1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: It's ready, are you hey? And welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 1: I'm Josh Clark with me as always, It's Charles W. 4 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: Chuck Bryant that makes the stuff. You should know the 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: podcast the audio version, because we have a video version, baby. Yeah. 6 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: We throw videos that once a week now. No, no, no, 7 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,639 Speaker 1: I mean we have like a video version of our 8 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: podcast that has rules. It's like a game show, remember 9 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: the stupid game show and we hey, yeah, yeah, that 10 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: one that's coming soon. It'll probably be out by this 11 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: time on the website. I think it published in our 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: You and Me time right here. I think it publishes 13 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: next week in the time that where we're in people's 14 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: earbuds right now. Yeah, and published already. So go to 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: the video section of how Stuff works and search in 16 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: the video section Stuff you should know when you'll be 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: able to find that. And it's not an audio version 18 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: of what we do. It's a totally different. It's like 19 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes long new content that you've never heard. 20 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: Loose fun. It's not that fun, but it is definitely loose. 21 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: You'll like it, and if you don't again, it's free. Yeah. Free. Um. Also, uh, 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: you can find us on Twitter. We have fun on Twitter. 23 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: Our Twitter handle is s y s K podcast for 24 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: front loading this one, okay? Um. And then on Facebook, 25 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: we're almost like fifty friends on Facebook. You can call 26 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,199 Speaker 1: them and you can listen to us on w FMU 27 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: in the New York metro area at ninety point one 28 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: FM and in the Hudson Valley at nine one point 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: one and that's Friday evenings at seven at seven o'clock. Yeah, 30 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: we love w FMU and it's we're very proud to 31 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: be a part of that station. Yeah. Our buddy can 32 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: over there. Um just takes one classic episode and another 33 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: classic episode. It makes them kiss like Barbie Dolls, right 34 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: and puts them into an hour long version. Alright, yea 35 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: plug fest out of the way. Oh. We have two 36 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: audio books, one on the Economy, one Unhappiness. You can 37 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 1: find them on iTunes. Yeah, super stuff guides. Yeah, okay, 38 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: you're ready now, Chuck. Have you heard about this occupy 39 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: Wall Street jam? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, they're shutting it down 40 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: here and there are they? I thought they were generally 41 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: keeping it as long as it uh stayed contained in 42 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: Zuccati Park. It was relatively okay. Well, I mean in 43 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: different cities. They're like, cleared them out of Atlanta yesterday, 44 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: Oakland and tear gas them, tear gasts and stunt grenades, 45 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: and the apparently when they came back, they tear gast 46 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: them again, stun grenade at them. And there and the 47 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: the Occupy Oakland people are like, we're gonna come back 48 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: every day, and the cops that are like, we're gonna 49 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: stunt grenade you every day. We got lots of stunt grenades. 50 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: Did they clear out Atlanta? What happened? He cleared out 51 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: Atlanta overnight last night, I think, But I don't know 52 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: if people are gonna come back or nothing. It is 53 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: so shady to clear it out overnight. It happens apparently 54 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: so well. Occupy Wall Street in particulars doing pretty well. Um. 55 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: It started September seventeenth, and as of today, October UM, 56 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: it's been going on for thirty nine days, which is substantial. 57 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people are surprised that it's 58 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: been going on this long, But as long as thirty 59 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 1: nine days seems it's got nothing on the occupation of 60 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: Alcatraz that took place starting November nine sixty nine and 61 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: lasted nineteen months. The Red Power movement, Yes, Red Power. 62 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: Basically this was you've heard of AIM, the American Indian movement, 63 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: the one that UM Marlon Brando helped out by having 64 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: what was her name, Little Feather go except as Oscar, Yeah, 65 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: I think that was her name. UM this started that. 66 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: This is largely credited with starting that. So November sixty 67 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: nine a guy named Richard Mackenzie who was a UM. 68 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: I think he was a mohawk. No, I'm sorry, Uh, 69 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: Richard Oakes was a mohawk and he led an occupation 70 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: UM that took over another occupation basically that it started 71 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: like a couple of weeks earlier, and UM basically just 72 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 1: sat in with about a hundred people on Alcatraz and said, hey, 73 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: we think this should be a cultural center for Native Americans, 74 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: and we think it should be the site of an 75 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: Indian university as well, and we're gonna stay here until 76 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: you meet our demands. And they did. And one of 77 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: the key UM ingredients of this was that it was 78 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: UM inner tribal. There was more than one tribe. It 79 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: wasn't just the Mohawks who were doing this, which made 80 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: it UM groundbreaking as far as um Indian, the Indian 81 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: movement was concerned um and it lasted for a while, 82 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 1: It had its ups and downs, and basically it was 83 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: ultimately co opted by the dirty hippies in San Francisco, 84 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: um on the across the bay, who started showing up 85 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: and like doing drugs, like openly in the in the prison. Now, granted, 86 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: you don't get too many opportunities to take acid on Alcatraz, 87 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: but they they ended up eroding the occupation severely the 88 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: right and there was a basis for that. Even the 89 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: Treaty of Fort Laramie in eighteen sixty eight said that 90 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: all retired, abandoned, out of use federal land shall be 91 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: returned to the Native people from whom it was acquired. 