Arik Devens And Allen Pike - Podcast Details

Shows

The Talk Show With John Gruber415: ‘A Good Duck Butt’, With Allen Pike Special guest Allen Pike joins the show to talk about the state of generative AI and how Apple Intelligence measures up (so far). Also: some speculation on Apple’s pending acquisition of the ever-difficult-to-pronounce Pixelmator. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Links: Allen’s blog. Allen’s take on Apple Intelligence, so far: “It’s Good for Apple, and Okay for You”. (Includes the Image-Playground–generated derpy-looking images of Allen that we discuss on the show.) Forestwalk Labs — Allen’s new startup. Allen’s podcasts: Fun Facts...2024-12-022h 32

Fun FactFinal FactArik shares buttloads, Allen has too many facts, oxygen is heavy, strangeness is strange, moons cause issues, and we hit max fact capacity. This show has gone as all good things do. Thank you so much to all the Factors, we love you! You can follow Allen’s work and Arik’s. ❤️2024-10-1241 min

Fun FactDinosaur In a WingsuitArik uncovers what things are really named after, Allen goes subatomic, Arik marvels at astronomical coincidence, and Allen considers extraterrestrial flight. Titan Do subatomic particles have a colour? 2024-05-2635 min

Fun FactSolar Stands for SolarAllen dives in to diodes, Arik explores the origin of taxis, and Allen reveals an unsavoury fact about zygotes. Steve Mould on LEDs and solar panels Why blue LEDs were almost impossible Thornton Blackburn 2024-04-2239 min

Fun FactBack Door FactArik throws peanuts, Allen tries to cook vegetables, photographers try to prompt a good pose, and the earth’s magnetic field threatens to cause trouble. High-altitude cooking Say cheese Geomagnetic reversal 2024-03-2536 min

Fun FactSuffered for ScienceScientists discover where birds go, the trouble with coin flips, the limits of the human body, and what exactly you can find in the Perseus Molecular Cloud. The majestic Pfeilstorch XCKD’s What If: What if Nascar had no rules? The Perseus Molecular Cloud 2024-02-2938 min

Fun FactRaspberry DustScience discovers our galaxy’s flavor, machinists discover precision measurements, and Arik discovers why you shouldn’t rent a car in Germany. Galaxy’s centre tastes of raspberries and smells of rum, say astronomers What Does Space Taste Like and Why Does It Matter? Thousandth of an inch 2024-01-2237 min

Fun FactThat Doesn’t Seem TrueWe check in on platypi and Polaris, consider zero’s parity, and make a decision about booby traps. Polaris Parity of zero Legality of booby traps 2023-12-1833 min

Fun FactGelatinous, Delicious, TerribleAllen thinks about cans, Arik thinks about governance, and everybody thinks about the Roman Empire. Why are cranberry sauce cans upside down? Roman Dictator Why do bees make honey? 2023-11-2043 min

Fun FactYou're Cursed AnywayAllen considers ancient honey, Arik considers ancient surgeries, and some jobs may or may not get automated. Honey’s Eternal Life, Explained Caesarean section ATMs and tellers 2023-10-3038 min

Fun FactAll You Need Is a CartelAllen showcases a very surprising study, Arik recounts a very Canadian heist, and somebody loses a finger. Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial Inside Quebec’s Great, Multi-Million-Dollar Maple-Syrup Heist The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist Sugar Shack Dr Sam Moghtaderi’s finger-loss quiz 2023-09-2732 min

Fun FactThe Bone of TheseusArik improves an idiom, Allen shares a good news fact, Arik shares a grammar fact, and Allen locates your bones. You can’t have your cake and eat it too in other languages Status update on pandas Pisiform bone Sesamoid bones 2023-08-2932 min

Fun FactCool FactArik and Allen attempt a live episode, Allen attempts to store dry ice, Arik attempts to use the word “relative”, and Allen attempts to explain what salt does. Carbon capture and storage Permanent storage of carbon dioxide in the marine environment: The solid CO2 penetrator Starboard and larboard - NOAA Do fish drink? 2023-07-2332 min

Fun FactBoth Jaunty and CoolAllen explains why summer exists, Arik outlines a trademark scheme, and Allen betrays Arik with a fishy biology fact. Seasonal lag List of genericized trademarks Cladistics, the effort to recategorize living things into clades 2023-06-2839 min

Fun FactThis Would Be UnsurvivableAllen goes deep on whale ingestion, and Arik explains what’s really going on with dinosaurs. National Geographic on the plausibility of whales swallowing humans Dinosaur Evolution of birds Ornithischia Saurischia Scott_D._Sampson ‘Dinosaurs Among Us’ Retraces an Evolutionary Path 2023-05-3035 min

Fun FactRidiculously Ridonkulously LargeOur sun proves a nuisance, the former Soviet Union makes a trade, we consider pepper seeds, Isaac Newton considers an apple, mice consider some cheese, rats get exonerated, and we share a superior alternative to implausible. What would the sun sound like? List of common misconceptions It Shipped That Way #6, where Arik and Allen talk about engineering leadership, software architecture, and Netflix’s culture 2023-04-2936 min

