1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: learn this stuff they don't want you to know. A 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. 5 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome back to the show. 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 3: My name is Matt, my name is Nola. 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 4: They called me Ben. We're joined as always with our 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 4: super producer Dylan the Tennessee pal Fagan. Most importantly, you 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 4: are you. You are here. That makes this the stuff 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 4: they don't want you to know. A fellow conspiracy realist, 11 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 4: let us be the first to officially welcome you to Monday, 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 4: December twenty third, twenty twenty four. This is a pretty 13 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 4: big week for adherents of Christianity, people who celebrate Christmas. 14 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 4: This is also a big week for cyberg cockroach armies. 15 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 2: Finally, yeah, Eve, with the cockroaches. 16 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 5: O man, I've been waiting for their arrival as our 17 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 5: new cockroach overlords. 18 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 4: Well, this is just what we can do pretty quickly. 19 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 4: You can now take a single cockroach, one of the 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 4: most resilient creatures on the planet, and you can give 21 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 4: them a little cyborg backpack. You can do it in 22 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 4: a little less than two minutes. Now, way less than 23 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 4: two minutes. And the reason we're talking about this is 24 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 4: because we are not fans, but we're perhaps interested parties 25 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 4: in the world of global surveillance. I gotta tell you, you know, 26 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 4: I had someone gift me with a rumba from our 27 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 4: earlier conversations, and I'm not sure if I want it 28 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 4: out there. 29 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 3: What do you guys think? 30 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 5: You know, I've got a sort of sub rumba, kind 31 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 5: of bargain basement rumba and asumba, Yeah. 32 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 3: Exactly, I think. Yeah, there you go. 33 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 5: We named him something anthropomorphis him and put giant googlely 34 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 5: eyes on, which will come up later. But he's not 35 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 5: very smart, and I kind of just stopped using him 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 5: because he kept getting stuck under this understuff. 37 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 4: Right, So shout out to Zoo Ahmed writing for tech Spot. 38 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 4: Cyborg cockroach armies can now be mass produced at a 39 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 4: rate of one every sixty eight seconds to the earlier point. 40 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 4: Maybe that's a weird thing to lead with, but it's 41 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 4: because we have so much other stuff to get to. 42 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,639 Speaker 4: We're going to learn about some uber scams. We're gonna learn, 43 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 4: like you said, Noel, about Google eyes, googly eyes, excuse me, alphabet. 44 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 4: We're going to have some talks about federal rules that 45 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 4: maybe we can all agree with some secret conspiratorial payments. 46 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 4: So much more. Right after this break and we have returned, 47 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 4: we're returning with two purportedly mysterious deaths which we have 48 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 4: all separately read about, we imagine before we went to air. 49 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 4: The first one concerns the tragic story a guy named 50 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 4: Souchir Balaji. Have we all heard of Soucher's recent events? 51 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, unfortunately the broad strokes. 52 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 4: Yes, yeah, he is a former researcher for a company 53 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 4: called open Ai. He has passed away. The authorities say 54 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 4: he passed away due to suicide in November, So the 55 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 4: public release of this guy's death and his cause of 56 00:03:54,280 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 4: death didn't hit the airwaves until maybe sixteen seventeen days afterward. 57 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. The stuff that is weird about this whole situation 58 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 2: is the lawsuit, I think. Right, we've talked before about 59 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: people who are reported in the news as having taken 60 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 2: their own life, and they are involved in major lawsuits, 61 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: right that are just imminent about to happen, and then 62 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 2: they've taken their own life, and then it's left up 63 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 2: to us to decide. Well, I guess you just read 64 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: that in the paper and you go, Okay, I guess 65 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: that's what happened. But it feels like there's something more 66 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 2: to the story simply because of those circumstances. 67 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 4: Let's go to Lloyd Lee and Katie Balavic writing for 68 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 4: Business Insider. They're talking about the case that we're referencing. 69 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 4: So eight days before Sucher Bilagi is found dead. At 70 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 4: this point important to note he is a former open 71 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 4: Ai researcher. He has left the company due to his 72 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 4: own moral concerns. He's only twenty six years old, and 73 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 4: a little more than a week before he is found dead, 74 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 4: his name appears in a lawsuit against open Ai. It's 75 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 4: a lawsuit filed not by another tech company, but by 76 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 4: The New York Times in December of twenty twenty three. 77 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 4: It accuses open Ai, as well as Microsoft, of cribbing notes, 78 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 4: cribbing journalism from New York Times without citation, without permission, 79 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 4: without informed consent to train chat GPT, which is, you know, 80 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 4: probably the world's most famous terrible writer at the moment. 81 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 4: And they asked on November eighteenth to add Bilagie as 82 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 4: a custodian in the lawsuit. So not a defendant, right 83 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 4: he's not going to be culpable for damages. The idea 84 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 4: instead is that he has quote unique and relevant documents 85 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 4: that could support the New York Times case against these organizations, 86 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 4: against open ai and against Microsoft. It's largely a copyright 87 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 4: infringement case. But every time someone in this situation, this 88 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 4: guy's a proper whistleblower. Every time someone in this situation 89 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 4: passes away, there should be more due diligence. Right, we 90 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 4: should look at every death with the same scrutiny the 91 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 4: current power structure would give to say, the CEO of 92 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 4: a healthcare company, we don't we should we be in 93 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 4: the United States? I don't know what do you guys think, conspiracy, 94 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 4: afoot or more information? 95 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 2: I would say the open AI the. 96 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 4: Company, yes, Sam Altman, Yes. 97 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 2: The company and the individuals who created it, and you 98 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: know other people like I don't know how to say 99 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: this person's name Ilia uh sootsgether, I think is how. 100 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 3: You say it. 101 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 2: But these people are potentially facing billions of dollars in 102 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: damages if this lawsuit goes through and it's successful. So 103 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 2: it's not hard to see that there would be reason 104 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 2: to want the lawsuit to fail. Right, And how would 105 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: you make that fail. We've all seen movies when you 106 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: remove important people from a case, it kind of goes away. 107 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 2: Sometimes that's not saying that's what's happening here, but it 108 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: certainly makes you wonder. 109 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 5: Well, It's also like, you know, with this assassination of 110 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 5: the CEO, while opening up a conversation for reasons about 111 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 5: the state of healthcare in the United States, like killing 112 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 5: a single CEO doesn't change that, nor it does killing 113 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 5: a single whistleblower. You know, I just wonder sometimes the 114 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 5: bigger picture with stuff like that. 115 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 4: It's the right question again, agreed. You know, if you 116 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 4: are if you are in court, you're moving through legal proceedings, 117 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 4: having a whistle blower die puts a target on you, 118 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. It raises suspicions by any measure, 119 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 4: even if you are not directly involved. 