92 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: And since Alcatraz the prison had shut down in nineteen 93 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: sixty three, it was declared a surplus federal property. So 94 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: they said, you know what, We'll give you forty seven 95 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: cents an acre, which is what you bought it for. 96 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: So we'll give you nine dollars and forty cents for Alcatraz. 97 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: Nice And they said no, let's bring in the coast Guard. Well, 98 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: for a while it was tolerated again nineteen months. But 99 00:05:55,320 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: then in January, two oil tankers collided UH in San 100 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: Francisco Bay, and although there was it was clearly established 101 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: that the lighthouse, which was no longer working on Alcatraz 102 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: because of the movement, had no part in this. It 103 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: was enough so that public sentiment was like, get those 104 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: guys out of there. So Nixon was like, get them 105 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: out of there. Yeah, they shut down the power, shut 106 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: off telephone service, a fire broke out, and then it 107 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,359 Speaker 1: dwindled down to about fifteen people, and that was small 108 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: enough to where they could just go in and say, 109 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: come on, five women, four children, six unarmed men, and 110 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: Richard Oakes thirteen year old stepdaughter unfortunately felled her to 111 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: death during the middle of this occupation three three stories 112 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: down because she probably fell from a cell block because 113 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: they were three tiers high. That's right. So this is 114 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: just one major event in the history of Alcatraz, one 115 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 1: of many UH in. Alcatraz itself dates back at least 116 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: well far before this. As far as Europeans are concerned, 117 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: Alcatraz origins begin in seventeen seventy five, but let's talk 118 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: about the Native American um use of Alcatraz before then. 119 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: I got one more interesting factory. A young Benjamin Bratt 120 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: was one of the with his mother and sisters, Benjamin 121 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: brad of TV's Law and Order fame. Wow, he was 122 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: one of the one of the kids. That's awesome, alright. 123 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: So taking Alcatraz, let's go back in time to the 124 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: Native Americans. There was some rumors that it was actually 125 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: a prison for them as well, where they would exile 126 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: those who broke tribal law, but historians say that might 127 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: not be the case. They probably just went there looking 128 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: for eggs there, Pelican egg specifically, because the word Alcatraz 129 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: is an anglicization. I think that's right of the word alcatrasis, 130 00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: which means Pelicans or gannetts. Though that's what I didn't 131 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: get working on with Pelicans, that's what I've heard, but 132 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: alcatrazs which was given to the island by the Spanish 133 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: explorer Don Juan Manuel day Ayala in seventeen seventy five 134 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: when he sailed into San Francisco Bay. He was pretty 135 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: cool because he was like, it is on this site 136 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: that I decree here and he will eventually play. Yes, 137 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: that's right, Yeah, that was my Don Juan Ayala. Very nice, 138 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: very nice. So that was that was the earliest history 139 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: that we know of, even though it's not written down. UH. 140 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: In eighteen forty seven there was an official survey of 141 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: this island, which we should mention is a the top 142 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: of a mountain, because San Francisco Bay used to be 143 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: a valley. Pretty much all islands are tops of mountains 144 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: when you get down to it. Yeah, But I like 145 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: how Grabanowski was like, no, I'm just coming out and 146 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: saying it. In this time, Lieutenant William H. Warner of 147 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: the U. S. Army UH was like, Hey, this is 148 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: a really prime location here in the bay to UH 149 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: stage munitions and to have a defense position. So let's 150 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: construct let's construct a building here to guard against the 151 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 1: Confederate soldiers. And you don't I don't really think about 152 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: you know, it's your north and south, but forget about 153 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: San Francisco on there. Yeah, being a part of the 154 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 1: Civil War. Oh yeah, especially with the gold rush going 155 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: on out there. Anybody who controlled San Francisco controlled the 156 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: substantial amount of gold. So it's a big deal. But 157 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: despite the fortifications that were eventually built there and the 158 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: guns that were brought there, the citadel is what they 159 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: called it. But It is not to be confused with 160 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: the school. Um. The the guns were fired a couple 161 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: of times, but never in battle. It was always like 162 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: a case of mistaken identity, like what was that? Or yeah, 163 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: or everybody who was on stationed on Alcatraz got drunk 164 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: and just fired him off out of boardom I suppose 165 00:09:54,280 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 1: that could have happened. Um, eventually people started being sent Alcatraz. 166 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: If you deserted and were caught, or your court martial 167 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: and it didn't go so well, you might end up 168 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: on Alcatraz, especially if you were stationed around there. And Um, 169 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: the guy who was the head of the um fort 170 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: they're basically, was like, wow, we have a basement. I 171 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: guess we can start keeping people in the basement, and 172 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: we will. It's a brig Now build a couple of 173 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: cells here there. And then all of a sudden it 174 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: became very apparent not only is it a great spot 175 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 1: for a garrison, it's a great spot for a prison, because, Chuck, 176 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: there's a lot of aspects to Alcatraz that that make 177 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: it a very attractive prison location. It's an island, it's 178 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: a rock, there's a prison on it, and the water 179 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: is very chilly. Uh, and it's invested with great white sharks. 