1 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,380 David: Hello and welcome to me as pod I'm your host Medus quick 2 00:00:13,380 --> 00:00:16,380 announcement and call to action before we get into the stories. 3 00:00:17,010 --> 00:00:20,310 Me this pod is a value for value podcast. That means if you get 4 00:00:20,310 --> 00:00:22,920 value from it, please feel free to return the value in whatever 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,920 way you see fit. It can be sharing a link telling a friend 6 00:00:25,950 --> 00:00:28,860 or supporting the show financially. From here on out 7 00:00:28,890 --> 00:00:31,470 anyone who helps produce an episode of MedusPod will be 8 00:00:31,470 --> 00:00:34,260 putting in the value splits for that episode unless they opt 9 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:37,740 out. That means when you support the show via Lightning Network 10 00:00:37,740 --> 00:00:40,710 and a modern podcast app like fountain pod verse or curio 11 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:43,980 caster to name a few. Your support will be split among 12 00:00:43,980 --> 00:00:46,560 everyone who worked on that episode. Everyone who 13 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,440 contributes gets a split of the Bitcoin donations received 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,040 through streaming or boosts, and we've received some boosts since 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,810 our last episode. We received 333 cents from Baris let them 16 00:00:57,810 --> 00:01:01,380 live for episode 22. Build a fire with a message beautiful 17 00:01:01,380 --> 00:01:09,420 and heartbreaking. I agree. And thank you. We received 133,333 18 00:01:09,420 --> 00:01:13,380 SATs from Dred Scott. Dr. is a massive supporter of the metus 19 00:01:13,380 --> 00:01:17,790 Media Productions. And we can't thank you enough trip. We 20 00:01:17,790 --> 00:01:20,820 received another 333 sets from Baroness Love and Light for 21 00:01:20,820 --> 00:01:23,970 episode 19 When you find a necklace, thank you for that. 22 00:01:26,010 --> 00:01:29,760 Our first story comes to us from Kinder Jackson. Kendra lives and 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,420 works in Ireland. By day she crunches numbers for living by 24 00:01:33,420 --> 00:01:36,420 night and sometimes into the early hours of the morning. She 25 00:01:36,420 --> 00:01:40,590 expresses her pent up creativity by crunching words instead. Her 26 00:01:40,590 --> 00:01:43,110 links will be on screen right now if your podcast player 27 00:01:43,110 --> 00:01:49,020 supports chapters. And also in this episode shownotes Mary Kate 28 00:01:49,050 --> 00:01:51,990 Ultra will be performing this story for us. Mary Kate altra is 29 00:01:51,990 --> 00:01:54,930 one of our new regular cast members. You can find out about 30 00:01:54,930 --> 00:01:58,230 her and our other regular cast members on our cast page and 31 00:01:58,230 --> 00:02:03,090 meet us pod.com. And in the show notes for this episode. Without 32 00:02:03,090 --> 00:02:08,940 further ado, our first story. There's no such thing as a ghost 33 00:02:08,940 --> 00:02:12,480 in the machine, really, by Kendra Jackson. 34 00:02:17,610 --> 00:02:20,460 Unknown: I just want to say that it wasn't my fault. Yes, I know, 35 00:02:20,460 --> 00:02:22,890 I've cursed up that printer plenty of times. But so is 36 00:02:22,890 --> 00:02:25,830 everybody in the office. You can't go a single day without 37 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:29,250 somebody threatening it with defenestration. Well, that in a 38 00:02:29,250 --> 00:02:32,490 bit of percussive maintenance, but like I said, I'm not the 39 00:02:32,490 --> 00:02:35,280 only one who hated that machine. And I'm sure the feeling was 40 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,910 mutual. Molly was in tears only yesterday when she was trying to 41 00:02:38,910 --> 00:02:42,360 copy some documents and they got jammed in the theater. They were 42 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,720 nearly destroyed by the time she got them out. And last month, 43 00:02:46,020 --> 00:02:48,510 Jan was only going to shake the toner cartridge to get a bit 44 00:02:48,510 --> 00:02:51,060 more use out of it when it practically exploded in her 45 00:02:51,060 --> 00:02:54,090 face. And she had to go home looking like she'd been sweeping 46 00:02:54,090 --> 00:02:58,830 chimneys. I had to order a new