Ninjas Are Butterflies: Episode 179

"The Weapon That Scrambles Minds, Patagonia Fires & Nevada Triangle"
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Josh Hooper, Andy DeNoon, and friends

Episode Overview

This episode explores a wild mix of government conspiracies, mysterious disasters, outrageous global news, and plenty of comedy. The hosts dig into rumors surrounding new mind-scrambling weapons, the suspicious Patagonia wildfires, stranger-than-fiction Chinese apps, vampire talk, and the little-known Nevada Triangle. Alongside these speculative deep-dives are hilarious tangents, quirky internet findings, and heartfelt moments that round out an episode true to the show’s unpredictable spirit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Politeness to AIs & ChatGPT Mishaps

• The hosts discuss their oddly polite habits toward AI assistants such as Siri, ChatGPT, and Alexa, sharing jokes and stories about being nice to robots out of caution for the future.
• Notable moment where they test ChatGPT's spelling skills, specifically with the word "strawberry," resulting in a confusion of how many "Rs" are in the word as ChatGPT cycles through incorrect answers.
  • Quote (03:13):
    "Let's count them out properly. There's one R right after the T. Another in the berry part, and one more just before the Y. So, yep, three Rs in strawberry."
• They joke about this being a "fail-safe"—if AI can't spell "strawberry," humanity is (temporarily) safe.

2. Greenland as the '51st State' & Land Buying Satire

• The crew imagines a satirical scenario where Greenland becomes a U.S. state and discusses the low population and high per-capita "buyout" approach that could be feasible for land acquisition.
• Parody song about “taking over” Greenland (10:00–11:35).
• The conversation veers to the concept of being approached by foreign investors to sell out U.S. land ("what's your price?").
• Debates over ideal U.S. land locations and jokes about potential escape routes if the nation were ever conquered.

3. Should We Respect Women in the Military? — Segment Derails into Fart Accusations

• A tongue-in-cheek "question corner" devolves into a running gag of accusing Lily of passing gas when a serious question about respect for women in the military is presented.
• Through escalating jokes, the segment transforms from its purportedly “easy” topical question into riotous, lowbrow humor involving “toots” and "salami eating fart monster" monikers.
  • Quote (16:08):
    "Lily, we were trying to be serious about this question. Should we respect women in the military? You're just over there passing gas."

4. Shout-outs, Family, and the 'Umbrella Marine'

• The group gives heartfelt shout-outs including to a 65-year-old fan and to Nate Previty—the “Umbrella Marine” noted for holding an umbrella for President Obama.
• A warm moment surfaces as the crew jokes about what secrets they’d confess if their parents stopped listening.

5. Artemis II Moon Mission & NASA Hype

• Discussion about Artemis II, the impending crewed NASA mission for a lunar flyby.
• The group is excited about the “hype videos” NASA releases, with asides about conspiracy (Earth's flat, can't cross the firmament) played for laughs.
• Curiosity grows about viewing locations for the launch and splashdown, with the hosts plotting imaginary trips to see history.
  • Quote (29:17):
    "The mission is targeted to launch no earlier than February 2026 with a splashdown off the coast of California."

6. Canada-China 'New World Order' Alliance

• The hosts break the odd news that Canada’s Prime Minister has announced a “new partnership” with China, involving oil and electric vehicles.
• They play the clip with the PM ominously saying:
  • Quote (33:02):
    "I believe the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the New World Order."
• The group jokes about “Kung Poutine Chicken” fast food fusions but express concern about the real-world implications for Canadian sovereignty and global alliances.

7. Cost of Living and the 'New Poverty Line'

• Discussion around what counts as poverty—jumping off a viral stat that for a family of four in the U.S., $140,000/year is needed for “basic necessities,” compared to the official line of $32K.
  • Insightful breakdown of how official stats are outdated (based on 1950s food prices), whereas modern calculations consider health insurance, housing, and child care.
• Quote (36:42):
  "The reason for the disparity...is the official poverty formula is largely based on 1950s data... while the $140,000 figure takes in account modern rapid inflation, housing, health care and child care."

8. China’s “Are You Dead?” App

• Revealed: The #1 Chinese app is "Are You Dead?", which requires solo dwellers to check in every two days or families are alerted that something may have happened.
  • Social analysis on loneliness in urban China (200M singles live alone), and the technological response to a rising epidemic of unclaimed deaths.
  • Quote (38:46):
    "It’s the number one app in China. Are you dead? And what it does is you click this button on the app every two days, and if you do not click it, it alerts your family that you’re probably dead."

9. Vampires, Werewolves & the Internet’s Creepiest Shorts

• The crew banters about TikTok’s oddities, specifically a viral “vampire” who repeatedly says, “I feel happy. I feel healthy. I am a human being,” in chilling monotone.
• They playfully debate whether vampires, werewolves, or Bigfoot “exist” and recount childhood myths (like blue blood and hibernating bears).
• Recurring jokes about one host, Lily, possibly being a vampire.

