Cool Weird Awesome – BradyCarlson.com

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The Slinky Was Invented By Accident, But What An Accident It Was (Cool Weird Awesome 429)

Today is the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, and it's the day the Slinky, which has been given as a gift countless times over the years, first became a phenomenon, even though it was invented by accident. Plus: it's been about 50 years since wild turkeys returned to New Hampshire, and it was all part of a wildlife trade with West Virginia!

Brady Carlson2020-11-27T07:27:35-05:00November 27th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: Slinky, toys, Turkeys|

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When The Macy’s Parade Rickrolled Thanksgiving (Cool Weird Awesome 428)

It really happened! On Thanksgiving 2008, a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade came to a halt, there was a record scratch, and none other than Rick Astley came out to perform "Never Gonna Give You Up." Plus: a pianist in Thailand is never going to give up his very unusual audience.

Brady Carlson2020-11-26T08:57:22-05:00November 26th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: macaques, music, parades, Rick Astley, Rickroll, Thanksgiving|

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There Used To Be A World Record For Auto Sales (Cool Weird Awesome 427)

This week marks two years since the end of a lawsuit over who had the world record in car sales! Not that we're short on stories these days about people disputing numbers. Plus: if you want a calmer story, how about this one about an artist who makes ornate sculptures from apples?

Brady Carlson2020-11-25T09:01:52-05:00November 25th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: apples, art, cars, world records|

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There’s A Little Art Museum On The Moon (Cool Weird Awesome 426)

Today in 1969 Apollo 12 returned to earth after visiting the moon, and if the stories are true, it brought with it a tiny tile containing line drawings by six Earth artists. Plus: since most of us aren't likely to visit the art installation on the lunar surface, maybe we can visit this museum in the Florida Keys that goes below the surface of the water.

Brady Carlson2020-11-24T09:45:37-05:00November 24th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: Apollo 12, art, diving, museums, outer space|

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It’s The Birthday Of The Jukebox, The Old-School System For On-Demand Music (Cool Weird Awesome 425)

Today in 1889, inventor Louis Glass moved his "nickel-in-a-slot" into a saloon in San Francisco, beginning the age of the jukebox and giving the generations without smartphones and streaming services the chance to push a button and listen to a song. Plus: Chris Nikic has just become the first person with Down syndrome to finish an Ironman triathlon.

Brady Carlson2020-11-23T08:35:53-05:00November 23rd, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: Down syndrome, history, inventions, jukeboxes, Sports, triathlons|

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When A 19 Year Old Drummer Got Onstage With The Who (Cool Weird Awesome 424)

On this day in 1973, the Who's drummer, Keith Moon, collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital. Amazingly, the band chose a 19 year old from the crowd, Scot Halpin, to fill in for the rest of the show. Plus: this year's Pasadena Doo Dah Parade isn't just irreverent, it's irreverent and virtual!

Brady Carlson2020-11-20T07:34:43-05:00November 20th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: music history, parades, Pasadena CA, rock music, Scot Halpin, The Who|

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In The Future, Roadside Assistance Could Come From Robots (Cool Weird Awesome 423)

Robot roadside assistance? Toyota has applied for a patent for a system where self-driving drones could pull up to vehicles and give them some gas - or, if it runs on electricity, give it a charge. Plus: when you need to get a donor organ from one part of Italy to another, what do you do? Turn to a Lamborghini, of course.

Brady Carlson2020-11-19T08:14:22-05:00November 19th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: cars, drones, robots, technology, transplants|

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The Greenland Shark Can Live For Hundreds Of Years, So Don’t Make It Mad (Cool Weird Awesome 422)

Scientists have determined that the Greenland shark lives longer than any known invertebrate, up to 400 years. How? We don't know, but it sure does seem chill about it. Plus: UK-based artist Sue Austin developed an underwater wheelchair, making the wide, wide sea a lot more accessible.

Brady Carlson2020-11-18T07:56:11-05:00November 18th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: biology, marine science, physical disabilities, science, sharks, wheelchairs|

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Emma Gatewood Hiked The Appalachian Trail Three Times, And Not Quite “Just For The Heck Of It” (Cool Weird Awesome 421)

On National Take A Hike Day, we salute Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, who, in her 60s, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. Plus: on National Homemade Bread Day, we salute Pham Thi Bac's enormous bread loaves in Vietnam.

Brady Carlson2020-11-17T08:14:52-05:00November 17th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: bread, Emma Gatewood, hiking, Vietnam, women's history|

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W.C. Handy Laid The Foundation For Modern Music (Cool Weird Awesome 420)

The man known as the Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy, was born on this day in 1873, and it's not exaggerating to say rock and popular music wouldn't have played out the same way without him. Plus: if you have the blues because your cat keeps waking you up in the night, you may want to check out this new cat-friendly bedframe.

Brady Carlson2020-11-16T09:18:10-05:00November 16th, 2020|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: blues, cats, furniture, music, music history, W.C. Handy|