Behind the Bastards

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.
- The Afterlives of Quentin Deranque
- The Afterlives of Quentin Deranque, Pt. 2
- Journalism Under Attack in Lebanon
- Economic Echoes of the Strait of Hormuz
- Executive Disorder: A Billion for Trump’s Ballroom Security, RIP Spirit Airlines, Iran Stalemate
You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!
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Sources/Links:
The Afterlives of Quentin Deranque
Donate: https://acu.nl/about/donate
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2026/02/17/who-was-quentin-deranque-the-far-right-activist-killed-in-lyon_6750585_5.html
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2026/02/27/france-s-political-violence-has-risen-significantly-with-assaults-doubling-over-the-past-10-years_6750916_23.html
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/m-le-mag/article/2026/02/18/nemesis-the-identitarian-activists-behind-feminist-masks_6750599_117.html
https://www.sv.uio.no/c-rex/english/news-and-events/right-now/2024/extreme-right-violence-in-france-is-on-the-rise.html?utm_source=copilot.com
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260220-how-the-death-of-far-right-activist-quentin-deranque-became-france-s-charlie-kirk-moment
https://jacobin.com/2023/06/france-far-right-neofascist-violence-politics?utm_source=copilot.com
https://www.humanite.fr/politique/nemesis/nemesis-le-collectif-dextreme-droite-qui-provoque-le-cyber-harcelement-de-militantes-feministes-et-delues-de-gauche
https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/02/french-nemesis-activist-says-group-traumatised-after-supporter-killed-in-lyon/
https://archive.is/VvPa4
https://www.humanite.fr/politique/nemesis/nemesis-photographiee-realisant-une-gestuelle-neonazie-alice-cordier-evoque-une-reference-au-rap
https://archive.is/kjEUp
https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/video/2026/02/18/mort-de-quentin-deranque-ce-que-montrent-les-videos-des-faits_6667296_3224.html
https://contre-attaque.net/2026/02/16/revelations-de-nouvelles-images-et-un-temoignage-revelent-quune-embuscade-a-bien-ete-tendue-le-12-fevrier-par-des-fascistes-lyonnais/
https://www.franceinfo.fr/faits-divers/mort-de-quentin-militant-identitaire-agresse-a-lyon/reportage-il-a-refuse-d-aller-a-l-hopital-des-habitants-de-lyon-racontent-l-agression-mortelle-de-quentin-deranque_7808942.html
https://contre-attaque.net/2026/03/27/affaire-deranque-scandale-detat/
Journalism Under Attack in Lebanon
Report on killing of Amal Khalil - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/23/what-we-know-about-israel-killing-lebanese-journalist-amal-khalil
Report on “black Wednesday” - https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/04/11/lebanese-mourn-victims-of-black-wednesday-we-are-not-just-numbers_6752321_4.html
Justin Salhani and Maram Humaid on killing of journalists in Gaza - https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/4/7/targeted-killed-burned-alive-journalists-in-gaza-attacked-by-israel
Quadruple tap strike on paramedics in Lebanon - https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lebanon-paramedics-strike-9.7173448
Forensic Architecture on Gaza’s hospitals - https://gaza-hospitals.forensic-architecture.org/
Economic Echoes of the Strait of Hormuz
https://archive.vn/1qeiu

https://thelensnola.org/2026/04/01/how-the-iran-war-is-disrupting-the-worlds-medicine-supplies/

https://archive.vn/pM5a6

https://archive.vn/u38pm

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/asia-battles-rising-uneven-toll-energy-crisis-caused-by-iran-war-2026-05-04/

https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/04/16/the-iran-war-widens-indonesias-fiscal-faultlines/

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/plastic-bag-chaos-shortage-fears-highlight-taiwans-energy-security-concerns
Executive Disorder: A Billion for Trump’s Ballroom Security, RIP Spirit Airlines, Iran Stalemate
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2051761247779979301?s=20

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-city-denver-unconstitutional-weapons-bans

https://www.tonation-nsn.gov/sacred-site-located-in-cabeza-prieta-national-wildlife-refuge-destroyed-by-border-wall-construction/

https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/05/ukraine-joint-direct-attack-munitions-extended-range

https://x.com/TedCGoodman/status/2051470245555052557

https://x.com/i/status/2052092791916806265

https://www.ms.now/news/fbi-investigating-leaks-to-journalist-who-wrote-explosive-article-on-kash-patel-sources