180 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: And that's the word everyone uses, is infested. I don't 181 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: know if that's is it infested, that's what everyone uses. 182 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: Even San Franciscan's are like infested. They make it sound 183 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: like you jump in and you will be attacked by 184 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: great white sharks. Have you ever seen the movie Piranha. Yeah, 185 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: it's like that, but with great white sharks. I saw 186 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: the remake the other day. By the way, how is it? 187 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: It is kind of awesomely gruesomely awesome and funny? Is 188 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: it an homage to the first one? Yeah, I mean 189 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: it's way over the top, and it's one of those 190 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: is so over the top it's like, well this is 191 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: kind of fun. It's not good. I have a feeling 192 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: it's sort of like that. But yeah, there's way way 193 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: over the top and awesome for that reason too. But 194 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 1: have you seen Piranha three D? You remembers they fly eventually? Yeah? 195 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: The Spawning? Yeah you know who wrote that actually, Benjamin Bratt, 196 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: no amazing writer filmmaker John Sales. Yeah, that was one 197 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 1: of his first writing jobs in Hollywood, was writing a 198 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: Piranha three The Spawning. I think crazy, you know, Roger 199 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: Ebert wrote, Um, yea, did we talk about that and 200 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: they exploitation film. Yeah, that's well you should say that 201 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: beyond the Valley of the Dolls. All right, back to Alcatraz, 202 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, back to the citadel post Civil War. Um, 203 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: there was a big earthquake in San Francisco in nineteen 204 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: o six, and so they had to actually bring two 205 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: hundred regular civilian prisoners out to Alcatraz, and uh, you know, 206 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: the military at that point was like, you know, it's 207 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: really expensive. Let's we don't really need a military prison anymore. So, um, 208 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: let's tear the citadel down. Jedger Hoover said, we need 209 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: a big deterrent in a big scary place, So why 210 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: don't we use Alcatraz and make that a regular federal 211 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:35,319 Speaker 1: penitentiary penitentiary. Well, that was in the thirties. In l 212 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: they said the citadel, we do need a military prison, 213 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: or if we're gonna do it, let's do it right, 214 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: And they tore the citadel down and built the military prison. 215 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: They built actually the technical name was the United States 216 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: Military Prison Pacific Branch, Alcatraz Island, and that was in 217 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: nineteen twelve. But then, like you said, they were like, 218 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 1: this is really expensive. You got to bring in everything 219 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: from the San Francisco area. Everyone knows how exp some 220 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: cheeses in San Francisco. And they're like, hey, Mr JAA Hoover, 221 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 1: look over here. And he did, right, he did. He said, 222 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: I'm trying to crack down on all these bootleggers and 223 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,439 Speaker 1: all of these chippies, and I need a prison that's 224 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: gonna just scare people. Just the name of it's gonna 225 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: scare people. And I'm in love with my assistant and 226 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: and we're gonna we're gonna use Alcatraz because it is again, 227 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 1: a perfect prison, that's right. So that that happened. Ownership 228 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: was transferred in between thirty three and thirty four, and 229 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: they brought the first regular civilian prisoners prisoners over to 230 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: stay and in secrecy. Yeah, I wonder why. I think 231 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: that's a good way to start off the worst prison 232 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: in the country. Okay, well they secretly transporting prisoners there. 233 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: That's like, yeah, that makes you feel like you can 234 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: be stolen out of your house at any moment. All right. 235 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: So that is the history of the island and the 236 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: origins of the prison a k a. Part one. Now 237 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: starts part too. M M, thank you, Chuck. Yes. Part 238 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: two begins with oh, let me stop you first. By 239 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: the way, did you mentioned that lighthouse. That's the very 240 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: first lighthouse on the West coast, and they rebuilt it 241 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: and it still operates today. Yeah. They actually had to 242 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: rebuild it because they started building up San Francisco and 243 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: the lighthouses, like, I can't see it's foggy, yeah, and 244 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: the sharks everywhere help and uh so they tore it 245 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: down and built it again in nineteen nine and now 246 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: it's bigger and it's unobstructed. That's right, all right, So 247 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: modern day or more modern day at least Alcatraz. We 248 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: mentioned it's a mountain top of a mountain. It's very rocky, 249 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: and well they call it the rock for a reason. Yeah, 250 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: there's not a lot of plant life growing there. It's 251 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: not some beautiful island getaway. No. Almost all the plant 252 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: life that grows there was brought in by construction crews 253 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: over the years who were like, God, we need a 254 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: tree or something here, you need a boxwood or something, 255 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: and so they started bringing in so oil and shrubs 256 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: and trees and planted a few things here there. Yeah, 257 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: a few of those things found purchase. It's just a 258 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: dead piece of rock, which just adds to the gloom 259 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: and the dismalness of it, right, which actually plays a 260 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: part in the end of the great, great great movie 261 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: Escape from Alcatraz movie. Remember you saw the little flower 262 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: on the shore. Yeah, that's right. He's like, they ain't 263 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: no flowers like this here. Yeah. Uh so Alcatraz Josh 264 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: was built to accommodate six hundred cons but it only 265 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: held about three hundred, and at the time in l 266 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: it was really innovative because first you had the island 267 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: as as hey, you can't escape from the island, so 268 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: why bother trying. Then they had cellblocks within the concrete wall, 269 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: so it was for the first time you know it 270 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: cells within cells almost right. You didn't have a window 271 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: looking out to the outside from yourself, no, no, no, um. 272 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: So yeah, if you wanted to get your way out 273 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: of there, you had to make it through the wall 274 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: of your cell and then the outer wall. That's right. Um. 275 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: They also had metal detectors, which were pretty much new, 276 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: brand new at the time, and rather than the key 277 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: like they had in the Green Mile, they had the levers. 