1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind, a production of 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio Greetings. My name is Dr Anton Jess, traveler, adventurer, 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: former horror host, and of course professor of monsters studies 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: here at the University. I'm joining you once more via 5 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: dubbed VHS tape from the University basement, having just returned 6 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: from an exciting expedition to the Antarctic oh. We set 7 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: out four years ago with a crew of twenty fighting men, 8 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: the latest high tech equipment, and a talking mountain guerrilla 9 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: named Sally with a powered glove. Alas here, I have 10 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: returned with only this bloody crate and of course the 11 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: power glove, which was much too expensive to leave behind 12 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: after the event. But I'm not here to present my 13 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: findings just yet. I'm here to respond to the various 14 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: and dusty missives that have piled up here in the 15 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: university basement over the past four years. My assistant Maxwell 16 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: has selected only the best letters and telegrams from the basket, 17 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: just those inquiries pertaining to monstrous biology and belief. The 18 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: rest will be shredded and worked into a fine pulp. 19 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 1: So without further ado, let's dive into the mail bag. 20 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: I appatus. D. Wolfman writes in with the following, Dear 21 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: Doctor Jessup, as a collector of cursed and peculiar items, 22 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: I recently came into the possession of two infamous haunted objects, 23 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: the Delver mirror and the Lasser glass. Each of these 24 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: two mirrors has its own deadly a reputation, and to 25 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: stare into either is to risk one's sanity and one's life. 26 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: I was wondering, however, what would happen if I were 27 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: to set these mirrors parallel to each other at a 28 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: forty five degree angle in a periscope for my own 29 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: private submarine. Do you think the mirrors would cancel each 30 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: other out in this arrangement? Yours in christ Iaptus de Wolfman. Well, 31 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,839 Speaker 1: Mr Wolfman, first of all, congratulations on obtaining not one, 32 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:37,119 Speaker 1: but two world famous haunted mirrors. As for your periscope idea, 33 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: I think it's quite terrific and you should certainly give 34 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: it a try no matter what. But do remember that 35 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: in this configuration you're only actually looking into one mirror 36 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: at a time. In this case, it would be the 37 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: mirror position in the lower half of the periscope. You 38 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: would only see a reflection of the world reflected a 39 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: second time in the bottommost mirror, or at least this 40 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: is my understanding of haunted mirrors and their optics. I 41 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: theorized that either glass may be safely viewed somewhat through 42 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: the reflection of another mundane mirror, though I have never 43 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: had the chance to test this out. Please right back 44 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: in and let me know how it goes. And I 45 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:27,119 Speaker 1: hope your private submarine has a terrific maiden voyage. All right? 46 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: Next message, Selina Ambrose Frankenmouth. The fifth writes in with 47 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: the following, in a beautiful cursive script, I might add, 48 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: Dear doctor Jessup, I have a question about oozes. How 49 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: is it that gelatinous cubes came to take on cubicle shapes? 50 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: While I understand that they frequent constructed tunnels, surely these 51 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: have not been around long enough to have impacted their evolution. 52 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: What am I missing here? Sincerely, as they have the fifth, 53 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: this is an excellent question. Certainly, within the natural world, 54 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: constructed tunnels are not quite old enough to impact OU's 55 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: evolution as we understand it, And of course it's possible 56 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: that we do not understand it sufficiently. Magical possibilities aside. 57 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: Of course, there is something worth considering here. While we 58 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: often assume that squares and cubes are uncommon in nature, 59 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: there is actually some evidence that cube like shapes often 60 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: result from fragmentation. And in fact, I turn now to 61 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: an actual paper from a real world, a non monstrous 62 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: academic pursuit. The twenty twenty paper Plato's Cube and the 63 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: Natural Geometry of Fragmentation by democos at All, published in 64 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, presents data 65 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: to support the idea that we live in a world 66 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: world of fragments, and that quote appropriately average properties of 67 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: most natural three D fragments reproduce the topological cube unquote. Now, 68 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: this study did not concern itself with ouses and monsters 69 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: at all, but it does give us pause. Perhaps the 70 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:23,679 Speaker 1: cubicle slime living in the constructed hallway is mere happenstance. 71 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: If the US is but a fragment of some greats, 72 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: then something resembling a cube may actually be the resulting form. 73 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 1: Our understanding could be muddled by examples of uses that 74 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: are generally more fluid or shifting in overall form compared 75 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: again to the gelatinous cube. Next message dear ghoul or Goblin, 76 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 1: Congratulations you've won a trip on our premier ghost ship. 77 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: Despite the unfortunate decapitations of our last cruise, we cannot 78 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: be shut down. We're back and better than ever. So 79 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: bring your best dancing shoes and get ready to cut 80 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: loose and dig into the all you can eat buffet. 81 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: You can also hear a talk from doctor Frankenstein, author 82 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: of Man or Monster, navigating self care through mob mentalities. 83 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: Dreadfully yours Ghastly Cruises LLC. Well, I am in need 84 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: of travel by sea for my next expedition. No dancing shoes, however, 85 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: something to think about. Next message, this one reads salutations 86 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 1: doctor Jessup. I am writing with the technology question. Just 87 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: some backstory. I was murdered as a young child, and 88 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: now I extract vengeance via phone and VHS. In recent years, 89 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: I'm finding it harder and harder to spread my carefully 90 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: crafted horrific images. They are to die for. I am 91 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: struggling to adapt to new technologies. No one answers my calls. 