What actually happened to those of us placed into Gifted & Talented programs?

In Part 3 of this GATE series, I’m joined by Cryptid Candy and Wicked Mysterious to continue unpacking the lived experience behind GATE - and how it intersects with declassified research, parapsychology, and U.S. intelligence interest in childhood cognition.

While GATE programs are a major focus of this series, the documentation and research suggest that these kinds of experiments were not exclusive to GATE students. Similar methodologies and interests appear to have existed outside of formal Gifted & Talented pipelines, raising broader questions about education, cognition, and how certain children were identified and studied.

CIA documents exist. Academic sources exist. But this conversation is about what it felt like, how it shaped us, and why so many people are only now connecting the dots.

This episode builds directly on Parts 1 & 2

Guests:

https://www.youtube.com/@UCJBidXXsnMuapL5X7XBP5eg

https://www.youtube.com/@UCuekFO6EpGPJjnldqIe6luQ

Support their work / joint Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/UnlockingGATERestrictedAccess

📚 Sources & Documents Referenced

📖 Advances in Parapsychological Research (Elementary education references): https://archive.org/details/advancesinparaps00krip/page/218/mode/2up?q=Elementary

📄 CIA Reading Room Document (Declassified): https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000300330001-8.pdf

🚀 About the Series This is an ongoing documentary-style conversation exploring: Gifted & Talented education Intelligence testing Government and academic research into cognition and perception The long-term psychological effects on participants — both inside and outside formal GATE programs If this topic resonates with you, check out Parts 1 & 2 and consider subscribing — more episodes are coming.

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In my Youtube video "The Surprising Truth About Gas Station Mushroom Products", I exposed the shady world of gas station “mushroom gummies,” contaminated products, fake actives, and the companies cutting corners.

Today’s interview is the opposite of that story.

I sat down with Judd, the founder of Xum: Beyond Shrooms - one of the only companies openly selling real, standardized 4-HO-MET (Metocin) instead of hiding behind “nootropic blends” and vague marketing.

We dive into:
🌿 The true origins of 4-HO-MET and its connection to Alexander Shulgin
🧪 How a transparent psychedelic company actually operates
⚖️ The legal gray zone of the Analogue Act
🚫 Why he refuses to play the “gas station gummy” game
💊 His upcoming MDMA analogue - and the future of psychedelic chemistry
🧠 Why Metocin feels similar to mushrooms, but cleaner, friendlier, and more visual

This interview adds much-needed context to the legal psychedelic landscape.
Not all companies in this space are cutting corners - some are trying to fix the problems.

As always, this content is for education and harm reduction only.

https://thelaunchpad.bio/

What's up guys :)

In this episode, we explore one of the most fascinating molecules ever created — 2C-B, discovered by chemist Alexander Shulgin in 1974.

Joined by my buddy and long time guest of The Launchpad Podcast - James, we dive deep into the story behind 2C-B: how Shulgin synthesized it, why it gained a cult following, and what makes it so unique among the 2C family and the rest of psychedelic compounds in general.

We discuss its rise through underground scenes in the 80s and 90s, its criminalization, and how it later resurfaced in the form of “pink cocaine” and designer analogs.

We are starting to see a revitalization of our use and understanding of 2CB in the psychedelic scene. It's one of my favorite medicines and I'm always trying to further and evolve my understanding of these compounds.

Thanks for tapping into my podcast!

Reach out to James here:
https://frontrangepsychedelic.com/

Who James recommends for lab testing:
https://www.kykeonlabs.com/

Visit our resource page for high-quality plant medicine products: https://thelaunchpad.bio/

https://thelaunchpad.bio/