278 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: The lever system to open cell blocks, like they had 279 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: an escape from Alcatraz, which was a big deal because 280 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: you could do that remotely. You didn't have to go 281 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: to the cell where you're vulnerable. Uh. They also reinforced 282 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: all the iron with hardened steels called tools distant because 283 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: you couldn't cut through it, just like me, because you 284 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: couldn't cut through the hacksaw. And apparently it cost as 285 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: much to install those did to build it in the 286 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: first place. So so the average the typical cell um 287 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: was something like, uh, five ft wide by nine ft deep, 288 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: and they were concrete walls. How big is this in here? Oh, 289 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: this is like two cells. I think if you go 290 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: like this, it's like two cells going that way. Yiche. 291 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: All three three, three of the four walls were made 292 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: of um concrete, and then the fourth wall was the 293 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: um steel tool resistant um bars. That's right, the fourth wall. 294 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: You didn't want to break that. People thought you were corny. 295 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: That a little bed. You have a little turlet. You 296 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: had a couple of shelves in the back to put 297 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: your stuff. You had a little they call it a desk. 298 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: It was really just a sort of a little fold down. 299 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 1: It was very small. Obviously everything was small. And that 300 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: was it. That was it. No uh, you know, no 301 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: dub's no breakfast in bed and you could, uh, you 302 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: can imagine this is pretty bad in and of itself. 303 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: But that's a block, B block and C block, right, 304 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: that's right. Um, there was also D Block, and D 305 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: Block was where if you were trouble they sent you. 306 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: They called that the treatment unit. Yeah, it was the 307 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: inhumane treatment is what they should have called it. Yeah. 308 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: That they had um, I think fourteen or fifth cells 309 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: in D Block and that was solitary confinement, and then 310 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: you had cells nine through fourteen was the whole and 311 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: those were the ones with the iron doors where you 312 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: had no light. And then they had one cell that 313 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: apparently was the worst of the worst that just had 314 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: a hole in the floor to go poo poo and 315 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: peepee and you were usually naked if you were in there, 316 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: and not for any good reasons. That's where the Birdman 317 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: stayed the whole time. Really, Nanny's on de block. Really Yeah, 318 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: apparently you couldn't be in the hole for more than 319 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:37,479 Speaker 1: nineteen days. But the Birdman, Robert Stroud, was in prison 320 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: for fifty four years, and forty two years of that 321 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: were in solitary confinement. Can you imagine, dude, I can't. 322 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: They're not rehabbing that guy. And I'm not making a 323 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: big political statement, but forty two years in solitary that 324 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: was just straight up punishment. I think that. Um, I 325 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: think that that was the best Alcatraz movie ever. Birdman 326 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: of Alcatraz, no way, Yeah, have you seen it? Yeah, dude, 327 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: Burt Lancaster, Yeah, it was good, it was good. Um. 328 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: He didn't have any birds in Alcatraz though, Did he 329 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: really spent Yeah? He did. What are you talking about? You? 330 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: It's like, you're crazy. He had There were no animals 331 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: all out there. He had that came from Leavenworth Prison 332 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: and when he got to Alcatraz there were like no 333 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: more birds for you. Oh. I thought he ended up 334 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: keeping birds anyway, and that's probably why he was in 335 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: D block the whole time. Let's go with that, Okay. Um, Well, 336 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: then why would they call him the Birdman of Alcatraz 337 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: because he was already a birdman when he went to Alcatraz. 338 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: It's a movie the same reason they fictionalized murder in 339 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: the first with Kevin Bacon. We'll get to that, um. 340 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: And prior to the the construction of D Block. You 341 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: would just be held in the dungeon, which is in 342 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: the basement of the original citadel, which is where the 343 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: first prisoners ever to be kept on Alcatraz were kept. 344 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 1: It's probably not a fun place. So Chuck, you said 345 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: that there was no breakfast in bed. There was breakfast, 346 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: and that came every day. After you swept yourself, then 347 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: you lined up for inspection and you went down for breakfast. 