https://apnews.com/article/cruise-ship-hantavirus-andes-strain-south-africa-cb424510bb0c934c781f6bd42ce2e7c8
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/canarians-worry-arrival-hantavirus-cruise-ship-will-bring-repeat-covid-2026-05-06/
https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/reconciliation_-_senate_judiciary_committee_title.pdf
https://punchbowl.news/mdm26a11/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5/5/26%20AM:&utm_term=Punchbowl%20AM%20and%20Active%20Subscribers%20from%20Memberful%20Combined
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2051759811054727212?s=20
https://x.com/SkyNews/status/2051246490786394319?s=20
https://x.com/NotWoofers/status/2051640997482782939?s=20
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-us-navy-destroyers-transit-strait-of-hormuz-after-dodging-iranian-onslaught/
https://x.com/mercoglianos/status/2051381236950524095?s=20
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116512555123589170
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2051798734850101462?s=20
https://x.com/_MartinKelly_/status/2051754245125181778?s=20
https://x.com/Southcom/status/2051723140254843043?s=20
https://x.com/Acyn/status/2051749649279762556?s=20
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2051759811054727212?s=20
https://x.com/UK_MTO/status/2051749762538389668?s=20 in
https://x.com/Reuters/status/2051567572454432996?s=20
https://x.com/Southcom/status/2051709553956266365?s=20
https://www.axios.com/2026/05/06/iran-us-deal-one-page-memo?utm_campaign=mrf-utm_campaign=editorial&utm_source=x&utm_medium=owned_social&mrfcid=2026050669f852024e34c652f4ad78a6
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2052070088233136553?s=20
https://x.com/Alihashem
https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-05-01-Fifth-Circuit-Order-Granting-Stay-of-2023-REMS.pdf
https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1973866621245567344?s=20
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fda-is-investigating-the-abortion-pill-mifepristone-despite-decades-of/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2840361
https://reproductiverights.org/news/5th-circuit-limits-telehealth-provision-of-abortion-pill/
https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/25A1208-Admin-Stay-and-CFR.pdf
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/texas-man-charged-shooting-secret-service-agent-near-washington-monument-national-mall
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/us/politics/washington-monument-shooting-secret-service.html
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Robert concludes his explanation of how AI chatbots replicate cult dynamics in the brains of some vulnerable users.

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Over the last year or so a series of news articles have sounded warnings about AI psychosis, and now an AI-generated cult, the Spiralists. Robert sits down with Blake Wexler to answer an important question: can a chatbot become a cult leader?
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All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.
- The Age of Extremophiles
- Libya with Andrew
- Gaddafi with Andrew
- Zohran Mamdani's First 100 Days
- Executive Disorder: White House Correspondents Shooting, Voting Rights Act
You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!
http://apple.co/coolerzone
Sources/Links:
Libya with Andrew
Iran retaliation: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrqqd8lw2wo
Timeline of Libyan History: https://www.britannica.com/place/Libya/History
Timeline of Libyan revolt: https://www.britannica.com/event/Libya-Revolt-of-2011
Behind the NTC: http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1062/2/who-drove-the-libyan-uprising
Consequences and Motivations of Libya intervention: https://jacobin.com/2015/02/libya-intervention-nato-imperialism
https://web.archive.org/web/20220517202837/https://merip.org/2011/11/was-the-libya-intervention-necessary/
https://jacobin.com/2021/03/nato-libya-war-uk-us-france-regime-change
https://jacobin.com/2011/09/libya-and-the-left
Rebel abuses: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14891913
Targeting of Black Libyans and Migrants: https://www.npr.org/2011/10/20/141549384/blacks-and-migrants-targets-of-attack-in-libya
Displacement numbers in 2012: https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/legacy-pdf/4ec23100b.pdf
Consequences of first civil war: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/24/libya-capital-under-islamist-control-tripoli-airport-seized-operation-dawn
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/2/16/libya-anniversary-the-situation-is-just-terrible
An attempt at unification: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/libyan-politicians-sign-un-peace-deal-unify-rival-governments
El Sharara oilfield situation: https://middle-east-online.com/node/708060
The status quo as of 2020: https://www.politico.eu/article/the-libyan-conflict-explained/
Another attempt at unification: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/15/libya-interim-government-sworn-in-replacing-rival-administration
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/21/libya-parliament-withdraws-confidence-from-unity-government
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/3/un-voices-concern-over-vote-on-new-libyan-prime-minister
Morality police: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/fears-religious-freedom-libya-proposes-new-morality-police
Slave auction: https://africasacountry.com/2017/11/the-slave-auction-in-libya
Libya’s arms in regional instability: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-arms-un-idUSBRE93814Y20130409/
Natural disaster: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/09/year-rebuilding-libyas-flood-hit-derna-plagued-politics
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/libya-floods-derna-turkish-firm-said-repaired-dam-did-it
Gaddafi with Andrew
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muammar-al-Qaddafi
https://www.britannica.com/place/Libya/
Libya: The History of Gaddafi's Pariah State By John Oakes
Qaddafi and the Libyan revolution By David Blundy, Andrew Lycett
https://africasacountry.com/2017/12/the-return-of-muammar-gaddafi
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2013/10/03/gaddafis-harem-book
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-16289543
https://newint.org/features/web-exclusive/2016/02/17/what-happened-to-the-other-libyans
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329567625_A_Linguistic_Liberation_of_Gaddafi%27s_Libya_From_Near-Extinction_to_an_Imminent_Revitalization_of_Amazigh
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2018/10/13/tebu-cultural-awakening-we-may-not-be-arabs-but-we-are-libyan
https://marxist.com/nature-of-gaddafi-regime.htm
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/business/23views.html
Gaddafi’s relations with the West: https://libcom.org/article/lies-slaughter-capital-2011-nato-intervention-libya-part-two
https://libcom.org/article/libyan-peoples-committees-should-be-foundation-new-life-not-just-interim-measure
https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/09/05/us-torture-and-rendition-gaddafis-libya
https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/09/secret-intelligence-documents-discovered-libya
Zohran Mamdani's First 100 Days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZGdfQ-kPTI

