1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt. 6 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: Our colleague NOL will be right back, and. 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 3: He will no doubt return with some awesome adventure stories. 8 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 3: We look forward to them. They call me Ben. We 9 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 3: are joined as always with our super producer Alexis codename 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 3: Doc Holliday Jackson. Most importantly, you are you. You are 11 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 3: here That makes this the stuff they don't want you 12 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 3: to know. It is Thursday if you're hearing this when 13 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 3: it comes out, which means long time conspiracy realist. This 14 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: is our moment for messages from you, Matt, Doc and 15 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 3: I are gonna play it a little bit shoot from 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 3: the hip, fast and loose. Today we thought we would 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 3: dive into a couple of emails, couple of letters from home, 18 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 3: a couple of voicemails, and let's see Matt before we 19 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 3: get going, just checking in, how's everything on your end? 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: No poop balloons from the neighbors, hopefully No. 21 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 2: I did this fun thing though. I'm going to tell 22 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: you about it right now. Has nothing to do with 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: the show. Congratulations. Here's the story from Matt's life. My 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 2: son and I got one of these water slide things. 25 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: It's not a water slide when you think about one, 26 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 2: if you go to Whitewater or one of these parks, right, 27 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,119 Speaker 2: it's a slipping slide. That's a reference that kids from 28 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 2: the eighties and nineties would probably get. Well, we got 29 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: one of those things, set it up in the old 30 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: front yard there, set it off, and spent two days 31 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: just going to town on it. Was amazing. And in 32 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: between those two days there was a thunderstorm, so there 33 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 2: was a lot of ground moisture on top of all 34 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: the water that this slip and slide thing was already. 35 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: You connect a hose up to it and it sprays 36 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: water on itself to keep it all I guess, lubricated, 37 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: so you can slide down it. Well, what I didn't 38 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 2: realize is that my old big body is not like 39 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 2: a kid going down a slip and slide anymore. And 40 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: when the weight of my body impacts the ground, it 41 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 2: pushes all of that mud that's being generated out of 42 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: the way. So basically, my son and I had a 43 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: great time on Memorial Day and ruined my front lawn. 44 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 2: There's a story from Matt's life. How's the lawn doing destroyed? Currently? 45 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 2: You do anything fun for a Memorial Day or any 46 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 2: anything interesting? 47 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 3: I've been with me the whole time. I'm not sure 48 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 3: what would interest other folks. You know what I mean. 49 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: I do not know what you mean. You're a fascinating individual. 50 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 3: That's very kind. We've got some got some cool fiction 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 3: coming out, hopefully, We've got some stories that are very 52 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 3: true that may show up, and stuff they don't want 53 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 3: you to know, presents and like you, Like many people 54 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 3: in this part of the Global Woods, I also witnessed 55 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 3: with great awe and astonishment the storms that rolled in. 56 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 3: Who's our buddy? Who always says the fog rolls in? 57 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 2: Viking? 58 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 3: Viking? Yeah, shout out to you. Viking thought of you. 59 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 3: When the rains came through, it's usually it's always the fog, 60 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: the fog rules. We have received so much fascinating correspondence. 61 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 3: Matt Dock thought it would be interesting to learn about 62 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 3: something that I had never heard of before. And perhaps 63 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: you have, perhaps you're read onto it, man, But I 64 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 3: had never heard of something called the Atlas Network. You 65 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 3: heard of this. 66 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: What is that? I know Atlas games and that's it. 67 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know Atlas, the big BattleMech you know, I 68 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: know Atlas the mythological figure. Right. But to answer this 69 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 3: question we have to go to Concerned Kiwi. Concerned Kiwi 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: writes in and says the following, Hey, guys, longtime listener, 71 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 3: love the show. I was wondering if you, gentlemen could 72 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 3: take a deep dive into the Atlas Network. They're the 73 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 3: head of an international far right network of five hundred 74 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 3: plus think tanks and lobby groups that manipulate democracies globally. 75 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 3: They're known as the think tank that creates think tanks. 76 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 3: They have links back to the Koch Brothers, Philip Morris, Tobacco, 77 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 3: an ex On Mobile, to name but a few. They're 78 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 3: extremely active in my country, New Zealand, which isn't that 79 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 3: surprising since New Zealand is often used a as a 80 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 3: political testing ground by foreign bad actors. Since this is 81 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 3: a bit of an in depth piece of correspondence off air, 82 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 3: we decided we would round robinet. It's quite a tale. 83 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 2: The Atlas Network are associated with numerous lobby groups and 84 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: businesses here, including the taxpayers Union. 