Short Stuff: Paperclips
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Jul 23, 2025•15 min
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
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Episodes
How Boycotts Work (Or Do They?)
We have boycotts coming out of our ears these days, but did you know they go back a couple centuries? And that it’s named after the first poor sap to be boycotted? We follow the history of boycotts up today’s boycott superstars and ask how well they work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 22, 2025•45 min
Selects: What exactly is stoicism?
Explore the true essence of Stoicism, a philosophy often misunderstood, that emphasizes emotional control, rational living, and embracing adversity as an opportunity for personal growth. Delve into its ancient Greek origins, key figures like Zeno and Epictetus, and its lasting impact on Western thought, influencing everything from economic theories to modern therapy. The hosts discuss its practical applications, broad appeal across belief systems, and address common criticisms, offering a comprehensive look at how this timeless wisdom can apply to contemporary life.
Jul 19, 2025•56 min
How Alchemy Worked
This episode delves into the fascinating history of alchemy, dispelling myths of greedy charlatans to reveal its deeper, often noble, aspirations like curing disease and poverty. It traces alchemy's global origins from ancient Egypt, China, and India, highlighting its evolution through Greco-Egyptian and Arabic traditions before its spread to Europe. The discussion covers key figures like Zosimos, Paracelsus, and even Isaac Newton, demonstrating how alchemists' experimental methods laid the crucial groundwork for modern science, including chemistry and pharmacology.
Jul 17, 2025•43 min
Short Stuff: Bengal Cats
This episode delves into the fascinating world of Bengal cats, a striking hybrid breed combining domestic cats with the wild Asian leopard cat. It explores their unique physical traits, energetic temperament, and the controversial history of their development by scientists and breeders. The discussion also highlights the significant challenges and ethical considerations involved in owning these demanding, yet beautiful, animals.
Jul 16, 2025•13 min
The Great Big Yarn of Mel's Hole
One of the most bizarre stories to emerge from the cult radio show Coast to Coast AM – and that’s really saying something – isn’t about UFOs or bigfoot, but a mysterious hole in the ground with some very unusual properties. Top that, History Channel! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 15, 2025•49 min
Selects: Child Labor: Not Funny
Child labor is no laughing matter. Even though we've taken care of it in the USA (mostly), it's still an issue around the globe. Listen to this classic episode and learn! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 12, 2025•53 min
Sixdegrees.com: A Social Media Origin Story
Before Facebook and MySpace, before even Friendster, there was SixDegrees. Dive in today to learn about the first social media site, that was a few years too early. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 10, 2025•43 min
Short Stuff: 8 Track Cartridges
Dive into the history of the 8-track cartridge, the mobile music format that bridged the gap between vinyl and cassettes. Explore its surprising origins, how it worked with its continuous loop and track switching, and why it gained popularity, particularly with Ford cars. Discover the downsides that led to its decline and eventual replacement by the cassette tape, touching on modern collecting and nostalgia for this bygone audio medium.
Jul 09, 2025•14 min
Sherlock Holmes: The Man, The Myth
Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the most famous fictional character in the world, and for good reason. More than a hundred years on, Arthur Conan Doyle’s 60 Holmes stories are still in print and he is the most portrayed human literary character in history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 08, 2025•52 min
Selects: How Coelacanths Work
Coelacanths are incredibly interesting as far as fish go. For one, they were thought to have gone the way of the dinosaur, along with the dinosaur. They also give birth to live fish and tend to dwell more than 800 feet below the ocean's surface. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Learn all about these fascinating creatures in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 05, 2025•40 min
What was the purpose of USAID?
USAID has saved tens of millions of lives across the globe since its inception. But those days are over. Learn all about this soon-to-be-gone program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 03, 2025•40 min
Short Stuff: BM Radio
There was a time – a glorious time – when you could turn the dial in any city in the US and hear popular songs rearranged to be the most pleasant version of themselves. This was the Beautiful Music format and we are spiritually poorer for having lost it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 02, 2025•16 min
The Phil Hartman Story
Sadly, Phil Hartman may be best remembered for being murdered in his sleep by his wife. This episode covers that, but mostly aims to stoke the memories of the legendary talent's life and work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 01, 2025•54 min
Selects: What was Tin Pan Alley?
