Latest / Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast / Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

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Unrestricted Submarine Warfare · Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast

0:01
The things. Everything needs to survive as
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Hickory and it brings it in by ships.
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Largely from the United States from South America along.
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Well, traveled and long-established shipping lanes.
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Written doesn't get what it needs from those ships.
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The British were going to start and so the Germans could cut
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them off from the outside world with submarine.
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They could force the British. This is plausibly live.
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Well, good morning. Good evening or good.
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Afternoon, wherever you are, whatever you do.
0:32
A lot of things happening in the world.
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Today most of them far beyond our control, you might say.
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So perhaps it's time we took a pause and talk about life and
0:40
thought about the laws of gravity unrestricted submarine
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warfare, The Emperor's New Clothes, Steph Curry politics
0:48
and or the news, don't touch the dial.
0:50
Let's try to hear me out for a little while.
0:53
Dear God, it's finally February. Is anybody else in the same
0:57
boat? Just felt like he lasted for a
1:02
ver but now it's over and we can start the Valentine's Day thing.
1:09
President's Day. Yay, February.
1:15
In 1917 January. In fact, this was on the list of
1:17
potential topics for Dave does history.
1:21
Last month, last month. Yesterday the Germans the
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Imperial German of government made a decision that still
1:33
reverberates to this day. The decision was to reinitiate
1:39
the doctrine of unrestricted submarine warfare.
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Now that in the early part of what, War war on the Germans had
1:44
conducted best which was this idea that under international
1:48
law. Submarines had to surface signal
1:52
a ship. Make It Stop boarded search at
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whatever foot and allow all the passengers to get off before
1:57
they could torpedo the ship. The German said that stupid
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that's getting our submarines killed so we're just going to
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attack without warning. This is known as unrestricted
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submarine warfare or probably more correctly as the correct
2:12
way to do it. Many have argued that this
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policy is ultimately what will draw the United States into
2:19
World War 1 through 1915. The Germans conducted this and
2:24
it was fairly successful. It wasn't brilliantly
2:28
successful, but it was working and then came along the SS
2:34
Lusitania. Lusitania gets hit by the U boat
2:39
sinks heavy loss of lives and life, including 128 Americans,
2:45
and many have argued that it's this unrestricted Warfare idea,
2:50
that is going to lead to problems for the Germans versus
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the United States after the sinking of the Lusitania.
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The Germans stopped that policy, they no longer would just attack
3:00
ships. It's in 1917, like I said,
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January of 1917 that the German government realizes that they
3:08
have to win this war and they're losing.
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Then they've got to do something and so they re initiate that
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policy and again, as I said, many people have argued that
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that reinitiation of it in January of 1917 is what will
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lead to the United States entering the war in April, I
3:28
don't completely agree with that.
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It's it's a convenient explanation though.
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The Germans have reinitiated unrestricted submarine warfare,
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we should go to war. there were bigger issues that are being
3:39
ignored and that had much greater impact primarily
3:44
Financial, My belief and many people believe that the United
3:49
States entered the set, the first world war for financial
3:52
reasons. When I have time to get into all
3:54
that today, but this unrestricted Warfare element of
3:58
it. That said was a factor.
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It was new. You go.
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Look at newspapers of that day. You talk to the story ends of
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that day. And it's this unrestricted
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submarine warfare that caused such Terror that most people
4:14
assumed that it was. Now again, go back to the reason
4:18
that it stopped the policy stopped in the first place in
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1915 was the sinking of the Lusitania and others, but the
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Lusitania was the biggest part of that.
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The problem was the U-Boat had sunk the Lusitania.
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Because it was in an exclusion Zone and the German government
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had run newspaper articles in New York City before the
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Lusitania. Sailed saying this ship is, you
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know, in danger, if you value your life, don't get on it, we
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reserve the right to sink her once she enters the combat
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theater. The British argument was that
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she was a civilian ship and therefore any attack on her
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would be, you know, gross violation of all kinds of laws
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and morals and those sorts of issues that Tend to go out the
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window during wartime. To the very end, the British
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have always refused to acknowledge that the Lusitania
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was carrying any kind of military cargo.
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Any type of military cargo on the ship would have made her a
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legitimate Target and they have always said no no no no no.
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Course later on, when Bob Ballard, was exploring the ship
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and the sunken Lusitania. Lo and behold we discovered that
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in fact she was carrying military cargo.