120 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: Well, and I genuinely wonder if you remove the human 121 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 2: being whistle blower from the situation. But that whistleblower had 122 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 2: documents that could maybe prove certain things in a court 123 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,199 Speaker 2: of law. I genuinely don't know if those documents are 124 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: still able to be presented in court or if it 125 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 2: is something like I don't know the right word. But 126 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 2: like the custody and the chain of the shame of 127 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 2: those documents, does it change or you know, I don't 128 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: know how that functions. 129 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, the provenance of the documents seems to be your 130 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 4: question there. 131 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, who is who had the documents? And were 132 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 2: they able to change them? 133 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 3: Right? 134 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 4: And what were any possible intervening variables. We know that 135 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:08,239 Speaker 4: this situation in court will move through, hopefully in accordance 136 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 4: with US law. I hate that I have to knock 137 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 4: on wood and say hopefully. But we also know that 138 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 4: when someone has passed away, sometimes people can encounter immense stress, 139 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 4: right that makes them check out. We have to acknowledge 140 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 4: the human moment. This kid, he's twenty six years old, 141 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 4: he had a family. That family has lost a loved one. 142 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 4: Will this affect the case going forward? That's why it's 143 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 4: strange news. That's what we're keeping an eye on because 144 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 4: open AI is at the center of I would advance 145 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,479 Speaker 4: to you guys what will be a proliferation of conspiracy 146 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 4: theories in the very near future. Not the only mysterious 147 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 4: death here forever. Who's reached out to us individually or 148 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 4: as a group. We do have an episode coming out 149 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:11,679 Speaker 4: on the assassination of former CEO Brian Thompson. The primary 150 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 4: suspect in the US court system is Luigi MANGEONI. We've 151 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 4: mentioned this. We're moving things around to dive deep into 152 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 4: that case, so please stay tuned there. Speaking of mysterious deaths, 153 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 4: you guys probably colocked it too. A guy named General 154 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 4: Igor Kirolov from the chief of Russia's Radioactive, Chemical and 155 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 4: Biological Defense Forces. He is very dead right now. He 156 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 4: is very immediately dead. Him and his assistant. He was 157 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 4: killed by a bomb apparently on a scooter on a 158 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 4: Moscow street quite recently. And get this, the nation of 159 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 4: Ukraine has claimed responsibility. 160 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, this is it. This is a particularly creepy one, 161 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 2: at least in my mind, guys, because if you watch 162 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 2: the footage the video has been released of this thing 163 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 2: and where that scooter is sitting in relation to where 164 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 2: these two guys walk out of the. 165 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,599 Speaker 3: Door right, the entryway right, it's close. 166 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: But it's not that close. 167 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 4: So it's it's strategic, is it not. It's yeah, it 168 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 4: implies that one knew the path these people would take. 169 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 3: Yeah it Ugh, I don't know, crease me out. Yeah. 170 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 4: An official with Ukraine's security service, which we would call 171 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 4: the SBU. They said, Ukraine did it. We did it. 172 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 4: We assassinated this guy. And again it's our It's one 173 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 4: of our continual tropes that we see in these kind 174 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 4: of reports. I'm going to quote the New York Times 175 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 4: thinks to Anton Troyanovsky and constant mehut. Here is the 176 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 4: official quotation. The official who spoke on the condition of 177 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 4: anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence operation confirmed the details 178 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 4: of the assassination given by Russia. Again, an official speaking 179 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 4: on the condition of anonymity. This is real hidden hand stuff. Yeah. 180 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 5: He always kind of gives you pause when you hear 181 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 5: those kinds of things too, as far as like a name, 182 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 5: sources and speaking under the condition of anonymity. 183 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 3: Mm hmm. 184 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, we even see it in pop culture. Someone close 185 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 4: to the conversation confirmed this. 186 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 3: Was talking some shit right. 187 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 4: A day before the general was assassinated, the Nation of 188 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 4: Ukraine had accused him of criminal activity and said that 189 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 4: he was responsible for the massive deployment a band chemical weaponry. However, 190 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 4: I think I can Charlie Day a little bit of this. 191 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 4: Let's look at the DHL, the sabotages. We'll have some 192 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 4: fellow conspiracy realists talking about that in our listener mail 193 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 4: segment later this week. I would also ask about the drones, 194 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 4: some of which are clearly Poseidon program scanning for possible 195 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 4: incursions of asymmetric, dirty bomb or biochemical weaponry. I don't 196 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 4: think these things are unrelated. I do have to ask you, guys, 197 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 4: does killing a bureaucrat matter? This is different from assassinating, 198 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 4: say a Roanian nuclear scientist, right, that's someone with the 199 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 4: expertise and acumen to accelerate nuclear program. This guy is 200 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 4: a guy who gives orders but does not necessarily invent 201 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 4: this kind of weaponry himself. 202 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 2: I mean, it's a it's a message, clearly, right, you 203 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: can be touched and in a scenario that is like, yeah, 204 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: that's me accidentally quoting Ben generally occurs, but it's a 205 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 2: It is one of those things where for me, the 206 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 2: message is more powerful than the actual strategic action as 207 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 2: far as how it changes the battlefield. 208 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, I see what you're saying, Right, is there a 209 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 4: tip for tat an escalation? Will a NATO general get 210 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 4: touched as well? 211 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: Uh? 212 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 4: It's it's unclean stuff. Speaking of unclean, we can end 213 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 4: this part of our show. On one of two things. 214 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 4: The choice is yours, gentlemen, fellow conspiracy realist. Do we 215 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 4: want to hear about the next wave of super soldiers 216 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 4: or do we want to hear about super fungus. They're 217 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:00,239 Speaker 4: both super. 218 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 5: We've already heard about sentient cockroach super soldiers, so maybe fungus. 219 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 4: Oh man, I'm so glad you asked. I know you're 220 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 4: gonna love this one. There is a species of fungus 221 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 4: that has been discovered in Chernobyl, in the space of 222 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 4: you know, that nuclear disaster, which is still rendered the 223 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 4: soil sala. A species of black fungus named Oh help 224 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 4: me out here, guys, claudos Sporium spherospermum. 225 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 3: Sounds sounds right, yea real name. 226 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 4: It was found at the Chernobyl disaster site. It has 227 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 4: apparently adapted to not only survive, but to feed off 228 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 4: nuclear radiation. It's literally growing on the walls of reactor 229 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 4: for and it takes the radiation and the radiation just 230 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 4: makes it stronger. Like hitting you know, the Incredible Hulk 231 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 4: with a GM or ray. The whole turn green when 232 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 4: the rays get gamma. 