This American Life

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Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Haerc posted:

Great show suggestions so far!

One of my favourites is The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar, http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/352/the-ghost-of-bobby-dunbar

From the site: In 1912 a four year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing in a swamp in Louisiana. Eight months later, he was found in the hands of a wandering handyman in Mississippi. In 2004, his granddaughter discovered a secret beneath the legend of her grandfather's kidnapping, a secret whose revelation would divide her own family, bring redemption to another, and become the answer to a third family's century-old prayer.

Ah! This is the episode I've been trying to remember since this thread was posted. It's easily my favorite episode as it plays out like a movie in real life.

The patent law episode that was posted further up the page was good but infuriating. If you want to feel the need to punch these people square the nose for a solid hour, then go hog wild.

# ¿ Oct 3, 2011 17:55

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 23:17

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

maxnmona posted:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/430/very-tough-love

Yeah, occasionally they do an episode that just gets you angry at the ridiculous injustice of it.

THIS SHOW

It's rare to find any program that can get me so worked up, but TAL pulls it off with aplomb with these shows.

# ¿ Oct 5, 2011 04:23

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

My god that last segment was unbelievable. I'm probably going to be in a crappy mood all evening after listening to it.

# ¿ Dec 10, 2014 21:06

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

What's the episode about the FBI employing a body-building con-man to go undercover into the American Muslim community and ended up getting reported to the FBI for possibly being a terrorist by the very guys that he was trying to sting? Because that's one of the best episodes.

They called it "Operation Flex".

# ¿ Mar 16, 2015 16:11

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Watermelon City posted:

What did everyone think of #551? I really enjoyed the opening segment, and the one on underwater cave diving made me feel claustrophobic.

I don't know why but that diving segment is utterly riveting even though it's the second time I've listened to it. Maybe its because I can only visualize the environment that it describes as being utterly alien and divorced from anything that I will ever experience, so the whole thing makes me feel like I'm listening to an astronaut exploring another planet. Or Will Navidson exploring his house.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2015 21:09

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Well that episode was utterly blood boiling. I don't think I've ever been quite so angry at an episode of the show as I was listening to the cheers at that public meeting for the school integration.

# ¿ Aug 4, 2015 16:53

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Mars4523 posted:

Jesus loving Christ that town hall scene was so infuriating.

Also, the only people who say "This is not a race issue!" are racist assholes who are trying to pretend otherwise. Extra points for claiming that people who call out racism are the real racists.

God, loving white people and loving white flight.

The best part about the white flight issue is that it didn't actually happen. The Normandy kids that were integrated into the white school didn't result in any families moving away or any grades or scoring to change by the smallest amount.

# ¿ Aug 5, 2015 13:08

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Normally I'd be upset about another rerun but Petty Tyrant is a Top 5 episode so I am totally on board.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2015 14:42

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

RE: the latest episode about the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans:

Am I jerk for not really feeling bad for the guy whose multiple homes are being foreclosed on (his story is about 40 minutes in)? On the one hand I understand that predatory loan organizations are a think and people get scammed all the time, but the guy was basically jockeying to become a rent baron in the Lower 9th and didn't even read the loan agreement that he was signing. It feels like he kind of brought it on himself.

# ¿ Aug 31, 2015 15:14

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

X-Ray Pecs posted:

The second act this week is giving me serious flashbacks to the store that was an ATF front.

They should bundle those two along with The Convert to create a "the Government is really terrible at running stings" trilogy.

_{jihaaaaaad...}

# ¿ Sep 14, 2015 15:44

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 23:17

Strange Matter: Oct 6, 2009; Ask me about Genocide

Wow I didn't expect that episode to end with Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman playing non-U2 songs for Todd Glass. Aukerman is a national treasure.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2016 17:03

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