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Ep. 321 - Get What You Can
43 Plays20 days ago
Ep. 321, Recorded 4/22/2026. Podcast Emergency. I’ll take trains for $200, Alex? Rockin in Des Moines. iRobot is real. Apple’s SOS. The Lion’s Share of the Profits. Sargent masters the odds. The Flanders Field runs afoul. Todd’s Log Roll. We’re a top podcast… no really!!
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Transcript
Microphone Mishaps in Hotels
00:00:01
Todd
Look at that looks like it's working.
00:00:03
Talkin2Todd
Hot damn. Levels, levels.
00:00:06
Todd
Levels levels. All right, you ready to go.
00:00:10
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, we're going without a real microphone tonight.
00:00:14
Todd
Again, you know, you know, you know what hotels need.
00:00:21
Talkin2Todd
i you know like i could so We could start a list. I don't know. What's that?
00:00:28
Todd
The front desk needs to have like a kit that is an emergency emergency microphones for podcasters.
00:00:35
Talkin2Todd
Because...
00:00:37
Todd
Well, hypothetically speaking, if someone were to travel to their hotel and the Snowball mic just doesn't fit in the carry-on, you know, hypothetically,
00:00:48
Talkin2Todd
yeah hypothetically. Sure. Okay.
00:00:51
Todd
All right. Although now that I say that, i i do I do see one problem with that plan.
00:00:57
Talkin2Todd
Like I've got to give them my driver's license to check out the snowball?
00:01:00
Todd
No, no, no. They already have your credit card on file. If you don't return it, they'll just get it at the form when people steal stuff and cross out bathrobe and write in microphone.
00:01:12
Talkin2Todd
Well, it might not be compatible with my Mac. I may not have the right cables.
00:01:17
Todd
Yeah, this is for content creators. It only needs to be compatible with a Mac.
00:01:21
Talkin2Todd
Oh, okay. Yeah, well, that's not wrong. Okay, so then what?
00:01:25
Todd
Well, okay, so you unpack, you go, oh, I
Introduction to 'Talking to Todd'
00:01:28
Todd
didn't bring my microphone. And then you'd have to go up to the front desk and say, excuse me, do you have an emergency podcast mic that I could use?
00:01:37
Talkin2Todd
What's the problem with that?
00:01:40
Todd
Well, as soon as you say that, you know what the front desk clerk's next question is.
00:01:45
Talkin2Todd
You have a podcast?
Adventures at the Marriott Marquis
00:02:11
Talkin2Todd
Hi, toddlers. Welcome to Talking to Todd, a weekly podcast with Dwayne Johnson and Todd Prins, where failure is always an option. Thanks for joining us. Hey, Todd.
00:02:21
Todd
Hey, how's it going?
00:02:23
Talkin2Todd
Pretty good. Pretty good. Coming to you live, live? I don't know. It's podcast. From the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. this week.
00:02:35
Todd
Guests of talking to Todd are provided accommodations. Not really, but you have to pay for it.
00:02:39
Talkin2Todd
Hosts, hosts, hosts of Talkin' Todd.
00:02:41
Todd
Yeah. Host of Talking to Todd, have accommodations at the Marriott Marquis, Washington, D.C. You know, i was just thinking because you, you well well, the theme was playing.
00:02:53
Todd
You grabbed your bottle of water there from the hotel. And I'm like, oh, that's the other way they could do it. They could just put like a snowball microphone in every room with a tag on it that says like $150.
00:03:03
Talkin2Todd
If you wanna use this
00:03:04
Todd
the same tags. It's the same tag they use for the good water. Same price, same tag. $150. If you just take the tag off, it's yours to use.
00:03:15
Talkin2Todd
Well, and if you notice, I've got my little Marco Rubio bottle of water here.
00:03:19
Todd
I see that. That's that's that's no good. that's And yet you even did that more dignified than he did. Yeah.
00:03:29
Talkin2Todd
And since we're on, since we're only on audio this week and not on video, you're welcome toddlers.
00:03:35
Todd
just You'll just have to assume that that, yeah.
00:03:36
Talkin2Todd
Yep. That there is a little teeny tiny bottle of water that I was holding with two hands and drinking carefully.
00:03:37
Todd
yeah
00:03:41
Todd
With two hands, and yeah. Sort of like a three-year-old would do with like like a Sunny D bottle. But anyway...
00:03:52
Talkin2Todd
You know, the the thing that I could really actually stand to check out that, frankly, anyone could use, podcast or no, if you have to do a video call from your hotel, is as a pop-up green screen that you could put behind you.
00:04:04
Todd
Yep.
00:04:08
Talkin2Todd
Well, then you don't have the hotel room, right?
00:04:08
Todd
Okay.
00:04:12
Talkin2Todd
If you have to be on on camera for a Zoom call, you could, you know, do the pop-up green screen behind you and then definitely,
00:04:21
Todd
The problem knowing hotels
00:04:21
Talkin2Todd
look like you're somewhere else. Yes.
00:04:24
Todd
knowing hotels you'd you'd You'd break it out, you'd pop it up, and it's an exact picture of the hotel room behind you, but within big letters, Marriott across it.
00:04:40
Talkin2Todd
Join us. Thank you.
00:04:41
Todd
Yes.
00:04:44
Talkin2Todd
Anyway, okay, so yeah, on the road this weekend. And we we're going to pray that the Wi-Fi is... I'm knocking on faux Marriott wood that the Wi-Fi holds up this week. so
00:05:00
Talkin2Todd
Let's see. Feedback, follow-up, and updates.
World Cup Travel Woes
00:05:04
Talkin2Todd
We got from Sherry High, toddler 3187.
00:05:13
Todd
Yes.
00:05:14
Talkin2Todd
She sent us a note
00:05:17
Talkin2Todd
that apparently it's going to cost $150 to ride the train from Penn Station out to the Meadowlands to see a World Cup match.
00:05:26
Todd
And back. That's a return ticket.
00:05:30
Talkin2Todd
That's $150 is the round trip.
00:05:32
Todd
It's round trip, I believe. Yes.
00:05:34
Talkin2Todd
Okay, well, I suppose that's better because I know Boston is $80 one way.
00:05:41
Todd
I thought the 80 was also one way. Or sorry, I thought that was a return ticket as well. I thought.
00:05:46
Talkin2Todd
Oh, okay. Well, still, I can't imagine being someone who has to ride the train to work, needs to ride the train to work at an hourly job.
00:05:59
Todd
Well, it's.
00:06:00
Talkin2Todd
And giving up most of your paycheck to the MTA. Yes.
00:06:03
Todd
Oh, oh, hey, good. Okay, so a couple things. Number one, it's New Jersey Transit, not MTA.
00:06:07
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:06:09
Todd
So it's it's new it's New Jersey Transit because it's going to the home of the New York Jets and the New York Giants, which, of course, then means it's New Jersey. Sure.
00:06:22
Todd
But it is worse than you think because if you have an hourly job and you need to take the train, you can't even pay the $150 because as part of the security plan, this is where things get nuts.
00:06:39
Todd
When the eight, I think it's eight games are taking place at MetLife Stadium, which will not be called MetLife Stadium because FIFA says you can't make money, only they can. The security corridor for the stadium starts in Penn Station.
00:06:56
Todd
So in order to get on the New Jersey Transit trains headed to the Meadowlands, MetLife, whatever you want to call it, You have to have a ticket and you're going to be screened by security. So those trains are not even available for locals.
