Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

Summer travel comes and goes for most of us, but Tom Stuker, the "world's most frequent flyer," bought a lifetime plane ticket in 1990 and has been up in the air a lot since then. Plus: Monday in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, it’s the Rain Day Festival.  New Jersey man dubbed ‘most traveled air passenger’ with nearly 24 million miles in the air (News12.com) He has flown 23 million miles. Here are his travel secrets. (Washington Post) Rain Day Festival 2024 Fly with us! Back our show on Patreon for just $1 a month --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1978, the American release date of what looked like a blockbuster movie musical: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," starring some of the biggest music and movie stars of the era. Yeah, it didn't go so well. Plus: the Apollo 11 astronauts had to fill out customs declarations when they came back from the moon!?! Beatles-Based Movie Is A Box Office Bomb (Songfacts) Back from the Moon, Apollo Astronauts Had to Go Through Customs (Space.com) I don’t really want to stop the show, but I thought you might like to know, you can back our show on Patreon for just $1 a month --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today was the day in 1904 that a guy at the St. Louis World’s Fair took a pastry cone, put two scoops of ice cream inside, and changed the dessert world forever. Except that there are a bunch of ice cream cone origin stories from that World's Fair, and also, ice cream cones were around for more than a century before that. Plus: The US Postal Service is remembering game show legend Alex Trebek this year with a stamp that includes a Jeopardy-style clue. Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla : a history of American ice cream by Anne Cooper Funderburg The Murky History of the Ice Cream Cone (TIME) The USPS Commemorates Alex Trebek With a Forever Stamp in the Form of a ‘Jeopardy’ Question (Laughing Squid) Back our show on Patreon, it costs less than an ice cream cone --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

It’s a busy time of year for transportation workers, especially here in the Midwest. Michigan's official state vehicle fleet includes a vintage Ford Model T, and not just as a nod to the state's long history with automaking. Plus: starting today in Ohio, it’s the Dayton Air Show. Michigan DOT Still Has a Century-Old Ford Model T in Service (The Drive) Dayton Air Show Drive on over to our Patreon page and you can help make this show happen --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today's believed to be the day in 1799 when French troops in northern Egypt found the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked a huge amount of knowledge about the ancient world. Or at least it would after scholars spent like two decades figuring out what it said. Plus: Atchison, Kansas is in the middle of its annual Amelia Earhart Festival, celebrating the community's most famous resident.  Rosetta Stone found (History.com) Amelia Earhart Festival Back our show on Patreon in any language you like --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

For National Ice Cream Day this Sunday, the story of how New York state once upcycled some ice cream trucks into artificial reefs around Long Island. Plus: this Saturday in Pennsylvania, it’s the Made In Bradford Celebration, in the hometown of the Zippo lighter. Sunken Ice Cream Trucks Were Used Create Artificial Reefs in NYC (Untapped New York) Made In Bradford Celebration  Our Patreon backers make sure this show never sinks --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This day in 1982 was the date at the top of a movie treatment for “E.T. 2: Nocturnal Fears." And as the title suggests, the sequel would have been a lot creepier than the first movie. Plus: starting tomorrow in Minnesota, it’s the Cosmos Space Festival.  Why The ET Sequel Never Happened (ScreenRant) Cosmos Space Festival  Keep our show playing throughout the galaxy as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1988, the community of Embo, in the Scottish Highlands raised money for a community center by declaring independence from the rest of the UK… but just for one day. Plus: today in 2022, an odd moment in the world of real estate. And milk. Embo Community Centre Appeal (via Archive.org)  B.C. real estate agent fined $20K after chugging milk in fridge at showing (North Shore News)  You don’t have to declare yourself an independent nation to back our show on Patreon (but if you do, let us know) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1912, high honors for William Walker, who saved the UK’s famous Winchester Cathedral from partial collapse through five years of foundation work… all of which he did underwater. Plus: this week in Aroostook County, Maine, it’s the Maine Potato Blossom Festival.  Saving the Cathedral (BBC) Maine Potato Blossom Festival   You can help shore up the future of this podcast as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1895, the birthday of Buckminster Fuller, the “engineer, architect and futurist" who once proposed building a see-through dome over part of Manhattan to save energy and money. Plus: a community festival that’s actually in a bunch of communities. The 1960 Plan To Put A Dome Over Midtown Manhattan (Gothamist) This Was Buckminster Fuller’s Plan to Cover Manhattan With a Giant Dome (The Daily Beast) Stroud Brick Throwing and Rolling Pin Competition  It would be a bright idea to back our show on Patreon today --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Around this time in 2012, a teacher in Germany saved a young student's life, literally keeping the three year old's head above water after falling into an abandoned mine shaft. Plus: starting tomorrow in Oklahoma, it’s the McLoud Blackberry Festival.  Teacher jumps down mineshaft to save boy (The Local) The McLoud Blackberry Festival  Want more stories like this? Back our show on Patreon today --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1899, the signing of the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium, that established most of the border between Egypt and Sudan, but eventually led to a dispute over two stretches of land. Both countries want one stretch, and neither wants the other. Plus: this Friday in New Orleans, the running of the bulls! Well, sort of. This man is the latest in a series of travellers to declare ownership of a bizarre no man’s land in north Africa (Business Insider) Running of the Bulls (NewOrleans.com) Back our show on Patreon so it can go out to every country in the world (and a few extra spots too) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