233 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 2: That's sick. But is this potentially a thing that can 234 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: be used to, you know, mitigate places that are infected 235 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: with ye radiation. 236 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 4: What a great question. That's what I'm hoping as well 237 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 4: do because we know that there have been multiple reports 238 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 4: in the wake of Chernobyl arguing that the wildlife is adapting, right, 239 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 4: that Earth will continue on its merry go round despite 240 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 4: any disaster. We have to bust a myth. Yes, there 241 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 4: are wild dogs descended from human pets that do survive 242 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 4: in Chernobyl today. However, they are not evolving to resist radiation. 243 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 4: They're certainly not evolving to feed from it. They're evolving 244 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 4: to reproduce younger at a younger and younger age. It's 245 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 4: quite a tragic story. 246 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 5: Potentially, this fungus would like soak up radiation, right. 247 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 3: Is that the idea? 248 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 4: Yes, yeah, you're exactly right. The fungus is able to 249 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 4: do so due to melanin. That's the pigment that gives 250 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 4: people like Matt Frederick and yours truly an agglomeration of 251 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 4: the non consensual tattoos we call freckles. 252 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 2: Got a few of those whoa, well, that's the stuff 253 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 2: that gives us cancer too, right, because it's absorbing that 254 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 2: radiation real good, but it kind of hangs out in 255 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: our skin. 256 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, time to contact our dermatologists through a very cool 257 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 4: thing called radio synthesis. I was going somewhere with this 258 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 4: incredible hulk reference. You guys, melanin absorbs gamma radiation in 259 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 4: this fungus, so this fungus can soak up the stuff. 260 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 4: To the earlier idea, to the question of whether this 261 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 4: could be maybe, well, you can't really domesticate fungus too 262 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:05,719 Speaker 4: much smart, but could we perhaps deploy this as a 263 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 4: biological scrubber in the wake of another nuclear disaster. 264 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 2: Well, they're talking about using it in space missions as 265 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 2: a space radiation shield. 266 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, fungus. 267 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: That's come on, guys, if that's not some of these 268 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 2: books I've been mentioning recently about using fungus in fun 269 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 2: ways and outer space and not so fun ways. 270 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, we had a story not terribly long ago about 271 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 5: fungus that kind of took over or like mold that 272 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,679 Speaker 5: took over space ships and that thrived in the vacuum 273 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,239 Speaker 5: of space and actually got into electronics and caused all 274 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 5: kinds of you know, gremlin like chaos. 275 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 4: Well shenanigans for sure. And I hold that we were 276 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 4: correct when we said fungus is probably the best terrestrial 277 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 4: life form for an astronaut. It's the best astronaut candidate. 278 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 5: Yes, it makes me think of the character Venom. I 279 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 5: know those movies are supposed to not be super great, 280 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 5: but like the character is kind of made up of 281 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 5: this alien black mold type material that you know, I mean, 282 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 5: or like the black goo from alien franchise films. Just 283 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 5: I don't know, Like that's that to me is interesting 284 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 5: use of like fungus or mold or this type of 285 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 5: material as stand in for alien life. 286 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 4: One hundred percent we have. We've got to move on 287 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 4: you guys again. There's so much stuff happening. Look, you 288 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 4: need to know that DARPA is currently in serious conversations 289 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 4: to modify the red blood cells of human beings to 290 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 4: adapt them to various conditions in war. And it gets 291 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 4: so crazy that we might need to do a Super 292 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 4: Soldier episode as an update because the stuff I'm reading 293 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 4: is nuts, And the scariest thing is it's not as 294 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 4: crazy as it sounds when we did our first Super 295 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 4: Soldier episode lo those many years ago. 296 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I want to know how blood's getting changed to 297 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 2: be super I want some of that. 298 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 4: Yes, I think in the notes. I have the actual 299 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 4: PDF from DARPA. I can't link it directly, but I 300 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 4: think I can send the file to you guys. In 301 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 4: the meantime, will pause for a word from our sponsors, 302 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 4: and we'll return with war strange news. 303 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 5: And we're back with more strange news, and guys, I'm 304 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 5: just going to rip the band aid off and lead 305 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 5: with a quick discussion of a very disturbing case that's 306 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 5: been taking place in France. And so just trigger warning 307 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 5: here for anyone listening. This describes I'm not going to 308 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 5: be graphic or anything, but some of the most horrific 309 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 5: acts of sexual assault that I could possibly imagine. And 310 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 5: I only bring this up because I found the verdict 311 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 5: in this trial that I'm about to discuss is supposed 312 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 5: to be announced tomorrow, that's December the nineteenth, Thursday, December 313 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 5: the nineteenth, but it's not something that we've discussed, and honestly, 314 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 5: I only bring it up today, you know, in advance 315 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 5: of the verdict coming down, because in PR had a 316 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 5: really thoughtful piece about it and essentially talking about how 317 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 5: there are things about this case that are potentially going 318 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 5: to change the narrative around sexual assault. 319 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 3: So we'll just get right to. 320 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 5: The case involves a woman named Giselle Pelicot who for 321 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 5: over a decade was drugged and sexually assaulted by her 322 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 5: husband and many many other men who her husband organized 323 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 5: through various chat rooms involving the trading and proliferation of 324 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 5: you know, illegal sexual material, often sexual assault related material. 325 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 5: He essentially was using his wife in this way and 326 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 5: making videos of it. And due to another case or 327 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 5: another infraction, that this man, Dominique Pellicott, was caught in 328 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 5: the act of essentially some upskirt photographs that he was 329 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 5: taking at a local supermarket where they lived in a 330 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 5: small village in France. This led police to confiscate his 331 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 5: phone and laptop, and in doing so they found what's 332 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 5: being described as more than twenty thousand videos of sexual 333 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 5: assault on his wife. And when his wife was essentially 334 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 5: shown a still frame of one of these, she didn't 335 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 5: even know what she was looking at at first, and 336 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 5: apparently he would even dress her up and lingerie that 337 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,399 Speaker 5: she would not have normally worn, you know, he would 338 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 5: at first it was just him doing the assault, and 339 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 5: he would do sexual acts that she was not comfortable with. 340 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 5: In the course of their marriage, and then it escalated 341 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 5: to you know, having all of these outside parties coming 342 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 5: in and organizing this coordinating this kind of fine tuning 343 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 5: the cocktail of drugs that he was giving her, and 344 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 5: then creating this material that was then found by police. 345 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 5: Giselle understandably was absolutely shattered, you know, her entire world. 