85 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 3: I'm assuming super innocuous name. 86 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: I think that's what it is. It says taypayers, but 87 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: I think it's taxes and most concerningly, the New Zealand Initiative, 88 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 2: which reads like a who's who of prominent New Zealand 89 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 2: businesses and business elites. They've also groomed and supported David Seymour, 90 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 2: leader of our local libertarian party Act ACT, who regularly 91 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 2: and currently share power in government. But you can't ask 92 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: Seymour any questions about the Atlas Network or he'll call 93 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 2: you a conspiracy theorist, even even though he worked for 94 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 2: Atlas members in his youth. Was photographed during an Atlas 95 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 2: Network event and called the Atlas Network quote old friends 96 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: in a speech that can be found on his own 97 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 2: party's website. The Atlas Network is also prevalent in Australia, 98 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: Germany and other countries around the world. Sounds like five 99 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 2: eyes to me, Come on, guys, what's going on? And 100 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: it concludes in this paragraph, I'm not aware of their 101 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 2: activities in the US. 102 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 3: So apparently neither were we concerned. Kiwi. The missive continues 103 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 3: the Atlas Network and their associated organizations attempt to feign 104 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 3: political neutrality, but as their name would suggest, they support 105 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 3: the tired old libertarian ideas of small government, big business, 106 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 3: free markets, market solutions of widespread the regulation. I don't 107 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: know why I'm doing that voice. That voice is editorial anyway, 108 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: continues so as you'd expect, they consistently prioritize corporate interest 109 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 3: over public welfare. The at list network supports, trains, consults, 110 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 3: and sometimes directly funds their member groups and allegedly manipulate 111 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 3: some political parties directly act, projecting undue influence on local 112 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 3: politics and interfering with the policy making process. 113 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: Boy, everybody loves a lobbying group. Let's go on to 114 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: the next paragraph. They sometimes coordinate overarching strategies designed to 115 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: influence the public vote, often preying on fear in division 116 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 2: dog whistling about populist issues, most notably around issues pertaining 117 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 2: to indigenous rights. Interesting In New Zealand, their local mouthpieces 118 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 2: took part in a fear mongering campaign against various proposed 119 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 2: policies that would have benefited Maori. In Australia, there's evidence 120 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: they helped organize a widespread disinfo campaign to manipulate the 121 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: public into voting against the Voice Australia, which is an 122 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 2: initiative designed to give Aborigines an increased political presence in Germany. 123 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: There are claims they were involved in the criminalizing of 124 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: climate protesters. 125 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 3: So much for freedom. 126 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 2: In Africa, they've been criticized for their alleged support of 127 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: authoritarian regimes. 128 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 3: Alleged nice one. Concerned Kiwi continues, the global influence of 129 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 3: the Atlass network seems pretty pervasive to say the least, 130 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 3: yet we never hear much about them. It would be 131 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 3: great if you guys could help change that. It seems 132 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 3: to me that the Atlass Network, with their level of 133 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 3: undue power and influence, is definitely not something that should 134 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 3: be met with a shrug. And here Concerned Kiwi provides 135 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 3: several fantastic links. Like we always say in the email, 136 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 3: take us to the edge of the rabbit hole, will 137 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: do the rest, and says concludes with thanks for consistently 138 00:08:55,120 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 3: holding power to account. Concerned, Kiwi and Matt did a 139 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 3: little bit of digging here first off, thanks to ck 140 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 3: on this one. The Atlas Network is definitely a real thing, 141 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 3: possibly a future episode in my opinion. It was formerly 142 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 3: known as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and it's been 143 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 3: around for a while. It was created in nineteen eighty one, 144 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 3: but oh by a guy who's called the quote Johnny 145 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 3: Appleseed of anti regulation groups. What a nerd street name. 146 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 2: What a horrible idea. 147 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 3: It's also is it based on Atlas Shrugged? It's it 148 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 3: leads us to a fascinating and perhaps disturbing conversation because, 149 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 3: as Kiwi points out as concerned, Kiwi rightly notes, this 150 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 3: is an incubator for other think tanks. And just like 151 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 3: walking through a grocery store, buy in different flavors of cereal, 152 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 3: if you are not careful, you won't know that they 153 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 3: are associated together. I learned about another thing called the 154 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 3: State Policy Network, which is across It's like Alec again. Man, 155 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 3: I just doc if you could please beat me here. 156 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 3: The conspiracy is real. It seems there is Korea foot Yeah. 157 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 2: Might I read from mister Anthony Fisher's little bio here 158 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 2: on atlasnetwork dot org. 159 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 3: Oh please please please. 