The Age of Extremophiles

After a shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Robert takes a look at the current political environment to explain why previously normal people keep taking extreme action with ever-growing frequency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret reads you a 1963 science fiction story of class stratification, sports, and first contact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.  - Private Credit: It's 2008's All The Way Down - Indigeneity with Andrew - The First Anti-AI Firebombing - UCSD and the Palestine Exception to Free Speech - Executive Disorder: SPLC Indictment, Denaturalization, Iran You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today! http://apple.co/coolerzone Sources/Links: Private Credit: It's 2008's All The Way Down https://businessjournalism.org/2026/01/tricolor-investigation/ https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/deutsche-bank-signals-30b-risk-020300965.html https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-03-12-2026/card/morgan-stanley-private-credit-fund-hit-with-redemption-requests-IS8PSZh497HC5aF4CkGN https://europeanbusinessmagazine.com/business/private-credit-defaults-have-just-passed-their-2008-peak/ https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/morgan-stanley-tests-private-credit-110634713.html https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/23/business/what-is-blue-owl-private-credit https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/barclays-weighs-mfs-fallout-private-080551362.html https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/16/apollo-global-marc-rowan-private-credit-funds-redemptions.html https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/apollos-private-credit-fund-limits-investor-withdrawals-after-redemption-2026-03-23/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/wall-street-banks-trade-derivatives-bet-pain-private-credit-ft-reports-2026-04-17/ https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/apollo-private-credit-fund-gives-investors-only-45percent-of-requested-withdrawals.html https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/shadow-banking-and-private-credit-what-7018536/ https://www.privatedebtinvestor.com/insight-the-challenges-for-pd-arms-of-pe-firms/ https://archive.vn/f9UdP https://archive.vn/HUxEo#selection-1637.0-1650.0 https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/media/research/staff_reports/sr1111.pdf?sc_lang=en https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/banks-private-credit-partnerships.html The First Anti-AI Firebombing https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1435876/dl https://sfdistrictattorney.org/texas-man-charged-with-two-counts-of-attempted-murder-and-multiple-other-felonies-in-connection-to-incendiary-destructive-device-thrown-at-russian-hill-residence/ https://x.com/mehran__jalali/status/2042755218819961048?s=20  https://morenogama.substack.com/p/ai-existential-risk-is-real https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-molotov-attack-suspect-daniel-moreno-gama-houston-2026-4 https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/12/sam-altman-s-home-targeted-second-attack/  https://www.wdsu.com/article/atf-suspected-molotov-cocktail-starts-fire-tesla-new-orleans-service-center/71025308?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot  https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/altman-sf-attack-crisis-parents-22208428.php https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sam-altmans-attacker-in-his-own-words/id1839942885?i=1000761713169 UCSD and the Palestine Exception to Free Speech https://palestinelegal.org/the-palestine-exception Executive Disorder: SPLC Indictment, Denaturalization, Iran https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1437146/dl https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-irs-investigate-nonprofits-domestic-terrorism-links/ https://apnews.com/article/southern-poverty-law-center-criminal-investigation-db7fdcf9baa0d1b24b8f1e1f2cebc0be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25dlBorkAy4&t=88s https://x.com/EagleEdMartin/status/2046765129899934132?s=20 https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73220023/kerkhoff-v-blaze-media-llc/ https://www.npr.org/2026/04/22/nx-s1-5787989/redistricting-map-trump-midterms-congress https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html  https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2047006423612293170?s=20 https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2045503858130956788?s=20 https://www.uscis.gov/join  https://www.usajobs.gov/job/847039500 https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-launches-landmark-uscis-fraud-investigation-in-minnesota https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-immigration/how-legal-immigration-became-a-deportation-trap https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/belizean-woman-found-guilty-of-naturalization-fraud https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/justice-department-files-case-to-revoke-us-citizenship-of-mastermind-behind-multimillion-dollar-tax https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2046233734374916125?s=20 https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2046085543348293851?s=20 https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2045969284690788615 https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116444507618729432 https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/desantis-trump-administration-attorney-general https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-set-reclassify-marijuana-early-wednesday-axios-reports-2026-04-22/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/accelerating-medical-treatments-for-serious-mental-illness/  https://x.com/samfbiddle/status/2046276304765620699?s=20 https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-1083/404329/20260413154031213_2026.04.13_Mullin%20v.%20Doe%20-%20AC%20Brief%20of%20Fmr%20Gov%20Officials%20ISO%20Respondents_final.pdf  https://x.