Podcast Summary
Discussing Card Benefits and Atlanta's Past: The Capital One Venture X Card offers 2X miles on every purchase and premium travel benefits, while Kroger ensures quality and affordability for customers. The hosts explored diverse topics during their podcast, demonstrating their versatility.
The Capital One Venture X Card offers cardholders unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, along with premium travel benefits like airport lounge access and a $300 annual credit for bookings. Meanwhile, shopping for Kroger brand products provides customers with guaranteed quality at affordable prices. During a recent podcast episode, Chuck and Josh reminisced about Atlanta's past and shared stories about Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. However, the conversation unexpectedly shifted to discuss the CIA, submarines, the USSR, and Howard Hughes during the Cold War era. Despite the seemingly unrelated topics, the conversation showcased the hosts' ability to explore various subjects in an engaging and entertaining way.
Discovery of a Sunken Soviet Nuclear Submarine during the Cold War: The United States discovered a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine, K129, during the Cold War and conducted a covert operation to locate it before the Soviets, marking a significant intelligence achievement.
During the Cold War in 1968, a Soviet nuclear submarine named K129, also known as the Golf 2, sank in the North Pacific Ocean. The submarine, which was on a routine patrol mission, was carrying nuclear-tipped torpedoes. When some of these torpedoes detonated, the submarine was severely damaged and the entire crew of 98 people perished. The United States, who had been monitoring the area with listening devices, discovered the location of the sunken submarine and conducted a covert operation to find it before the Soviets. The US successfully located the submarine, and the incident marked the beginning of Project Azorian and the Glomer Explorer. The story of this event is officially reported as a successful intelligence operation, but there are theories suggesting that it may have covered up other covert operations or events. Regardless, the discovery of the K129 was a significant event during the Cold War.
US attempts to retrieve a Soviet submarine during the Cold War: During the Cold War, US engineers planned and executed a top-secret mission to retrieve a Soviet submarine, using advanced technology and a team of skilled professionals, to gain valuable intelligence.
During the height of the Cold War, the US discovered a Soviet submarine, potentially containing valuable information and cryptographic equipment, located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Faced with the challenge of retrieving it without alerting the Soviets, a top-secret project named Project Azorian was launched. Engineers brainstormed solutions to lift the 2500-ton, 300-foot long submarine using a recovery ship with a moon pool and a capture vehicle with a specialized grab. The mission involved three large vessels and was shrouded in secrecy due to the potential danger of Soviet intervention. The engineers, driven by the challenge and the knowledge that their success could lead to significant intelligence gains, worked tirelessly to devise a plan to execute this seemingly insurmountable task.
CIA's Cover Story: Hughes Glomar Explorer as a Deep-Sea Mining Operation: During the Cold War, the CIA hired Howard Hughes to build a cover story and operation using the Hughes Glomar Explorer, a 618-foot ship disguised as a deep-sea mining operation, to hide the recovery of a Soviet submarine and its grabber arm.
During the height of the Cold War, the CIA commissioned Howard Hughes and his Summa Corporation to build a unique cover story and operation to conceal the recovery of a Soviet submarine and its grabber arm. The Hughes Glomar Explorer, a 618-foot, 36,000-ton ship, was designed to hide the grabber vehicle inside a submersible barge, which could be raised into the main ship, making the grabber arm invisible to the Soviets. To add to the cover story, the Glomar Explorer was disguised as a deep-sea mining operation in an area rich in manganese nodules, a new and intriguing concept at the time. Hughes' reputation for wealth, secrecy, and government connections made him the ideal candidate for this covert mission.
Exploring new possibilities leads to unexpected benefits: Zigazoo offers a safe and fun environment for kids, while Airbnb provides homeowners an income opportunity. Both platforms offer unique discoveries and potential value.
Both Zigazoo and Airbnb offer unique opportunities for kids and homeowners respectively. Zigazoo, a social media platform for kids, ensures a safe and fun environment with moderated content, dance challenges, and KidSafe Kappa certified privacy protections. Airbnb, on the other hand, provides an opportunity for homeowners to make extra money by renting out their spare rooms or entire homes during events or tourist seasons. The US government, in the past, even went as far as to explore the potential of an underwater missile site for technological and intelligence gains. While the contexts differ, the underlying themes of discovery, opportunity, and potential value are present in both scenarios. Whether it's a fun social media experience for kids or an income-generating opportunity for homeowners, exploring new possibilities can lead to unexpected benefits.
Retrieving a Sunken Soviet Submarine: The US covertly retrieved a sunken Soviet submarine during the Cold War, handling enemy remains with respect, preparing for potential casualties, and operating in secrecy to prevent international tensions.
During the Cold War, the United States embarked on a covert mission to retrieve a sunken Soviet submarine using the Hughes Glomar Explorer. The mission involved handling enemy remains with respect, preparing for potential casualties, and operating in secrecy due to the potential international tensions. The mission was described as a challenging feat, comparable to lowering an eight-foot grappling hook with a one-inch rope to lift a compact car full of gold from the street without notice. The operation was conducted under close surveillance by Soviet naval ships, requiring the team to work in stealth mode and prevent any unwanted attention. Despite the risks and challenges, the mission was successful and marked a significant achievement in underwater technology and espionage.
