TRASHFUTURE

Nate and Alice’s Book Corner: ‘The Verifiers’ feat. Jane Pek

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the holiday week, Nate and Alice speak to author Jane Pek about her debut novel THE VERIFIERS, a detective story involving online dating, the ever...

Into the Clegg-averse

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg now works for Facebook to the tune of eight figures. He has some opinions about Facebook’s policy decisions. As you...

*PREVIEW* Down Terrible (for Saudi Arabia)

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, in the midst of Riley and Milo being struck with covid, we recorded an all-remote episode to discuss some recent Britain news, with a speci...

The Value Is Coming From Inside the House feat. Trevor Strunk

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we speak with writer and friend of the show Trevor Strunk (@hegelbon) about recent developments in the smartest sector of our very real eco...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 28: Cricket feat Alan White

11 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This might be one of the most inscrutably British things we've ever covered, and the fact is: Milo doesn't even know that much about it. So, to aid wi...

*PREVIEW* We Don’t Need No Edumacation ft Amelia Horgan

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amelia Horgan (@AmeliaHorgan), author of Lost in Work and striking member of the UK’s higher education Union (UCU) talks about the decade of strikes...

Trashfuture (Re)Wrapped ft. Dan Boeckner

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dan returns for another look at Spotify - in the last year have they paid artists more, or have they channelled excess profits into an investment in A...

*PREVIEW* You‘ll Never Hustle Alone feat Joey D‘Urso

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We spoke with The Athletic’s investigations writer Joey D’Urso (@josephmdurso) about the frenzied tie up between high risk, unregulated world of b...

The Talented Mr Drakeford feat. Becca Wilks

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're joined by Becca Wilks (@WilksBecca) of The National Wales to discuss a confidence and supply arrangement between Welsh Labour and Pla...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 27: We Watched a Dave Courtney Movie

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Look, this is something of a loose episode because Milo was on tour while we recorded it. However, in an effort to satisfy our urge to explain Britain...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 10: Princess Diana (RIP)

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's time once again for Britainology, and this week Milo and Nate are joined by Phoebe Roy (who you have have heard on Masters of Our Domain and 10,0...

*PREVIEW* The News Bastard ft Nish Kumar

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Riley has decided to subject Nish Kumar to yet another piece of writing from the inner sanctum of the British media-politico citadel. It’s Robert Pe...

The Shape of Things To Come feat. Seamus Malekafzali

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Riley, Milo, and Alice are joined by our friend Séamus Malekafzali (@seamus_malek) for a Neom Status update. With the rollicking success of The Line ...

*PREVIEW* Yo Ho Ho Two Point Oh

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a chilled episode where Riley, Milo, and Alice talk about a fun startup, and then review a few bits of new information about old friends, as we...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 26: Poppygeddon

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Nate and Milo discuss the phenomenon of remembrance poppies and the ways in which they've become a symptom of Britain's deeply unwell state...

The Fabulous Mechanical Turk ft. Phil Jones

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak to Phil Jones (@philjones7771), author of Work Without the Worker, about microwork and how AI is fake, and most of it is just tiny tasks done...

*PREVIEW* A Hard Dog Is Gonna Fall feat. Podcasting is Praxis

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rob and Dave of the Praxiscast join the gang to discuss a U.K. success story in making beer, but more importantly, in making extremely annoying public...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 24: The Army (feat. Joe Glenton)

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Milo and Nate speak with British Army veteran, leftist organiser, BJJ enthusiast, and all round comrade Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) about Br...

Amazon for Legends

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Riley, Milo, Hussein, and Alice discuss The Hut Group--an attempt to make British Amazon with direct sales of health goods, financed with S...

*PREVIEW* How I Meta Your Mother

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook and Google haven't done anything new of note since 2007. It's just market capture and worse and worse services. However, Facebook is now Meta...

An Ounce of Prevent feat. Maria Norris

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The gang talks to academic Maria Norris (@MariaWNorris) about Prevent, the government’s star counter terrorism policy now getting fast tracked throu...