92 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: I am given to understand people now prefer something called 93 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: texts and emojis. Another problem. The VHS my preferred method 94 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: of death. Destruction in despair and art house images is 95 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: quote unquote outdated and no longer in use in much 96 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: of the world. At best, people who come into contact 97 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: with my terrible tape have no device with which to 98 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: play it. At worst, they do not even know its function, 99 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: and sometimes outLike ridicule me when they find out. This 100 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: is the very opposite of my intent. I know I 101 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: need to adapt, but I feel that esthetically the DVD 102 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: is not as menacing as the tape. I am unclear 103 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: about the meaning of streaming, but the limits of the 104 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: spectral realm make it difficult. Also, how does one go viral? 105 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: You have seven days? Amaraw, My dear Samarrow, I share 106 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: your frustration. I am of the personal opinion that the 107 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:12,679 Speaker 1: VHS tape is indeed peak media technology. Easy to produce, 108 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: to duplicate, rewind and fast forward, impossible to lose. It 109 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: will not slide underneath another piece of furniture. It cannot 110 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: be stuck in a book. You know what when you 111 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: see it. The DVD came along, and while yes, I 112 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: like that, they look like little spinning saw blades. But 113 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: now media isn't even physical anymore. How can a thing 114 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: without substance even be cursed. I think the answer might 115 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: be found in other haunters, Sanchez, Bloody Mary, who makes 116 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: use of not a particular mirror, but all mirror reflections. 117 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: I think you might need to expand it. Maybe manifest yourself, 118 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: say on all smart refrigerator screens. Or perhaps you could 119 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: crawl out of the oversized dash screen of those two 120 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: SLA cars. I keep hearing so much about give it 121 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: a try. Not all adaptation need be painful and scary. Ah, 122 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: And I hope that you you find the right avenue 123 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: for your continued artistic expression. Next message, Sir Jessip. I 124 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: never do this, but I am at the end of 125 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: my rope. I am a demon, and my generation's long 126 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: scheme of possessing a body and kidnapping a first born 127 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: madle child has almost come to fruition. However, I find 128 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: myself increasingly questioning why I am doing this. The humans 129 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: I'm terrifying are quite frankly annoying. I can't be the 130 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: only one who is tired of using e V P 131 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: Luigi boards and passive aggressive methods to communicate. Must I 132 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: listen to another annoying conversation and the other day they 133 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: put baby powder on the floor, or to see my hoothprints, 134 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: baby powder impossible to get off, not to mention the sneezing. Ultimately, 135 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: I'm just questioning my purpose. I know I'm close to 136 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: the finished line, and a part of me would delight 137 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: in further torturing their souls. But I am also just 138 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: a demon who, at the end of a very long day, 139 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 1: is tired and unclear about why I wanted to possess 140 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: a human in the first place, when I have much 141 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: more power and sway in hell. Please advise Frustrated in Fresno. 142 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: Dear frustrated in Fresno, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. 143 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: Perhaps you've considered other vessels for your demonic self. Automobiles, 144 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: including the two sla may be possessed. I believe it 145 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: has been done before. You might also consider a bed 146 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: or an industrial laundry press. But if you really want 147 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: to get a modern humans attention, perhaps you could possess one. 148 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:05,479 Speaker 1: They're so called smartphones. I hear they are quite captivating. 149 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: They're simply glue to These devices. Might be something there 150 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: that you could use. Perhaps you wouldn't even have to 151 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: physically appear deal with the baby powder and so forth. 152 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: Why do any of that? Why bother with all that 153 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: mess when you could simply develop a demonic app to 154 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: do your bidding. Next message, this one reads ectoplasm enlargement 155 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: and then there's a series of exes and then a 156 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: series of of of exclamation points. It's please click here, 157 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: guaranteed result these this is not even spelled correctly. Well, 158 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,439 Speaker 1: that is the last message in the basket here that 159 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: Maxwell has prepared for me. It looks like there are 160 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: perhaps others uh that need transcribing or translating out of 161 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: a strange and forgotten tongues, but those will have to 162 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: wait for another day. So I bid you adio. I 163 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: have a an expedition to pack for a trip to 164 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: prepare for, and no I still have this crate to 165 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: deal with. So toulu and see you in the future. Hey, everybody, uh, 166 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to let you know that regular listener 167 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: mail will probably return next week. I want to give 168 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: it thanks to Dr Anton jessiph for filling in for 169 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: Joe and me this week, and thanks to Annie Reese, 170 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: co host of Saber and Stuff Mom Never Told You, 171 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: for composing most of the delightful questions and emails that 172 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: the good doctor read in this episode in the future. 173 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 1: If you want to get in touch with Joe and Me, 174 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: if you want to get in touch with Dr Anton, Jessop, 175 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,559 Speaker 1: even you can email us at contact at stuff to 176 00:12:54,559 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: Blow your Mind dot com. Stuff to Blow Your Mind 177 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts 178 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 179 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.