https://www.nyc.gov/content/100days/pages/
https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/news/004-26/mamdani-administration-stricter-enforcement-city-s-250-most-distressed-apartment

https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mamdani-administration-announces-historic--2-1-million-settlemen
https://www.nyc.gov/content/tenantprotection/pages/pinnacle-tenants
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani-signs-eo-to-revitalize-mayor-s-office-to-protect-t
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mayor-mamdani-announces-historic--2-1m-court-judgment-against-br
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/02/mayor-mamdani--nycha-announce--38-4-million-investment-to-bring-
https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/sustainability.page
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mamdani-administration-launches-new-program-to-deliver-affordabl
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mayor-mamdani-advances-new-york-city-s-first-free-child-care-pro
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/transcript--mayor-mamdani-announces-major-3-k-expansion--adding-
https://www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/19/mamdani-budget-parks-libraries/
https://www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/10/homeless-deaths-cold-hearing-wasow-park/

https://citylimits.org/the-mayor-promises-a-new-approach-to-encampment-sweeps-homeless-advocates-dont-buy-it/
https://gothamist.com/news/can-columbus-ohio-teach-the-nypd-about-crowd-control-mamdani-wants-to-find-out
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/nyregion/mamdani-nypd-tisch-police.html

https://gothamist.com/news/mayor-mamdani-signals-openness-to-nypd-gang-database-citing-reforms
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mayor-mamdani-appoints-renita-francois-as-deputy-mayor-for-commu
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/03/mamdani-administration-secures-nearly--2m-in-restitution-for-800
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani-announces--5-million-settlement--reinstatement-of-
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/04/mayor-mamdani-announces-la-marqueta-as-first-site-identified-for
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/04/mayor-mamdani--governor-hochul-announce-state-s-first-pied-a-ter
Executive Disorder: White House Correspondents Shooting, Voting Rights Act
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/28083136/allen.pdf
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/04/29/congress/section-702-passes-house-00899071
https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/atf-launches-new-era-reform

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-former-fbi-director-james-comey-threats-harm-president-trump
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/28/media/fcc-kimmel-disney-abc-trump-licenses

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/business/media/david-ellison-trump-cbs-news.html

https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-announces-decision-ld-307-2026-04-24

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp846668401o

https://www.ukmto.org/recent-incidents#fae0af84-bd4a-4a4d-86d0-cb7166ef4691

https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/lithium-eastern-states-could-replace-imports-a-century-or-more

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116474434041424846
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/governor-sinaloa-and-nine-other-current-and-former-mexican-officials-charged-drug

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/30/nx-s1-5805050/supreme-court-voting-rights-congressional-black-caucus

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-allen-003804b7/
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=cole+allen&contributor_zip=90501

https://x.com/MAGAVoice/status/2048180791356821988?s=20

https://www.timemachine.eu/study-on-quality-in-3d-digitisation-of-tangible-cultural-heritage/
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20150004067

https://x.com/infolibnews/status/2048222643237601457?s=20
https://x.com/aishahhasnie/status/2048274579043336397

https://x.com/TheRealJChubby/status/2048513664286924938?s=20
https://x.com/BonkDaCarnivore/status/2048220342678597688?s=20

https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/OPN/25-3141_complete_opn.pdf

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/17/2026-02994/determination-pursuant-to-section-102-of-the-illegal-immigration-reform-and-immigrant-responsibility
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c5d05c7ba737452f85f7b9ee4b2ea99a#data_s=id%3AdataSource_4-59220b9613c647f49771f495924d5772%3A973
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28051570-friends-of-the-ruidosa-church-v-secretary-markwayne-mullin-april-2026/
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Robert concludes the thrilling story of Dr. Robert Spears, who absolutely was not a doctor or actually named Robert Spears.
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