Goose Chase Podcast

This episode is a difficult one. We're talking about Incels, a term that refers to the involuntarily celibate. You've probably heard of them, as some of them have made headlines carrying out high-profile acts of violence. This is an internet community with some overlap with other online communities of (primarily) disgruntled men. But the Incels have a particular way of escalating that disgruntled attitude to more and more dangerous places. We talk about the community, some of its causes, and possible venues for change. This isn't an easy discussion, but we think it's one worth having. 

What year is it? This is an easy one, right? This can't possibly be a controversial question, right? Wrong. Various theories abound about "phantom time" and what year it really is, for reasons that are sometimes pretty obvious and in another case kind of ambiguous. What year is it really? Is history completely fabricated? How much do we really know about our own past? Sometimes simply injecting doubt sparks a whole new discipline. But what we really want is some hard evidence. 

This week we're talking about one of the craziest things you probably don't realize is happening now, right out of the mad science classics. An Italian neurosurgeon promises the world HEAVEN: The HEad Anastomosis VENture. A new body, attached to your head. It's the future. Then some people online question whether he's real at all. Is he a man or a marketing stunt? If he's real, what is he after? This one takes some turns, but it goes right to the heart of some of our most basic biological fears. And as of today, the story is ongoing. Goose Chase!

If you're over 25, you probably either had one or knew someone who did: The late 80's ubiquitous cabbage patch kids. Adorable little dolls supposedly grown right out of the ground, they were the hot thing everyone had to have for a while. But behind the scenes, there was a battle going on, pertaining to the rights and the origin of these uniquely personalized and special toys. And it raged for years. This week: the truth behind the cabbage patch kids. 

This week we're talking about an internet legend and tragedy rolled into one. TempleOS was a unique, highly idiosyncratic project created by programmer Terry A. Davis, a bright but troubled man whose project went through various stages. Starting as a pet project, later labeled as an educational tool, and ultimately manifested as the will of God, the creation of this project is the story of one man's complete and thorough obsession and struggle with mental illness. Along the way he became the stuff of internet legend and an unforgettable piece of history. 

For episode 69 (nice), we're talking about Dr. Bronner's magic soap! You probably would recognize the label from the store: the soap that comes in the bottle covered with very tiny print all over. Dr. Bronner is an interesting figure with a tragic past and a true passion for quality soap. But also, he had a very lengthy and complicated philosophy to share with the world. We look into the man, the philosophy, and the legacy. 

This week we're talking about sound! Sound is something most of us are pretty well acquainted with, but we're not so familiar with the sounds we can't hear that exist outside our audible frequencies: ultrasound and infrasound. We're talking about both, as well as ways sound can be weaponized, and the mysterious sound event in Cuba that rattled our national security apparatus. Hear hear!

This week we're finally talking about the Rosicrucians, a secret society and ancient order that claims a lot of leaders, variations, and expressions of itself. It's not quite clear cut exactly what it is: somewhat Christian in some interpretations, somewhat new agey in others. It's not even clear in some sense that it even exists. We know. It's confusing. Also thanks to Helen Zuman for her email, and as discussed in this episode, here is a link to her review of "Sanction" by Roman McClay. Goose Chase!

This week we're joined by Sam and Chloe from the Dot Dot Dot podcast! We're talking this week about New Jersey, a place you might associate with boardwalks, the mafia, or summer fun. But we're talking about the weird, the haunted, the strange, and the mysterious places of New Jersey you might never have heard about. It's a great place to visit and see some peculiar sites, and every region has their own unique ones, but New Jersey is something special. Or the seventh circle of hell, depending on who you ask. 

You'll recognize the name from your morning flakes: Dr. John Kellogg was a 19th and 20th century doctor, nutritionist, and author. He got some things right. He got more things way, WAY wrong. Kellogg was obsessed with bodily health, good gut flora, and keeping your hands off your genitals. Or other people's genitals. This week we look into the contributions of John Kellogg, including the cereal that bears his name.