346 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 5: She'd been married to this man for I think thirty 347 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 5: eight years. Just I can only imagine the realization in 348 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 5: that moment of that level of betrayal and just how 349 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 5: that could just literally shatter one psyche. But I think 350 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 5: the reason that I wanted to bring it up because 351 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 5: this NPR piece just points out very astutely that you know, 352 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 5: she actively decided to not lean on anonymity and to 353 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 5: become a public face for this kind of sexual assault. 354 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 5: I mean, this is obviously just unspeakably horrific and just 355 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 5: the most extreme example that I've ever seen of something 356 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 5: like this. But in you know, in not being anonymous 357 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 5: and becoming this kind of face of this type of crime, 358 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 5: I think she has reached a lot of women who 359 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 5: who have experienced similar things, because you know, rape and 360 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 5: sexual assault is often most often perpetrated by partners, by 361 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 5: people who you know, are known to an individual who 362 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 5: is being assaulted, and that is sadly something that maybe 363 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 5: gets overlooked a lot. And then this is something that 364 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 5: Giselle is very you know, actively sort of shining the 365 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 5: light on. I guess, let's just say she has decided 366 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 5: to change her name to her maiden name and moved 367 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 5: to an undisclosed location to restart her life. But during 368 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 5: the course of the trial, she was identified by her 369 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 5: married name, you know, with this man, this man who 370 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:54,719 Speaker 5: allegedly and almost certainly you know, did these horrible acts 371 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 5: to her. And they have two grown children who had 372 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 5: to find out about this, and you know, the family 373 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 5: has basically purged all remnants of this man from their lives, 374 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 5: in terms of photographs, in terms of keepsakes, anything like that. 375 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 5: One of his own children described him as the worst 376 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 5: sexual predator in the history of France. And another thing 377 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 5: that the MPR piece and I should actually mention what 378 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 5: it is by Eleanor Beardsley that a mass rape trial 379 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 5: in France has changed the conversation about sexual assault. This 380 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 5: came out on December seventeenth, which was yesterday, as we recorded. 381 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 5: This just points out that France, I mean this isn't 382 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 5: the only place. This certainly isn't unique to France, but 383 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 5: in visiting there, I've kind of witnessed it firsthand. I've 384 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 5: only been once in my adult life. I've spent some 385 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 5: time in Paris, and there is a culture of really 386 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 5: toxic masculinity that's very open and unapologetic. And you know, 387 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:52,479 Speaker 5: I literally was at a bar with people and I 388 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 5: saw a man yanko woman out of the toilet, you know, 389 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 5: by her arm. Whether she was his partner or whatever, 390 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 5: or a stranger or whatever, it was irrelevant, but it 391 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 5: was just the level of open misogyny and just you know, 392 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 5: physical assault essentially. That was just kind of laughed off 393 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 5: by a lot of the people that were there, and 394 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,640 Speaker 5: I was really taken aback by that, And in talking 395 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 5: about that to other people that I know, they kind 396 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 5: of pointed out that, yeah, this is a real problem 397 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 5: in France. So there are some details in this case 398 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 5: that are beyond heartbreaking, and I think it may well 399 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 5: be something that when there are more information comes out 400 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 5: after the dust has settled in the case, a little 401 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 5: bit may well be worth exploring in a difficult but 402 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:38,640 Speaker 5: I think important full episode potentially, So I know that's 403 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 5: a massive bomber, guys. I didn't know if there's anything 404 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 5: in bet I know you've been following this case as well, Matt. 405 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: Not sure how much you're familiar with this or have 406 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 3: seen it. 407 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 5: It was honestly something that had kind of sadly slipped 408 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 5: under my radar, and I had not seen it reported 409 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 5: a ton in Western media. And you know, we do 410 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 5: these strange news episodes every week, and I'm constantly looking 411 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 5: at looking for and I just really didn't seem like 412 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 5: it was getting a whole lot of attention until now 413 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 5: that the you know, the verdict is coming down, and 414 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 5: certainly this has been an ongoing case for a long time. 415 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 5: But yeah, I just in our throats to you, guys, 416 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 5: if there's anything about this piece or about this case 417 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 5: that you'd like to comment on. 418 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 4: Well, Noel, I appreciate you bringing this to our fellow 419 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 4: conspiracy realist, especially if anyone in the audience tonight is 420 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 4: unaware of the sheer depravity and degradation that occurred here. 421 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 4: Perhaps the most important thing to take away from this 422 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 4: story is that Giselle Pellicotte is heroic because it in 423 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 4: a conspiracy of silence, and you know, I've spent some 424 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 4: time in France as well in a conspiracy of silence. 425 00:27:54,040 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 4: The most powerful tool someone has is transparency. So transparent 426 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 4: about this will hopefully empower other survivors whom I will 427 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 4: not call victims. And it's heavy, you know, it's beyond words, 428 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 4: both the unclean nature of these crimes, wherein I believe, 429 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 4: as you said, fifty different individuals were charged. I think 430 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 4: equally heavy and powerful. And beyond words is this year 431 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 4: heroism of this person who is raising a clarion call 432 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 4: to other people who may have been in similar situations. 433 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: Yes, hundred percent, completely agree. 434 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 5: Man, Anything anything that occurs to you about this before 435 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 5: I move on to something maybe a little lighter. 436 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 2: Just quickly. There's a striking thing at the end of 437 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 2: a BBC News article written by Laura Gauzi. 438 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 3: Excellent piece as well. 439 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you can look it up, titled new Name, No Photos. 440 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 2: Giselle Pelicott removes all trace of her husband and if 441 00:28:58,080 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 2: you go all the way to the bottom of the 442 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 2: art article, it's part of the trial. 443 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 3: There. 444 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 2: They had one of the family members go up on 445 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 2: the stand who was not, you know, immediately in the family, 446 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 2: but was pretty closely related somebody who helped Giselle go 447 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 2: to you know, doctor's visits, and one of the attorneys, 448 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 2: the defense attorney says basically, well, how could you not 449 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:23,959 Speaker 2: have known that this was happening? And this person says, 450 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 2: and this is just a crazy powerful quote quote, you're 451 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 2: forgetting one thing. You cannot imagine the unimaginable, which is 452 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 2: what this entire thing feels like to me. 453 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 5: I mean, you know, I recently this is a different 454 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 5: type of story, but it's in this fiction. But I recently, 455 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 5: I think I mentioned on the show a film that 456 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 5: came out last year and really just started getting attention 457 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 5: this year called Red Rooms. And it's a French Canadian 458 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 5: film about a trial involving a man who allegedly committed 459 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 5: horrific murders on camera. What are kind of these fabled 460 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 5: red rooms of sort of like dark web lore, you know, 461 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 5: the idea of these like snuff films. Yeah, for the Internet, 462 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 5: And I can't in my mind this is you know, 463 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 5: a sexual assault version of that. 464 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 3: There are websites that trade in this kind of material. 