Listener Mail: Worship vs. Belief, Guardrails and Flock, The U.S.S. Liberty Cover-up, and More

In this week's listener mail segment: one of the Bills in Colorado (Ben thinks there are at least twelve) prompts a conversation about the nature of worship vs. belief. Salamander Taco details a tragic saga of Steve Eimers's righteous one-man mission to fight against improperly-installed guardrails…

How Leaving the US Works

At some point in their lives, most U.S. residents have at least daydreamed of moving to another country. And it seems that every time one politician or another wins an election, some group of Americans says they're finally going to take the leap. With growing chaos at home and abroad, more and more…

CLASSIC: Mystery, Mayhem and Nukes: The Story of the Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a relatively tiny, remote place -- it's about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, with nothing but ocean on the horizon. And, for decades, this nation has been home to a terrifying secret. As the world entered the atomic age, the United States realized it n…

Strange News: The World's Officially Loudest Guy Ever, Ranch Dressing and the TSA, Data Centers, Billionaires are Lying to You

In this week's Strange News segment: a Canberra resident gets a world record for being the loudest guy ever. A retelling of previous conversations about non-US people encountering a condiment known as ranch. Data centers and detainment centers encounter public backlash. Write to Ben, Matt, and Noel…

People As Currency: The Murky World of 'Prisoner Exchange'

Throughout history, war has continually resulted in hostages -- these could be soldiers, spies, or civilians. And, even in the heat of conflict, opposing forces will often agree to exchange prisoners through various agreements. On paper, it sounds downright civilized. However, as Ben and Matt disco…

CLASSIC: What is the Latitude Society?

For many, the story began with the receipt of a mysterious card, which led them to a nondescript address in San Francisco. From there, new members of the Latitude Society found themselves living through a complex, enigmatic adventure in a secret society somewhere between a philosophical group, a ci…

The Flock Episode, Chapter Two: Expansion, Activism, Orwell and the Future

How much personal privacy would you be willing to sacrifice for the Greater Good of stopping crime? The breakout surveillance company Flock Safety claims their nationally-intergated monitoring network can eventually stop all crime. And investors are listening. In the second chapter of this special …

CLASSIC: Reddit vs. Wall Street: Peasants invade the casino?

How did a handful of otherwise unremarkable stocks become some of the most closely watched things on Wall Street? In today's episode, the guys explore the strange series of events that led to massive price fluctuations in GameStop and more. The media portrayed this as the 'little guys' -- amateur t…

Strange News: Animal Spies in China! AI Goes Rogue, Petey Thiel's Secret Network Exposed, and More

In this week's strange news segment: after a quick update on the cartoonish Iran-US negotiations (which we're sure will age well), Ben, Matt and Noel explore China's explosive accusations that other nations are weaponizing animals like sea turtles and fish for spying. AI goes increasingly rogue. Pe…

The Flock Episode, Chapter One: Safety vs. Surveillance

In less than a decade since its formation in 2017, Flock Safety has exploded across the United States, with thousands of surveillance cameras in every state except for Alaska. Fans of Flock praise its potential for preventing crime -- but critics are seriously concerned this is just one more step t…