New York City’s 311 System Has Gotten Some Wild Calls Over The Years
This month in 2003, New York City launched its 311 service, a service that has helped residents with a wide range of non-emergency issues… and a few absolute head-scratchers.
It’s Cat Week on Cool Weird Awesome
This week we’re replaying some of our favorite feline-themed episodes.
Toronto’s “Stork Derby” Happened Because Of A Very Wealthy Lawyer’s Very Strange Will
This week in 1926, a will left behind by a very unusual lawyer in Toronto led to a ten year baby-having contest nicknamed the “Stork Derby.”
Saved By His Cat
Way to go Fluffy!
A Soviet Cosmonaut Once Pretended To Land On The Moon To Troll NASA
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.
A US Treasury Official Decided To Feature Himself On Currency
For National Dollar Day, the story of the time a guy overseeing the printing of US money decided the best person to feature on that money was… himself.
Turkmenistan’s Leader Once Drove Doughnuts Around A Flaming Crater Known As The “Gates Of Hell”
This week in 2019, the president of Turkmenistan got the world’s attention with a very unusual drive around a flaming gas crater that's become an attraction for some tourists as well as a big headache for environmental scientists.
Claire Weekes Came Up With Six Words To Help With Anxiety
Today in 1903, the birthday of Dr. Claire Weekes, who helped the world understand that sometimes the way to stop a spell of anxiety in its tracks… is, in a way, to stop trying to stop it.
Science Says Cats Can Perceive Time, Sort Of
The news site Inverse stopped me in my tracks with their recent article “Can Cats Tell Time? Yes, But It's Complicated.” And, when we look at the relationship between cats and time, it is complicated.
Abel Gonzales Is The Fried Food King Of The Texas State Fair
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.