Art Bell was joined by MIT graduate and author Eric Brende, who shared the story of how he gave up his modern lifestyle to live a more minimalist existence with an Anabaptist community he calls the "Minimites." This group does not allow the use of any motorized or automated equipment and, according to Brende, even the Amish think this sect is primitive. Brende dwelled among the "Minimites" for 18 months to gather research for his book.

Brende said he first became disillusioned with "timesaving" technologies during his teen years, as he watched his father waste countless hours fiddling with a word processing machine. Though Brende attended one of the world's preeminent technological institutes, he claims to have gone to MIT as a "subversive," in order to "infiltrate the technological establishment...to overthrow it."

Brende alleges he is not completely anti-technology, but believes we are "spending more time meeting the needs of technology instead of our own needs." He said our aim should be a balanced life, and suggested that if we decreased our dependency on technology (automobiles, televisions, computers), many social problems could be alleviated.

For a signed hardcover edition of Brende's book Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology send a check for $27.95 ($24.95 + $3.00 shipping) to:
Eric Brende
2037 Allen Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Missouri residents add 7.5% sales tax

Whitley Sampler

First hour guest, author Whitley Strieber (unknowncountry.com) discussed several topics with Art, including magnetic pole reversal, the mysterious Elmendorf Beast, and the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of Las Palmas.

According to Strieber, the volcano on Las Palmas could collapse into the ocean, sending a 300-ft tall wall of water toward North America. If the catastrophe ever happens, Strieber says we'd only have 7 to 10 hours before a series of massive waves travelling at the speed of a jet plane crashes onto our shores.