No Brenda, No Cry

Just the boys in this episode because Brenda had more important things to do. Did that sound snarky? No snark intended. Good luck, Brenda! We really work the fiat/Fiat jokes in this one because we talk about the history of U.S. currency. LMK if I’m wrong on any of this. We also talk about corporate pizza, local pizza, fresh hop beers, movies, and books. It’s not always all about money. Kyla Scanlon makes economics and finance accessible by making simple short videos that bring the concepts home. Her content plus Kai Ryssdal’s “Marketplace” podcast make for a good econ diet. https://kylascanlon.com/ “Exit Party” by Emily St. John Mandel is gripping alternate future sci-fi, written by a master of prose and storytelling. This is a story about people doing the best they can in the world, using two contrasting parallel dystopias: one that is run by a fascist state monitored by a Gestapo-like secret service, the other an anarchic, fractured former United States. I cannot recommend this enough. Mollie Elizabeth calls to mind show tunes, dark circuses, and Tim Burtonesque imagery. This song, “Run Rabbit,” is on infinite loop in my brain right now. She makes catchy, unique music with an old-timey flair and pairs it with contemporary Tik Tok style dance. “The Dog Stars” is a by-the-numbers post-apocalypse movie. Fun to watch but it won’t change your world. Beautifully shot, though! The Dog Stars - Trailer Gross outs, jump scares, a heavy handed bad boss, and an ethically questionable hero add up to a decently entertaining weekday watch. I haven’t seen many Rachel McAdams movies but I’m getting the sense that she’s watchable in just about anything. She definitely is in “Send Help”. Ladytron is one of those bands I sorta still follow because they had a song or two that I liked a long time ago. They have a new album out, “Paradises,” and a single “Metaphysica” to support it. The album has sixteen songs on it! That’s a lot of music for the money.