Cool Stuff Daily

Latest Episodes:

Tue. 01/25 - Extreme Ironing: Can You Take The Heat? Jan 25, 2022

Show notes

A look into the world of extreme ironing. Plus, how China has been making strides in controlling the weather by shooting rockets at clouds. And, a much more low-key opportunity to help NASA collect data about real, non-modified clouds.

Sponsors:

Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke
Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews

Links:

Meet an athlete heating up the world of extreme ironing (A/V Club)
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
The Finely Pressed, Death-Defying World of Extreme Ironing (Mel Magazine)
Extreme Ironing Around the World (60 Second Docs, YouTube)
Extreme Ironing - Pressing For Glory (2003 TV Program) (YouTube)
The Winter Olympics could highlight China’s innovative — and troubling — efforts to control the weather (Washington Post)
China 'modified' the weather to create clear skies for political celebration (The Guardian)
Operation Beijing storm: rockets target rain (Reuters)
NASA wants you . . . to look into the clouds (Washington Post)
NASA GLOBE Cloud Challenge 2022: Clouds in a Changing Climate (NASA GLOBE Program)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon. 01/24 - Why Do Americans Eat So Much Peanut Butter? Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

The James Webb Space Telescope has officially reached its destination. What can we expect next? And why do Americans eat so much more peanut butter than anyone else? A bit of history on this National Peanut Butter Day.

Sponsors:

Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews
Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke

Links:

NASA’s revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope reaches final orbit in space (The Verge)
The James Webb Space Telescope glides to its deep-space parking spot today! (Space.com)
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has reached its destination. Now what? (Tech Radar)
How World War I Turned Peanut Butter Into a Kitchen Staple (Mental Floss)
Why Do Americans Love Peanut Butter? (Slate)
Golden Snitchwiches
Robot vacuum cleaner escapes from Cambridge Travelodge (BBC)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fri. 01/21 - False Bananas & Sexy Skeletons Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

How a new technique for 3D printing metal could revolutionize manufacturing. Plus, the great potential of the false banana. And archeology’s “sexual revolution.”

Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order
Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase

Links:

3D printing's next act: big metal objects (Axios)
Seurat Technologies raises $41M to bring "revolutionary" Area Printing to market (3D Printing Industry)
False banana: Is Ethiopia's enset 'wondercrop' for climate change? (BBC)
Enset - Gastro Obscura (Atlas Obscura)
Archaeology's sexual revolution (The Guardian)
'The Great British Bake Off' is becoming a stage musical (Mashable)
Punxsutawney Phil Will Wish You a Happy Groundhog Day on Cameo (Mental Floss)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu. 01/20 - A Film Studio IN SPACE Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

Some reassurance from the experts that being bad at Wordle is not a sign you’re less smart than everyone else. Plus, the International Space Station is getting a film studio and sports arena. No word yet if Space Jam 3 will be shooting there. And how officials around the world have continued to successfully use sewage to predict COVID outbreaks.

Sponsors:

Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase
Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order

Links:

Being Bad at Wordle Doesn't Mean You're Dumb. Here's Why (NBC LXTV)
Georgia Tennant text tweet (Georgia Tennant, Twitter)
A film studio may be launching in space in 2024 (Mashable)
UK company behind Tom Cruise space film unveils plans to launch space movie studio (The Verge)
Film Studio to Be Launched in Space in 2024 (The Hollywood Reporter)
In Sewage, Clues to Omicron's Surge (NY Times)
Yankee Candle Reviews Say 'No Smell' Amid Omicron Surge (Business Insider)
Biobot wastewater data for US (Biobot Analytics)
Wed. 06/17 - How Poop Can Prevent COVID-19 Outbreaks (Kottke Ride Home)
M&M characters redesigned for a "more dynamic, progressive world," Mars announces (CBS News)
M&Ms' beloved characters are getting a new look (CNN)
green m&m (greenmfanfic, Instagram)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed. 01/19 - No Fries, Pricey Lumber, & Fake Soup Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

From french fries to snow plows, the global shortages continue. But are we starting to see the beginning of a whole new world for workers and the supply chain? Plus, you know what kind of soup you can never be short of? The kind that doesn’t exist. And, what’s going on with the 5G rollout at US airports?

Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order
Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase

Links:

Lumber Prices Are off the Rails Again. Blame Climate Change. (The Atlantic)
Grocery Store Shortages Are Back. Here's Why. (Eater)
Potato shortage: A growing global spud crisis is affecting french fries, from Japan to Kenya (Washington Post)
You Can Overcome Your Empty Grocery Store (LifeHacker)
Yes, There's Even A Snowplow Driver Shortage in America (Jalopnik)
One of the Most Famous Victorian Dishes Is a Hilarious Lie (Atlas Obscura)
Campbell's Releases Two Scented Candles That Smell Like Soup (Food & Wine)
On our wish list: the SK-II x Andy Warhol Limited-Edition collection you should not miss (Vogue Singapore)
Why Airlines Are Fighting the 5G Rollout (Wired)
Telecoms delay 5G launch near airports, but some airlines are cancelling flights (NPR)
Why AT&T and Verizon are feuding with the FAA over a last-minute delay to 5G (The Verge)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tue. 01/18 - tl;dr idk (and that's ok) Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

Choosing to remain in the dark; on the power of “deliberate ignorance.” Plus, AI that can make academic articles more comprehensible, and one site in particular that took off last week. And a new browser-based history game that I at least can’t stop playing.

