A donor shares a personal story of loss due to the opioid epidemic while requesting "relationship karma" and "project car karma" for a Honda Beat. The segment also mentions political graffiti and "The Outrage" store in Washington D.C.
10 chapters across the catalog
A donor shares a personal story of loss due to the opioid epidemic while requesting "relationship karma" and "project car karma" for a Honda Beat. The segment also mentions political graffiti and "The Outrage" store in Washington D.C.
Apple HomePod Shape, Costco Speaker Quality, MP3 Generation
The discussion returns to Apple's HomePod, noting its non-circular "pineapple" shape as a potential marketing failure. A critique of modern audio quality follows, focusing on "tinny" soundbars at Costco and the MP3 generation's lack of exposure to high-fidelity sound.
The hosts announce that the Podcast Awards are open for voting and thank new donors. One donor, Nick from Portland, describes being "punched in the mouth" (introduced to the show) by a carpool buddy and receives a "de-douching" for his first-time contribution.
Apple is pursuing a strategy to lure artists away from Spotify by offering a more lucrative ecosystem and direct connections to fans. While Spotify is seen as beneficial for major labels and their stockholders, Apple's model reportedly offers 30-40% more revenue for artists. The Spotify business model is characterized as a "hype" machine designed for a massive IPO exit for label executives.
Baron Nussbaum, Seasons Beatings Artwork and Animal Cruelty
The hosts thank Baron Nussbaum for the episode artwork and discuss the "Seasons Beatings" theme. They also mention a newsletter feature regarding "cruelty to animals," specifically photos of pets dressed in humiliating holiday costumes.
The Failure of Music Streaming Algorithms and the "Buy More Trucks" Joke
Apple's acquisition of Beats is framed as a move to capture the streaming market as consumers move away from purchasing music. Automated streaming services like Pandora are criticized for their inability to match the emotional "vibe" created by a human disc jockey. The segment concludes with a joke about a failing business model where the solution is simply to "buy more trucks" to make up for losses in volume.
Jimmy Iovine, Daisy Music Service and Street Musicians
Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine is launching a new music service called Daisy, which aims to use algorithms to replicate the curation once provided by radio disc jockeys. In response to the decline of human curation, a plan was proposed to create a new show featuring interviews and performances by street musicians, potentially serving as filler content during host vacations.
The hosts examine the iDoser iPhone application, which uses binaural recording technology to simulate drug-like effects through audio. They discuss the cost of the app and specific in-app purchases like "Poppies," which the app description compares to the effects of heroin. A brief audio experiment is conducted to test the effectiveness of the binaural tones on the listeners and hosts.
Oklahoma law enforcement and school officials are warning parents about "iDosing," a trend where teenagers use binaural beat audio files to supposedly achieve drug-like highs. Despite media reports labeling these audio files as gateway drugs to illegal substance abuse, the phenomenon is characterized as an internet hoax or spoof. YouTube videos of teenagers reacting to the sounds often include tags identifying them as fake or satirical performances.
Local news stations have introduced "Green Beat" segments, which the hosts dismiss as filler content used when actual news is scarce. These segments often feature mundane stories about composting or recycling and involve the station changing its logo color to green. Despite skepticism about the content's value, the "green" industry is recognized as a ten-billion-dollar market that is unlikely to fade.