465 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 5: It's a chat room that's referencing that BBC article called 466 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 5: Without her Knowledge. I mean, this is the kind of 467 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 5: stuff that does exist. This is currency, you know, on 468 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 5: the internet, in these dark, depraved kind of corners of. 469 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 3: The Internet and the dark web and all of that. 470 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 5: And so I just couldn't help but think of that film, 471 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 5: because it is an excellent, excellent film, by the way, 472 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 5: and it's a different type of crime, but it does 473 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 5: ring similarly in my ears as far as like the 474 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 5: level of meticulousness of cataloging these videos and like potentially 475 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 5: selling them or streaming them or what have you. It's 476 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 5: just the just the mind kind of recoils in horror 477 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 5: at this sort of stuff. And you know, and I 478 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 5: think another point that the BBC and the Public Radio 479 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 5: Peace make that I think is really important here is 480 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 5: that the men that are on trial here seventy one 481 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 5: men in fact, many of whom are named and on trial. 482 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 3: I think it's fifty that are actually on trial. 483 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 5: I'm sorry if I'm getting some details not quite right, 484 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 5: but it's in that neighborhood. I don't think every single 485 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 5: one of them was found, but they're all on trial 486 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:26,479 Speaker 5: for up to twenty years imprisonment. But the point is 487 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 5: that these are not people you would look at and 488 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 5: say these are monsters. 489 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 3: These are boogeymen. You know, these are pure evil. 490 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 5: These are working class French Men, and many of them 491 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 5: are part of this misogynist kind of culture. And there's 492 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 5: even you know, a historical, you know thing in French 493 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 5: culture that I think was only sort of overturned legally speaking, 494 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 5: the idea of the man being established as the head 495 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 5: of the household. And a lot of these people who 496 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 5: were you know pulled in and you know, put on 497 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 5: trial for these crimes. Their argument was that they didn't 498 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 5: rape her because her husband gave them permission. I mean, 499 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 5: come on, like, that's it's wild that someone would think 500 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 5: that that's an argument. 501 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:15,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's clearly it's an argument, but it is a 502 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 4: morally fraudulent and insidious attempt at an argument. It reminds me, Nolan, 503 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 4: I think many of our fellow conspiracy realists of the 504 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 4: related cases involving widespread sexual abuse in the in room, 505 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 4: the Inthroom affair in South Korea, a criminal case involving 506 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 4: cybersex trafficking sexually exploitative videos, often with the victims drugged, 507 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 4: as we're describing in this French case, across multiple demographics, 508 00:32:56,200 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 4: and the reason this calls to mind a relationship between 509 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:08,719 Speaker 4: these same abominable things. Is how you have, like how 510 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 4: you've described or chosen to describe the criminals, the monsters 511 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 4: doing this stuff. You know, it's important to know again, 512 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 4: it's important to know that the monsters may move amid you. 513 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 4: You know, they don't always have a big sign that 514 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 4: says sexual assaulter on them. That's why Gavin de Becker's 515 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 4: The Gift of Fear is a must read book, and 516 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 4: it's a really important point, I think beyond just France. 517 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 4: It's a human experiential point. 518 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, the whole banality of evil kind of thing. And 519 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 5: then I know this is not like some sort of 520 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 5: new point. And then we all know that monsters move 521 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 5: among us, and that serial killers are often described as 522 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 5: being Oh he was so nice, he's quiet, he kept 523 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 5: to himself. So this isn't some sort of like hot take. 524 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 5: But I do think that the the interesting angle on 525 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 5: this sort of cultural thing that is pretty strong in 526 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 5: France and other places. To your point, Ben, but I 527 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 5: see the conversation around this particular part of the world 528 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 5: is particularly interesting and heartbreaking. So I don't know, guys, 529 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 5: I feel kind of dumb following this up with a 530 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 5: story about a Google eye bandit in Oregon. 531 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 2: It would make us feel better maybe. 532 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 3: Well, okay, fair enough, I'll yeah, please, Matt, please. 533 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 2: Before you do that, I'm gonna do a shameless plug 534 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:36,360 Speaker 2: because we're talking about monsters coming in January. There's a 535 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:40,920 Speaker 2: new season of Monster following Atlanta Monster, The Zodiac Killer, 536 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 2: d C Sniperla Monstra, Freeway, Phantom, all those, so look 537 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 2: for that. And it's about a very particular fellow that 538 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 2: walked among us and nobody expected. 539 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:54,480 Speaker 4: Can we say the name for the people. 540 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,240 Speaker 2: That no, we cannot not yet? 541 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 5: All right, you keep your secrets, Matt Frederick, you keep 542 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 5: your No, it's true, and all these high quality reporting 543 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 5: in those series. So yeah, I'll just really briefly, you know, 544 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 5: button that one up, and I think there is more 545 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 5: to discuss moving forward, but end with just a diametrically 546 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 5: opposing fun story out of Oregon. Public works of art 547 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:24,280 Speaker 5: all throughout the city of Bend, Oregon have been being 548 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 5: defaced by a googly eye bandit. That's so I'm describing 549 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 5: him who was taking googly eyes of varying sizes and 550 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 5: putting them on these public works of art. There's some 551 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 5: pretty fun ones, one called big Ears. That's like a deer. 552 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 5: It really looks cute with those big Google eyes. There's 553 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 5: this like orb this kind of sphere. Let's see a 554 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 5: public sculpture that is the sort of like porous sphere 555 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:53,160 Speaker 5: that's sitting on top of a rock. 556 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,520 Speaker 3: It's got these Google eyes on. 557 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 5: It reminds me of the rocks from everything everywhere all 558 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 5: at once. So, you know, a bit of mischief seems 559 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:06,400 Speaker 5: relatively harmless, but the powers that be in Bend, Oregon 560 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 5: are saying that this not only costs money, you know, 561 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 5: from the city from the taxpayers to remove, but it 562 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:16,280 Speaker 5: has the potential to actually damage. 563 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:17,319 Speaker 3: Some of these works of art. 564 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,319 Speaker 5: Outdoor art, whether they be made of bronze or other 565 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,920 Speaker 5: types of materials, are often coated with kinds of lacquer 566 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 5: that protect them from the elements. And when you use 567 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,839 Speaker 5: adhesives on that, it can pull the lacquer off, and 568 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 5: that can cause areas that could be prone to rust 569 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:39,280 Speaker 5: and potentially, you know, damaging the sculpture on a larger scale. 570 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 3: And there's a couple of different perspectives. 