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/2045913853427634404?s=20 https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2046238168543093169?s=20 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/world/europe/afghan-refugees-congo-us.html https://archive.ph/82QBZ#selection-1695.42-1699.1 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-news-live-updates-b2961909.html https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-a-e-asks-u-s-for-a-wartime-financial-lifeline-3f9ea3a0 https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-kevin-warsh-jerome-powell-dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/04/21/congress/gop-senators-committee-probe-as-good-offramp-to-end-warsh-standoff-00884707 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/15/thom-tillis-federal-reserve-trump-00874999See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang discuss fraud charges against the SPLC for paying neo-nazi informants, USCIS pursuing denaturalization, the Fed chair, Virginia redistricting, a defamation case over false reporting on the J6 bomber, and an update on Iran. Donation info: https://x.com/JohnSevenTwo/status/2026625336541147480?s=20 Sources: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1437146/dl https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-irs-investigate-nonprofits-domestic-terrorism-links/ https://apnews.com/article/southern-poverty-law-center-criminal-investigation-db7fdcf9baa0d1b24b8f1e1f2cebc0be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25dlBorkAy4&t=88s https://x.com/EagleEdMartin/status/2046765129899934132?s=20 https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73220023/kerkhoff-v-blaze-media-llc/ https://www.npr.org/2026/04/22/nx-s1-5787989/redistricting-map-trump-midterms-congress https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html  https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2047006423612293170?s=20 https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2045503858130956788?s=20 https://www.uscis.gov/join  https://www.usajobs.gov/job/847039500 https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-launches-landmark-uscis-fraud-investigation-in-minnesota https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-immigration/how-legal-immigration-became-a-deportation-trap https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/belizean-woman-found-guilty-of-naturalization-fraud https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/justice-department-files-case-to-revoke-us-citizenship-of-mastermind-behind-multimillion-dollar-tax https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2046233734374916125?s=20 https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2046085543348293851?s=20 https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2045969284690788615 https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116444507618729432 https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/desantis-trump-administration-attorney-general https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-set-reclassify-marijuana-early-wednesday-axios-reports-2026-04-22/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/accelerating-medical-treatments-for-serious-mental-illness/  https://x.com/samfbiddle/status/2046276304765620699?s=20 https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-1083/404329/20260413154031213_2026.04.13_Mullin%20v.%20Doe%20-%20AC%20Brief%20of%20Fmr%20Gov%20Officials%20ISO%20Respondents_final.pdf  https://x.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/2045913853427634404?s=20 https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2046238168543093169?s=20 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/world/europe/afghan-refugees-congo-us.html https://archive.ph/82QBZ#selection-1695.42-1699.1 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-news-live-updates-b2961909.html https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-a-e-asks-u-s-for-a-wartime-financial-lifeline-3f9ea3a0 https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-kevin-warsh-jerome-powell-dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/04/21/congress/gop-senators-committee-probe-as-good-offramp-to-end-warsh-standoff-00884707 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/15/thom-tillis-federal-reserve-trump-00874999See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James talks to a UCSD faculty member facing disciplinary proceedings for their participation in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment about UCSD’s history, the Palestine exception to free speech, and campus organizing. Sources: https://palestinelegal.org/the-palestine-exception See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garrison and Robert talk about Daniel Moreno-Gama, the 20 year old charged with attempting to kill OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. We discuss how he became an AI doomer, his belief that artificial superintelligence will wipe out humanity, and his Substack promoting IQ nationalism.  Sources: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1435876/dl https://sfdistrictattorney.org/texas-man-charged-with-two-counts-of-attempted-murder-and-multiple-other-felonies-in-connection-to-incendiary-destructive-device-thrown-at-russian-hill-residence/ https://x.com/mehran__jalali/status/2042755218819961048?s=20  https://morenogama.substack.com/p/ai-existential-risk-is-real https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-molotov-attack-suspect-daniel-moreno-gama-houston-2026-4 https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/12/sam-altman-s-home-targeted-second-attack/  https://www.wdsu.com/article/atf-suspected-molotov-cocktail-starts-fire-tesla-new-orleans-service-center/71025308?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot  https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/altman-sf-attack-crisis-parents-22208428.php https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sam-altmans-attacker-in-his-own-words/id1839942885?i=1000761713169See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew is joined by Mia to discuss different conceptions of indigeneity and what they mean politically.