9 chapters across the catalog
British Army COVID-19 Testing in Liverpool Schools
Broadgreen International School in Liverpool announced that the British Army would be deployed to test all students and staff for COVID-19 using a "lateral flow" system. Each individual is identified with a unique barcode for tracking results. The hosts express concern over the militarization of public health testing and the use of barcodes for personal identification.
Coronavirus Economic Impact and Digital Thermometer Scanning
The discussion shifts to the economic ramifications of the coronavirus, referred to by the hosts as the "Kung Flu." They note the downturn in financial markets and job losses at travel companies like Expedia. Concerns are raised regarding the use of digital thermometers at checkpoints, which the hosts liken to scanning pets or a precursor to human barcodes.
Herbal Supplement Fraud and DNA Barcoding Study
Researchers in Canada conducted a study using DNA barcoding to test 44 different herbal supplements, discovering widespread industry fraud. The tests revealed that one-third of the products contained no trace of the advertised plant, instead using fillers like soybean and rice. Many supplements were found to be entirely replaced by cheaper alternatives not listed on the labels.
The discussion continues regarding the child microchipping news package, focusing on the reporter's claim that barcodes were considered "invasive" in the 1960s. The hosts debunk this historical claim, noting that barcodes were always intended for inventory control, not human tracking. They characterize the entire news segment as a PR effort for defunct tech companies attempting to normalize invasive tracking.
Slave T-Shirts, First-Time Donors, Evergreen Audio Clips
A host recounts a social misunderstanding involving a "slave" t-shirt with a barcode, which was misinterpreted as a racial statement rather than a critique of the system. The segment concludes with a wave of first-time donations and the introduction of "evergreen" audio clips, such as Senator John McCain yelling at protesters, intended for future use in the show.
Pearson Education Settlement and Common Core Branding
The Pearson Charitable Foundation agreed to a $7.7 million settlement with the New York Attorney General for using its non-profit status to develop commercial Common Core products. Additionally, parents have expressed outrage over prominent brand names like Nike and iPod appearing in standardized tests. A listener provides evidence of Pearson's "barcoded scrap paper" that must be returned to the company after testing.
A host reveals their personal involvement in creating the "born-on date" marketing campaign for Budweiser in the mid-1990s. Originally developed as a website widget to track barcodes back to the assembly line, the concept was so successful that Anheuser-Busch began printing the dates directly on cans and bottles.
Compensation Math, Barcode Lessons, Republican Opposition
The discussion on Common Core continues with "compensation math" or estimative arithmetic, which some engineers claim to use but others find confusing for children. A third-grade lesson plan is shared that teaches children about the use of barcodes on people and animals. The hosts predict that Republicans will turn Common Core into a partisan issue, potentially obscuring the actual concerns regarding the curriculum.
Herbal Supplement Fraud and Breastfeeding Controversies
DNA testing in Canada revealed that one-third of herbal supplements contained no trace of the advertised plants, often being replaced by fillers like rice. In the UK, the government is offering low-income mothers $200 to breastfeed, while in Pennsylvania, a judge ordered a mother to stop breastfeeding so her child could visit the father.