571 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 5: Because you know, there's a Facebook post that gets referenced 572 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:44,840 Speaker 5: in this piece from the ap mysterious Google eyes go 573 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:49,720 Speaker 5: viral after appearing on Public Art in Oregon by Claire Rush, 574 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 5: and she cites this Facebook user saying, my daughter and 575 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,640 Speaker 5: I went past the Flaming Chicken today and shared the 576 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 5: biggest laugh. This comes from a user with the name 577 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 5: Phoenix Rising. We love the googly eye. The town is 578 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 5: getting to be so stuffy. Let's have fun. This actually 579 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,359 Speaker 5: also made it to a segment on The Late Show 580 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 5: with Stephen Colbert where he kind of poked fun at 581 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 5: this and maybe poked fun a little bit at the 582 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 5: city officials who are sort of poopooing the whole thing. 583 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:16,720 Speaker 5: So let's just end with a quote or a statement 584 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 5: from some of these city officials, including Renee Mitchell, Ben's 585 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,239 Speaker 5: communications director, and she had this to say, we really 586 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 5: encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. 587 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 5: We just need to make sure that we can protect 588 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,839 Speaker 5: it and that it doesn't get damage. There was no 589 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 5: intent to be heavy handed, and we certainly understand maybe 590 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 5: how that was taken. We own this large collection of 591 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,080 Speaker 5: public art and really want to bring awareness to the 592 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 5: community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as 593 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 5: stewards of the collection, we want to share that on 594 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 5: social media, and so far the city spent about fifteen 595 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 5: hundred bucks removing these googly eyes from seven of the 596 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 5: eight public sculptures that they were placed on. 597 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,320 Speaker 2: Well, that's a shame. This is an exciting new silly 598 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 2: Banksy artist that is emerging. Have we thought that maybe 599 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,879 Speaker 2: this is the work of the production team at last 600 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,000 Speaker 2: week tonight for some episode that's gonna come out later. 601 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 3: You know, you said you were gonna be cool. You know, 602 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:17,640 Speaker 3: it's it's a good theory, Matt, It's a good theory. 603 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 5: But let's let's close up this segment of strange news 604 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 5: from me. I hear a word from our sponsors, and 605 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:28,000 Speaker 5: then come back with one final bit of strange news for. 606 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:36,320 Speaker 2: You breaking news guys. This just came in. I didn't 607 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:40,040 Speaker 2: even put it into the dock. Remember disease X that 608 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 2: we briefly mentioned. 609 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 4: The DRC, And again I object to the postcolonial shadow 610 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,880 Speaker 4: of calling something disease X. 611 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:50,040 Speaker 3: But I get it. I get it. 612 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 4: There was there was a mystery you brought this story. 613 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 2: Uh yeah, I don't know what you mean by that, 614 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 2: the postcolonial disease X. I think it was just saying 615 00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 2: it's there. It's unknown what disease it is. 616 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 4: I feel like they call it disease X more often 617 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:07,320 Speaker 4: on the African continent, especially when Western authorities are reporting 618 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 4: it is that's what I'm saying. 619 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, I didn't know that. Well, the thing that 620 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 2: they are calling disease acts. There was an unknown thing 621 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 2: that had affected hundreds of mostly children. When we talked 622 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 2: about it, it was identified at least several of I 623 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,760 Speaker 2: think two dozen roughly of the children to be malaria. 624 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:31,000 Speaker 2: Well now, according to Congo's Health ministry, who declared in 625 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,279 Speaker 2: a statement yesterday as we're recording this that quote, the 626 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,080 Speaker 2: mystery has finally been solved. It's a case of severe 627 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:41,920 Speaker 2: malaria in the form of a respiratory illness, which is 628 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 2: still sounds really scary to me. You don't want that. 629 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 2: You never want to get that. And it was there 630 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 2: were five hundred and ninety two cases when the alert 631 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 2: was first raised, and that was back in October, like 632 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 2: late October. So this is just a messed up thing, 633 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 2: this happening. But at least the disease has been somewhat identified, 634 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 2: so it can now be treated at least better than 635 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:09,919 Speaker 2: it has been for the past several months. So there 636 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:12,920 Speaker 2: you go. Oh, guys, did it? There's more stuffs coming in. 637 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:15,880 Speaker 2: This is from This is a story about someone we 638 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 2: mentioned recently, Hanna Kobayashi. This is a young woman who 639 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,880 Speaker 2: went missing after she flew from Maui to Los Angeles. 640 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:25,880 Speaker 2: Her family lost contact with her. She was supposed to 641 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 2: fly to New York City in a connecting flight. She didn't. 642 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:33,480 Speaker 2: Then we saw that there was footage of her walking 643 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:37,520 Speaker 2: into Mexico via the border there at San Diego. We 644 00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:40,240 Speaker 2: heard a terrible and tragic story about her father flying 645 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 2: to Los Angeles searching for her, who was found appeared 646 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:50,320 Speaker 2: to be that heat had taken his own life. Horrible stuff. Well, 647 00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:54,920 Speaker 2: as of right now, guys, she is back. She is 648 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 2: back in the United States. As of December fifteenth, she 649 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:01,799 Speaker 2: has returned earned That is according to a letter that 650 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:05,319 Speaker 2: she wrote and gave to her aunt, who then distributed 651 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 2: it out to media. And everything appears to be okay, 652 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 2: other than, of course, the tragedy that occurred with her father. 653 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:16,839 Speaker 2: But the family is now recovering and figuring everything out. 654 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:19,520 Speaker 2: It's one of these stories, guys, that feels like there's 655 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:22,360 Speaker 2: way more to it, Like there's a puzzle that needs 656 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:24,880 Speaker 2: to get solved. Still, Like what happened? Why did she 657 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 2: go no contact, you know. 658 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:29,280 Speaker 4: A timeline at the very least. 659 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, it feels that way. But I guys, I wonder if, 660 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:36,279 Speaker 2: like personally for me, if that's how my brain has 661 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:39,080 Speaker 2: been primed for these kinds of things. And what happens 662 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:43,520 Speaker 2: when a giant media spotlight gets shown on any individual life? Right? 663 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 4: You find too many things, is what happens. 664 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:51,160 Speaker 2: But you're cherry picking circumstances, right, So narrative, Yeah, exactly, 665 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:53,759 Speaker 2: So I think I feel like shining on anybody's life, 666 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:56,839 Speaker 2: there's stuff going on that that person probably would rather 667 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,839 Speaker 2: not everybody know about. So then it becomes this miss of, oh, well, 668 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:04,359 Speaker 2: what's actually happening? We have to find out, And then 669 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,759 Speaker 2: it becomes more and more and more and more, and 670 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 2: it snowballs into what we saw here with Hanna Kobayashi, 671 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:14,520 Speaker 2: where the media appeared to be obsessed with it, and 672 00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 2: I know that I was thinking about it. There were 673 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:19,960 Speaker 2: YouTube and TikTok videos coming out all over the place 674 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,680 Speaker 2: about this, speculating on every possibility of what could be happening. 