Koismail #3 stories and podcasts by Dan
The QR code only sort of worked last time. Hopefully it works better this time! If your QR code didn’t work last time and you want to see the Spring 2026 link, it’s here.
For Pitchfork, I wrote about 10,000 Maniacs and their album MTV Unplugged.
I still make Slate’s daily word game, Pears. I’ve also made a couple of mini-crosswords.
Rest in peace ot the Slate Culture Gabfest! I co-hosted three final times. In March, we discussed Project Hail Mary, the UK version of Saturday Night Live, and bar soap. In the Plus segment, we talked about our favorite analog culture memories—what DVDs, VHSes, and LPs remained dear to us years later.
In April, we discussed The Christophers, The Miniature Wife, and cigarettes on screen. In the Plus segment, we talked about our awe at Artemis II.
And in June I bid the show farewell.
Finally, I turned 51 in December, which means I have been driving cars—and listening to music in cars—for 35 years. To celebrate, I made Apple Music playlists in which I attempted to recreate precisely what I was listening to on mixtapes, mix CDs, iPods, and streaming services while driving 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years ago. Enjoy: 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025