Note: The first episode shown during the First Quarter 2022 was a rerun of #335 on December 20, 2021.
Episode #912: Equally Fresh
First Attempted Broadcast: 12/27/21 Program not shown. Episode #335 was rerun by MNN instead.
First Successful Broadcast: 1/10/22
Do people still have sound effects apps on their phones? Or lighter apps? How old is "Jingle Bells"? Do recordings of the New York City Homecoming Concerts exist? Have you seen that Beatles documentary by Peter Jackson? Do you also look up the sources of samples on WhoSampled.com, especially after watching reaction videos? It's easier than trying to read labels over a DJ's shoulder. It's a pretty good way to discover the roots of modern music, especially since more music is available for people to listen to now than at any previous point in human history (although that doesn't seem to prevent artists from getting screwed by Spotify and other streaming services). Kind of a DIY music appreciation course, if you will--which younger people could always use more of, since they've traditionally had a reputation for not knowing much about older music. It's also a boon to nostalgic music-lovers out there, or anyone with a wide amount of musical tastes. What else could explain the popularity of decades-old loops of in-store Kmart music? Oh, by the way: Get boosted already, so you can stand a chance against omicron! Thank you!
Episode #913: Don't Expect 2001
First Attempted Broadcast: 1/3/22 Program not shown. Episode #335 was rerun by MNN instead.
First Successful Broadcast: 1/17/22
Leonard Nimoy was a very good actor, and also a functioning alcoholic, back in the day. Check out his appearances on "Mission Impossible," if you can (well, maybe not this one). I got Luise Rainer in The Good Earth confused with Katharine Hepburn in Dragon Seed, when I was looking for other examples of white people playing Asian roles in motion pictures--sorry about that! Did you see Spider-Man: No Way Home? It's one of the few films that people were willing to see in the theater during the pandemic--not an easy feat when so much streaming material is available! Are you holding it together? Has the subway gotten crazier lately? Have you gone down a rabbit hole? Do you think the Matrix is real? Are we living in a simulation? Did you sing anything to welcome in the New Year? Let's all hope 2022 is at least a teeny bit better than the last two years! We all need a break!
Episode #914: Shipping and Handling
First Broadcast: 1/24/22
Have you seen the "cannabis club" that opened in the Lower East Side? How about the one in Chelsea? Do you want some exotic snacks to go with that weed? What movies should you watch with those edibles? Are you familiar with the plastic that lines aluminum cans? What would life on Earth be like without people? Would glass jars of honey really outlast everything else on the planet? Maybe we should ask the ancient Egyptians about that one! What's killing the bees? How many beneficial insects can you name? And finally, how many lumps do you want with that?
Episode #915: A Workplace
First Broadcast: 1/31/22
There's been a lot of good news for workers lately! From the taxi drivers in New York City who won a reduction of their medallion debt, to the Starbucks workers in Buffalo who formed the first union of its kind, to the Kelloggs workers in Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee who won increases in their wages and pensions, to the John Deere workers in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas who got 10% raises and maintained no premiums for health care, to the millions of people across the country who have participated in "The Great Resignation" and put workers in the driver's seat for perhaps the first time in decades. Is this what happens after a few years of "essential workers" being simultaneously praised in public and screwed in private? Don't nurses want a raise instead of pots and pans? Are you using OMNY yet? Does your smartphone have NFC? What's the current status of mask and vaccine mandates? Were other vaccines ever this controversial--and would it surprise you to learn the answer is "yes"? Is this pandemic going to be prolonged by all the people who refuse to get vaccinated? Will you do us all a favor and remember to get vaccinated and boosted before going anywhere besides your home, because anywhere you go is someone else's workplace? And read Maus! Thanks!
Episode #916: Rodent Shadows
First Broadcast: 2/7/22
How was your Groundhog Day? Will Staten Island Chuck keep up his record (and who killed him anyway)? When will the Senate abolish the filibuster? Hasn't the filibuster been abused to the extreme in recent years? How else will Democrats be able to pass a new Voting Rights Act? After all, if a super majority was needed to pass everything in the Senate, wouldn't it say so in the Constitution? Didn't they get rid of super majorities for voting on Supreme Court nominees? And are New York State's latest Congressional districts the latest example of gerrymandering? Nice weather for a drive!
Episode #917: The Bambi Variant
First Broadcast: 2/14/22
Repeated: 4/4/22
Do you still need to wear a mask? You aren't one of those people claiming that a mask infringes on "muh freedoms" are you? Is "Covid fatigue" prolonging the pandemic? Is that one of the alleged motivations behind those truckers blocking traffic in Canada? Will "the former guy" be prosecuted for illegally removing and/or destroying classified documents from the White House? Does anyone care about the millions of people who have tried to act responsibly during this two-year-old pandemic? And what are we going to do about those COVID-infected deer in Staten Island?? Get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't done so already!
Episode #918: A Cautionary Tale
First Broadcast: 2/21/22
Want to make your life miserable for a week? Then do what I did: comment on an Internet thread about gun control. Oh, you'll get responses from all kinds of people: anime characters, names that resemble ancient Romans, people whose only purpose is to endlessly contradict everything you say, and so many more! In the end, you'll probably come to the same conclusion I did: "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." Or: "Never wrestle with a pig. You just get dirty and the pig enjoys it." Or: "Never wrestle with a chimney sweep." Or, perhaps the most modern version, otherwise known as "pigeon chess":
Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the bird is going to shit on the board and strut around like it won anyway,Moral of the story? Maybe just block everybody as soon as they get obnoxious. Maybe one of these days I'll also follow my own advice.
Episode #919: Air Quotes
First Broadcast: 3/7/22
After a brief chat about camera phones, like many other people around the world, we condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and hope the people of Ukraine get all the support they need to defend themselves against Vladimir Putin's onslaught. Maybe the Stinger missiles they received will come in handy? Don't despair, as experts think there are many reasons why Ukraine will ultimately defeat Russia. When it will happen is another question. Until then, maybe support your local Ukrainian shops, or charities? Keep your spirits up!
