PRETEND

Latest Episodes:

The Treasure Hunter Revisited Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

In today's episode, we revisit the captivating story of Seafarer Exploration and its quest to unearth a 300-year-old treasure buried beneath the ocean waves off Florida's coast. Join us as we delve into the tale of Kyle Kennedy, CEO of Seafarer Exploration, and his fateful encounter with Dr. Michael Torres, a man whose promises and credentials were as deep as the ocean itself. What begins as a hopeful journey into the past, seeking lost treasures of a Spanish galleon quickly spirals into a lawsuit and allegations of fraud. This rebroadcast from our previous series shines a light on the treasure hunters, the technology they dream of, and the deception that lurks beneath the surface.

Guest Speakers:

Kyle Kennedy, CEO of Seafarer Exploration
Experts in maritime archaeology and treasure hunting
Legal analysts breaking down the lawsuit against Michael Torres

Listen to the Entire Series:

Don't miss out on the full adventure of treachery, technology, and sunken treasures. Click on the links below to listen to the entire series and explore the mystery surrounding Florida's Treasure Coast.

Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6S0XjD4QyyXvuFBh1dOyVY?si=c55b75b8eff4478e

Part 3: https://open.spotify.com/episode/19xvUTQQDILhRLrrtiB7Dk?si=df330a9fd2a54c3a

Part 4: https://open.spotify.com/episode/69e2SjjyDLJ3CmbU8mfpvn?si=06e9742270b749d4

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How to find people who don’t want to be found Mar 26, 2024

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I recently spoke at the Triangle Content Creators Meetup in Raleigh, NC, about using OSINT techniques to locate and research your next guest. OSINT stands for Open Source Intelligence. As a journalist, I've teamed up with brilliant hackers like Mishaal Khan and Michael Bazzell to uncover new information about my subjects.

In this talk, I explain how Alan Logan and I exposed Frank Abagnale and how Mishaal Khan and I investigated the Stalker case. I thought you might find this interesting.

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1609: The Truth Experts part 2 Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

Previously on Pretend, we dived deep into the murky waters of academic fraud. Celebrity behavioral scientist Dan Ariely of Duke University, alongside Francesca Gino from Harvard and other distinguished behavioral scientists, embarked on a series of experiments with a noble aim: to enhance honesty among individuals.

Their investigation centered on whether positioning an honesty pledge at the top of a form, as opposed to the bottom, would discourage deceit. However, it emerged that two out of the three experiments underpinning the study were marred by fabricated data.

I interviewed Dan Ariely about these troubling allegations, but our conversation was cut short. I assumed that was the last time I would hear from him. Surprisingly, Ariely reached out, proposing a second interview to directly address what he termed as "false accusations" on my podcast. He stipulated, "If you intend to add these false accusations to the podcast, maybe it's best to have another session and get my answers on the record, but I will ask you to promise me not to edit these. And to give my answers exactly as I present them. If you're up for this, let's schedule a sum If you're up for this, let's schedule something." And so, I agreed.

You're going to listen to my follow-up interview with Dan Ariely. I will, however, interject here and there to add context. But rest assured, every moment of our 43-minute exchange will be presented. I'll upload the raw, unedited versions of both interviews on Patreon and Pretend Plus, accessible for free. You don't need a subscription to tune in.

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1608: The Truth Experts part 1 Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

Everything we believe about what drives us to be honest might be a lie.

A scandal rocks the behavioral science world, casting shadows over renowned researcher Dan Ariely and the integrity of academic research on honesty.

We all tell lies—it's a human thing. But can we modify behaviors to coax people into doing the right thing? Let's delve into what the research indicates. After all, facts and numbers don't lie, and academic researchers shouldn't lie either, right? But what happens when these so-called truth experts, the Ivy League researchers who literally wrote the book on dishonesty, are accused of lying and manipulating data?

Who fact-checks the truth-tellers?

