In the first half, Eric O’Neill, a cybersecurity strategist and former FBI operative, detailed his experience in counterintelligence and the evolving threats posed by cybercrime and the dark web. Describing his covert work as an FBI "ghost" operative, he emphasized his ability to surveil targets undetected: "I could watch you from the moment you woke up until you went to sleep... every person you met, everywhere you went, and you would have never seen me." Regarding the dangers of tracking terrorists, he noted the stark difference between spies and terrorists: "If they see you, a terrorist, they might take a shot at you... a spy, you've just blown an operation."
O'Neill also discussed the dark web's vast and sinister marketplace, explaining it constitutes about 5% of the internet and hosts "the biggest drug trade on Earth," human trafficking, weapons sales, and cybercrime services. He recounted a chilling case of a mortician selling body parts of the deceased via the dark web, revealing the extent of illicit activities hidden beneath the internet's surface. He explained that stolen personal data fuels identity theft and financial fraud, and warned about romance fraud, sharing a story of a widow who lost tens of thousands of dollars to an online scammer posing as a suitor.
Turning to geopolitical cyberwarfare, O'Neill confirmed ongoing attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure by nation-states such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. He cautioned, "Any war here in the United States is not going to be fought with bullets and tanks. It will all be fought in cyber-security and...in the cyber-verse." He advocated for a strong U.S. deterrence strategy. O'Neill addressed the dangers children face online, urging parents to delay phone access and maintain open communication to prevent exploitation. He also recounted his role in capturing Robert Hanssen, the notorious FBI agent who spied for Russia for over two decades. O'Neill said he exploited Hanssen's "narcissism and hubris" to gain his trust and ultimately retrieved incriminating evidence from a Palm Pilot device.
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In the latter half, author, filmmaker, and teacher Chris Alexander delved into the history of the horror movie, tracing the genre's roots from early photographic experiments to iconic film landmarks. He highlighted the foundational role of early German expressionism, like the 1922 German film Nosferatu, and Universal Pictures' 1930s classics like Dracula and Frankenstein, and their enduring ability to "still have the power to scare." Discussing legendary actors, he characterized Boris Karloff as "the gentleman of horror," humble and grateful despite his fame, contrasting sharply with Bela Lugosi, whose ego and struggles led to a tragic decline. He described Vincent Price's horror career as a late bloom fueled by collaborations with Roger Corman and William Castle.
Alexander also spotlighted Lon Chaney, "the man of 1000 faces," whose vaudeville roots and makeup mastery shaped early horror's visual language, lamenting his death just as talkies emerged. On the business side, he explained how low-budget horror films like "Night of the Living Dead" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" succeeded by relying on "a great title, a great concept, a great poster," rather than stars. He described his lifelong fascination with horror and cult movies, often watched in secret as a child late at night.
Addressing modern horror, he praised recent titles like "Weapons," "Sinner," and the Australian film "Bring Her Back," and commented that we are living in the "golden age of streaming." He also touched on the Annabelle/Conjuring franchise and the enduring popularity of killer doll films like "Child's Play", calling Chucky "the poster boy for killer dolls." On Stephen King, Alexander recognized the writer as "one of the great architects of horror," pointing to his consistent theme of ordinary people confronting the supernatural. The appeal of horror films is that they allow us to explore the profound nature of our mortality in fantastical ways, Alexander concluded.
News segment guests: John M. Curtis, John Truman Wolfe