160 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: This is under the heading our creation story. Now you 161 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 2: got to get through this first part in order to 162 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 2: really feel the impact of the second paragraph. Here we go. 163 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 3: Take us there, let's get in the moment. 164 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: Atlas Network's founder, Anthony Fisher knew what it meant to 165 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 2: find your own place in the world. After his father 166 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: was killed in the First World War when Antony was 167 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 2: only two yearsyears old, he went on to serve as 168 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: a pilot in the Royal Air Force in World War Two. 169 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 2: Seeing Britain embrace a socialist economic agenda. At the end 170 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 2: of the war, Antony was dismayed by the subdivision of 171 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 2: individual enterprise in service of a government led centralized policy. 172 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 2: He came across an abridged edition of Fa hayex The 173 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 2: Road to Serfdom, which proposes that central planning inevitably erodes 174 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: individual liberty and enables tyranny. Hayek's philosophy not only influenced 175 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: Fisher's own career trajectory, but also inspired him to think 176 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: a ways to drive grassroots level change that promoted free 177 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 2: market opportunities. 178 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 3: All right, So also for context here before we moved 179 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 3: to the second paragraph where things get really juicy. Frederick 180 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 3: Ayek is an old school Austrian economist. He's thought to 181 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 3: be a member of a leading luminary of what we 182 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 3: call the Austrian school. And I would say that they 183 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: got treated as gurus rather than as social scientists. So 184 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 3: I'd say there's a lot of ideology at play here. 185 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, dude. Apparently he went to the United States in 186 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty one and established the thing that became Atlas Network, 187 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 2: and it calls it a process. What the Atlas Network 188 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 2: does is in institute a process that helps think tanks quote, 189 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 2: unshackle the power of individual liberty and enterprise. Yeah that 190 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 2: sounds great, man, it sure does. And they partner with 191 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: almost five hundred think tanks in over one hundred countries 192 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 2: that drive change in ideas, culture, and policy, remove barriers 193 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 2: to opportunities, and empower individuals to live a life of choice. 194 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 3: Do you know why I stopped you, young man? Well, officer, 195 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 3: I guess we're both removing barriers to opportunity. 196 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, we're both just living lifes of choice man. 197 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. So, Also, Fisher is fascinating because in nineteen fifty 198 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 3: two he went to the US for the first time 199 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 3: and he visited a thing called the Foundation for Economic Education. 200 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: So this guy, the progenitor of Atlas Networks, has been 201 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 3: ten toes down for quite a while. He made his 202 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 3: money off chicken farms. True story. He started England's first 203 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 3: battery chicken farm. This is coming from source Watch, which 204 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 3: is a fantastic, if imperfect resource for a lot of this, 205 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 3: a lot of this larger context. And like you said, Matt, 206 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 3: he keeps going back and forth with the US and 207 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 3: with these various somewhat ephemeral institutions, these incubators of ideological thought. 208 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 3: It was through this thing called the Atlas network. Now, 209 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 3: it was through that that he was able to extend 210 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 3: his beliefs worldwide. Remove the barriers, we suppose, remove the 211 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 3: barriers and allow people the opportunity to hear him say 212 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 3: his opinions as though those opinions were facts. And we 213 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 3: see that, We see that this guy was not just 214 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 3: instrumental in the creation of this specific species of think tank, 215 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 3: but indeed instrumental in the concept of think tanks overall. 216 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 3: And you know, we've talked about this off air time 217 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 3: or two, but if the dice had rolled slightly differently, 218 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 3: your faithful correspondence may well have been in think tanks 219 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: now instead of doing our little show. 220 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 2: Oh not me. They would never let me in one 221 00:14:59,480 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 2: of those. 222 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 3: Yet, no, they would get it. They would want you. 223 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 2: They'd be like, you have to think in here, Frederick, 224 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: and I'd be like. 225 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 3: I'd make it a condition for hiring me, I'd be like, no. 226 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 2: They've got a what do they call this a style? No, 227 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 2: a unique approach? I guess uh, it's their strategic model. 