cartridge. And the price of them 47 00:02:58,830 --> 00:03:02,100 goodness me, it'd be almost cheaper to get a new machine I 48 00:03:02,100 --> 00:03:05,460 don't mind telling you. But I did find a supplier that had an 49 00:03:05,460 --> 00:03:10,350 amazingly good offer. I can see it in your face. If it sounds 50 00:03:10,350 --> 00:03:13,440 too good to be true, then it probably is. But they offered 51 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,290 next day delivery. And I know we don't print a copy that much 52 00:03:16,290 --> 00:03:19,380 these days. But we can't afford to not have it when we need it. 53 00:03:19,950 --> 00:03:22,560 And they did say that the ink might come out a little less 54 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,710 than black on the page. But when it's mostly for our internal 55 00:03:25,710 --> 00:03:29,820 use, so I thought it'd be worth giving them a try. Besides, they 56 00:03:29,820 --> 00:03:33,330 said their product was made from 100% recycled materials. And 57 00:03:33,330 --> 00:03:37,170 that's why their prices were so reasonable. I didn't think to 58 00:03:37,170 --> 00:03:40,200 look at the fine print on the packaging. It's usually just the 59 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,530 list of chemicals and ever heard of like Sangli spatula or 60 00:03:43,530 --> 00:03:46,290 something like that. And a warning to not get it in your 61 00:03:46,290 --> 00:03:50,880 mouth or eyes. If anybody would be that careless. Well, okay, 62 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,570 maybe Jan. But we've had even more bad luck with that machine 63 00:03:54,570 --> 00:03:57,840 since then, documents not printing or printing with a 64 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,410 strange Gothic type font. Last week, every time we tried to 65 00:04:01,410 --> 00:04:04,590 print or copy something, it came out with the watermark, you are 66 00:04:04,590 --> 00:04:08,880 all going to die all over it. And then yesterday, our manager 67 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,520 brought in their pet dog and the poor creature went wild when he 68 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,930 got near the printer. He was howling like mad. The dog that 69 00:04:15,930 --> 00:04:20,070 is not a manager. That's when I thought that maybe the toner 70 00:04:20,070 --> 00:04:23,430 cartridge had been contaminated with something. So I sent it off 71 00:04:23,430 --> 00:04:27,000 to be tested. Well, you cannot be down with the feather when he 72 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,320 told me that the main component was blood. Apparently it was all 73 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,200 there in the fine print on their website that they partnered with 74 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:39,690 the local blood bank to recycle expired supplies. But I suppose 75 00:04:39,690 --> 00:04:42,870 when you look at the prices online, it's still a lot cheaper 76 00:04:42,870 --> 00:04:45,750 per milliliter than the regular toner inks so we may as well 77 00:04:45,750 --> 00:04:49,710 stick with them. Obviously Of course, we can have it printing 78 00:04:49,710 --> 00:04:53,040 curses on the paper or spinning the pages halfway across the 79 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,040 room whenever it feels like it. So if you could just do us a 80 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,280 quick exorcism father that we can all get back to work 81 00:05:01,979 --> 00:05:04,169 David: Our next story is a classic from a non science 82 00:05:04,169 --> 00:05:07,499 fiction author Philip K. Dick, have a link to his bio in the 83 00:05:07,499 --> 00:05:15,899 show notes. The eyes had it by Philip K. Dick. It was quite by 84 00:05:15,899 --> 00:05:18,809 accident, I discovered this incredible invasion of Earth by 85 00:05:18,809 --> 00:05:23,399 life forms from another planet. As yet, I haven't done anything 86 00:05:23,399 --> 00:05:27,599 about it. I can't think of anything to do. I wrote to the 87 00:05:27,599 --> 00:05:30,239 governments and they sent back a pamphlet on the repair and 88 00:05:30,239 --> 00:05:34,019 maintenance of frame houses. Anyhow, the whole thing is 89 00:05:34,019 --> 00:05:38,459 known. I'm not the first to discover it. Maybe it's even 90 00:05:38,459 --> 00:05:42,899 under control. I was sitting in my easy chair idly turning the 91 00:05:42,899 --> 00:05:45,569 pages of a paperback book someone had left on the bus. 92 00:05:45,959 --> 00:05:49,049 When I came across the reference that first put me on the trail. 