Fortress of Solitude

Great Caesar's Ghost!!!!! Stephen has his undies in a bunch. Who can blame him? The current movie version of Superman - Man of Steel - isn't the same as what he remembers from his boyhood days. Superman isn't wearing the required red underwear.

Stephen, styles change. This seems to be a recurring gripe of his. First he was crowing about The Lone Ranger, now he's flying off the handle about Superman. There are more important things to worry about. Such as wheat.

Wheat? Yes, wheat. Monsanto created some genetically modified wheat that was not supposed to be planted and grown commercially. But, it was found growing in a farmer's field in Oregon. How could this happen? The wheat was not to be used, had to be destroyed, and so it was buried in the middle of a field. The whole problem with this is that foreign countries are not going to buy wheat like this. And to be sure they don't get any of that "frankengrain" they just aren't buying any wheat from United States farmers in any states at all. Okay, that's a problem. Stephen had Laurie Garrett, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, on the show to talk about this grainy problem. She told Stephen that Monsanto says it could have been sabotage that got these super wheat seeds out in the rural world.

Besides the problem of no one wanting our wheat is the problem with the weeds growing in the wheat field. At some time, I'm thinking late at night, the weeds take on characteristics of the wheat via gene sharing. That means that the weeds have become super weeds and weed killer won't kill the weeds. Laurie Garrett told Stephen that there is probably not a threat to humans with what many are calling "zombie wheat" although Stephen is concerned about the return of the walking bread.

There is this problem that the wheat is a super wheat and isn't killed even by the baddest of the bad boy weed killers. No problem, just make a stronger weed killer and hope that no one makes a badder, stronger genetically modified wheat. If they do, then amp up the weed killer again. Another option - Krypton. No one else has thought of this, as far as I know.

Also of note is that the Stephen and Laurie Garrett discussed the Farmer Assurance Provision which makes it illegal to sue over issues about Genetically Modified Crops. Good timing!

Stephen welcomed Jonathan Alter to the show to talk about his recent book, "The Center Holds - Obama and His Enemies." Jonathan honored Stephen by comparing him to Paul Ryan. Stephen agreed, noting they both did the same exercise regimen. (I think Stephen does it better though, if we judge by the visible results.)

Stephen quizzed Jonathan Alter on how Barack Obama won the 2012 election. According to Jonathan Alter, part of it was the Geek Gap working in the Cave. A bunch of people worked to assist 2,000,000 volunteers who were working out in the field - knocking on doors, etc. I think a few emails were sent out also asking for donations. One thing Mitt Romney did was to use some of the people who had previously worked on Ronald Reagan's campaign. So, two different strategies - one outcome.