228 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,119 Speaker 2: Coach compete celebrate trademark. 229 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 3: That is the weirdest in olive garden I have ever 230 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 3: heard of. 231 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 2: You coach others, then you compete out there on the 232 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 2: grid iron, and when you're done, you throw that gatorade 233 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: on your coach. 234 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 3: And now like, what what is the complex acronym for celebrate? Right, 235 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 3: everybody tell us what celebrate really means. We also want 236 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 3: to shout out one last thing about Fisher, a little 237 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 3: known story. He is a failed turtle farmer. Oh yeah, 238 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 3: So if you want to be fun at parties, especially 239 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: at an Atlas Network sponsored soiree, ask them about the 240 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 3: turtle far man. I don't know. It's an episode of 241 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 3: the future. Though we still have to do Project twenty 242 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 3: twenty five. 243 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 2: Oh man, I can't wait for that one. He said again. Ai, 244 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: I said it sarcastically. 245 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 3: Again, sarcastically in any language. And with that, we're going 246 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 3: to pause for a word from our sponsors, and we'll 247 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 3: be back with more messages from our fellow listeners. 248 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: And we've returned and we're jumping into yie old phone lines. 249 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 2: We got a message recently from fun Crusher. Uh oh boy, 250 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 2: we're in for it. Let's see what fun Crusher has 251 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 2: to say. 252 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 4: Hey, gang, you can call me fun Crusher. This is 253 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 4: something that might lead to an episode, or it might 254 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 4: just be a segment. I don't know because I haven't 255 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 4: really looked into it. But here in beautiful Austin, Texas, 256 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 4: there was recently, within the last year, I want to say, 257 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 4: maybe two years, the series of deaths that were like 258 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 4: all kind of like young professional men who drowned in 259 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 4: Town Lake, which is our little section of. 260 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 3: The Colorado River. 261 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 4: And the conspiracy is that these deaths were actually the 262 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 4: work of a serial killer and that the city, for 263 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 4: whatever reason, is calling them accidental. They all happened in 264 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 4: the same kind of section of downtown Austin where there's 265 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 4: like a lot of nightlife, and the theory that these 266 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 4: guys are being drugged and then chuffed into the drink 267 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 4: by the supposed killer. Now again, this is all hearsay, 268 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 4: This is all rumor, This is all just word on 269 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 4: the street. This is my girlfriend's uber drivers brother cousin 270 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 4: I don't know was a victim. This is just I 271 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 4: haven't lookeden to it at all. I'm leading that up 272 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 4: to you guys if you want to so. But ask 273 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 4: pretty much anyone around Austin if they've heard of the 274 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 4: Rainy Street Ripper, and most people have heard something or 275 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 4: other about it, So maybe something to look into. Thanks 276 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 4: for everything, I'll do, peace. 277 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 3: Fun Crusher. Indeed, thank you so much for taking the 278 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 3: time to call in. Sir Matt. Initial reactions would be this, 279 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 3: this reminds me a little bit of the smiley face theories. 280 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 3: Real lost. 281 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I just want to check we haven't covered this right, 282 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 2: this specifically. 283 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 3: Not cover the Rainy Street Ripper allegations. 284 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 2: Okay, again, it does sound so familiar to that those 285 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 2: other cases, and I know people have called in before 286 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 2: about other towns where there's been a killer. I think 287 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 2: somebody did mention Austin specifically as like a place where 288 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 2: there were potentially some bodies being found. Because this has 289 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 2: been going on for over twenty two twenty three months now, 290 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 2: I've gotten an article up here. There's one thing just 291 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 2: to point out here, fun Crusher, you said town Lake, 292 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 2: and maybe that's what it's called where you are, or 293 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 2: what's Lady Lake. Yeah, Ladybird Lake is what I'm seeing 294 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 2: in all the reporting, and they're reporting for twenty two months. 295 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 2: Since July twenty twenty two, there have been twelve bodies, 296 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 2: at least twelve bodies that have been recovered from this 297 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 2: central Texas lake and in the immediately surrounding area land 298 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 2: around the lake. This is nuts. Several were found in 299 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 2: April twenty twenty four, and it dates all the way 300 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: back to July twenty twenty two. You can find a 301 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 2: list of names of these of the twelve people who 302 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 2: the bodies have been recovered. Each one is a separate 303 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 2: story that we would have to look into, I think, 304 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 2: for a larger episode if we wanted to really do this. 305 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 2: It is very, very odd. People are reporting on it everywhere. 