Science stands as our final bastion of objectivity. However, the individuals behind the studies we're discussing are people. And people make mistakes. But what happens when errors are set aside and data is deliberately fabricated to create an illusion of truth? The consequences could be dire, undermining our trust in everything we hear or read.

Today's story recaps a major scandal in behavioral science, one that's been spotlighted by The New Yorker, The Atlantic, NPR, and podcasts like Freakonomics and Planet Money. Each outlet brought attention to different aspects of the story, but they all missed one critical voice—Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. In a rare interview, I confronted Ariely about the studies in question, and to my surprise, he answered all of my questions.

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1607: The Fake Lawyer Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

I discovered a little-known realm of con artists within the legal system. I found story after story of people impersonating attorneys, prosecutors, and even judges. One woman hacked into the court system and dropped the charges against her.

Get early and ad-free episodes:

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio

PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985

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1606: The Grave Detector (Junk Science Bonus) Feb 20, 2024

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Think all forensic evidence is foolproof? You'd be surprised. In our latest bonus episode of PRETEND, we're taking a deep dive into the murky world of forensic science with M. Chris Fabricant from the Innocence Project. We're talking about how some methods, like bite mark analysis and cadaver dogs, might not be as reliable as you’d think. It's a thought-provoking look at the challenges of separating solid science from shaky beliefs in our legal system.

Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System by M. Chris Fabricant: https://www.amazon.com/Science-American-Criminal-Justice-System/dp/1636140300

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The Stalker - Case Closed? part 19 Feb 15, 2024

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Breaking News on the Stalker case.

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1604: The Grave Detector part 3 Feb 13, 2024

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Dr. Arpad Vass touts his Quantum Oscillator, a contraption made of plywood and PVC pipe, as a revolutionary tool capable of locating missing persons' remains with 92% accuracy from up to 60 miles away, using just DNA from fingernail clippings.

In a desperate attempt to solve the cold case of Brandy Hall, a Florida firefighter gone missing, Hall's family turned to Dr. Vass and his device. Guided by the oscillator's dubious promise, they believed Brandy could be buried in a specific wooded area. In a fit of hope and despair, Brandy's mother resorted to using a makeshift shovel to dig for her daughter, embodying the heart-wrenching grip of grief and the seductive, yet misleading, appeal of pseudoscience. Ultimately, the search yielded nothing but a painful journey back to square one.

In today's episode, we discuss the science behind the Quantum Oscillator.

Watch the video of Dr. Vass and the Quantum Oscillator:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3DTrzYM-8N/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pretendpod/video/7332889990084578590?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7267660576023873067

YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/ub2kdJZ0JNQ?feature=share

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1603: The Grave Detector part 2 Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

In today’s episode of Pretend, we're zeroing in on Dr. Arpad Vass's invention called the Quantum Oscillator—a device straight out of a sci-fi plot with the audacious promise of finding the lost with just a sliver of DNA. Imagine a gadget claiming to pinpoint your long-gone ancestors' graves or track down missing persons with a flicker of electromagnetic waves.

Dr. Vass claims that with a bit of your DNA, his Quantum Oscillator could lead him to grave sites with 92% accuracy from a distance as far as 60 miles. Sounds miraculous, right? But hold your horses—does this invention hold up under the scrutiny of science, or is it veering into the realm of pseudoscience?

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1602: The Grave Detector part 1 Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

In "The Grave Detector," we delve into the enigmatic practice of using dowsing rods with a focus on the work of Dr. Arpard Vass, a forensic anthropologist renowned for his innovative methods in locating unmarked graves and human remains. The episode explores the traditional and modern uses of dowsing rods, often associated with finding water, treasures, and possibly ghosts. But most alarming of all, dowsing rods play a controversial role in police investigations and legal proceedings.

M. Chris Fabricant, Junk Science - https://a.co/d/cu4tn9m

Michael Hadsell, Peace River K9 Search and Rescue (PRSAR) - https://www.prsar.org/

Dr. Arpad Vass- http://forensicrecoveryservices.org/

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