One of the best things I've ever experienced

OK, this post is no exaggeration: Peddle rocks. 

Our 2009 Toyota Highlander hybrid recently bit the dust. The hybrid battery failed after 210,000 miles. The Highlander was the best car we've ever had, and we've had some great ones, including a Ford Explorer, Acura Integra and Lexus ES300. But we knew it's time was coming as more creaks and groans led to the battery failure. Replacing the battery was an option, but would either be expensive or inconvenient. And while it's possible to continue driving a hybrid once the battery starts to fail, at some point the electrical system and related batteries stop functioning. 

The dealer where we bought our replacement for the Highlander — a new Honda Ridgeline Trailstport — had no interest in taking the Toyota as a trade-in. And we didn't want to saddle it with another private party in our small town. So, junk yard, here we come. 

Upon searching online for local junkyards, I stumbled across a site called Peddle, which offers to buy vehicles sight unseen. They pay on the spot and come to your house to haul the vehicle away. The idea was so simple, my spidey-sense went off. This has to be scammy somehow. 

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Innovations in Media: ‘Old News Newsstand’

I’ve written previously here about “slow news.” But I don’t think I’ve ever written specifically about “old news,” and never as it relates to media innovation. 

(Photo courtesy of Old News Newsstand)But I love the idea of a new business in New York City called Old News Newsstand. It’s a kiosk that specializes in “sentimental bric-a-brac”: ceramics, maps and guidebooks, quickie and kosher snacks and candy, exotic coffee and sodas, porn, original hand-drawn cartoons, fanzines, and … yes, old news. 

The New Yorker magazine recently published a fun article on the business and its owner Aaron Reiss, who proudly touts his catchphrase: “Old News: Still  bad, but cheaper and more predictable.” 

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Innovations in Media: 'The Elysian'

Updated on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 9:58 AM by Logan Molen

You’ll want to hang on as I dig into this post because there’s a lot to unpack as it relates to The Elysian, whose varied tentacles include a Substack channel, an email newsletter, periodic digital and print pamphlets, a crowd-funded book, live and recorded video interviews, live events around the world, chats with subscribers, IRL meetings with subscribers, a member Slack channel, and probably a few other things I’ve yet to discover. 

All are powered or inspired by Elle Griffin, a dreamer inspired to uncover a better civilization. 

Am I hearing utopia? 

Yep. Perhaps it’s too far off, but the fun for Griffin is working toward utopia(s), and showing her homework along the way. 

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