00:07:16
Todd
They have to go to another station.
00:07:19
Talkin2Todd
So those trains are one way nonstop.
00:07:24
Todd
I believe so. Yes.
00:07:27
Talkin2Todd
Huh. Okay. It does. That does change things a little bit. They're not charging you $150 for a ticket that normally costs you three.
00:07:40
Talkin2Todd
And you have to deal with all of the stops all the way along the way to get all the way out there.
00:07:45
Todd
Yeah, I think it normally costs you $12.90 for the 15-minute, nine-mile ride from Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford.
00:07:50
Talkin2Todd
Okay.
00:07:55
Todd
So if it's a normal...
00:07:57
Talkin2Todd
With stops.
00:07:58
Todd
Right. If it's a normal train, you'd pay $12.90. To get to the stadium for the World Cup, you can't take those trains. nut They won't stop there. You have to pay the $150 to take the express train there. But that does mean that all the the trains that are going to New Jersey can't leave from Penn Station. So you have to go someplace else to catch your train because that's a security corridor.
00:08:26
Todd
Now,
00:08:27
Talkin2Todd
Okay, so what if I went to a different station?
00:08:31
Todd
I don't think anything's stopping there.
00:08:33
Talkin2Todd
Rode the $12, paid the $12, rode the $12 ride, got to my hotel and then walked to the state walked to the stadium. Because again, everything's walkable if you have the time.
00:08:47
Todd
Not in New Jersey. Not, I mean, I've been to Newark. Like, I don't, mm.
00:08:54
Todd
here's Here's the thing. The reason why the New Jersey Transit Authority is saying that it's $150, this seems like they're gouging people. What they're saying is, and what the governor of New Jersey is saying is,
00:09:04
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:09:08
Todd
The amount of transportation and security shutting down their portion of Penn Station and providing all of the security, none of that money is being reimbursed to the New Jersey Transit Authority.
00:09:21
Todd
So they're saying that they're taking on $30 $40 million dollars of costs themselves. No, it's a little less than that. But they're saying they're taking on millions and millions of dollars. All of these extra trains that they're putting on, like they're not getting any money from FIFA.
00:09:38
Todd
They're not getting any money from the organizers. So basically what they've said is the $150 is what they need to cover not just the trains, but all of the other expenses that they're having to do, including all the trains that can't stop at that station, right?
00:09:53
Todd
Because it's part of the security corridor. So they said,
00:09:56
Talkin2Todd
So there's opportunity, there's lost revenue as well, yes.
00:10:00
Todd
Right. And so they basically said, we're losing money on this World Cup thing. So either we're going to have to raise fares on everybody or the people who are going to the tournament are going to have to pay for this.
00:10:12
Todd
Now, okay, I'm like, everybody's just, this is nuts. But then I saw, this has changed my complete thing. In Fontania, the head of FIFA, when this got to him, he complained
00:10:28
Todd
that this kind of overpricing might hurt turnout in hopes that they reevaluate and make the transportation more affordable for fans.
00:10:40
Todd
And right there, I said, okay, I'm done. You know what? Boston, charge $80. New Jersey, charge $150. FIFA, is he's worked he's pissed that anybody is making a dime other than FIFA. At this point, I'm perfectly fine. If they want to charge $250, by the way, $150 is still cheaper than parking.
00:10:59
Todd
And do you know who gets all the parking money?
00:11:00
Talkin2Todd
That's FIFA, right.
00:11:02
Todd
FIFA.
00:11:04
Talkin2Todd
Did you see what Philly did?
00:11:08
Talkin2Todd
All trains away, all trains going home are free.
00:11:13
Todd
Oh.
00:11:14
Todd
I'm surprised they didn't say all trains going to New Jersey are free. Just get out of our city. Leave. Just... I say at this point, like I said, I no longer care about anybody gouging. FIFA has gouged people so much, and then they get mad when somebody else dares to gouge. Screw them. You know what? Make all the money you can. Make it all all the money. Is it terrible for the fans? Yes.
00:11:36
Todd
But after the whole front and the all the levels and changing and pricing, just get what you can. You know what? That ought to be the slogan of this World Cup. Get what you can.
00:11:47
Todd
The sad thing is, is that probably was, that's probably an
Train Travel Tales & Nostalgia
00:11:50
Todd
option. Okay. Yeah.
00:11:54
Todd
By the way, of Dwayne, have you ever ridden the new jersey New Jersey Transit Authority trains from like Newark into, have you ever ridden them into New York or?
00:12:04
Talkin2Todd
I have not.
00:12:06
Todd
I've taken the Long Island Railroad from Manhattan out to JFK.
00:12:07
Talkin2Todd
i've we got a we got a piece of deep cut feedback from Jake, Toddler Matt Damon.
00:12:10
Todd
I'm assuming New Jersey trains are similar. What I will tell you is it is not worth $150. Although the scenery, you do get the scenery. Oh, look at that oil refinery. That looks beautiful.
00:12:32
Todd
Okay.
00:12:34
Talkin2Todd
Do you remember in 1987, Todd, do you remember?
00:12:39
Todd
Were we doing the podcast then? Wait. We were. it was just over. It was at lunch. Hey, so what happened today? So I said to the man, I said, look.
00:12:49
Talkin2Todd
i said, well hold hold that thought. I've got to go get a shake from the counter.
00:12:58
Todd
Yeah.
00:12:58
Talkin2Todd
I'll be back.
00:12:59
Todd
Yeah. Can you grab me a tenderloin? Okay. Okay.
00:13:04
Talkin2Todd
pizza burger pizza burgers were the best I never got a tenderloin always got a pizza burger those were awesome oh man I miss the pizza burger and they could and it was uh just the most industrialized patty of meat ever
00:13:26
Talkin2Todd
with marinara and provolone and just, oh my God. Okay, anyway, enough about the pizza burger.
Baby Jessica's Legal Update
00:13:34
Talkin2Todd
Do you remember baby Jessica in 1987, Todd?
00:13:37
Todd
Down the well.
00:13:39
Talkin2Todd
Down the well, baby down the well, yes.
00:13:43
Talkin2Todd
Last week was arrested on us on an assault charge after a domestic disturbance. She now lives in Texas
00:13:53
Talkin2Todd
Whatever happened to, well, there you go. The comments on the post were worth the read. You know, you can only answer the question about being stuck in a well at 18 months old so many times before you s snap.
00:14:13
Talkin2Todd
Next up for Baby Jessica, Dancing with the Stars.
00:14:19
Todd
I just, oh God, she's no, that's.
00:14:19
Talkin2Todd
Well, well, well.
00:14:24
Talkin2Todd
I told you. it worth is Worth the clicks.
00:14:31
Todd
I just, I just hope she wasn't charged with trying to hit somebody with a pipe.
00:14:37
Talkin2Todd
It's just sad to see that she's fallen even further.
00:14:41
Talkin2Todd
Okay, enough of this.
00:14:46
Talkin2Todd
Oh, let's see. What else did we get this week? That may have been all of the follow-up, that all of the feedback that I got.
00:14:54
Talkin2Todd
If we, oh, don't know if this is follow-up or if this is feedback. Did you see that the Dallas Center, the new Dallas Center mayor resigned?
00:15:04
Todd
I did not. No.
00:15:06
Talkin2Todd
oh Oh, this is news to Todd.
