TEC330: Escape the Walled Garden of Big Tech
StarQuest Podcasts
Is it time to rethink how much control Big Tech has over your digital life? In this episode of The Secrets of Technology, Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo take a hard look at what happens when you audit your tech habits and question long-standing dependencies on companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Inspired by a European case study, the discussion centers on whether privacy-focused EU alternatives can offer better value, stronger consumer protections, and greater peace of mind. What do you lose—and gain—when you trade convenience for intentional friction? The panel explores...
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WHO440: The Keeper of Traken
StarQuest Podcasts
What if a society built on goodness is its greatest weakness? Dom Bettinelli and Jimmy Akin unpack Traken’s fragile utopia, Kassia’s downfall, and the Master’s quiet takeover—plus why this story reshapes Adric, Nyssa, and the road to regeneration for the 4th Doctor.
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SSW250: Visions, Ep. 24 - The Lost Ones
StarQuest Podcasts
When Jedi F faces refugees, propaganda, and a fallen master, tough questions surface: Did the Jedi fail the galaxy? Can mentorship heal war’s scars? Robert King, Jeff Haecker, and Kathryn Laffrey break down sacrifice, legacy, and hope.
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SST398: Vitus Reflux (SFA)
StarQuest Podcasts
Can a prank war teach future Starfleet officers real lessons? Dom Bettinelli, Fr. Jason Tyler, and Jimmy Akin highlight the humor, character beats, and surprising focus on empathy—and ask if lighter stories help set up stronger Trek themes.
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SSG244: Line in the Sand (SG1)
StarQuest Podcasts
What does real faith look like under fire? Jeff Haecker, Lisa Jones, and Victor Lams unpack sacrifice, belief, and resistance as SG-1 tests dangerous tech, Vala challenges false gods, and the Ori reveal their true nature.
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MYS401: Ghost Pets! (Animal After Death Communications, ADCs)
StarQuest Podcasts
Do pets reach back after death? Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli assess new scientific studies on animal after-death communications. Can warning apparitions, shared sightings, and sensory details offer evidence for animal life after death?
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TEC329: The Digital Sabbath: A Rule for Life
StarQuest Podcasts
Can a digital Sabbath really work in 2026? Dom Bettinelli, Pat Scott, and Fr. Andrew Kinstetter tackle whether constant connectivity is stealing our peace—and how intentional tech boundaries can restore prayer, family life, and freedom.
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SCR183: The Secrets of The Return
StarQuest Podcasts
What happens when a war hero finally comes home—and finds rot everywhere? Alix Murray, Jeff Haecker, and Thomas Salerno debate trauma, kingship, Penelope’s choices, and the epic story of Odysseus.
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WHO439: Lucie Miller and To The Death
StarQuest Podcasts
What happens when the Doctor arrives too late? As Dom Bettinelli and Jimmy Akin unpack Lucy Miller / To the Death, they confront Dalek plague warfare, shocking companion sacrifices, and the moment the Eighth Doctor learns mercy sometimes costs everything.
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SME102: Lord of the Rings (1978 Bakshi)
StarQuest Podcasts
What happens when Tolkien meets experimental animation? Jeff Haecker, Robert King, Patrick Mason, and Rob Leonardi weigh Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings. Does visual ambition excuse rushed storytelling—or does Gandalf steal the show?
info_outlineIs it time to rethink how much control Big Tech has over your digital life?
In this episode of The Secrets of Technology, Dom Bettinelli and Thomas Sanjurjo take a hard look at what happens when you audit your tech habits and question long-standing dependencies on companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Inspired by a European case study, the discussion centers on whether privacy-focused EU alternatives can offer better value, stronger consumer protections, and greater peace of mind.
What do you lose—and gain—when you trade convenience for intentional friction? The panel explores Proton’s expanding ecosystem, the ethics of “free” services, VPNs, search engines that don’t surveil you, and whether generative AI can exist without harvesting user data. They also address the realities that make leaving some platforms nearly impossible due to network effects.
The conversation widens to current tech news, including alarming proposals to regulate 3D printing in Washington State and revelations about BitLocker encryption keys. Throughout, the episode challenges listeners to ask: Who really controls your technology—and at what cost?