The Morning Stream

Russian misinformation bots mysteriously go silent, while a Denver weekend brings wine smuggling, Casa Bonita, and Dungeons & Dragons. The discussion veers into birds hidden under clothing, a delivery worker drinking urine, and a couch transported on electric scooters. Plus, anti-loitering sprinklers, trivia battles, questionable movie opinions, and an experiment in bot-free social media.

A forced roof replacement sparks a rant about insurance rules, while banana pudding Oreos face a serious taste test. The conversation takes a sharper turn with surveillance cameras and an unusual protest against their CEO. Wendi explores anxiety, food noise, intrusive thoughts, and the inner critic, followed by listener feedback, toilet hardware, Star Wars games, and plenty of surreal comedy.

Tom Merritt, technology journalist and Daily Tech News Show creator, explains toll transponders and previews a cybersecurity series on phishing, scams, and AI threats. Musician and gaming podcaster Brian Dunaway joins a chaotic clothing showdown and previews Eternal Darkness on Play Retro. Along the way: vaccine timing, bar Jeopardy strategy, windshield frit bands, bizarre farm methods, and increasingly ridiculous gaming jargon.

Amy Robinson, a Frogpants writer and co-host of Lost Luggage, joins a lively chat about Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Service Model, robotic identity, capitalism, and Spiderlight’s D&D-like charm. They also tackle Promising Young Woman, toxic groups, Nigella Lawson’s enormous bites, British pronunciations, celebrity catchphrases, violent Batman surprises, aggressive elk, and the strange world of Wonka competitions.

Cold symptoms, delayed vaccinations, and a failing smartwatch spark lively debate about surveillance, vintage tech, and robots meeting fiery ends. A rapid-fire trivia battle covers everything from frog brains to ski resorts. Streaming picks include a psychological crime thriller, nostalgic nature documentaries, and a noir mystery. Plus, pizza beans, protein-packed crust, charity woodworking, and plenty of chaotic comedy.

October kicks off with trivia triumphs, a possible Jeopardy audition, and a bizarre crustless pizza review. The crew plans a bigger TMS Vegas, questions a child-influencer merch scheme, and explores GLP-1 medications, food cravings, anxiety, and muscle loss. They also debate AI, happiness, movie disappointments, data privacy, and taming recommendation feeds.

Bill Doran, a prop maker and cosplay artist from Punished Props, joins the conversation. Topics include Dragon Con costumes, Slay the Spire creations, and efficient rotocasting techniques for making resin heads. They also explore an autonomous RC car experiment, fish-sauce windshield fluid, drive-through generosity, and the enduring mystery of boneless hot dogs.

Stephen Schleicher, a comic-book and pop-culture journalist linked to Major Spoilers, joins for a lively tour through fandom. They debate HBO’s Lanterns, celebrate DC’s Absolute line, and recommend Batman: Caped Crusader. Star Wars, William Shatner’s possible return as Kirk, a surprising Nirvana film, and clever documentary picks round out the conversation.

Malaria, mosquitoes, and a bizarre airport mystery lead the conversation, alongside debates over billionaire baby factories and Captain America’s costume evolution. There’s also a Markdown organization dilemma, a pepper-spray theater incident, celebrity tributes, and plans for a Denver meetup. Wendi explores family estrangement, conflict styles, boundaries, and the challenge of silencing harsh inner critics.

Tom Merritt, technology podcaster and broadcaster behind Daily Tech News Show, joins a lively mix of cartoon pronunciation debates, listener art, color-themed bands, retro gaming, and unexpected Roku mysteries. The conversation explores why Apple and Samsung share suppliers, displays, and infrastructure, plus the relaunch of Merritt’s website. Along the way: Mario’s odd anatomy, Cobra, and plenty of chaotic humor.