We Have Concerns

A writer for Wired clicked 'like' on every single article, update, or advertisement that Facebook presented to him over the course of two days, and described what it did to his feed. It turns out, the algorithm can go pretty wild if you're willing to follow it down the rabbit hole of thumbs up.  This leads Anthony to rail against social media and socializing in general, and Jeff to wonder what it...

The "impossible" propulsion drive, which uses microwaves and invisible matter to theoretically power space travel - and which seems to violate the laws of physics, has actually been validated by NASA.  This causes Jeff to go bananas, dreaming of a fantasy sci-fi future in his own lifetime and... wait for it... HOVERBOARDS.  Anthony is not having any of it.   Hey! If you're enjoying the s...

Humans controlling waterways by building dams has caused major problems for salmon, who must return to fresh water to breed. But a new company - Whooshh Innovations (not making that up) - has developed a better way to help salmon get upstream: a giant salmon cannon.  Anthony thinks this is the perfect Rube Goldberg solution to the problem, while Jeff worries about a country that solves every probl...

Researchers have determined that individual ant colonies have their own distinct personalities, and that these personalities are shaped by their environments.  This leads Jeff and Anthony to wonder if all animals have personality, and if humans might have personalities that are shaped by their environments, too.  Also, only eat animals that are dicks. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take...

Fossils discovered in the Antarctic reveal a penguin that reached the approximate size of Lebron James, 6'8 and 250 pounds.  That's a big penguin.  Jeff and Anthony try to figure out exactly how they would defeat such a creature in an ice-fight at the top of the food chain. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's the iT...

A woman on Reddit discovered that her husband had been leaving vile comments on web sites, so she kicked him out of the house.  Anthony and Jeff celebrate this principled woman, discuss the nature of internet trolls, and examine what constitutes an online dealbreaker. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's the iTunes l...

A new web service will provide baby name suggestions only for combinations that are still available as unregistered .coms, helping parents ensure their child will not have to grow up with a messy, misspelled or complex digital profile.  Do Anthony and Jeff think this is a good way to select names?  Should people start protecting their children's brand from birth?  Is there any way to stop the use...

Anthony read an article that argues in favor to short attention spans, and tries to convince Jeff that multitasking is the next step of evolution for humans. To prove his point, he does the entire episode while watching The Croods. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns Jef...

A simulated Mars mission on Hawaii comes to an end, prompting Jeff and Anthony to wonder whether they'd go to Mars, what it's like to knowingly go somewhere strange to die, and if these fakers even got a decent Mars experience. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's the iTunes link:  http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns Jeff o...

You think Facebook doing experiments on their users is creepy?  Wait until you hear how OK Cupid has been messing with people trying to find love. Anthony and Jeff discuss whether sociological study is worth invasion of privacy. Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's the iTunes link: http://bit.ly/wehaveconcerns   Jeff...

Anthony and Jeff are both on board for self-driving cars.  But a new article that poses a thought experiment about what might happen if an autonomous automobile had to make a decision to sacrifice the few to save the many has them re-ordering the entire social hierarchy of drivers.  Which, of course, breaks down to clowns vs mimes.   Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/r...

Jeff and Anthony take a look at an article which suggests the more we consume, the less we create.  Would keeping track of all the time spent screwing around on the Internet change your behavior?  Do you need to absorb media to to be creative, or does bombarding yourself with stimuli reduce your productivity? Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it wherever you gra...

Trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) - the process of directly electrocuting parts of the brain to accelerate learning - causes Anthony and Jeff to debate the possibility of the human soul.  If we are just a series of electrical impulses, does it even matter if we can all be Super Men? Also how badass would it be to have rocketfeet? Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment...

US Customs and Border Security confiscated 67 of the world's largest snails at Los Angeles International airport, on their way from Nigeria to San Dimas, California. Which, of course, leads Anthony and Jeff to ponder the horrors of 8 inch long snails, and what in the world someone might want with 35 pounds of them.    Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on what...

Anthony and Jeff found an infographic charting the daily routines of some of the world's most famous creative people. Does it reveal anything about the creative process? Is there a way to be productive and only sleep 3 hours a night?  Is it better to be shaved by someone else?   Hey! If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you use to listen. Here's t...

Some jackass leaked a version of Brittany Spears' vocals for 'Alien' without auto-tune and the Internet went wild. Jeff and Anthony wonder if the outrage is more tone-deaf than the track.    Article:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/08/britney-spears-alien-without-auto-tune_n_5567640.html   Do you have something you want to hear us talk about? Send it here: http://wehaveconcerns.com/ask   If...

A new study proves we rarely finish the books we start. Our Netflix queues are full of deep, intelligent films that we never watch- why is it so hard to stick to what's good for us? The Bestsellers on Amazon that go unread: http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-summers-most-unread-book-is-1404417569   Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.c...

A chain of cupcake stores went out of business and the Internet is FREAKING OUT, MAN. An enterprising eBay user is selling the 'last cupcake' for $250. Jeff and Anthony try to figure out why we cling to the past so much. Special bonus mentions: Potato salad kickstarters and self-administering electric shocks rather than being alone with your own thoughts. Crumbs Cupcakes on eBay: http://ti.me/U5Om...

The construction of the world’s largest water slide gets Jeff and Anthony thinking about daredevil mentality, the line between brave and stupid, and the secret wish to be an alpha male. The story: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-trb-verruckt-worlds-tallest-water-slide-20140702-story.html Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.c...

Jeff and Anthony talk about Android Wear and wearable technology in general. Anthony is concerned he’s turning into one of those cranky old dads who never gets rid of his VCR because it ‘works perfectly fine.’ Jeff worries about his hummingbird feeder. The third of a few test sessions we recorded while developing the show. Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access a...

Jeff read an article about the Fermi Paradox and now he’s bugging out about the end of the world. (Don’t tell him he’s bugging out, though, he’s in denial) Luckily Anthony Carboni, Science Lawyer, is there to cool his jets. The second of a few test sessions we recorded while developing the show.  The article: http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-paradox.html Support the show and get bonus episodes,...