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It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future. Every day Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, and James Stout take you on a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world and towards a better one that lays just on the horizon.

It Could Happen Here

In the conclusion of this three-part series on lethal injection, Steve Monacelli and Dr. Michael Phillips interview Rais Bhuiyan, a Muslim who was shot and blinded in one eye by a white supremacist on a killing spree in Dallas following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Bhuiyan explains why he campaigned to prevent the execution of his attacker, Mark Stroman. His efforts led European companies that produce lethal chemicals to stop selling them for executions in states like Texas. The episode then looks at how states have evaded such bans by buying the drugs on the black market. Finally, we’ll hear from a from a priest, the Rev. Jeff Hood, who has held the hands of more than 10 condemned prisoners and witnessed their prolonged, tortured deaths. The series ends with a discussion of the uncertain future of the death penalty in this country.
 
Sources:
 
Breanna Ehrlich, “The Last Face Death Row Inmates See,” Rolling Stone, March 29, 2025 (https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/death-row-reverend-jeff-hood-1235305460/)
 
Anand Giridharadas, The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2014.) 
 
Corinna Barrett Lain, Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection (New York: New York University Press, 2025.)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Shady Business of Lethal Injection: The Quality of Mercy

In the second episode of the lethal injection series, Steve Monacelli and Michael Phillips interview Dick Reavis, a journalist who witnessed the world’s first execution by lethal injection, that of Charlie Brooks in Texas in 1982. They report on how the lethal injection method was improvised after a Dallas reporter won a temporary court order allowing television stations to broadcast executions. Worried that a televised electrocution might turn the public against the death penalty, Texas politicians instead approved lethal injection. An Oklahoma coroner who admitted he had no expertise in chemistry and knew a lot about dead bodies but not “how to get them that way,” improvised the three-drug protocol eventually used by all death-penalty states, with horrifying results. Then, Monacelli and Phillips interview law professor Corinna Lain, who says that rather than a supposedly painless death, lethal injection is more like a slow drowning.
 
Sources:
 
Corinna Barrett Lain, Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection (New York: New York University Press, 2025.)
 
Dick Reavis, “Charlie Brooks’ Last Words,” Texas Monthly (February 1983.) 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Shady Business of Lethal Injection: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

In this first episode of a three-part series on lethal injection in the United States, guest hosts Steve Monacelli and Dr. Michael Phillips describe the futile quest for a “humane” form of execution, from the 1600s to the present day. They explore how each one has turned out to be extremely violent, prompting authorities to move such “gruesome spectacles” out of public view. Finally, they describe how the prospect of a televised execution in the electric chair led to the lethal injection protocol, pioneered by Texas in 1982.
 
Sources:
 
Corinna Barrett Lain, Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection (New York: New York University Press, 2025.)
 
Michael Phillips and Betsy Friauf, The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2025.) 
 
Austin Sarat, Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America’s Death Penalty (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2014.)

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The Shady Business of Lethal Injection: The Heart Stops Reluctantly

Garrison talks with a panel of magicians at the Occulture conference in Berlin to discuss digital technomancy vs. traditional magical practices and debate the ability of occultism to shape politics and culture in contemporary society.

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Occulture, Technomancy vs Tradition, and the Role of Magick in 2025

It's RPG time! Margaret and company are playing Pathfinder. This week, our heroes begin their journey.

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Pathfinder: Dawn of the Frogs, Part One

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. 
 
- Caribbean Roundtable
 
- The Campaign to Bust Chicago’s Only Bookstore Union
 
- What’s Real in the Politics of Population with Andrew
 
- Occulture, William S. Burroughs, and Generative AI
 
- Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #39
 
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:
 
Caribbean Roundtable
 
https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/the-caribbeans-zone-of-peace-under-threat-a-conversation-with-david-abdulah/
 
https://newsday.co.tt/2025/10/20/trinidad-and-tobago-stands-firm-with-us-on-regional-security/
 
The Campaign to Bust Chicago’s Only Bookstore Union
 
https://www.instagram.com/semcoopbooksellersunion/
 
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #39
 
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws
 
https://x.com/gavinnewsom/status/1981893887460544737?s=46&t=wjiWDhD7WaSqfSfZGiwlSw 
 
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-asia-trip-japan-10-27-25?post-id=cmh8yni6000053b6nah0oh7ol 
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-was-fatally-hit-vehicle-fleeing-ice-virginia-highway-officials-say 
 
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/22/california-to-deploy-national-guard-to-support-food-banks-fast-track-funding-as-trumps-shutdown-strips-families-of-food-benefits/ 
 
