6 chapters across the catalog
Adam Curry recounts passing through a new 3D TSA scanner at the Miami airport while carrying an eight-inch pair of barber scissors in his carry-on bag. Despite the advanced imaging technology, the security agents failed to detect the sharp object. The hosts discuss this as an example of "security theater" and the inefficiency of expensive new screening hardware.
Riot Control Technology, The "Goo" and Acoustic Weapons
A discussion of modern riot control technology questions why advanced tools like acoustic weapons or "sticky foam" (the goo) are not being utilized by police. References are made to the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle and the various high-tech non-lethal options that have been promised but remain absent from current street deployments.
UK Police Restraint Controversy and Non-Lethal Tech
A debate on RT regarding a UK police officer using a "palm strike" on a 14-year-old girl sparked discussions on police brutality versus necessary restraint. The hosts question why futuristic non-lethal technologies, like nets or "sticky goo," are never actually deployed in real-world policing despite being discussed for decades.
Russian pranksters posing as the Prime Minister of Ukraine successfully called Senator John McCain. During the call, McCain expressed his support for providing lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine and reacted to a fake claim that Russia was preparing to release "brainwashing" material from his time in Vietnam.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko stated in a BBC interview that he is convinced Russia is preparing a new offensive in Eastern Ukraine. Poroshenko emphasized that Ukraine is fighting a "real war with Russia" rather than just Russian-backed separatists. He also claimed that Ukraine produces its own lethal weapons but seeks Western technology to build a "pro-European army."
Tony Blinken confirms that the United States has increased its support to the Syrian opposition following intelligence reports of chemical weapon use by the Assad regime. He introduces the term "lethal aid" as a new buzzword in the administration's vocabulary. The discussion highlights the shift from humanitarian assistance to direct military support for rebels.