Fun FactAstronomically UnlikelyWomen handle backward buttons, Allen handles a lot of feedback about very improbable things, and Arik handles digested asparagus. Why Zippers Are On Different Sides For Men And Women’s Clothing Sumptuary law Understanding the Birthday Paradox Universally unique identifiers (UUID) Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell? 2023-03-2345 min

It Shipped That WayArchitecting Apps at Netflix Scale, with Arik DevensNetflix’s Arik Devens shares what he’s learned about architecting mobile apps with many millions of users, building from early adventures at Netscape and Palm up to architectural roles at Fitbit and Netflix. We talk about Netflix’s culture of small, high-trust teams; some of the pathologies of very large engineering teams; how to sell new architectural patterns to a team working on a large existing codebase; and the challenges of A/B testing hundreds of millions of users. Netflix’s famed culture doc danieltiger.com, Arik’s website Fun Fact, Allen and Arik’s podcast about facts Have feedback for...2023-03-1756 min

Fun FactWe Gotta Blow It UpAllen saves us from asteroids, Jack Black’s mom saves some astronauts, Allen offends Arik’s sense of probability, and Arik sets the record straight on streetcar conspiracies. Asteroid impact avoidance The Truth About Jack Black’s Mother’s Historic Past Ep. 63, A Heaving Mass of People In Memory of Judith Love Cohen The math behind how unlikely it is that two well shuffled decks have the same order An attempt to convey how long it would take to shuffle 52! times Did a conspiracy really destroy Los Angeles’s huge streetcar system? Kennedy, 60 Minutes, and Roger Rabbit General Motors str...2023-02-2149 min

Fun FactLet's All Do CrimeA Portuguese scheme attempts to make counterfeit money real, an American scheme attempts to make walking illegal, and we set the record straight on Australian toilets. Alves dos Reis on Wikipedia Rose Bailey’s Mastodon thread on the scheme The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of “jaywalking” - Vox The Modern Moloch - 99% Invisible Motor vehicle fatality rate in U.S. by year - Wikipedia Not Just Bikes on YouTube Pringles’ Sweet Potato Cinnamon Crisps 2023-01-2746 min

Fun FactDon't Eat ThisAncient cultures name colours, algae goes wild, toilets inspire poetry, and we attempt to correct the internet. What Is Blue and How Do We See Color? Did Ancient People Really Not See The Color Blue? Himba people - Wikipedia Himba people color chart on Wikipedia Giant kelp Why is a Toilet Called a “John”? Why the Toilet is Sometimes Called a “John” 2022-12-2136 min

Fun FactA Heaving Mass of PeopleArik makes an important call, Allen explains flavour, Arik invents football, Allen counts smiths, and we discover Ethiopian Time. Bon Appetite on blue raspberry Serious Eats on banana flavour History of American football William Webb Ellis Association football Blacksmith, whitesmith, greensmith, and brownsmith Fun Fact 36 – Joey Two-Lies Travel Tips for Ethiopia If you have a meeting in Ethiopia, you’d better double check the time 2022-11-2842 min

Fun FactSounds Made UpWe talk about how rice is grown, how eyes are colored, how time is told, and, of course, a scheme. The System of Rice Intensification Eye color percentages around the world and what causes eye color Eye Color Percentage for Across the Globe The World’s Population By Eye Color - WorldAtlas World’s littlest skyscraper - Wikipedia The Thai six-hour clock The World’s littlest skyscraper 2022-10-2746 min

Fun FactSorry, ScientistsWe consider too much rain, too many dinosaurs, too much bad stuff happening, and too many MIDI notes. Carnian pluvial episode - Wikipedia Ornithosuchus - Wikipedia The Worst Time in History to Be Alive, According to Science Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive’ Volcanic winter of 536 - Wikipedia The Nocturnal bottleneck Photolyase 2013 nocturnal bottleneck study Black MIDI examples Wrecking Ball Bad Apple going wrong Rush E 2022-09-2740 min

Fun FactIt's All ColonialismA new border appears, and an old new fish appears; we measure stars, and measure aging. Bonus: a special frog fact. Hans Island Holland vs the Netherlands Extinct Fish Species That Predates Dinosaurs Found in Indian Ocean Stellar parallax Huge Fish, Once Believed Extinct, Isn’t the ‘Living Fossil’ Scientists Thought Study “confirms” some people age more slowly 2022-08-2938 min

Fun FactPaid for with PeeVespasian pays for a colosseum, the bible describes angels, frogs jump into the air, and cities tell us how to compost. Was the Colosseum Paid for with Pee? Vespasian: The Emperor Who Gave His Name to a Public Toilet Emperor Vespasian and the Urine Tax - Lessons from History Ezekiel 1:15-21, which describes ophanim Biblically accurate cherubim Attempts to depict ophanim My girlfriend is a (biblically accurate) angel Why Is This Tiny Frog So Awful At Jumping? - Defector Belly-flopping frogs, and fattening marmots - Discover Magazine Toad vs. Frog: What’s the Differences and Similarities? 2022-07-2443 min

