Commute | The Podcast

Ever had the feeling that you were being watched? Well, depending on where you live, chances are you actually might be.

There are a lot of factors that play into a particular property’s value - updates, neighborhood, school district..and whether or not the house is haunted. 

We’ve all heard it  - fake it till you make it. But is it true? We’ll explore if there’s any power in turning that frown upside down. 

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-worlds-most-surveilled-cities/
https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/22712090/real-estate-haunted-ghosts-ghostbusters
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/21/simple-trick-that-can-make-you-happier-according-to-research.html

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There are few things that more accurately convey current culture than Halloween costume choices, but can they really predict a presidential election?

It’s the official logo for Halloween - the jack o’ lantern. So, why did we start carving faces into vegetables?

(From the archives) Halloween is today and, if you’re like most of us, you wait med until the last minute to get your costume, visiting a temporary Halloween store called “Spirit of Halloween.” Where do these suddenly appearing stores come from, and where do they go after All Hallows’ Eve?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.insider.com/halloween-costume-trends-history-2018-10
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/the-twisted-transatlantic-tale-of-american-jack-o-lanterns
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/25/18023130/spirit-halloween-party-city-pop-up-stores

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Rebroadcast of Ep. 56

Have a weird talent? Always had dreams of securing eternal glory with a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records? Figuring out your talent is the easy part.

Author Stephen King is renown for creepy classics like The Shining & IT. But what about the time he found himself in a real-life suspense story? 

G, PG, PG-13, R, and even NC-17. We know the movie rating system, but who decides?
 
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 Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://betterhumans.pub/the-complete-guide-to-getting-your-own-guinness-world-record-a02447cbd016
https://www.ranker.com/list/stephen-king-car-accident/erin-mccann
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57664/how-do-movies-get-their-ratings

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It’s been called “Satan’s Earwax.”  Every year at Halloween it reappears like some great plague - CANDY CORN. Where did it come from, and is it really so divisive?

 They were the most popular attraction in Las Vegas until the magic and the act ended in a way that, sadly, wasn’t a surprise. We discuss the undoing of Siegfried and Roy.

If you played video games in the 1990s, chances are you did it - blew into your video game cartridge to somehow make it work again. Did that really accomplish anything, and what did Nintendo have to say about the idea?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.vox.com/2015/10/29/9633560/candy-corn-explained
https://www.today.com/food/scientific-reason-why-candy-corn-so-polarizing-t235104
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/11/siegfried-roy-fame-rise-and-fall/671528/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/12589/did-blowing-nintendo-cartridges-really-help

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In the 1960s and 1970s, it was an accepted form of cross-country travel until, suddenly, it wasn’t. Have you, would you … hitchhike?

It’s back!! Every Fall, we can count on a few things - the leaves changing colors, the air getting colder, and the return of the pumpkin spice latte. Why is it so popular? And you can get a pumpkin scented WHAT?!

The recent hurricane in Florida brought death, destruction, and another opportunity to revive the famous internet hoax where people photoshop a shark into flooded city streets, railways, and backyards. So it was fake again this time, wasn’t it?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.vox.com/2015/6/8/8737623/hitchhiking
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/sep/26/pumpkin-spice-latte-sales-us
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/8/29/17791082/pumpkin-spice-latte-starbucks-backlash-explained
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/30/us/hurricane-shark-ian-hoax.html

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Magnus Carlson is the Michael Jordan of the Chess world. When he recently lost to unknown Hans Niemann and then accused Niemann of cheating, was it sour grapes or does he have a point?

Of all foods in the frozen food aisle of your local grocery store, none are as unusual as the fish stick. None are as interesting, either.

The marathon is the crown jewel of running accomplishments. 26.2 miles is tough, but also sounds somewhat random. Who decided on the length?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chess-cheating-magnus-carlsen-hans-niemann-11663751262
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/article-short/the-unlikely-prevailing-success-of-fish-sticks/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/563590/why-are-marathons-26-2-miles-long

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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What slight do baseball legends Ken Griffey Jr., Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams have in common? Why does the Baseball Hall of Fame voting process frustrate us all?  Yes, these things are related.

In the 1980s, one-hit wonder band Tommy Tutone rose to prominence with their catchy single 867-5309/Jenny, but what about the people who actually owned that phone number? We check in on a few of them.

For years legos have been a go-to gift idea for kids of all ages. Recent years have seen changes in the legendary colorful building blocks - changes that have taken the company from the verge of bankruptcy to the biggest boardrooms in corporate America.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://sports.yahoo.com/why-does-baseball-hall-of-fame-voting-make-people-so-mad-001733032.html
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/867-5309-jenny/
https://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/ken-griffey-hall-of-fame/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-more-companies-are-putting-lego-bricks-in-the-office-11661638344

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Companies will try almost anything to get you to notice them - with some things more outlandish than others. So, did Taco Bell really try to purchase the Liberty Bell?

Ted Slauson is like any average person. He gets up, heads to a job, spends time with his family, and has hobbies - it just so happens one of those hobbies is memorizing every prize and price on the long-running game show The Price is Right.

Reality shows can teach us a lot about ourselves.  When Scottish TV decided to base a reality show on re-starting human civilization, what could go wrong? Hint: a lot.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/taco-bell-bought-liberty-bell-hoax
https://www.thelist.com/935900/what-really-happened-when-a-price-is-right-contestant-made-a-perfect-bid/
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/23/eden-reality-show-contestants-year-wilderness-no-one-watching

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Thanks to pop culture we’re all familiar with the Tunnel of Love ride. A couple floats into atunnel (riding in a swan-shaped boat), emerging more in love on the other side. But raise your hand if you’ve ever actually seen one. Seeing no hands, we’ll continue...

It’s rare today to find a piece of land that someone doesn’t claim ownership of. Who knew that extended to… the moon?

Podcasts entertain us by covering various topics - everything from personal finance to true crime. One true crime podcast did more than entertain - it solved a decades-old murder.

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/tunnel-of-love-scandalous-history
https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2019/06/13/space-travel-moon-resources-000899
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62735339

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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1) What can rats and cobras teach us about unintended consequences?  More than you may think.

2) For over 40 years, he’s been producing parody songs such as “Amish Paradise” and “Eat it.” How has Weird Al Yankovich not only survived but thrived for decades in the brutal world of comedy?

3) You’ve probably seen it before, the famous slogan - “keep calm and carry on,” has been molded to fit just about every industry (we see you librarians and your “keep calm and read a book” shirts). Where did this phrase come from?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hanoi-rat-massacre-1902
https://www.comicsbeat.com/silber-linings-the-enduring-appeal-of-weird-al-yankovic/
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-surprising-history-of-keep-calm-and-carry-on-2015-6

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
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