Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

our entire diet has been colonized by this one plant.

It's a book I recommend everybody read if you haven't yet.

He said tripping on this is like being strapped to the nose of a rocket that flies into the sun and evaporates.

our entire diet has been colonized by this one plant.

It's a book I recommend everybody read if you haven't yet.

I believe it was Pollan who can turn a heck of a phrase.

He said tripping on this is like being strapped to the nose of a rocket that flies into the sun and evaporates.

especially if you like the three of us are on the carnivorous side of Michael Pollan's omnivore's dilemma, you know that meat prices have gone kind of nuts.

Oh, no quick note on Clockwork Orange. It's the the censorship occurs before the film. It's the American book that had the final chapter removed.

The UK book has the has the whole chapter.

But yeah, but I was referring to the censorship of the book, then just the difference between the book and the movie, because the movie version like essentially operates under, you know, that last chapter not being a thing.

I love the Kubrick adaptation, but I like if you want the full story, read the book because the last chapter. Yeah, the chapter that was missing. It's it's now in the American editions as well, finally.

Oh, no quick note on Clockwork Orange. It's the the censorship occurs before the film. It's the American book that had the final chapter removed.

But yeah, but I was referring to the censorship of the book, then just the difference between the book and the movie, because the movie version like essentially operates under, you know, that last chapter not being a thing.

I've written three books on Trump, but for some reason the people around him, they keep on talking to me.

I've written three books on Trump, but for some reason the people around him keep on talking to me.

I've written three books on Trump, they have sold a lot of copies.

I've written three books on Trump, but for some reason the people around him, they keep on talking to me.

Not too long ago I saw Donald Trump and he shouted hey Michael I made you rich

my three books about Trump they have sold a lot of copies

I asked him why was he running for president? And he answered without missing a beat because I want to be the most famous man in the world.

Uh, and then we can't read things like iRobot and then we can't read things, you know, like uh the script for space odyssey 2001 or 2001 a space odyssey

Have you not seen Space Odyssey? I mean, you know, machines when you give them too much power, they turn on you and they sing creepy songs in monotone voices and they won't open the airlock.

And not to spoil 2001 A Space Odyssey. You can't spoil that movie. It's not possible. Come on. It's incredible. You should watch it if you haven't seen it.

In the end of it, a human man seems to be reborn in some way. As a space baby.

In the movie 2001, based on the writings of Arnold Toynbee, they speak of the plan.

No, Greg, look, if you examine what I'm it was based on the writings of Arthur C. Clark.

And they believed that Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clark then took these instructions and use them to inform the plot, specifically the ending like the last 10 or 11 minutes of 2001, a space odyssey.

We'll just let mrs. Davis do it. We'll let the algorithm the the ai Oh Great. Yeah, the ai would be great Uh, and then we can't read things like iRobot and then we can't read things, you know, like uh the script for space odyssey 2001 or 2001 a space odyssey

In the movie 2001, based on the writings of Arnold Toynbee, they speak of the plan.

No, Greg, look, if you examine what I'm it was based on the writings of Arthur C. Clark.

In the writings of Arnold Toynbee, he discusses a plan whereby all human life is reconstituted onto the planet Jupiter.

And they at least believed it enough to spend a whole lot of time and energy, I would say a good amount of their life's energy. This is obsessive. And time. Yes. On on that singular idea.

And they believed that Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clark then took these instructions and use them to inform the plot, specifically the ending like the last 10 or 11 minutes of 2001, a space odyssey, which, you know, what an idea.

I do want to give a shout-out to the Mysteries of the Unknown Time Life book series because they have a test in there that lets you ask yourself whether you are descended from an alien hybrid.

And if there's any interest, I'm sure that Time Life will be OK with us. Maybe we could quiz each other one day and read the questions. It's stuff like do you like thunderstorms? Yep. Do you have extra vertebrae? Nope. Maybe. I don't know.

It shows you how to count them. It's weird but we'll check it out. I'm sure if you enjoy this show, you are probably aware of that Time Life book series.

One of my favorites is something I read as a child in a series of Time Life books that maybe only three or four of you guys listening will remember. That is Mysteries of the Unknown.

I do want to give a shout-out to the Mysteries of the Unknown Time Life book series because they have a test in there that lets you ask yourself whether you are descended from an alien hybrid. And if there's any interest, I'm sure that Time Life will be OK with us. Maybe we could quiz each other one day and read the questions.

It's stuff like do you like thunderstorms? Yep. Do you have extra vertebrae? Nope. Maybe. I don't know. It shows you how to count them.

I'm sure if you enjoy this show, you are probably aware of that Time Life book series.