Fun FactA Little Round BlobAllen reveals why pills are the way they are, Arik reveals why trucks are the way they are, and we catch up on followup. Episode now fixed: Episode 57, Butt-Water Air Adventure Tourism Discussion of cold meds on Ep. 29, This is Not Medical Advice The Capsule The Colorful History of Pills Can Fill Many a Tablet How CAFE Killed Compact Trucks And Station Wagons - The Truth About Cars How do they determine wheel base and wheel track of a vehicle? - Quora Allen’s article on How to Buy a Family EV Thowing stuff into a lava lake Wi...2022-06-2551 min

Fun FactButt-Water Air Adventure TourismTurtles breathe in a very peculiar way, nut butter makes a mess, bacteria get crushed, and Arik goes on a quest for carbonation. Turtles breathing through their butts The potential future of butt-breathing Some specific examples of High Pressure Processing on YouTube Fun Fact ep. 1 on the dairy cartel Ripple brand pea milk 2022-05-231h 06

Fun FactA Hippo AstronautAllen attempts to throw things into a volcano, Arik attempts to clean his dishes, and hippos attempt to get around. The volcanoes Kīlauea and Nyiragongo A GoPro in a dishwasher A GoPro that falls from a plane and gets blanked by a blank Hippos walking – not swimming – under water 2022-04-2739 min

Fun FactA Quadrillion of YourselfWe have a bridge to sell you, as do renaissance philosophers, before we discuss some life forms that earth has an unreasonable number of. In the post show, Allen finally gets an EV. For You, Half Price – the NYT on George C. Parker’s schemes Kurzgesagt on the world war of ants Preformationism The messed up drawing of tiny grown adults in a sperm, as drawn in 1695 ) A nice example of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review 2022-03-281h 04

Fun FactUnicorn BlasterAllen lays out a wine scheme, Christa Mrgan explains the wonders of temporal resolution, Allen checks in on creatures’ dangerousness, and we learn a couple things about George Orwell. How Wine Bricks Saved The U.S. Wine Industry Vine-Glo The Flicker fusion threshold Spider deaths in Australia George Orwell The Emperor’s New Groove 2022-02-2337 min

Fun FactThey All Have GoatsAllen shares some puzzling genetics, Arik shares some puzzling puzzles, we go back to the ’90s, and forward to the ’30s. There is no such thing as a tree (phylogenetically) The fascinating graph of plant evolution The Time Everyone “Corrected” the World’s Smartest Woman The Potato paradox ATP 464, featuring a post-show on reducing our consumption of animal products Fun Fact 20: Lil Nas 10 Y2K22 bug in Microsoft Exchange Exchange 2019 Anti-Malware - Bad Update? 2022-01-2352 min

Fun FactWe're Off TrackRomans hunt for spies, retailers participate in a scheme, Arik and Allen get a bit off track. Okay, a lot off track. Two Spies on iOS The Byzantine Empire Minimum Advertised Price Industry Baby 2021-12-2959 min

Fun FactThis Is Non-DeliciousAllen explains a special thread, Arik brings us to the French Revolution, Allen dishes on spamming tools, and we continue to not work at Facebook. Two examples of vented bottle threads A post explaining the threads The Surprising Origins of Left and Right in Politics Bill Murray’s Genius Champagne in Ice Hack (supposedly) Prevents Hangovers Some Bundestag drama on Instagram Facebook’s infamous “connecting more people is inherently good” memo John Carmack’s Oculus Connect 2021 keynote 2021-11-2059 min

Fun FactThe Secret Life of FactsArik and Allen go back to some some choice facts, after having a vegan experience. Lil Nas is still on top, chickens are still spreading germs, and the ultimate nutrition label is still to be realized. Ep. 13: 40 Cans of Fake Pea Mayo, featuring the Impossible Burger’s ingredients All Consuming’s 100-point scale Ep. 20: Lil Nas 10, featuring newcomer Lil Nas X Ep. 48: Little Flame Throwers, featuring salmonella Why salmonella is a food poisoning killer that won’t go away in the US NUGGS — All Consuming Ep. 6: Nobody’s Getting Scurvy, featuring nutrition labelling changes The very serious Mexican front of p...2021-11-0351 min

Fun FactPeople Were AngryAllen drops the bass, Arik forecasts the weather, Allen is a bodybuilder, and Tesla concocts a scheme. After the Fact: trying not to pre-order a car. That bass Probability of precipitation - Wikipedia What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? Weather 101: What does a 30% chance of rain really mean? What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? The VW ID.4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Motor Trend: The 2022 Rivian R1T Is the Most Remarkable Pickup We’ve Ever Driven IIHS on the contribution of SUVs to increasing pedestrian deaths in the US 2021-09-1656 min

Fun FactLittle Flame ThrowersArik and Allen wash cars, wash eggs, microwave lasagna, and anger math teachers. The jpoc guide to washing your car in Germany German laws: 6 surprising things that are forbidden in Germany Engineerguy’s explainer: How a Microwave Works Why Europeans Don’t Refrigerate Eggs New Scientist: US should vaccinate poultry to stop killer salmonella 101 English Stack Exchange: How do you correctly say large numbers? A nonscientific survey on the topic of 101 from 2001 2021-08-2045 min