Sponsors:

Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase
Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order

Links:

What We Don't Want to Know (Vice)
"Deliberate ignorance can be understood as a cultural skill" (Max Planck Society)
Jon Hamm Narrates Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, Updated for the Timeline Era (Kottke.org)
A New Use For Ai: Summarizing Scientific Research For Seven-Year-Olds (The Verge)
tl;dr papers
tl;dr papers twitter examples
This AI model will help you summarise a research paper in seconds (Study International)
Wikitrivia is a web game that challenges your knowledge of historical dates (The Verge)
Wiki History Game
“Weird Al” Yankovic Biopic to Star Daniel Radcliffe (Pitchfork)
Daniel Radcliffe to Play 'Weird Al' Yankovic in Roku Movie (Variety)
Daniel Radcliffe tweet (Aliza Weinberger, Twitter)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mon. 01/17 - What's In a Name? From Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to MLK Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

The thought leaders who inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plus, his childhood name change, what to make of his legacy, and more. Also today, what caused the massive volcanic eruption in Tonga over the weekend? And gather up your silver bullets, it’s a Full Wolf Moon tonight.

Sponsors:

Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order
Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase

Links:

National Day of Service (AmeriCorps)
Commentary: The Historical Disruption of Martin Luther King Jr. (Daily Yonder)
Just in Time for MLK Day, Comcast NBCUniversal Releases New Documentary, Avenue of Dreams: Reclaiming MLK Boulevards (The Root)
How MLK's 13-year-old granddaughter thinks you should spend the holiday (NBC News)
Americans see Martin Luther King Jr as a hero now, but that wasn't the case during his lifetime (CNN)
The story of how Michael King Jr. became Martin Luther King Jr. (Washington Post)
Coretta Scott King, 'thought partner' in building the dream (Philadelphia Tribune)
Martin Luther King Jr.'s first date with Coretta: She was not impressed (Washington Post)
Henry David Thoreau's Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. (Mental Floss)
Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: 5 things I've learned curating the MLK Collection at Morehouse College (The Conversation)
The public has underestimated the radicalism of Martin Luther King Jr.'s early work (Washington Post)
MLK is revered today but the real King would make white people uncomfortable (The Guardian)
The Tonga eruption explained, from tsunami warnings to sonic booms (National Geographic)
Why the volcanic eruption in Tonga was so violent, and what to expect next (The Conversation)
Pacific volcano: New Zealand sends flight to assess Tonga damage (BBC)
Full Wolf Moon, the first full moon of 2022, rises tonight (Space.com)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fri. 01/14 - The Internet's (and French Dressing's) Identity Crisis Jan 14, 2022

Show notes

What is slow internet and is it a thing we should still be striving towards? What about slow email? Plus, in some very pressing news, the US Food & Drug Administration has officially deregulated French dressing. And Welsh scientists have determined that masks make people look more attractive.

Sponsors:

Indeed, Get a free $75 sponsored job credit at Indeed.com/goodnews
Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance

Links:

The Subversive Genius of Extremely Slow Email (The Atlantic)
The US Federal Government Deregulates French Dressing (Wall Street Journal)
FDA drops regulations on French dressing (NPR)
FDA revokes French dressing standard of identity (The Takeout)
Face masks make people look more attractive, study finds (The Guardian)
Face masks 'make wearers look more attractive', study suggests (Cardiff University)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thu. 01/13 - Un-distilled Non-Whiskey & the King of No One Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

The growing market for non-alcoholic beers, and a new “undistilled non-whiskey” that’s arrived just in time for Dry January. Plus, the search for a new king of a tiny island. And, the debate over “ghost flights” is heating up in Europe.

Sponsors:

Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance
Indeed, Get a free $75 sponsored job credit at Indeed.com/goodnews

Links:

WhistlePig Devil's Slide Non-Alcoholic Rye Whiskey (Paste)
Why I Love the Continuing Growth (And Improvement) of Non-Alcoholic Beer (Paste)
WhistlePig's New Non-Alcoholic Whiskey Is Aged for 6 Years Before Being 'Undistilled' (Food & Wine)
Wanted: The Future King and Pub Manager of Piel Island (Atlas Obscura)
Pub landlord, caretaker and monarch sought for isolated Piel Island (The Guardian)
Piel Island: Search on for landlord to run pub and island (BBC)
"Ghost Flights" Are Wreaking Havoc On The Environment For No Good Reason (Mic)
Ghost Flights Are Polluting the Skies Thanks to Omicron (Gizmodo)
EU Defends Airline Slot Rules Over Lufthansa Ghost Flights Row (Bloomberg)
Girl Scout Cookie season officially begins and this year DoorDash will deliver (Good Morning America)
08/19/2020 episode explaining the double-naming system of Girl Scout Cookies (Kottke Ride Home)
Thin Mints and Grape Nuts Cereal? Ryan Seacrest Reveals 'Life-Changing' Girl Scout Cookie Hack (People)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wed. 01/12 - Go Ahead and Listen To This Episode at 1.5x Speed Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

The real physics of Wile E. Coyote’s 10 billion volt electromagnet. Plus, cannabis can prevent SARS CoV-2 from spreading. Technically. And does listening to this podcast at double speed decrease your comprehension?

Sponsors:

Indeed, Get a free $75 sponsored job credit at Indeed.com/goodnews
Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance

Links: