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5 family-friendly podcasts for smooth summer road trips



The season of family road trips is upon us, and the open highway stretches ahead. You’ve packed the snacks, filled the tank, and are bracing yourselves for the first backseat skirmish over disputed elbow territory.

You consider keeping the peace via the usual distribution of digital Xanax — a screen and headphones for each underage passenger. But then a crazy idea hits you: Couldn’t we spend this time together? You know, making memories and such?

From cave rescues in Thailand to high-seas hostage escapes, 'Against the Odds' is the kind of storytelling that gets everyone quiet in the car (a rare feat).

“When do we get there?” The plaintive query, no doubt the first of a series, breaks your train of thought. Twenty-two minutes in — a new record. Then, the kicking starts.

Little thumps on the back of your seat, soft enough for plausible deniability and maddeningly off-rhythm, the kind of thing that could break a man once that white-line fever sets in ...

May we suggest putting on a podcast? Nothing like good, old-fashioned, audio-only entertainment to make the miles fly by. Here are five family-friendly favorites to get you started.

RELATED: What moving my family to Budapest has taught me about America

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'Intentionally Blank'

Hosted by bestselling fantasy author Brandon Sanderson and sci-fi/horror writer Dan Wells, “Intentionally Blank” is like hanging out with your two funniest friends and listening to them shoot the breeze about everything from what makes a good villain to a running tally of notable food heists.

Try this episode: Ranking Our Favorite Cryptids
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'Sports Wars'

Serena vs. Venus, Kobe vs. Shaq, Hulk Hogan vs. the world. Each season of “Sports Wars” takes you on a journey through some of the most intense rivalries across every sport, from basketball and tennis to football and wrestling. By turns hilarious and tragic, these stories of big personalities and high stakes will keep the attention of fans and non-fans alike.

Episode: Brady vs. Manning: Family First
Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning are two of the most dominant players in the history of the NFL. Pit them against each other, and you’re looking at the most epic rivalry since the Pirate’s Booty ran out six exits ago.

'Against the Odds'

Never give up! That’s the core message at the heart of “Against the Odds” and it’s thrilling real-life accounts of survival. From cave rescues in Thailand to high-seas hostage escapes, it’s the kind of storytelling that gets everyone quiet in the car (a rare feat). Be prepared for a few intense moments but nothing that crosses into R-rated territory.

Try this episode: Thai Cave Rescue: Lost
Seven summers ago, the world held its breath as courageous rescuers worked against the clock to save a boys soccer team trapped in a treacherous Thai cave. This six-episode season's compellingly vivid account is gripping but not graphic — ideal for older kids who like suspense.

'How I Built This'

Every product you use has a story, whether it’s the socks (Bombas) your son just threw at his sister or the chicken fingers (Raising Cane’s) that she spilled all over her car seat. “How I Built This” host Guy Raz gets some of today’s most successful entrepreneurs to spills the beans on the ups and downs of launching a brand. If you want to know how to succeed and be inspired by people who’ve battled back and made their mark on the world, this is the podcast for you.

Try this episode: Spikeball: Chris Ruder
Ever dream of kicking off the latest sports craze? That's what Chris Ruder did when he revived a favorite game from childhood and turned it into Spikeball — and he tells the whole story here. Bonus points for inspiring kids to think beyond apps and startups.

'Spooked'

When the headlights start coming on and the sugar crash hits, there’s nothing like a ghost story to keep the blood pumping. The unique thing about “Spooked” is that its stories are true — and told by the people who experienced them. With a runtime of around 27 minutes per episode, the stories are long enough to suck you in but not so long that they drag on. Yes, some hauntings can get a bit intense (more than one takes place during the Vietnam War), but generally the vibe is eerie without tipping over into nightmare fuel.

Try this episode: Borderlands
A U.S. Border Patrol agent encounters something strange while on night patrol in the Arizona desert; and a Sri Lankan woman's mysterious illness requires a supernatural cure. Suspenseful and atmospheric while leaving plenty to the imagination.

This Summer, Bring Back Adult Swim

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Hillary Clinton literally blames Trump supporters for summer heat: 'Thank a MAGA Republican'



Hillary Clinton is literally blaming Trump-supporting Republicans for summer heat.

On Tuesday, the twice-failed presidential candidate responded to a tweet from the Center for American Progress, a leftist think-tank, that blamed "MAGA Republicans" for hot summer weather. It said such Americans are "pouring fuel on the climate crisis fire."

The CAP's inability to distinguish between climate and weather aside, Clinton took CAP's rhetoric and ran with it.

"Hot enough for you? Thank a MAGA Republican," she said. "Or better yet, vote them out of office."

— (@)  
 

Yes, most American's are experiencing hot temperatures. But it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and hot weather is normal.

Even if the hot temperatures (which happen every July in the United States) were abnormal and caused by climate change, how could so-called "MAGA Republicans" be responsible for it? Is Clinton really arguing that a group of voters who have only existed for eight years (since the beginning of Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2015) are responsible for changing the climate in extreme ways in such a short period of time?

Clearly, her argument is bunk, and it, as climate scientist Dr. Ryan Maue pointed out, aligns with a directive from the New York Times to "politicize" weather events.