Fun FactThey're Terrible PetsArik gets paradoxical, Allen goes deeper on runways, Arik considers raccoons, and Allen struggles with Instagram. Polar drift Coastline paradox Planck length Lewis Fry Richardson Fractal GIFs How pilots land Why Raccoons Didn’t Cut It as Lab Rats Raccoon Rascal the Raccoon The Thanksgiving Raccoon That Became a Presidential Pet 2021-07-1953 min

Fun FactTo Milk a PigAllen teaches Arik how to land a plane, Arik recaps the legal battle of the century, and we consider some alternative milk. Runway numbering SFO runway map Iceland is suing Iceland Iceland (supermarket) - Wikipedia The All Consuming show Pig milk Pule cheese Why don’t we drink other animals’ milk? The Impossible Burger episode of Fun Fact 2021-06-1535 min

Fun FactTilty RotundaArik is whelmed, Allen highlights some classic cars, and centuries of engineers almost whelm a classic. The History of English ep 145 Whelmed Classic car rules by state The 1997 Toyota Prius The 2007 CRV’s weird back window The Concept Car-like Ioniq 5 The Leaning Tower of Pisa Italian government asks for suggestions for how to fix Leaning Tower of Pisa 2021-05-1640 min

Fun FactRolled VetchAllen tells a story of accidental evolution, Arik reassures 1930s New York, Allen accidentally learns about pearling, and Arik explains how the sun heats things. The July 1930 issue of The New Yorker The Chrysler Building Bedrock and Midtown Vavilovian mimicry Why it’s colder on a mountain Prolate spheroids Pearling, not the wikipedia page about body modification, but rather a very nice page from Bob’s Red Mill 2021-04-1747 min

Fun FactWorse than a CubeArik reviews the Autobahn, Allen discusses drag, Arik informs us how to get into the NBA, and ye get some followup. Autobahn Sweden’s Vision Zero Drag coefficient F1 Drive to Survive What Percentage of 7 Footers are in the NBA? 2021-03-2048 min

Fun FactHint O’ LeadAllen discusses handling whisky and plutonium, Arik discusses how to name islands and escape prison, and we touch on our electric wagon quest. Crystalware Dirty bomb Iceland The Sagas of Icelanders Naddodd Garðar Svavarsson Hrafna-Flóki_Vilgerðarson Erik the Red Prison Escape Prison Escape is Legal Prison Break in Germany Episode 18: Probably a Scheme 432 Park Avenue’s noise leaks and cracks The VW “Space VIZZION” Station wagon aerodynamics analysis 2021-02-1852 min

Fun FactBanana Split BonanzaArik takes a second look at “ye”, Allen investigates a Sonic-related coverup, and we review an accent that doesn’t exist. After the Fact: hypocrisy and synergy. Ye olde Old English Latin alphabet Anglo-Saxon runes Ultima Underground Thorn Old English writing Up Up Down Down Two Spies Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic 3’s Carnival Night Zone music Analogue Poorly drawn Sanic Is There a Place in America Where People Speak Without Accents? Pacific Northwest English General American English Canadian raising General American vs. Received Pronunciation 2021-01-1557 min

Fun FactYe Olde PubAllen discovers woods, Arik transports us back to the olde tymes, and we do not start a Patreon. Hardwoods vs. softwoods The Canada-US softwood lumber dispute The Canada-US border dispute video English orthography The Great Vowel Shift The podcast series on the Great Vowel Shift 2020-12-1549 min

Fun FactIneffective and AddictiveCough medicine is a surprisingly bad idea, medieval monks get surprisingly saucy, and mundane terms have surprising origins. Cough medicine Throat lozenge Why it’s a really good thing cough medicine doesn’t work Knights vs. Snails The Snail in Gothic Marginal Warfare A defecating monk is chastised by a naked cleric Knights & Snails app List of eponyms General Ambrose Burnside Guy Fawkes vs Che Guevara. Epic Rap Battles of History. Globe and Mail on why we have no small EVs 2020-11-1854 min

Fun FactHat-Savvy AreaAllen surveys a straw hat snarl, Arik examines the electoral college’s errors, and we finish with some feline followup. The Straw Hat Riot The etiquette of straw cowboy hats City has Wild Night of Straw Hat Riots, New York Times The Electoral College The Appointment of 2020 Electors Why Was the Electoral College Created? The 12th Amendment Can the President and VP be from the same state? The Three Fifths Compromise The Connecticut Compromise Seventeenth Amendment CGP Grey’s The Trouble with the Electoral College, and The Sneaky Plan to Subvert the Electoral College The Florida panther, a dist...2020-10-1545 min

Proceed with Kaution*Talking to a Real One* - Guest Arik DevensEasily one of my favorite episodes to do. The homie and Arik chopped it up one day, and during that session, I asked if he'd be down to be on my show. Like the real one, he is; he said yea and BOOM! You all know to get to be blessed by this lovely conversation. We go from: Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches, my Jew heritages and getting more in tune with it, places to travel, learning languages, our dope ass parents. I'm sure some other things I don't recall. Catch Arik's show funfact.fm with his homie Allen Pike. I...2020-10-021h 41

