Planet Money - TikTok’s Trojan Horse Strategy

When TikTok videos started to go viral on Instagram and Reddit, TikTok turned to professional sound designers to protect their content.

More and more companies are paying to develop a “sonic identity” – a series of sounds, songs, and micro-jingles to help maintain a unified brand.

In this episode, in conjunction with the sound design podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz, we hear the backstory to possibly the most successful audio branding campaigns in history. It’s a tale of guerilla marketing and the power of sonic suggestion.

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This adapted episode was hosted by Kenny Malone and Dallas Taylor. It was produced by Casey Emmerling and James Sneed. The episode was edited by Jess Jiang. Alex Goldmark is our Executive Producer.

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Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - CLASSIC: Stratospheric Aerosol Injections: Saving the World with Chemtrails

Typically, when you hear someone bring up the concept of chemtrails, it's either to dismiss the idea as a conspiracy theory or to claim there's something dangerous up there in the sky -- something the mainstream doesn't want you to know about. But a growing group of experts think something like chemtrails might just be the key to literally saving life on Earth. Tune in and learn more about stratospheric aerosol injections.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

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The Journal. - No, Your Toll Payment Is Not Overdue

Chinese criminals have made more than $1 billion from scam text messages sent out across the U.S. and the world. The texts warn of unpaid fines and lure unsuspecting victims to fork over their credit-card details. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how the scheme works and why it’s been so hard to stop. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
 

Further Listening:

Pig-Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist

The Slaves Sending You Scam Texts


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Motley Fool Money - Travis Kelce’s Six Flags Activist Role & the Rise of Celebrity Investors

We discuss the growing prevalence of celebrities being involved in big investment moves by VC and hedge funds, including Travis Kelce taking a role in Jana Partners’ 9% stake in Six Flags. We also debate the launch of ChatGPT Atlas and a potential deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Skydance.


Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss:

- Six Flags activists

- ChatGPT gets a browser

- Interest in a Warner Bros. Discovery buyout


Companies discussed: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Six Flags (FUN).


Host: Travis Hoium

Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren

Engineer: Dan Boyd


Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.


We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.


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Lost Debate - Everything I Know About Health & Fitness

Ravi Gupta shares the health and fitness lessons he’s learned from running Squadra, his training program for professionals. He emphasizes simplicity and breaks down what truly works—lifting heavy, sprinting occasionally, eating protein, and tuning out wellness hype. Covering biomarkers, wearables, and supplements, his message is clear: real progress comes from consistency, not trends. Fitness, Ravi reminds us, isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up when most people quit.


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The Bulwark Podcast - Jon Favreau: Foundational Freedoms

One of the promises of this country has been the freedom to walk down the street without being harassed by the government. But even being an American citizen isn't stopping ICE agents from grabbing people with passports or IDs—and detaining them for hours. At the same time, many of the thugs and sadists who want to do the grabbing and snatching are pathetically failing basic physical fitness tests. Plus, JD is painfully unfunny, Republicans calling Democrats 'terrorists' has real world consequences, and Dems need more normal people running for office—but they should save the wild card candidates for long shot races.

Jon Favreau joins Tim Miller.

show notes

Big Technology Podcast - Amazon’s Panos Panay: The Reality of Building Alexa Plus and AI Assistants

Panos Panay is Amazon’s head of Devices & Services. Panay returns to Big Technology Podcast to discuss Alexa Plus's delayed rollout, when the assistant is releasing to everyone, and the challenge of building these products. Tune in for specifics on compatibility, usage spikes, and what “day one” means when you have hundreds of millions of customers. We also cover the future of computing, from phones to wearables and home devices. Hit play for a grounded look at what’s real now—and what’s coming next.

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State of the World from NPR - Making Music from the Sounds of War

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the country has been hit with more than 50,000 drone strikes. The constant threats of war have changed many things about life in Ukraine, including the way the night time sounds. We meet members of a youth orchestra outside Kyiv who are marking the new sounds of their country with a sonic poem.



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In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Activists Get Creative In Their Response To ICE Actions In Chicago

As federal immigration agents continue their aggressive actions in Chicago’s immigrant communities, residents are rolling up their sleeves and getting creative in their support for their neighbors. In the Loop checks in with Delilah Martinez, social entrepreneur, founder of the Mural Movement and owner of Valt Gallerie and Iraís Sosa, co-founder Sin Titulo and its project to help deliver groceries to folks who do not feel comfortable leaving their homes due to ICE and Border Patrol presence on the streets. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Federalist Radio Hour - ’You’re Wrong’ With Mollie Hemingway And David Harsanyi, Ep. 172: Ballroom Freakout

Join Washington Examiner Senior Writer David Harsanyi and Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway as they analyze the freakout over President Donald Trump's White House ballroom build, dive into the "No Kings" protests, discuss the NYC mayoral race, and wonder if the House Judiciary Committee's prosecution referral for former CIA Director John Brennan will go anywhere. Mollie and David also examine the Louvre jewel heist and share their culture reviews for the week. 

If you care about combating the corrupt media that continue to inflict devastating damage, please give a gift to help The Federalist do the real journalism America needs.