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Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff — History
Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff

As long as there’s been oppression, there’ve been people fighting it. This weekly podcast dives into history to drag up the wildest rebels, the most beautiful revolts, and all the people who long to be—and fight to be—free. It explores complex stories of resistance that offer lessons and inspiration for us today, focusing on the ensemble casts that make up each act of history. That is to say, this podcast focuses on Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff.

Copyright: 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia

Latest Episodes:

Part Two: Autistici/Inventati and the Fight for the Autonomous Internet Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

Margaret talks to you about the US's long history of intervention in Italian politics.

Sources:

https://chuffed.org/project/alexio-mutual-aid

https://publish.fid-media.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/f8e99026-0049-4da6-bd2e-1b5a9d84b477/content
https://www.inventati.org/campaign/press

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State_list_of_Foreign_Terrorist_Organizations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specially_designated_global_terrorist

https://www.icnl.org/resources/research/ijnl/solving-the-necessity-conundrum-what-the-drug-war-can-teach-us-about-due-process-for-u-s-charities-in-the-fight-against-international-terrorist-financing
https://web.archive.org/web/20160126020743/http://www.jta.org/2009/05/28/news-opinion/united-states/holy-land-founders-get-life-sentences
https://scalawagmagazine.org/2025/08/palestinian-political-prisoner-shukri-abu-bakers-poetry-book-debuts-in-houston/
https://anarchistnews.org/content/go-forth-and-multiply-may-10-100-1000-servers-spark
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/12/newsid_3953000/3953999.stm
https://libcom.org/article/1969-strategy-tension-italy
https://libcom.org/article/giuseppe-pinelli-death-anarchist
https://files.libcom.org/files/Secrets-and-Bombs.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/16/world/evolution-in-europe-italy-discloses-its-web-of-cold-war-guerrillas.html

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CZM Rewind: Part Two: The Newsies on Strike: Soaking Scabs and Taking Names Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

In part two of this week's episode, Margaret continues her conversation with writer and podcast host Andrew Ti about how an informal union of children shut down the nation’s biggest newspapers and won their rights.

Original Air Date: 6.21.2023

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CZM Book Club Presents: Stories from "Black Box," by Mata Kastrisiou and translated by Kostas Kaltsas Sep 27, 2026

Show notes

Margaret reads you 4 very short, dream like stories from a collection by a Greek author

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CZM Rewind: Part One: The Newsies on Strike: Soaking Scabs and Taking Names Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Margaret talks with writer and podcast host Andrew Ti about how an informal union of children shut down the nation’s biggest newspapers and won their rights.

Original Air Date: 6.19.2023

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Part One: Autistici/Inventati and the Fight for the Autonomous Internet Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Margaret talks to you about Trump's latest boogieman, the Italian hacktavists who helped free the internet

Sources:

https://publish.fid-media.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/f8e99026-0049-4da6-bd2e-1b5a9d84b477/content
https://www.inventati.org/campaign/press
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State_list_of_Foreign_Terrorist_Organizations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specially_designated_global_terrorist
https://www.icnl.org/resources/research/ijnl/solving-the-necessity-conundrum-what-the-drug-war-can-teach-us-about-due-process-for-u-s-charities-in-the-fight-against-international-terrorist-financing
https://web.archive.org/web/20160126020743/http://www.jta.org/2009/05/28/news-opinion/united-states/holy-land-founders-get-life-sentences
https://scalawagmagazine.org/2025/08/palestinian-political-prisoner-shukri-abu-bakers-poetry-book-debuts-in-houston/
https://anarchistnews.org/content/go-forth-and-multiply-may-10-100-1000-servers-spark

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CZM Book Club: Ocotillo, by Madeline ffitch Sep 20, 2026

Show notes

Margaret reads you a surreal story about the surreal Southwest, written by one of her favorite authors

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AI Doesn't Work and We All Know It Doesn't Work Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Margaret reads you an essay about the lying machines that will soon be ruling the world

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Beyond Climate Optimism, Beyond Climate Pessimism Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

Margaret reads you an essay about how we have to soberly confront the realities of climate change and look for ways we can collectively take action

Source:

https://margaretkilljoy.substack.com/p/beyond-climate-optimism-beyond-climate

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/climate/coral-reef-recovery-time.html

https://ourworldindata.org/electricity-mix

https://interestingengineering.com/culture/carbon-footprint-coined-by-big-oil-to-blame-you-for-climate-change

