Waiting 4 Wrath - Episode 267 - The One Where We Retro Radiate... For Science!

In This Week’s Show, episode 267, we bask in Jenn’s educational glow as we learn about the finer points of post-war educational industry.

Now, grab a beer and help us test the god hypothesis — because, while Erra (the Akkadian god of mayhem and plague) hasn’t struck us down yet, we are trying his patience!

Shea’s Life Lesson

This week I learned that if you tuck one of pant legs into your sock; people expect a lot less of you.

Jenn’s Actual Lesson

Did you know that mayhem god Erra had himself his very own epic poem? It dates from about the 8th century BCE and chronicles the insomniac god as he plots destruction for all mankind, and comes pretty close to succeeding. It was basically the Babylonian destruction myth, like the great flood or a Ragnorrak.

But before we get to all that, let’s have a beer!

This Week’s Beer

Summadayz - Darwin Brewing Co.

Donated By: Travis

* BA Link: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35575/127384/

* BA Rating: 83

* Style: American IPA

* ABV: 6%

* Aaron: 4

* Jenn: 3

* Shea: 4

* Steve: 4

This Week’s Show

Round Table

* New patron Mark!

* Patron upgrade Ennui

We’ll be releasing next week’s show, the Christmas show, to everyone so we need to give a special thanks to your patrons not only for supporting the show but allowing us to slack a little on the holidays.

Speaking of holidays, the New Year’s clip show will be pulled from episodes 120 to 150-ish. If you want to submit favorite stories the easiest way to listen to those older shows it to subscribe at patreon.com/w4w so head over and give the full archive a listen!

Speaking of patreon content, the story below is glowing brightly at http://patreon.com/w4w - head over now and get it for a buck!

Patreon Story

Radiation is fun!

Most of you probably haven’t heard the tale of Alfred Carton Gilbert.

He was an American athlete, magician, toy-maker, business man, and giver of cancer.

Most famous of his inventions was the Erector Set. Perhaps most notable, however, was the 1950 Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab play-set for children.

Gilbert considered toys to be foundational in building a “solid American character” so many of his toys were educationally themed and lead lined… or, you know, whatever metal was cheaper.

So great was his toy-based patriotism that he was named the “man who saved Christmas” during WWI when he convinced the US Council of National Defense not to ban toy sales during Christmas… which was a thing for some reason.

Anyway, back on the glowing track.

The Atomic Energy Lab was one of many lab-based toys available at the time. Like lab toys now the kits would include everything you needed to do the fun-to-watch science in the hope that you’d later do the hard-to-math science as an adult. Best of all, it was the 1950’s and everything was alite with the glory of radiation!

The Atomic Lab, while short lived - it only sold for 1 year - was considered by many including Gilbert to be the companies best. The US Government particularly loved it as they thought it would aid public understanding of atomic energy and emphasize its constructive aspects - which at the time was much in need of PR rehabilitation.

The Lab contained a cloud chamber (or glass ball) that allowed one to watch alpha particles traveling at 12,000 mps, a spinthariscope showing the results of radioactive disintegration on a fluorescent screen, and an electroscope measuring the radioactivity of different substances in the set.