*PREVIEW* Bins, Mate: TF Reviews ‘Years & Years Episode 6‘ feat. Bryan Quinby and Devon

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is it. The end of the series. Some of the worst, twee-est, most Lib Dem writing you'll ever encounter. We watched it to the end, and we brought o...

*PREVIEW* Midwestology 2: The Humble 24-Hour Diner, and Wrestling

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've got Joe and Francis back to discuss the Midwest--a reverse Britainology, if you will--and we're discussing 24-hour diners, terrible fast food j...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 9: UK Rave Culture feat. UKRaveComments

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Good lord, the Gen Xers of Britain are a special bunch. And man, do they love to reminisce in the YouTube comments. To discuss this phenomenon, and th...

Cubefuture / The Galician Candidate feat. Dan Boeckner

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we have friend of the show, musician, and Bottlemen podcast cohost Dan Boeckner (@DanBoeckner) on to discuss the ascendant Ukrainian-Canadi...

*PREVIEW* The Great Train Robbery feat Gareth Dennis

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The gang talks all things rail with with railway engineer and the host of Rail Natter, Gareth Dennis (@GarethDennis). We go back into the history of h...

Concrete Island feat. Daniel Trilling

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We had journalist Daniel Trilling on the podcast to discuss his research into The Home Office - how it became such a strange, cruel, dysfunctional dep...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 25: The North feat. Rob Smith and Kaye Wiggins

17 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Nate and Milo discuss the North-South divide of England with help from two friends of the show--and FT reporters--Rob Smith (@bondhack) and...

*PREVIEW* Willy Wonka and the Oil Refinery feat. ESGHound

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk has greenwashed an oil refinery! We speak with fintwit blogger ESGHound about just how this was possible. We also looked into the ongoing is...

Dispatches from the Metaverse feat. Jathan Sadowski

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Zuckerberg is building the future of the internet, and the future of everything, and it’s basically a much more exploitative version of Habbo H...

Trashfuture Presents: John Taliban, Episode 1

10 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Several months ago, Alice Caldwell-Kelly awoke from a literal fever dream covered in a sheen of sweat, with one name on her lips: JOHN TALIBAN. A ma...

*PREVIEW* Grief 2.0

10 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Riley, Milo, and Alice address a new startup that will--and we are not joking--allow your boss to hire call centre workers to ping you with ...

A SpyCop in Every Home feat. Paris Marx

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Riley, Milo, and Alice speak with Paris Marx (@parismarx) of the Tech Won’t Save Us podcast about Britain’s desire for a call-the-cops-...

*PREVIEW* Bouncing Back

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Full episode on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/trashfuture  Yet again, Riley read a piece of literature nobody else would touch, in order to inflict i...

Gender Critical National Infrastructure feat. Abi Thorn + Mattie Lubchansky

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So you've decided to run down the functions of your society? What's left to get people up in the morning? We are joined by Abi Thorn and Mattie Lubcha...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 24: The Army (feat. Joe Glenton)

26 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Milo and Nate speak with British Army veteran, leftist organiser, BJJ enthusiast, and all round comrade Joe Glenton (@joejglenton) about B...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 8: Christmas Panto

25 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Here is an unlocked Britainology to hopefully brighten your weekend. Yes, it was a little bit late when it came out. It was late because Nate and Milo...

*PREVIEW* Post-Shug Clarity

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've found another terrible startup: a billion-dollar-valuation 'plastic recycling' venture that is too dangerous to actually work (but would absolve...

Danger! High Voltage! ft. Corner Spaeti

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ciaran (@ciarandold) and Nick (@sternburgpapi) from Corner Spaeti (@cornerspaeti) join the gang to discuss the upcoming federal election in Germany, a...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 23: Alan Partridge

19 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This month's $5 Britainology involves Milo forcing Nate to watch an incredibly awkward episode of I'm Alan Partridge and then helping him talk him off...

*PREVIEW* Sex Minidiscs: TF Reviews ‘Strange Days‘ (1995)

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For this week's bonus, Milo, Nate, and Alice watched the 1995 Kathryn Bigelow film STRANGE DAYS, in which Ray Fiennes is a lovelorn memory-salesman ha...

