(This episode was recorded sneaking around on a cruise ship.) Mules are carrying mail in Arizona, and University of Minnesota crown their new Head Lettuce How the most remote community in America gets its mail (Sarah Yager, The Atlantic) UMN students gather for annual lettuce-eating competition (Ahmed Hassan, The Minnesota Daily) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Inspiring stories today, whether you're a nontraditional student... or a monkey. Plus, a realization about ChatGPT queries. Vietnam veteran, 79, graduates from college to keep ‘mind and body updated’ (Chris Williams, FOX 13) A baboon worked for a South African railroad company in the 1880s. Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

An intense summer is coming to Tokyo, and the government is helping people stay cool. Also staying cool: Kermit in his speaker era and a gathering of 3,000 Smurfs. Kermit the Frog to Deliver 2025 Commencement Address (Maryland Today, University of Maryland) Tokyo to waive water fees this summer to combat extreme heat (James Chater, BBC News) Photos: 3,000 ‘Smurfs’ — French town breaks world record (Al Jazeera) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Hey frequent flyers -- keep your portable chargers in view! Southwest has new rules, and other airlines are sure to follow. Plus, a Pokémon exhibit you'll love, no bones about it. Southwest Airlines tells passengers to keep chargers in plain sight as it tries to curtail lithium battery fires (Josh Funk, Fortune, AP) Japan’s Kansai Airport World record — No Luggage Lost in 30 Years (Alex Ledsom, Forbes) Pokémon Fossil Museum to Debut in North America at Chicago’s Field Museum (official) Field Museum Pokémon Exhibit (official) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

When I say "let's go to the club," it better be a book club. A group in Austin is tackling Finnegan's Wake, one page at a time. Also in the Soup: a seriously romantic proposal! This Austin book club has been reading the same book for 12 years. They’re not even close to done. (Sean Saldana, Texas Standard) This book club finally finished 'Finnegans Wake.' It only took them 28 years by Anna Scott (Anna Scott, NPR - All Things Considered) Move over, book clubs! The PodClub is the new way to connect, tell stories and find friends (Nicole McKenzie, The Guardian) Silence please: how book clubs without the chat help focus the mind (Stephanie Convery, The Guardian) Japanese man travels 4,000 miles to spell ‘marry me’ on Google Earth by Loukia Papadopoulos (Louika Papadopoulos, Interesting Engineering) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

George Clooney will be streaming his Broadway show LIVE on CNN on June 7th! Make sure you mark your calendars. And Florida... get ready for our favorite smelly seaweed, sargassum... George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck to Be Telecast Live on CNN (Diep Tran, Playbill) Brace for the seaweed invasion, Florida. It could be biggest ever (Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Expressing yourself on social media can be a minefield, especially if you don't trust strangers. We chat being nice in public spaces, plus an innovative way to get out of Beijing traffic (if you trust strangers). Futuristic! You Can Hire Someone To Rescue You From Traffic Jam in Beijing? Here’s How (News24 Online) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

This episode was recorded in a bunk bed. I'm recording from sea this week -- join me on my adventure! Plus, a great tip for a first-time cruiser. Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me

Dam, you make the earth stand still. Also: it's definitely time to wash your linens. NASA says this enormous construction in China is slowing down Earth (The Economic Times) Americans’ Beds Are Filthy by Ashley Fike (Vice) This Is How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets, According to MDs by Rachel Sylvester and Leslie Corona (Real Simple) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

What do NHL players and Broadway actors have in common? Pregame (show) routines. And a fantastic idea to keep you company if you're waiting for the bus alone! NHL players are all about pregame routine, whether it’s naps, walking the dog or eating same meal by Pat Graham (AP) Kings serenaded by another national anthem by harmonica chorus from Koreatown senior citizen center (AP) Eletromidia’s ‘Guarded Bus Stop’ Concept Proves It Has Legs by Angela Natividiad (Muse by Clios) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Get ready to second guess every emoji and tapback you send! Plus, an incredible offer for a Minor League Baseball team. Who will get the makeover? Canadian judge rules thumbs-up emoji can represent contract agreement by Leyland Cecco (The Guardian) John Oliver wants to rename a Minor League Baseball team by Benjamin Hill (MLB.com) RiverDogs honor internet naysayer Helen McGuckin with Helen McGuckin Night by Benjamin Hill (MLB.com) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Booking a flight to NYC soon? Recent problems at Newark airport (EWR) are highlighting bigger issues. Plus, Jon Bon Jovi tries to do something good to heal the community, and ends up in controversy. I guess you could call it... Bad Medicine? Newark Liberty Airport suffers third system outage in less than 2 weeks, impacting hundreds of flights by Naveen Dhaliwal (CBS News) Major storm system could bring two months’ worth of rain to parts of US by Christopher Cann (USA Today) ‘A Real Shame’: Backlash Erupts Over Bon Jovi’s Charitable Move, Sparking Tension with Disgraced New Jersey Mayor by Angelina Velasquez (Atlanta Black Star) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

A NYC restaurant features rotating guest grandmother chefs. No word on whether you have to clean your plate to have dessert. And a little mourning for the lost innocence of the McDonald's playplace... This NYC Restaurant’s Food is Cooked With Love by Grandmas From Around the World by Rachel Chang (Travel + Leisure) Mom speaks out after 8-year-old son orders 70K Dum-Dums on Amazon by Shafiq Najib (ABC News)amaz Want a Happy Meal? Ring the doorbell: Fairfax Co. McDonald’s now has 21+ policy for indoor dining by Dominique Moody (NBC Washington) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

Costco is looking better and better. Now, you only have to make one trip for your recliner, produce, and gold bars. And some of my pro travel tips right before I head out to Nova Scotia! Costco’s Gold Bars Remain a Hot Commodity by Brenden Rearick (Money) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…

DO NOT ATTEMPT what Tim Friede has accomplished: making himself immune to snake venom. Plus, a home for seniors (and seniors). Scientists research the blood of a Wisconsin man bitten by snakes hundreds of times (AP) How to Survive a Snakebite in the Wilderness (Asclepius Snakebite Foundation) Dutch nursing home offers rent-free housing to students (PBS News) College Students are Living Rent-Free in a Cleveland Retirement Home by Heather Hansman (Smithsonian Magazine) Judson Senior Living Student Residents (official page) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton.me…