Topic: Ellen Ray

A historical anecdote regarding Kleiner Perkins and the startup Podshow illustrates how venture capitalists often chase "the next big thing," such as the failed video service Joost. Google currently spends $13 billion quarterly on traffic acquisition to maintain its advertising lead. The current AI boom is compared to previous tech cycles where dominant players like Yahoo and MySpace were eventually displaced.

The hosts note the passing of activist Ellen Ray, who published Jim Garrison's memoirs (the basis for the movie *JFK*) and exposed CIA agents. They also discuss German prosecutors closing the investigation into the NSA tapping Angela Merkel's phone, citing a lack of evidence that would stand up in court despite Edward Snowden's documents.