Fun FactTwo Gun to YumaAllen revisits big felines, Arik catalogues well-armed historical figures, and Allen cares way too much about electric trunks. Francis Crowley The Famed Crowley shootout photo The Short Life of Two-Gun Crowley Two-Gun Cohen Two Guns White Calf, Two Gun Pete, Two Gun Law, Two-Gun Caballero, The Two-Gun Man, Two-Gun Betty, Two-Gun Man from Harlem, Two-Gun Kid, James Vincenzo Capone CGP Grey’s Race to Win Staten Island A variety of cars that aren’t quite right The Golf Sportwagen and e-Golf The Telsa Model Y and Model X The highly anticipated VW ID.3 The wee Honda E Rivian’s truc...2020-09-151h 09

Fun FactJoey Two-LiesAllen attempts to pitch a miniseries, Arik attempts to explain calendars, and a Spaniard attempts to become a spy. Historicity of Jesus Juan Pujol García The Ultra programme The Ethiopian calendar The current year in various calendars Chinese calendar numbering Why the Ethiopian calendar is behind Adoption of the Gregorian calendar The Illuminatus! Trilogy 2020-08-1956 min

Fun FactPick Your DangerAstronauts make stuff to breathe, Europeans plunder stuff to sell, Australians and New Zealanders have a cute animal showdown. The ISS Life Support Cycle Nubian pyramids The Treasure of Queen Amanishakheto A kiwi and a platypus The X from Outer Space 2020-07-1651 min

Fun FactNot All Fun Facts Are FunWhiteness is a construct, emoji are problematic, history is racist, and Black and indigenous lives matter. White people Scientific racism Definitions of whiteness in the United States Emoji skin tone modifiers White People Don’t Use White Emoji The Problem with Skin Tone Emoji Code Switch: White skin, black emoji Black Lives Matter 2020-06-1451 min

Fun FactQuakers & QuasarsVideo calls are a problem, the universe is mind-boggling, a preacher defies expectations, and we receive formal titles. Quasars A totally badass rendering of a quasar How New Westminster Lost the Capital Fun Fact 13, featuring the Victoria Day celebration in New Westminster The Public Universal Friend How Point Roberts is the safest place List of courtesy titles in the peerages of Britain and Ireland 2020-05-201h 01

Fun FactThanks for Dominating UsAllen makes a hat, Arik visits medieval europe, Allen takes issue with Big Bread, and we offend the populace of Labrador. Bilirubin Hemolytic disease of the newborn The Quarantine The Republic of Ragusa Whole grain foods The Honeyguide History of New Mexico Most Serene Republic Dominion of Newfoundland 2020-04-1555 min

Fun FactThe Baron of Disney WorldArik unravels the truth about Arizona, Jessie Char unravels the truth about Disney World, and we all learn about Sentinel Chickens. Thanks to special guest this month, Jessie Char So many more details about The Baron of Arizona The Baron of Arizona starring Vincent Price No mosquitos at Walt Disney World The official story What are Sentinel Chickens? What are Epaulettes 2020-03-1541 min

Fun FactIs Mustard a MustardAllen prepares for a newborn, brussels sprouts improve, your privacy is Borked, and narwhals surprise Arik. The Brussels Sprout Revolution The Video Privacy Protection Act Robert Bork Triple Divide Peak The hydrology map: Drainage baisins in North America Tweet at us with #ahashtag Deep Sea demo 2020-02-1641 min

Fun FactThis Is Not Health AdviceA baby is foretold, Arik explains why we like umami, Allen goes super deep into cold meds (while on cold meds), and we gain some new emoji shortcuts. Umami Worcestershire sauce Allen’s Guide to the Cold Med Industrial Complex Casey Liss’ Levelled Up Emoji 2020-01-1552 min

Fun FactTaxonomy of Things You LickAllen puts orca whales in their place, Arik sends farmers to the polls, Allen takes candy from a baby, and Saskatchewan violates the Constitution. The majestic orca whale Baleen, the hair-like structure many whales use to filter food from the ocean Blackfish (2013) The Pop vs. Soda map The Notwithstanding clause of the Canadian constitution The Coming Supremacy of AR 2019-12-1552 min

Fun FactEighteen Wheels of ThunderAllen races big rigs, Tron cheats, the Japanese navy gets cooking, and Arik goes on a word-origin journey through the looking glass. Monthly podcasts Top Four and Debug Allen’s autocorrect emoji Big Rigs Over the Road Racing on Youtube Tron was Snubbed Daft Punk’s Tron Legacy Soundtrack: End of Line Wendy Carlos The History of Japanese Curry Teetotalism Teetotum The Dreidel Come from Away 2019-11-2946 min

Fun FactTop Two AssassinationsArik closes the loop on questionable presidents, and Allen goes deep on questionable airplanes. Chester A. Arthur Julia Sand and Chester A. Arthur The Redemption of Chester A. Arthur The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The B-52s The Convair B-36 Peacemaker 1876 US presidential election The Compromise of 1877 Losing the popular vote Disenfranchisement after the Reconstruction Era The Nuclear B-36 The McDonnell XF-85_Goblin 2019-11-1549 min

