Commute | The Podcast

Since 1887, we’ve celebrated the best weird holiday - Groundhogs Day. Every February 2nd Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his hole to determine how close we are to spring. How did such an idea get started? And how reliable is ol’ Phil?

We share pictures of our children online without a second thought. Could they sue us for that one day??

In the early 2000s, Major League Baseball star Barry Bonds was the best player in the league.  At the height of his popularity Bonds made the controversial decision not to allow his name, image, or likeness to be used in the popular video game All-Star Baseball. Then the game’s creators had an idea.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/654586/punxsutawney-phil-groundhog-day-cameo
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-groundhog-day

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/instagram-facebook-and-the-perils-of-sharenting

https://www.mlb.com/news/an-interview-with-the-real-jon-dowd

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The assassination of President John F. Kennedy remains a favorite topic of conspiracy theorists six decades after the event. It probably doesn’t help that we don’t know where his brain is…

The murder of Amber Hagerman has saved more than 1,000 kids. It changed the way child abductions are handled. Why does her own case remain unsolved?

Yo Dawg! In the mid-2000s, MTV was full of music videos and reality shows like Cribs and Pimp My Ride. Pimp My Ride took an old, end-of-life car and “pimped” it out, but the new shiny car (occasionally outfitted with a cotton candy machine) was not always what it appeared.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://allthatsinteresting.com/where-is-jfks-brain

https://people.com/crime/texas-girls-abduction-inspired-amber-alert-26-years-later-case-remains-unsolved/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pimp-my-ride-cars_n_6663840

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Deep in a German jungle is a species of ant that at first glance seems to be normal, but while other ants die quickly, as ants typically do, this specific type of ant doesn’t. The secret of long life, however, comes with a cost.

In the 1990s, the clothing brand AND1 with unique shirts full of insults, (“Go to church - and pray you don’t guard me.”) was a serious competitor in the athletic wear sector. Then it was gone … or was it? Is AND1 primed for a comeback?

Can you ever completely erase yourself from the internet? Here’s where to start.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/05/ant-tapeworm/618919/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2013/02/27/and1-ready-for-legendary-come-back/

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/remove-all-your-personal-info-from-internet-6-steps-disappear-for-good/

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For more than three decades Dollar Tree has advertised “everything’s a $1” - household items, toys, kitchenware - everything. That’s been the company’s brand identity for 35-years, until now. Why is Dollar Tree turning into Dollar & a Quarter Tree?

In 1999, Doug Lindsay developed symptoms consistent with a rare disease that had also afflicted his mother, a condition that had baffled doctors for decades.  Confined to a bed for 22 hours a day, he was left with two choices: wait to die or save his own life. Lindsay chose the latter.

The endowment effect: we  place a higher value on an object we already own than on the same object if we did not own it. Why?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/08/business/dollar-tree-1-dollar-price-dollar-stores/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/27/health/doug-lindsay-invented-surgery-trnd/index.html
https://apple.news/AbloQoOqlRd-NDRiYj8et9g

https://medium.com/cogniss-magazine/of-holdouts-mugs-and-pens-how-the-endowment-effect-inspires-app-loyalty-a35cccd4a9f2

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**Episode 25 Replay**

In the 1970s, a boyband was dubbed the next Beatles because of the fan fervor they generated. You’ve probably never heard of them today.  Did the heightened public reaction actually hurt their career?

The table game Dungeons & Dragons has been popular among a small subculture of people for decades.  In recent years gameplay has soared, even increasing 30% during the pandemic. What is so attractive about this game? We bring in an expert to help us make sense of it all.

On a hillside in England is a 180 ft. chalk drawing of a giant. A naked giant. Where did it come from? After centuries of mystery, researchers recently made shocking discoveries.

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-56847111
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/13/dungeons-dragons-had-its-biggest-year-despite-the-coronavirus.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/07/how-old-cerne-abbas-giant/619406/

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In November 1968, the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets played one of the greatest endings to a televised football game in NFL history…and no viewers actually saw it. 