675 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:26,160 Speaker 2: We talked about some of the speculation even when we 676 00:42:26,280 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 2: just mentioned it. And then she comes back and here's 677 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:34,320 Speaker 2: the quote from Hannah herself. I was unaware of everything 678 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:36,240 Speaker 2: that was happening in the media while I was away, 679 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 2: and I'm still processing it. 680 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:37,879 Speaker 4: All. 681 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:40,520 Speaker 2: My focus is now on my healing, my peace, and 682 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 2: my creativity. I'm deeply grateful to my family and everyone 683 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:47,279 Speaker 2: who's shown me kindness and compassion during this time. And 684 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 2: then basically, but also leave us alone, please. And that's 685 00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:55,399 Speaker 2: not a direct quote, but that's like a it's the feeling. Well, yeah, 686 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:59,000 Speaker 2: and I can imagine that feeling. But I can also 687 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:02,240 Speaker 2: imagine the families feeling of we can't get in contact 688 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:05,080 Speaker 2: with this person that we love and we're terrified. I 689 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,360 Speaker 2: can imagine the police officers who are out there searching 690 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:11,400 Speaker 2: and you know, hunting down leads to figure out what 691 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:15,280 Speaker 2: the heck happened. It's something that becomes a media storm 692 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:21,440 Speaker 2: that I think is probably disruptive and destructive. All attractive, 693 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 2: oh very much. 694 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 4: And this is There's there's one interesting wrinkle I'd like 695 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:31,080 Speaker 4: to share here, which is very small. I don't think 696 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:37,320 Speaker 4: it matters. But Kobyashi is also also very well known 697 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:41,400 Speaker 4: in the West for two things. First, the Kobyashi Maru, 698 00:43:41,719 --> 00:43:45,600 Speaker 4: the famous unwinnable scenario and Star Trek, and then second 699 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:50,279 Speaker 4: Kobyashi has a made up name in usual suspects. We're 700 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:53,600 Speaker 4: not going to spoil it more. But it's another investigatory 701 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:58,160 Speaker 4: or investigative missing person's case. Just leaning on fiction a 702 00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:04,040 Speaker 4: little bit to argue the name Kobiyashi pops in certain 703 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:06,719 Speaker 4: areas of the brain in the Western world. Right, if 704 00:44:06,719 --> 00:44:10,200 Speaker 4: the person's name had been different, would as much attention 705 00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:15,240 Speaker 4: have been paid? Had their socioeconomic or their demographic makeup 706 00:44:15,239 --> 00:44:19,800 Speaker 4: been different, would as much attention have been paid. It's 707 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:21,240 Speaker 4: a troubling question. 708 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:25,520 Speaker 2: It is. It appears that it was the family's tenacity 709 00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:29,920 Speaker 2: that got the media attention rolling. They didn't. They didn't 710 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:32,919 Speaker 2: stop raising their hand and saying, hey, we need help, 711 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 2: Hey we need help. Something is wrong. We don't know 712 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:35,920 Speaker 2: what's happening. 713 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:37,879 Speaker 4: We need help, reaching out to the law, reaching out 714 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:42,239 Speaker 4: to media, perhaps even more importantly, to push the law 715 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:47,560 Speaker 4: to do more arguably than they might in other similar instances. 716 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:53,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, but it is weird because this, Eh God, I 717 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 2: don't even want to say it out loud. I had 718 00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 2: the thought that this is a viable way to make 719 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:04,080 Speaker 2: yourself extremely famous, and then let it calm down, And 720 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 2: especially if you're an aspiring artist or someone who is 721 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:10,520 Speaker 2: going to use their talents to make money in the future. Now, 722 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:13,840 Speaker 2: everybody knows your name, and if you you are putting 723 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:16,279 Speaker 2: let's say you've put together some art and you want 724 00:45:16,280 --> 00:45:18,040 Speaker 2: to do an art show, you put your name to 725 00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:21,520 Speaker 2: you know, somebody who has a gallery and they're like, oh, 726 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 2: I know that is Yeah, we're doing an art show. 727 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:25,320 Speaker 4: Quite possibly. 728 00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:25,759 Speaker 3: Yeah. 729 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:27,600 Speaker 2: Other people come in and go, oh, I can get 730 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 2: a I can get a an h. Kobayashi and you like, 731 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:34,000 Speaker 2: I don't look. And that's I'm not saying that's what 732 00:45:34,040 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 2: she did. I'm just saying this is a troubling way, 733 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,560 Speaker 2: a potential way to get that kind of attention. 734 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:44,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, guys, my palm Matt here is not ascribing motive. 735 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:48,640 Speaker 4: We are gaming through what, to your point, Matt, is 736 00:45:49,120 --> 00:45:53,880 Speaker 4: quite viable strategy, Uh, one that historically has occurred in 737 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:58,360 Speaker 4: the past. Just saying and this is again, in no 738 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 4: way at any point are we alleging that conspiracy. I 739 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:04,759 Speaker 4: feel like what you're saying. 740 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 2: No, I am not alleging that conspiracy. Matt Frederick is 741 00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:13,960 Speaker 2: not saying that. Matt Frederick is exploring ideas. But hey, 742 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:15,600 Speaker 2: we just wanted to put out there because it did 743 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:18,960 Speaker 2: seem like a possibility. Uh, not in this case, but 744 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:22,200 Speaker 2: in maybe the future, because I couldn't find any specific 745 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:25,480 Speaker 2: instances of that occurring in the past, where like somebody 746 00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:29,960 Speaker 2: disappeared on purpose for fame and eventual fortune or something 747 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 2: like that. Moving on, guys, there is an exciting new 748 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:40,280 Speaker 2: federal regulation that we just have to talk about federal regulations. 749 00:46:43,160 --> 00:46:45,719 Speaker 2: There's really I don't know that if there's a positive thing, 750 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:50,400 Speaker 2: they have the potential to be very helpful, especially for 751 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:54,879 Speaker 2: human beings that do things like consume products or use 752 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:59,200 Speaker 2: services like oh, I don't know, healthcare, or go to 753 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:03,239 Speaker 2: concerts or get a hotel room. So in this case, 754 00:47:03,239 --> 00:47:06,680 Speaker 2: we're talking about us, the folks who buy things and 755 00:47:06,719 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 2: do things well. On Tuesday, December sixteenth, the FTC, the 756 00:47:12,160 --> 00:47:15,799 Speaker 2: Federal Trade Commission, has finalized a rule that will ban 757 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:21,360 Speaker 2: quote junk fees for live events, hotels, and vacation rentals. 758 00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:23,759 Speaker 2: I believe we've mentioned this before that there was talk 759 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:27,719 Speaker 2: of this occurring. It is now finalized. You can go 760 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:31,240 Speaker 2: to ABC News and read the writing of Elizabeth Schulez. 761 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:33,839 Speaker 2: The title of the article is new federal rule bands 762 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,960 Speaker 2: junk fees on hotels, live event tickets, and the new 763 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 2: regulation that comes forward or will see the effects of 764 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:43,680 Speaker 2: it in April, basically makes companies put the full price 765 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:46,800 Speaker 2: up front, so you won't get a resort fee hidden 766 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:49,959 Speaker 2: in your whatever it is air not an AIRBNBA would 767 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:53,600 Speaker 2: be a probably hotel in a city somewhere, or you 768 00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:57,280 Speaker 2: won't get at the end of your live event ticket 769 00:47:57,320 --> 00:48:00,240 Speaker 2: purchasing a little thing that says, here's an extra five 770 00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:03,240 Speaker 2: dollars that has to go on there for stuff. 771 00:48:03,760 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 4: Convenience, yeah, service, stuff like that. 772 00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:09,240 Speaker 2: But you're it doesn't mean you're going to be saving 773 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:12,799 Speaker 2: any money. Those prices now will just be worked into 774 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:15,840 Speaker 2: the official sticker price that you see when you click 775 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:18,919 Speaker 2: on the first link basically to buy that ticket. Who 776 00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:23,160 Speaker 2: knows if it's actually gonna help anybody out, but it's nice, 777 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,319 Speaker 2: an it's a nice form of bringing a little more 778 00:48:26,360 --> 00:48:30,560 Speaker 2: transparency to some of those transactions that we do online. 779 00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:34,640 Speaker 4: That's super cool too, because you know what this could be, Matt. 780 00:48:34,719 --> 00:48:39,120 Speaker 4: This could signal a precedent for one of the most 781 00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:45,040 Speaker 4: confusing things about physical stores here in these United States. 