Fun FactThe Princes of Light and DarkArik is sleep deprived, Allen is targeted with a conference scheme, babies are cured of jaundice, and followup is BACK baby Bilirubin Science-Based Medicine on newborn jaundice Sister Jean Ward and phototherapy A Tale of Two Hospitals: The Evolution of Phototherapy Treatment for Neonatal Jaundice Some of Allen’s conference talks Caspar Badrutt Skeleton, Luge, and Bobsleigh Masala chai Ultra marathon runner wins both “Fastest Woman” and “Fastest Runner” trophies Mixed O Canada 2019-11-0149 min

Fun FactA New Flavour TechnologyAllen sells Italy on tomatoes, Tiff Arment sells Allen on antique glassware, Starbucks sells us a scheme, and we decide to order oatmeal from Walmart. The Generall Historie of Plantes New world crops Pad Thai Louis Comfort Tiffany Christies: 10 Things You Need To Know about Tiffany Lamps Top 4 #56: Top 4 Instant Coffees Starbucks: Monetary Superpower Purple windows in Boston Glass sidewalk prisms Purple sidewalk glass Dempster Bros. of Knoxville, Tennessee Depression glass Crystal Wedding oats 2019-10-1852 min

Fun FactWhat Is a Computer?Allen takes on Microsoft, Casey Liss takes on West Virginia, the Red Cross takes five, and we all take a journey to a mid-90s Toys “R” Us. Thanks to special guest this week, Casey Liss Microsoft Software Asset Management, a set of proven IT practices that unite people, processes, and technology to control and optimize the use of software across an organization The United States National Radio Quiet Zone The US Town With No Cell Phones The wildly diverging price of stuff 96 Crayola crayons on Amazon.ca A 1993 Toys “R” Us catalog Fun Fact 17, The Marshmallow Blob Market...2019-10-0456 min

Fun FactReady for a New BananaÔ Canada is bananas, scientific progress used to be bananas, and the farming of bananas is itself bananas. O Canada in English and French Banana fungus arrives in Colombia Yes, We Have No Bananas McCormicks Marshmallow Bananas Patrick Collison on EconTalk, on the pace of science The accidental creation of YInMn Blue The One True Lens, the F1.8 normal prime 2019-09-2057 min

Fun FactEveryone Was WilliamHistorical figures make up names, Italians get assigned names, large social groups forget one another’s names, and the children are coming. The Top 10: People with invented middle initials Benoit B. Mandelbrot Why Do We Call Galileo Galilei by His First Name? Occupational surnames Fun Fact’s Guest host poll Dunbar’s Number The Monkeysphere The Ice T on SVU Bot Monopoly Socialism is bad and should feel bad Allen’s daughter’s mind being blown by My Little Pony 2019-09-0658 min

Fun FactLil Nas 10Allen warns of impending doom, Arik spreads socialist propaganda, and we ride ‘til we can’t no more. The Year 2038 Problem The NULL vanity plate The Landlord’s Game Economist Henry George Monopoly is Theft 1906 Monopoly Rules Power Grid on BoardGameGeek How TikTok Made “Old Town Road” Become Both A Meme And A Banger @emojimashupbot Cochin’s italic ampersand @Aleen’s version of Little Red Corvette 2019-08-2349 min

Fun FactHit Me with Your Pet SharkArik redefines the alphabet, Allen redefines fire, and we both ruin popular music. The Ampersand History of the Ampersand The Phlogiston theory of combustion What is a mondegreen? Wikipedia’s mondegreens Mairzy Doats Is This the Dirtiest Song of the Sixties? Prisencolinensinainciusol The Trouble with Jimmies Seattle: by the ocean? Ucluelet 2019-08-0953 min

Fun FactProbably A SchemeArik celebrates a fictional rep, Allen reps an architectural ploy, and we follow a dead metaphor around the world. Jakob Maria Mierscheid @jakobmierscheid 432 Park Avenue 432’s land assembly method The closing of the loophole “Greek to me” @limi’s challenge on Twitter Dead metaphor 2019-07-2651 min

Fun FactThe Marshmallow Blob MarketAllen reviews the monarchy, we gain fluency in Pittsburghese, and Arik discovers TikTok. Western Pennsylvania English Monophthongization Diphthong Yinz Wanna Learn Pittsburghese on YouTube ATP: A Rotation You Can’t Complete Big wheel Wheel (computing) The Word Detective - Big Wheel Why does “big cheese” mean someone important? Are You a “Big Wheel” or a “Fifth Wheel”? Sonoma Democrat, Volume XV, Number 16, 27 January 1872 The Big Wheel (film) Where did the “wheel” group get its name? Wheeler dealer Ding Dong Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats One of many WikiHow meme compliations from TikTok 2019-07-1259 min

Fun FactBroken and EvilA world tour of facts – from Virginia to the Bay Area, from Shakespearean England to Soap Followup City. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea You Thou T-V Distinction Grammatical Person The Fastly Network Map The Dulles Technology Corridor The Veritasium video on making your hand not wettable Some images from rejected emoji proposals Lauren Florko’s proposal for a climate change emoji Rejected emoji contest We want nominates for the best rejected emoji that the Emoji Consortium has deemed unfit for our keyboards. Send your pitch, drawing, illustration, or MS Paint sketch to @funfactfm on Twitt...2019-06-2853 min

