Topic: Totality

The solar eclipse passed through the Texas Hill Country, resulting in a period of totality where yard lights activated and wildlife went silent. Despite emergency declarations and dire weather forecasts of rain and thunderstorms, the skies remained clear enough for viewing. Local attendance was lower than expected due to fear-mongering reports, though some visitors like Gene Harris traveled from Austin to witness the event.

University of Pittsburgh students traveled to the Texas Hill Country to study "shadow bands," a 200-year-old mystery involving wavy lines of light appearing just before and after eclipse totality. First documented by Hermann Goldschmidt in 1820, theories suggest the bands are caused by atmospheric refraction or sunlight bending around the moon. Researchers used high-altitude weather balloons to test if the phenomenon exists above the atmosphere.

A marketing campaign for Rain Total Body Fuel promotes eating insects like tarantulas and scorpions, comparing them to beef jerky or lobster. The campaign uses the historical example of lobster—once considered a "nasty bottom feeder" fed to prisoners—to argue that marketing can turn insects into expensive delicacies. The hosts critique the "up-talking millennial" messaging used to sell bugs as bioavailable protein for athletes.

Media reports from Al Jazeera and Democracy Now highlight the "Francophone Spring," noting that Gabon marks the tenth coup or attempted takeover in West and Central Africa in three years. The narrative focuses on the failure of the Bongo family to use oil wealth to alleviate poverty, with specific mention of French oil giant Total Energies. The military's dissolution of state institutions in Gabon is met with public cheers in the capital, Libreville.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the session by addressing listener corrections regarding Star Trek, Star Wars, and the film Total Recall. Curry describes a severe microburst hailstorm in Fredericksburg, Texas, that produced quarter-sized hail and woke his household at 5:00 AM. The dog's unusual reaction to the storm and the potential for vehicle damage from Texas hail are noted.

Billionaire investor Ron Baron interviews Elon Musk, clarifying that the acquisition of Twitter was based on the platform's future potential rather than its current state. Baron emphasizes that the "we" involved in the deal—the major investors—are focused on capturing "eyeballs" and expanding the Total Addressable Market (TAM). The strategy involves significant headcount reduction to improve the business's financial structure.

Bloomberg reports that crude oil released from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is being shipped to the port of Rotterdam in Europe by a French energy company. This move is questioned given the administration's stated goal of lowering domestic gasoline prices through these reserve releases.

The final round of associate executive producer credits includes a story about a "copy that" obsessed employee at Total Wine. The hosts thank donors for their "time, talent, and treasure," specifically noting several $57 donations in honor of Adam Curry's 57th birthday. The segment concludes the first half of the show's donor acknowledgments.

A study published in "Science of the Total Environment" suggests that climate change allowed for a more diverse bat population in southern China, facilitating the mutation of coronaviruses. The hosts criticize this "packaging opportunity" to link the pandemic to environmental policy. They point out contradictions in climate models regarding species extinction versus the sudden emergence of new bat species.

Following a boycott attempt against Goya Foods, the hosts recommended specific products like Sazonador Total and Adobo seasoning. They argued that the political boycott is unlikely to succeed and instead highlighted the culinary value of the brand's all-purpose seasonings.

Producer Thomas donated after his 1985 Mercedes-Benz odometer got stuck at 333.33 miles. Another producer, Joe Bisesi, contributed $293.23, celebrating his wife's pregnancy and his decision to cancel his cable subscription in favor of independent podcasts.

An "Extra TV" segment featuring Tamera Mowry-Housley is identified as a native advertisement for Total Wireless. The segment is criticized for its extremely tight editing, which squeezed 15 to 20 cuts into a single minute to meet a strict 60-second runtime.

A Weather Channel anchor had a highly emotional, tearful reaction to the total solar eclipse during a live broadcast. The hosts discuss the widespread "eclipse fever" and speculate that the intense emotional responses from some observers may stem from a lack of traditional religious belief systems. They compare the experience of watching the eclipse in person versus the high-quality feeds provided by NASA and television networks.

The hosts encourage donors to include their peerage titles and notes when sending checks or bank transfers. They read a note from Zachary Stanco in Omaha, who donated $50 to help "cope with the globalists."

The geopolitical conflict in Ukraine is framed as a struggle over energy resources, specifically shale gas fields. The hosts discuss a French debate where a socialist politician argued that the crisis is a "scam" to get American gas into Europe. They note that while France has banned fracking domestically, French energy company Total S.A. continues fracking operations abroad.

Christophe de Margerie, the CEO of French oil giant Total SA, died in a plane crash at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport after his private jet collided with a snowplow. The incident occurred as de Margerie was actively pursuing energy deals with Russia despite international sanctions. The suspicious nature of the accident has led to various theories regarding potential foul play given the CEO's opposition to EU energy policies.

The Swedish Navy continues a "fucked up" hunt for a suspected Russian submarine off the coast of Stockholm. Meanwhile, the CEO of Total Oil, Christophe de Margerie, dies in a plane crash in Moscow. The hosts discuss the suspicious nature of the crash and de Margerie's opposition to sanctions against Russia, noting his 30-billion-dollar deal with Gazprom.

An analysis of President Obama's speech delivered in front of his helicopter regarding the crisis in Iraq. The summary points out that the only allies mentioned—France and the UK—are those with direct oil interests in the region (Total and BP), reinforcing the theory that the mission is about protecting the Kurdish oil corridor.

The hosts argue that the 80-page sanctions document against Iran is actually a tool for the U.S. to regulate which global companies and countries are allowed to trade in Iranian petroleum. They list exempted companies like Total and Shell, suggesting the "deal" is a way for the U.S. to dole out market access to allies while maintaining the petrodollar system.

A report from a producer at NATO HQ suggests that the conflict in Mali is primarily about protecting oil pipelines and interests for companies like Total. Despite a minimal weapons cache found, international donors have pledged over $4 billion in aid to the country.