5 chapters across the catalog
A review of historical headlines from the 1960s and 1970s reveals a pattern of failed environmental predictions by scientists like Paul Ehrlich and major media outlets. Past alarms included a predicted new ice age by the 21st century, the death of the oceans by 1980, and total food rationing in America. These "receipts" from Time Magazine and the Boston Globe are used to illustrate long-term media sensationalism regarding climate.
John Miller, a former NSA official now with the NYPD, discusses the threat of "Al-Qaedaism" and the radicalizing influence of Inspire Magazine. Miller claims the magazine's instructions for vehicle bombs and pressure cookers keep him awake at night. The hosts argue that Inspire is likely a CIA-published "honeypot" and that Miller is acting as a "shill" to justify increased surveillance.
Boston Bombing Court Filings and Inspire Magazine
New court filings regarding the Boston Marathon bombing suggest the Tsarnaev brothers used recipes from Al-Qaeda's Inspire Magazine. Adam Curry disputes this, noting that the 2010 "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom" article does not mention pressure cookers or fireworks. The hosts suggest the government is attempting to link "lone wolf" actors to international terror groups to justify domestic surveillance.
Police photographer Sean Murphy released unauthorized photos of a bloodied Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to Boston Magazine to counter the "glamorized" Rolling Stone cover. The hosts question the authenticity of the photos, noting the absence of a reported neck wound and the "Hollywood-style" appearance of a sniper's laser dot on Tsarnaev's forehead. Murphy was suspended for one day for the unauthorized release.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released a new edition of Inspire magazine, which CNN correspondent Barbara Starr and analyst Paul Cruickshank reported on extensively. The magazine praises the Tsarnaev brothers for the Boston Marathon bombing and encourages "lone wolf" attacks in the West. Analysis suggests the media coverage effectively promotes the propaganda, with Cruickshank, a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, repeatedly using the word "inspire" to align with the magazine's branding.