782 00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:50,319 Speaker 4: One of the things that constantly bedevils by otherwise incredibly 783 00:48:50,360 --> 00:48:53,520 Speaker 4: intelligent contacts when they go to the US is They 784 00:48:53,560 --> 00:48:57,520 Speaker 4: always ask me, why is the price on the shelf 785 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:01,600 Speaker 4: not the price that I pay? And I have to say, well, yeah, 786 00:49:01,719 --> 00:49:05,239 Speaker 4: you know, they bring up some state taxes. Then, you know, 787 00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:08,839 Speaker 4: depending your mileage may vary geographically, there might be some 788 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:12,480 Speaker 4: local taxes, there might be some tourist stuff, you know. 789 00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:15,680 Speaker 4: And then the question, which is a very good question, 790 00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:18,960 Speaker 4: is why don't you just tell me how much it is? 791 00:49:19,480 --> 00:49:19,719 Speaker 2: Yeah? 792 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:21,200 Speaker 3: Like what? Why not? 793 00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:24,920 Speaker 4: Why you're not paying any more for the sticker with 794 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:26,040 Speaker 4: the price tag on it? 795 00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:26,879 Speaker 3: You know what I mean? 796 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:30,120 Speaker 4: Just do the right price at the top, dude. 797 00:49:30,200 --> 00:49:33,120 Speaker 2: Like so many things in this world that we encounter, 798 00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:37,200 Speaker 2: it's a form of weaponized psychology because when you see 799 00:49:37,239 --> 00:49:40,920 Speaker 2: it and it looks nice and affordable, you go, oh, 800 00:49:40,920 --> 00:49:41,760 Speaker 2: this is good. 801 00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:48,719 Speaker 4: Twelve ninety nine. That's not fifteen dollars exactly. 802 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:50,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, yay. 803 00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:55,640 Speaker 2: But you know, I don't honestly, guys, I don't know 804 00:49:55,680 --> 00:49:57,719 Speaker 2: how helpful this this new thing is going to be. 805 00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:00,480 Speaker 2: But I did want to give a very special and 806 00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:04,520 Speaker 2: I'm doing this on purpose. Shout out to current FTC 807 00:50:04,680 --> 00:50:09,040 Speaker 2: chair Lena Kahan, who, throughout her tenure there has really 808 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:13,400 Speaker 2: been pushing for quote, a new era of antitrust regulation 809 00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:17,960 Speaker 2: challenging the business models of major corporations in industries ranging 810 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:24,520 Speaker 2: from big tech to pharmaceuticals. CON agreed, dude, Con uh, 811 00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:29,719 Speaker 2: we we dig all of that stuff. But CON is 812 00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 2: going to get replaced as soon as the nude administration 813 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:32,600 Speaker 2: comes in. 814 00:50:33,120 --> 00:50:37,320 Speaker 4: So if you're hearing us, Con, go fricking nuts right now. 815 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:40,919 Speaker 4: All the all the stuff, all the stuff. Push it through, 816 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:43,879 Speaker 4: Push it through. Don't save anything for the swim back. 817 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:45,680 Speaker 4: Hear me before they cut off the mic. 818 00:50:46,239 --> 00:50:50,360 Speaker 2: Oh man, there's a there's there's a piece at the 819 00:50:50,440 --> 00:50:53,239 Speaker 2: end of this ABC News article that it's a quote 820 00:50:53,280 --> 00:50:55,960 Speaker 2: from Con. And you know people have been asking you, well, 821 00:50:56,040 --> 00:50:59,000 Speaker 2: you're you know, you're basically a lame duck FTC chair 822 00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:00,920 Speaker 2: now because you're about to be out the door, like 823 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:03,919 Speaker 2: what are you doing? And she's like, oh, I'm using 824 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:07,360 Speaker 2: every second I got in here. I was just like, 825 00:51:10,120 --> 00:51:13,440 Speaker 2: it's just awesome, guys. I'm right at the end here, 826 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:16,000 Speaker 2: I'm gonna I'm gonna say one more thing, one more 827 00:51:16,080 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 2: note that I think is worth our time. This is 828 00:51:18,560 --> 00:51:22,000 Speaker 2: on you, though, ye who hear this, check this out 829 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:25,520 Speaker 2: on your own time if you can. BBC published an 830 00:51:25,640 --> 00:51:31,160 Speaker 2: article by Andy Verity title is Jaguar land Rover electric 831 00:51:31,360 --> 00:51:36,719 Speaker 2: car whistleblower sacked. This is a huge story that we 832 00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:40,160 Speaker 2: all need to be aware of. It is very important. 833 00:51:40,160 --> 00:51:42,960 Speaker 2: It has to do with if it's similar to the 834 00:51:42,960 --> 00:51:45,800 Speaker 2: Boeing story, has to do with a whistleblower coming forward 835 00:51:46,120 --> 00:51:51,560 Speaker 2: within the companies that manufacture electric vehicles. It's for several companies, 836 00:51:51,560 --> 00:51:54,640 Speaker 2: but they mentioned Jaguar land Rover, and I always say 837 00:51:54,719 --> 00:51:59,279 Speaker 2: Jaguar because of those commercials Bagulina Jaguar. 838 00:52:01,080 --> 00:52:03,520 Speaker 3: Fancy. I always want to one just for the hood ornament, 839 00:52:03,600 --> 00:52:04,720 Speaker 3: you know, yes. 840 00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:08,520 Speaker 2: But there are several other companies involved here, including a 841 00:52:08,640 --> 00:52:13,239 Speaker 2: Vietnamese car maker named vin Fast vin Fast, And it's 842 00:52:13,239 --> 00:52:16,239 Speaker 2: specifically about electric vehicles that they are manufacturing that this 843 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:22,799 Speaker 2: whistleblower is saying have faulty parts, faulty manufactured parts on them, 844 00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:26,960 Speaker 2: very important parts, specifically the shocks on these vehicles and 845 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:31,160 Speaker 2: the systems attached to those shocks, which as this whistleblower 846 00:52:31,239 --> 00:52:33,040 Speaker 2: is saying and posted some stuff on Reddit and then 847 00:52:33,080 --> 00:52:35,919 Speaker 2: that's why you got fired about how they will fall 848 00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:40,160 Speaker 2: apart mid driving, like going very fast, especially going fast 849 00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:42,440 Speaker 2: and you hit a small pothole or something. They have 850 00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:46,720 Speaker 2: the potential to break apart completely to where the tires 851 00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:50,280 Speaker 2: get so misaligned that the person driving that vehicle loses 852 00:52:50,320 --> 00:52:53,919 Speaker 2: complete control. One family of four has been killed due 853 00:52:53,920 --> 00:52:58,239 Speaker 2: to this faulty manufacturing, and there are several dozens of 854 00:52:58,280 --> 00:53:02,319 Speaker 2: other crashes reported to this stuff. But of course the 855 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:04,560 Speaker 2: companies want to keep it quiet, and this guy is 856 00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:07,759 Speaker 2: trying very hard not to keep it quiet. So do 857 00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:10,799 Speaker 2: look this up, check it out, and I guess, tell 858 00:53:10,880 --> 00:53:12,160 Speaker 2: us what you think. That's it. 859 00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:16,480 Speaker 4: And while you're telling us what you think, you're probably 860 00:53:16,520 --> 00:53:21,200 Speaker 4: wondering how do I reach out and not like KIV 861 00:53:21,600 --> 00:53:25,120 Speaker 4: touch these guys, but just in general, how do I 862 00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:28,439 Speaker 4: contact stuff they don't want you to know. We've got 863 00:53:28,440 --> 00:53:31,800 Speaker 4: some great news for you. You can find us on email, 864 00:53:31,840 --> 00:53:35,040 Speaker 4: a telephonic device. You can even hit us up on 865 00:53:35,239 --> 00:53:40,480 Speaker 4: various versions of the Internet, your favorite platforms, your favorite 866 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:43,719 Speaker 4: social needs. Should you sip. 867 00:53:43,680 --> 00:53:45,839 Speaker 5: It's right, You can find us at the handle conspiracy Stuff, 868 00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:48,560 Speaker 5: where we exist on Facebook with our Facebook group Here's 869 00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:53,120 Speaker 5: where it gets crazy. On AXFKA, Twitter, and on YouTube. 870 00:53:53,120 --> 00:53:57,440 Speaker 5: We have video content golord for your enjoyment on Instagram 871 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:02,120 Speaker 5: and TikTok TikTok on TikTok. Though, guys, we are conspiracy 872 00:54:02,280 --> 00:54:03,080 Speaker 5: stuff show. 873 00:54:03,600 --> 00:54:06,600 Speaker 2: We have a phone number. It is one eight three 874 00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:12,160 Speaker 2: three std WYTK. Put it in your contacts if you 875 00:54:12,239 --> 00:54:14,759 Speaker 2: choose to call it. If you do choose to call it, 876 00:54:15,080 --> 00:54:18,319 Speaker 2: you'll hear a familiar sound, a familiar voice, and then 877 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:21,279 Speaker 2: you'll get three minutes. Within that three minutes, give yourself 878 00:54:21,320 --> 00:54:23,160 Speaker 2: a cool nickname and let us know if we can 879 00:54:23,239 --> 00:54:25,360 Speaker 2: use your name and message on the air. Other than that, 880 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:28,600 Speaker 2: no rules. If you've got more to say, maybe links, 881 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:31,560 Speaker 2: maybe photos, anything like that. Can't really do it that way, 882 00:54:31,719 --> 00:54:33,200 Speaker 2: but you can do it if you send us a 883 00:54:33,200 --> 00:54:34,400 Speaker 2: good old fashioned email. 884 00:54:34,719 --> 00:54:38,880 Speaker 4: We are the entities that read every piece of correspondence 885 00:54:38,920 --> 00:54:42,520 Speaker 4: we receive. Be well aware, yet unafraid. Sometimes the void 886 00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:45,960 Speaker 4: writes back. Big shout out to Tom by the Way, 887 00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:50,280 Speaker 4: who recently reached out regarding his story about a dragon, 888 00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:56,000 Speaker 4: which I would argue prefigures the recent hubbub surrounding droves 889 00:54:56,200 --> 00:54:59,839 Speaker 4: across these United States. Can't wait to hear your lim 890 00:55:00,360 --> 00:55:03,400 Speaker 4: If you are anyone but humorous Harry, please send us 891 00:55:03,400 --> 00:55:06,760 Speaker 4: some jokes as well. Most importantly, give us some leads 892 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:10,080 Speaker 4: on new episodes. We're just to step away from the light. 893 00:55:10,640 --> 00:55:14,520 Speaker 4: Join us out here in the dark conspiracy at iHeartRadio 894 00:55:14,760 --> 00:55:33,279 Speaker 4: dot com. 895 00:55:33,440 --> 00:55:35,520 Speaker 2: Stuff they Don't Want You to Know is a production 896 00:55:35,600 --> 00:55:40,160 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 897 00:55:40,239 --> 00:55:43,640 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.