The Winter of Discontented Treat Lovers

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’ve got a real doozy for you: a bad startup, some Labour kremlinology, and an examination of supply chain shortages in the UK because o...

*PREVIEW* TF Live 1 September 2021: Mattressfuture

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're back. Yes, we did another live show at Vauxhall Comedy Club in London, and we discussed a startup that wants to make a mattress that can do DDOS...

The Brian Georgetown Massacre

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we learn the story of the Diapers dot com billionaire who wants to build a utopian city in the desert based on the principles of Georgism. ...

*PREVIEW* An Oaf For All Seasons ft. Bill Corbett

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bill Corbett (@BillCorbett) of Rifftrax and MST3K joins the gang to discuss a strange film - the documentary made by failed London mayoral candidate a...

Only Fans and Horses ft. Carta Monir

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We spoke with OnlyFans creator Carta Monir (@CartaMonir) about the platform's decision (and subsequent reversal) regarding explicit content, and the A...

*UNLOCKED* I Want to Get Rid of My Arms and Legs: TF Reviews 'Years & Years' (Parts 1-2)

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if Black Mirror did This Is Us? What if your kid wanted to upload themselves to their dang phone? What if a Lib Dem wrote one of the worst TV dra...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 22: Grand Designs (feat. Alice Caldwell-Kelly)

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Alice joins Nate and Milo to discuss the British reality TV show 'Grand Designs,' in which insane people decide to sacrifice it all to buil...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 7: The Falklands War

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this unlocked Britainology we are joined by Alice to discuss the 1982 Falklands War. Why has it permanently lodged in the psyche of the Boomers? Wh...

*PREVIEW* Yellow Snow feat. @idahobones

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our friend @idahobones joins the gang for a discussion of how tech-inflected insurance companies dream of a heavily surveillance life for all, and als...

John Bull’s Other Occupation feat. Arron Merat

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alice and Riley speak with returning guest, journalist Arron Merat (@a_merat), reflecting on twenty years of cruelty and institutional failure on the ...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 21: Landfill Indie feat. Fred Macpherson and Oscar Rickett

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we explore the phenomenon of 2000s Indie Rock (and the endless succession of bands that seemed to go nowhere) with two long-suffering vetera...

*PREVIEW* The Populists Made Me a Computer: TF Reviews 'Years & Years Episode 5' feat. Devon

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for episode 5 of the series we're un-affectionately calling Lib Dem Children of Men. That's right, it's Russell T Davies' populism dystopia ...

A MILF to End Austerity feat. Alex Yablon

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Nate, Milo, Alice, and Hussein speak with journalist Alex Yablon (@alexyablon) about a US program in 2020 where the Federal Reserve leant m...

*PREVIEW* The Neoliberal Cinematic Universe feat. Noah Suarez-Sikes

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we've brought on Noah Suarez-Sikes (@noahpasaran) from the DSA Los Angeles-Hollywood Labor group. We discuss unionisation drives in Hollywo...

Damming the Amazon feat. Alex Press

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Riley, Milo, Alice, and Hussein join special guest Alex Press (@alexnpress) of Jacobin magazine and the Primer podcast (@primerpod) about t...

*PREVIEW* New Cumbernauld Man feat. Dan Boeckner

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We brought on Dan Boeckner, musician from the bands Wolf Parade and Operators, podcaster with Riley from the show Bottlemen, to discuss a 1977 spy thr...

The Wicker Mound feat. James Meadway

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A great happening has come to London. A marker of power has arisen. Fell deeds awake as we enter the era of the Mound.   Also, James Meadway (@mea...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 20: London Finance Geezers feat. Matt Edwards

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is perhaps something of a combination of Britainology and a regular TF episode in which we've brought on Matt Edwards, Milo's (much) older brothe...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 6: Carry On Films (Based Anglovibes)

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're at it again. Nate and Milo have reviewed the 1968 film CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER for yet another Britainology, and this one is a real laser-focuse...