One of my favorites is something I read as a child in a series of Time Life books that maybe only three or four of you guys listening will remember. That is Mysteries of the Unknown.

One of my favorites is something I read as a child in a series of Time-Life books that maybe only three or four of you guys listening will remember. That is Mysteries of the Unknown.

And Snow Crash is maybe the most kind of cyber punky or like very much an important one from him, right?

In Snow Crash, where the term metaverse was first coined in English, it describes a the metaverse is a 3D immersive virtual world that is populated by avatars of actual people of meatbags and it is a separate virtual universe, but it has real world effects.

The real world exists, but it's going to hell in a handbasket.

Private corporations have taken over all of the roles traditionally held by states, creating what we would in this age call a kind of anarcho capitalism.

Read the book, check it out, not to get too levar Burton reading rainbow about it, but but it's worth your time.

And in this novel in Snow Crash, that virtual reality system is mainstream, it's normalized.

If you've played the game Cyberpunk, then you are accidentally already intimately familiar with the plot of Snow Crash.

In Snow Crash, where the term metaverse was first coined in English, it describes a the metaverse is a 3D immersive virtual world that is populated by avatars of actual people of meatbags and it is a separate virtual universe, but it has real world effects.

The real world exists, but it's going to hell in a handbasket.

For example, the CIA in this book is not a big spoiler. They have merged with the Library of Congress to form a for-profit entity with all the powers of the Congressional Library and all the powers of the CIA called the CIC.

Read the book, check it out, not to get too levar Burton reading rainbow about it, but but it's worth your time.

And Snow Crash is maybe the most kind of cyber punky or like very much an important one from him, right?

In Snow Crash, where the term metaverse was first coined in English, it describes a the metaverse is a 3D immersive virtual world that is populated by avatars of actual people of meatbags and it is a separate virtual universe, but it has real world effects.

The real world exists, but it's going to hell in a handbasket.

Read the book, check it out, not to get too levar Burton reading rainbow about it, but but it's worth your time.

And in this novel in Snow Crash, that virtual reality system is mainstream, it's normalized.

I was thinking about this, like in that book, it would be weird not to be on the metaverse and if that sounds crazy, just imagine how weird it would be if you talk to someone today and they didn't have a phone.

Have you guys read Foucault's Pendulum?

It's by Umberto Eco, and it is a it is so it's so weird. It's about if I remember correctly, I haven't read in quite some time. It's kind of like what you're describing.

Uh, and then we can't read things like iRobot and then we can't read things, you know, like uh the script for space odyssey 2001 or 2001 a space odyssey

Lambda, whatever you called it, argued about this well enough to turn Blake around on a few points and we don't have to quote the three laws.

So Lambda, whatever you called it, argued about this well enough to turn Blake around on a few points and we don't have to quote the three laws.

We'll just let mrs. Davis do it. We'll let the algorithm the the ai Oh Great. Yeah, the ai would be great Uh, and then we can't read things like iRobot and then we can't read things, you know, like uh the script for space odyssey 2001 or 2001 a space odyssey

So Lambda, whatever you called it, argued about this well enough to turn Blake around on a few points and we don't have to quote the three laws.

And the irony here is that one of these books was the Bible. The Bible. All versions.

But the fact that like whatever kind of broad stroke kind of blunt instrument approach to censoring books or towards taking a very keen eye towards material that is inappropriate quote unquote for students, somehow this one got caught up in the net.

So this email that went out said attached are a list of books challenged. That's the word they use of the term challenged this year. By the end of today, I need all the books pulled from the library and classrooms. More information will be sent regarding actions for these books and included in that list was the Bible all versions and and Frank's diary.

I mean of all the books that are could potentially be banned I mean the Bible is full of sex and violence and gorge and misery Christ our Lord and Savior was nailed to a cross and you know stabbed in the side and well you know I'm in the parlance of Christians Christianity you know forced to wear a crown of thorns I mean as we all know the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ it was massively popular amongst the Christian community but when you really watch it it is ultimately like torture porn it is incredibly sadistic in the violence that it portrays so I do think it's interesting that like the Bible is unimpeachable in terms of like literature but the fact that it made the list here is very fascinating to me like what is the mechanism of discerning you know what is and is not appropriate for young people to have access to in the library especially in a state like Texas where obviously you know Jesus is everything and like you know religion is a massive mover and shaper of policy and ideology and upbringing and all of that good stuff so it makes me really question what the mechanism of looking through and deciding what books it feels like someone made a mistake and it obviously was a very sexy headline to say Texas bans the Bible like have we gone too far

And the irony here is that one of these books was the Bible. The Bible. All versions.

