Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

It’s National Dear Diary Day. And nobody kept a diary quite like Robert Shields, who for decades chronicled just about every little thing that happened in his life. Plus: starting today in Warrens, Wisconsin, it's the Warrens Cranberry Festival. Robert Shields, Wordy Diarist, Dies at 89 (The New York Times)   Warrens Cranberry Festival Wouldn't it be great if you could write in your diary that today you backed this show on Patreon? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1850, the birthday of Sam Brinkley, who was a groundbreaker in the field of having a really really long beard. Plus: starting tomorrow in Fairmount, Indiana, it’s the start of the annual Remembering James Dean Festival. A beard taller than Danny DeVito: how this NC man’s facial hair became world famous (Charlotte Observer)  Sam Brinkley and His Beard (NCpedia) Remembering James Dean Festival We mustache you to consider backing this show on Patreon for $1 a month --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 2006, the Pentagon announced it would tear down a fascinating piece of Cold War history: a hot dog stand that the Soviets had once thought was actually a top military target. Plus: starting tomorrow in Benson, North Carolina, it’s Benson Mule Days. The Cold War’s Most Important Hot Dog Stand (Now I Know) Benson Mule Days Everybody knows that our Patreon backers are the ones who make this show run, join them! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1968, the Soviet Union was launching the Zond 5 mission, orbiting the moon. But on cosmanaut, knowing the US would be listening, decided to pretend he’d landed on the moon's surface. Plus: a woman in California got a call from an animal shelter saying they had her cat - except that her cat had gone missing nine years earlier. The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team by Colin Burgess and Rex Hall (via Google Books) Lost cat found in Idaho 9 years after wandering away from California home (Washington Post) Keep this show blasting off as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

A UCLA study finds that humans might be able to find some transportation inspiration from another creature that moves around in large numbers: the ant. Plus: a dude in Germany has built a remote control "trash train" that moves his waste bins to the curb on garbage day and brings them back to the house after they've been emptied. Could insights from ants help people build better transportation networks? (University of California)  Middle-Aged Men Only Want One Thing, And It's Disgusting (Jalopnik) Hail ants? Nah, but definitely hail our Patreon backers for supporting the show --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This month in 1915, the ancient site known as Stonehenge went up for sale at auction. It's almost unthinkable today, but it happened - what took place after that auction was pretty mind-boggling too. Plus: a worker in New Zealand brings a "support clown" with him to a layoff meeting. Stonehenge sold for £6,600 a hundred years ago today (English Heritage) New Zealand: Man brings clown to redundancy meeting (BBC) With enough support from Patreon backers, we could keep this show going for, oh, 4,500 years --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week in 1917, the birthday of Joyce Chen, restaurateur, cookbook author, TV host and one of the biggest reasons why Chinese food became a big hit in the United States. Plus: starting tomorrow in Valliant, Oklahoma, it’s the Valliant Watermelon Festival.  Joyce Chen (National Women's History Museum) Valliant Watermelon Festival (Travel Oklahoma) Help keep this show growing as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1848, a workplace accident caused an iron bar to go through the skull and brain of railroad worker Phineas Gage. Somehow, he lived, and ended up changing science forever. Plus: starting tomorrow in Nevada, it’s the Silver State Classic Challenge, a road race from Las Vegas to Ely that is, by some accounts, the fastest in the world. The Improbable Tale of Phineas Gage (Harvard Brain Tour) The fastest road race in the world takes place in one of the most desolate parts of the U.S. Help us make more episodes about the weirdest moments of all time, as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1952, a group of people in Flatwoods, West Virginia encountered... something. The locals refer to it as, among other names, the Flatwoods Monster. Plus: this weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, it's The Great Sand Castle Contest. The Flatwoods Monster (Braxton County, WV)  The Great Sand Castle Contest Back us on Patreon and you'll keep the monsters away --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, so we thought we'd talk about one truck driver who added bigger and bigger parts to his pickup and ended up creating monster trucks. Plus: this weekend in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it's the Johnny Appleseed Festival.  'Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!' A Crushing History of Monster Trucks (Mental Floss)   Bigfoot Creator Bob Chandler: What I'd Do Differently (Car and Driver)  Johnny Appleseed Festival  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1664, the city previously known as New Amsterdam came under English control and was promptly renamed New York. So we're celebrating an NYC classic, the egg cream. Plus: the US Postal Service has an interesting new set of stamps featuring close-ups of really, really tiny stuff. The Origins of NYC’s Famous Egg Cream and Where to Find One (Untapped New York)  A New USPS Collection Enlarges the World’s Tiniest Lifeforms to the Size of a Postage Stamp (Colossal) Our Patreon backers are pure sweetness, thanks for your support! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