00:15:08
Todd
Yeah.
00:15:08
Talkin2Todd
Breaking news.
Mayor Resignations in Iowa
00:15:09
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:15:10
Todd
He walked in, looked around and went, I have way too much to live up to. i can't possibly. this is This is like the guy that has to follow like Tom Osborne or Mike Krzyzewski or Dean Smith. And you're just like, I can't do this. And they're out.
00:15:27
Talkin2Todd
Yes, I think that's how that's exactly how it went down. Yeah.
00:15:30
Todd
Or there's a 20 from petty cash. I'm not sure which way this went.
00:15:32
Talkin2Todd
which so
00:15:37
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, so I mean, we've talked about, we've you and Danny and I have texted about how the, is it a Bondurant?
00:15:47
Todd
Mitchellville.
00:15:48
Talkin2Todd
Mitchellville, thank you. I knew it was over on the east side of town. City council and mayor, are everybody's running and then quitting and then quitting and then running and then running and then quitting. And they can't seem to find a city council at all. Apparently the same thing's going on in Dallas Center now because the mayor's like,
00:16:04
Talkin2Todd
Peace out. Most I can. Danny, I did 10 years. New guy. Most I can give you is three and a half months.
00:16:12
Todd
o
00:16:17
Todd
there's a you You may know this quote. there's a It's a movie quote. I'm trying to remember. It's not from a hugely famous movie. There's something about... guy i don't know nicholson or somebody somebody like that gets sentenced to prison or something and they're like he gets sentenced like 20 years and he says i i can't i can't do 20 years and the guy tells him do as much as you can turns out three and a half months was as much as as much as he can i think danny danny better really look it back at the mayor contract
00:16:51
Todd
You know, there's that thing like if you served in the military and you were like an officer and then you retire, you're technically like still able to be activated for like the next 20 years.
00:17:04
Talkin2Todd
recalled from yes.
00:17:05
Todd
Uh huh.
00:17:06
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:17:06
Todd
Yeah.
00:17:06
Talkin2Todd
Uh-oh.
00:17:07
Todd
Yeah. From the ready reserve or whatever they call that.
00:17:08
Talkin2Todd
Uh-oh.
00:17:10
Todd
Like Danny, Danny, if the phone rings and it says city hall, just don't answer. Danny, leave town for a while. Just where are we going?
00:17:20
Todd
Anywhere except here and Mitchellville.
00:17:21
Talkin2Todd
Any? I don't care.
00:17:24
Todd
We're not going here or Mitchellville.
00:17:29
Talkin2Todd
Let's see. Other things. We've talked about curling on this podcast.
00:17:32
Todd
Yeah. We have.
00:17:35
Talkin2Todd
The 2027 USA Curling Men's and Women's National Championships will be coming to West Des Moines, Iowa.
00:17:46
Todd
Wow. Excellent.
00:17:48
Talkin2Todd
It's a milestone for curling in Iowa, right a stone of some sort.
00:17:53
Todd
Yeah. Do you know which which month?
00:17:56
Talkin2Todd
January 24 through 30.
00:18:00
Todd
Okay. My assumption is if it's in January, they don't even need it an ice sheet. and they They just can do it. They can go in the parking lot of Jordan Creek. just That's fine. We don't.
00:18:11
Talkin2Todd
We're using the Raccoon River. We're good.
00:18:13
Todd
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's perfectly fine.
Iowa to Host Curling Championship
00:18:18
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, it's at the Mid-American Energy RecPlex in West Des Moines, which is where the the the Buccaneers are playing right now as well because the Irvingdale building is falling apart.
00:18:33
Talkin2Todd
Anyway, yeah. So...
00:18:34
Todd
The Rex, the Rex, what is the Rex, the Rexplex?
00:18:40
Talkin2Todd
RecPlex. Yeah. It just rolls off the tongue for me because i see it and say it occasionally.
00:18:46
Todd
I just, the way I have that, that sounds, that sounds like a place where like, like people who are working to get into the WWE are like, Oh, I'm putting in some hours at the Rexplex.
00:18:46
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:18:57
Talkin2Todd
hello
00:18:58
Todd
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:59
Talkin2Todd
There's indoor and outdoor soccer. There's basketball courts. There's pickleball courts. i've been I've gone over there and played pickleball before. And there's hockey. There's an ice sheet over there.
00:19:10
Talkin2Todd
So yeah, lot of stuff going on with the RecPlex.
00:19:13
Todd
Holy cow. You got everything.
00:19:15
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:19:16
Todd
And soon to have curling.
00:19:18
Talkin2Todd
Soon. Let's see. Other pieces of follow-up. Several weeks ago, we talked about the new Nike shoes leg adapters with batteries that could help you run further.
00:19:36
Todd
Yes, yeah, yes.
00:19:38
Talkin2Todd
Okay, so this story gets rid of the human part of that entirely.
00:19:46
Todd
yeah Wait, I think I found what's slowing us down, the human.
00:19:50
Talkin2Todd
What's the the human?
Robots vs. Humans in Marathon
00:19:52
Talkin2Todd
So there was a race this last week between humanoid robots
00:20:00
Talkin2Todd
for a half marathon.
00:20:04
Todd
So this was in China and it was an actual half marathon.
00:20:06
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:20:08
Todd
There were humans there, but they also had a classification for the humanoid robots.
00:20:09
Talkin2Todd
Yes. Yes.
00:20:14
Todd
They did.
00:20:15
Talkin2Todd
yes
00:20:23
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:20:27
Talkin2Todd
But. Oh.
00:20:30
Todd
Wow, that's a pink, what's that piece of pink tape going for 13 miles mean?
00:20:30
Talkin2Todd
but
00:20:34
Todd
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. This side, we're fine. That side is death. That will hold the robots? Well, we told them we told them don't go across that. What's powering them?
00:20:44
Todd
ChatGPT. Oh my God.
00:20:46
Todd
Did you go across it? Yes. Did you kill somebody? Yes. Did I tell you not to? Yeah, you're right to be angry with me. I am sorry.
00:20:46
Talkin2Todd
oh
00:20:55
Todd
Anyway, how did it turn out for the robots?
00:20:58
Talkin2Todd
So I can't believe we didn't cover this story last year because they also did it last year. Last year, there were it wasn't successful.
00:21:05
Todd
Yeah, but it wasn't, yeah it didn't, it didn't, it wasn't, the it it looked like they had been drinking.
00:21:13
Talkin2Todd
There were only 20 teams last year. This year, there were more than 100 entered.
00:21:20
Talkin2Todd
Some of them that finished, finished faster, ran the race faster than the humans. Do you remember the Will Smith movie, iRobot?
00:21:32
Todd
I know of it. Yes. Have I seen it?
00:21:35
Talkin2Todd
Oh my God, are we gonna play Todd Gessa movie?
00:21:36
Todd
No.
00:21:38
Talkin2Todd
Todd, have you seen this movie?
00:21:40
Todd
No, I have not.
00:21:41
Talkin2Todd
Of course you haven't.
00:21:43
Talkin2Todd
Oh my God, oh, I've got it i gotta to make a note.
00:21:48
Todd
Duane is now grabbing the little pen the little pen that says Marriott on it and the little slap the notepad they have, which only has four pieces of paper on it for reasons that nobody understands.
00:22:03
Talkin2Todd
Two cards. There's two cards. i Maybe, yeah.
