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Tracy's nerdiness was obvious by fifth grade, when she reveled in writing her first book report (subject: "Jane Eyre") and winning her first science fair (subject: mold growth). As a literature student at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, she finally found her people and spent lots of time watching "Star Trek" and playing D&D -- when she wasn't writing poems or reading feminist fiction. Today, Tracy has a house full of computers, consoles and cats, and her library spans everything from Jane Austen to Marion Zimmer Bradley. Tracy joined HowStuffWorks.com as a staff writer in 2005 and is now the site director. You can find Tracy on Twitter at @PopStuffHSW and on Facebook at the official PopStuff page.
Most Recent: Tracy V. Wilson Postings
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
by Tracy V. Wilson | February 8, 2012
Ah, love. It’ s so different in the real world than in the movies. Or, rather, if you get your relationship information from the movies, you might notice things don’t quite match up to your own life. And that might not be fun. So how much are movies to blame for relationship troubles?
I remember the first urban legend I ever heard. At least, I thought I did before I started researching this episode. Inspired in part by possibly apocryphal e-mail we got after our baby names episode, this ep takes a dive into the world of hook-handed murderers, razor-bladed apples and grossout food experiences.
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
by Tracy V. Wilson | February 1, 2012
We recorded this episode shortly after Holly and I returned from a trip to Disney World. While we were there, we ran a bunch of races (she ran more than twice as far as I did) and spent some quality time with some Disney princesses. We have pictures of me and Holly with Belle and of Holly with … just about all of them.
The princesses have stirred up their share of controversy, so we thought we’d talk about where that controversy comes from and whether any of it is short-sighted.
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 37: An Introduction to Studio Ghibli
by Tracy V. Wilson | January 30, 2012
Holly and I both love Studio Ghibli films, so we didn’t hesitate for a moment after getting a request from listener Lissa to talk about the studio.
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 36: Now Available in 3-D
by Tracy V. Wilson | January 25, 2012
The ongoing resurgence in 3-D movies … it’s a gift and a curse. Or maybe just a curse. At least, that’s what I thought until seeing “Hugo” and its use of 3-D to make the movie more beautiful. We recorded this episode before “Hugo” racked up all kinds of Academy Award nominations, but the episode published almost immediately after. Funny thing, that.
We both love brunch. More the swank Sunday late-morning-to-early-afternoon meal eaten in a restaurant than the cost-saving college dining hall brunch. So what is it about this meal that’s so appealing to a certain subset of American culture? And is it really our only exclusively social meal?
What makes a game replayable or a movie rewatchable? In this episode, Holly and I meander through what gives — or doesn’t give — something replay value and talk about some of our most played, read and watched bits of entertainment.
Did you hear what Tracy said about Holly? Or what Holly said about Tracy? Or what they both said about the celebrity scandal du jour? It’s all gossip. Not only do we do it, but we also talk about it.
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 32: Breaking Superstition
by Tracy V. Wilson | January 12, 2012
Holly’s pretty superstitious. I’m not so much, although I do hear myself say “knock on wood” often enough. With Friday the 13th right around the corner, it seemed like a good excuse to talk about superstition
PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 31: What’s in a baby name?
by Tracy V. Wilson | January 11, 2012
First up: Nobody’s pregnant, which is the question women talking about baby names often seems to prompt. We’re just interested in why people pick the names they pick, and what’s behind some of the trends we see in baby naming. When did we go from scores of Johns and Marys to the rich diversity of names we see now?
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
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The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Keep Asking
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Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
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Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: In the Lair of the Rat King
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- Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
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- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
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How-to Stuff
- How to Make the Most of a Gallery Crawl (When You’re on a Shoestring Budget)
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PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 39: Urban Legends
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
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- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
