Podcast Episodes

54. Ghostwriters

Episode 54

Channeling the voices of celebrities can be a lucrative career — one that requires empathy and discretion as well as literary chops. Zachary Crockett…

2 years, 3 months ago

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53. Food Trucks

Episode 53

How did mobile kitchens become popular with hipster gourmands? And just how much money can a popular truck make from a lunch shift? Zachary Crocket d…

2 years, 3 months ago

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52. Little League

Episode 52

Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peer…

2 years, 3 months ago

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51. Wine Corks

Episode 51

Why do we use a specific kind of tree-bark tissue to seal up 70 percent of wine bottles? Zachary Crockett takes a sniff and gives the waiter a nod.

 

S…

2 years, 3 months ago

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50. Self-Checkout

Episode 50

Grocery stores have turned shoppers into cashiers. Zachary Crockett runs two bags of chips and a Gatorade over the scanner.

 

SOURCES:Sara Alloy, exper…

2 years, 4 months ago

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Carnival Games (Replay)

Episode 13

Does anyone ever win the giant teddy bear? Zachary Crockett steps right up.

 

SOURCES:Matthew Gryczan, retired journalist and engineer.Elliot Simmons, …

2 years, 4 months ago

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49. Weather Forecasts

Episode 49

With industries relying on them and profits to be made, weather forecasts are more precise and more popular than ever. But there are clouds on the ho…

2 years, 4 months ago

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48. College Fraternities

Episode 48

A fraternity’s budget includes broken windows, liability insurance, chili dog breakfasts, and the occasional $40,000 DJ. Zachary Crockett crashes the…

2 years, 4 months ago

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47. Bail Bonds

Episode 47

How does bail work — and who's really paying? Zachary Crockett follows the money.

 

SOURCES:Joshua Page, professor of sociology and law at the Universi…

2 years, 4 months ago

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46. Car Colors

Episode 46

So many vehicles on the road today are white, black, or gray — but automotive designers find that consumer preferences may be changing lanes. Zachary…

2 years, 5 months ago

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