348 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: That's right. Then after that you went to work. Twenty 349 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: minutes twenty minute breakfast. Huh, twenty minute for each meal. 350 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: I could do twenty minute breakfast. It's leisurely, that is true. 351 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: Is lesually, so you'd be sent to like the laundry. Um, 352 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: you would be maybe if you were the book guy, 353 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: you would be sent for the library. A lot of dockwork, 354 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: lots of unloading and loading of things. Yeah. Um. And 355 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 1: also they manufactured stuff on Alcatraz. They manufactured brushes and brooms, 356 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: but a little known fact these things, by law, could 357 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: not be sold on the own open market, only to 358 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: federal agencies because the government didn't want to flood the 359 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: broom and brush markets with cheaply made goods. So government 360 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 1: buildings were swept with Alcatraz rooms. Interesting. Yeah, I did 361 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 1: not know that the walkways they named the Central Walkway 362 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,959 Speaker 1: was between the Cell Blox was Broadway. Because they had 363 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: a flair for the dramatic, they named them after New 364 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 1: York streets, Park Avenue, Michigan Avenue and Broadway. And then 365 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: Times Square was between the mess Hall and the Cell Blox. 366 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:16,440 Speaker 1: And overlooking all this on either end was a very 367 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: important station called the Gun Gallery and it was enclosed 368 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 1: in bars and mesh, and there's where you will find 369 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: some of the only guns aside from the towers and Alcatraz, 370 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: where these armed dudes that had a very clear shot 371 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: in the line of sight of the whole place. But 372 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: the guards didn't carry guns or keys or handcuffs because 373 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: that was a risk, but they illegally carried these things 374 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: called SAPs. It was like a metal baton and a 375 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: leather strap black jack. Yeah, and they weren't supposed to 376 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: have those, but they had those um And then after 377 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: a hard day of work of being eyed by guys 378 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: in the Gun Gallery, you would have inner lights out 379 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:07,360 Speaker 1: at ninety and then ovensmores and then the thing is Alcatraz. 380 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: Thanks to Jacker Hoover had a really crazy reputation for 381 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: being like the hardest place ever. UM. But everything we 382 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 1: just described you're going to go through generally in any 383 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: prison in the thirties through the sixties, UM, but Alcatraz 384 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: did differ in some ways. Specifically, it was extremely especially 385 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:32,199 Speaker 1: at its beginning, it was extremely rigid in its UM discipline, 386 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: Like there was literally no talking for most of the time. UM. 387 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: Prisoners weren't allowed to speak out loud UM except for 388 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: designated times. I think like twenty minutes a week. I 389 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: don't know that sounds about right. UM. And they if 390 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: you if you did speak out loud, you went to 391 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: the dungeon or d black later on. Did you have 392 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 1: no talk in school elementary school, I don't remember if 393 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: we did. They would do that in the cafeteria sometimes 394 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: we had these flags and if things were getting roundy 395 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 1: or they were whatever, they were mad at us, they 396 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 1: would say, you know, you're on no talk and they 397 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: put up the red flag. And it was the worst. 398 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: It was awful, especially for me. I was just like 399 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: trying to say things to my friends. Yeah, they actually 400 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: said the dining room is the most dangerous place in Alcatraz. 401 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: I would imagine because you got all the cons in there, 402 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: and they had um have you ever been no, I'd 403 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: like to go go. They have on the wall in 404 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: the dining room they have where they kept the knives, 405 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: the knife rack. They had silhouetted outlines in the shape 406 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: of each one, so if one of them was missing, 407 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: you would see what's missing immediately, So there's no sneaking 408 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: out of butcher knives. Even though they had that stuff there. 409 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:48,199 Speaker 1: John lithcow On Dexter had that for his tools. Oh yeah, 410 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: that was a great season. They did have visiting hours 411 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: um or should I say visiting our You got one 412 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: visit a month. Had to be an immediate family or 413 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: a proo the visitor, and you could only talk about 414 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: personal matters. You can talk about the prison or life there. 415 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: And there was of course no contact whatsoever. Like they 416 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't like put you in a room with them. They'd 417 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: be like not touching, not touching at all. Um. Alcatraz 418 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 1: also was a little different in that people lived on 419 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: the island, which isn't all that different. I think most 420 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,360 Speaker 1: prisons have an area around him where the guards live. 421 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: I didn't know this, um, but with Alcatraz it was 422 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: like you live on the island, Your family lived on 423 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: the island. Your kids take a boat to school every 424 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 1: day and back. Um, if you want a grocery shop, 425 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: if you want some smokes, whatever, you take a boat 426 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: and back. If you use up your razor and you 427 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: need to shave, you throw your old razor in the bay. 428 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: Same with used utensils. I'm sure after they're worn out, 429 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 1: not from washing like every time, it's their work in 430 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: the bay or anything like that. Um and the kids 431 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: weren't allowed to have toy guns for really good reasons, 432 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: because she didn't want to convict getting their hands on 433 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: one and then pretending that they were gonna shoot a 434 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: guard with a with a cap gun. And magazines had 435 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: to be carefully patrolled because they didn't want prisoners looking 436 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: at sexy things or reading about current events at all, 437 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: or sex or crime. Those are two things that the 438 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,239 Speaker 1: prisoners who were not allowed to read about, which came 439 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: into play with your buddy Robert Stroud what the birdman? Yeah? 440 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: What do you mean? He? Um was not allowed to 441 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: read his biography because it