*PREVIEW* Billionaire Sub-space Golf Race feat. Dwight Rhinosoros

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're speaking with Dwight Rhinosoros (@rhinosoros) of the Eat the Rich podcast (@eattherichpod) about the Bezos/Branson 'space race,' all ...

Feel Bad Inc. feat Yasha and Fernando

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We chatted to two riders with the German grocery delivery app Gorillas all about their unionisation drive, and their boss’s strange obsession with f...

*PREVIEW* It's Drivin' Me Nuts ft. Jason Prado

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We sat down with Jason Prado from the Drivers Cooperative in New York City to talk about how rideshare drivers are taking matters into their own hands...

Barrattly Legal feat. Owen Hatherley

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Riley, Milo, and Alice join special guest Owen Hatherley (@owenhatherley) of Tribune Magazine to discuss Barratt Homes: what is the deal wi...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 19: The City of London

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that the City of London, the small mini-enclave that dates back to Roman times, is a separate state entity that predates the United Kingd...

*PREVIEW* Balthasar Speedboat v.2.0 feat Nish Kumar and Olga Koch

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

All riffs, no plot, no prior planning, and a long digression about a dog with a huge dick. It's Balthasar Speedboat yet again, this time featuring Ril...

Twûnkhöle Capital SA

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, it’s Riley, Milo, Alice, and Nate discussing a startup that will make it even easier for you to not own a home, the dreaded ‘football s...

*PREVIEW* Lunch Jail feat. Devon

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're discussing a few things: weird academy schools in Britain that want to do performative draconian discipline, a startup that is, uh, c...

The Sotadic Zone of Space

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're discussing Secret Cinema's plan to crowfund investor capital, the fact that Secret Cinema did a performance in Kabul in 2011, a dumb ...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 5: The Cult of the Legend

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We brought on Riley to discuss a phenomenon as eternally British as bad weather itself: the legend. Who are British legends? What makes them act this ...

*PREVIEW* Magna Carta Baz: TF Reviews 'Robin Hood (2010)' feat. Eleanor Janega and Patrick Wyman

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we've rounded up our favorite historians and subjected them to yet another absolutely terrible movie--this time it's Ridley Scott's 'Robin ...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 18: Poshness (feat. Charlie Palmer)

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Okay, okay, maybe you've heard the term 'posh' or 'posho' when referring to fancy British people. You're aware that this country has a reputation for ...

Kickstarter Sucks feat. Your Kickstarter Sucks

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we’ve got Jesse Farrar and Mike Hale of the Your Kickstarter Sucks podcast to discuss Kickstarter as a business, the weird and deeply une...

*PREVIEW* Do Not Zoom My Wife feat. Jamie Powell

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A lot going on here! We review the recent by-election in Amersham and Chesham, the upcoming election in Batley and Spen (both of which have yielded br...

Rubbish’s Eve

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was inevitable that we would talk about the recent NY Times article about ‘the end of the millennial lifestyle subsidy,’ as if it was a surpris...

*PREVIEW* The Populists Made My Ass Concave: TF Reviews 'Years & Years - Part 4' (feat. Devon)

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The series has finally come to an end. Apparently the populists will ruin anything, to include when a far-left government gets elected (too much popul...

My Son is Also Named A Tornado of Bonhomie feat. Josie Long

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with comedian Josie Long (@josielong) about a recent article in the Atlantic about whether or not Boris Johnson is Britain’s Trump. It’s ...

*PREVIEW* Chernenko's America feat. Alex Scaggs

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Financial journalist Alex Scaggs returns to talk about why the American treat based economy has strained around the edges. In short - as a result of d...

Magic: the Trans-ening feat. Juliet Jacques

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have a packed studio featuring Riley, Milo, Hussein, Alice, and friend of the show Juliet Jacques (@zinovievletter) to discuss her new bo...

*PREVIEW* Indentured to Barry Piss: TF Reviews 'Years & Years' Episode 3 (feat. Devon)

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're discussing Years & Years again. We simply couldn't cram two episodes into this round because there was so much going on--we want to g...

