Cool Stuff Daily

Latest Episodes:

Fri. 02/10 - Spoiler: This Is Our Last Episode Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

We all love a good ending, but has the culture around spoiler warnings gone too far? Plus, a roundup of interesting links and stories from my drafts. And the story of the Cool Stuff Ride Home.

Sponsors:

Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews
ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff

Links:

Spoiler Alert History: No Alarms and No Surprises, Please (Tedium)
guys who think everything is a spoiler (Man Carrying Things, YouTube)
The Antisemitism of ‘Harry Potter’ Returns in ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ (The Mary Sue)
Dream Interpreter AI
Viral Vault: The Kinetic Poetry of Gary Brolsma's “Numa Numa Dance” (Consequence)
CNN Exclusive: Inside the secretive process to select the first astronauts for NASA's next moon mission (CNN)
Sync Your Calendar With the Solar System (NY Times)
The Rude, Cruel, and Insulting 'Vinegar Valentines' of the Victorian Era (Atlas Obscura)
The Atlas Obscura Podcast
The Twisted Life of Clippy (Seattle Met)
Voice Changer
Online Shopping in the 1950s (Messy Nessy)
The Astounding Physics of N95 Masks (Minute Physics, YouTube)
My newsletter, First Draft Theater (Substack)
My Twitter
My YouTube Channel
My Instagram
My TikTok
The Neo-Futurists, the experimental theater company I'm in
The NY Neo-Futurists’ podcast, Hit Play
Hit Play Live in NYC on 2/13
C.A.M.P. this summer in the Catskills
Everything’s Bigger
Book me to speak at your event!
My book

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Thu. 02/09 - Justice for the M&M's Spokescandies Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

An extra long episode, featuring the history of the M&M’s spokescandies and why we care about them so much. Plus, codebreakers have just decrypted over 50 lost letters from Mary, Queen of Scots. And another Valentine’s Day campaign to help you enact revenge on your ex––this time with a surprise scorpion.

Sponsors:

ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff
Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews

Links:

The History Of M&M's Isn't As Sweet As You Think It Is (All That’s Interesting)
Gen Z's Favorite Brands 2022 (Morning Consult)
The Former Creatives Behind M&M's Mascots Believe the Characters Are Adding Fun to Cancel Culture (Ad Week)
1954 commercial debut of spokescandies (YouTube)
Another 1950s M&M commercial (YouTube)
The History of the M&M Characters – Nostalgia Critic (Channel Awesome, YouTube)
The Woke Agenda Finally Came For Our Sexy M&M's (BuzzFeed News)
Pre-Super Bowl is the new April Fools (Jackson Bird, Twitter)
Next Phase Of M&M's® Super Bowl Lvii Campaign Unveiled (PR News Wire)
Was the Recent M&M’s Announcement Just a Stunt Leading Up to the Super Bowl? (NY Times)
Clam commercial (M&Ms, YouTube)
Codebreakers crack secrets of Mary Queen of Scots’ lost letters (EurkeAlert)
The Lost Letters of an Imprisoned Queen Have Been Decrypted After 400 Years (Vice)
A Tip for the Hangman by Allison Epstein
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Will Send Your Ex a Scorpion for Valentine's Day
Send Your Ex an Edible Scorpion
green m&m (@greenmfanfic) (Instagram)
My newsletter, First Draft Theater (Substack)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Wed. 02/08 - How Photos Changed Society + An Important Announcement Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

How the invention of photography changed the world in unintended ways. Plus, an American man whose prostate cancer caused him to speak with an Irish accent. And stick around to the end for a very important announcement about the podcast.

Sponsors:

Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews
ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff

Links:

5 Unintended Consequences of Photography (Saturday Evening Post)
A Man’s Prostate Cancer Gave Him An 'Uncontrollable' Irish Accent (Gizmodo)
Rare Cancer Causes US Man to Suddenly Develop an Irish Sounding Accent (Science Alert)
What Is Foreign Accent Syndrome? (WebMD)
Foreign accent syndrome as a heralding manifestation of transformation to small cell neuroendocrine prostate cancer (BMJ Case Reports)
My newsletter, First Draft Theater (Substack)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 02/07 - "Skutniks" at the State of the Union Feb 07, 2023

Show notes

How the State of the Union address has changed in its 233 years. Plus, the “extinct” versions of SARS CoV-2 that are still circulating among animals. And, donate to the San Antonio Zoo and they’ll name a cockroach after your ex.

Sponsors:

ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff
Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews

Links:

The State of the Union address's history, explained (Vox)
A Brief History of the State of the Union Address (Mental Floss)
Memorable moments from recent State of the Union addresses (ABC News)
Unanimous Verdict: Networks Chose Clinton (NY Times, 1997)
'Extinct' Coronaviruses Still Thrive in North America, Just Not in Humans (ScienceAlert)
Cry Me A Cockroach (San Antonio Zoo)
Philadelphia Eagles player is bringing his pregnant wife’s OBGYN to the Super Bowl, just in case (Upworthy)
Ben Stiller in talks to star in Three Identical Strangers (A/V Club)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Mon. 02/06 - Drinking Virgin Cola on Mars Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

SpaceX’s Starship rocket might be attempting its first-ever orbital launch next month. Plus, a look back at another space billionaire’s brief appearance in the soda wars with Virgin Cola. And a quick update on the AI Seinfeld cartoon.

