Three Stoners Who Became Gunrunners for the Department of Defense

On today’s Modern Notion Daily podcast, author Guy Lawson joins us to talk about his new book, Arms and the Dudes: How Three Stoners from Miami Beach Became the Most Unlikely Gunrunners in History (Simon & Schuster, June 2015). It could only have happened in the internet age, argues Lawson: three kids from Miami Beach won a 300 million dollar contract with the United State Department of Defense to supply the Afghan army with weapons. But when their illegal (but state-sponsored) gunrunning was exposed, the government turned on them. You won’t want to miss this one. Later in the hour, contributing editor Emma Bryce presents the theories behind the name of one of our host’s favorite cocktails.

Music this hour:

• “Soldiertype (militarised)” by Ketsa, from the album What’s Without’s Within
• “Forgiven Not Forgotten” by Jahzzar, from the album Kuddelmuddel
• “Quasi Motion” by Kevin MacLeod, from the album Global Sampler