306 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 2: Apparently the public in the area a lot like yourself 307 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 2: and people around you fun crusher. They're nervous about. It 308 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 2: doesn't feel good when that many bodies are being recovered 309 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 2: in a lake right by you. The theories, as you stated, 310 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: possible serial killer or a group of people who are 311 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 2: you know, maybe robbing people like we did in that 312 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 2: story in Atlanta recently, or in New York where individuals 313 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 2: going out for drinks, were getting drugged and robbed and 314 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 2: sometimes killed. Maybe there's something like that happening. It's really scary. 315 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 2: There's one story from Fox Evan Austin that is detailing 316 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 2: a specific family of one of the victims saying, hey, authorities, police, 317 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 2: we need you to look into these various hypotheses, the theories 318 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,360 Speaker 2: that are coming up to put an end to this, 319 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: because this is unacceptable and we are not only scared, 320 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:19,719 Speaker 2: we want to know what the heck happened. 321 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, and for anyone unfamiliar the idea of the smiley 322 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 3: face murder theory, which I think both of us instantly 323 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 3: thought of this we heard this story. The smiley face 324 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 3: murder theory is the idea that in certain parts of 325 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 3: the United States, multiple deaths of young men that have 326 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 3: been recorded or reported as drownings are indeed the result 327 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 3: of homicide, possibly due to the predation of a serial 328 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 3: killer or group of murderers. We can say at the 329 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 3: very beginning that it is quite rare for the things 330 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 3: that we call serial killers, which I do not consider people. 331 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 3: It is quite rare for those entities to cooperate. They're 332 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 3: a bit egoistic in that regard in terms of Ladybird 333 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 3: Lake and the idea of the Rainy Street ripper. You 334 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 3: can find stuff. You can find statements from the Austin 335 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 3: Police Department. This is active investigation. You can find any 336 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 3: number of locals who are talking with great concern about 337 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 3: what exactly has happened to these innocent people. Now, obviously, 338 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 3: let's get it out of the way. It is completely 339 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 3: possible for somebody to fall into a body of water, 340 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 3: you know, a lake, a river and ocean whatever, and 341 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 3: to die, right, it is entirely possible for those deaths 342 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:02,919 Speaker 3: to occur accident. The question here is whether there is 343 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 3: someone actively committing homicides. And you can go to any 344 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 3: number of outlets now, especially in the past. Honestly, in 345 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 3: the past few months, I'm seeing stuff from February twenty 346 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 3: twenty four. I'm seeing things from a few years earlier, 347 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 3: just a month ago. The Daily Mail surely the stellar 348 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 3: reporting source in all of the United Kingdom. I'm kidding. 349 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 3: If there is a language translation app currently deployed, please 350 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 3: note I said that sarcastically. You can see you can 351 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 3: see maps of people who have disappeared most recently, like 352 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 3: dating back to twenty twenty two, So several years, but 353 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 3: also the scuttle butt says far before then, and we 354 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 3: spent time in Austin, Matt, We've had boots on the ground. 355 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 2: Well on Rainey's this is where south By occurs. We 356 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 2: ate at the ihop that's right at the end of 357 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 2: Rainy Street in Driscoll. Like, yes, we are highly aware 358 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 2: of this, and I'm looking for Lady Bird Lake just 359 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 2: to make sure I understand, like how far that is 360 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 2: away from here? And it is. It's basically the Colorado 361 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 2: River that has been dammed up just a little bit, 362 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: I guess, or stopped somewhere down north Pleasant Valley Road. 363 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: It looks like I mean, it's right there by Rainy Street. 364 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 2: You could basically follow Rainy Street near down to the 365 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 2: Rainy Dumpster Rental Austin and you could be in that 366 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 2: at least that part of the Colorado River that then 367 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: dumps into the lake. 368 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 3: So going back to now that we have the benefit 369 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 3: of the map, what we could see is there is 370 00:24:54,160 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 3: a stretch of Colorado River right that has clear become 371 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 3: a big part of Austin. Right. It's the place where 372 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 3: the tourists go. And if you look at this map 373 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: from again, I'm going to go back to the Daily 374 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 3: Mail here. If you look at this map in the reporting, 375 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 3: what you can see is a clear note of the 376 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 3: identity of people who have died, the time or the 377 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 3: day their body was found, and the address of where 378 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 3: the body was discovered. And so we'll get back to 379 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 3: this one at the end. But they're clearly I don't 380 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 3: want to say immediately that there's a murderer about that's 381 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 3: targeting people, but there are clearly people dying along this 382 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 3: stretch of river. 