10. Patagonia Wildfires: Land Grab Conspiracies

(Timestamps: 59:30–1:07:00)

• Investigative segment: Massive fires in Argentina’s Patagonia, burning 50,000 acres.
• Link to the president opening land sales for foreign investors, slashing fire department funding by 70%, and rumors of Israeli land surveying.
• TikTokers/Reddit cite prior incidents of Israeli tourists being detained for illegal fires; some theorize a land grab for resources and minerals is underway, aided by deliberate arson.
• Cautionary note from Josh:
  • Quote (66:19):
    "This man...survivor of the wildfire, said, 'It is 100% deliberate and international. It's a land grab driven by the value of their minerals.'"

11. Florida’s New Laws Against Anti-Semitism & Free Speech

• Examination of Florida’s laws that define anti-Semitism to include some anti-Israel speech, making Holocaust denial illegal and potentially criminalizing some forms of governmental criticism.
• The group voices discomfort about legislating free speech in this way, drawing a distinction between criticizing a government (Israel) and people.

12. Global Tensions: Iran, Russia, and 'Havana Syndrome' Update

• Mentions of U.S. military deployments near Iran and the darkening of media/internet in the Middle East during crackdowns.
• The crew breaks down the Department of Defense’s public disclosure of a “Havana Syndrome” weapon— a backpack-sized, Russian tech-based device that reportedly causes major neurological damage.
  • Skepticism at the transparency of the Pentagon:
    • Quote (74:51):
      “When is the government ever talked about a device, a weapon?... They don't talk about this stuff.”

13. Government Whistleblowers, Secret Service Fails, and the Business Plot

• Comical yet serious take on how U.S. whistleblowers are limited (needing Pentagon clearance).
• Story of a Secret Service agent oversharing confidential info on a date—with disastrous career consequences.
• Recap of the “Business Plot,” a real 1930s case where U.S. business elites plotted to overthrow the government with a puppet leader (war hero Smedley Butler intervened).
• The hosts tie these historical and modern stories together as proof of enduring high-level corruption and cover-ups.

14. Faith under Fire: The Story of Yevgeny Rodionov

• Andrew (B) tells the story of a Russian soldier who, after brutal torture and captivity, refused to renounce Christianity under threat of death from his Chechen captors. His refusal and the recovery of his cross became a tale of faith and resilience.

15. Nevada Triangle: Landlocked Bermuda Triangle

(Timestamps: 91:20–101:15)

• Josh introduces the “Nevada Triangle”—a region between Reno, Las Vegas, and Fresno, where over 2,000 planes have disappeared or crashed, dwarfing Bermuda Triangle stats.
• Noted pilot Steve Fossett vanished there; when his remains were found, several other missing planes were also discovered.
• Theories: GPS and communications jamming (Area 51), unusual Sierra Nevada wind phenomena, or possibly other, more supernatural causes.
  • Quote (96:32):
    "There's just these crazy anomalies of just people just like, disappearing, never heard from again."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Canada/China partnership:
  “I Believe the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the New World Order.” — Canadian PM (33:02, via audio clip)
• AI Mishaps:
  “As long as it still doesn't know how to spell strawberry, it can't control anything.” — D (04:01)
• Regarding Havana Syndrome Weapon:
  “Guys, we found this backpack thing, and we're scared, and we just wanted to tell you about it.” — A (77:39)
• On the 'Are You Dead?' App:
  “It’s that much of a problem that you people not knowing if you're dead or not.” — C (38:54)

Major Timestamps

• 00:00–04:10 — Polite to AIs and ChatGPT “Strawberry” glitch
• 10:00–12:00 — Greenland parody song/skit
• 13:50–16:30 — Military respect question derailed by “toot” saga
• 26:00–27:00 — Shout-outs: Umbrella Marine, Parents' podcast secrets
• 29:17–31:00 — Artemis II mission breakdown
• 32:53–33:08 — Canada/China “New World Order” audio
• 35:56–36:42 — U.S. poverty line/statistics debate
• 38:46–39:00 — China’s “Are You Dead?” app explained
• 59:30–1:07:00 — Patagonia fires, foreign land grab theories
• 74:51–76:12 — Pentagon reveals “Havana Syndrome” backpack weapon
• 91:20–101:15 — Nevada Triangle/Steve Fossett mystery & Area 51 connections

Tone & Language

The episode rides a wave between irreverent, off-beat comedy and genuinely curious, sometimes skeptical investigation. The hosts’ banter is fast, full of running gags, with recurring ribbing, especially between Andy and Lily. There’s an openness to “wild” theories but a constant undercurrent of self-aware humor (“It’s all jokes...don’t come after us, Pentagon”). Even on heavier topics, the show maintains levity, breaks the tension with bits (e.g., spontaneous songs, quotes), and closes on a note of support and solidarity for listener-submitted causes.

Final Thoughts

Episode 179 of Ninjas Are Butterflies is classic for the show: outlandish, winding, and unafraid to mix government intrigue with fart jokes and paranormal chat. Whether you come for the jokes or the conspiracies, this episode has something to scramble your mind—weapon or no weapon.