had chapters of his criminal past. 442 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: In so his biography came out and he wasn't ever 443 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: allowed to read it. It's said he had a pretty 444 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: sad life. What did he do? He was a He 445 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: moved to Alaska and took up with in the pimping industry, 446 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: with one particular lady of the night. Ah. He though 447 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: he went to go protect her at one point from 448 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: this dude who didn't pay her. A scuffle broke out 449 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: out and he was killed, and uh, he turned himself 450 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: in with the gun, said here I did this, and 451 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: um but took the money from his wallet, which I 452 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 1: think trumped it up to a more serious charge. But 453 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 1: it was originally manslaughter. So he he probably would have 454 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,640 Speaker 1: been okay if he hadn't gone to prison and been 455 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: such a jerk. When he got to prison, he was 456 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: one of the most violent inmates anywhere he went. And 457 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: that just kept adding time and adding time, and he 458 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: kept shuffling him around until he ended up at Alcatraz. 459 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:32,719 Speaker 1: But Burt Lancaster says that he wasn't like that. One 460 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: thing the Grabster did not mention was the wreck yard, 461 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: where you could go I think, for an hour a 462 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: day if you're a good boy, in an hour a 463 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 1: week if you're in solitary. And they had handball and 464 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: horse shoes and chess and checkers and backgammon, and you 465 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: were allowed to play hearts, cribbage, and that is it 466 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: for card games, even though it says they played bridge 467 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: using dominoes. And you could see from the from the 468 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 1: reck yard, you could see San Francisco, which they said 469 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: it was the biggest psychological crippler of all is. You 470 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: could see the stuff going on, and they said every 471 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: New Year's at the yacht club would have a party, 472 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: a big, big party, and if the winds were blowing right, 473 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 1: you'd actually hear like music and ladies laughing and stuff 474 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: like that, which was just torture. Were a lot of fun. Yeah, 475 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: like listening to something at last spirit Um. You know 476 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 1: al Capone was there, Did you know that? That's what 477 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: I hear? And so al Capone was there. You get 478 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: the Birdman of Alcatraz and then has the reputation of 479 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: being the worst of the worst, the worst prison where 480 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 1: the worst of the worst are housed. That was you know, 481 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 1: al Capone is a pretty big criminal. He has a 482 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: pretty big nab for the g men. But it was 483 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: a federal prison and it was early on in the 484 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: history of the federal prison system, so people who really 485 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: probably didn't belong there sometimes ended up in Alcatraz as Um, 486 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: you could be sent there for shoplifting in a store 487 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 1: that had a post office branch, madd a federal crime. 488 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: If like you know, how like you like to bring 489 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: fireworks into Georgia a lot. Well, had that been bootleg 490 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: liquor and had you been caught just just bringing in 491 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: like a fifth, you could have gone to Alcatraz. So 492 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: it wasn't all murderers and gangsters, No it wasn't. It 493 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: had a very um, a surprisingly normal history as far 494 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: as prisons go, federal prisons go for the time. Um, 495 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: but it also had a very fearsome reputation and some 496 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: of it was earned compundn't a very good time there though. No, 497 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: he had syphilis and he was crazy and used to 498 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: cry like a baby. Plus he had it made in 499 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: the prison before apparently he was still running his ops 500 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: and they got to Alcatraz like no, no, no, now 501 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: it's not happening here. So, um, you want to talk 502 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: about escaping from Alcatraz? Yeah, I didn't want to mention. Two, 503 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: you did get cigarettes. You got a pack of smokes 504 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, whether you smoked or not. 505 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's currency right there. Yeah, would smoke. I 506 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: think if I was in prison, would you Yeah? Something 507 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: to do? Man? Yeah, And you're like, I don't know. 508 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: I think at that point I trying to be I 509 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: try to shorten my life anyway. I could this faster 510 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: ways than smoking, that's true, more efficient ways as well. 511 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: So escape, Yeah, it happened. Yeah, there have been plenty 512 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: of attempts, but um at least two were possibly successful. Right. 513 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: So the first attempt was two years after the prison started. 514 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: I think when you still weren't allowed to talk. This 515 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: guy was like, I can't take it anymore and he 516 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: ran and jumped on the fence and was shot and killed. 517 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 1: So that was pretty easy. That was the first escape attempt. 518 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: What two years after that? No, the next year two 519 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: prisoners got out and they escaped and they think that 520 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: they drowned, but they're not sure because they never got bodies, right, 521 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: But the places infested with great white sharks, right, I'm 522 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: sure they were eating alive. Then, Henry Young, we talked 523 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: about the movie Murder in the First with Kevin Bacon 524 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: n nine. He tried to escape with three other ones, 525 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: three other inmates. They were found on the beach so 526 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: they did get out. One was shot and killed, another 527 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: one was wounded, and Young and rufus McCain. Uh, we're 528 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: probably near hypothermia, and we're collected back into prison. And 529 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: this was there. I think Young stab McCain the next 530 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: year to death in the workshop. But um, if you 531 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: see the movie Murder in the First it is highly, 532 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: highly fictionalized. It's not very close to the real story. 