Where is “the cloud,” anyway? It’s in a bunch of nondescript warehouses all over the country. Zachary Crockett serves up the story.

• SOURCES: 
  • Chris Kimm, senior vice president of global customer care and customer experience at Equinix.
  • Raul Martynek, C.E.O. of DataBank.
  • Clayton Rosati, associate professor of geography at Bowling Green State University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "How Data Center Alley Is Changing Northern Virginia," by Mac Carey (Oxford American, 2025).
  • "Noisy, Hungry Data Centers Are Catching Communities by Surprise," by Sean Patrick Cooper (The New York Times, 2024).
  • "As Data Centers for AI Strain the Power Grid, Bills Rise for Everyday Customers," by Evan Halper and Caroline O'Donovan (The Washington Post, 2024).
  • "Data Plantation: Northern Virginia and the Territorialization of Digital Civilization in 'The Internet Capital of the World'," by Clayton Rosati, Aju James, and Kathryne Metcalf (Online Media and Global Communication, 2023).
  • "A New Front in the Water Wars: Your Internet Use," by Shannon Osaka (The Washington Post, 2023).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
  • Data Center Map.

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A new thrill ride can cost an amusement park $20 million or more — but roller coasters attract customers like nothing else. Zachary Crockett must be at least this tall to host this episode.

• SOURCES:
  • Korey Kiepert, engineer and partner at The Gravity Group.
  • Dennis Spiegel, owner and founder of International Theme Park Services.

• RESOURCES:
  • "These two amusement park giants just merged. Rollercoaster fans are nervous," by Nathaniel Meyersohn (CNN, 2024).
  • "1,000-foot-tall roller coaster may soon be a reality," by Brady MacDonald (Seattle Times, 2024).
  • "A Century of Screams: The History of the Roller Coaster," (PBS).
  • "The Business of Building Roller Coasters," by Zachary Crockett (Priceonomics, 2014).
  • Roller Coaster Census Report.
  • The Gravity Group.

• EXTRAS:
  • "January 1884: First U.S. Patent for a Roller Coaster," by LaMarcus Thompson (Advancing Physics, 2004).
  • American Coaster Enthusiasts.

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It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep up.

• SOURCES:
  • Doug Karlovits, general manager at Verbit.
  • Katie Ryan, live steno captioner at Verbit.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Long Case for Machine Shorthand," by Sam Corbin (New York Times, 2024).
  • "Caption This: Why Subtitling Is Big Business Amid the Content Boom," by Kirsten Chuba (The Hollywood Reporter, 2023).
  • "Everyone Watches TV with Subtitles Now. How’d That Happen?" by Wilson Chapman (IndieWire, 2023).
  • "When is Captioning Required?" (National Association of the Deaf).

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The ability to get into any home, car, or safe can be lucrative — but fixing locks is a tough business. Zachary Crockett gets the key information.

• SOURCES:
  • Wayne Winton, owner of Tri-County Locksmith Service.
  • Philip Mortillaro Sr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths.
  • Philip Mortillaro Jr., co-owner of Greenwich Locksmiths.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Tools of the Trade," by Tim O'Leary (Locksmith Ledger International, 2022).
  • "KeyMe Plans To Use New $35 Million Funding Round To Build 10,000+ Retail Locations," by Marley Coyne (Forbes, 2020).
  • Tri-County Locksmith Service.
  • Greenwich Locksmiths.

• EXTRAS:
  • LockPickingLawyer Youtube Channel.

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Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey.

• SOURCES: 
  • Jennifer 8. Lee, documentarian and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles.
  • Norman Wong, C.E.O. of Wonton Food.

• RESOURCES: 
  • "Canadian Influencer’s Amazement at Absence of Fortune Cookies in China Restaurants Triggers Amusing Online Discussion About Origins of Snack," by Yating Yang (South China Morning Post, 2024).
  • "Fortune Cookies: They’re Japan’s Best-Kept Secret!" by Thalia Harris (Sakuraco, 2023).
  • "What I Learned Eating at 8,000 Chinese Restaurants," by Zhaoyin Feng (BBC News, 2021).
  • The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, by Jennifer 8. Lee (2008).
  • "Lottery Winners Find Good Fortune in Cookies," (NBC News, 2005).

