Gertrude Ederle Set A Record For Swimming The English Channel, And She Did It In A Thunderstorm (Cool Weird Awesome 1286)

Today in 1926, American Gertrude Ederle swam from France to England, a record-setting crossing of the English Channel she made in stormy weather!

By |2024-08-06T08:46:33-04:00August 6, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |

Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb’s “Penny Parade” Helped Build A Northern Wisconsin Hospital (Cool Weird Awesome 1248)

Today in 1953, some 10,000 people took part in Woodruff, Wisconsin's Memorial Day "Penny Parade." They were raising to build a hospital, urged on by the leader of the effort, Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb.

By |2024-05-30T08:54:26-04:00May 30, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

There Was More Than One “Real” Rosie the Riveter (Cool Weird Awesome 1247)

Today in 1943, Norman Rockwell's painting "Rosie the Riveter" was on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. But that's not the image that we think of today as Rosie, and just as there were multiple depictions of the character, there were multiple real-life inspirations for those depictions.

Maria Beasley Invented A Life Raft And Lots Of Other Hugely Useful Things (Cool Weird Awesome 1244)

Today in 1882 inventor Maria Beasley received the patent for a collapsible life raft. But Beasley was one of those inventors who came up with idea after idea in a bunch of fields, so there's lots more to her story.

By |2024-05-16T06:57:35-04:00May 16, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Bonnie Richardson Won A State Track Team Championship By Herself – Twice (Cool Weird Awesome 1233)

This month in 2008, a high school athlete from a very small town competed as a team of one in the Texas track championships, and finished first two years in a row.

Florence Price Finally Takes Her Place On The List Of Great Composers (Cool Weird Awesome 1217)

Today in 1887 (or, by some accounts, 1888), the birthday of a composer who’s really only now getting the acclaim she deserves: Florence Price.

Jessica Cox, The First Person Born Without Arms To Become A Licensed Pilot (Cool Weird Awesome 1179)

Today in 1983, the birthday of Jessica Cox, the first person born without arms to become a licensed pilot. And that’s just one of her many accomplishments.

By |2024-02-02T09:22:27-05:00February 2, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Jean Carroll, TV’s First Female Standup Comedy Star (Cool Weird Awesome 1176)

Today in 1949, a first for American network TV: a female comedian did a standup routine on the air. Here's the story of comic Jean Carroll.

By |2024-01-30T09:02:47-05:00January 30, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

Puerto Rico’s Festival de las Máscaras Gets Colorful And Loud (Cool Weird Awesome 1157)

If this time of year is a little too drab and grey for your tastes, head to Puerto Rico’s northern coast for Festival de las Máscaras de Hatillo: the Festival of Masks. 

By |2023-12-28T09:06:38-05:00December 28, 2023|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

How Joyce Chen Helped The US Fall In Love With Chinese Food (Cool Weird Awesome 1087)

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.

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