Commute | The Podcast

For nearly 50 years, the movie “JAWS” has been making beachgoers think twice about getting in the ocean. Set around the July 4th holiday, we look back at the film that “shouldn’t have worked” and the star that, unexpectedly, only showed up for half of the filming. 

Aren’t Facebook and social media alerts, in general, annoying? A shrug quickly replaces the dopamine rush when you find that friend from high school is only inviting you to play “Casino Rush.” We have one game to blame - FarmVille. A look back at the Facebook phenomenon that revolutionized social platform gaming and made millions of people think they had the skills to raise crops. 

Ever stayed in an Airbnb? The answer is likely yes. But unlike a hotel chain, you’re staying in someone’s actual home, which could carry a level of risk, right? Enter the Airbnb black box team, whose job is to make sure you never find out when things go wrong.

Have a topic you’d like to be considered? Submit it at www.commutethepodcast.com or hit us up on social media.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.npr.org/2019/08/09/745651910/jaws-shark-gets-his-bite-back-a-love-story

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/technology/farmville-zynga-facebook.html

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-15/airbnb-spends-millions-making-nightmares-at-live-anywhere-rentals-go-away

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Got milk? Most of us grew up hearing that milk was an essential part of a healthy diet. But were those milk mustaches good for us?

All existing copies of the worst video game of all-time were dumped into a landfill in New Mexico. We’ll tell the incredible story and shed some light on the man behind it. *listener submitted topic!

For over 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America have been viewed as an organization committed to family, fun, and leadership building. But for some it has been an avenue for abuse. Can the scouts' reputation be saved? And perhaps more importantly, should it? 
Side note: Jay = Eaglescout 
Dave = Cub Scout for 6 months  


*Have a topic you’d like to be considered? Submit it at www.commutethepodcast.com or hit us up on social media.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.vox.com/2015/4/19/8447883/milk-health-benefit

https://www.npr.org/2017/05/31/530235165/total-failure-the-worlds-worst-video-game

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/opinion/sunday/boy-scouts-lawsuit.html

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In 2014 Apple gave iPhone users in 119 countries a free gift - an automatic download of the upcoming U2 Album “songs of innocence” - and caused one of the most bizarre backlashes in company history. 

You may know the urban legend - you’re driving down a dark road and notice a car headed toward you with their headlights off. Should you flash your headlights to alert them, but risk being hunted down by a gang? We explore the “headlights are off” urban legend. Is there something to it?

Many television shows grow in popularity after their broadcast run is over, thanks to syndication. But do the actors keep getting paid? We dive into our first listener suggested topic!

Have a topic you’d like to be considered? Submit it at www.commutethepodcast.com or hit us up on social media.

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/09/09/the-free-u2-album-songs-of-innocence-was-a-debacle-for-apple-fans-on-september-9-2018

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lights-out/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-jennifer-aniston-other-actors-090200975.html

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Humans can all be very different but one thing they typically share in common - they hate to wait. But perhaps we should work on this: scientific studies suggest developing the trait of patience pays off in the long run.

In the mid-1800s a rail worker suffered the most famous brain injury in medical history. What the case of Phineas Gage says about how much we can, and can’t, change our minds.

With this rose, I choose.... an opportunity to make a TON of money (and maybe love for a month or two). Why do people go on shows like the Bachelor, why do we (Jay) watch. Do relationships born on a TV show stand a chance?


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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://jamesclear.com/delayed-gratification
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/21/528966102/why-brain-scientists-are-still-obsessed-with-the-curious-case-of-phineas-gage
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-data-behind-the-bachelor--the-bachelorette_b_6744288

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Do you know the most popular destination on YouTube, which is also the dominant show on Netflix?  If you’re 5 or younger, or live with someone who is, you most likely do.

Like Google and search engines, the word Skype used to be synonymous with video chatting. It should have exploded in popularity during the coronavirus shutdowns, so how did this once-dominant platform get surpassed by Zoom?

Billions of us play video games, and more and more of us have trouble putting the controller down. Is video game addiction real? Enter the newest member of the rehab community - video game rehab.

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2020/12/14/100-billion-views-and-counting-cocomelon-is-absolutely-dominating-netflix-and-youtube/
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/skype-coronavirus-pandemic
https://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/gaming-disorder/video-game-rehab-inside-gaming-addiction-treatment-centers

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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In 2021, you don’t have to be Mulder or Scully to be a believer in extraterrestrial life. Why are more and more people becoming believers? (Spoiler alert: Jay = believe; Dave = LOL, yeah, right.)

It’s been over two decades since Y2K went from panic-induced fear to late night TV punchline. Was there ever really anything to fear?

Be kind - rewind! In the 1990s, Blockbuster video was woven deeply into the fabric of American entertainment. Now all but gone (only one Blockbuster remains), why have we never quite fallen completely out-of-love with the once-dominant video rental store?


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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/us/politics/ufo-sightings-navy-pilots.html
https://time.com/5752129/y2k-bug-history/
https://www.vice.com/en/article/88nn5k/why-were-all-so-nostalgic-for-blockbuster-right-now

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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The average dollar bill remains in circulation for nearly 15 years. How filthy is it?  And what’s that about traces of ... cocaine?

Ari Nagel, AKA “The Sperminator” has fathered 78 kids and may not be done. Huh?

Later this summer we’ll commemorate the worst contract in professional sports history. Long live Bobby Bonilla Day! (Until 2035, at least)



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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://time.com/4918626/money-germs-microbes-dirty/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9320165/Sperminator-fathered-78-children-13-women-pregnant-paid-hugs-kisses.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/01/bobby-bonilla-day-why-his-deal-with-the-mets-was-so-lucrative.html

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

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Ever felt like a fraud in your own life? Like you're an imposter just waiting to be found out? We discuss the psychological phenomenon of imposter syndrome.

Razor blades in candy bars? Poison in pixie sticks? Are sadistic people actually trying to hurt children on Halloween by tampering with candy?

What's better than a great cup of coffee? A QUICK cup of coffee, of course! While the k-cup changed the way we make our coffee at home or in the office, it also presented us with a significant problem - how do we recycle the darn things? And can the answer to our pollution problem be found in...outer space?! #wasteinspace

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***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/imposter-syndrome-young-adults-11619819337
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/12914/brief-history-sick-people-tampering-halloween-candy
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/03/the-abominable-k-cup-coffee-pod-environment-problem/386501/

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
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We think that having more money would lead to a happier life, right? Not so fast, my friend. Find out what the research says is the optimal salary for a more comfortable life (and what to do if you start making more).

Duolingo is the world’s # 1 web application for learning a foreign language. But while the service can be helpful, its animated mascot Duo can be... salty. How does shame work (or not work) toward pushing us to pursue our goals?

None of us want to die. But some of us would prefer death to speaking in front of a crowd. Is there something more substantial at play?

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/04/money-income-buy-happiness/618601/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/13/18137843/duolingo-owl-redesign-language-learning-app
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-real-story-risk/201211/the-thing-we-fear-more-death

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How does the content we consume affect us? Facebook decided to find out. And not tell anyone about it ahead of time. 

In 1987 a book with no words and a character with a love for red striped clothing was born. Hiding in plain sight, we discuss the staying power of Where’s Waldo.

Google does a time capsule report every year - a list of what people searched for in the previous year. 2020’s results may surprise you. 

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Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2014/08/04/the-facebook-experiment-what-it-means-for-you/?sh=ef22007af6e0
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/90967/14-facts-about-wheres-waldo
https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2020/US/

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
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