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And in fact, the Germans were correct and that they're sinking
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of her. At least in the broader context
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was actually legal. But a 19-15 1917.
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No one knew that for sure. This has raised a specter of
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World War One in our world today.
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Right now, there is a big ship called the ark Integrity which
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is getting ready to or has already sailed.
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I'm not clear that is carrying 60 Bradley Fighting vehicles
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from the United States a neutral country.
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Eventually those devices, those those armored fighting Vehicles
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will end up in your crane. They are in fact a war cargo.
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Being carried for Ukraine. There are some who are
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speculating. Now, I don't agree with this
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speculation, but there are some who are speculating now that the
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ship could be legally attacked by Russian submarines.
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The problem with legality and war is that there isn't any.
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I know we have the Geneva Convention and all these rules
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and stuff that we're supposed to follow, but the reality is,
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once, once the bullets, start flying, all the rules, go out
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the window. The problem that the Russians
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have here, I guess it's a bigger issue.
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Isn't whether or not, they can attack the ship, it's whether or
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not they actually could attacker. if there is any
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suspicion that they would attack the ship, then the United States
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is right back where it was in 1915 to 1917.
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You could in theory. And again, this is aluminum hat
7:37
Theory territory. This is not happening.
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I don't believe this. But there are those who might be
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thinking, in terms of its 60 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, it's
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nothing you know, super important or anything like that.
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There's no troops on it or anything like that.
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If the Russian sinker What happens in the world press just
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like what happened in 1915 and later in 1916 the Russians.
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Would lose The High Ground. They would lose the moral, High
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Ground, sure, they would claim. The ship is carrying Munitions,
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just like the Germans did with the Lusitania, and it fell on
8:19
deaf ears. It would fall on deaf ears.
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Nobody would care. It would just be the Russians
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attacked an American flag ship sailing to Europe in and it
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would become an international incident.
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It would lead to tensions and if the pattern fall follows it
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would lead to. Well, it should lead to the
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president standing in front of Congress, asking for a
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declaration of war it won't because we don't do it that way
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anymore. Which pisses me off or
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conversely, if you thought that there was any possibility of the
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ship being attacked, you could guard her, in other words, Form,
9:00
a task force of American ships to sail around her.
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Or even better put a couple or three virginia-class submarines
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in the area or Los angeles-class submarines in the area.
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And just sort of keep an eye on things.
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Now that raises more spector's about, you know, can we shoot do
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what? You know, how what do we do?
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And boy, now you're into. Now you're into gambling games
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here. Where we going from this For the
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Russians. It's it's a no-win scenario.
9:38
It really is just like Germany in 1916 and 1917.
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Either the ship gets attacked. Probably not and which case
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Russia like Germany loses, the moral High ground or the
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Bradley's end up fighting in Ukraine.
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And it could be, I'd like to be a fly on the wall.
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It could be that the Russians are facing a very similar
10:04
strategic scenario to that faced by the Germans in 1917.
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Where things are not going the way they want them to go in the
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war. They need to change directions.
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They need to get things going. But at the same time, can we?
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And if we do what then in 1917, it was in comprehensible to the
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governments of all of the belligerents.
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Russia, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Italy, France, England,
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Japan United States wasn't in yet, but it was in
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comprehensible to any of those governments that they could
10:45
lose. and since they didn't think, in terms of we could lose
10:49
this war, they didn't try to scenario Rosalie ways that would
10:56
lessen that impact. And I kind of see that same
11:00
situation here. Russia doesn't believe that it
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can lose this war. I believe they could lose this
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war. I've said I'm on record saying
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they're going to win but you know as George Patton said no
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plan, survives first contact with the Enemy.
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Things can change, things can differ, if it was just Russia
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versus Ukraine, know where my money would be.
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But this scenario is very World War One S which is eerily weird
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to me and as the mill surprised her.
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And I often talk about this whole thing in Europe right now,
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is very 19, 13, 14, 1918 esque. It's very unstable and it's very
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scary and people are making decisions not based on logical
11:51
outcomes. They're making decisions based
11:54
on what's best for us right now because we think this will help
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us win. Didn't work out very well in
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1917, which, of course, then didn't work out very well in
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1945. My suspicion is even though
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you're facing the same strategic situation, it may not work out
12:13
as well. It may work out exactly the same
12:17
way it did before. but, We'll have to wait and see either way.