Sponsors:

Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews
ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff

Links:

Get ready: SpaceX Starship's first launch is for real (Mashable)
SpaceX will attempt Starship orbital test in March, says Elon Musk (Engadget)
SpaceX eyeing March for 1st Starship orbital flight, Elon Musk says (Space.com)
Bigger, faster, farther: A batch of new rockets is set to blast into space this year (NBC News)
Virgin Cola: Richard Branson's Greatest Failure (Tedium)
Watch Pepsi, Where's My Jet? (Netflix)
Endless Seinfeld episode grinds to a halt after AI comic violates Twitch guidelines (Ars Technica)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Fri. 02/03 - Ice, Ice, Pasta Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

Scientists have uncovered a new form of ice. Plus, James Cameron hired a forensics team and some stunt performers to answer once and for all whether there was enough room for Jack on that door. And the podcaster who invented a new kind of pasta is back with two rare pasta types.

Sponsors:

ZocDoc, zocdoc.com/coolstuff
Indeed, Indeed.com/goodnews

Links:

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Thu. 02/02 - AI Seinfeld & Real-World Tamagotchi Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

The AI-generated Seinfeld parody cartoon that never goes off the air. Plus, Netflix did not read the room when they announced the AI image generation in their latest anime short. And a smartwatch that stops working if you don’t keep the living organism inside of it alive. It’s a high-stakes Tamagotchi, and it has an intriguing purpose.

Links:

Watchmeforever (Twitch)
‘Nothing, Forever’ Is An Endless ‘Seinfeld’ Episode Generated by AI (Vice)
Trans Seinfeld (voxybunch, Twitter)
More trans Seinfeld (gayjerryseinfeld, Tumblr)
AI ‘Seinfeld’ Parody Experiment Foretells Streaming’s Hellish Future (The Mary Sue)
Netflix Made an Anime Using AI Due to a 'Labor Shortage,' and Fans Are Pissed (Vice)
Netflix is getting blasted for using AI art in an anime instead of hiring artists (Mashable)
Netflix stirs fears by using AI-assisted background art in short anime film (Ars Technica)
High-Stakes Tamagotchi: Living Smartwatch Literally Dies if You Don't Feed It (Gizmodo)
Smartwatch Powered By Slime Mold Is Like Having A Tamagotchi On Your Wrist (IFL Science)
Bizarre Smartwatch Contains Living Organism (Futurism)
Integrating Living Organisms in Devices to Implement Care-based Interactions (Human Computer Integration Lab)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Wed. 02/01 - The Dodo Is Coming Back! ...is that a good thing? Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

The dodo bird is back, baby! Or at least lots of investors are betting on its return. But why is de-extincting animals the hot new thing and what does it mean for the future of conservation? Plus, Abraham Lincoln: Bartender. Another look at his motley early career and earliest speeches that still resonate today.

Links:

Why Bother Bringing Back the Dodo? (Wired)
A de-extinction company is trying to resurrect the dodo (MIT Technology Review)
Mon. 09/13 - De-Extinct Woolly Mammoths & Potty-Trained Cows (Cool Stuff Ride Home)
Tue. 08/16 - De-Extincting Tasmanian Tigers (Cool Stuff Ride Home)
Bartender-In-Chief: Abraham Lincoln Owned A Tavern (The Chicagoist)
Abraham Lincoln Personal Data and Trivia (Abraham Lincoln Research Site)
Lincoln's New Salem 1830-1837 (National Parks Service)
Lincoln's New Salem by Benjamin P. Thomas
Postmasters Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman (USPS)
Mon. 02/21 - Emo Poet & Wrestling Champ Abe Lincoln (Cool Stuff Ride Home)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 01/31 - Lorem Ipsum? I Hardly Know 'Em! I tell you whot... Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

Where did lorem ipsum come from? The answer turns out to be just as murky as the nonsense placeholder text itself. Plus, a new game that challenges you to guess when photos were taken. And the best family sitcom of the turn of the twenty-first century is getting a revival.

Links:

The hero(ine) who invented Lorem Ipsum may never be known. (Slate)
Lorem ipsum translated: it remains Greek to me (The Guardian, 2014)
Lorem ipsum : nouvel état de la question (L’Intelligence du Monde, 2012)
What does the filler text “lorem ipsum” mean? (Straight Dope, 2001)
The History of Lorem Ipsum (Priceonomics, 2015)
DeLorean Ipsum
Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? by James Shapiro
Chronophoto
‘King Of The Hill’ Revival Ordered By Hulu; Original Cast Returning (Deadline)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Mon. 01/30 - What Time Is It On The Moon? Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

How scientists are deciding how we will tell time on the moon and beyond. Plus, a new Frog and Toad series from Apple TV+ has gay Twitter crossing their fingers.

Links: