Audio Flux

Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?

Apr 7, 202632 minSummary

In this episode of 99% Invisible, the team investigates the often murky world of private property towing after a producer experiences a frustrating encounter in a Brooklyn parking lot. What initially seems like a simple case of a towed car reveals a widespread, multimillion-dollar industry known as predatory towing. The discussion highlights how many towing companies operate with minimal oversight, utilizing neighborhood spotters to watch parking lots and aggressively target vehicles parked outside of permitted zones. The hosts speak with a retired police investigator and a former tow truck driver, who provide insight into the industry's inner workings, including common tactics like inflating fees, avoiding disclosure of price structures, and holding vehicles for ransom. The episode explores why this practice is so difficult to regulate, noting the patchwork of local ordinances and the lack of standardized consumer protections. Ultimately, the episode serves as an eye-opening look at the gray areas between business and fraud, offering practical, albeit sobering, advice on how to handle the ordeal if one ever finds their car hooked up to a tow truck.

Service Request #4: How Does the Grid in Phoenix Work?

Apr 3, 202633 minSummary

In this episode of Service Request, host Delaney Hall investigates the complex infrastructure that keeps Phoenix, Arizona, powered during record-breaking heat waves. Because the city’s survival depends entirely on air conditioning, the electrical grid is not just a convenience, but a critical lifeline. Hall speaks with cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bachie to demystify the grid, explaining it as an immense, interconnected machine that relies on a constant, real-time balance of supply and demand to maintain a precise frequency. The discussion highlights the vital role of the Salt River Project (SRP), a utility that manages Phoenix’s energy needs by coordinating resources across the vast Western grid. Experts explain the meticulous planning involved, from long-term infrastructure forecasting to the day-ahead energy stacking and real-time control room operations. While the system is highly resilient and managed by dedicated teams, it faces mounting pressure from rapid population growth and climate change. Ultimately, the episode sheds light on the often-invisible, around-the-clock labor required to ensure that when temperatures soar, the city remains habitable and the power stays on.

Service Request #3: Why Is There So Much Litter in San Francisco?

Mar 31, 202628 minSummary

In this episode of 99% Invisible, host Delaney Hall investigates a common frustration among San Francisco residents and visitors: the scarcity of public trash cans and the resulting litter on city streets. The inquiry, prompted by Roman Mars, explores the complex infrastructure, politics, and behavioral psychology behind urban waste management. The episode features Rachel Gordon of the San Francisco Public Works department, who explains that trash can placement is determined by a mix of foot traffic data, constituent requests, and pilot program findings. Contrary to the intuitive belief that more bins automatically lead to cleaner streets, the city discovered that littering is deeply tied to human behavior and complex social issues, including illegal dumping and the recycling of items from bins by the unhoused population. The discussion details the lengthy, nine-year "policy adventure" of designing and selecting a new, vandal-resistant trash can for the city. Ultimately, the episode reveals that while effective infrastructure is a vital tool, it is not a cure-all for urban cleanliness. The conversation highlights how public trash management is a reflection of broader municipal challenges and evolving societal attitudes toward public space.

Constitution Breakdown #8: Jill Lepore

Mar 27, 20261h 6mSummary

In this episode, Roman Mars and legal scholar Elizabeth Joelle sit down with historian Jill Lepore to explore the complexities of Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the process for amendments. Lepore, author of We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, discusses how the framers intentionally designed the document to be amendable—a concept that was considered revolutionary at the time as an alternative to the violence of insurrection. The conversation highlights the distinction between formal Article 5 amendments, informal changes driven by practice, and de facto amendments resulting from judicial interpretations. Lepore explains how the U.S. Constitution serves as a unique record of American political aspirations, noting that even failed amendments provide valuable insight into the desires of the people throughout history. The discussion also touches on the practical evolution of the amendment process, the challenges of modern constitutional reform, and why many scholars today view Article 5 as increasingly difficult to use. By analyzing both the successes and the thousands of failed proposals, the episode offers a deeper understanding of how the Constitution continues to shape and reflect the nation's identity.

Molar City

Artistic License Redux

The Em Dash

Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

What’s in a Name

Exit Interview With Michael Bierut