Mission to capture a Soviet submarine: The CIA's Glomar Explorer mission involved lowering a capture vehicle to seize a Soviet submarine, dealing with potential attacks, and raising it back to the surface, despite unexpected earthquake-like events.
The Glomar Explorer mission involved a complicated process of lowering a capture vehicle three miles down to seize a Soviet submarine, while dealing with the tension of potential Soviet boarding and maintaining position against ocean currents. The mission required precise timing and execution, with the team on alert for both destroying sensitive materials and defending against potential attacks. The successful raising of the submarine was an incredible accomplishment, but was met with an unexpected earthquake-like event during the first mile of ascent. Despite the holes in the story due to its covert nature, the mission's success in capturing the submarine was a significant achievement for the CIA.
Deep-sea mission results in CIA recovery of nuclear materials and Soviet submariners' bodies: An aging submersible claw caused a deep-sea mission to fail, resulting in the CIA recovering nuclear materials and Soviet submariners' bodies, but also exposing everyone on board to plutonium.
During a deep-sea mission, a submersible claw broke apart due to its age and brittleness, causing the sub to break up and most of it to fall back a mile to the ocean floor. The CIA was after valuable nuclear materials and code books, but they only managed to retrieve a fraction of the sub and some Soviet submariners' bodies. The incident resulted in plutonium exposure for everyone on board. The bizarre and futuristic video of the recovery process adds to the intrigue of this historical event. The CIA project was eventually turned over to Boris Yeltsin in 1992. On a lighter note, there's a new social media platform called Zigazoo, designed specifically for kids. It's moderated by real people and has built-in privacy protections. Kids can create fun videos, and there are no comments or messaging, making it a safe and enjoyable experience.
The Value of Sharing and Obtaining Information: Sharing an unused space on Airbnb can generate income, while obtaining valuable information, even for a short time, can have significant value. However, keeping such operations secret can be challenging and may ultimately lead to exposure.
The potential value of sharing your home on Airbnb might be underestimated. Even an unused spare room could generate extra income during events or tourist seasons. Meanwhile, in a different context, the discussion around a historical intelligence operation, Project Azorian, highlights the value of obtaining valuable information, even if it's only for a short period. However, the challenges of keeping such operations secret were illustrated by the eventual exposure of Project Azorian through journalistic investigations. The CIA's attempts to keep the story under wraps ultimately failed, leading to the infamous "neither confirm nor deny" response that is still used today.
Rumors of a secret CIA-Hughes project to retrieve a lost Soviet submarine: During the 1970s, rumors swirled of a clandestine CIA-Hughes operation to recover a supposedly lost Soviet submarine from the Atlantic Ocean. However, the documents detailing the project were later found to be inconsistent, and the submarine was actually located in the Pacific Ocean.
During the 1970s in Los Angeles, there were rumors of a secret project between the Hughes Corporation and the CIA to retrieve a lost Soviet submarine from the Atlantic Ocean. This information came to light when the Hughes Corporation's headquarters were broken into, and documents, including a memo about this project, were stolen. The thieves attempted to sell these documents, and the LA police were contacted. The CIA became involved when they discovered the LAPD was investigating the stolen documents. The LA Times eventually reported on the story, but it was later revealed that the submarine was actually in the Pacific Ocean, and the story had several inconsistencies. Jack Anderson, a radio host, tried to uncover more information about the story, leading other reporters to also investigate. This incident highlights the complex web of government and corporate involvement in clandestine operations during the Cold War era.
The Failed Recovery of a Soviet Submarine During the Cold War: Despite significant investments and resources, the U.S. failed to recover a Soviet submarine during the Cold War, causing embarrassment for both sides and highlighting the tense, secretive nature of the era.
During the Cold War, the U.S. attempted to retrieve a Soviet submarine, Project Azorian, which was mistakenly called Project Jennifer in media reports. The revelation of this project caused significant embarrassment for the Soviets, who had lost the sub and were unable to locate it. Fearing further embarrassment and potential military conflict, they decided not to pursue the recovery of the submarine. The U.S., which had also kept the project secret, faced no repercussions from the Soviets. The project, which cost approximately $3 billion in today's money, involved the use of the Glomar Explorer, a specially designed ship built for the CIA by Howard Hughes. Despite the significant cost and resources invested, the submarine was never recovered, and the ship was eventually sold for scrap eight years ago. The incident highlights the tense and secretive nature of the Cold War, with both sides reluctant to admit their weaknesses and failures.
Mike's Charity Trivia Night for Brain Cancer Research: Mike's sold-out charity trivia night inspires community to support brain cancer research, reminding us that every donation makes a difference.
There are numerous ways to make a positive impact in the community, as showcased by the story of Mike and his charity trivia night for Grace Giving. This event, which benefits brain cancer research, has become a huge success, selling out in just a few minutes and inspiring others to donate, even if it's just a few dollars. Mike's dedication to this cause, which was sparked by the loss of his wife, is a powerful reminder of the importance of coming together to support important causes. Additionally, the mention of Emmett Cleary, Mike's roommate and author of a book about CTE, highlights the various ways individuals can contribute to making a difference. If you're inspired to make a difference, consider checking out Grace Giving and their efforts to support brain cancer research. And remember, no matter how small the contribution, every bit helps. For more information on Grace Giving and other topics, be sure to check out Stuff You Should Know and The Hollywood Reporter Charts.
