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The Principality of Sealand - an old military tower off the coast of England which has stood for decades since World War II. On its own, it would likely attract little attention from anybody other than dedicated history buffs. Yet, the tower has gained quite the reputation and following over the years.   

Why? It has to do not just with the tower, but some very interesting people, and of the symbol into which they made it. Prince Roy, Princess Joan, Prince Michael - just some of the "royal family" of the self-declared sovereign Principality of Sealand. This video covers some of the most interesting and bizarre events of Sealand ranging from its pirate radio days to an armed takeover, attempted transformation into an offshore data storage platform, and even cryptocurrency and NFTs.

Find all of the source material mentioned in the YouTube Video or the page for this video on my website 

"Killware" - the name for a new breed of cyber attacks aimed not just at computer systems, but particularly those whose disruption could cause harm to people who depend on them. Ransomware is already a pressing security issue, and now some cyber security experts are warning the situation could be compounded as actual lives could be at stake.   This video discusses the security implications of connected systems and their vulnerabilities. Depending on who you ask, the first deaths from killware attacks have already been recorded. How have these attacks already affected people, and why do some believe cyber attacks are one of the greatest modern security issues? We'll discuss the hard details and the hypotheticals.

Cloud seeding is a form of weather manipulation to encourage cloud formation and increase rainfall in a given area. Although cloud seeding has been experimented with in one form or another for decades, a recent example of weather manipulation in Dubai has made news. Videos have been released by the Emirate's national meteorological center purporting to show rain made by drones. Although drones making rain sounds far fetched, millions of dollars have been poured into research to advance the technology to a state where it's possible.   

Why the need for weather manipulation to create rain? The UAE is one of the driest countries on earth and for years has been struggling with declining groundwater tables. That, coupled with vicious heat in excess of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, has led to a worsening water crunch. In these conditions, even when it does rain the water may evaporate before ever reaching the ground and replenishing the groundwater. These cloud seeding technologies enable the formation of more massive water droplets which can survive the descent.   

Although cloud seeding has now proven to be a feasible technology, there is still debate about the efficacy of the practice and whether it actually resolves the situation. Some even believe that cloud seeding and other weather manipulation in one region may negatively affect other regions which are similarly dependent on rain patterns. This opens the possibility that these practices may lead to worsening political situations and conflict, as some have even speculated that low water conditions have already led to or worsened conflicts in the middle east.

Top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh had long been a target of assassination plans, as it was feared his work would lead to the creation of nuclear weapon systems for the country of Iran. In November of 2020, Fakhrizadeh was killed by gunfire as he drove down the road. The placement of the shots were precise, killing Fakhrizadeh while leaving his wife unharmed in the passenger seat. When it was first reported that the assassination had been carried out with use of a satellite-controlled machine gun, people initially treated it with skepticism. But, new information from the New York Times purports to back up the truth of this sci-fi assassination plot through extensive interview of those directly involved in or knowledgeable of the plan.   

A remotely operated belt fed machine gun mounted in the bed of a pickup truck was used to fire the shots that would kill Fakhrizadeh. The shooter, over 1,000 miles away, would control the sighting and firing of the machine gun via satellite link. But they would need more than satellite control. Due to the 1.6 second lag time from the satellite to the controller, there was no way a human could reliably make a shot with such severe latency. So, they reportedly turned to an AI solution which would take into account the lag time, speed of the vehicle, and the bouncing of the truck from the firing of the machine gun.

The phrase "Lying Flat" doesn't immediately make the impression as a form of social and economic protest which is causing concern among industrialist elites, but it's the relatively simple nature of the movement which creates its power. Lying flat, or "tangping" in Chinese, is a very simple philosophy created by some very complex social situations in the country of China.   Workers in China are often compelled to work gruelling hours for productivity, although this is usually done by intimation rather than outright force. Despite the emergence of "996" work culture - working 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week - wages and buying power are not keeping pace, and Chinese youths are fearing that they might be the first generation to not be more prosperous than their parents.   

Faced with work expectations which are putting their lives and health at risk, and rising costs which prevent them from affording housing and other benchmark goals in spite of this, some are choosing to "Lie Flat". Finding cheaper living situations, cutting down on personal costs, not owning cars or getting married, and finding work that allows them to support themselves without the extreme work culture.   This video discusses the Lying Flat movement, its parallels with earlier philosophies such as Cynicism and Eastern philosophies, and the response by those in positions of power.   

It also touches on events which are sometimes reported in the US, but typically not compared to Chinese movements. Similar factors of wage stagnation, rising costs of living, and inflexible and demanding work environments similarly have US workers re-evaluating their options and priorities. From The Great Resignation to Van Life, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement and emerging aesthetic trends like Cottagecore, this video explores the idea that workers in two very opposed nations may be experiencing very similar struggles.

Fatal Familial Insomnia - a disease you may have heard of, as it's gained some notoriety on the internet despite its incredible rarity. I'm sure we've all felt insomnia before and know the frustration and the impact that just one or two bad nights of sleep can have on our functioning.   Fatal Insomnia has two forms, sporadic and familial, although the very large majority of cases are familial. The genes for FFI have been identified in fewer than 80 families across the world.   

Fatal Insomnia is thought to be the result of a prion disease which results in damage to the thalamus. Over time, a person with the disease develops chronic insomnia and deteriorating health over several months as disease onset progresses.   

This video not only covers fatal insomnia, but a detailed case report of one patient - a doctor himself who had lost family to the disease - who embarked on a medical quest to stave off symptoms and maintain quality of life as long as possible. His case is notable today for having greatly exceeded expectations about the progression of disease symptoms, and perhaps having laid out a blueprint for treatments for the disease moving forward.