The Podcaster's Guide to the Conspiracy

With M off in London and/or Bucharest, Josh fills time by telling you all the secret history of New Zealand as contained in The Opal File (or possibly The Opal Files - no-one seems sure). What do Robert Muldoon, G. Gordon Liddy and the Shah of Iran have in common? They're all in The Opal File!

M talks with prior guests on the podcast Julia Duetz and Patrick Brooks about the CONSPIRACY FX Workshop they all attended at the University of Kent at the end of June 2024.

Delve into the controversial life and assassination of left-wing shock jock Alan Berg, exploring his clash with neo-Nazi ideologies. The discussion highlights the cultural implications of advertising, showcasing how sensitivities have evolved. Travel adventures and light-hearted banter add a fun twist, while the legacy of Berg's murder uncovers the disturbing rise of white supremacy in America. With reflections on political discourse and the impact of media, the episode reveals deep insights into radical violence and its chilling relevance today.

It's been three long episodes, but Josh and M are at the end of Neil Levy's book "Bad Beliefs" and also of Neil Levy's bad beliefs. But which of his beliefs did the find the baddest and which were barely bad at all? You'll have to listen to find out. You'll also have to listen if you want to know whether we mention the 1993 Drew Barrymore supernatural horror thriller Doppelganger again. OK, we'll give you that one - of course we do.

Josh discovers that it has been ten years since he and M started podcasting...

Josh and M look at the middle chapters of Neil Levy's book - is this the Empire Strikes Back of this series or is it the Die Hard 2? Or the Temple of Doom? Or the Two Towers? Or the 1993 Drew Barrymore supernatural horror thriller Doppelganger? Yes.Due to recording difficulties, the sound quality may dip from time to time.

Josh and M comment on the first two chapters (of six) of Neil Levy's book "Bad Beliefs." Does Neil have bad beliefs about bad beliefs, and do Josh and M have bad beliefs about Neil's supposed bad beliefs which are to be be found in the book "Bad Beliefs"? Listen and find out!

Has there ever been a good Operation? Based on the various Operations and Projects we look at in this episode, any time you see something gets called an Operation, it's a work of pure malice that produces nothing but hardship and heartache. Even Operation Dumbo Drop. ESPECIALLY Operation Dumbo Drop.

Josh and M review the final part (part 3) of Michael Shermer's 2022 book, "Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational." It's  nota lot of sound and fury, and it signifies... Well, you will have to listen and find out!

In the sequel to last week's episode, we look at Part II of Michael Shermer's book "Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational". This part is all about determining which conspiracies are real - judging them, if you will. So the title works - it's not just a gratuitous pop culture reference! Not that there's anything wrong with a gratuitous pop culture reference.