In this intriguing discussion, Google's NotebookLM, an AI language model, dives deep into the lesser-known "Project Russia," a series of books outlining a strategic vision for undermining Western democracies. They tackle various themes, exploring Russia's critique of Western moral decay, the call for a modern monarchy for moral guidance, and the push for traditional values through the Orthodox Church. The conversation raises urgent questions about the implications of these ideologies on global power dynamics and highlights the need for democracies to proactively counter these emerging threats.

Big tech companies are playing an outsized role in our world and are increasingly involved in creating policy that has negative impacts on democracies. In her book The Tech Coup, Marietje Schaake argues that companies need to be reined in, and that democracies need to organize themselves in ways that can withstand the challenges posed by these companies and their increasingly imperious owners. Marietje joins Dave for a spirited post-election conversation about how the Tech Coup is playing out right now, and what we can do about it. MarietjeSchaake (X, Bluesky, Mastodon) "The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley" https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691241173/the-tech-coup Keywords: Tech Coup, Democracy, Elon Musk, Regulation, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Global Governance, Public Stack, Resilience, Alternative Platforms, Geopolitics, Cybersecurity, Social Inequality, Ukraine War, Authoritarianism, Disinformation, Digital Infrastructure, Data Centers, Procurement, Investments, AI, Cables, Data Centers

In this captivating discussion, Peter Pomerantsev, a disinformation expert and author, delves into his latest work on information warfare. He shares insights from his research on Sefton Delmer, a journalist who crafted unique methods to combat Nazi propaganda. The conversation spans Pomerantsev's experiences in Russia's media landscape, the psychology behind propaganda, and the use of emotional manipulation in wartime communications. He emphasizes the importance of fostering community and independent thought to resist oppressive narratives, drawing parallels to today's challenges.

The term "October Surprise" has come to mean any kind of shock that might upend a November election. But the original October Surprise was in 1980, when Ronald Reagan's campaign operatives conspired with the fundamentalist Iranian regime to keep 52 American hostages in Tehran until after the presidential election of 1980 — all but ensuring a loss for incumbent candidate Jimmy Carter. This is the account provided by author Craig Unger, who has been following the "October Surprise" story since 1991, and during that time has been able accumulate evidence to confirm that yes, the October Surprise really happened. This almost unbelievable story is documented in his new book, "Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House, " recently published by Harper Collins. Craig joins Dave for a fascinating discussion of this complicated history, and its implications on American politics today. Purchase: Den of Spies Follow Craig Unger on X

No joke: Peter Thiel envisioned PayPal as a way to challenge to the global political order. And that vision is just now coming into place in 2024. In this election cycle, cryptocurrency interests have surpassed $120 million, surpassing even big oil, in trying to capture candidates from both political parties. This episode features a recording of a Twitter (X) space recorded on September 12, 2024 exploring this set of topics. The space was coordinated by Jake Donoghue, and includes several leading crypto critics: me, David Gerard, Mark Hays, John Reed Stark, and Mark R. Smith. Follow on X: @JDonoghueAuthor, @JohnReedStark, @DavidGerard, @AmScream, @Miercoles_Hays, @davetroy Jake Donoghue Twitter Space Peter Thiel at Libertopia 2010

The secretive Catholic sect Opus Dei seems to be popping up everywhere. But what is it? Many people are familiar with it from depictions in fiction like "The Davinci Code," but the reality is both more mundane and in many ways, more sinister. Dave is joined by financial journalist Gareth Gore, who got into the story by covering the failure of Spanish bank Banco Popular. He found that the bank led to a rabbit hole — and in the center of it was Opus Dei. Part classic authoritarian mind control cult, part spiritual organization, part fraud, and part geopolitical powerhouse, Gore's new book "Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church" is a page-turning account of one of the most influential groups in the last 100 years.

Gary Marcus, an AI expert and psychologist, delves into the current state of generative AI and its limitations. He highlights the disconnect between hype and reality in AI advancements, questioning the economic sustainability of AI companies. The discussion touches on the importance of ethical AI development and risk management, as well as the potential for breakthroughs through neuromorphic AI and biomimicry. They advocate for a serious reevaluation of AI governance to mitigate societal impacts, emphasizing the need for meaningful regulatory measures.

It's shaping up to be the hottest July on record, and things couldn't be more strange in the political realm. From multiple bombshell rulings from the Supreme Court to widespread speculation about whether Joe Biden should step aside after his halting debate performance, it feels like things couldn't get any crazier. Yet, that's entirely possible. Dave talks with Jack Bryan, director of the film ACTIVE MEASURES and creator of the podcasts AMERICAN PSYOP and LAWYERS, GUNS, and MONEY about what's happened, what's at stake, and where things might go next. Recorded during the July 4th holiday, at the beach in Delaware. Keywords: SCOTUS, Immunity, Chevron, SEC, Jarkesy, debate, Biden, convention, institutions, rule of law, democracy, autocracy, authoritarianism, Trump, fascism.

For decades, a highly entrepreneurial group of researchers, scientists, and journalists has been at the center of the movement to “disclose” the existence of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth — and they’ve scored what may be their biggest legislative victory yet. The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed in December, includes a provision that requires the federal government to provide any and all records on UAP. Activists hope that a deluge of new UAP information will be disclosed later this year — smack in the middle of election season. The new law requires that all UAP-related records created more than 25 years ago must be made public — unless personally blocked by President Biden. Dave talks with researcher Jack Brewer and veteran journalist Art Levine in two separate interviews, to hear each of their perspectives on what's going on. It's a rich, detailed conversation you won't want to miss. Is a UFO Hoax a Ticking Time Bomb for Biden by Dave Troy, Washington Spectator Spaceship of Fools by Art Levine, Washington Spectator AARO Historical Report (March 2024) Expanding Frontiers Research Keywords: Danny Sheehan, NDAA, Robert Bigelow, Brandon Fugal, Skinwalker Ranch, Luis Elizondo, Hal Puthoff, Russell Targ, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Christopher Mellon, Timothy Mellon, RFK Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Noosphere, Vladimir Vernadsky, Vladimir Putin, KGB, UFO, UAP, Noosphere.

American society seems to be devolving into two bitterly opposed and diametrically polarized camps. Not just around politics, but around culture as well. Jonathan Stray studies conflict, and tries to identify ways in which we can learn to conflict with each other more productively. He is a researcher at the Center for Human Compatible AI at the University of California Berkeley, where his work looks at a range of scientific and academic study of conflict and online behaviors. He talks with Dave about his work, why Americans are so divided, and what we might do about it. They also discuss where some of his funding comes from, and the messy world of think tanks. Keywords: conflict, polarization, social media, online interaction, CHAI, Center for Human Compatible AI, Jonathan Stray, Better Conflict Bulletin, University of California Berkeley, Mercatus Center.