Tom Secker of Spy Culture joins me to discuss the season 7 premiere of Homeland. We start off by giving a quick recap of the previous season which saw a faction of the deep state attempt to assassinate President Elect Elibazeth Keane. Tom and I then dive into this season, which breaks with Homeland protocol, and picks up 52 days after the events of season 6. We talk about where we are: President Keane locking up the supposed coup plotters, Carrie trying to expose her overreach, and Brett O’Keefe trying to “tell the truth.” We discuss our general thoughts on this griping first episode and discuss why we are excited for the season progression. We then move onto one of the main themes of this season, the various characters defense and love of the state. Tom and I look at Carrie and Saul and how they represent the “good” CIA trying to restore democracy and civil liberties. We talk about the clever way show runner Alex Gansa and the CIA have inserted this idea without even mentioning the agency once. Tom and I also talk about my favorite character Brett O’Keefe, also known as Alex Jones. Later on we explore the real world parallels that Homeland is introducing including: fractured political state, the threat of an omnipresent deep state after the president, and how Homeland mimics the way families are being torn apart by Trump’s America.
In the second hour Tom and I talk about the interesting mention of 4chan by O’Keefe. I also talk about my theory that they are obliquely referencing Qanon in this episode. We then move onto the climactic scene where coup plotter General McClendon is assassinated inside a federal prison. Tom and I theorize as to who was behind this. I lay out my theory that this may have been a third unknown actor, most likely the Russians. Tom and I finish off by touching on a very revealing interview Alex Gansa gave to Variety. We talk about Gansa’s comments that the CIA is working with the New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as his own reference to the deep state going after Trump. I round out the episode by going off about the recent cornstarch anthrax letter that was sent to Donald Trump Jr. I talk about Jack Posobiec’s idiotic comments and lack of historical knowledge about the government orchestrated 2001 Anthrax attacks, as well as Julian Assange’s claims that he received a letter with white powder.
Good friend Tom Secker joins me today in the first hour for an in-depth discussion of the Science and Entertainment Exchange (SEEX). Tom explains what this little know pseudo-govenment NGO is, and how they have been quietly assisting over 1,300 Hollywood films. We talk about their connection to the National Academy of Sciences and their connection to the state. Tom then discusses their stated aim: to assist Hollywood in depicting accurate science, and the promotion of science and scientists. Tom and I then explore how this is not quite an accurate assessment of their work. We talk about the huge influence that they have on Hollywood productions, including changing aspects of the script and promoting was amounts to science fiction. Tom discusses SEEX’s involvement in Thor, how they made Natalie Portman’s character an astrophysicist and then created a whole add campaign designed around her. We also discuss SEEX’s strange idealized Hollywood depiction of scientists as rich and beautiful. Tom talks about how SEEX seems to have drank the Hollywood kool-aid. We talk about how Science and Entertainment Exchange promotes “cool” scientists over actual science. Later we discuss SEEX’s close relationship with both the Pentagon and the CIA. Tom and I lay out the theory that the Pentagon is simply using SEEX as a front to push a technocratic transhumanist agenda. We finish off the hour talking about why more attention should be paid to SEEX and the work they are doing.
In the second hour I talk about the untimely deaths of musician Mark E. Smith and author Ursala K. Le Guin. I then move onto the passing of investigative journalist Robert Parry. I talk about the tremendous work that Parry did on Iran-Contra and the 1980 October Surprise. I discuss why the loss of Parry is so significant given the sad state of journalism today. I also touch on Prop Or Not’s nasty attack on Parry. I end the show talking about Trump’s upcoming State of the Union and what we should keep an eye out for in his speech.
For my Boxing Day Special I am joined by goof friend Tom Secker. We have a lengthy discussion about the year 2017, our ups and down’s, and some of our favorite and least favorite news stories of the year. We begin by discussing our favorite news stories of the year. Next Tom and I move onto what we felt was the most important news story of the year. We discuss why the War in Yemen and the defeat of ISIS constitute this title. Tom and I also discuss the significance of the #MeToo movement, and some of the problems we have with the way in which the media is covering it. We then move one the most over blown stories of the year, focusing mainly on Russiagate and Pizzagate. Next we talk about our favorite films and TV shows of the year. I of course picked anime for mine. Lastly we talk about our favorite Trump moments of 2017. We finish off by talking about the sort of year we have had and why Tom and I are quite proud of what we have accomplished.
This is a laid back if slightly zanier episode. So sit back, relax, and enjoy our Boxing Day end of the year special.
Tom Secker and I finish off our trilogy of episodes discussing House of Cards. This month we look at the last season The Final Cut. We discuss Francis’ long political career as it begins it’s twilight phase. Tom and I talk at length about the Cyprus story-line which introduces foreign policy to the show for the first time. We touch on FU’s complete lack of expertise in this realm and how it contributes to his ultimate demise. Tom and I also discuss whether Urquhart’s experiences as a young man in Cyprus made him into the psychopathic individual he is as Prime Minister. Later we explore the characters of Claire Carlsen and Tom Makepeace, as well as our favorite new character Jeffrey Booza-Pitt.
Tom and I also focus on the complex relationship between Francis, Elizabeth, and the security state. We talk about Elizabeth and Corder’s master plan which comes to fruition in the last episode, and how yet again the show accurately portrays the security state as the real center of power in British politics. Tom and and I also touch on two real world events that mimic House of Cards: the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and Paul Manafort laundering money in the Bank of Cyprus. And of course Tom and return to our ongoing question: is it all about sex?
Quick Note: I apologize for the coughing and sniffling. I was still sick at the time of the recording.