If part of your morning routine involves caffeine in a cup, you may be interested to know about a new research project that uses coffee grounds to improve concrete. Plus: the new web game Clone-a-Lisa gives you a blank canvas, a set of colors, and 60 seconds to create your own version of La Gioconda. Scientists strengthen concrete by 30 percent with used coffee grounds (Engadget)  Can You Reproduce da Vinci’s Masterpiece in Under 60 Seconds? Try With Clone-a-Lisa (Colossal) Our Patreon backers fuel this show every day --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

We have smart glasses already, and soon there could be smart contact lenses powered by a method that might make your eyes water. Plus: today in Northfield, Minnesota, the start of the annual Defeat of Jesse James Days festival.  NTU Singapore scientists invent micrometres-thin battery charged by saline solution that could power smart contact lenses (Nanyang Technological University Singapore)     Defeat of Jesse James Days Keep your eye on our Patreon backers - or better yet, become a backer yourself --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

A new project using smart cameras could help keep our neighborhoods in proper working order, and it’s all based around garbage trucks. Plus: a less than helpful encounter at a bakery. Smart Garbage Trucks Help With Street Maintenance (Hackaday) Mishap leaves two-year-old Missouri girl with cake saying ‘Happy Birthday, Loser’ (FOX2Now) It's smart to back our show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1848, the birthday of Lewis Howard Latimer, an inventor whose work helped make the world what it is today. Plus: today in 2014, not a great work day for the person who was supposed to play the national anthems before a soccer match between Malta and Slovakia.  Latimer, Lewis Howard (1848-1928) (Harvard Square Library)  National anthem replaced by Linkin Park song at Malta-Slovakia friendly (Malta Today) Thank you Patreon backers for all your hard work supporting this show --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

The first Sunday in September is typically the time when a village in Italy holds something called the Festival of the Ugly - which, when you learn more about it, actually sounds kind of nice. Plus: starting today in Mill Spring, North Carolina, it's the Earl Scruggs Music Festival.  The Ugly Club (Orion Magazine)  Earl Scruggs Music Festival (Visit NC) It would be beautiful if you backed this show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1945, the birthday of singer/songwriter Van Morrison. His biggest fans and his loudest critics can agree that the guy does not like being told what to do, and he proved it by recording one of the strangest albums in the history of music. Plus: a program at MIT offers a certificate in piracy! Shelved: Van Morrison’s Contractual Obligation Album (Longreads) One of The Country’s Most Competitive Universities Offers Pirate Accreditation—Seriously (The Mary Sue) It's a marvelous night for backing this show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

There’s new research about a very complex water system built in China around four thousand years ago. And this very complex system was apparently built in a very uncommon way. Plus: this week in Hoopeston, Illinois, it’s the start of the National Sweetcorn Festival. China’s oldest water pipes were a communal effort (University College London)   The National Sweetcorn Festival Join us on Patreon and we'll team up to make more episodes of this show --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

There’s an urban legend floating around the web that claims today in 1968, the television industry was briefly stopped in its tracks by the devil. We'll unpack this wild story. Plus: in space, no one can hear you scream, except that two physicists in Finland say they've found a workaround. Did American TV Viewers Hear the Devil's Voice on Aug. 29, 1968? (Snopes)  Physicists Figure Out a Novel Way to Let Sound Travel Through Space (Inverse) Keep this show coming through your screens and speakers as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today is, thanks to a long-ago calendar change, one of two birthdays in 1896 of Leon Theremin. He invented a very unusual musical instrument that you play without touching it. Plus: a UK woman pranked her husband by pretending she'd won the lottery, only three weeks later, she really did. Leon Theremin’s two birthdays: his official biographer speaks (Moog Foundation) Theremin (Quartz) Woman wins £1m weeks after fake lottery win prank (BBC) Join us on Patreon and together we'll make some beautiful music --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support