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-have-i-heard-eating-meat-bad-climate

https://solarunitedneighbors.org/resources/what-to-know-about-plug-in-solar/

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CZM Book Club: Reverse Book Club: Talking "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" with Bridget, Hazel and All of You Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

To close out Black August, Margaret sits down with Bridget Todd and Hazel Acacia to finish talking about one of the most iconic Trek episodes ever made (S6E13: Far Beyond the Stars of Deep Space Nine)- and you're invited

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Part Four: The Valiant War on Flock: How People Are Fighting Mass Surveillance Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Margaret finishes telling you the sordid history of Automated License Plate Readers and the people who have stood up against them

Sources:

https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://azmirror.com/2019/07/08/arizona-police-agencies-gather-share-license-plate-data-but-few-ensure-rules-are-being-followed/
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/aurora-police-detain-black-family-after-mistaking-their-vehicle-as-stolen
https://sls.eff.org/technologies/automated-license-plate-readers-alprs
https://www.winonapost.com/news/crime/all-of-wpd-s-flock-cameras-stolen/article_9c61aa25-411b-4f2f-a5cd-ca02942f5f9f.html
https://krocnews.com/stolen-flock-cameras-winona-mn/
https://www.winonapost.com/news/wpd-wont-replace-stolen-flock-cameras-citing-public-trust/article_06a67859-2d97-414b-aa8f-d8751ad214bb.html
https://www.military.com/air-force-engineer-accused-of-cutting-down-13-police-cameras-says-they-are-unconstitutional
https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2025/12/16/timeline-the-brief-troubled-history-of-flock-cameras-in-eugene-springfield/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2025/09/03/ai-startup-flock-thinks-it-can-eliminate-all-crime-in-america/
https://stateofsurveillance.org/news/flock-cameras-destroyed-nationwide-ice-backlash-2026/
https://ngscinc.com/history-license-plate-recognition
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/automatic-license-plate-readers-legal-status-and-policy-recommendations
https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/patrol-cars-poles-alpr/
https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/state-house-hopeful-arrested-in-flock-fiasco/article_2bb9aca2-5ede-4f42-9329-a8754aad7350.html
https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/pfbid0YWZxSJqZSBJu2BDQiQQnWUqzNiYEoHxQEgF88NBRjRXfDwQxMtqfNyHoiry5m3Mel
https://www.wlky.com/article/attorney-lmpd-flock-camera-scandal/69895783
https://www.alxnow.com/2026/07/14/alexandria-man-arrested-for-allegedly-destroying-multiple-license-plate-readers/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/flock-camera-sawed-old-braeswood-22370015.php
https://nypost.com/2026/08/02/us-news/flock-safety-cameras-vandalized-on-long-island-after-accusations-cop-tracked-lover/
https://nypost.com/2026/07/29/us-news/flock-cameras-vandalized-in-monterey-county/
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2026/08/04/down-with-the-flock-florida-man-uses-simple-trick-to-combat-flock-cameras/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/03/police-flock-safety-surveillance-cameras-getting-pushback-florida/90915780007/
https://web.archive.org/web/20120819233022/http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/166494646.html
https://www.etymonline.com/word/scofflaw
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/02/anti-surveillance-mapmaker-refuses-flock-safetys-cease-and-desist-demand
https://www.404media.co/the-open-source-project-deflock-is-mapping-license-plate-surveillance-cameras-all-over-the-world/
https://www.eff.org/document/flock-safety-cd-deflockme
https://www.eff.org/document/eff-deflock-letter-flock-safety
https://www.kwch.com/2022/11/04/kechi-police-lieutenants-arrest-puts-flock-technology-under-scrutiny/
https://www.kwch.com/2022/10/31/kechi-police-lieutenant-arrested-using-police-technology-stalk-wife/
https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/former-kechi-police-lieutenant-sentenced-in-stalking-case/
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2015/05/11/paradise-valley-license-plate-camera-reader/27144369/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/gun-show-customers-license-plates-come-under-scrutiny-1475451302
https://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2013/va-alpr.pdf
https://www.thenewspaper.com/news/42/4232.asp
https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2018/10/dea-plans-to-expand-license-plate-surveillance-program/
https://qz.com/1400791/that-road-sign-telling-you-how-fast-youre-driving-may-be-part-of-a-us-government-surveillance-network
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443995604578004723603576296
https://www.docsumo.com/blog/optical-character-recognition-history
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3330771.stm
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=18001802465783784125
https://bluewaterhealthyliving.com/news/national-news/texas/corpus-christi-police-use-basic-license-plate-readers-not-flock/
https://legislativeanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ALPRS-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdf

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