Today I am joined by old friend Pearse Redmond to review and discuss the Netflix TV series American Vandal, a mockumentary that satirises the true crime genre. Pete Maldonado is a student at a high school in California who starts making a documentary about a fellow student, Dylan Maxwell, who was expelled for graffitti-ing dicks on 27 teachers cars. He soon finds that Dylan is probably innocent, and he and his co-producer Sam set out to find the true culprits and figure out what is really going on. In our discussion Pearse and I get into some of our favourite moments and characters, the style which shifts throughout the series from comedy to drama, the lessons for amateur detectives and the role of social media. We also touch on why true crime is popular and ask whether it merely provides a vicarious thrill or whether it inspires people to become hobby investigators.
Tom Secker joins me in the first hour to discuss the upcoming Netflix movie about Anders Behring Breivik and the Oslo and Utoya Island attacks. Tom and I talk about why the film is being made now and the state funding it is receiving from the Norwegian government. We then talk about the writer and director of this film Paul Greengrass. Tom explains his career as a government propagandist and focuses on his film United 93. We then talk about the aspects of the attack we anticipate Greengrass and Netflix will leave out of the film. We discuss Breivik’s politics and how they have become adopted by much of the alt and far right in recent times. Tom discusses the notion that the attack may have been intended as a message to far right groups to further embrace this political ideology. We also touch on the idea that this was a Gladio style event, and whether or not Brevik was working for others. Later Tom and I talk about former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his current job as Secretary General of NATO. We discuss NATO’s role as it exists today and the power it has. Tom and I finish off by discussing our final episode in our review of House of Cards. I also update the listeners about the return of Porkins Great Game.
In the second hour I rant about the recent political purge in Saudi Arabia and the larger implications of it. I talk about Mohammad bin Salman’s alleged corruption and liberalization campaigns, and how he is using this as a smoke screen for his larger political ambitions. I discuss my thoughts on the forced resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri by the Saudi’s. I talk about how Hariri and Lebanon are being used as a proxy battleground between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Yemen and the famine is also discussed. I finish off by laying out my theory that this is the foreign policy nightmare we can expect from Donald Trump. I also mention the rumors that Trump was bribed directly by Mohammad bin Salman, and how this might explain the recent developments across the middle east.
Tom Secker joins me for a discussion of the sixteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. We begin by discussing our general emotions and thoughts on the actual anniversary. We discuss how it unfolds both here in New York and across the ocean in the U.K. Tom and I then discuss how 9/11 has evolved into a heavily scripted and predictable event over the past several years. We touch on how the attack is viewed without context, in terms of what actually happened and what followed it. Tom and I also talk about our own personal experiences navigating the 9/11 truth movement. We then move onto Tom’s recent podcast series dealing with history of Al Qaeda. We discuss the legacy of Al Qaeda today and how the group has become largely forgotten by the public. Tom and then debate where Al Qaeda and “Radical Islamic Terrorism” may be headed. I offer up the theory that we may be entering a reset in terms of Al Qaeda. I point to the recent events in both Turkey and Myanmar as examples. Tom offers up the idea that the real battle is between the US and Russia. We endure hour discussing the recent sonic attacks on CIA agents in Cuba, that have left them with hearing loss and mild brain damage.
In the second hour I talk about a pet theory of mine involving the 19 hijackers and the possible use of mind control or some form of mental conditioning. I use Timothy McVeigh as well as Sirhan Sirhan as a basis for my argument. I pay particular attention to the reports of the hijackers snorting coke in strip clubs, and ponder if this had something to do with the concept of mind control. I finish off by touching on why the 9/11 truth movement is reticent to discuss this concept.
This week I am joined by Robbie Martin and Pearse Redmond to review and analyse the low budget conspiracy thriller Operation Terror. We analyse the plot – where a member of the Council on Foreign Relations recruits a CIA officer to prepare and carry out the 9/11 attacks – and why this is unrealistic. We note several examples of how the film incorporates elements from all over 9/11 conspiracy lore, but especially from Pilots for 9/11 Truth, one of the more wacky parts of the ‘truth’ movement. We ask whether the film is fan service for 9/11 truthers, and conclude that it reflects and represents a lot of the real characteristics of the 9/11 movement. This is a lengthy and very funny discussion that you won’t want to miss.
Pearse Redmond joins us to discuss the TV series Billions, which mixes elements of legal thrillers, human drama, sexual fetishes, 9/11 insider trading and deep politics. We examine the characters in the film and how they are metaphors for the philosophical conflict at the heart of American politics between individual free will and the need for government as a restricting force. In short, Axe represents Ayn Rand and Chuck represents James Madison. We also look at several supporting characters including the non-binary Taylor who works at Axe’s hedge fund, Chuck’s father and his deep political friend Black Jack Foley, and how both sides in this conflict use coded language and spycraft as weapons against the other.
Nightcrawler is one of those rare films that is beautifully written, very well executed and is about something that actual matters. It tells the story of Lou Bloom, a young man in poverty-struck Los Angeles who gets into nightcrawling – filming violent crimes and accidents and selling the footage to TV news. In this episode Pearse and I conduct an extensive analysis and review of the film, exploring many different interpretations that often contradict each other. Is Lou a sociopath, or the product of economic circumstances and a media culture that turns violence into a fetish? Are his cohorts Rick (his assistant) and Nina (the director of the news channel) just as guilty and complicit in what happens? Is his rival nightcrawler Joe Loder actually worse than Lou? These and many more questions are explored in this epic discussion.
Porkins Policy Review 