SmartDrivel

Over time, words take on new meanings. Interestingly, often the new definition is the exact opposite of where the word started off. This somewhat boggling phenomenon is the subject of this week’s Smart Drivel episode. Jon and Kurt share the current and then the original meanings of words and wonder at the journey these words have taken. It can be said that this episode is truly awful.

Ever have this happen to you…you are sitting at a beautiful table in a nice restaurant, you peruse the menu, you see something that sounds delicious even though you haven’t had it before, you feel bold, and you order it. Only to find that it is made of and tastes nothing at all like what it sounds? This happens way more than you would think. Leaving folks stunned, frustrated, and a bit queasy sometimes. In this episode, Jon and Kurt identify a bunch of these menu items and unveil them for the impostors they are. Head Cheeses and SweetBreads will deceive no more!

You are on a great vacation. One you have saved up for and planned for years. You leave the friendly confines of the U.S. and head overseas. While in the MidEast, you wish to show your appreciation for good service and, since you don’t know the language, you give a hearty thumbs up to your waiter. Who promptly spits in your soup because you just gave him, what amounts to in his country, the middle finger. This horror scenario happens more than you would think as different countries have different customs and offense is taken without intention. Clear your plate in the U.S.--you loved the meal. Clean your plate in Asia--you offended them. In this episode, Jon and Kurt give a few fun examples of this dynamic in the hopes your foreign travels go smoothly.

The last 60 years have brought an onslaught of evolutionary and technological advances that have drastically re-shaped humanity. And speaking of re-shaping, boy these last six decades have had a huge impact on the shape of things--as in the body. In this episode, Jon and Kurt look at how the average American has changed since 1960. Height. Weight (spoiler alert--it’s not a pretty stat). Connubial patterns. Average age. College educated. Etc. It is a shockingly fun episode to see the changes and debate if they are for the better or not.

Sayings have made their way into the vernacular that are just plain wrong. There are many common phrases that we mix up and mess up. When we proudly declare “that was a bold faced lie” or “it’s a doggy dog world” or “card shark” and many, many others, we are in fact saying them all wrong. In this episode, Jon and Kurt uncover many of these erroneous expressions and provide the actual correct versions. So “hone in” and take a listen.

The civilization of Ancient Greece emerged into the light of history in the 8th century BC. Normally it is regarded as coming to an end when Greece fell to the Romans, in 146 BC. What is amazing is that this long gone civilization has had an enduring impact on life throughout the centuries. Jon and Kurt investigate how the ancient Greeks still permeate our society. They discuss how we name our cars, household cleaners, fancy scarves, sports teams, sneakers and more after Greek gods and heroes despite having no connection to a long-gone dynasty. Heck, even condoms carry proud Greek heritage.

Curses. Jinxes. Hexes. Call them what you want, it all boils down to the same thing...life is unpredictable at best, and worse when your fate is altered by forces out of your control. In this episode, Jon and Kurt look at the stories behind some famous curses in history. Spooky.  Ain’t it?

If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do? From the existential to the mundane, Jon and Kurt examine different careers and adventures that they would try--knowing they were safe from failure.

The expensive, large purchases we make--like houses, cars, jewelry--get all the attention, but it is the little things that actually make the biggest differences. In this episode, Jon and Kurt pay tribute to those small purchases with outsized impact.

Smells can put you in a great mood, can be offensive to your innards, can be meditative, and can conjure up nostalgia. How is it that this one sense impacts so much of our psyche and emotional well being? Well, Jon and Kurt chat about the good, the bad, and the just plain ol’ smelly aromas out there. Take a whiff for yourself.