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/bay-area-food-banks-california-national-guard/3969875
 
https://www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-agents-are-scanning-peoples-faces-on-the-street-to-verify-citizenship/ / 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/2025/10/lee-bill-fights-back-against-biden-s-border-chaos-destroying-america-s-parks-and-public-lands 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/0DED04C4-18C7-4C1F-BCE4-DD5B79FB0264 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/0DED04C4-18C7-4C1F-BCE4-DD5B79FB0264 
 
https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1983273176907043070 
 
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571.94.0.pdf
 
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571.42.0_4.pdf 
 
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/28/judge-blasts-border-patrol-boss-greg-bovino-for-violating-excessive-force-order/

 
https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-bovino-ice-immigration-506c9c661ee75f3e955f346daeed5555 
 
https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1982959806173581456 
 
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3864929/trump-administration-quietly-purges-ice-leaders-in-five-cities-sources/
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-plans-install-border-patrol-officials-lead-aggressive-migrant-cr-rcna240102 
 
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/others/20251029/korea-welcomes-trump-with-top-level-protocol
 
https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/30/business/fentanyl-tariffs
 
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5579438-live-updates-trump-xi-meeting-government-shutdown/
 
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/30/nx-s1-5590754/trump-china-xi-meeting-lowers-tariffs
 
https://centralnews.co.za/trump-becomes-first-us-president-to-receive-south-koreas-highest-honour-golden-crown-and-grand-order-of-mugunghwa-presented-in-historic-ceremony/
 
https://write.ellipsus.com/edit/aef875a8-f460-429d-af2a-66e197b3000f
 
https://archive.vn/0s7cS
 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/29/kat-abughazaleh-conspiracy-indictment-broadview-protests-donald-trump-deportation-campaign

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It Could Happen Here Weekly 206

The gang discuss Graham Platner, Operation Midway Blitz, a shakeup in ICE leadership, and use of facial recognition to determine legal status. Plus, updates on tariffs, public lands, and Tylenol.
 
James’ Food Bank Fundraiser thread: https://bsky.app/profile/jamesstout.bsky.social/post/3m4eymwspn22i 
 
Sources:
 
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-24-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws
 
https://x.com/gavinnewsom/status/1981893887460544737?s=46&t=wjiWDhD7WaSqfSfZGiwlSw 
 
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-asia-trip-japan-10-27-25?post-id=cmh8yni6000053b6nah0oh7ol 
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-was-fatally-hit-vehicle-fleeing-ice-virginia-highway-officials-say 
 
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/22/california-to-deploy-national-guard-to-support-food-banks-fast-track-funding-as-trumps-shutdown-strips-families-of-food-benefits/ 
 
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/bay-area-food-banks-california-national-guard/3969875
 
https://www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-agents-are-scanning-peoples-faces-on-the-street-to-verify-citizenship/ / 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/2025/10/lee-bill-fights-back-against-biden-s-border-chaos-destroying-america-s-parks-and-public-lands 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/0DED04C4-18C7-4C1F-BCE4-DD5B79FB0264 
 
https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/0DED04C4-18C7-4C1F-BCE4-DD5B79FB0264 
 
https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1983273176907043070 
 
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571.94.0.pdf
 
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571.42.0_4.pdf 
 
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/28/judge-blasts-border-patrol-boss-greg-bovino-for-violating-excessive-force-order/

 
https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-bovino-ice-immigration-506c9c661ee75f3e955f346daeed5555 
 
https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1982959806173581456 
 
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3864929/trump-administration-quietly-purges-ice-leaders-in-five-cities-sources/
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-plans-install-border-patrol-officials-lead-aggressive-migrant-cr-rcna240102 
 
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/others/20251029/korea-welcomes-trump-with-top-level-protocol
 
https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/30/business/fentanyl-tariffs
 
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5579438-live-updates-trump-xi-meeting-government-shutdown/
 
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/30/nx-s1-5590754/trump-china-xi-meeting-lowers-tariffs
 
https://centralnews.co.za/trump-becomes-first-us-president-to-receive-south-koreas-highest-honour-golden-crown-and-grand-order-of-mugunghwa-presented-in-historic-ceremony/
 
https://write.ellipsus.com/edit/aef875a8-f460-429d-af2a-66e197b3000f
 
https://archive.vn/0s7cS
 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/29/kat-abughazaleh-conspiracy-indictment-broadview-protests-donald-trump-deportation-campaign

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #39

Garrison talks with a panel of magicians while attending a conference in Berlin focused on the intersection of mainstream culture and the occult.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Occulture, William S. Burroughs, and Generative AI

Andrew talks with Mia about the history of the human population and how different groups have sought to leverage it for their own fears and advantage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s Real in the Politics of Population with Andrew

Mia talks with Ez and Finnly of the Seminary Co-op Booksellers Union about black mold, bad management, and how union busting works like an abusive relationship.
 
https://www.instagram.com/semcoopbooksellersunion/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Campaign to Bust Chicago’s Only Bookstore Union

James begins a 4 part series looking at the history and future of the low lying atoll nation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This episode looks at the islands’ nuclear legacy.
 
Original Air Date: 9.5.23

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CZM Rewind: The Marshall Islands Part One: For the Good of Humanity and to End All Wars

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