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<v Speaker 1>the fire comes out of the butt, you know, So

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<v Speaker 1>this is mouth to mouth bolted together like that. There's

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of like triangular fins. I think there's a

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<v Speaker 1>pair of them, at least towards the end on each

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<v Speaker 1>side as they flare out. Then inside there's cross hairs

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<v Speaker 1>basically made of rebar. It looked like to me, and

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<v Speaker 1>the whole thing has no markings. There's no numbers, there's

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<v Speaker 1>no letters, there's no nothing on it, not even what

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<v Speaker 1>seems like it was maybe used for before. And then

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<v Speaker 1>if you look at like the rebar in the welding job,

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<v Speaker 1>it doesn't seem like it was part of any kind

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<v Speaker 1>of mass production. Like it almost gives you the idea

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<v Speaker 1>is like a one off kind of thing, you know, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>which means it could be art. It's big. It's about

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<v Speaker 1>eight ft long, and if you see where it is,

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<v Speaker 1>you know it took some effort. Uh maybe two people,

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<v Speaker 1>but probably at least three or four people to get

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<v Speaker 1>this thing up there, get it bolted onto the side

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<v Speaker 1>of this cliff. Uh, And it has led to a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of speculation over the years as to you know,

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<v Speaker 1>there's some pretty decent ideas I think as to what

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<v Speaker 1>this thing could be. And maybe we should take a break,

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<v Speaker 1>Yes we should come back, Yes, mojave, and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>right back to really mahabi this mohave, Okay, mohave chuck alright.

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<v Speaker 1>So some people think it might be a siren of

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<v Speaker 1>some kind from the nineteen forties or fifties, Like, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they tested nuclear bombs not too far from here. It's

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<v Speaker 1>near some army and air force activity. Maybe it was

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<v Speaker 1>an early warning signal. Other people say, I don't know

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<v Speaker 1>about that, Like this thing is really out in the

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<v Speaker 1>middle of nowhere. You would have something like that closer

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<v Speaker 1>to where people area. So that idea is okay, but

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<v Speaker 1>has also largely been shot down by a bunch of

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<v Speaker 1>other people. So that to me, it still makes sense

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<v Speaker 1>because while it's not it never was very heavily populated place.

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<v Speaker 1>I think there's a a ghost town called crusero Um nearby.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean it's between the existing towns of Baker and Ludlow,

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<v Speaker 1>and they're not exactly like Beijing and Shanghai or anything

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<v Speaker 1>like that, you know, but there's a rail line and

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<v Speaker 1>all the banded rail line that runs right through there,

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<v Speaker 1>and apparently they used to run chemical agents to um

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<v Speaker 1>the military bases out that way. So while you wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>have had a lot of people to warn, you would

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<v Speaker 1>have had a potential situation to warn about, even if

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<v Speaker 1>it was just a few people of like a major

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<v Speaker 1>chemical spill or a gas leak or something like that.

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<v Speaker 1>So to me, the idea that it was some sort

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<v Speaker 1>of warning system it does make sense. But at the

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<v Speaker 1>same time, it doesn't make sense that they would use

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<v Speaker 1>some handmade one rather than one that was, you know, available,

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<v Speaker 1>because there were huge air raid sirens that were around

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<v Speaker 1>in World War Two that look kind of similar, but

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<v Speaker 1>we're obviously a raid sirens and they look like they

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<v Speaker 1>would work a lot better than whatever this thing was. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I saw on YouTube there was this woman who did

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<v Speaker 1>a siren tests, like, got a crank siren and put

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<v Speaker 1>it in the small end, then had her friends down

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<v Speaker 1>on the ground and see if they could hear it,

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<v Speaker 1>and they could, but it wasn't It didn't amplify things

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<v Speaker 1>that much. UM And interestingly, in the YouTube comments, and

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<v Speaker 1>so believe me, I'm not saying that this this is

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<v Speaker 1>like the worst research possible to say. A YouTube commenter

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<v Speaker 1>said this, But there was a YouTube comment that said, hey, listen,

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<v Speaker 1>I think it might be something from an old salt mine,

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<v Speaker 1>like hot brine might have been pumped at high pressure

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<v Speaker 1>through this thing, because it's just made of such thick

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<v Speaker 1>iron and steel. Like it doesn't he said, you could

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<v Speaker 1>make something a megaphone out of something a lot lighter,

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<v Speaker 1>and that sort of made sense a little bit. That's

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<v Speaker 1>the only reason I mentioned it. Um other people said that.

