Topic: 1989

International coverage of the U.S. debate from France 24 is reviewed, highlighting the "rusty" nature of both candidates who haven't debated in four years. This is contrasted with Ronald Reagan's 1989 farewell address, where he spoke of the "shining city on a hill" and prayed for the nation's leadership.

A host recounts a trip to Moscow in 1989 for the Moscow Music Peace Festival, observing the shambolic state of Soviet infrastructure. The anecdote includes descriptions of a KGB surveillance bus with drawn curtains monitoring satellite signals and an encounter with the Moscow Hells Angels.

The high-profile appearance of Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game to support Travis Kelce is characterized as a calculated business transaction rather than a genuine romance. The "Swiftie" effect reportedly added $5 billion to the global economy and spiked NFL jersey sales. Simultaneously, Kelce appeared in a Pfizer commercial promoting "two things at once"—the COVID-19 booster and flu shot—linking the pop culture event to pharmaceutical marketing.

A listener asks if the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival was a CIA operation. Adam Curry explains that the event was organized by manager Doc McGee as a "get out of jail free card" for drug smuggling charges. Curry suggests that both the CIA and KGB were likely involved in the high-profile cultural exchange.

The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake left a lasting psychological impact on residents and professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area, including staff at PC Computing. Discussion turned to the "low note" or ground loop resonance felt during major quakes, which some claim is similar to harmonic vibration frequencies developed for sonic weaponry.

A historical anecdote regarding the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake reveals that traditional wooden Bordeaux wine boxes protected bottles from destruction while cardboard packaging failed. The 7.1 magnitude event famously interrupted the World Series at Candlestick Park. Modern scientific classifications of earthquakes into S-waves and uplifts are criticized for making historical comparisons difficult for the public.

A 1989 track by Ice-T featuring Jello Biafra is played, which satirically depicts America under martial law. The lyrics describe a dystopian future where constitutional rights are suspended, curfews are enforced by shooting, and "national security" overrides individual will. The hosts use this to frame current events.