Lose weight. Save money. Stop drinking caffeine. It’s that time of year to make New Year's resolutions. Every year we do them, and every year we mostly fail. Why?

In the winter months, we go out  just a little earlier than usual to start the car. It’s more comfortable for us and better for the vehicle, right?

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-heidi-bowl

https://www.businessinsider.com/new-years-resolutions-failure-advice-jonathan-alpert-2018-12

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/12/29/the-biggest-winter-energy-myth-that-you-need-to-idle-your-car-before-driving/
https://www.cars.com/articles/should-you-warm-up-your-car-in-winter-429809/

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It’s a special holiday episode of Commute!!

You can almost taste it, can’t you? The holiday dinner table set with mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, green beans and … KFC?

You know how the Grinch tried to stop Christmas from coming to Whoville but, today, Grinch bots don’t want to stop Christmas. They just want you to pay more for it.

Christmas songs are unique. For two months they follow us from car to shopping mall to doctor's office. How does a Christmas song become a classic that joins that yearly rotation? And Mariah Carey has made HOW much off that one song?!

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/japan-christmas-kfc/

https://www.cnet.com/news/democrats-announce-bill-to-stop-bots-from-stealing-christmas/

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/want-make-ton-money-rest-life-write-one-hit-christmas-song/

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By most accounts, ten-year-old Ryan Kaji is just like any other normal kid - he likes cartoons, playing with toys, and making silly videos. Where Ryan starts to differ from your kid, though, is that he made $30 million last year. 

Internet black markets are wild and unregulated places (don’t look it up - it’s not for the faint of the heart), but you can always find help there for people in need. What if you needed to score some breast milk?  Anything’s possible, at the right price. 

The holidays become even more stressful when we think about preparing the yearly holiday dinner for family & friends - cooking a turkey is daunting! But not to fear: the Turkey Talk Line is here. 

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://time.com/6116624/ryan-kaji-youtube/
https://www.history.com/news/6-child-monarchs-who-changed-history

https://theconversation.com/breast-milk-market-is-booming-online-its-unregulated-might-make-your-baby-sick-but-entirely-legal-128329

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/563246/butterball-turkey-hotline-secrets

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Taylor Swift is the dominant musical artist of her generation. She consistently releases well-reviewed, original and popular music. Why is she going back to release new versions of her first six albums that sound exactly like the originals? 

Internet personality Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, started a restaurant chain in 2020, but MrBeast Burger has no physical locations and doesn’t spend any money on advertising. And there’s probably one in your hometown.

The beloved 1990s Christmas movie Home Alone features youngster Kevin McCallister accidentally left behind when his family goes out-of-town for Christmas.  You know what happens next - he defends his house against Harry and Marv, the Wet Bandits. In the process, Harry & Marv get hurt - a lot. Shouldn’t they have died?! We explore the severity of their injuries. 

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://time.com/5949979/why-taylor-swift-is-rerecording-old-albums/

https://www.mashed.com/308763/the-untold-truth-of-mrbeast-burger/

https://theweek.com/articles/469307/diagnosing-home-alone-burglars-injuries-professional-weighs

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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It was recently announced that crypto.com spent a record $700 million to rename the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It sounds crazy, but companies do it. Does it really make sense?

Billionaires in Silicon Valley are spending amazing money on technology to extend lifespans. But will this only extend lifespans of the rich?

We just passed Thanksgiving, which means one thing - time for the Hallmark Christmas movie marathon!! Hallmark will air a full slate of original Christmas movies for the next month, leading up to Christmas. How do they pull it off? And why do so many of us watch?

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/technology/crypto-staples-center-la.html
https://www.samford.edu/sports-analytics/fans/2018/A-Billion-Dollar-Industry-Are-Naming-Rights-Worth-the-Money

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/silicon-valleys-quest-to-live-forever-could-benefit-the-rest-of-us.html

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/608916/hallmark-channel-christmas-movie-facts

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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