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It is a very dangerous time, my friends, I bill met with wmm, be
12:32
radio in Melbourne, Florida, where we have a governor that
12:34
will actually stand for, what's right?
12:36
My show, airs mornings from 6:00 to 9:00 Eastern everyday.
12:39
We discussed those politics and social issues that impact us,
12:43
all Tuesdays in our 8:00, our date.
12:45
Joins me for something. We call date does history or
12:48
Day. Brings us events from our past.
12:51
Right now to listen live find out what with him being on the I
12:55
Heart. Radio act.
12:57
Hi, this is just steam bringing you late night.
13:00
Talk for those that go to bed early, listen to my podcast.
13:04
What's Justine thinking every Wednesday and Friday on anchor
13:08
and Spotify. Many, many years ago, there was
13:17
an emperor who was exceedingly, fond of new clothes.
13:23
So so proud of them in fact, that he spent all of his money
13:25
on being very well-dressed, Ian care about reviewing his
13:29
soldiers, going to the theater going for a ride in his Carriage
13:33
except to do those things to show off new clothes, He was,
13:39
we're he did. We are told have a coat for
13:42
every hour of the day, a new coat.
13:44
And instead of saying as one might say about any other ruler,
13:47
the king is in Council, they always said The emperor is in
13:51
his dressing room. Now, everyday strangers came to
13:55
the town and among them, came a couple of people.
14:00
Who let it be known that they were Weavers by their trade and
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they said, they could weave the most magnificent Fabrics.
14:06
Not only were the colors and patterns uncommonly fine.
14:11
But the clothes that they made of, this cloth had a wonderful
14:14
way of becoming invisible to anyone who was unfit for office,
14:20
or who was stupid. Those would be the clothes for
14:26
me. Thought the emperor if I wore
14:28
them I would be able to discover which men and my Empire are
14:32
unfit for their posts and I could tell wise people from
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Fools, yes, I must get some of the stuff woven for me right
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away. and he paid the two, men huge sum of money and they
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started the weave or at least pretend to All the finest silk
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and purest, all thread, which they demanded went into their
14:56
traveling bags. They work the empty looms far
15:00
into the night. One day, the emperor thought I'd
15:03
like to know how these Weavers are getting on with the cloth,
15:05
he thought, but he felt slightly uncomfortable when he remembered
15:07
that those who were unfit for their position would be not able
15:11
to see the fabric. Might have doubted himself but
15:16
he thought he'd rather send someone else to see how things
15:18
are going. Since the whole town knew about
15:21
it and all were impatient to find out how stupid their
15:24
neighbors were because they would be able to see it.
15:25
I'll send my honest old minister to the Weavers.
15:27
He said he'll be the best one to tell me how the material looks.
15:32
This is a sensible man, does his duty.
15:36
The honest man, went to the room, where that's where the two
15:38
men were working away. Heaven Help me said is his eyes
15:44
flew wide open. I can't see anything at all but
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he didn't say anything. The two men begged him to be so
15:54
kind as to come near and approve, the excellent pattern,
15:57
the beautiful colors, they pointed to the empty Looms in
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the poor old Minister stared as hard as he could couldn't see
16:03
anything because there was nothing to see.
16:07
Heaven have mercy. He thought could it be that I'm
16:09
the fool. I'd never have guessed it and no
16:12
soul must know that I'm not fit to be a minister.
16:16
It would never do to let on that.
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I can't see the claw. Don't hesitate to tell us what
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you think. Said, one of the Weavers.
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Oh it's beautiful. Its enchanting.
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He said peering through his glasses.
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Such a pattern, what colors? I will be sure to tell the
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emperor. How delighted I am with it.
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We're pleased to hear that. The swindler said they proceeded
16:41
to name all the colors and explain the intricate pattern.
16:44
The old man played very close attention to them so that he
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could repeat it back the emperor and so he did.
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At that point, the swindlers ask for more money, more silk, more
16:54
gold thread to get on with the weaving but it all went into
16:56
their pockets. Not a thread went into the loom
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The emperor, presently sent another trustworthy, official to
17:03
see how the work had Progressive.
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It was progressing. Same thing happen to him, that
17:07
had happened to the minister he looked and looked, but there's
17:09
nothing to see, isn't it? A beautiful piece of good?
17:13
The swindlers ask him? Stay displayed and describe
17:16
their imaginary pattern. I know I'm not stupid the man
17:20
thought so it must be that I'm Unworthy of my office.
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That's strange, I can't let anybody find out.
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So he praised the material that he never saw.
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He declared, he was delighted with the beautiful colors and
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the Exquisite pattern into the emperor.
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He said it held me spell about All the town was talking about
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this, Splendid cloth and the emperor wanted to see himself
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while I was still in looms. So with a band of chosen men
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among who were two of his trusted officials, the ones who
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had been to the Weavers you set out to see this one learns, he
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found them weaving with might without a thread.
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Their loans. Magnificent said the two
17:58
officials who would already been doing.
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Just look your majesty. What colors?
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What design They pointed to looms each supposing that
18:07
everyone else could see it. What is this?
18:10
Thought the emperor. I can't see anything.
18:12
This is terrible. In my a Fool.
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Am I unfit to be the emperor? What a thing to happen to me of
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all people. So it's very pretty.
18:20
He said, it has my highest approval and he nodded in
18:25
operation. At the end of the Loom, nothing
18:27
could make him say that he didn't see anything.
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The whole retinue with him stared.
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One saw no more than another but they all join the emperor.
18:37
And proclaiming, it's very lovely.
18:41
They advised him to wear the clothes made of this cloth
18:44
especially for the great proves procession.
18:47
He was soon to lead. The emperor gave each of the
18:51
swindlers across to where his buttonhole with the title sir
18:55
Weaver. Before the procession, the
18:59
swindlers set up all night, burn more than six candles to show
19:01
how busy they were finishing The Emperor's New Clothes.
19:07
They pretended to take the cloth off the loom that made Cuts in
19:09
the air with huge scissors. And at last they said, now the
19:12
emperor's clothes are ready for him.
19:15
The emperor came with himself and his Noble is Noble been in
19:18
the swindlers each raised in our minds that they were holding
19:20
something. They said these are the
19:21
trousers, here's the code. His, the mantle, all of them are
19:25
as light as a spider web. One would almost think he had
19:29
nothing on but that's what makes them so fine.
19:34
Exactly. All the noble, men, agreed,
19:35
though, they could see nothing for.
19:36
There was nothing to see. if your Imperial Majesty will
19:41
condescend to take your clothes off, we will help you on with
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your new ones here in front of this long mirror said the men
19:49
the emperor undressed in the swindlers, pretended to put his
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new clothes on him. One after the one garment after
19:54
another, they took him around the waist and seem to be
19:57
fastening something. That was his train as the
20:00
emperor turned round and round. Before the Looking Glass.
20:04
How well your Majesty's new clothes look?
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Aren't they becoming? He heard on all sides the
20:10
pattern. So perfect, these collars so
20:12
suitable, it is magnificent. Then the minister of public
20:18
processions announced your Majesty's.
20:19
Canopy is waiting outside. Well, I suppose I'm ready.
20:24
He said turn around for one. Look in the mirror.
20:27
It's a remarkable fit, isn't it? The nobleman who were to carry
20:32
his train stooped low and reach for the floor.
20:34
As if they were picking up the mantle they pretended to lift it
20:37
and hold it high. They could not admit that they
20:42
didn't have anything to hold on to So off went the emperor and
20:46
his procession and under his Splendid canopy, everyone in the
20:48
streets in the window said, oh, how fine are The Emperor's New
20:52
Clothes? Don't they fit him to
20:54
perfection? And see that long train, not a
21:00
person. Would confess that, they
21:01
couldn't see anything. Because if they did They would
21:04
be considered stupid, no costume, the emperor's ever War
21:11
had ever been such a complete success.
21:16
But a little child looking at all this going on.
21:21
Said. He hasn't got anything on, he's
21:26
naked. His father, immediately turned
21:30
everyone around him. And said, did you ever hear such
21:32
innocent prattle? One person said to another
21:36
person they whispered the whispering he hasn't got
21:38
anything on. Child said, he hasn't gotten
21:40
anything on. The emperor shivered for, he was
21:45
beginning to suspect that maybe the kid was, right?
21:49
But he thought this has to go on.
21:51
And so he walked even more proudly than ever as his noble.
21:55
Men held high the train behind him.
22:00
And it was at that moment when the boy began to Point again and
22:04
say he's not got anything on that, the entire crowd around
22:10
him. Turned upon him and tore.