533 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: So don't don't take it's a good movie though. Now 534 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 1: and the trial of Henry Young definitely brought attention to 535 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: the treatment of prisoners in Alcatraz and public outcry, Um, 536 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 1: you may still be out there. He broke parole, he 537 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: was released and in Washington and skip parole and just disappeared. 538 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: He's probably not out there because he was in prison 539 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: in ninety nine. They said he'd be in his nineties. Crazy. 540 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: My grandmother lived to be a one. Well, if you're 541 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: Henry Young, we want to hear from you. Please let 542 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: us know. We want your your Deathbay confession. They'd be sweet. 543 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: Did I ever tell you that? Um? You know I 544 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: wrote about dB Cooper. I wrote an article, a brief 545 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: article about him. Um. One of the guys who I 546 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: cited is possibly having been dB Cooper. His widow emailed 547 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: me it was like it was not him, It wasn't him. 548 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 1: I'm like, that is pretty cool. People have asked for 549 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: that podcast? Is it? Is it meeting enough your article? Uh? Yeah? 550 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: And and there's enough research and stuff that's happened since 551 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: it was like a five minute podcast. Do you want 552 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: to redo that one? We actually did that one. No, No, 553 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: I didn't see it. I'm sorry, cheater. Do you want 554 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: to yes? Okay, we will. That brings us o to 555 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: the most famous escape attempt and possibly escape from the 556 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: great great movie, Escape from Alcatraz, which was really pretty 557 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: accurate Clint Eastwood. No, man, that was pretty accurate job 558 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: that they did. Have you ever seen the real head? 559 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: It was? So we're talking about Clarence and John Anglin, 560 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: two brothers, and uh played by Fred Ward and some 561 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: other guy and Frank Morris played by Clint Eastwood, worked 562 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: a couple of years on their plan to get out 563 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: of Alcatraz, and they chipped away at the wall, which 564 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: was at that point rotting somewhat from salt water and 565 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: salt air. We'll probably not water, and um, they chopped 566 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: the way holes big enough to get out they made 567 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 1: a little false facade that looked like the great in there. Anyway, 568 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: it was like painted cardboard. Yeah, that they would pull 569 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: too behind them when they went out in the conduit 570 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: area behind the walls. So they go behind the walls, 571 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: which is where they kept all their stuff. They fashioned 572 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: raincoats together to make a crude, uh sort of a 573 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: life raft that they could blow up. They made paper 574 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,719 Speaker 1: mache heads that they put in the bed every night, 575 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 1: and they could go work and think about how tired 576 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: they work, and they couldn't sleep the next day. They 577 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: must have gotten they I wonder how they figured out 578 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: a schedule, like Okay, we can do this X number 579 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: of hours every night or else we're gonna lose our minds. Yeah, 580 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:29,960 Speaker 1: but I imagine it's like should I be tired or 581 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: should I escape from Alcatraz? Oh, and you escape from Alcatras. 582 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: You want to take your time do it right? As 583 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: they proved though, because one night finally everything was finished 584 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: and they went up to the roof through this little 585 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: conduit area and um hopped the fence and made their 586 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: way out into the night and were never heard from again. 587 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: That's right. And they found apparently, uh, these myth Busters. 588 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: Have you heard of them? Yeah, they apparently did in 589 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: the first season. They tried to recreate it because they 590 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: lived in San Francisco, right, Yeah, they're up there somewhere, 591 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: so they they tried to recreate the escape and they 592 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,719 Speaker 1: did it, which I guess kind of shows that it 593 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: is possible, especially if you were going to go back. 594 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: I can imagine they had all the incentive in the 595 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: world to make that happen. Yeah, that's good point. Eight 596 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: months after that escape, there was a Norwegian ship discovered 597 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: a body that they said resembled Frank Morris. But years 598 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: later they found this body, dug it up, did DNA 599 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: testing and found it wasn't him, and the FBI closed 600 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:40,880 Speaker 1: the case in seventy nine. And then years later, I'm sorry, 601 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:45,759 Speaker 1: this year on a station called nat Geo, they had 602 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: a special called Vanish from Alcatraz and there was new 603 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:53,239 Speaker 1: evidence where they discovered a raft on Angel Island with 604 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: footprints leading away and a report of a stolen car 605 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,840 Speaker 1: in the area that night, which could have been those guys. 606 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:03,840 Speaker 1: And they confirmed these facts and that they were hidden 607 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:07,840 Speaker 1: from officials for a long time, and as a result, 608 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: the US Marshall's office said, you know, what, We're going 609 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: to keep the case open until these guys are supposedly 610 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 1: a hundred years old, and then we'll close the case. 611 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 1: Well that's great. If they live to be one on one, 612 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: we'll just give it to them. Yeah, you know, then 613 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: they can come out exactly. Yeah. So what else you 614 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: got that was it? I mean that that escape and 615 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:34,800 Speaker 1: the deterioration of the prison physically pretty much meant the 616 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: end of Alcatraz. They're like, it's really expensive to operate 617 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 1: if dudes can escape from here. Kind of the whole 618 