Jon and Kurt seek to educate, enlighten, and entertain each other with information previously unknown–be it of the historical, technological, or linguistic bent. What happened in 1752 that no one remembers? From what common sense practical usage did everyday words come from? And what the hell do you call this cool way of cursing: $@&*#!. Come get some fun learning on….

Throughout history, dating as far back as humankind can go, there is an indomitable spirit in people that drives innovation and invention…to make our lives easier and more efficient. This manifested in a way that we kept creating new “technologies” from the umbrella to the printing press to electricity to the automobile to the internet, well you get the idea. And as great as we can say these have made our lives, when they first started there were many nay-sayers. Many who predicted their demise or calamities that would befall users of said technology. Jon and Kurt dive into a few of the most notable of these and share things like the chairman of IBM saying in 1943, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” Don’t be afraid, take a listen. 

Jon and Kurt were intrigued by the history, impact, and power of seemingly innocuous everyday items. In this episode they try to make the cast that the utilitarian fork isn’t just about eating, it is representative of the history of humanity. And then they discuss chewing gum and its role in society. You’ll never grab a utensil or chew the same way again…

You might think the common brew/brewski/suds/etc. is just a proletariat beverage more suited to frat brothers than aristocracy. But you would be wrong. Beer has been revered for over 10,000 years as both a nutritious drink and a social elixir. Jon and Kurt follow beer’s impact over the centuries from ancient Egypt to Medieval Europe to the landing of the Mayflower. Grab a cold one and have a listen.

Jon and Kurt seek to answer that age-old question: why are things shaped as they are? Is it for practical purposes? Design aesthetics? Efficiency in production? All of the above? Ok, enough questions, how about some answers. In this episode, our two hosts expound on certain well known objects and explain why they are shaped as they are. Traffic cones, champagne glasses, hockey pucks, wing nuts, etc. Shape up and take a listen.

Proving once again that you can take the men out of boyhood but can’t take the boy out of the men (or something like that), Jon and Kurt crack themselves up by sharing a bunch of words that sound really dirty (like clatterfart) but are actually quite innocuous on the word spectrum. So don’t be pusillanimous, put on your headphones, and listen. You might find it to be quite a tittynope. 

We all go through life blithely using everyday products without knowing why they are what they are or why they have certain qualities. We just accept them for their utility value, not bothering to ask why. Well, phew, thankfully Jon and Kurt have decided to ask the question and this episode brings their answers. Why do winter hats have that pom pon on top? Why are doorknobs made of brass? Why do wine bottles have an indention in the bottom? And so many more….Tune in and never look at an everyday product the same again.

Humanity has long searched beyond the corporeal to find answers to life’s big questions. As part of this, there has always been a place for “gods” in all civilizations. From the omnipotent Zeus to Thor the Thunder God to current "big religions’ gods" to the top pagan deities, gods have played a huge role in creating/guiding/forming life’s overall path. Yet, yet, there are also many gods who have far narrower remits. The goddess of sewers. The god of intoxication. The god of excuses. Etc.  These gods punch way above their weight levels and turn obscure roles into major parts of people’s lives. Jon and Kurt examine a few of these gods and opine on their influences. Are you there God? It’s me Margaret….

Jon went into the fictional phone book to make a list of home addresses where TV/film/literary characters lived. And then he decided to test Kurt’s knowledge of said addresses, giving him three questions to ask to try and identify who, what, and where lived there. The big question is: can you do better than Kurt did?

Humans love their monuments…the pyramids, the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, the coliseum, etc. But what do we know of them except what we learn from a hard to hear guide on crowded tour when you just want to get to the restaurant for dinner or a wikipedia page that seems to jump centuries like a schoolkid jumping puddles or saying “huh, I didn’t know that” to a trivia question answer in a beer soaked bar? In other words, they are cool, but what are really intriguing secrets and little known facts about these well known monuments? Well, thankfully, Jon and Kurt spend time sharing bon mots of monument knowledge with us.