The Unsung King of Discogs: Why a Mastering Engineer is More Collected Than The Beatles

On Discogs, the world's biggest music database, the most collected person isn't a rock star. It's mastering engineer Bob Ludwig, whose iconic "RL" signature on vinyl records like Led Zeppelin II is a holy grail for audiophiles and collectors seeking the ultimate sound quality.

Music Biography & Personal Stories Art, Culture & Design

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: The Self-Taught Nun Who Challenged an Empire for Her Right to Think

Meet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, and scholar known as 'The Tenth Muse.' A self-taught genius in a man's world, she built a massive library and fiercely defended a woman's right to an intellectual life, leaving a legacy that still inspires today.

Biography & Personal Stories History Literature & Books

The Glitch That Trapped Mazda Drivers in an NPR Twilight Zone

A bizarre software bug in 2014-2017 Mazda infotainment systems caused them to permanently freeze when a local radio station, KUOW, broadcast a logo image without a file extension. The glitch bricked the units, trapping drivers on one station and requiring a $1500 hardware replacement.

Technology & Innovation Entertainment & Media Business & Economics

Cringe & Customer Service: The Story of GameStop's Infamous 'How to Talk to Women' Training Video

In the early 2000s, GameStop created a now-infamous training video to teach its male staff basic customer service skills for interacting with female shoppers. This cringeworthy relic, while well-intentioned, perfectly captures the awkward growing pains of a male-dominated gaming culture.

Sports & Games Society & Social Issues Business & Economics

The Bull Moose and the Bauble: When Teddy Roosevelt Joined the War on Useless Christmas Gifts

In 1912, the Society for the Prevention of Useless Giving (SPUG) fought against obligatory holiday gifts. Backed by prominent figures like Theodore Roosevelt, the 6,000-member group challenged the era's rampant consumerism and workplace gift pressure before fading away with the onset of WWI.

History Society & Social Issues Business & Economics

Lost in Translation: The Nike Ad Where 'Just Do It' Meant 'Give Me Big Shoes'

A 1989 Nike ad featured a Samburu tribesman speaking his native language. While subtitled with an inspiring message, an anthropologist revealed he was actually saying, "I don't want these. Give me big shoes." Nike's unapologetic response? They didn't think anyone would understand.

Business & Economics Society & Social Issues Entertainment & Media

The 9th-Century Scholar Who Defined Mental Health and Pioneered Psychotherapy

Centuries before modern psychiatry, Persian polymath Abu Zayd al-Balkhi rejected supernatural causes for mental illness. He argued for a mind-body connection, classified disorders like depression and anxiety, and developed cognitive and behavioral therapies that rival modern techniques.

Medicine, Psychology & Health History Biography & Personal Stories

"That's Us, F*ckhead": The Day Steven Tyler Forgot He Was in Aerosmith

In 1984, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler heard a song on the radio and eagerly suggested the band cover it. Guitarist Joe Perry had to remind him, "That's us, f*ckhead." Tyler, in a haze of rock and roll excess, had completely forgotten their own 1975 ballad, "You See Me Crying."

Music Biography & Personal Stories History

Meet Margery Kempe: The Medieval Mystic Who Wrote the First Autobiography and Wept Her Way Through Europe

Margery Kempe, a 15th-century English mystic, defied convention by writing the first autobiography in English. A mother of 14, she was famous for her loud, public weeping, unauthorized preaching, and repeatedly facing down heresy charges during her extensive pilgrimages across Europe.

Biography & Personal Stories History Religion & Philosophy

The Polish Spy Who Became a Nazi General: The Unbelievable Story of Kazimierz Leski

Kazimierz Leski, a Polish intelligence officer, adopted the disguise of a Wehrmacht general to travel across Nazi-occupied Europe. He completed over 25 missions, stealing vital military secrets and funneling intelligence to the Allies, all while never being caught by the Germans.

Wars, Conflict & Heroes History Biography & Personal Stories