00:22:04
Todd
Oh, note cards.
00:22:06
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, they just get they've they've downgraded from the pads to just note cards, and you only get two. Okay, so...
00:22:17
Talkin2Todd
The champion robot recorded a time of two hours and 40 minutes.
00:22:24
Talkin2Todd
No, no, no.
00:22:24
Todd
yeah Nope.
00:22:24
Talkin2Todd
Last year's champion. Last year's champion recorded a time of two...
00:22:26
Todd
Yes. Yes.
00:22:29
Talkin2Todd
Last year, sorry. Last year's robot champion recorded a time of two hours and 40 minutes.
00:22:32
Todd
Yes.
00:22:35
Talkin2Todd
Todd, what's your what's your PR?
00:22:35
Todd
That. 157, one fifty seven i think.
00:22:43
Talkin2Todd
Okay, so you're faster than last year's robots.
00:22:45
Todd
yeah
00:22:46
Talkin2Todd
Are you faster than this year's robots?
00:22:49
Todd
absolutely not
00:22:51
Talkin2Todd
No, because they beat the fastest runners.
00:22:54
Todd
Yes.
00:22:57
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, more than 100. They beat the human winners in this race by more than 10 minutes.
00:23:04
Todd
You know, here's the thing. Everybody was like, oh my God, the robots have beat the humans that running. And I'm like, haven't they been able to do that for a while? Like, yeah, the robots designed to run beat the humans that don't run.
00:23:18
Todd
or that are running, but yeah, I get it.
00:23:21
Talkin2Todd
50 minutes and 26 seconds was the robot's time for the half marathon.
00:23:26
Todd
and That's pretty fast.
00:23:27
Talkin2Todd
They're not using wheels. They are actually using feet. They are. And here's here's the thing that is more than a little scary for me. The top three were all self-navigated.
00:23:42
Todd
Yeah, they just figured it out. They're just like, I got this.
00:23:45
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:23:46
Todd
Well, here's the thing.
00:23:46
Talkin2Todd
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:48
Todd
What would be scarier is if they were using Apple Maps to navigate. That would be scary. I mean, self-navigating is probably better.
00:23:53
Talkin2Todd
but
00:23:58
Talkin2Todd
Running faster may not seem meaningful at first, but it enables technology transfer, for example, and the structural reliability and cooling, which is important, and eventual industrial applications.
00:24:12
Talkin2Todd
I just don't like that they can catch me. mean, let's be fair. Even last year's robots could catch me.
00:24:21
Todd
Yeah. Yeah. Things are going well.
00:24:24
Talkin2Todd
Because we
00:24:25
Todd
Things are going well. We've got the AI thinking for itself, and now we've built robots that run faster than anybody.
00:24:31
Talkin2Todd
right
00:24:32
Todd
Okay, let's see. Let's go let's go to let's go to back to the Terminator. Okay, AI, tick. Robots that can run faster than us, tick. This is going sweet.
00:24:42
Talkin2Todd
yeah see that because the difference between your running and my running is you know you can go for distance. I'm quick over 94 feet.
00:24:53
Todd
Yeah.
00:24:53
Talkin2Todd
And then I'm done.
00:24:57
Talkin2Todd
So I'll run for a little ways, and then I'll have to stop and catch my breath and call a timeout or clean up a puddle of water, a fake puddle of water on the floor.
00:25:04
Todd
Yeah, officials time out. I got, there's something here that just...
00:25:06
Talkin2Todd
Yep, yep, yep, I get like this. Tie my shoe, catch my breath, something, anything. Somebody foul, for God's sakes.
00:25:12
Todd
week Can we check the inflation of this ball? Feels feels a little light.
00:25:18
Talkin2Todd
Should have been doing that before the game. Anyway.
00:25:20
Todd
Is that that rim 10 feet?
00:25:24
Todd
Is that a bat?
00:25:24
Talkin2Todd
like Same as in Hickory.
00:25:28
Talkin2Todd
any any any Anyway, fast robots. I can't decide if this is better or worse than fast zombies.
00:25:37
Talkin2Todd
And and that's that's I guess that's all I had for follow up this week. Did you have anything?
00:25:44
Todd
I did not. No.
00:25:45
Talkin2Todd
Okay. Todd's Tech Corner as brought to us by the Taylor Center for Technology Policy.
00:25:51
Todd
Yeah.
00:25:52
Talkin2Todd
Tim Cook stepped down this week at Apple or.
00:25:55
Todd
he announced that he will be up He announced that he will be transitioning to a new role in September.
00:25:56
Talkin2Todd
and
00:26:01
Talkin2Todd
So, so he's not leaving Apple.
00:26:04
Todd
He's he is he's transitioning. The CEO role will move to John Tarnas on September 1st, and then Tim will become executive chairman of the board.
00:26:13
Talkin2Todd
Okay.
00:26:14
Todd
So Here's the thing. What people kind of, this has been telegraphed for quite a long time. Like for the last six months, this has all been sort of telegraphed because when you're worth that, when your stocks are worth that much money, the one thing you don't want to do is surprise investors.
00:26:21
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:26:30
Todd
Especially you don't want to announce we're getting out of technology and we're going to go into making wool shoes. Nope. Wrong way. We go there. Okay. So yeah, don't, you don't want to surprise anybody.
00:26:43
Todd
However, the interesting piece is in in his in his note or in the Apple press release, so what what is the executive chairman going to do?
00:26:52
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:26:52
Todd
He's going to continue in his role of working with leaders and countries on Apple's relationship with him. So he's getting rid of...
00:27:06
Todd
product design, getting the new cool stuff, like figuring out, you know, approving ad campaigns. His job now is basically to deal with Trump and President Xi.
00:27:20
Todd
That's like, congratulations.
00:27:23
Talkin2Todd
he's apples suck so He's Apple's secretary of state.
00:27:27
Todd
Pretty much. Yes. Yeah. So anyway, that's what he's going to be doing. But yes, he'd been but he'd been CEO. So he's been CEO for 15 years.
Tim Cook's Role Transition
00:27:37
Todd
So that was a good run. And now John Ternus will be taking over. John Ternus is 50 years old, which is the same age that Tim took when he tim took over. As a number of places have pointed out, you know, Tim took over...
00:27:52
Todd
Tim took over sort of in a rushed manner because Steve Jobs was sick. And then Steve was going to become executive chairman of the board, and they never got to execute that plan because then Steve died. So that was a not great transition. So this has been in works for years that Tim is like, listen, the one thing that's gonna happen here is I'm not going to, I know what this is like to just have this thrust upon you. So anyway, yeah. there's some people who are happy about Tim leaving and some people I'll say this the day before he announced it, the Mac world was like, man, Tim cook, man, this guy just, when is he going to leave? And then he announces it and everybody's like, man, he had a good 15 years. I mean, just think about it. Like, so, yeah.
00:28:38
Todd
So we'll see.
00:28:38
Talkin2Todd
Okay.
00:28:38
Todd
I, interestingly enough, they didn't call and interview me for that position.
00:28:43
Talkin2Todd
Really?
00:28:44
Todd
Didn't even get a message on LinkedIn. I was assuming that i they would at least ask.
00:28:48
Todd
So, yeah.
00:28:49
Talkin2Todd
That's unfortunate. Particularly given up given how much money you've given them over the years.
00:28:56
Todd
Yeah, exactly. Like, hey, what do you know about Apple? Well, I know how to extract large sums of money from a apparently quasi-dults. Oh, good.
