Rube Goldberg machines are unnecessarily complex contraptions that are assembled to perform simple tasks. Rube Goldberg machines were part of the inspiration for a video art piece by Stephen Meierding titled “Bicycle Sounds.” Find out how Stephen went from pursuing chemical engineering to assembling the video in his Brooklyn basement.

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Bicycle Sounds from Stephen Meierding on Vimeo.

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Photo from Stephen Meierding’s “Bicycle Sounds”

Laughter and singing help us pass the time and connect to others. Telling jokes and making music can also aid in our socialization and development as well as alleviating our anxieties. Find out about the jokes cycles and playground songs that help children cope with their world and learn how to operate in the world at large. We’re joined by Fernando Orejuela from Indiana University in our exploration of the sounds of the playground.

Explore:

• Stop Me If You’ve Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes by Jim Holt
• American Children’s Folklore by Simon J. Cronner
• The Musical Playground: Global Tradition and Change in Children’s Songs and Games by Kathryn Marsh

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Bob Paquette has been collecting microphones for over six decades. His collection resides in his microphone museum that resides in the building that houses his family business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bob shared his knowledge of microphones and audio technology as well as anecdotes about the ill-fated Turner “Colortone” microphones, performers’ fears about using early microphones, and how portions of his collection ended up in the hands of a famous director. For more on microphones, you can check out Bob’s book, The History and Evolution of the Microphone.

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You can find this episodes transcript by clicking this link.