The Free Bin

Harrison leads Cindy through the weird and wild journey of a cancelled early-'90s "Hellraiser" video game. We have such sights to show you!   In this episode: "Bible Adventures" (video game, 1991) by Wisdom Tree "Doom" (PC game, 1993) by id Software "Golly! Ghost!" (arcade game, 1990) by Namco "The Hellbound Heart" (book, 1986) by Clive Barker  "Hellraiser" (film, 1987) dir. by Clive Barker "Super...

In observance of Independence Day, Harrison reads an appeal delivered to Parliament by William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham , in 1775. Happy Fourth, everybody!

Cindy leads Harrison on a deep dive into the romance genre and its many, many subgenres! Dukes and Skarsgårds abound. A cowboy demonstrates nominative determinism. A fortune-telling session takes an uncomfortable turn.

Harrison shares some updates and reads "The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage" and "Fundevogel"--two German folktales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and published in 1812 .

Harrison, Cindy and superstar volunteer Olga delve into the concept of " hauntology " and how it applies to culture, society, and music. In this episode: "Etched Headplate" by Burial "Everywhere at the End of Time" by The Caretaker "На Дне" by Molchat Doma "Redline" by Lazerhawk "Хочу перемен" by Kino    

Harrison and Cindy begin a two-episode trek into the Backrooms , and the concepts, history, and artistic movements that dwell within their endless corridors. In this episode: Backrooms (film, 2026) (IMdB) Kane Pixels (YouTube) r/LiminalSpace (subreddit)

Cindy and Harrison observe Memorial Day. Harrison introduces some new whale science. Vowels merge. Formants emerge from phonic lips. Pinchy abides.   In this episode: Beguš , et al. (2026). The phonology of sperm whale coda vowels. Proc Biol Sci, 293 (2069). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.2994 Dominica Sperm Whale Project Fleet of Flowers Sperm whale sounds (from Voices in the Sea)

Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual assault, violence, death, and war. This week, Cindy and Harrison discuss the rather harrowing books they've recently finished. Yes, you read that correctly: Harrison actually finished a book!   In this episode:  " Big Old Boats " (YouTube channel) " Brick Immortar " (YouTube channel) "The Gales of November" (book, 2025) by John U. Bacon "The Quiet Lib...

Harrison reads Richard Le Gallienne 's poem "May is Building Her House," from the " The Lonely Dancer and Other Poems " (1913).

Cindy and Harrison are joined by youth correspondent Anara to discuss the local weather and her favorite books!   In this episode: "Key Lime Pie Murder" (book) by Joanne Fluke "Lemon Meringue Pie Murder" by Joanne Fluke "The School For Whatnots" (book) by Margaret Peterson Haddix  

The gang shares bittersweet news and celebrates Autism Acceptance Month ! 

In light of the recent release of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ," Sophia and Harrison celebrate and discuss the Super Mario franchise. Speculation, nostalgia, and digressions abound! Jumpman learns to jump and changes his name. Universes collide. A bandicoot gathers fruit. Cranky Kong loses his wife. Gorbachev makes a pizza.

Harrison reads " The Tale of Peter Rabbit " by Beatrix Potter .

The gang shares some random facts! Abe Lincoln makes a Mai Tai. A fish waits in a Slovakian bathtub. Jason waits at the bottom of a lake. The sun explodes. A bloody text message arrives in Sweden. A banana glows. Napoleon is routed. A switch on an amplifier ignites controversy. In this episode: Tiessen A. (2018). The fluorescent blue glow of banana fruits is not due to symplasmic plastidial catabo...

Cindy and Harrison flip the script from last week, with Cindy bringing a history lesson for Women's History Month , and Harrison celebrating World Frog Day .   In this episode: "City of Lies" (book, 2017) by Victoria Thompson " Frogatto & Friends " (computer game, 2010-) by Frogatto dev team "Frogger" (video game, 1981) by Konami Froglord (band, 2013-) "Frogman" (film, 2023) dir. by Anthony Cousin...

Cindy and Harrison talk birds and movies! At the behest of her recent online search suggestions, Cindy provides a new batch of Bird Facts concerning our friend, the common crow. Harrison celebrates Women's History Month by discussing the life and work of pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy . Somebody pick up the baby! In this episode: La Fée aux Choux (1896) A Fool and His Money (1912) Les Résultats du...

The gang finds joy! Sophia shares some exciting library updates. A leg returns to its owner . Cindy investigates regional foods in the United States. Harrison gets funked up , Cindy gets down , and Sophia gives a nod to a legendary performance . 

The gang shares some of their favorite birds! Eagles and herons eat well. Pigeons carry urgent news. A giant parrot does its best. In this episode: Bald Eagle Scream (Alaska Raptor Center, YouTube) Lionel the kākāpō booming and chinging (Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand)

The gang introduces a fortuitous confluence of annual religious observances! Library super-volunteer Omar (who also happens to be Sophia's husband) phones in to discuss Ramadan. Sophia shares some Lunar New Year traditions, and goes for a world-record any% speedrun of Catholicism. Harrison discusses the Vatican Observatory, and Cindy explores the Chinese Zodiac.  Blessed Lent! Ramadan Mubarak! Hap...

With Sophia snowed in, the gang assembles via videotelephony to celebrate Black History Month! Harrison tells the tale of legendary lawman  Bass Reeves . Sophia shares the story of groundbreaking librarian Dorothy Porter Wesley , who built Howard University's world-renowned Moorland-Spingarn Research Center into the institution it is today. Cindy discusses the lives and careers of the Nicholas Bro...

Content warning: This episode contains potential spoilers for "Bridgerton" and "The Pitt," as well as discussions of medical distress and child death. The gang shares updates on their recent pop-culture fixations! Cindy's workin' on a mystery (goin' wherever it leads). Harrison forgives the Las Vegas Hilton and celebrates a music legend's milestone of self-discovery. Sophia catches up on Regency r...

Per listener request, the gang talks about the weather! Harrison shares a brief history of almanacs and... something else. Sophia introduces us to the historic lighthouses of Oregon. Cindy shares some movies for a catastrophically rainy day. In this episode: "The Day After Tomorrow" (film, 2004) dir. Roland Emmerich Oregon Lighthouses "See Lantern Return to Historic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse On Orego...

The gang explores the history and variety of dialects in the United States! Cindy brings the research. Harrison abandons the letter G and Sophia adopts it.  Dingbatters descend upon Ocracoke .

Cindy leads the gang in a discussion of official tie-in media and adaptations, with a lengthy sidequest into the world of fanfiction! ET cripples an industry (allegedly). Sauron and Gandalf become romantically entagled in space (unofficially). A grape soda affects digestion (prebiotically).  

Sophia and Harrison discuss lost media and the Mandela Effect . An army of penguins gathers. Sammy Hagar craves behavioral enrichment. Hank Williams creates further Hank Williamses. Flying monkeys receive no compliments, while an earthbound monkey receives no tail. Also, Harrison experiences the Mandela Effect in real time! In this episode: "The Babadook" (film, 2014) dir. by Jennifer Kent "The Be...