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 1: point of being here in the first place was that 619 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: it was escape proof. So it's just a drain on 620 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: our funds. So let's just shut it down. And now 621 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:53,279 Speaker 1: it's a tour. Yeah, it's starting in the seventies, right, 622 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,359 Speaker 1: seventy two something like that. Yeah, well worth your time. 623 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:02,240 Speaker 1: And Alcatraz is not alone. There are other Alcatraz islands 624 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:05,440 Speaker 1: or Alcatraz like islands throughout the world, Like South Africa 625 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: has Robin Island, um Tasmania has Port Arthur, and there's 626 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,360 Speaker 1: one that's in Quentin right in then An Island, Rikers Island, 627 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: You've got Rikers Island. There's a bunch of them. The 628 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:18,960 Speaker 1: one that I found that was really interesting though. Um 629 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: is in Norway and it's called Boss Toy or however 630 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: you pronounced the oh with the slash through it. Yeah, yeah, 631 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: Um boss Toy is. It doesn't have any bars, no 632 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 1: doors are locked. There's no guns on the island, so 633 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 1: the guards aren't armed. Uh. The guys farm their own food. 634 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: There's a little grocery store. When they get there, they're 635 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 1: given five cronan I believe it's cronanner to spend at 636 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:52,040 Speaker 1: the supermarket and basically get themselves started. And that's it. 637 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:54,840 Speaker 1: Like that's the prison. It's basically like a little commune 638 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 1: where like you're free to kind of live your own 639 00:36:56,760 --> 00:37:01,839 Speaker 1: life and hopefully underghost some sort of reformation. But there's 640 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 1: guards there, there are, but they're not armed. The only 641 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: gun on there on the whole island, it's it's in 642 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: the warden's office and it's a statue of a bronze 643 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: statue of pistol. And the warden says he has no 644 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 1: idea where it came from. It predates him. I kind 645 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: of like the Escape from New York plan. Yeah, that's 646 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 1: a good one where you just throw him on the 647 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: island and build up big walls and just leave them 648 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: to work it out. That's kind of what they're doing 649 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 1: with Boss Toy, but it's a little more hippie then 650 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: Escape from New York probably. Well there're Norwegian, so not 651 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:39,960 Speaker 1: too much violence there. And if it is, it's just 652 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 1: like one guy, you know, that's it. That's Alcatraz, baby, 653 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:50,799 Speaker 1: scary place. Its chilling. There's ghosts apparently. Yeah, I didn't 654 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: look into that. I didn't either that. I'm sure there's 655 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 1: you know, I'm sure there's just there. Um. If you 656 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: want to know more about Alcatraz, a picture of Robert Stroud, 657 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:04,520 Speaker 1: who is a little bird like himself in appearance. Um. 658 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 1: And well, this is just a good article all around. 659 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 1: If you want to go over it, you can type 660 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 1: in Alcatraz, not Alcatrazi's alcatraz um in the search of 661 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: bartow stuff works dot com, which means now it's time 662 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: for listener male friends. Yeah, this is an old one 663 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: that's been sitting in the queue. It's about ethnobotany, remember 664 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: that one. Yeah, that's a good one. Guys. I'm an 665 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: undergraduate chemistry student who has been a long time listener 666 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:33,280 Speaker 1: to your awesome podcast. You guys asked about synthesis versus 667 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: extraction in the Ethnobotany podcast, So I thought i'd clear 668 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: it up for you. Extraction is often more difficult than 669 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:44,839 Speaker 1: synthesis because when one extracts something from a plant, one 670 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,960 Speaker 1: also has to worry about separating the desired component from 671 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 1: the rest of the plant, since the plant is an 672 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 1: organic material, separating he robe that by the way, uh, 673 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:58,280 Speaker 1: separating one organic compound from another is often very difficult, 674 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,160 Speaker 1: whereas if you used synthe this one could use polar 675 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: and nonpolar solvents to manipulate the process for easy separation, 676 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: kind of like how oil and vinegar will separate when 677 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 1: left alone. And lastly, syntheses are constantly being updated because 678 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,560 Speaker 1: of more efficient and faster reactions. The less steps and 679 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: a synthesis, the better the inn yield. The better the yield, 680 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 1: the happier your bosses. And that is from Evan, and 681 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,320 Speaker 1: he says, ps, I forgot to mention that an extracted 682 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,760 Speaker 1: product and a synthetic product will show no chemical difference. 683 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: Very interesting, that's excellent. Thank you for clearing that up. 684 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:38,239 Speaker 1: That was Evan, Yeah, very excited. Thanks a lot of 685 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:42,759 Speaker 1: evan um is he an anthropologist, A nutcom botanist. I 686 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 1: think he's a gym teacher. Okay, um chuck. We got 687 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:51,280 Speaker 1: a pretty good response from our call out for um 688 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: autumn treats. Do they be cocktails, dessert and um breads? 689 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: What have you? That was I think we should do again, 690 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,840 Speaker 1: and I think we should compile them eventually once we 691 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,320 Speaker 1: get enough into like maybe a step you Should Know 692 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: autumn cookbook or something like that. That's great. I I 693 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: will undertake that with forward by Paula Deene. Anyway, if 694 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:15,840 Speaker 1: you have a great autumn treat, whether that be drink 695 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: or food, we want it. You can email it to 696 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 1: us at stuff Podcast at how stuff works dot com. 697 00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 1: Be sure to check out our new video podcast, Stuff 698 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 1: from the Future. Join how Stuff Work staff as we 699 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:40,319 Speaker 1: explore the most promising and perplexing possibilities of tomorrow, brought 700 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 1: to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. It's ready, 701 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: are you