00:29:07
Talkin2Todd
Oh.
00:29:07
Todd
How do you know that? First-hand experience.
00:29:18
Talkin2Todd
Let's see. it's time for this.
00:29:32
Talkin2Todd
Once again, thanks to the Dino Toddler for providing us with that theme. That's right. That theme means it's time for America's Favorite Game. It's time for Dwayne Guess a Number.
00:29:43
Talkin2Todd
What'd you bring, Todd?
00:29:44
Todd
All right. Well, speaking of World Cup, all of the World Cup jerseys have come out and have been announced. and Because everybody gets new jerseys for the World Cup, so everybody run out and go buy the replica jerseys. And we've talked about replica jerseys, right? We talked about the Mammoth, the NHL ones. $250.
00:30:01
Talkin2Todd
Yep. And sometimes you can buy them and sometimes you can't buy them.
00:30:02
Todd
two hundred and fifty
00:30:05
Todd
Yeah, $250. NFL one's about $150 or so. A number of teams have, there's different ones. There's Nike, there's Adidas or Adidas. There's Puma.
00:30:16
Todd
The Nike ones this year, they made a weird design choice. Something is wrong and in the shoulders, they they're all bunched up. It looks terrible. As people have said, i paid 135 pounds for this. This is terrible. And they've they' said it doesn't affect performance, but they're working on it.
00:30:35
Todd
Anyway, the cost of shirts are going up and everybody is is like, this is getting out of hand. we're like, well, welcome to FIFA. However, The BBC said, you know what we should do is we should we should we should look at how much does it actually cost to make the shirt?
00:30:56
Todd
And how much does it cost to do the marketing, licensing, and distribution of the shirt? Okay, so these are all in pounds, it's because it's all relative, and if we need to change it, but they looked at us they looked at a non Nike jersey. Well, they this is, sorry, this is not the World Cup, is the previous one, a New England shirt priced at 105 pounds.
00:31:28
Todd
is what the shirt would cost. There would then be 17 pounds and 50 pence of that on top of that. But of the 105 pounds, Dwayne, of a Nike England top, how much does it cost to actually manufacture it and ship it?
00:31:55
Todd
I'm give you a hint. It's less than 105 pounds because that's what they're selling it for. So I have given you an upper bound.
00:32:06
Talkin2Todd
I'm going to say $15.
The Economics of Soccer Jerseys
00:32:09
Talkin2Todd
fifteen dollars Okay.
00:32:11
Todd
i mean I'm just going to make it an into a pound because again, 100, we're just using pounds, but I'll just use 15 just to keep it.
00:32:18
Talkin2Todd
If it's a hundred. So yeah, and I mean, so I guess my my guess is relatively 15%. Yeah. God.
00:32:27
Todd
You're high. want to take another run?
00:32:30
Talkin2Todd
oh god
00:32:33
Talkin2Todd
Because my first guess was going to be 12 and I'm like, oh, that's too low.
00:32:38
Talkin2Todd
I've got to go a little higher than that. So I went 15. Nine? Is it less than 10 pounds?
00:32:46
Todd
You know what? I'll give yourself a you could give yourself a bell
00:32:53
Todd
on a 105 pound shirt. The entire manufacturing process and shipping is eight pound 50. Okay.
00:33:06
Talkin2Todd
Sweet lord.
00:33:08
Todd
Okay, now there's some other costs in there, though. You also have to pay for marketing, licensing, and distribution. So, Duane, how much is the total cost for the ads, the licensing to the team, and to distribute it to all of the places that sell it?
00:33:29
Talkin2Todd
Let's say that that's another 16 pounds. They spent twice as much promoting it and delivering it as they did making it.
00:33:40
Todd
You're high.
00:33:43
Talkin2Todd
Is it another eight pounds?
00:33:45
Todd
No, you were right. They did spend more money on the ads and licensing than they did on making it It's £9.50. But more. Yeah. Yes. So.
00:33:54
Talkin2Todd
So not much, but more.
00:33:57
Todd
but more yeah
00:33:58
Talkin2Todd
So we're now at 18 pounds
00:34:02
Todd
yes so
00:34:03
Talkin2Todd
of the hundred and eight okay
00:34:05
Todd
Yeah, so you got 105 and you take off the 850 to make it and ship it across the world. And then you take off the 9 50 to run the ads, pay for the licensing and distribute it.
00:34:22
Todd
That leaves you 87 pounds of which is divided between the retailer and Nike. All profit.
00:34:33
Todd
It's good business. said
00:34:35
Talkin2Todd
how much so How much of that is FIFA getting?
00:34:40
Todd
Oh, these are World Cup ones. Oh, that's an excellent question because they do have FIFA World Cup badge on it. Oh, yeah, they're probably losing money on all of those then.
00:34:50
Todd
Yeah. FIFA's probably getting, well, between FIFA and the New Jersey Transit Authority, you probably have very little money left over.
00:34:57
Talkin2Todd
but Yeah, the the retailer's making five pounds on them.
00:35:01
Todd
Yeah, yeah.
00:35:02
Talkin2Todd
Nike's getting theirs because you know they are. And FIFA's getting theirs. The actual retailer probably isn't clearing a whole heck of a lot.
00:35:11
Todd
This is just insane, though. You pay 105 pounds 17.50 for that, and the shirt itself cost eight pound fifty
00:35:25
Todd
there you go
00:35:25
Talkin2Todd
that's why i can get them That's why I can get them so cheap on Timu.
00:35:30
Todd
Sure. Yes. Yeah.
00:35:34
Talkin2Todd
same Same shirt, cut out the middle cannot the middle men.
00:35:38
Todd
The middleman, the licensing, and everything else.
00:35:41
Talkin2Todd
Yep. Well, also the wings and the strikers and the defenders.
00:35:42
Todd
Yeah.
00:35:45
Talkin2Todd
I'm cutting all of them out.
00:35:48
Todd
I'm more thinking, you know, you you say that, if somebody could just gather them, And sell them for like 12 pounds.
00:35:59
Todd
They're making money.
00:36:03
Todd
They're making like 50% margin.
00:36:07
Talkin2Todd
Right?
00:36:10
Todd
Anyway, there you go. And I'm like, well, so the next time you look at one of these jerseys and you think, I got to have that, just remember. And then I'm like, oh, I'm actually talking to myself. Todd, remember, room Todd. But it looks so good, Todd. 8 pound 50.
00:36:26
Todd
Yeah, but the ad said I have to have it anyway. Okay.
00:36:33
Todd
Where are we at? We're at Scott Frost from the end of the week. What did you bring this week?
00:36:37
Talkin2Todd
This story dropped a couple of hours ago.
00:36:41
Todd
Oh, hot off the presses.
00:36:42
Talkin2Todd
Hot off the presses.
Soldier's Betting Scandal
00:36:45
Talkin2Todd
My idiot this week is the U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who helped capture Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela that was charged with using classified information to bet on the mission on Polymarket.
00:37:02
Talkin2Todd
He made more than $400,000 betting on different outcomes related to Venezuela after learning of the operation, federal prosecutors and the FBI said.
00:37:14
Talkin2Todd
Had you seen this story yet?
00:37:16
Todd
I had. Yep. Yeah.
