Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

Today in 1924, the University of Illinois dedicated Memorial Stadium, which holds some 60,000 football fans and, legend has it, one bulldozer. We'll look at what really happened. Plus: this weekend in Crowley, Louisiana, it’s the International Rice Festival. Campus Mythbusting: Is there a bulldozer buried beneath Memorial Stadium? (University of Illinois Archives)  Crowley International Rice Festival Our Patreon backers are the real legends --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

It's National Pasta Day, and here’s a pasta fact that you might have guessed: Fettucine Alfredo comes from an actual guy named Alfredo. Plus: this month in 1990 that a swarm of so-called "killer bees" crossed into the US for the first time on record. The south Texas community of Hidalgo had a big reaction.  The Real Alfredo (Saveur) Hidalgo, Texas's, Killer Bee Statue, a nod to a historical moment in October 1990 when the first known swarm of these "Africanized" bees was documented to have crossed into the United States from Mexico and into this little Rio Grande River community in far-south Texas (Library of Congress's Public Domain Archive) Five stars for each of our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

This month in 1964 that the country first began using its world-famous bullet trains, so we've got a few, well, fast facts about them. Plus: today in Bridgeville, Delaware, the Apple-Scrapple Festival is starting. Shinkansen about more than speed (Japan Times via Archive.org) 15 Things You Didn't Know About Bullet Trains (Thrillist) How Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains changed the world of rail travel (CNN) Tracing the History of Railways in Japan Through Art (Spoon and Tamago) Bridgeville Apple-Scrapple Festival Here's a quick thanks to our Patreon backers for supporting the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Back braces for scoliosis haven't always been the most comfortable or fun to wear in public. But Airy, the newest prototype back brace, could even be called stylish. Plus: today in 1960, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski hit a World Series-winning home run, and the only video of that landmark moment came because a big star was too busy (or too nervous) to watch live.  'airy' scoliosis brace is designed for young girls to wear with comfort and confidence (designboom) Pristine film of '60 Series Game 7 found (ESPN) Our Patreon backers never stop winning --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Aerial Additive Manufacturing is a new process in which a team of drones 3D print while still flying, and then scanning drones fly by to make sure the job was done right. Plus: the story of a bridge in Ireland that shows sometimes a very little thing can keep a very big thing from doing its thing.  Drone Swarms that Can 3D Print While Flying (Core77) The Celtic Tiger bridge that wouldn't open because of a lost remote control (The Journal) Our Patreon backers are great teammates --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

If you watched any of the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, you know the UK has lots of traditions. Here's another one: once a year, sometime between about now and mid November, the city of London pays rent to the Crown for several pieces of land in what’s called the Ceremony of Quit Rents. Plus: around this time in 2013, a big typo on some coins struck for the Vatican.  The Ceremony of Quit Rents (Historic-UK.com) Vatican pulls papal medal which misspelt name of Jesus (BBC) We remember to thank our Patreon backers for all their support!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

October is National Stamp Collecting Month, and there are perhaps no more collectible stamps than the ones out of the small Asian country of Bhutan - like the "talking stamps" that were also vinyl records. Plus: a choice selection from some of the strangest responses to questions on geology tests. Little Ambassadors of the Country (Works That Work) “Coal Is Decayed Vegetarians" (Futility Closet) Our Patreon backers are full of surprises  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1916, a college football game that was about as one-sided as it gets: Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland College 0. Here's how this absolute squash of a game played out. Plus: today in Smithfield, North Carolina, day one of the Ava Gardner Festival. Revisiting Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland 0 and how it may have saved the school (CBS Sports)  220-0-THE INFAMOUS CUMBERLAND GAP (Chicago Tribune) Ava Gardner Festival  Our Patreon backers make us feel like winners every day --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1945 was the beginning of curse, or at least that's how frustrated fans of the Chicago Cubs. Here's the story of the Curse of the Billy Goat. Plus: today in Ketchum, Idaho, the Trailing of the Sheep Festival is getting underway. Are the Chicago Cubs Really Cursed? (LiveScience) Come on Down for the Big Cozy Sheep Parade (Thrillist) Our Patreon backers are champions every day --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