— (@)  
 

Besides, it's just plain wrong to assert that heat currently being experienced in the U.S. is "unprecedented" or that climate change is the only explanation for it.

"Without climate change, July's summer heat in the U.S. Southwest would have been 'virtually impossible,'" Maue mocked on Tuesday. "I guess that's true if you memory hole 1925, 1930s, 1950s, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2012, 2020, etc. and the rest of the almanac.

"The Dust Bowl of the 1930s and 1980 stand out as so exceptionally hot, many decades ago, that no one would say without laughing that the recent July in Texas was unprecedented," he continued. "I guess politicizing the weather means we have to suspend disbelief and erase the past."

— (@)  
 

It turns out that summer is hot and if you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

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'Is it safe to go outside?': New York Times scorched for 'fear-mongering' article about summer weather 'perils' that recommends face masks



The New York Times is being torched for publishing an article asking if it "safe to go outside" during "this cruel summer." Reactions online roasted the liberal news outlet for pushing "fear-mongering" content.

In its "Health" section, the New Times published an article titled: "Is It Safe to Go Outside? How to Navigate This Cruel Summer."

The article's sub-headline reads: "Heat, flooding and wildfire smoke have made for treacherous conditions. Use this guide to determine when it’s safe to head out and when you should stay home."

The article is written by Alisha Haridasani Gupta – a reporter "focused on women’s health, health inequities and trends in functional medicine and wellness."

The article sounds the alarm about this year's "summer of weather extremes in the United States, in which going outside can be riddled with perils." The NYT cites flooding in the Northeast, heatwaves across the country, and smoke from wildfires in Canada.

The NYT writer advises people to watch for flood warnings and check air quality levels before going outside.

The Times urges people, "If you must be outdoors, consider wearing an N95 mask to help reduce your exposure to toxins, Dr. Balbus said."

The New York Times tells readers, "A heat index of 103 degrees Fahrenheit and above is dangerous; you’re likely to experience heat cramps and heat exhaustion, and heat stroke is possible if you’re outside for a prolonged period or doing something strenuous, according to the National Weather Service."

The Times warns that "extreme heat leads to hundreds of fatalities a year in the U.S."

Despite warnings about heat-related deaths, studies show that more fatalities are caused by cold weather.

A 2021 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health found that for every death linked to heat, nine are connected to cold.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics Compressed Mortality Database stated: "During 2006-2010, about 2,000 U.S. residents died each year from weather-related causes of death. About 31% of these deaths were attributed to exposure to excessive natural heat, heat stroke, sun stroke, or all; 63% were attributed to exposure to excessive natural cold, hypothermia, or both; and the remaining 6% were attributed to floods, storms, or lightning."

According to The Lancet, there were 1.7 million deaths worldwide deaths from extreme temperatures in 2019 – 356,000 were related to heat and the rest were caused by cold.

A 2020 study by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago found that 94% of temperature-related deaths were because of cold weather.

The official Twitter account for New York Times Health posted the article on social media with the caption: "So you want to go outside — despite the heat, heavy rainfall and poor air quality affecting millions this summer. Here’s how to determine whether it’s safe to leave the house."

— (@)  
 

Reactions to the guidance on Twitter scorched the New York Times over the article instilling fear in the heads of readers and recommending face masks.

BlazeTV host Lauren Chen: "Journalists have now reached levels of neuroticism previously thought to be impossible."

Professor of medicine, economics, and health research policy at Stanford University Jay Bhattacharya: "Anyone taking health advice or learning epidemiology from the @nytimes will be doomed to isolation and ignorance."

Mathematician and cultural critic James Lindsay: "It's definitely safe to go outside."

DeSantis campaign researcher Kyle Lamb: "They're already back to trying to normalize lockdowns and masking for things like weather and air quality. They're desperate for control."

Public health expert Pradheep J. Shanker: "I'm not sure there is a bigger conveyor of scientific misinformation in the country right now than @NYTScience."

Writer Tom Goodwin: "The news reads very much like covid times these days. Monetizing existential dread and fear as a business model."

Lawyer Julie Hamill: "YES - it is safe to go outside. Stop fear mongering. You are enabling agoraphobia and extremely unhealthy life decisions."

College professor Wilfred Reilly: "The elite is very consciously domesticating the citizenry."

Political consultant Noah Pollak: "Liberal neurotics are desperate to find another excuse to lock themselves in their apartments."

Attorney Laura Powell: "Why has there been a concerted effort by the government and its propaganda arms to scare people into remaining in their homes? What purpose does this serve? It certainly doesn’t promote public health, as they pretend."

Writer Jennifer Sey: "Free floating fear and anxiety in search of a reason. And wanting everyone else to be as anxious as you are so it’s normal."

School social worker Justin Spiro: "The inevitable next step after years of COVID fear-mongering. The New York Times incredulously implies that leaving the house is dangerous due to the horror of... summer weather! Could you imagine such a headline in 2019?"

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At The Heart Of Summer Is Connecting With What’s Most Important

Summer gives us the space to be with each other, to celebrate, but also to simply pass the longer, more ordinary days together.