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<v Speaker 1>They said something like a rocket booster maybe, or maybe

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<v Speaker 1>what's called a venturi, a pipeline venturi, which is an

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<v Speaker 1>enclosure that's is our glass shape that controls the flow

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<v Speaker 1>of fluids through a pipe, which is legitimate too. I

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<v Speaker 1>mean they're like, and wouldn'ty have some record of a

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<v Speaker 1>pipeline through there? That's the thing, Like, there's no apparent

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<v Speaker 1>either some no one's looked in the right place yet,

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<v Speaker 1>or it's it just wasn't documented, which which means it

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<v Speaker 1>was either secret or it is a more recent art installation.

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<v Speaker 1>But if you look at it, I think one of

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<v Speaker 1>the people who run tours out there, um said that, Um,

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<v Speaker 1>they think that it's been there for thirty or more years.

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<v Speaker 1>This thing looks like it's been around for a lot

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<v Speaker 1>longer than you know. Um, so it looks very old.

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<v Speaker 1>And it's possible it's use was just so mundane that

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<v Speaker 1>it didn't need any kind of documentation or you know. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>it is possible as secret and I kind of I

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<v Speaker 1>don't want to know, But at the same time, I

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<v Speaker 1>think I would find it pretty fascinating to know it's

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<v Speaker 1>used to. Like, I think that that also makes mysterious

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<v Speaker 1>objects really interesting, you know, knowing their history. Yeah. Another

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<v Speaker 1>thing that feels plausible to me is that it, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>it was not something that sent out a sound, but

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<v Speaker 1>something that maybe was used to detect something like if

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<v Speaker 1>they were doing nuclear testing at the Nevada testing site,

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<v Speaker 1>that maybe it was something that like measured or detected

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<v Speaker 1>long range shock waves or something like that. Uh, And

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<v Speaker 1>then it could make sense that the government, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>it was it might have been sort of a one

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<v Speaker 1>off and not have manufacturing numbers, and the government wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>readily come out and say anything like that, yeah, you

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<v Speaker 1>know existed. Plus also, Edwards Air Force Base is kind

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<v Speaker 1>of nearby, which is where um, Chuck Yeager broke the

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<v Speaker 1>sound barrier. Yeah, sure, and he very famous. He said, Uh, folks,

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<v Speaker 1>mohab over and that was it. Uh should we tell

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<v Speaker 1>people how to get there? I think so sure. I

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<v Speaker 1>mean it's all over the place. We even have the

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<v Speaker 1>exact coordinates. Yeah, the exact coordinates. Are you at your

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<v Speaker 1>pencil everyone in Mahabi. Just down on your Mojave thirty

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<v Speaker 1>five point zero zero five six degrees north a hundred

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<v Speaker 1>and sixteen point one degrees west. And that's the use

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<v Speaker 1>your Dakota pins, the little or fan any secret message

0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:40.360
<v Speaker 1>if you want to go there. Um, you cannot just

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<v Speaker 1>walk there or drive there in your Toyota's her Cell

0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.680
<v Speaker 1>no shade on the r Cell. Great car, but you

0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:50.520
<v Speaker 1>need a four wheel drive because you're gonna have to

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<v Speaker 1>drive through the Mojave River, You're gonna be on dirt roads,

0:10:53.920 --> 0:10:58.040
<v Speaker 1>you're gonna be driving through sand, through canyons, and uh,

0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:01.080
<v Speaker 1>you know it's not the easiest thing to get you No,

0:11:01.240 --> 0:11:02.920
<v Speaker 1>not at all. But if you want to get there,

0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:05.240
<v Speaker 1>you can. People have before and you can take a

0:11:05.280 --> 0:11:09.080
<v Speaker 1>photo with it, or do a bring a cranks iron

0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:11.280
<v Speaker 1>and do a test of your own, or you can

0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:13.920
<v Speaker 1>look for gold. There's a legend that it actually points

0:11:14.000 --> 0:11:18.040
<v Speaker 1>to a gold horde underground, but yeah, I'm not sure

0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:20.560
<v Speaker 1>I buy that one. No. I think they mentioned the

0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:24.160
<v Speaker 1>crosshairs for that reason. But I don't know. It's just

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<v Speaker 1>really interesting. It doesn't it doesn't look like any megaphones

0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:31.200
<v Speaker 1>that were used at any period in anyone's history. So uh,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know. I think sometimes people just then they

0:11:34.040 --> 0:11:36.880
<v Speaker 1>find something like a monolith in Utah recently. Yeah, that

0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:40.520
<v Speaker 1>definitely was an art installation, you know. Yeah, that's just

0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:44.360
<v Speaker 1>this isn't necessarily so well, if you do, go, let

0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:45.920
<v Speaker 1>us know, we want to hear about it, get in

0:11:45.960 --> 0:11:48.640
<v Speaker 1>touch with us. And in the meantime, everybody short stuff

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<v Speaker 1>is mohabby Stuff you should know is a production of

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<v Speaker 1>iHeart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the

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