383 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 2: Right, That's correct. If you want to look more into this, 384 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 2: there's apparently a bartender somewhere in Austin that claims they 385 00:25:55,400 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 2: have spoken with this quote Rainy Street Killer's again, it's 386 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 2: like a social post. Who knows if it's real or not. 387 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 2: Hopefully it's being fully investigated, but we're going to keep 388 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 2: an eye on this and it might be worth our 389 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 2: time to go through some of this in a deeper way. 390 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 2: So thank you so much fun Crusher for crushing the 391 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 2: fun and that voicemail. We'll be right back with more 392 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 2: messages from you. 393 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 3: And we have returned another piece of correspondence. Before we 394 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 3: get to some letters from home, we're going to hear 395 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:36,719 Speaker 3: from a little bit Space, who says the following, Hi, guys, 396 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 3: I just finished our episode on online pornography, very dark stuff, 397 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 3: little bit Space. We agree, but says little bit Space, 398 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 3: that's not why I'm emailing you. At the beginning of 399 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 3: the episode, you mentioned aski art and described it it 400 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 3: as a block of text characters usually shared on meme 401 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 3: and text forums. Specifically mentioned spacing, but spacing is not 402 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 3: typically fiddled with. Aski art is most commonly drawn using 403 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 3: a monospaced font, although gatekeepers want to dictate which fonts 404 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 3: are allowed. It's a long story the way you speak 405 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 3: about it, and then we're gonna paraphrase this part little Space, 406 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 3: as we basically need to. 407 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: Learn more about the art and the scene the. 408 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,360 Speaker 3: Art and the scene, and little Space continues. 409 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 2: I'm not the best person to educate you on this topic, 410 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 2: but I know the basics. First, aski art is one 411 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 2: of the main genres of text mode arts, and under 412 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 2: aski art goes lots of different subgenres, usually restricted to 413 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: a specific retro computing system such as Commodore sixty four 414 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 2: or Amstrad. Yes, we are aware of the Commodore sixty four. 415 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: Asking this is very cool. Secondly, you should draw a 416 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 2: line between ASKI and ASKI art, as they are very 417 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 2: disc from each other. I happen to be an artist 418 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 2: working on this very medium and see lots of ASKI 419 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: people call art. The subgenres I work in typically are 420 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 2: modern ASCI font choice not restricted to hardware fonts and 421 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 2: with not limited to eighty. Haters will hate pet Ski 422 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,880 Speaker 2: the Commodore sixty four ASKI so to speak, and custom 423 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 2: pet Ski with a custom eight bit font. Okay, Anyhow, 424 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,399 Speaker 2: text mode arts is a scene that's alive and kicking, 425 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 2: and you can make real art using ASKI, not just 426 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 2: some meme forum content. 427 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think there's a solid point there. One 428 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 3: cannot dictate the medium of art, right, So little Bitspace 429 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 3: ends with you can find me with the handle little 430 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 3: bit Space, and they have any number of ways to 431 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 3: get in touch with them. They want to be easy 432 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 3: to find online. We thought that was an interesting point 433 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 3: because as Ski holds a great deal of nostalgia for 434 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 3: many of us in the crowd. It reminds me a 435 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 3: little bit, Matt of the fantastic work I hope this 436 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 3: is not a hot take, but the fantastic work I've 437 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 3: seen with Lego bricks, you know when people make phenomenal 438 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 3: sculptures using lego, So we really appreciate your time, little 439 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 3: bit space. We also we also want to hear and 440 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 3: see and witness the works of art that you have created, 441 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 3: fellow conspiracy realists, so please do send those to us. 442 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 3: Email us, drop us ald on the internet, give us 443 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 3: a call. We'll tell you how to find us at 444 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 3: the end. But we thought that we thought that for 445 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 3: this evening we might wrap up with a little bit 446 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 3: of a letter from home from our pal Wayne. We 447 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 3: all remember Wayne. 448 00:29:53,960 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 2: Oh Wayne, former security guard, magic gay, enthusiastic mary. 449 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 3: Guy, classic Wayne. Let's that jinx Wayne. 