Fun FactTwo Dumpster FiresWater is wet, Teslas are trouble, and we delve into the wild world of rejected emoji. Wikipedia: Wetting Surfactance, one of the two mechanisms that makes soap work. (Spoiler: it turns out there is a second, which we’ll cover next episode.) Quora: Is water wet? The Slime 40051 Digital Tire Inflator (12-V) The Emoji Consortium Proposal Status list Australian Aboriginal Flag Fitzpatrick Scale Rejected emoji contest We would love to see you or your friends attempt to represent any of the emoji that the Emoji Consortium deems unrepresentable! If you want to see an...2019-06-1358 min

Fun Fact40 Cans of Fake Pea MayoArik blows up Allen’s calendar, Allen blows up the Impossible Burger, and science goes too far. Cortex 85: Grey’s Non-Linear Life The surprisingly complex tale of the work week and weekend Bloomberg’s How Just Mayo Sold Silicon Valley The scourge of highly dangerous Dihydrogen Monoxide – it could attack at any time Impossible Foods’ pitch on how GMO soy is more sustainable Sidetone in telephony 2019-05-3159 min

Fun FactUnexpected Royalty CornerArik pitches an emperor, Allen pitches a Twitter feature, and we get some inside info on anvil-launching. The tweet to nowhere: private replies on Twitter Shadow banning Norton the 1st, Emperor of United States, Protector of Mexico The 1820 Settlers Vancouver housing sales tumble to 33-year low Metro Vancouver real estate prices are 65% overvalued: Economist Mortimer, troll of Vancouver Real Estate The Haskell Free Library and Opera House Goodbye, e-Golf VW I.D. Crozz The Honda E See the Victoria Day Anvil Salute on Monday, May 20 2019-05-1759 min

Fun FactA Poorly Rendered PlowArik punks pirates, Allen flogs flags, and we fail horribly at evolving infrared vision. Pirates and their eyepatches According to Quora, MythBusters, and The Fact Site The yearly 21 cannon salute The esteemed City Flag of New Westminster and its own description of its city symbols State Flag of Washington CBC’s Justin McElroy ranks every BC municipal flag from worst to best The infamous Liberia County Flags Lexical Ambiguity James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher. Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. Garden Pa...2019-05-0357 min

Fun FactMore of a Facty FactArik sells snake oil, Allen extols the virtues of rags, and things get very serious in rural North Dakota. Telsa Model Y The BMW i3’s not-sealed frunk Rag paper A Scientific American article from 1869 on the rag paper process Genuine Snake oil The Canadian film rating system Example of a “Restricted Cougar” trailer: Bijou Rugby claims victory in center of North America trademark dispute 2019-04-1954 min

Do By FridayDingaling-Rich EnvironmentThis week’s challenge: watch Free Solo. You can hear the after show and support Do By Friday on Patreon! Edited by Quinn Rose Engineered by Cameron Bopp Show Notes David Blaine Street Magic Part 1 - YouTube Fresh Air for June 7, 2018: Actor Nick Offerman : NPR Japanese Magician Dazzles with his Unbelievable Mask Illusion - YouTube Survivor: Worlds Apart - Wikipedia Fun Fact, a podcast by Arik Devens and Allen Pike Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Teaser - YouTube Hobby Horse Episode 6: Jessie Char and her love of Disney Parks Reco...2019-04-181h 20

Back to WorkEpisode 422: Magic RubDISCUSSED: Dan has just started a new pen; there's some pen, pencil, and eraser talk; Dan has an important anecdote about utilizing eraser-based people skills; Dan's iMac is working fine, but he's concerned about the poofs coming out of the balloon blower; Dan saw Venom and has some thoughts; Merlin commends a comic and a podcast and an app launcher; the evolution of computer interaction has rewired our brains; why do they have to make the print so small?; Merlin has songs in his head; and, finally, Merlin apologizes to Nick Fury. Links for this episode:2019-04-161h 10

Fun Fact3 Ways to Make Your Butt BiggerAllen ruins koalas, Arik ruins guys, Canada ruins its airport codes, and WikiHow was already ruined when we got there. Unfortunately, koalas sound like this australianwebsites.com.au Some dazzling photos of ships including the RMS Olympic All the airport codes – Thanks to Dr. Lauren Florko for the excellent fact suggestion on airport codes. Hey guys Guy Fawkes The origin of “guy” Guido The illuminati and the Titanic Robert Ballard, the USS Scorpion and the USS Thresher The Titanic’s route Party Monster, the app that refused to play Nickleback The most popular pages on WikiHow 2019-04-0550 min

Fun FactEvolutionarily DeprecatedAllen offends some marsupials, Arik disproves Jesus, and we discuss a scheme for getting rich. The toxic culture at Revolut The “In case you missed it” regex for Tweetbot: (?i)(in.*case|if).*you.*missed.*it The “Mother of the bride dress” The day there was no news Jesus’ name: Jesus’ language Yeshua Yeshua to Jesus The Great Vowel Shift Index investing Buying One of Everything Why Warren Buffett recommends index investing Canadian Couch Potato Woolly Mammoths and the pyramids 2019-03-221h 07

