I'M FROM THE INTERNET

In the back half of the 1990s, polyethylene pellets could be more valuable than gold if you knew who to sell them to. Beanie Babies were not only a crash course on the perils of speculative assets, but one of the foundations of early e-commerce and online community building. In the first of three parts, we look at the history of the teddy bear and Ty Warner's early stabs at the plush market as well as the early years of Beanie Babies and the inception of their website.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodBeanieBabiesDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

Hi-ya! Karate kicking our way into the new millennium, we go back to the Something Awful forums once again. A poster named Scoots Magoo is making some jokes about Vin Diesel, and a man named Ian Spector is going to spend the next twenty years taking credit for them. Meanwhile, Chuck Norris uses his newfound youth fame to espouse some very old man talking points.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodChuckNorrisFactsDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

Young earth creationist and sharia law paranoiac Chuck Norris died recently. To celebrate, we're looking back at his career and the mid-2000s internet meme that defined him to our generation.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodChuckNorrisFactsDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

We're caught up to the 21st century, and anti-pornography lawyer Jack Thompson is now anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson. He's about to add another new title to his resume: game developer.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodModestVideoGameProposalSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

For gamers of a certain age, the name Jack Thompson still provokes reflexive sneers. Despite being permanently disbarred almost 20 years ago, this former Florida lawyer still looms large when we look back and wonder why the gamers are Like That. We're going to be talking about the time the internet made Jack Thompson's dream game, but before we get there we have over a decade of litigation against radio and the music industry to get through. From openly gay liberal shock jock Neil Rogers to rap pioneer Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew, Thompson spent the first part of his life being publicly humiliated by people way cooler than him.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodModestVideoGameProposalSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

https://www.winslowdumaine.com/tarot-prints-and-tapestries/the-restlessAfter years of work, starting long before this podcast began, The Restless is complete and released! Winslow walks us through the making of and inspirations for his dark fantasy card game and its apocalyptic setting, as well as a sampling of some of the hundreds of cards contained within.Listen to Jay's guest spot on QAA (formerly Qanon Anonymous) at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-life-of-fredrick-brennan-feat-jay-brandstetter-e361/id1428209307?i=1000751839590Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review many more fine Winslow Dumaine products at https://www.winslowdumaine.com/shoplanderSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

One of the upsides of not having kids is not having to give a shit about childrens television. But back in the 2000s, a bunch of grown-ups got mad at Sesame Street for something they Children's Television Workshop didn't actually do because someone on the internet said it happened. Outrage is a sometimes food, and it's sometime!Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodVeggieMonsterDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

Fredrick Brennan has created 8chan. You probably know the broad strokes of what happened next thanks to the work of many brave and talented journalists, but there's still some fun stories to be told in Fred's final years.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodFredMemorialDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders

Today would have been Fredrick Brennan's 32nd birthday. He died in his sleep last month, so here's Fred's partner to memorialize the 8chan founder who realized he was wrong, got out, and did what he could to take down the monster he helped create.His family wanted to keep the news private until now for personal reasons, so we recorded this a couple weeks after his death but are only releasing it now that the news has officially broken. Don't worry, there's no crying in the episode. Unfortunately, the audio quality is really bad because due to the circumstances Jay didn't get to record in his usual spot. I'm sorry that one of our most historically significant episodes is also one of our worst-sounding ones, but given the circumstances I hope you will forgive.Get over 50 bonus episodes of IFTI for just $1 at https://www.patreon.com/IFTIpodYou can review this episode's document with sources (and pictures) at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIPodFredMemorialDocSubmit episode concepts at https://tinyurl.com/IFTIpodIdeas, or contact the show directly at IFTIpod@gmail.comCreated and Hosted byWinslow Dumaine - www.winslowdumaine.com/Jay Brandstetter - linktr.ee/jaybrandstetterProduced and Edited by:Steve Brown - linktr.ee/killhamsterIntro and Outro music is "in failure" by steveisbroke off of their album "steve and his week of wonders", used with permission. https://steveisbroke.bandcamp.com/album/steve-and-his-week-of-wonders