Topic: 2012

Criminal lawyer Peter Gersten claimed that human existence is a computer program scheduled to shut down during the 2012 winter solstice. Gersten planned a "leap of faith" off Bell Rock in Sedona, Arizona, believing he could save the world by jumping through a sky portal at exactly 11:11 a.m. The segment notes the financial motivations often tied to doomsday prophecies.

Using the search tool Bingit.io, a producer uncovers a 2012 clip of the hosts deconstructing Rick Santorum's speech patterns. They specifically highlight his habit of inserting the word "why" into sentences as a rhetorical device to force affirmation from the listener. The hosts reflect on how they have been deconstructing the same media tropes for over a decade.

The 2012 Smith-Mundt Modernization Act effectively removed the ban on the U.S. government disseminating propaganda intended for foreign audiences to domestic American citizens. This legislative change coincided with early social media experiments like "Kony 2012," which demonstrated the power of viral video to manipulate public sentiment. Analysts suggest this marked the beginning of a new era of state-sponsored psychological operations conducted through digital platforms.

A retrospective look at a 2012 podcast clip highlighted the dangers of using sarcasm in political commentary. The hosts noted that sarcastic remarks, such as calling for the printing of $10 trillion, can be easily taken out of context by critics years later. They compared this to Tucker Carlson's use of sarcasm, which often leads to misunderstandings when clipped for social media.

Adam Curry discusses a theory that the 2012 phenomenon and magnetic pole shifts are the real drivers of climate change, which the government is masking with the man-made global warming narrative. A clip of Joy Behar on Larry King is played to illustrate the media's insistence that "every scientist" agrees on the issue, which the hosts argue is the antithesis of the scientific method.

The hosts debate the future of internet governance and the potential for international regulatory regimes to "break the internet." They conclude by sticking to their prediction that Barack Obama will be re-elected in 2012, asserting that the same interests control both political parties.

A C-SPAN caller highlights the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act, which was included in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. The caller argues this legislation allows the State Department to disseminate propaganda within the United States, contributing to national division and the erosion of journalistic integrity.

The mechanics of viral videos are discussed, referencing the Kony 2012 campaign and the potential use of bot networks to inflate view counts. Leonardo DiCaprio's use of a "donor-advised foundation" is examined as a modern tax and philanthropic structure used by wealthy celebrities.

A 2012 presentation by Carol Davidson of Rentrak reveals that the Obama campaign "rocked" Facebook's privacy policies to ingest the entire social network of the United States. Unlike the 50 million users cited in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Obama campaign had access to the full network because Facebook had not yet restricted "friends of friends" data access. This "smoking gun" clip suggests a massive double standard in how the media treats Democratic versus Republican data mining.

The hosts introduce a new segment called "Guess the Movie" featuring a clip about the Earth's crust destabilizing. Adam Curry correctly identifies the film as 2012, which centers on the Mayan apocalypse prophecy. They reflect on the hysteria surrounding the actual year 2012 and the conventions held by people who believed the world would end.

Members of 4chan claim to be intentionally creating fake traffic to undermine Google's advertising dominance. This follows historical examples of suspicious viral growth, such as the Kony 2012 video, which saw improbable exponential view counts. The decline in advertising quality is attributed to the replacement of professional media buyers with inexperienced staff who prioritize social perks over brand safety and data integrity.

The mission to capture warlord Joseph Kony has officially been declared a failure by the U.S. and Ugandan militaries. Financial records for the "Invisible Children" charity reveal that $50 million was spent on the campaign, largely on videos, travel, and meetings rather than military action. The segment recalls the viral success of the 2012 video and the subsequent public breakdown of its creator.

The US Africa Command announces the end of the five-year hunt for Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. The hosts reflect on the viral "Kony 2012" video campaign and its subsequent collapse after the founder's public breakdown. They question why modern surveillance technology and drones were unable to locate Kony if his forces had dwindled to approximately 100 people.

The 2012 incident where Joe Biden "embarrassed" President Obama by endorsing same-sex marriage on *Meet the Press* is revisited. This forced the President to accelerate his own public "evolution" on the issue during an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts.

The hosts discuss their habit of "policing" each other's use of filler words and societal memes to maintain clearer communication. They revisit the "Kony 2012" phenomenon, noting the public mental breakdown of its creator, Jason Russell. They argue that the constant provocation of fear by the media can lead to such psychological tolls on the public.

The discussion covers "native advertising" examples at Walmart and the shutdown of Invisible Children, the nonprofit behind the "Kony 2012" video. The organization is downsizing after a massive drop in revenue and assets. Additionally, the city of Albuquerque is reportedly running "Breaking Bad" RV tours to boost the local economy.

The hosts revisit the "Kony 2012" viral phenomenon, labeling it a "hype of incredible magnitude." They question why the NSA and U.S. intelligence, with their vast satellite and RFID tracking capabilities, have not captured Kony if he is down to only 40 followers. They suggest the military mission in Uganda is a cover for other regional interests.

PBS journalist Gwen Ifill is criticized for a report on Missouri politician Todd Akin and his controversial comments on "legitimate rape." The hosts argue that Ifill failed to mention that Senator Claire McCaskill, Akin's opponent, was strategically encouraging Akin to stay in the race because he was an easier candidate to defeat. This omission is cited as evidence of bias in public broadcasting.

Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia calls for the 35 witnesses of the Benghazi attack to testify publicly, alleging a government cover-up. The hosts theorize that the Benghazi incident was a botched kidnapping of Ambassador Chris Stevens intended as an "October Surprise" to boost Obama's 2012 re-election chances. They play a clip of Attorney General Eric Holder refusing to assure Congress that their phones are not being monitored.

The "Invisible Children" charity remains active despite the public breakdown of its founder, Jason Russell, in 2012. The hosts conclude the show by encouraging donations via the "value-for-value" model and directing listeners to the show notes. Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak sign off, promising a return on the following Thursday.