8 chapters across the catalog
The hosts reiterate the show's donation policies for new listeners, explaining that only notes accompanying donations of $200 or more are read on air. This policy was established to prevent the show from being overwhelmed by long notes from smaller donations. They discuss the history of "numerology" in donations, where listeners use specific numbers to signal birthdays or other significant dates.
The concept of "Just War Theory" and the "supreme crime" of unprovoked aggression are explored in the context of international law. The hosts pivot to a historical debate regarding the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, arguing that the United States provoked Japan through trade wars and oil embargos. They mention the Pacific War Museum in Fredericksburg and the strategic movement of U.S. aircraft carriers prior to the attack.
Donald Trump Criticizes World Health Organization and China
President Donald Trump accused the World Health Organization of failing to share accurate information about the coronavirus in a timely fashion and being overly influenced by China. The administration highlighted the WHO's rejection of early warnings from Taiwan regarding human-to-human transmission as a primary reason for the global delay in response.
Donald Trump defends his proposal to target the families of ISIS members, arguing that family members often have prior knowledge of impending attacks. He cites the San Bernardino shooting and the 9/11 hijackers' families as examples of people who allegedly knew about the plots. Jeb Bush criticizes the stance as a lack of seriousness, while Trump maintains that being firm with families is a necessary deterrent.
Brazil Sugar Warehouse Fire and Global Price Spikes
A massive fire at the Port of Santos in Brazil destroyed 180,000 tons of raw sugar, causing international sugar prices to reach a one-year high. The incident affected warehouses owned by Copper Sucar, the world's largest sugar trader.
John Dixon, Silicon Valley Privacy and International Cloud Competitiveness
John Dixon examines the uncomfortable position of Silicon Valley companies whose public privacy guarantees conflict with their cooperation with the NSA. He highlights the economic risk to U.S. cloud providers, noting that foreign companies may avoid American data centers to escape U.S. surveillance. The discussion emphasizes that international users view American intelligence activities with the same suspicion Americans might view foreign spying.
John C. Dvorak explains how the freezing of "letters of credit" is disrupting international trade, leading to oversupplies of coffee and food shortages in Iceland. He predicts these logistical failures will be a "big equalizer" for society. The hosts sarcastically suggest everything will improve once Obama is elected.
A comparison of Bordeaux wine prices reveals that the same bottle is significantly cheaper in California than in London, despite the proximity of France to the UK. The hosts argue that these discrepancies point to a "cock-eyed" global trade system and currency manipulation. They note that European tourists are currently flocking to the U.S. to buy imported European goods at a discount.
