The Escape Pod

Spiritual Enlightenment, My A$$ – Ep. 62

In 2022, the “self-help” industry in the U.S. alone raked in more than $13B. (That’s BILLION, with a capital B.) There is no shame in wanting to better oneself – personally, professionally, or both. What is shameful is taking advantage of those people who seek self-improvement. Adherents of such programs often expect (and pay big money) to be challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But self-help gurus operate in a largely unregulated space, and that can – and has – had fatal consequences. The Escape Pod takes an interesting turn this week, as one co-host shares her own experiences with an ungodly guru whose brazen actions pushed his followers much, much too far. 
BE ADVISED: This episode contains mature language and disturbing descriptions of victims in their final moments of a “retreat” gone wrong. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1       7:50 Escaping false gurus 
Topic #2     20:21 What makes a guru a guru? 
Topic #3     34:02 Main event at JAR’s October 2009 retreat ends in tragedy 
Topic #4     42:41 July 2009: Woman dies during different JAR retreat 
Topic #5  1:06:08 Red flags to watch for with self-help gurus/programs 
 
Resources & Links 
 
 
 
 Kirby Brown  Credit: AP 
 
 Liz Neuman Credit: AP 
 
 James Shore Credit: AP:Associated Press 
Self-Improvement Market Statistics 1 
Self-Improvement Market Statistics 2 
James Arthur Ray, Disgraced Self-Help Guru, Still Hopes To 'Enlighten Us' 
Self-help Guru at Center of Park Rapids Woman's Suicide 
Dozens Injured After Walking on Hot Coals at Tony Robbins Event 
Disgraced Self-Help Guru Still Hopes to ‘Enlighten Us’ 
A Good Day to Die 
 
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Delicious Deception: How ‘Big Food’ keeps us hungry for more – Ep. 61

It’s not exactly “breaking news.” America has an obesity problem, and we all know it.  But, historically speaking, it is a relatively new problem that dates back only about 50 years. That’s when some of the biggest food companies in the world got very smart about how to keep customers coming back for more ... and more ... and more. How? By using incredibly effective formulas to create “hyper-palatable” foods. Hop into The Escape Pod for an episode that is heavy on food for thought, but also on belly laughs – courtesy of those who failed to escape the lure of some “sugar free” foods and lived to tell about their not-so-savory side effects. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     9:30 Trying to escape Big Food’s tactics 
Topic #2   24:03 The truth about sugar 
Topic #3   36:37 "Sugar free” food reviews 
Topic #4   47:25 The push for more transparency 
 
Resources & Links 
“Why can't we stop eating certain foods?” - BBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_03EXyhYS8 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Data on the average increase in food prices in 2023 
Center for Science in the Public Interest:  Insights into the prevalence of added sugars in products labeled as “natural.” 
National Institutes of Health: Brain responses triggered by hyper-palatable foods 
Cornucopia Institute: Ownership of organic brands by major food corporations. 
FDA: Information on food labeling regulations and the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act of 2024 
National Agricultural Law Center: Details on the compliance date for new food labeling regulations 
European Food Safety Authority: Banning of certain food additives in the EU that are still allowed in the U.S. 
Sentient Media: Misleading nature of terms like “natural” and “sugar-free.” 
Consumer Reports: Examples of misleading labels and their implications 
New York Post: Highlighted consumer perceptions of misleading food labels 
How Tobacco Companies Made Foods Hyper-Palatable 
Misleading Food Labels 
Dr. Phil: The Conspiracy of Food - How Big Companies Manipulate Your Brain 
Other Names for Sugar 
Philip Morris Tobacco Company History 
“Big Food” Is Making America Sick 
USDA Recommended Daily Sugar Intake 
About Altria 
Food Additives Banned in Europe 
Amazon Gummy Bear Review 
 
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OH, BABY! Unhappily married with no escape – Ep. 60

Even with morning sickness and other side effects, the nine months of anticipating a newborn baby is often an exciting and joyful time for women. But for those in dysfunctional or – worse – abusive relationships, that nine months can be traumatizing and potentially dangerous. Research shows that homicide is among the leading causes of death for pregnant and postpartum women, but some states still have laws that prevent couples from divorcing if the wife is pregnant. Lawmakers may have good intentions in keeping these laws on the books, but the unintended consequences can be serious – even fatal. The co-hosts take a closer look at the scary statistics in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     5:25 Intro to topic: Escaping pregnancy-related divorce bans 
Topic #2   12:40 States that prevent divorce during pregnancy 
Topic #3   21:31 What a wife (and wanna-be escape artist) can do 
Topic #4   36:12 The unintended consequences of eliminating ‘no-fault’ divorce 
Topic #5   39:10 Destiny’s story 
 
Resources & Links 
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/09/opinion/pregnant-women-homicide.html 
Pregnant Women in Missouri Can't Get Divorced 
Pregnant Women Living in States with Limited Access to Abortion Face Higher Levels of Intimate Partner Homicide 
Homicide Found to Be Top Cause of Maternal Death 
Homicide is a Leading Cause of Death in Pregnant Women in the US 
Pregnancy-associated Homicides on the Rise in the United States 
March of Dimes Peristats 
Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona Rarely Finalize Divorce During Pregnancy | Fact check 
Pregnant Survivors Forced to Stay Married in These States 
Attacks on No-Fault Divorce Are Dangerous – Especially for Those Experiencing Domestic Violence  
 
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I DO?! But what if I don’t?? – Ep. 59

A marriage license before a driver’s license? In some states in the U.S. – YES – it's totally legal, even today. And if you think these unions are simply young lovers who can’t wait to “make it official,” think again. Research shows 86% of childhood marriages involve girls married to adult men, and in many of those cases, the age difference is vast. The co-hosts take a closer look at the stats and share true stories of truly criminal marriages in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     3:21 Intro to topic: escaping childhood/forced marriages 
Topic #2     9:40 Categories of laws that allow for childhood marriages 
Topic #3   24:16 Breakdown of childhood marriage stats 
Topic #4   30:57 Survivors’ stories 
Topic #5   46:14 Escapism, co-host-style! 
 
