Red & Del cut through the fog around remote viewing, the Stargate Project and the surprising number of credible names that once vouched for psychic research. We trace the history (mostly through Ghostbusters), explain what remote viewing claims to be, and look at why believing in these pseudoscience-backed practices can be harmful both individually and societally.

If you’re curious about the intersection of government policy, scientific credibility, and cultural myth-making, or are just a fan of Ghostbusters, this episode breaks it down with humor and research, helping you spot how pseudoscience spreads.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargate_Project_(U.S._Army_unit)

https://irp.fas.org/program/collect/air1995.pdf

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5.pdf

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🚨 WARNING! 🚨

This episode of Distraction Dive deals with heavy themes like suicide and depression. If you or a loved one need help, please use this website to find the phone number to call.

WELCOME TO SEASON 2 OF DISTRACTION DIVE!

In this season premiere, Red & Del reflect on the lessons learned throughout the challenging year of 2025. Join them as they explore themes of gratitude, confronting toxic masculinity, and celebrating personal growth. They also share their unique perspectives on self-acceptance and happiness, emphasizing the importance of being present in the moment. As they navigate through their experiences, they encourage listeners to recognize the beauty in their own journeys, however far along they may be.

Discover why there’s no other universe they would choose, and how you can cultivate the same sense of gratitude in your life!

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In the Season 1 finale of Distraction Dive, Red & Del unpack IQ testing’s tangled history and present-day harms in this loooong episode.

From early 20th‑century eugenics labs to modern “high IQ” societies, we trace how supposedly neutral scores were weaponized to justify exclusion, segregation, and racist policy.

Along the way we call out the grifts, gatekeeping, and toxic culture inside elite clubs, explain why standardized metrics often fail to measure human potential, and spotlight the human cost (especially for children and communities of color).

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Sources:

• Gillham, Nicholas W. (2001). "Sir Francis Galton and the birth of eugenics." Annual Review of Genetics. 35(1): 83–101. doi:10.1146/annurev.genet.35.102401.090055. PMID 11700278. (On Galton and early eugenics)
• "Intelligence quotient." Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence\_quotient
• Strenze, Tarmo (2007). "Intelligence and socioeconomic success: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal research." Intelligence. 35(5): 401–426. doi:10.1016/j.intell.2006.09.004. (Meta-analysis on IQ and socioeconomic outcomes; note correlations with income and education)
• Bird, Kevin; Jackson, John P.; Winston, Andrew S. (2024). "Confronting Scientific Racism in Psychology: Lessons from Evolutionary Biology and Genetics." American Psychologist. 79(4): 497–508. doi:10.1037/amp0001228. PMID 39037836. (On scientific racism, race, and cognition)
• Panofsky, Aaron; Dasgupta, Kushan; Iturriaga, Nicole (2021). "How White nationalists mobilize genetics: From genetic ancestry and human biodiversity to counterscience and metapolitics." American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 175(2): 387–398. doi:10.1002/ajpa.24150. ISSN 0002-9483. PMC 9909835. PMID 32986847. (On misuse of genetics by extremist movements)
• Archive copy: https://archive.ph/9IexQ#selection-1403.264-1403.695
• Historical IQ scoring method: IQ originally calculated as (mental age ÷ chronological age) × 100. (See Wikipedia: Intelligence quotient.)
• Stability of IQ: Scores measured around age ~10+ tend to show long-term stability. (Discussed in episode; see psychometrics literature summarized on the Wikipedia page.)
• Correlations with socioeconomic outcomes: Meta-analytic estimates vary; Strenze (2007) reports modest correlations (examples: income r ≈ .15–.29 across studies), indicating limited predictive power for financial success.

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