93 00:05:50,429 --> 00:05:54,689 For a moment, I didn't respond. It took some time for the full 94 00:05:54,689 --> 00:06:00,659 import to sink in. NAFTA I'd comprehended. It seemed odd, I 95 00:06:00,659 --> 00:06:05,579 had noticed it right away. The reference was clearly to a non 96 00:06:05,579 --> 00:06:08,999 human species of incredible properties, not indigenous to 97 00:06:08,999 --> 00:06:13,949 Earth, a species I hasten to point out, customarily 98 00:06:13,949 --> 00:06:19,289 masquerading as ordinary human beings. Their disguise however, 99 00:06:19,289 --> 00:06:21,929 became transparent in the face of the following observations by 100 00:06:21,929 --> 00:06:25,889 the author. It was at once obvious the author knew 101 00:06:25,889 --> 00:06:32,099 everything, new everything and was taking it in his stride. The 102 00:06:32,099 --> 00:06:38,399 line and I tremble remembering it even now read. His eyes 103 00:06:38,399 --> 00:06:45,179 slowly roved about the room. Vague chills assailed me. I 104 00:06:45,179 --> 00:06:49,829 tried to picture the eyes. Did they roll like dimes? The 105 00:06:49,829 --> 00:06:53,699 passage indicated not. They seem to move through the air not over 106 00:06:53,699 --> 00:06:57,599 the surface rather rapidly. Apparently, no one in the story 107 00:06:57,599 --> 00:07:00,569 was surprised. That's what tipped me off. No sign of 108 00:07:00,569 --> 00:07:05,849 amazement at such an outrageous thing. Later, the matter was 109 00:07:05,849 --> 00:07:12,479 amplified. Here his eyes moved from person to person. There it 110 00:07:12,479 --> 00:07:16,379 wasn't a nutshell. The eyes had clearly come apart from the rest 111 00:07:16,379 --> 00:07:20,309 of him, and were on their own. My heart pounded and my breath 112 00:07:20,309 --> 00:07:23,339 choked in my windpipe. I had stumbled on an accidental 113 00:07:23,339 --> 00:07:28,709 mention of a totally unfamiliar race. Obviously, non 114 00:07:28,709 --> 00:07:32,309 terrestrial. Yet to the characters in the book it was 115 00:07:32,309 --> 00:07:36,389 perfectly natural, which suggested they belong to the 116 00:07:36,389 --> 00:07:41,579 same species. And the author, a slow suspicion burned in my 117 00:07:41,579 --> 00:07:46,949 mind, the author was taking it rather too easily in his stride. 118 00:07:48,089 --> 00:07:53,249 Evidently, he felt this was quite unusual thing. He made 119 00:07:53,249 --> 00:07:56,969 absolutely no attempt to conceal this knowledge. The story 120 00:07:56,969 --> 00:08:04,559 continued. Presently, his eyes fastened on Julia, Julia being a 121 00:08:04,559 --> 00:08:10,049 lady had at least the breeding to feel indignant. She is 122 00:08:10,049 --> 00:08:14,339 described as blushing and knitting her brows angrily. At 123 00:08:14,339 --> 00:08:20,669 this, I sighed with relief. They weren't all nonterrestrials the 124 00:08:20,669 --> 00:08:26,699 narrative continues. Slowly, calmly. His eyes examined every 125 00:08:26,699 --> 00:08:32,699 inch of her. Great Scott. But here, the girl turned and 126 00:08:32,699 --> 00:08:37,349 stomped off and the matter ended. I lay back in my chair, 127 00:08:37,349 --> 00:08:40,679 gasping with horror, my wife and family regarded me and wonder. 128 00:08:41,759 --> 00:08:45,869 What's wrong, dear? My wife asked. I couldn't tell her 129 00:08:47,099 --> 00:08:50,819 knowledge like this was too much for the ordinary run of the mill 130 00:08:50,819 --> 00:08:55,739 person. I had to keep it to myself. Nothing. I gasped. I 131 00:08:55,739 --> 00:08:59,729 leaped up, snatched the book and hurried out of the room. In the 132 00:08:59,729 --> 00:09:06,629 garage, I continued reading, there was more trembling, I read 133 00:09:06,629 --> 00:09:12,089 the next revealing passage. He put his arm around the Giulia. 