Sunday, June 14th, 2026 — Today is Flag Day, which somehow turned into an episode about everyday things that quietly changed the world.
Today’s episode looks at one of the earliest U.S. sandpaper patents, the first time Americans heard a president speak over radio, and the discovery of a giant prehistoric penguin that stood nearly five feet tall.
Plus, the birthday of folk singer, storyteller, and actor Burl Ives.
A lot of today’s stories ended up becoming about things we rarely stop to think about:
the tools,
the technologies,
and even the animals that make the world a little more interesting.
Anyway… that’s what I ended up finding while working through June 14.