SmartDrivel

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. 

Jon and Kurt find amusement (they are easily amused) in discussing words and phrases that were once popular but have now gone out of style.  Of course, this is just a launching point for some meandering musings.

Humans make mistakes. They also change their mind. Or think they can improve something. In all these cases, when written, these same humans are grateful for the invention of the eraser. Yes, the eraser. That wonderful piece of technology that gives you a “do-over,” that enables you to take chances, to go outside of your comfort zone knowing you can always take it back with a flourish of your eraser. Jon and Kurt go from discussing the history of the eraser into the much more esoteric discussion of the eraser’s metaphoric and existential role in society as a whole. Oh, it’s a wild ride. If only they could have taken it all back….