• EXTRAS: 
  • "Girl Scout Cookies," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023).

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When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow. 

• SOURCES:
  • Andrew Gast, general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area.
  • Rob Goodell, chief operating officer at Loveland Ski Area.

• RESOURCES:
  • "State of the U.S. Ski Industry" (National Ski Areas Association, 2024).
  • "U.S. Ski Resorts in Operation During 2023/24 Season" (National Ski Areas Association, 2024).
  • "Snowmaking 101" (Snow State).
  • Loveland Ski Area.
  • Mt. Ashland Ski Area.

• EXTRAS:
  • "What it Takes to Run a Nonprofit Ski Hill," by Lily Ritter (Ski, 2020).

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We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit.

• SOURCES:
  • Stephan Habif, chief technology officer at Colgate-Palmolive.
  • Sergio Leite, global head of Oral Care R&D at Colgate-Palmolive.
  • Peter Miskell, professor of international business history at the University of Reading.

• EXTRAS:
  • "History of Toothpaste" (Delta Dental of Arkansas, 2019).
  • "Cavity Protection or Cosmetic Perfection? Innovation and Marketing of Toothpaste Brands in the United States and Western Europe, 1955–1985," by Peter Miskell (Business History Review, 2011).

• RESOURCES:
  • "9,000-Year-Old Dentistry," by WIRED Staff (WIRED, 2006).

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When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network.  

• SOURCES:
  • Julian Ha, partner at the executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles.
  • Jane Stevenson, global vice chair of board and CEO services at Korn Ferry.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The Transformation of the CEO," by Stephen Langton, Rusty O'Kelley, Laura Sanderson, and Sean Roberts (Russell Reynolds Associates, 2024).
  • "Executive Paywatch" (AFL-CIO, 2023).
  • "Diversity matters even more: The case for holistic impact," by Dame Vivian Hunt, Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle, Celia Huber, María del Mar Martínez Márquez, Sara Prince, and Ashley Thomas (McKinsey & Company, 2023).
  • "CEO Tenure Rates," by Joyce Chen (Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governenance, 2023).
  • "Best Industries to Recruit for in the US" (Precision Global Consulting).

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Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports.

• SOURCES:
  • Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area.
  • David Levenberg, owner of Center Security Services.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Mall of America's security team will start using facial recognition software as part of safety plan," by Derek James (CBS News, 2024).
  • "The Problems Inside North America’s Largest Security Firm—and Third-Biggest Employer," by Alana Semuels (Time, 2023).
  • "Malls Work on Their Security, but Keep It in the Background," by Ronda Kaysen (New York Times, 2013).
  • Center Security Services.

• EXTRAS:
  • "NYPD subway robot, Knightscope, gets sacked after two-month pilot program," by Vineet Josan (The Ticker, 2024).
  • "The State of the American Mall," by Sapna Maheshwari (New York Times, 2021).

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How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend.

• SOURCES:
  • Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.
  • Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and author of "Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television."
  • Aaron Solomon, television producer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "‘The Price Is Right’ Celebrates 10,000 Episodes With Extra Big Wins for Contestants That Top Off at $100,000!" by Rosemary Rossi (Variety, 2025).
  • "Why haven’t more game show prizes been adjusted for inflation?" by Janet Nguyen (Marketplace, 2023).
  • "Deal or No Deal? Decision Making under Risk in a Large-Payoff Game Show," by Thierry Post, Martijn J. van den Assem, Guido Baltussen, and Richard Thaler (American Economic Review, 2008).
  • "Why Game Shows Have Economists Glued to Their TVs," by Charles Florelle (Wall Street Journal, 2006).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Bowen Kerins on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (2000).

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