Resources & Links 
I was a child bride at 15 & forced to marry 30-year-old man by my own dad - I was raped everyday to get me pregnant | The US Sun 
Digital Content - Unchained At Last  
Child Marriage: A Violation of Child Rights | Save The Children 
Understanding forced and child marriage | Walk Free 
Child USA: Report on Childhood Marriage Data and Law 
Bill to End Childhood Marriage in SD Clears First Hurdle 
Photo credit: Lorna Roach 
Miss Galaxy Contest Photo 
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A Walking Miracle: Escape artist survives brutal attack – Ep. 58

Raped. Stabbed. Disemboweled. Nearly beheaded. How could anyone survive such an attack? The co-hosts take The Escape Pod back to December 1994, when a young woman in South Africa was kidnapped, brutally assaulted, and left for dead on a dirty beach. But when this escape artist decided to live, she went “all in.” Now – more than 30 years later – her story and drive to survive continue to inspire people around the world. 
BE ADVISED: This episode includes discussion of kidnapping, rape, and other violent acts, as well as graphic details of the survivor’s injuries. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     3:52 Escape artist update 
Topic #2   10:32 Introducing Alison Botha 
Topic #3   24:50 Good Samaritan comes to the rescue 
Topic #4   40:03 The healing journey begins 
 
Resources & Links 
 Facebook: Alison Botha with Tiaan Eilerd, the man who rescued her. 
The Attack and Incredible Survival of Alison Botha 
“Do You Think She’s Dead?”: Inside the Incredible Survival Story of Alison Botha”  
Alison’s Attackers Granted Parole  
Attackers’ Parole Revoked 
Minister of Correctional Services cancels parole for Alison Botha's attackers 
Alison Documentary by Uga Carlini (Amazon Prime) 
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Protecting Our Kids: The real dangers of their digital world – Ep. 57

A 2nd grader sends nude photos to a stranger online. How? Why? Who or what could compel a child to do such a thing? It happens, and it happens far more often than most people realize, according to a forensic examiner and veteran member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in South Dakota. Think she’s exaggerating? Consider this: The Internet Watch Foundation reported a 360% increase in “self-generated” sexual imagery of 7- to 10-year-olds from 2020 to 2022. 
As a parent, what you don’t know CAN hurt you, and – worse than that – it can hurt your kids. ICAC’s Hollie Strand joins the co-hosts in The Escape Pod this week for a tough but truthful conversation about the very real dangers children and teens face in the digital world and the steps parents can take to better prepare and protect the people they love. If you’re a parent, hope to be one in the future, or simply care about the health and well-being of children in your community, this is an episode you can’t skip. 
 
BE ADVISED: This episode contains extremely disturbing discussion about child sexual abuse materials and child exploitation. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1      4:23 Lessons learned from online shopping scams 
Topic #2      8:31 How Hollie got into the ICAC field 
Topic #3    16:53 Digital advertising explained 
Topic #4    33:35 The importance of supervising kids’ communication 
Topic #5    52:31 Hollie shares how she protects her own mental health in her job 
Topic #6 1:08:31 Lightening things up with talk of chickens, hair dye, and free time 
 
Resources & Links 
Gabb devices: https://gabb.com/ 
Bark: https://www.bark.us/learn/home/ 
https://www.weprotect.org/wp-content/uploads/Global-Threat-Assessment-2023-English.pdf 
 
 
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A Fateful Ride: The story of the Scottsboro Boys – Ep. 56

The Escape Pod observes Black History Month this February with a tale of true crime out of the Depression-era Deep South. Nine Black teenagers traveling by train found themselves caught in the middle of hate and lies, giving new meaning to the phrase “wrong time, wrong place.” Initially accused of assault for a rock-throwing fight, they instead spent years defending rape charges. Even after one accuser recanted, the accused couldn’t escape punishment. Travel back in time to learn their ultimate fates in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     2:42 Escaping TLC that is not really TLC 
Topic #2     9:31 Recognizing Black History Month on The EP 
Topic #3   30:14 The long-term impact of terrible lies 
Topic #4   47:40 Consequences for the accusers? Take a guess! 
Topic #5   51:31 Escapism, co-host-style! 
 
Resources & Links 
The Scottsboro Boys Surrounded by Armed White Officers 
The Smithsonian: Save the Scottsboro Boys 
The Saga of the Scottsboro Boys 
PBS: Who Were the Scottsboro Boys?  
UMKC School of Law: The Trials of the “Scottsboro Boys” 
 
 
 
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Valentine's Days So Bad, They’re Criminal – Ep. 55

A day set aside to celebrate love and romance ... what could possibly go wrong?! You know as well as we do, A LOT can go wrong on Valentine’s Day. Hop into The Escape Pod for a light-hearted episode about Valentine’s Day plans gone awry and gifts that left a lot to be desired. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     4:07 The co-hosts share their views on Valentine’s Day 
Topic #2    9:31 Valentine’s Day stories: The good, the bad, and the funny 
Topic #3   18:28 The very dark history of the holiday 
Topic #4   27:55 Co-host's 20-year-old self ‘makes her move’ on Valentine’s Day 
 
Resources & Links 
The Origins of Valentine’s Day 
The Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day 
The Real History of Valentine’s Day Will Definitely Surprise You 
10 Bizarre Facts About Valentine’s Day 
Hilarious Valentine’s Stories 
 
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