00:37:20
Talkin2Todd
He was involved in the planning and the execution of the seizure of Maduro and was making bets up to January 2nd, the day before the seizure, he bet, according to the New York Times article that I'm reading, about $32,000 and turned it into grand. And then
00:37:43
Talkin2Todd
The sergeant tried to hide his proceeds by moving them several times, first to a foreign cryptocurrency vault, then to a personal crypto account, and finally to a newly created brokerage account.
00:37:57
Talkin2Todd
After news of unusual trades related to Maduro's capture began to circulate, the sergeant sought to delete his Polymarket account, falsely claiming he had lost access to the email address associated with it.
00:38:13
Talkin2Todd
clearly knew there was something wrong with this behavior to hide it.
00:38:19
Todd
No, I take all my gambling winnings and I send it offshore into a crypto account and then i move it into a different a crypto account and then I move it into a brokerage account. That's just that's just what you do. I didn't know that that was illegal.
00:38:32
Talkin2Todd
Oh, sweet Lord.
00:38:33
Todd
meanwhile so Meanwhile, he's up on federal charges for this, and Polymarket has named him Better of the Month. this is going to get so much worse. This is going to get so much worse.
00:38:46
Todd
And that's bad. let me i mean, understand, I'm not saying that that's good. That's really bad. And yet, I think six months from now, we're going to look back and go, remember when the guy that was capturing Maduro used classified information that he helped create to win $400,000? Remember those simpler times?
00:39:08
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:39:10
Todd
Yep. Everything's fine.
00:39:11
Talkin2Todd
Because, I mean, this is a this is a master sergeant
00:39:16
Todd
He's been around a while.
00:39:18
Talkin2Todd
who has been around a while. But
00:39:24
Talkin2Todd
in the greater scheme of things, this is a grunt.
00:39:29
Talkin2Todd
not someone who is pulling the levers of power and profiting off of it.
00:39:38
Todd
Yeah, I can't imagine that would have be happening.
00:39:40
Talkin2Todd
No, surely not. Am I going to have to play the other theme?
00:39:44
Todd
No, just like something sad. Anyway.
00:39:53
Todd
Although...
00:39:59
Todd
Quick side note, first thing I thought of was, what what is something, I knew you didn't have anything on the on the board for this.
00:40:00
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:40:05
Todd
My thought is something sad, like send in the clowns. And I'm like, you know what, actually, that should be the theme of the other podcast. Hey, let's talk about the cabinet. Send in the clowns. Anyway, sorry. No, let's, okay, moving on.
00:40:22
Talkin2Todd
What did you bring this week?
00:40:25
Todd
I entitled this Train's Rule because you know we know that, but in in the Tour of Flanders, which is a which is a bicycle race with with very with very famous people in it, there was a bit of a kerfuffle there.
00:40:46
Todd
212 kilometers, I believe, from the end of the day. It was a very long day. I think they toured all of Flanders in one day.
00:40:59
Todd
the Most of the Peloton was coming up to a level crossing. Duane, do you know what a level crossing is?
00:41:07
Talkin2Todd
Uh, this is the railroad tracks.
00:41:09
Todd
Yes, railroad tracks. We call them railroad tracks. In Europe, it's a level crossing, right? So so the the red lights start going on and the bars start going down.
00:41:20
Todd
Most of the peloton was stopped for the train to go past while there were people out in front that didn't get stopped by the train. okay Now, the race organizers then, because that happened, did basically tell the people in front that you've got to slow down and let the peloton get back together again because of the because of the train.
00:41:30
Talkin2Todd
Oh,
00:41:42
Talkin2Todd
Yeah, that's unfair.
00:41:42
Todd
however
00:41:43
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:41:44
Todd
yeah However, 54 riders went through the crossing after the red lights started and the bars were coming down, but before the train got through.
00:42:00
Todd
including Tadej Pogaccia, who won, and Remko Evnapol, who was third in the overall. They, along with the other 52, are now being investigated by Belgian police for committing a traffic offense.
00:42:20
Todd
They all face fines that could range between 320 euros euros and an driving ban So anyway, don't care if you're on damn bike race. Stop at railroad tracks.
00:42:42
Todd
such an offense poseses poses a serious risk to the safety of both the writers and third parties therefore these infringements are severely punished so anyway i don't care if you're on a damn bike race stop at the railroad tracks cause I'm gonna tell you this. If you've seen any of the videos, train versus car, train wins. Train versus semi, train wins.
00:43:04
Todd
Train versus dump truck, train wins. Train versus dude on bike, train wins. Now, the the teams did say, here's the thing. It's really hard. The Peloton's going, could be going around 55 kilometers per hour.
00:43:23
Todd
And so they're all flying through following one another. And then the lights start going. Well, then you have a question. Do you slam on your brakes because you see the red light and then, and then everybody like accordions up behind you.
00:43:32
Talkin2Todd
And lay it down. Yeah.
00:43:37
Todd
And then the whole thing just becomes a pile of bikes. Or do you just say, I can't, it's, I can't stop. i have to go through really for safety. And I'm thinking, I understand what you're saying, but at the same time, if you're a driver saying, i don't know, man, there some traffic behind me. And if I hit my brakes, like they were so I just, you know what? I just dropped it in, i just dropped it in gear and I gunned it. Right? Like
00:44:02
Todd
anyway, this bike race stops for nothing except for the trains. Well, most of us for the trains, not all of us.
00:44:08
Talkin2Todd
Not, not everyone. No.
00:44:10
Todd
I think there's also a lesson to be learned.
00:44:12
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:44:22
Talkin2Todd
It's not, no, no.
00:44:26
Todd
Okay, sorry, deep cut. Anyway, there you go.
00:44:30
Todd
Any travel stories this week?
00:44:33
Talkin2Todd
Not so far.
00:44:34
Todd
Good for you. Good for you.
00:44:36
Talkin2Todd
Uneventful.
00:44:37
Todd
Yes.
00:44:37
Talkin2Todd
Uneventful.
00:44:38
Todd
Okay.
00:44:41
Talkin2Todd
But on the plane on the plane out here this morning, I watched The Running Man 2025 edition.
00:44:49
Todd
Oh, okay. With Glenn Powell.
00:44:52
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:44:53
Todd
And Kamingo, is it, have I seen it?
00:44:53
Talkin2Todd
have you seen Have you seen this one?
00:44:58
Todd
I've seen the trailer.
00:44:59
Talkin2Todd
Okay.
00:44:59
Todd
Does that count?
00:45:01
Talkin2Todd
You've seen some of it.
00:45:03
Todd
That's Coleman Domingo, not Kamingo. Jeez, Todd, come on. Okay, yes.
00:45:08
Talkin2Todd
And Josh Brolin.
00:45:11
Todd
Oh, okay, sure. He's in everything.
00:45:14
Talkin2Todd
He's in, because yes, because he's in everything.
00:45:14
Todd
I don't know if he's, he's he's literally in everything now. i think i think there's a so I think there's a SAG rule or something that he has to be in every movie.
00:45:17
Talkin2Todd
Yes.
00:45:22
Todd
How was it?
00:45:23
Talkin2Todd
I actually, I enjoyed it. i i enjoyed it as much as I liked the Arnold Schwarzenegger version, which I really liked, right?
00:45:31
Todd
Yeah. Yeah, this is different.
00:45:33
Todd
This one's different than that, right?
00:45:35
Talkin2Todd
It is different. Yeah, this is more of a, you know how high school seniors play execution? Are you familiar with this phenomenon?