International Astronomy Day is coming up this weekend, so we’re talking about Hisako Koyama, an astronomer who hand-drew tens of thousands of daily observations of the sun and its spots. Plus: there's a remote spot in the African country of Namibia where you can hear the Toto song "Africa" on an endless loop.  This Japanese ‘hidden figure’ enlightened the world with her sunspot sketches (PBS NewsHour)  Africa by Toto to play on eternal loop 'down in Africa' (BBC) Join our Patreon backers for just $1 a month and make this show happen, day after day after day --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1900, Margaret Abbott became the first American woman to win an Olympic title, even though she didn’t know she was in the Olympics. Plus: today in 2021, a woman in Canada got a very unexpected visitor.  Margaret Abbott (New York Times) B.C. woman awakes to a hole in her roof and a space rock on her pillow (Castlegar News) Our Patreon backers are golden  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1926, America’s aunt made her debut on the airwaves. That would be Aunt Sammy, who gave cooking tips to millions of listeners in the early days of radio. Plus: today in 78 BC a graffiti artist got to work in ancient Pompeii.  History of Aunt Sammy and Her Recipes (Quaint Cooking) Pompeii’s Graffiti and the Ancient Origins of Social Media (The Atlantic) Our Patreon backers make every show a little more delicious --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

The Texas State Fair is getting underway, and if it's fried food you're after, you have Abel Gonzales Jr., aka "Fried Jesus," to thank. Plus: the Comedy Pet Photo Awards have announced this year’s winners. I Believe I Can Fry (Texas Monthly) Who is Fried Jesus, Dallas restaurant owner? Abel Gonzales’ new nickname is the Texican (Dallas Morning News) Cats, Dogs, and a Smoking Alpaca Win Pet Photo Awards (Treehugger) Our Patreon backers are award winners --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1921, President Warren Harding issued an executive order that would finally protect the United States’ most important documents after decades of wear and tear. Plus: if you're celebrating National Coffee Day, you could do worse than following the lead of Avery Sisk. His house in Collettsville, North Carolina is covered in 30,000 coffee mugs.  Constitution of the United States—A History (Archives.gov) Case Closed (NOVA) 30,000 Coffee mugs COVER this house in North Carolina (Exploring the Obscure)  We hold this truth to be self-evident: Patreon backers make this show possible --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

One hundred years ago today was the birthday of Mike Yurosek, the father of the baby carrot. Here's the story of how he came up with the idea. Plus: some communities in Europe are starting mini gardens on the roofs of bus stop shelters to give bees and butterflies a little help.  Profiles in Doing Both: Mike Yurosek, Father of the 'Baby Carrot' (Forbes) Digging the baby carrot (USA Today) Buzz stops: bus shelter roofs turned into gardens for bees and butterflies (The Guardian) Support this show for just $1 a month and help it grow like a baby carrot --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

School is back in session, and fortunately teachers aren't using dunce caps to shame their students. How did a hat that was once worn by prominent thinkers end up as the hat of choice for teachers trying to brand students as dopes? Plus: an apartment building in Concord, New Hampshire turns itself into a classic video game. What’s the origin of the dunce cap? (The Straight Dope) NH gets a cool new monument to video games (GraniteGeek) The smart move is to join our Patreon backers and support this show! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1990, the premiere of one of the most bewildering TV experiments of all time: Cop Rock. We'll explain how the show happened and why it didn't quite catch on. Plus: it's the birthday of George William Crump, a guy Ray Stevens could’ve written a song about. An oral history of Cop Rock, TV’s first and last musical police drama (AV Club) University Chronology (Washington University via Archive.org) When we think about our Patreon backers we feel like singing! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

It's known as the House in the Loire, and it's a popular sight for those on Loire River boat tours. But it's not a house on a formerly dry site that later flooded; nor does anyone live there. We'll explain. Plus: this weekend in Baltimore, it’s the Big Dill, otherwise known as the “World’s Largest Pickle Party.” The Famous House in the Middle of the Loire River (Oddity Central) The Big Dill  Our Patreon backers keep this show from getting all wet --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Hot days make for stuffy classrooms, and that can make it hard to learn, but going outside to scorching hot asphalt playgrounds isn’t much better. A school near Atlanta is demonstrating one partial solution, and it’s as simple as getting a fresh coat of paint. Plus: for the upcoming National Bunny Day, a visit to the Bunny Museum in southern California.  Thanks to an innovative new paint, this school’s playground just got 12 degrees cooler (Fast Company) LA's Bunny Museum will redline your rabbit-o-meter (Boing Boing) You can back this show for just $1 a month as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

It was a hit when it was first released in 1978. Today it’s an anthem. Here's how Earth, Wind & Fire got everybody dancing and remembering each September 21st. Plus: if you’re one of those workers who had to go back to the office and really didn’t want to, this may help register your discontent. The Song That Never Ends: Why Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September' Sustains (NPR) Do You Remember? The Message in Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ (Wall Street Journal) concept coffin office chair design wants workers to sit there, forever (designboom) We remember our Patreon backers every September (plus all the other months) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support