Cool Sh*t - Competitive Marble League, Virtual Protests, Hendrick's Gin, Walkman Revival, Bamboo Bikes and more...

Vol. 45

Welcome to the cool as sh*t people (San, Johnny, Karl, Andy and Chris) who joined us recently! If you haven’t subscribed, be cool and join 229 subscribers here:

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#1 – Formula 1… For marbles

It doesn’t matter what the subject is, I simply LOVE seeing people bringing their passions to life. Sharing something you genuinely love with others is infectious. It’s inspiring and a great reminder that you can turn almost any hobby into a viable business if you commit to it.

Jelle's Marble Runs is the GOAT in the marble world with 1.4m+ subs on YouTube. This content from Great Big Story, a channel I love and highly recommend, is too cute. It does a great job of telling the Jelle brother’s story in a fun and informative way.

One of the brothers is autistic but marbles gave him a way to connect with his family and the world around him. It’s also given him a career. Not only do they have a highly engaged YouTube channel but they have a line of merchandise and a video game too.

I’ve watched this with the kids and they loved it, especially when one of the marbles got “injured”. Wholesome family fun. You can support them on Patreon if you feel generous.

#2 – Yoots are using virtual worlds to protest

We live in troubled times. Cool Sh*t is not a political platform, so I’ve nothing else to say about that here, other than I wish we could all love and celebrate each other’s differences and work towards improving life for humanity.

Citizens of some countries have less freedom to voice their feelings in public settings. In countries where you can, staging a physical protest also takes time and coordination. So it’s really interesting to see how gaming platforms like Roblox are being used to rally people together.

#3 - Dry January with Hendrick’s Gym

Scottish gin brand Hendrick’s does some pretty cool marketing, integrating its odd/curious positioning quite well.

Most people are recovering from boozy Xmas festivities in January, favouring a dry month. Knowing that Hendricks wanted to stay top of mind, while other alcohol brands may opt to stay quiet and perhaps mistakenly only focus on the most competitive times of the year.

An alcohol-free January for a lot of people is often accompanied by increased exercise and a commitment to get fit. So, Hendrick’s rebranded as Hendrick’s Gym with a fun piece of content and a merchandising line to accompany it.

# 4 - The Walkman is making a comeback

This is not a gadget that looks like a Walkman. IT IS A WALKMAN. That’s right. Just like vinyl, there is still demand for retro cassette players. The only modern feature in this design is a USB-C charger so you don’t have to keep replacing the batteries.

#5 - Bamboo is super strong, so why aren’t more bikes (& things) made with it?

(Contributor: Oz Dean) If you’ve ever seen a construction site in Asia where the scaffolding is made out of bamboo, you’ll have first questioned its use and then celebrated it when you’ve understood that the material is stronger than steel and can be made stronger when treated. It also happens to grow fast, with little impact on our planet.

I recently stumbled upon this sustainable bicycle maker in the Philippines called ‘bambike’ and wondered why more businesses aren’t using bamboo to build unique bikes that help our planet, just like the construction industry.

The company is all about the planet, people & progress and apparently ship their handmade bikes around the world to eco-savvy folks who care about their carbon footprint & shadows. I want one.

Reading about an act of kindness can give your love hormone (Oxytocin) levels a boost. So feel the love…

Teenager with autism has his stolen bike replaced ❤

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American country music singer-songwriter Zach Bryan’s ‘I Remember Everything’ makes it onto the Cool Sh*t Spotify playlist this week.

I’m loving ‘Blue Eye Samurai, an incredible animation on Netflix, that’s based on a real period in Japan’s history.

ICYMI - Cool Sh*t Vol. 44 - Dove, Stanley, Heinz, Sony, Doritos and more...

Cool Sh*t is typically written from the comfort of my own home, here in Sydney, Australia - Gadigal land. Always was, always will be. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The views expressed are my own.