00:45:46
Todd
no.
00:45:47
Todd
Don't remember that.
00:45:49
Talkin2Todd
Okay, well, it didn't happen when we were around, but it's squirt guns and you have to, you have somebody that you're supposed to find and then you kill them with the squirt gun and then you get whoever they were. It's an elimination kind of game.
00:46:07
Todd
Boy, walking around with a bunch of guns in school. That sounds safe. Sure. Yep. Yep. Cool.
00:46:13
Talkin2Todd
Squirt guns.
00:46:15
Todd
Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter.
00:46:16
Talkin2Todd
I know. so so anyway it's kind of it's that kind of deal where these three people are on the they're let loose in the city and everybody has to try to it's crowdsourcing finding and catching and killing the person who's on the run and if they can stay alive for 30 days then they win a billion dollars okay
00:46:41
Talkin2Todd
one little fun little thing about it. They don't give away dollars. They give away new bucks, new dollars.
00:46:53
Talkin2Todd
new I think it's new bucks. But anyway, the money that they're giving away has a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger on it.
00:46:55
Todd
Okay.
00:47:00
Talkin2Todd
And I thought that was just awesome. It was just a nice little touch. Just, just yeah, it was fantastic. Yep. Very entertaining. And just right at two hours, a tight two hours. So, you know, a lot of the flights out of Des Moines are are in that window. You know, you can't watch anything that's two and a half hours because that's too long. But when you get right on the plane, if you start right when it starts, you can you can get it done on wherever you're flying to.
00:47:28
Talkin2Todd
So, yeah.
00:47:29
Todd
And the inflight and the, and the IFE doesn't have to be rebooted mid flight and all of that other stuff.
00:47:30
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:47:35
Todd
Yeah.
00:47:35
Talkin2Todd
Well, there's that.
00:47:35
Todd
Yeah.
00:47:36
Talkin2Todd
I was on American this time. So I found the the free Wi-Fi on American is actually free and actually works.
00:47:44
Todd
Oh, wow.
00:47:45
Talkin2Todd
Yeah.
00:47:46
Todd
Good for them.
00:47:47
Talkin2Todd
Yeah. how about that? Somebody figured it out.
00:47:48
Todd
Hmm.
00:47:49
Talkin2Todd
They are no longer on a journey and journey to free Wi-Fi.
00:47:53
Todd
No, apparently and they're on a journey to merge with United. and don't know. Anyway, that's,
00:47:58
Talkin2Todd
Anyway, how about you? we would Oh, the other thing the other thing that I've been watching, i watch did you watch John Oliver on Sunday night?
00:48:05
Todd
No, we did not. I don't know why we did.
00:48:08
Talkin2Todd
it was all about It was all about prediction markets and polymarket.
00:48:11
Todd
Oh, have not seen that yet.
00:48:13
Talkin2Todd
Yes. Yeah, you should. Anybody that was really, really frustrated about the soldier betting story that I just covered, don't watch that.
00:48:21
Todd
yeah Don't watch this.
00:48:23
Talkin2Todd
Don't. just
00:48:24
Todd
I haven't seen it, and I'm going to say don't watch that.
00:48:27
Talkin2Todd
Yeah. If you were upset with my three-minute segment, wait for his 25-minute segment, and then you'll just melt down. Okay. How about you? What have you been watching?
00:48:38
Todd
Uh, Hey, and NHL playoffs have started. so two things, one, and NHL playoffs have started and two, Lisa and the dogs are spending the week in the, uh, disclosed, undisclosed location. So, uh, so hockey hockey's been on lot of, lot of hockey, uh, overtime hockey, non-overtime hockey. Uh, I don't usually watch hockey until the playoffs start, although this is early rounds because there's still a lot of fighting, uh, eventually you get to the point where they stop fighting, because it's too important in the early rounds. Uh,
00:49:06
Todd
There's, you know, you got two teams are like, look, we're not making them. We're not making the cup finals. I'm also just beat the crap out of this guy, you know, for fun. Because, you know, that's what we do. So there you
00:49:16
Talkin2Todd
I won't get to for another four months. I've got to get my licks in now.
00:49:18
Todd
Yeah. Get it out of the system. Right. You know, and just the and the the weird thing about hockey is, is after you do that and then once they both teams get get eliminated, the two guys that were fighting might be spending like a week together on the lake trout fishing or something like, hey, no, no, that was professional.
00:49:34
Todd
This is personal. It's completely different.
00:49:40
Talkin2Todd
Did you would you learn anything this week?
00:49:42
Todd
Well, hey, speaking of running, man, so i'm I'm running another half this weekend. I'm going to run the Salt Lake City half. And i was I was looking through a couple of weeks ago.
00:49:54
Todd
We talked about my preparation or not as much preparation that i've that I've done. And so I was like, I'm going to do better for this one.
00:50:00
Talkin2Todd
Yes?
00:50:03
Todd
And and so just looking at my at my logs, i'm I'm still not getting into the into the habit of this, right? In December, total of seven miles. That's not good.
00:50:14
Todd
January, a total of 27 miles, but 13.1 of those is was the actual half marathon. So there were 14 miles of training to get ready for the 13-mile run. Not great.
00:50:29
Todd
February. February, hey, 27 miles. And I ended up not going doing the half marathon that month because I didn't feel well and I felt I was under-trained.
00:50:40
Todd
March, ooh, 32. Again, 13 of that. So now that's like 14, 19 miles of training. So this month, hey, 22 miles of training.
00:50:51
Todd
So slowly, slowly building up. Is it enough? No. Is it more? Yes.
00:51:01
Talkin2Todd
I've got a suggestion.
00:51:02
Todd
Yeah.
00:51:03
Talkin2Todd
How about a robot in a Todd suit?
00:51:07
Todd
I'm not sure if that's disturbing or is that a threat.
00:51:10
Talkin2Todd
It can't be. Nope. No,
00:51:13
Todd
Here's the problem, though. no No way to pull that off. No. Because that thing would go flying past and somebody goes, is that Todd? No, no way.
00:51:21
Talkin2Todd
i can't be nope no it can't be.
00:51:22
Todd
No, that can't possibly be. No, look how fast he's moving.
00:51:24
Talkin2Todd
so You need last year's robots. Last year's robots in a Todd suit. There you go.
00:51:31
Todd
There we go. There we go. Figured it out. OK, awesome. So anyway, what did I learn? Still need to do more training. And we're going to find out how big of a lesson that was in less than 36 hours. So OK, we're going find out.
00:51:46
Todd
How about you? what'd you learn this week?
00:51:49
Talkin2Todd
So, you know, like a month ago, we switched out of Podbean and into Zencaster for our hosting.
00:51:57
Todd
Yes.
00:51:59
Talkin2Todd
And
00:52:02
Talkin2Todd
earn i So I i looked at at our numbers just out of curiosity to see, because I'm like, well, with the switch, are people still able to find us? are we you know i i i haven't heard that people haven't found us, but maybe they've just fallen off or I don't know. Anyway, I was curious to see how how things were how things were going. So I went and I logged In in the last 30 days, Todd,
00:52:30
Todd
Yeah.
00:52:31
Talkin2Todd
We have over 3,000 downloads.
00:52:35
Todd
Well, that's pretty good. Because sometimes that's a year.