Fun FactA Scandal HydraArik shows up the Titanic, Allen mutes everything, and we share some key bird facts. How not to lead a startup Lyle’s studfinding video How to use advanced muting on Twitter A recent tale of cougar defense from Colorado The Olympic The Titanic’s Ghostly Twin The RMS Olympic Why a turkey is a called a turkey 2019-03-081h 09

Fun FactOne Fact at a TimeArik defends himself from Facebook, Allen defends himself from cougars, and Arik doesn’t know what a hot hatch is. The original Facebook FTC settlement Victory for Lemonaid Cougar safety Cinco de Mayo and the Battle of Puebla The glass delusion and Charles VI Why it sounded like Grover dropped an f-bomb Click consonants The Chevy Celebrity wagon and the much more preferable 2019 Toyota Corolla wagon 2019-02-221h 06

Fun FactNobody's Getting ScurvyAllen goes deep on Nutrition Facts, we recap multiple culinary schemes, and Arik drops a history bomb. A brief tour of chairs: World Market’s Eero Saarinen Chair Knoll Saarinen Chairs and Tables The infamous Aeron chair The more reasonable Mirra 2 chair No More Oppatoo Ariana Grande’s new tattoo Don’t draw the teeth The Rolls Royce of toilet levers You are now subscribed to Nutrition Facts: The Canada Food Guide The 1990s Canada Food Guide The American MyPlate The new nutrition facts labels Lemonaid is not bad enough for you (translated) Taco Bell’s Seasoned Beef lawsuit ...2019-02-081h 00

Fun FactI Made This Be GoodArik continues his tour of the Pacific Northwest, Allen tries not to get drafted, and we crack open more critical adulting tips. Say hello, new logo on the Slack Blog Brand New’s take on Slack How to pronounce Schlage Do By Friday 56: On Fleck Shuswap Lake 2018 BC Electoral Referendum Single Transferable Vote Point Roberts, Washington Enclaves and Exclaves The Hala’ib Triangle WikiHow: How to Find a Wood Stud in a Wall to Hang Pictures On 2019-01-251h 02

Fun FactAdulting Life Hack FactWe do some mass follow-up, Allen has a reckoning about movies, Arik ‘splains Sesame Street, and Allen encounters Hamilton. Using Dual SIM with an eSIM - Apple Support WikiHow: How to clean a bathtub with a broom Accidental Tech Podcast ep. 300 Planet Money 670: The Santa Suit Nicola Romeo’s moustache The sound of silent film The Musical Notation podcast Rechov Sumsum and Sesame Street around the world Zeliboba 2019-01-111h 08

Fun FactCaligulemberGoogle News tortures Allen, Paris battles garbage barricades, and the Romans ruin our calendars. Google News The Salmon Arm Love Triangle Murder The Renovation of Paris BC’s Proportional Representation Referendum The Balls of Amazon The worst hoodie ad of all time The Months of the Year 2018-12-2855 min

Fun FactWait, It Gets WorseAllen doesn’t get fired, Arik introduces the horror that is the Alfa Romeo logo, and we learn the facts about garburators. Keep the feedback coming! We’ve received some great ones that we’ll cover once we finish publishing our pre-recorded episodes. Alfa Romeo’s horrifying logo Nicola Romeo and his moustache Under Consideration’s Brand New Wikihow: How to Clean and Maintain a Dishwasher Goldeneye 64 Gets Down 2018-12-141h 05

Fun FactCheese SchemeArik’s car melts, Allen details a cheese scheme, and we review some critical tips for home and travel. Tell us we’re wrong! (Or if you like the show you can also tell us that.) The e-Golf The Canadian Cheese Cartel Moshi Moshi WikiHow: 3 Ways to Clean Brooms 2018-12-0252 min

Cinema Gadfly20. The FrontMy guest for this month is West Anthony, and he’s joined me to discuss the film he chose for me, the 1976 comedy-drama film The Front. You can follow the show on Twitter @cinemagadfly. Show notes: Not sure what happened to the audio in the introduction, apologies! The Hollywood blacklist is a term for the treatment of people in the entertainment industry who refused to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee from 1947 to 1960 For a more in depth take on the blacklist, check out the latest season of the phenomenal You Must Remember This po...2016-05-3000 min

Cinema Gadfly8. Catch Me If You CanMy guest for this month is Allen Pike, and he’s joined me to discuss the film he chose for me, the 2002 biographical crime drama film Catch Me If You Can. You can follow the show on Twitter @cinemagadfly. Show notes: Stephen Spielberg is a rather well known director Frank Abagnale Jr. is a fascinating guy, who is well worth reading about Pan Am was an airline, that I sorely miss, if only for their amazing graphic design Tom Hanks is a wonderful actor, also worth reading about I am indeed attempting to watch all the fi...2015-11-2900 min

Cinema Gadfly7. BrazilMy guest for this month is Allen Pike, and he’s joined me to discuss the film I chose for him, the 1985 dystopian science fiction film Brazil. You can follow the show on Twitter @cinemagadfly. Show notes: My original review of Brazil The film was directed by Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam Who doesn’t love a good black comedy Or 1940s fashion Or 1980s technology Some might argue that bureaucracy has already gone wrong 1985 is, in fact, before 1990 I love Michael Palin in basically everything he’s ever done Another Terry Gilliam film was Time Bandit...2015-11-1000 min