Tin Pan Alley was an area of New York around the beginning of the 20th Century that served as ground zero for the earliest iterations of the music publishing industry. Learn all about this unique place and time in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 28, 2025•42 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: What's the deal with Bond, James Bond?
James Bond, the most infamous secret agent ever to grace the silver screen, originated in the pages of British author Ian Fleming's novels. Amateur agents Josh and Chuck uncover all sorts of Bond trivia in this action-packed episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 28, 2025•40 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: How Steadicams Work
There have been many inventions that have advanced filmmaking, but maybe none as important as the steadicam. Invented in the mid-70s, it literally changed the way movie making happened, and made the impossible possible. Learn about the fascinating history behind this amazing technology today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•35 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: How the MPAA Works
You may be surprised to learn those ubiquitous ratings, from G to NC-17, put on movies in America are actually handed down by anonymous employees of a secretive organization that serves as a lobbying firm for Hollywood's six biggest studios. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•43 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: Josh and Chuck's List of Horror Movies that Changed the Genre
Once in a while a movie comes along that's so forward-thinking it changes the way that horror is done. A new subgenre is spawned, new tropes are established, and audiences are more terrified than ever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•59 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: Special Effects: A Short History
Special effects have been around since the first movies. In fact, the techniques the earliest filmmakers created are still around today, we just use computers to do them faster and cheaper. Put on your beret and get ready for SYSK film class. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•55 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: Some Movies That Changed Filmmaking
An estimated 50,000 films were made worldwide in 2009 alone. Many are surely clunkers, but in this episode Chuck and Josh talk about the ones that emerged throughout cinema history to change the course of all movies that followed. Get your popcorn and lean back while you enjoy this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•57 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: How Stuntmen (and -women) Work
They get blown up, shot, drowned and thrown out of windows on the silver screen - and we don't even know their names. Stuntpeople are the unsung heroes of the movie industry. Learn the ins and outs of the stunt world and how one becomes a stunt person. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•39 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: How Exploitation Films Work
In today's SYSK Select episode, we learn about exploitation films. During the 1930s-80s, the work of directors operating in the shadows of Hollywood led to explorations in sexuality and violence that mainstream cinema wouldn't touch. Join Chuck and Josh as they explore the seedy underbelly of grindhouse flicks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•50 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: The True Story of BlacKkKlansman
In 2018, director Spike Lee brought the story of Ron Stallworth to the big screen to great effect. Today, Josh and Chuck discuss the true story behind the Oscar nominated film. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•46 min
SYSK’s Summer Movie Playlist: Why was Titicut Follies banned?
Titicut Follies is a documentary made famous by its banning. But why was it banned? And what was it even about? Listen in to learn all you need to know about this infamous doc. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2025•50 min
Sunset Blvd: One Famous Road
Sunset Blvd is a long road, but is most known for the 1.7 mile stretch called The Sunset Strip. But it's much more than that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 26, 2025•54 min
Short Stuff: Oedipus Complex
The Oedipus complex is probably Sigmund Freud’s most famous theory – that every little boy or girl goes through a phase where they want to kill one parent and, well, do things with the other. Good thing Freud just made it up. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 25, 2025•13 min
Shameful History: Project 100,000
During Vietnam, the U.S. lowered the IQ standards for the draft in order to bulk up their front lines. This put thousands of men in harm's way and was a complete disaster. It was called project 100,000. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 24, 2025•40 min
Selects: The Great Nuclear Winter Debate of 1983
At the height of the Cold War, a group of concerned scientists promoted their findings on the horrific aftereffects of nuclear war and were accused of fearmongering. But were they right after all? Learn all about the debate and its context in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 21, 2025•55 min
Who are the Zizians?
The story of the Zizians is an unusual one. Are they a cult? Or are they simply a group who wants a better world? And why have six deaths in three states been linked to them? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 19, 2025•42 min
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