22:14
The poor boy limb from limb, for daring to point out the obvious,
22:22
which is probably the way that story ends these days.
22:35
So I'm a cat and I just moved in with his new human and she's got
22:39
this little toy. She's always playing with all
22:41
day long, tap. Tap tap tap, bloop bloop you
22:44
can't put it down, there it is. Oh and get this.
22:48
She even talks to it last week. She has to for Chinese and guess
22:51
what? Egg roll showed up like magic
22:55
humans of cool toys a person is the best thing to happen to a
22:58
shelter pet. Be that person adopt brought to
23:01
you by the Council and The Shelter Pet project.org.
23:09
Now, why did I tell you? The story of The Emperor's New
23:12
Clothes? You probably know the story but
23:14
I like the new modern entry ending where the child, who
23:18
dares, speak the truth people, don't wake up and realize, oh my
23:23
God the kids right? They instead turn on the kid and
23:26
they cancel him tearing him. Limb from limb for daring to to
23:31
speak about things that you know, shouldn't be spoken about.
23:37
If that's not a metaphor for our world today I don't know what is
23:40
speaking the truth. These days even Simple Truth.
23:43
Seems to be its kind of thing to get you canceled.
23:51
Which is what's going to happen. I think to guy by the name of
23:54
Steph Curry who is a basketball player in Northern California
23:56
plays for the Golden State Warriors.
23:59
Many consider him to be one of the best players in the league
24:01
right now. He has a 30 million dollar
24:05
mansion in Atherton, California. which that town Atherton
24:12
California has decided to Cubs. Ona one point five acre lot, so
24:19
that the property owner can develop up to 16 three-story
24:22
Townhomes which would then be turned into quote-unquote
24:27
affordable housing and as it turns out, one of the people who
24:34
is most adamantly against this concept of This affordable
24:39
housing is Stephon Curry. Steph Curry.
24:44
The Townhomes that would be built would be quote looming
24:47
directly behind. Us said Curry.
24:52
We hesitate to add the quote, not in our backyard, literally
24:55
rhetoric unquote. But we wanted to send a note
24:58
before today's meeting saying safety and privacy for us, and
25:01
our kids continues to be a top priority, and one of the biggest
25:04
reasons we chose Atherton as home.
25:09
They stated in their letter that if the project moves forward,
25:11
they will ask the town to pay for a bigger fence, and
25:15
Landscaping to block sight lines to their property.
25:22
Atherton by the way, was ranked as the most expensive zip code
25:25
in the United States a year ago. Land being worth about 8 million
25:29
dollars per acre, Atherton voted on the final plan yesterday and
25:34
it's a safe bet that it will not be passed.
25:36
I am seen the news yet this morning because I just blow it
25:38
up, so I don't know if it did or not.
25:40
But you know, at the end of the day, Who you going to listen to.
25:46
For people who want housing, politicians, who say, the reason
25:50
that we have a housing crisis, as we don't build enough
25:52
housing, we don't have enough housing for people to live in.
25:55
We don't have enough affordable housing.
25:58
Or your super star basketball player who, you know.
26:04
Doesn't want those people looking over his fence into his
26:08
backyard. You know, as well as I do where
26:12
this is going. And you know as well as I do
26:15
that. If some little kid pointed out
26:19
the fact that this is just pure Well hypocrisy nimbyism, if this
26:26
was pure that this is just pure nonsense, that we're just
26:30
allowing the emperor to show off.
26:33
His new clothes Again by by not allowing us to see into his
26:37
property. Oh my God.
26:42
Well, you know, what's going to happen to those people, right?
26:46
Do you think they're happy their ideas and the things that they
26:50
say are going to be listened to or they going to be?
26:53
I don't know, canceled for daring to tell the truth, which
26:59
is very simply this. If we say, the problem is, we're
27:03
not building enough housing and we say, well, we're going to
27:06
build housing. But a basketball player says
27:09
net. Who's going to win that fight?
27:14
And the emperor will continue to walk down the street.
27:17
Buck naked. People think that they're stupid
27:22
because they don't see the new clothes, take the time right
27:27
now. Tell the people of matter in
27:28
your life, you love them very much.
27:30
You'd miss them, if they weren't there, don't pass up those
27:32
opportunities. You don't want to have that
27:34
regret Plaza. We live.
27:35
I'm Dave, Bowman will see you next time the Dave Bowman show.