The Bible was not banned in Texas schools.

But the fact that like whatever kind of broad stroke kind of blunt instrument approach to censoring books or towards taking a very keen eye towards material that is inappropriate quote unquote for students, somehow this one got caught up in the net.

So this email that went out said attached are a list of books challenged. That's the word they use of the term challenged this year. By the end of today, I need all the books pulled from the library and classrooms. More information will be sent regarding actions for these books and included in that list was the Bible all versions and and Frank's diary.

I mean the Bible is full of sex and violence and gorge and misery Christ our Lord and Savior was nailed to a cross and you know stabbed in the side and well you know I'm in the parlance of Christians Christianity you know forced to wear a crown of thorns I mean as we all know the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ it was massively popular amongst the Christian community but when you really watch it it is ultimately like torture porn it is incredibly sadistic in the violence that it portrays so I do think it's interesting that like the Bible is unimpeachable in terms of like literature but the fact that it made the list here is very fascinating to me like what is the mechanism of discerning you know what is and is not appropriate for young people to have access to in the library especially in a state like Texas where obviously you know Jesus is everything and like you know religion is a massive mover and shaper of policy and ideology and upbringing and all of that good stuff so it makes me really question what the mechanism of looking through and deciding what books it feels like someone made a mistake and it obviously was a very sexy headline to say Texas bans the Bible like have we gone too far I mean you can say yes but then if you look at Snopes like no it got momentarily pulled but even the physical act of pulling the Bible from a library doesn't that seem like heresy to you or would seem like that to some I don't know your hands off of our Bibles I mean that's interesting the version Christian authorities historically are the most likely to pull Christian law to which they object that's the whole reason that there is a apocrypha right versus canonical books but still yes I agree with you it does seem kind of reflexive reactive and it does make for a good headline it also makes for a good clarion call education is one of the most vital battlegrounds of any civilization throughout history not for nothing was it illegal for certain classes of different civilizations past to possess the power of literacy which is very much a super power and this means like this I think shows us how yeah I'll do it how devilishly easy it is to remove one's access to education for anybody who doesn't realize what a what a big deal this is how existential this is I do recommend checking out our previous episode on the war over text books because all text books are not telling you and your children the same stories.

I just I mean, I mean, maybe I'm reaching there, but it just it just seems like maybe like a super strict constructionist view of like that very thing.

They can take like I like your example, Genesis.

I think this has more to do with Revelation, though, than any other book of the Bible.

And the irony here is that one of these books was the Bible. The Bible. All versions.

the Bible was not banned in Texas schools. That is a very alarmist view.

But the fact that like whatever kind of broad stroke kind of blunt instrument approach to censoring books or towards taking a very keen eye towards material that is inappropriate quote unquote for students, somehow this one got caught up in the net.

included in that list was the Bible all versions and and Frank's diary.

I mean the Bible is full of sex and violence and gorge and misery Christ our Lord and Savior was nailed to a cross and you know stabbed in the side and well you know I'm in the parlance of Christians Christianity you know forced to wear a crown of thorns

The books good too.

It's a it's it's a pivotal part of the plot the old lazy.

things like Lord of the Flies for example, certain books like Slowhouse Five, exactly books that are a little edgy potentially or have some other lore kind of associated with them.

certain books like Slowhouse Five,

certain ones that others, maybe we're a little controversial, things like Slowhouse Five, exactly books that are a little edgy potentially or have some other lore kind of associated with them.

He was arrested and he was reading The Catcher in the Rye, which he had brought with him.

This has got to be a real terrible occurrence for J.D. Salinger.

Because the gentleman who made an attempt on Ronald Reagan's life, I believe, was carrying a copy of it as well.

And it's been talked about as an interesting, you know, if anyone hasn't read it, it's told from the perspective of a young dude who is very kind of antisocial and telling the story from the confines of a psychiatric institution.

And it sort of normalizes that kind of outsider mentality, you know, the kind of lone wolf. No one he doesn't kill anybody in the book. Spoiler alert.

Catcher of the Ride for example is a book that often is associated with school shooters, even though the South Park episode that sort of like lampoons that whole thing points out that nothing really that remarkable happens in the book.

Catcher of the Ride for example is a book that often is associated with school shooters, even though the South Park episode that sort of like lampoons that whole thing points out that nothing really that remarkable happens in the book.

Catcher of the Ride for example is a book that often is associated with school shooters, even though the South Park episode that sort of like lampoons that whole thing points out that nothing really that remarkable happens in the book.

probably one of the best villains in American literature. Check out Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.

