7 chapters across the catalog
The global conflict is framed as a defense of the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency, particularly against nations like Russia that seek to sell energy in other currencies. The discussion references the removal of Victoria Nuland's "F the EU" phone call from YouTube as an example of historical memory-holing. Additionally, the "dude named Ben" meme from a past IRS congressional hearing is revisited to illustrate bureaucratic disdain for technical staff.
A formal knighting ceremony is held for "Sir Manila Envelope Only" and "Sir Bored Stupid" for their cumulative donations of $1,000 or more. Additionally, "Sir Dude Named Ben" is elevated to the rank of Baron. The new knights are welcomed to the Roundtable and granted traditional (humorous) perks such as "mutton and mead."
Producers from the No Agenda community report on successful meetups in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Cincinnati event was notably composed of "90% dudes named Ben," a recurring show trope. Upcoming meetups are announced for The Hague, British Columbia, Utrecht, College Station, and Sydney, Australia.
The show issues a call for a "Dude named Ben" or "Dudette named Bernadette" in Manhattan to assist with an upcoming high-level interview on November 2nd. The position requires someone with audio engineering experience and professional equipment to manage the production end of a remote interview.
International Donors and the "Dude Named Ben" Origin
Donors from Australia and the U.S. are recognized, leading to an explanation of the "Dude Named Ben" meme. The phrase originated from IRS official Lois Lerner's testimony, where she dismissively referred to an IT staffer as just "some guy named Ben," highlighting the disconnect between management and technical staff.
The hosts discuss a potential "shout-out" in the television show *The Mentalist*, where a character mentions "a dude named Ben." They speculate that a listener in the Writers Guild may have inserted the phrase as a nod to the podcast's recurring memes.
The "Dude Named Ben" meme is reinforced by a marketing video from ITPro.tv that uses a character named Ben to sell IT certifications. The hosts discuss the "gyp" of expensive certification courses that people take when they are unable to find traditional employment.
