Keith Conrad

News Sidequest

News EN ↓ 124 episodes

A collection of stories you might have missed while everyone was focused on the Red Team vs. Blue Team fight newssidequest.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

Keith Conrad

Episodes

Facebook wants you to keep posting after you're dead / Get ready for AI therapists / You really can bet on everything 12.02.2026 6:08

Meta’s plan to let AI “digital stand-ins” keep posting after you die — because apparently logging off forever is no longer an option. Then we look at the growing number of Americans turning to AI for emotional therapy and what that means for real human connection. Plus, the usual strange headlines Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast....

American optimism hits a new low / What should people know how to do when they leave high school? / Don't use ChatGPT as a doctor 11.02.2026 5:42

American optimism has hit a record low, according to a new Gallup poll—but what does that actually feel like in everyday life? Plus, a high school in Taiwan that’s making students climb a wall to graduate, sparking a bigger conversation about the life skills school never taught us. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Paying people to navigate the hellish job market / Get ready for "Polyworking" / Gen Z doesn't know how to meet people 10.02.2026 6:28

Today on News Sidequest, we look at why job seekers are paying recruiters just to get hired, how “polyworking” is becoming a survival strategy, and what it all says about the modern economy—plus the usual strange, funny, and slightly alarming headlines along the way. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

Gird your loins for the affordability crisis / The national debt is less than ideal / Age really does beat beauty 09.02.2026 6:33

Today on News Sidequest, we look at why nearly all Americans feel stuck in a cost-of-living crisis, what soaring national debt says about where we are right now, and the strange headlines people are using to cope with it all. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we undergoing a process of generational dumbening? / Can money buy happiness? / Attack of the baseball player chatbots 06.02.2026 6:11

Today on News Sidequest, we look at claims of an intergenerational drop in intelligence, Elon Musk’s comments on money and happiness, and the strange mix of headlines that rounded out the week. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a giant freaking red flag for the economy waving around right now / No one wants to be alone on Valentine's Day / Attack of the brain-eating amoebas 05.02.2026 5:10

Today on News Sidequest, we look at renters turning to “rent now, pay later” services, the annual February rush back to dating apps, and the quieter anxieties hiding inside today’s headlines. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blame your dad for your bad health / Should we ban kids from using social media? / You might be ruining your sleep 04.02.2026 5:31

Today on News Sidequest, we look at a surprising study linking fathers’ interactions to children’s long-term health, the growing push to ban social media for kids, and the quieter questions hiding inside today’s headlines. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is AI Making Us Lonely or Are We Using AI Because We're Lonely? / How Much Control Does Your Employer Have Over Your Daily Life? / Enough with the Remakes 03.02.2026 5:34

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about losing years of work with one wrong click, finding meaning in failure, and a collection of headlines meant to give you a short break from the heavier news. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you lock yourself away for a whole year? / You're not going to live forever / It might be a good idea to take your passport everywhere 02.02.2026 6:18

Today on News Sidequest, we take a break from the heavier news to talk about how Americans are actually using AI at work, the airport behaviors that drive travelers insane, and a collection of stories that earned a well-timed eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life expectancy hits a new high / Get ready for robot teachers / Astronomers might have found a new neighbor 30.01.2026 5:26

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about rising life expectancy in the U.S., whether AI should really be teaching kids, and a collection of headlines that close out the week with a well-earned eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Men are feigning interest in things to get dates... shocking / How about getting rid of property taxes? / They have prediction markets for everything 29.01.2026 6:00

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about “attraction hobbies,” the push to eliminate property taxes, and a collection of headlines that made today’s news quietly absurd. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What antiquated technology should we bring back? / Embarrassing childhood memories / Slightly closer to doomsday 28.01.2026 5:50

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about stepping back from modern tech, childhood mistakes we somehow survived, and a collection of headlines meant to give you a brief break from the heavier news. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's your exhibit in the Museum of Personal Failure? / Getting paid to make friends / Would you want to live to be 150? 27.01.2026 5:38

How are you using AI at work? / The airport behavior that makes everybody mad / How to be kind at work 26.01.2026 6:24

Is your cell phone killing you? (Probably not) / Remember that you're always on camera / Watch out for exploding trees 23.01.2026 6:01

Today on News Sidequest, we look at a new study on cellphone radiation, an Amazon driver caught stealing a cat on camera, and a collection of headlines that earned a well-deserved eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should there be an age limit for politicians? / How much of your life do you lose to your commute? / PETA tries to ruin Groundhog Day 22.01.2026 6:08

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about a proposed age limit for elected officials, the time and money lost to traffic, and a collection of headlines that earned a well-deserved eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Education doesn't make you immune to conspiracy theories / How much money is 23 years of your life worth? / Get ready for the era of cheap weddings 21.01.2026 6:31

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about compensation after wrongful imprisonment, why education doesn’t stop conspiracy thinking, and a collection of headlines that earned a well-deserved eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Short attention span theater / Learn the age your body starts falling apart / Cows have learned how to use tools 20.01.2026 5:34

On today’s News Sidequest: Netflix movies built for phone distraction, aging and fitness reality checks, and the strange confidence behind today’s headlines. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's your mundane bucket list item? / Letter writing is making a comeback / Aliens might have an impact on your back account 19.01.2026 6:12

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about a terminally ill fan getting early access to GTA 6, the quiet revival of letter writing, and a collection of headlines that deserved at least one good eye roll. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gemini AI is going to remember everything you do / Horses can smell your fear / Some scientists haven't seen Jurassic Park and it shows 16.01.2026 6:25

Today’s News Sidequest covers AI memory, horses sensing fear, and the stories that made today’s news hard to take seriously. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Americans are unplugging / Is it a good idea to ban cell phones in schools? / You need to get up and do some jumping jacks right now 15.01.2026 7:27

On today’s News Sidequest, we talk about young Americans unplugging from their phones, the push to ban cell phones in classrooms, and a mix of headlines that earned a well-deserved eye roll — from dog poop DNA tests to late-night pizza requests. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest.substack.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flying in space really messes with your brain / You can book a hotel stay on the Moon / Let's ban politicians from lying 14.01.2026 6:21

Today on News Sidequest, we look at what space travel actually does to the human brain, why people are already putting down deposits for a hotel on the Moon, and a handful of headlines that deserve a skeptical eye roll. Plus: cancer survival milestones, productivity myths, Bigfoot sightings, White Castle romance, and a very futuristic ketchup box. Get full access to News Sidequest at newssidequest...

What helps you get through the workday slog? / Would you rather have a better job title or more money? / App does a wellness check on remote workers 13.01.2026 6:37

Today on News Sidequest, we talk about workday survival rituals, why some people would rather have a fancy job title than more money, and the small choices that help us get through the day. Plus, monkeys on the loose, an OnlyFans side hustle controversy, AI stress, cruise ship illness, and other stories that made the news feel slightly more ridiculous than usual. Get full access to News Sidequest...

What do you refuse to spend money on? / Learning about your spouse before you get married / Sending a Rubik's cube to space 12.01.2026 6:55

On today’s News Sidequest, we explore the things people refuse to spend money on, how someone apparently made it to marriage without noticing their spouse was bald, and the small revelations that come after the wedding. Along the way: aliens and Rubik’s Cubes, a $15 million Superman comic, traumatized AI chatbots, outhouse-level hotel service, and a stadium urinal you can now call your own. Get fu...