00:52:40
Talkin2Todd
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's, yeah, in the last, just in the last 30 days. So what i what I can't figure out is if Podbean was just bad at counting, which is a possibility,
00:52:58
Talkin2Todd
Or if Zincaster is better at counting,
00:53:03
Todd
Or are they worse at counting? They might be bad at counting as well.
00:53:08
Talkin2Todd
they could, but bad bad differently, right?
00:53:11
Todd
The other way. Yes.
00:53:13
Talkin2Todd
Yes. i I don't know. But since we've made that switch, I'm like, I don't know. so then i started So then I started like, okay, so how do you figure out, is there an independent source that can look and figure out, you know,
00:53:36
Talkin2Todd
whether, what you know, what do downloads mean or and or, you know, some kind of independent arbiter, right?
00:53:43
Todd
Please tell me we don't now own a subscription to Nielsen.
00:53:48
Talkin2Todd
we We do not. So i I Googled podcast stats.
00:53:49
Todd
Okay. Okay.
00:53:53
Talkin2Todd
And like the third thing that came up was a site called Listen Notes, which is an online aggregator and ranking system for podcasts and podcast episodes.
00:54:05
Todd
Okay.
00:54:06
Talkin2Todd
So I looked up Talking to Todd.
00:54:08
Talkin2Todd
And they gave us a listen score of 24.
00:54:14
Todd
Woo-hoo! Yes! Rocking it. Is that good or bad?
00:54:19
Talkin2Todd
I, okay, so then I clicked a little.
00:54:22
Todd
what What scale is it on and is 24 at the bottom or the top of the scale?
00:54:29
Talkin2Todd
on the we on a scale from zero to
00:54:34
Talkin2Todd
and the higher number would be more popular. Okay.
00:54:39
Todd
Yeah.
00:54:40
Talkin2Todd
hey So the Listen score is a metric that shows the estimated popularity of this podcast compared to other RSS-based public podcasts in the world.
00:54:51
Todd
Okay.
00:54:53
Talkin2Todd
So they gave us a 24. Like, i I don't know. i don't know what. Okay. So out of curiosity. Okay. So now I'm going to let's look at,
00:55:05
Talkin2Todd
Let's look at the Joe Rogan experience.
00:55:07
Todd
Everybody can hear that you're working hard on the keyboard there.
00:55:11
Talkin2Todd
Or at the very least, you can.
00:55:13
Todd
Yes.
00:55:14
Talkin2Todd
Joe Rogan has a listen score of 96.
00:55:18
Todd
Okay, so we're just behind. Okay.
00:55:20
Talkin2Todd
We're just a little behind.
00:55:20
Todd
Yeah.
00:55:21
Talkin2Todd
His global his global rank is in the top 0.01% of all podcasts.
00:55:21
Todd
So here's the thing.
00:55:30
Todd
Okay. all All right. That makes sense. Yeah.
00:55:34
Talkin2Todd
Another podcast that I listen to regularly is Pop Culture Happy Hour, right?
00:55:41
Todd
From NPR.
00:55:41
Talkin2Todd
NPR from NPR.
00:55:41
Todd
Okay.
00:55:43
Talkin2Todd
Their listen score is a 74. Also in the global rank, top 0.01%. Todd, give one of yours.
00:55:51
Todd
Okay.
00:55:52
Talkin2Todd
todd todd give me one of yours
00:55:56
Todd
Accidental tech podcast.
00:55:59
Talkin2Todd
Accidental Tech Podcast, Marco Arment, blah, blah, blah. Listen score, 64. sixty four Global rank, top 0.05% of all podcasts.
00:56:11
Todd
Okay. 24.
00:56:13
Talkin2Todd
And our score was, again, 24.
00:56:16
Todd
twenty four
00:56:17
Talkin2Todd
twenty four
00:56:19
Todd
Here's the thing. I'm go just go say this. Normally, 24 out of 100, would be like, man, that sucks. I'm going to okay with that. I'm i'm frankly, that's that's a i'm I'm pretty okay with that.
00:56:32
Todd
Yeah, sure.
00:56:35
Talkin2Todd
Our global rank, Todd, top 10%.
00:56:37
Todd
Yes.
00:56:41
Talkin2Todd
And
00:56:42
Todd
Is listen notes being run off of chat GPT?
00:56:48
Talkin2Todd
and I'm like, seriously?
00:56:50
Todd
that can't be That can't be right.
00:56:55
Talkin2Todd
This podcast is one of the top 10% most popular shows out of 3,762,599 podcasts globally ranked ListenScore. don't know what
00:57:07
Talkin2Todd
podcasts globally ranked by listen score
00:57:13
Todd
And we're in the top 10%.
00:57:15
Talkin2Todd
but i don't know what it means
00:57:20
Talkin2Todd
imagine Imagine where our numbers would be if we had left Podbean five years ago and just been, i don't know. Anyway, i don't know what any of these numbers mean, but they just, they blew me away. I'm like, seriously? headed to i don't i don't know.
00:57:37
Todd
Can you imagine what our global ranking would be if we had left in the G and the space?
00:57:56
Talkin2Todd
The music is Happy Boy by Kevin MacLeod. You can subscribe to our award-winning and top-rated podcast.
00:58:05
Todd
Thank you.
00:58:06
Talkin2Todd
with visiting scholar Todd Prenz, wherever you get your pods, just search talking and the number two, there is no G and there is no space. You can stop by and see us at the Tuba city home office. Please don't do that. Thanks to our listeners, our sponsors and our contributors. We appreciate you. And you can send us your feedback on this episode or any episode to feedback at talking to Todd.com Todd. dot com
00:58:31
Todd
Two things. Number one, just doing some math in my head. I don't understand how we can be on the 24th percentile for listenership in the U.S., but then you move to the world and we skyrocket up to the top 10%. I don't think that works. You know what? We must be big in Luxembourg.
00:58:50
Todd
That's the only thing that I can assume. Second thing, thinking about a couple of our stories here, I'm goingnna i'm trying to be a problem solver. dallas Dallas Center, you need a mayor.
00:59:00
Todd
Tim Cook is going to have some time on his hands. So how about we, you know, can somebody make a call? maybe Maybe Tim can just kind of come into Dallas Center and kind of fix some things up. Let's see if he can last longer than three and a half months.
00:59:14
Todd
and don't know I don't know about this new mayor. Hey, everybody's getting AirPods. The good ones? No, no, no, the cheap ones.
00:59:22
Talkin2Todd
No, no, no. and
00:59:26
Todd
I like the other guy better.
00:59:30
Talkin2Todd
The new one, no, the bald one.
00:59:31
Todd
Yeah, yeah, the bald one. Yeah, he's good. Miss him.
00:59:38
Talkin2Todd
Oh, Lord. I'm sure we're going to have something to clean up next week. Until then, we'll be back. We are here. We're talking to Todd.
01:00:19
Talkin2Todd
So every time I do this at a hotel, I sit down at the desk, I set up the computer and I'm talking into the wall, right?
01:00:26
Todd
Yes. Yep.
01:00:28
Talkin2Todd
Which in most times, including tonight, there's a hotel room on the other side of the wall. And I just have to wonder if somebody over there is listening and what they think when they're only hearing one side of the conversation.
01:00:46
Todd
Trust me, of all the things you can hear in the in a hotel, half the so half the half of our podcast is the thing you want to hear the most coming through the wall.
01:00:57
Talkin2Todd
I
01:01:01
Talkin2Todd
think that's fair.