The Ol’ Ball and Blockchain ft. Tom Walker

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian Tom Walker joins the gang to discuss how blockchain has finally disrupted dating! Then, we look at the demons pouring cryptocurrency poison i...

*PREVIEW* Suffering From Long '90s

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Milo, Riley, and Alice explore the recent interventions of Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson into UK political discourse about 'what needs to ...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 16: Dogging feat. Hussein Kesvani

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

(This is a preview of this month's second Britainology, available to all our $10 subscribers) We greatly appreciated the suggestion from twitter user ...

Luv Bin Men, ’Ate Grooming Gangs, and I Vote

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Luv Bin Men, ’Ate Grooming Gangs, and I Vote This week, it’s the super chaos configuration of Milo, Hussein, and Nate discussing a recent story in...

*PREVIEW* Balthasar Speedboat MCMVIII feat. Pierre Novellie and Alex Kealy

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We did it again. No theme, just riffs, with lots of Riley's fanciest desires explained and ruthlessly dunked on. Please enjoy this Balthasar Speedboat...

Posting Through Atrocity feat. Aron Keller

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're joined by Aron Keller (@aronkeller) of the anti-occupation advocacy group Na'amod to discuss the recent events in Gaza and the communi...

*PREVIEW* Britainology 15: The Cambridge Spies

16 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

During World War II and the early Cold War there were a group of English intelligence operatives who spied for the Soviet Union. All of them basically...

*PREVIEW* Remember When The Bin Man Was Hard?

15 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Labour MP Jon Cruddas has written the best approximation of what can be considered “Starmerism’s offer to British workers.” While some elements ...

Where We're Shopping, We Won't Need Eyes To See feat. This Machine Kills

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ed and Jathan from This Machine Kills (@machinekillspod) are back to discuss another titan of the tech industry. Amazon's annual leader to shareholder...

*PREVIEW* I Want to Get Rid of My Arms and Legs: TF Reviews 'Years & Years' (Part 1)

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if Black Mirror did This Is Us? What if your kid wanted to upload themselves to their dang phone? What if a Lib Dem wrote one of the worst TV dra...

May 6th: The Cops Election

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

May 6th will mark regional local elections in the UK, to include the London mayoral election. Considering that 4 of the 5 of us are based in London, t...

*PREVIEW* Eating from the Toilet to Own the Libs

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This was supposed to be a hard-hitting episode with an interview about Russia and leftism in Russian politics, but we had a classic TF season 1 moment...

*UNLOCKED* Bride of Frankenstein's Balance Sheet feat. Rob Smith

01 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to popular belief, we were not the people who broke the story about Lex Greensill and supply chain finance -- we just fell in love with it be...

RIP European Super League (2021-2021) feat. Musa Okwonga

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're joined by author and podcaster Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) to discuss the aborted attempt to create a European Super League of football, ...

*PREVIEW* The Pragmatic Nut feat. Nish Kumar

25 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we've brought on Nish Kumar (@mrnishkumar) to once again listen to a horrible 'taut, sexy, political thriller' by a former MP -- this time ...

*PREVIEW* Midwestology 1: A Posse, If You Will, of Insane Clowns

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've been very happy that you, the fans, have enjoyed Britainology so much. In an attempt to bridge the gap between our two cultures, Nate has brough...

Gimme Some Wubben feat Laurie Laybourn-Langton

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're speaking with IPPR researcher and friend of the show Laurie Laybourn-Langton (@Laurie_L_L) about his new book 'Planet on Fire: A Mani...

*UNLOCKED* Britainology 4: That '70s Episode

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're back again to explain the eccentricities and fault lines of this truly normal island. This week, Milo and Nate discuss the 1970s in Britain, why...

*PREVIEW* Bride of Frankenstein's Balance Sheet feat. Rob Smith

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to popular belief, we were not the people who broke the story about Lex Greensill and supply chain finance -- we just fell in love with it be...

Waiting for Lordstown feat. Bryan Quinby

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“We’re bringing the jobs back!” has long been the rallying cry of the right, but what kinds of businesses are actually coming back to places lik...