On this National Fashion Day, we have a letter from 3,800 years ago that shows some things never change, like teenagers nagging their parents for a fancier set of clothes. Plus: an artist in Japan designs a pair of jeans that look like they're hanging out unzipped... because that's something someone needs, apparently? Reading Ancient Mail (JSTOR)  Jeans designed to look like your fly is down (Boing Boing) Backing our show on Patreon is always in fashion --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1776, it's said that the Liberty Bell rang out in Philadelphia for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. More than two centuries later, a fast food giant put out fake ads claiming that it had acquired the Liberty Bell to help pay off the national debt. Plus: today in 1978, Def Leppard played its first-ever concert, in Sheffield, England, though it didn’t exactly start off with a bang. Hold the taco sauce, Liberty Bell is safe (Philadelphia Inquirer via Newspapers.com) The Hilariously Bad First Concerts of Rock's Biggest Bands (Ultimate Classic Rock) Back our show on Patreon for just one softshell taco’s worth of dollars a month --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1994, the start of a very unusual road trip: Alvin Straight drove 240 miles by lawn mower. Plus: next week in Wausau, Wisconsin, it’s the Taste ‘N Glow Balloon Fest.  Brotherly Love Powers a Lawn Mower Trek (New York Times) Taste 'n Glow Balloon Fest Ride with us as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1827, the people of Boonsboro, Maryland marked Independence Day by trying to build a stone monument to George Washington in a single day. It was a Washington Monument way before the opening of the Washington Monument in DC. Plus: today in Michigan, it's the Berrien Springs Pickle Festival. The Little-Known Story of the First Washington Monument (Smithsonian) After A More Than 16-Year Hiatus, This Small Town Now Hosts The Longest-Running Pickle Festival In Michigan (Only In Your State) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1958, the Washington Post reported on a way to transform a Ford station wagon into a full-service campsite with the push of a button. Plus: this weekend in Congham, Norfolk, England, the World Snail Racing Championships. The 1959 Ford Country Squire Camper, the Pushbutton Dream Camper That Never Was (Auto Evolution) SNAIL RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS  Click on this link and you can transform yourself into one of our backers 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

Around this time of a year you may come to witness an eye-opening process in parts of Utah: it’s known as aerial fish stocking. Yes, they drop fish out of airplanes into bodies of water. Plus: in Traverse City, Michigan, there are still a few more days left of the National Cherry Festival. Utah is dropping thousands of fish from planes – again (CNN) National Cherry Festival We hope you’ll drop a few bucks in to support 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

Longtime baseball fans know this is the day each year that former star Bobby Bonilla gets more than a million bucks from the New York Mets, as part of the strangest salary deal the sport's ever seen. Plus: today in 1997, Len Libby’s Chocolates in Maine unveiled an icon, Lenny the chocolate moose. What is Bobby Bonilla Day? Explaining why the former Met gets paid $1.19M every July 1 (ESPN) Lenny the Moose (Len Libby) Back our show on Patreon for just $1 a month, or $1.19M if you’d prefer --- 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 1919, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the massive conflict known today as World War I and set a lot of postwar international standards, including standard musical pitch. Plus: the Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky showcases the world of ventriloquism, and this weekend it's hosting a a fun run and walk as The Dummy Run 5K. High Pitch, Low Pitch and Modern Pitch (Robb Stewart Brass Instruments)  The Vent Haven 2024 Dummy Run  Let’s make an agreement that this podcast is worth your support 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