134 00:09:12,899 --> 00:09:18,869 Presently, she asked him if he would remove his arm. He 135 00:09:18,869 --> 00:09:25,919 immediately did so with a smile. It's not said what was done with 136 00:09:25,919 --> 00:09:29,939 the arm after the fellow removed it. Maybe it was left standing 137 00:09:29,939 --> 00:09:33,149 upright in the corner. Maybe it was thrown away. I don't care. 138 00:09:33,359 --> 00:09:36,569 In any case, the full meaning was there staring me right in 139 00:09:36,569 --> 00:09:40,349 the face. There was a race of creatures capable of removing 140 00:09:40,349 --> 00:09:44,639 portions of their anatomy at will eyes, arms and maybe more 141 00:09:45,209 --> 00:09:49,889 without batting an eyelash. My knowledge of biology came in 142 00:09:49,889 --> 00:09:52,769 handy at this point, obviously, they were a simple things, 143 00:09:52,949 --> 00:09:57,419 unicellular, some sort of primitive single celled things 144 00:09:57,779 --> 00:10:00,749 being no more developed than a starfish just starfish can do 145 00:10:00,749 --> 00:10:06,929 the same thing you know, I read on and came to this incredible 146 00:10:06,929 --> 00:10:10,709 revelation tossed off coolly by the author without the faintest 147 00:10:10,709 --> 00:10:16,079 tremor. Outside the movie theater we split up. Part of us 148 00:10:16,079 --> 00:10:22,979 went inside. Hart over to the cafe for dinner. Binary Fission, 149 00:10:22,979 --> 00:10:27,299 obviously splitting in half and forming two entities. Probably 150 00:10:27,419 --> 00:10:30,479 each lower half went to the cafe, it being farther and the 151 00:10:30,479 --> 00:10:35,819 upper halves to the movies. I read on and shaking, I'd really 152 00:10:35,819 --> 00:10:40,379 stumbled onto something here. My mind reeled as I made out this 153 00:10:40,379 --> 00:10:46,259 passage. I'm afraid there's no doubt about it. Poor bibiani had 154 00:10:46,259 --> 00:10:51,479 lost his head again, which was followed by and Bob says he has 155 00:10:51,509 --> 00:10:56,999 utterly no guts. Yet, Bibi got around as well as the next 156 00:10:56,999 --> 00:11:04,259 person. The next person, however, was just as strange. He 157 00:11:04,259 --> 00:11:10,859 was soon described as totally lacking in brains. There was no 158 00:11:10,859 --> 00:11:15,359 doubt of the thing in the next passage. Julia, whom I had 159 00:11:15,359 --> 00:11:19,529 thought to be the one normal person reveals herself as also 160 00:11:19,529 --> 00:11:23,669 being an alien life form, similar to the rest. quite 161 00:11:23,669 --> 00:11:27,269 deliberately, Julia had given her heart to the young man. It 162 00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:30,419 didn't relate what the final disposition of the Oregon was, 163 00:11:30,539 --> 00:11:35,819 but I didn't really care. It was evident Giulia had gone right on 164 00:11:35,819 --> 00:11:39,659 living in her usual manner, like all of the others in the book. 165 00:11:40,649 --> 00:11:44,639 Without hearts arms, eyes, brains, viscera dividing up into 166 00:11:44,639 --> 00:11:50,909 two when the occasion demanded without a qualm. There upon. She 167 00:11:50,909 --> 00:11:57,899 gave him her hand, is sick and the rascal now had her hand as 168 00:11:57,899 --> 00:12:01,019 well as her heart. I shudder to think what he has done with 169 00:12:01,019 --> 00:12:06,689 them. By this time. He took her arm, not content to wait he had 170 00:12:06,689 --> 00:12:10,379 to start dismantling her on his own flushing crimson, I slammed 171 00:12:10,379 --> 00:12:14,339 the book shut and leaped to my feet, but not in time to escape 172 00:12:14,339 --> 00:12:17,609 one last reference to those carefree bits of anatomy, whose 173 00:12:17,609 --> 00:12:22,439 travels had originally thrown me back on the track. Her eyes 174 00:12:22,439 --> 00:12:26,639 followed him all the way down the road, and across the meadow. 175 00:12:27,809 --> 00:12:31,019 I rushed from the garage and back inside the warm house, as 176 00:12:31,019 --> 00:12:34,049 if the accursed things were following me. My wife and 177 00:12:34,049 --> 00:12:37,679 children were playing monopoly in the kitchen I joined them and 178 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:44,849 played with frantic fervor. Brow feverish teeth chattering I had 179 00:12:44,849 --> 00:12:49,739 had enough of the thing I want to hear no more about it. Let 180 00:12:49,739 --> 00:12:53,609 them come on. Let them invade Earth I don't want to get mixed 181 00:12:53,609 --> 00:12:57,089 up in it. I have absolutely no stomach for it 182 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,070 media spot is a production of made us media all rights 183 00:13:05,070 --> 00:13:07,680 reserved, unless otherwise stated. All written works are 184 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:12,840 properties of their respective authors. Our theme music comes 185 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,590 to us from odd Sprite. You can check them out odd sprite.com. 186 00:13:18,330 --> 00:13:21,150 We'll see you next time folks. Have a good one.