Let's Know Things
Latest Episodes
La Niña 2024
This week we talk about ENSO, El Niño, and attribution science.We also discuss climate change, natural disasters, and the trade winds.Recommended Book: Titanium Noir by Nick HarkawayTranscriptThe field of attribution science, sometimes referred to as "ext
GPS Jamming
This week we talk about APT28, spoofing, and hybrid warfare.We also discuss the Baltics, Tartu airport, and hacking.Recommended Book: The Middle Passage by James HollisTranscriptIn early May of 2024, the German government formally blamed a Russian hacking
TikTok Ban
This week we talk about Huawei, DJI, and ByteDance.We also discuss 5G infrastructure, black-box algorithms, and Congressional bundles.Recommended Book: The Spare Man by Mary Robinette KowalNote: my new book, How To Turn 39, is now available as an ebook, a
Section 702
This week we talk about STELLARWIND, 9/11, and the NSA.We also discuss warrantless surveillance, intelligence agencies, and FISA.Recommended Book: Period: The Real Story of Menstruation by Kate ClancyTranscriptImmediately after the terrorist attacks in th
Presidential Immunity
This week we talk about diplomatic immunity, Trumps court cases, and the Supreme Court.We also discuss Nixon, Clinton, and the US Constitution.Recommended Book: My upcoming book, How To Turn 39 (https://books2read.com/htt39), which is available for pre-o
XZ Utils Hack
This week we talk about Linux, backdoors, and the Open Source community.We also discuss CPU usage, state-backed hackers, and SSH.Recommended Book: The Underworld by Susan CaseyTranscriptIn the world of computers, a "backdoor" is a means of accessing a dev
Cocoa Shortage
This week we talk about cacao, plantations, and bean-to-bar chocolate.We also discuss black pod disease, swollen shoot virus, and seed pod currency.Recommended Book:The City & The City by China MivilleTranscriptThe cocoa bean, also called "cacao," is a
DRC Conflict
This week we talk about the Rwandan genocide, the First and Second Congo Wars, and M23.We also discuss civil wars, proxy conflicts, and resource curses.Recommended Book:Everyday Utopia by Kristen R. GhodseeTranscriptThe Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Bigger Oil
This week we talk about mergers, acquisitions, and the Shale Oil Revolution.We also discuss liquid natural gas, energy diplomacy, and political hypocrisy.Recommended Book: Eversion by Alastair ReynoldsTranscriptFor the sixth year in a row, the United Stat
Ukraine War Update (Early 2024)
This week we talk about foreign aid, brain drain, and long-term economic consequences.We also discuss the Rasputitsa, counteroffensives, and strategic rethinks.Recommended Book: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziTranscriptWe've done this a few