Probably one of the best villains in American literature. Check out Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.

It reminds me of Foundation, which is a great series by Isaac Asimov.

We've seen things like Isaac Asimov's foundation series, which deal with the fictional at this point fictional science of psycho history, predicting the future on a large scale event.

It reminds me of Foundation, which is a great series by Isaac Asimov. Those folks, I don't think we should say this lightly, they're heroes.

We've seen things like Isaac Asimov's foundation series, which deal with the fictional at this point fictional science of psycho history, predicting the future on a large scale event.

The most famous stories or conspiratorial beliefs about the Federal Reserve come from a specific book. Yes, it's called The Creature from Jekyll Island by this author named G. Edward Griffin.

He considers the Federal Reserve more than just this simple tool to control Americans via debt.

But he's got a lot of critics. Griffin has a ton of critics.

Is it Sun Tzu?

And if you go back to what, the fourth century BCE, then you see the oft quoted military genius, Sun Tzu, talking about the importance of military intelligence in, you know, the book that so many people quote, the art of war.

Oh, yes. And within that tome that is on every rapper's bookshelf. At least the cool ones, the ones that are like, he talks about or let's say he categorizes a lot of the different things that that modern spies do.

And it's really interesting to see it written out from way back then.

And this is this is stuff talking about someone acting as an informant who is just listening in, let's say, has some information, is able to share it with you.

Everything he mentions in this regard remains relevant in the modern day thousands of years later.

And if you go back to what, the fourth century BCE, then you see the oft quoted military genius, Sun Tzu, talking about the importance of military intelligence in, you know, the book that so many people quote, the art of war.

Oh, yes. And within that tome that is on every rapper's bookshelf. At least the cool ones, the ones that are like, he talks about or let's say he categorizes a lot of the different things that that modern spies do.

And it's really interesting to see it written out from way back then.

And this is this is stuff talking about someone acting as an informant who is just listening in, let's say, has some information, is able to share it with you. The penetration agent.

So Sun Tzu also notes the importance of counterintelligence and the danger of double agents, which gets so confusing so quickly. Everything he mentions in this regard remains relevant in the modern day thousands of years later.

And if you go back to what, the fourth century BCE, then you see the oft quoted military genius, Sun Tzu, talking about the importance of military intelligence in, you know, the book that so many people quote, the art of war.

Oh, yes. And within that tome that is on every rapper's bookshelf. At least the cool ones, the ones that are like, he talks about or let's say he categorizes a lot of the different things that that modern spies do.

And it's really interesting to see it written out from way back then.

And this is this is stuff talking about someone acting as an informant who is just listening in, let's say, has some information, is able to share it with you.

It's this guy John M Allegro and back in the 70s in this book called The Sacred Mushroom and The Cross. He he argued that it was that the ultimate roots of Christianity and a bunch of other religions by the way, he's not just talking about Christianity comes from fertility cults that are based on the same. Interaction with psychoactive substances.

He took a step further than a lot of other people and said Jesus Christ never existed as an historical figure but was this kind of code for lack of a better word for mushrooms and just to be clear spoiler. A lot of scholars do not agree with him and a lot of people were offended.

I'm sure that's what many would call sacrilege.

our present concern is to show that Judaism and Christianity are cultic expressions of an endless pursuit by man to discover instant power and knowledge.

Granted the first proposition that the vital forces of nature are controlled by an extraterrestrial intelligence, these religions are logical developments from older, cruder fertility cults.

These were the drug herbs, the science of whose cultivation and use had been accumulated over centuries of observation and dangerous experiment.

Those who had this secret wisdom of the plants were the chosen of their God. To them alone, had he vouchsafed the privilege of access to the heavenly throne.

Instigated probably by members of the cult swayed by their drug induced madness to believe God and called them to master the world in his name.

It's this guy John M Allegro and back in the 70s in this book called The Sacred Mushroom and The Cross. He he argued that it was that the ultimate roots of Christianity and a bunch of other religions by the way, he's not just talking about Christianity comes from fertility cults that are based on the same. Interaction with psychoactive substances.

He took a step further than a lot of other people and said Jesus Christ never existed as an historical figure but was this kind of code for lack of a better word for mushrooms and just to be clear spoiler. A lot of scholars do not agree with him and a lot of people were offended.

I'm sure that's what many would call sacrilege. But that is fascinating.

our present concern is to show that Judaism and Christianity are cultic expressions of an endless pursuit by man to discover instant power and knowledge.

Granted the first proposition that the vital forces of nature are controlled by an extraterrestrial intelligence, these religions are logical developments from older, cruder fertility cults.