450 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 2: I don't know if you're married or if you're just 451 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 2: a fiancee. IM not sure you're talking to Wayne betrothed. Yeah, 452 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 2: I'm not. I'm not sure. 453 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 3: So everybody else please listen in. This is a nice 454 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 3: little letter from home we got from our pal Wayne. 455 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 5: They don't want you to know this stuff. They don't 456 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 5: want you to stand which I want to apologize to 457 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 5: Ben even though Matt's probably hearing this one. But then 458 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 5: if you're listening to this guy, I always assume Matt's 459 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 5: the one listen, so I always kind of had him 460 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 5: as my audience, but you probably listen to all my 461 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 5: college You're like, who the heck is this guy? Thinking 462 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 5: that all the Matt listens and just hung up immediately, 463 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 5: which I wouldn't blame. But if indeed Ben is listening 464 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 5: to this, yeah, please, I accept my apology. Second, I'm 465 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 5: listening to the Scholar episode. Skull means the drug one, 466 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 5: the one that makes you susceptible if you were to 467 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 5: hit yourself with scull, I mean in a defensive act 468 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 5: to say that you were on schol. I mean, couldn't 469 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 5: they just ask you if you did that and you'd 470 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 5: be compliant? But yeah with me, Yeah, like if it 471 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 5: makes you susceptible to persuasion, I mean, I don't know 472 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 5: if it also tells you the truth or it makes 473 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 5: you tell the truth, But I don't know. It just 474 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 5: seems like there might be some holes in this in 475 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 5: this defensive place. Either way, have a leveling time. I 476 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 5: have a good one, guys. 477 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 3: Oh, but no apologies necessary. We're just glad that you 478 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 3: made it, like everybody else, hoping you have safe travels 479 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 3: and may it What a good reminder, What a nice 480 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 3: hold shower refresher on our earlier joke about whether or 481 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 3: not you could drug yourself to get out of awkward 482 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 3: social situations, right because they would ask, you know, did 483 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 3: you do detrah it you can be like, yeah, maybe 484 00:31:58,800 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 3: I guess. 485 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 2: Did you hit your yourself in the noggin? Yep? 486 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 3: So that's our friendly reminder not to drug yourself to 487 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:12,719 Speaker 3: get out of unpleasant conversations. If the police come knocking, 488 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 3: or if the IF at LISS network send some folks 489 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 3: to your door, you can't say, hold on a moment, 490 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 3: let me take this amnesiac serum or whatever, which I 491 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 3: don't know whether that's the thing. 492 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like that brings you right back, so you get 493 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 2: your memories all back. 494 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know. It's weird because many years ago 495 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 3: I was in a situation I thought, you know, there's 496 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 3: an insidious product you could sell. A lot of people, 497 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 3: especially in the West, seem to sit through parts of 498 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 3: their life, parts of their day to day life, just 499 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 3: get a participation grade, you know what I mean. You 500 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 3: gotta wait in line, or you gotta sit around and 501 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 3: have a meeting where people are going to say all 502 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 3: the same stuff they've told you before. I wondered whether 503 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 3: people would buy some kind of product or service that 504 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 3: let you just do that participation grade that freed you 505 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 3: up to check all the boxes and a social interaction, 506 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 3: but put your mind somewhere else, like automating your physical presence. 507 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 3: I think it would work. I also think it's evil. 508 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 3: I don't know what are your thoughts. 509 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 2: No thanks, I want to be in the moment with 510 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 2: people I'm around, Ben, I think that would be lovely. 511 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: I'm usually stuck in my own head doing the other thing. 512 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 2: When I'm I'm doing what you're describing. So I've already 513 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 2: given myself this dang whatever it is that we're thinking 514 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 2: about here, and I wish I could be more present, 515 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 2: present in the moment. Yeah, just like this moment now 516 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 2: because I'm over here looking up sandwiches in Chicago something 517 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 2: called the gym shoe, just because I wanted to make 518 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 2: a note about Wayne's moniker. He uses stuff in I 519 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:04,240 Speaker 2: want you to sand sandwich. Dang. 520 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 3: Well, that's why we get letters from home. It's a 521 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 3: good check in, folks. If you are having those difficult, strange, 522 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 3: awkward conversations, it is better to be in the moment. 523 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 3: I am. I guess I'm what they would call happy 524 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 3: to have, not sold some sort of evil product or 525 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 3: service that lets people escape those moments that gives you 526 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 3: that participation grade. 