The Flock Episode, Chapter One: Safety vs. Surveillance

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a relatively tiny, remote place -- it's about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, with nothing but ocean on the horizon. And, for decades, this nation has been home to a terrifying secret. As the world entered the atomic age, the United States realized it needed a place to test its new weaponry, and to store the waste these nuclear experiments left behind. Tune in to learn more about US nuclear experiments in the Marshall Islands, and how the consequences of this conspiracy remain in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's Strange News segment: a Canberra resident gets a world record for being the loudest guy ever. A retelling of previous conversations about non-US people encountering a condiment known as ranch. Data centers and detainment centers encounter public backlash. Write to Ben, Matt, and Noel, and remember: your response to a weekly segement may inform an actual Episode in the future.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout history, war has continually resulted in hostages -- these could be soldiers, spies, or civilians. And, even in the heat of conflict, opposing forces will often agree to exchange prisoners through various agreements. On paper, it sounds downright civilized. However, as Ben and Matt discover in tonight's episode, that's often not the case. Tune in to learn more about the controversy and conspiracy surrounding 'prisoner swaps'.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many, the story began with the receipt of a mysterious card, which led them to a nondescript address in San Francisco. From there, new members of the Latitude Society found themselves living through a complex, enigmatic adventure in a secret society somewhere between a philosophical group, a city-wide theme park and a real-life conspiracy. But what exactly is The Latitude Society? What are its real origins, and where are the members today?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much personal privacy would you be willing to sacrifice for the Greater Good of stopping crime? The breakout surveillance company Flock Safety claims their nationally-intergated monitoring network can eventually stop all crime. And investors are listening. In the second chapter of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel fly further into the strange saga of Flock -- and ask whether there's an ulterior motive at play.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a handful of otherwise unremarkable stocks become some of the most closely watched things on Wall Street? In today's episode, the guys explore the strange series of events that led to massive price fluctuations in GameStop and more. The media portrayed this as the 'little guys' -- amateur traders -- banding together to take revenge on heartless hedge funds. But how much of this is true? What's the real conspiracy, exactly? Tune in to learn more.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's strange news segment: after a quick update on the cartoonish Iran-US negotiations (which we're sure will age well), Ben, Matt and Noel explore China's explosive accusations that other nations are weaponizing animals like sea turtles and fish for spying. AI goes increasingly rogue. Peter Thiel's secretive ‘Dialog’ society gets hacked. Stay tuned for the very end of this weekly segment to get a sneak preview of the actual episodes coming up in the near future.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In less than a decade since its formation in 2017, Flock Safety has exploded across the United States, with thousands of surveillance cameras in every state except for Alaska. Fans of Flock praise its potential for preventing crime -- but critics are seriously concerned this is just one more step toward a surveillance state. In the first part of this two-part episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the great dilemma (and alleged conspiracies) surrounding Flock.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In tonight's listener mail segment: a professional NHS investigator responds to the Ben, Matt and Noel's earlier interview segment about the Lucy Letby case. Frog Daddy prompts a conversation about surveillance and META glasses. One Eyed Cyclops shares a terrifying experence with AI-powered scams. Hit up Ben, Matt and Noel -- your appearance on our listener mail segment may just become an episode in the future.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As one of the most high-stakes, ambitious operations in all of military history, the D-Day invasion of World War II remains a thrilling -- and terrifying -- tale, constantly retold and reexamined by Hollywood and historians. But there's another strange, oft-ignored story in the D-Day narrative, something Uncle Sam would still prefer we all stop thinking about. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the disastrous events of Exercise Tiger... and the cover-up that persists, even now, in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.