These were the drug herbs, the science of whose cultivation and use had been accumulated over centuries of observation and dangerous experiment.

Those who had this secret wisdom of the plants were the chosen of their God. To them alone, had he vouchsafed the privilege of access to the heavenly throne.

Instigated probably by members of the cult swayed by their drug induced madness to believe God and called them to master the world in his name.

Do you think Tolkien was thinking about nukes when he when he envisioned the rings of power?

But I'm pretty sure Tolkien started writing. Writing Lord of the Rings, I think, right? Yeah, before the Manhattan Project.

But he couldn't have made a more perfect comparison.

I think a lot of people think of Tolkien, right?

Hobgoblin, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong here, but hobgoblin in the Tolkien verse, or at least within the Hobbit is used to refer to a large version of a goblin. Like a huge goblin.

I think the goblin king that's featured in in the films, at least the three films that came out more recently, the goblin king is a hobgoblin is this huge creature that is like a goblin. But like 10 times the size of any of the others.

Yeah, yeah, some people of them, your mileage may vary.

Well, there are there's some weirdness with the Tolkien stuff surrounding goblins because Hobgoblin, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong here, but hobgoblin in the Tolkien verse, or at least within the Hobbit is used to refer to a large version of a goblin.

Like a huge goblin.

I think the goblin king that's featured in in the films, at least the three films that came out more recently, the goblin king is a hobgoblin is this huge creature that is like a goblin. But like 10 times the size of any of the others.

In order the rings was amazing, I think. And to be fair, nostalgia may has may have colored my experience with the animated 1977 Hobbit from Rankin Bass.

I think a lot of people think of Tolkien, right?

Hobgoblin, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong here, but hobgoblin in the Tolkien verse, or at least within the Hobbit is used to refer to a large version of a goblin. Like a huge goblin.

I think the goblin king that's featured in in the films, at least the three films that came out more recently, the goblin king is a hobgoblin is this huge creature that is like a goblin. But like 10 times the size of any of the others.

Lord of the Rings was amazing, I think.

I believe that Tolkien, originally his working title for the Hobbit was the ravine and it played a much larger role in the story.

I love Neal Stevenson, amazing author, maybe not for everybody, but amazing guy, amazing mind.

He recently wrote a book called Termination Shock and Termination Shock has a really interesting opening.

It's in the near future. It's sci-fi about climate change.

I think it's like the queen of the Netherlands is piloting a plane for reasons we don't have to get into. And it crashes in Texas and they are attacked by this massive collection of feral hogs.

And as I'm reading this, yeah, and this happens very quickly in the beginning of the book, so it's not a spoiler. As I'm reading this, I'm like, all right, well, let's see if he gets preachy about climate change. But for right now, great setup, Neil.

You will see authors writing about it in near future sci-fi like Neil Stephenson's Termination Shock, but this is a real thing.

I love Neil Stevenson, amazing author, maybe not for everybody, but amazing guy, amazing mind.

He recently wrote a book called Termination Shock and Termination Shock has a really interesting opening.

It's in the near future. It's sci-fi about climate change. Don't let that turn you off.

I think it's like the queen of the Netherlands is piloting a plane for reasons we don't have to get into. And it crashes in Texas and they are attacked by this massive collection of feral hogs.

And as I'm reading this, yeah, and this happens very quickly in the beginning of the book, so it's not a spoiler. As I'm reading this, I'm like, all right, well, let's see if he gets preachy about climate change. But for right now, great setup, Neil.

You will see authors writing about it in near future sci-fi like Neil Stephenson's Termination Shock, but this is a real thing.

It's about all kinds of things. I imagine a lot of your audience are familiar with it or or would be fans of it because most of all it's about conspiracy conspiracy theories. Yeah, the idea of what if every conspiracy you have ever heard is true and they squeeze it into this one story arc in a way that reminded me of the Illuminatus trilogy, which is another just another fantastic book.

It's about all kinds of things. I imagine a lot of your audience are familiar with it or or would be fans of it because most of all it's about conspiracy conspiracy theories.

If you're into dreams and fantasy and you know mythology and like witchy stuff, I highly recommend checking out those graphic novels before the show comes out.

And then of course there's that subplot in the Sandman with the serial killer convention.

If you're into dreams and fantasy and you know mythology and like witchy stuff, I highly recommend checking out those graphic novels before the show comes out.

If you're into dreams and fantasy and you know mythology and like witchy stuff I highly recommend checking out those graphic novels before the show comes out It's worth doing in and of itself and hopefully it will enhance and not detract from your enjoyment of the show And hopefully it doesn't suck but very much looking forward to that