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia is once again joined by Molly to discuss a bank run on another type of shadow banks caused by subprime car loans! Sources: https://businessjournalism.org/2026/01/tricolor-investigation/ https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/deutsche-bank-signals-30b-risk-020300965.html https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-03-12-2026/card/morgan-stanley-private-credit-fund-hit-with-redemption-requests-IS8PSZh497HC5aF4CkGN https://europeanbusinessmagazine.com/business/private-credit-defaults-have-just-passed-their-2008-peak/ https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/morgan-stanley-tests-private-credit-110634713.html https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/23/business/what-is-blue-owl-private-credit https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/barclays-weighs-mfs-fallout-private-080551362.html https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/16/apollo-global-marc-rowan-private-credit-funds-redemptions.html https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/apollos-private-credit-fund-limits-investor-withdrawals-after-redemption-2026-03-23/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/wall-street-banks-trade-derivatives-bet-pain-private-credit-ft-reports-2026-04-17/ https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/apollo-private-credit-fund-gives-investors-only-45percent-of-requested-withdrawals.html https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/shadow-banking-and-private-credit-what-7018536/ https://www.privatedebtinvestor.com/insight-the-challenges-for-pd-arms-of-pe-firms/ https://archive.vn/f9UdP https://archive.vn/HUxEo#selection-1637.0-1650.0 https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/media/research/staff_reports/sr1111.pdf?sc_lang=en https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/banks-private-credit-partnerships.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James reads Margaret the first chapter of his new bookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.  - The Most Extreme Trans Healthcare Ban You've Never Heard Of - Rojava with Andrew - Are Workers Lighting Warehouses on Fire? - What Next for the People of Iran? - Executive Disorder: Hungary Election, DoorDash Stunt, Sam Altman’s Home Attacked You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today! http://apple.co/coolerzone Sources/Links: The Most Extreme Trans Healthcare Ban You've Never Heard Of https://transnews.network/p/u-s-catholic-bishops-launch-attack-on-trans-healthcare-it-s-time-to-fight-back https://transnews.network/p/it-s-a-nightmare-the-human-toll-of-the-catholic-church-s-trans-healthcare-ban Are Workers Lighting Warehouses on Fire? https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043408737424285989?s=20 https://www.tiktok.com/@laurel.elise5/video/7627719339067591949 https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043379636533666100?s=20 https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcla/video/7626572223742102797 https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/inland-empire-man-federally-charged-deliberately-setting-fires-destroyed-massive  https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-10/warehouse-arson-charges-video https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation/california/2026/04/10/ontario-arson-fire-prompts-questions-about-toilet-paper-availability/89555950007/ https://www.forbes.com/companies/nfi-industries/ https://www.comparably.com/companies/nfi-industries/executive-salaries https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Nfi-Industries/salaries/Warehouse-Operations/California https://www.erieri.com/cost-of-living/united-states/california/ontario#:~:text=Based%20on%20our%20Ontario%20cost,average%20in%20the%20United%20States. https://www.investor.kimberly-clark.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kimberly-clark-reports-strong-finish-second-year-transformation https://x.com/FalconryFinance/status/2042839737288077445?s=20  https://abc7ny.com/post/college-point-fire-firefighters-continue-battling-flames-industrial-complex-queens-nyc/18870770/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kochead/video/7627882067191270670 https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043330472131052020?s=20 https://x.com/FalconryFinance/status/2043107160301895841  https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/04/08/amazon-warehouse-west-jefferson-ohio-fire/89518809007/ https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/madison-county/crews-respond-to-fire-at-amazon-facility-in-west-jefferson/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thejackik/video/7627577500066991391 https://newjersey.news12.com/3-alarm-fire-in-ironbound-section-of-newark-rips-through-warehouse  https://www.nj.com/essex/2026/04/over-100-firefighters-battle-fire-that-erupted-at-nj-chemical-warehouse-authorities-say.html https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/union-county/2026/04/13/rahway-warehouse-lithium-ion-battery-fire/89594009007/ https://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/2026/04/extremely-large-brush-fire-reported-in-nj-amid-elevated-wildfire-risk.html https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043407987520442763?s=20 https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/-/news-events/news-releases/news-details/fire-news-release-business-fire-contained-at-gsl-transfer-station-in-lawrenceville  https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/04/10/crews-respond-fire-business-near-gwinnett-county-airport/ https://x.com/commie_trucker/status/2043173598035169776?s=20 https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043378163393437921?s=20 https://x.com/ProudSocialist/status/2043136718510153765?s=20 https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/04/12/multiple-departments-respond-5-alarm-fire-orrville/ https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-wayne/crews-battle-massive-fire-at-wayne-county-lumber-yard https://x.com/rdd147/status/2043188567518978381?s=20 https://x.com/strike_dr/status/2043365615247724762?s=20 https://www.bakersfield.com/news/kcfd-puts-out-yet-another-warehouse-fire-on-brundage-lane/article_58533f7d-87b5-4908-af77-3f3cf05b9f90.html https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/large-plume-rises-as-crews-battle-fire-at-abandoned-east-bakersfield-warehouse  https://www.tiktok.com/@thejackik/video/7627984684210769183 https://abc7.com/post/fire-inside-ontario-mills-mall-prompts-closure-arson-investigation/18867715/ https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/warehouse-structure-fires https://hazwoper-osha.com/blog-post/top-5-ignition-sources-in-warehouses-and-how-to-eliminate-them https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043794082833867155?s=20 https://x.com/charise_lee/status/2043408737424285989?s=20 https://x.com/mistressdivy/status/2043148239520571676 https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2025/2/27/voters-think-plane-crashes-have-become-more-frequent-and-blame-recent-accidents-on-air-traffic-controller-shortages  https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2025/05/us/plane-crashes-incidents-data-visuals-dg/ https://www.thewesternedge.media/p/everyone-is-replaceable-death-rattles https://emersoncollegepolling.com/december-2024-national-poll-young-voters-diverge-from-majority-on-crypto-tiktok-and-ceo-assassination/ What Next for the People of Iran? https://fpa.org/netanyahus-speech-and-the-question-of-an-iran-deal/  https://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/  https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1996/shock-n-awe_ch5.html  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yqqyly9n0o  https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/1103shock/  https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/trump-says-us-forces-are-clearing-strait-hormuz-2026-04-11/  https://acleddata.com/iran-crisis-live  https://x.com/DoWCTO/status/2043720881256448348?s=20  https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/22022026  https://x.com/drpezeshkian/status/2041443063655248199  https://hengaw.net/en/reports-and-statistics-1/2026/04/article-3  https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/04/article-31  https://hengaw.net/en/execution  https://x.com/PDKIenglish  https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116363336033995961  https://x.com/ScharoBajalan/status/2041190217470693733?s=20  https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2025/06/irans-nuclear-facilities-have-been-obliterated-and-suggestions-otherwise-are-fake-news/ Executive Disorder: Hungary Election, DoorDash Stunt, Sam Altman’s Home Attacked https://www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-high-school-shooting-gunman-dead/  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-school-shooting-kahramanmaras/  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9025d7jqzo https://x.com/Southcom/status/2043831574764921318?s=20   https://x.com/Southcom/status/2044185311673213219?s=20 https://x.com/Imranmuhdz/status/2043791969554465272?s=20  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/12/dozens-feared-dead-in-air-strike-on-village-in-northeastern-nigeria https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.42696/gov.uscourts.cadc.42696.01208840434.0.pdf https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5834485-iran-war-powers-house-2/ https://www.texasobserver.org/immigration-court-interpreter-arrested-ice-south-texas-airport/ https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.caed.484353/gov.uscourts.caed.484353.15.0_1.pdf https://apnews.com/article/stonewall-rainbow-flag-trump-lgbtq-historic-preservation-ac4ab59d3251476139700db6687828ca?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pope-leo-brother-bomb-threat-police-investigate-rcna332136 https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/doordashs-white-house-stunt-backfired-then-its-pr-guy-made-everything-worse/91331363 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/14/trump-doordash-delivery-grandma-mcdonalds https://x.com/TomSteyer/status/2044155939453129001 https://www.tomsteyer.com/issues/abolish-ice  https://www.aclu.org/cases/c-m-v-noem?document=Notice-of-Noncompliance-with-PI https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2043831680759169231?s=20  https://x.com/_MartinKelly_/status/2044683602638868959?s=20  https://x.com/LloydsList/status/2044748510868779062?s=20  https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1156929/US-claims-right-to-seize-Iran-linked-vessels-anywhere-beyond-neutral-waters  https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1156937/Iran-linked-vessels-continue-to-transit-Hormuz-despite-US-blockade  https://x.com/WarshipCam/status/2042574455549894847  https://x.com/mercoglianos/status/2043826535203758561?s=20  https://news.usni.org/2026/04/13/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-april-13-2026  https://hanahr.org/en/news/hana-legal-team-report-on-the-death-of-ghazal-mawlan-chaparabad-following-a-drone-strike-and-alleged-denial-of-emergency-medical-care-in-sulaymaniyah/  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-27/iran-routes-grain-imports-to-gulf-of-oman-with-hormuz-locked-up https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1435876/dl https://x.com/mehran__jalali/status/2042755218819961048?s=20  https://morenogama.substack.com/p/ai-existential-risk-is-real https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-molotov-attack-suspect-daniel-moreno-gama-houston-2026-4 https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/12/sam-altman-s-home-targeted-second-attack/  https://www.wdsu.com/article/atf-suspected-molotov-cocktail-starts-fire-tesla-new-orleans-service-center/71025308?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-workers-lighting-warehouses-on-fire/id1449762156?i=1000761449075 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.