527 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: They're called a cell phone, by the way. 528 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 3: Although, funny story, there was a company, I think in 529 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 3: South Korea for a few years where if you had 530 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,959 Speaker 3: to fire someone, or you had to quit your job, 531 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:44,800 Speaker 3: or you had to break up with a romantic partner, 532 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,280 Speaker 3: you could call this company and they would send someone 533 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 3: to do it for you. 534 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 2: That's a sketch, right, I've seen that. 535 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 3: It was a real service for a minute, but I 536 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 3: think it's kind of evil, you know what I mean. 537 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 3: That's somehow worse than breaking up with some one via text. 538 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 539 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 3: Hi, we've never met, but you know Claudia right, well, 540 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 3: she's done. Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you. 541 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 2: Here's the five dollars she owed you. 542 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:13,800 Speaker 3: Here's the five dollars she owed you. 543 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:15,320 Speaker 2: Your stuff's outside your apartment. 544 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:19,600 Speaker 3: Her stuff is outside your apartment. I guess the last 545 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 3: thing we say is we got We asked for some 546 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 3: funniest reptile pictures, and we got a bunch of them, Matt. 547 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 3: My favorite is probably from our pal Darcy. 548 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 2: Darcy sent us a picture of what appears to be 549 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:41,400 Speaker 2: the actor Marty Friedman. Though I may be wrong, Darcy, 550 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 2: I'm not sure. It looks as though it's a picture 551 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 2: of Marty Friedman in a film that I cannot identify, 552 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 2: though I probably should be able to. 553 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 3: So we've confirmed at least that the guy's not a 554 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:59,799 Speaker 3: the guy is not a reptile technically or no, where 555 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:00,680 Speaker 3: are we with this one? 556 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't think he's a reptile, but I think 557 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,439 Speaker 2: it's a play on Often if you see a social 558 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 2: media post and say, hey, reptile reptilian confirmed, it has 559 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 2: something to do with the eyes or the eyes are 560 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 2: not circular, they've got the slit, kind of like a 561 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 2: cat or like a reptile. But in this case, it's 562 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 2: just eyes that are clearly not going in the same direction, 563 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 2: let's say in bulging Yeah. 564 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:24,439 Speaker 5: Yeah. 565 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 3: We've been getting a lot of feedback on our reptilian 566 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 3: reptilian conspiracy episode, and one of the things that gave 567 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:39,480 Speaker 3: me my version of endless delight was how many people 568 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 3: wrote to us and said, Hey, the following insert celebrity 569 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:50,040 Speaker 3: here describes themselves as a reptile, which is interesting. But 570 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 3: also I have not found a case of a celebrity 571 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 3: claiming to be a reptilian and also getting any kind 572 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,840 Speaker 3: of medical to confirm that. I think maybe, and not 573 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 3: to sound like a jerk, I think maybe they're saying 574 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 3: it for attention. Oh dear, I know that's that's our 575 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:15,399 Speaker 3: hot shot. Iess boom boom, And we have so much 576 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 3: more to follow up on. We're gonna call it an 577 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 3: evening for now and get back to some crazy work 578 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 3: that we hope you enjoy in the future. We have 579 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 3: a long conversation ahead of us, perhaps about Job's daughters, 580 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 3: a lot of responses to that, mysterious holes, reptilian conspiracies, 581 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:37,920 Speaker 3: and much much more. We can't wait for you to 582 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 3: join us on the journey. We try to be easy 583 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:46,960 Speaker 3: to find online Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, twitterx, dot com, et cetera, 584 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,719 Speaker 3: all the hits, or just you know, go to your 585 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:54,399 Speaker 3: favorite crossroads at midnight say the right words, we'll find you. 586 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 3: You can also call us on the phone. 587 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,400 Speaker 2: Yes, our number is one eight three three st d 588 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 2: w y TK. When you call in, give yourself a 589 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 2: cool nickname and let us know if we can use 590 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 2: your name and message on the air. If you've got 591 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:10,800 Speaker 2: more to say than can fit in that couple of minutes. 592 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,240 Speaker 2: Why not instead send us a good old fashioned email. 593 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,840 Speaker 3: We are the entities that read every single email we get. 594 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 3: It makes our evening when you specifically you write to us. 595 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 3: Give us the links, give us the photos. Share the 596 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 3: funniest reptile you've seen. We can't wait to read it all. 597 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:33,920 Speaker 3: Be well aware. Sometimes the void writes back conspiracy at 598 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:53,759 Speaker 3: iHeartRadio dot com. 599 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 2: Stuff they don't want you to know is a production 600 00:38:56,120 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeart 601 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,880 Speaker 2: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 602 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 2: favorite shows.