Episodes

  • Episode 23: Indiana's Indiana Jones & Covered Bridges

    Episode 23: Indiana's Indiana Jones & Covered Bridges
    Sep 3 2024
    First, Kaylie tells the story of a well traveled man, Don Miller. Don was a local legend, having worked on the Manhattan Project and collected thousands of artifacts from around the world. He welcomed many people to tour his home full of pottery, statues, and bones. The ethics of his collection were shady enough to catch the attention of the FBI’s Art Crimes department, and they roped off his home in 2014 to begin the still unfinished process of returning 7,000 artifacts and 500 sets of remains to their rightful homes. Then, Amanda makes covered bridges sound appealing. Actually! Sure, architecture may sound boring, but the covered bridge capital of the country, Parke County, has a deep appreciation for their 31 historical landmarks. While most of the bridges aren’t driveable, they’re still walkable. Every October, the county hosts the Covered Bridge Festival that includes the traditional fair fun along with a zombie hayride. Say less! https://www.coveredbridges.com/ https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2014/04/03/focus-fbi-probe-indiana-man-mystery/7257473/ https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-seeks-owners-of-recovered-cultural-artifacts-022719 https://time.com/48124/fbi-artifact-indiana-donald-miller/ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2019/02/28/fbi-raid-reveals-tens-of-thousands-of-rare-cultural-artifacts-in-91-year-old-missionarys-indiana-home/ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.5035534/fbi-finds-thousands-of-indigenous-bones-in-raid-on-elderly-missionary-s-home-1.5035541 https://www.indianaarchs.com/lifetime-achievement-award-1
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Episode 22: Minnesota's New Flag & Sharks in the Midwest?!

    Episode 22: Minnesota's New Flag & Sharks in the Midwest?!
    Jul 31 2024
    First, Amanda will do her first update to her state flag series. Minnesota’s flag got a makeover, and she’s gorgeous. While the public submissions led to some hilarious entries, a simple and sleek look was chosen. Were some people salty that the ugly flag was replaced? Sure, but those haters can keep that trash on their front porch. Who knew that talking about flags could get us so fired up? Then, Kaylie will discuss the roots of an urban legend. There are two shark attacks on record in the Midwest: one a mishap at a petting zoo and the other a total fabrication. There are also two supposed instances of bull sharks being caught near St. Louis, but you just have to trust them on that! Was there a market that sold sharks in St. Louis? Yes, but that has nothing to do with this conversation! Kaylie will explore what experts have said about bull sharks’ ability to make it to the Midwest and what dangers actually await swimmers on our shores. Sources: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/about-minnesota/state-symbols/state-flag/ https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-new-flag-design-explained/ https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/new-flag-minnesota-explanation-history/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/03/08/a-straightforward-explanation-and-defense-of-the-new-state-flag-and-seal/ https://racketmn.com/new-mn-state-flag-design-submissions https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/12/new-state-flag-design-narrowed-to-3-finalists/ https://fox4kc.com/news/the-story-of-missouris-one-and-only-shark-attack/ https://www.wbez.org/stories/getting-to-the-bottom-of-lake-michigans-legendary-shark-attack/939d4ecf-2dcc-4450-9ba7-5ca51a106e82 https://apnews.com/article/Fact-Check-Bull-Sharks-Great-Lakes-701871821910 https://www.thetravel.com/is-lake-michigan-dangerous/#:~:text=It's%20estimated%20that%20nearly%20300%2C000,Let's%20answer%20that. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/08/lake-michigan-drownings-in-2022-outpacing-prior-years.html https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/09/the-deadliest-great-lake-an-mlive-documentary-video.html https://www.thetelegraph.com/insider/article/Researchers-affirm-two-bull-shark-sightings-16308838.php https://www.thetelegraph.com/opinion/article/The-real-story-behind-Alton-s-bull-shark-legend-16314613.php https://ojs.inidep.edu.ar/index.php/mafis/article/view/181/233
    Show more Show less
    54 mins
  • Episode 21: An Emergency Back Up Goalie & the Midwest's Least Visited State

    Episode 21: An Emergency Back Up Goalie & the Midwest's Least Visited State
    Jul 3 2024
    First, Kaylie will tell the story of Scott Foster: Canadian Accountant. At least, that’s how Google refers to him. Hockey fans may remember this game in 2018. The Chicago Blackhawks were down their rostered goalies, so they were relying on their newly hired third goalie. The NHL keeps emergency back up goalies on site just in case of surprise injuries, and Scott Foster had to step up when the Blackhawks lost their third goalie with fourteen minutes left in the game. This beer league player would make history defending the net. Then, Amanda tries to make North Dakota sound exciting. This state is the least visited for a reason. There isn’t much to do with the small, spread out population and cold weather. We discover that North Dakotans have a vastly different idea of what fondue is than the rest of the world. The big ticket item in North Dakota is definitely the Badlands National Park, which looks otherworldly. Sources: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/30/598263399/36-year-old-accountant-called-in-as-emergency-nhl-goalie-and-he-crushed-it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corey_Crawford https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/26424427/15-minutes-insane-accountant-nhl-goalie https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm https://www.ndtourism.com/best-places/30-must-see-places-north-dakota https://medora.com/pitchforksteakfondue/ https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/north-dakota-population\ https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/illinois-population https://statemuseum.nd.gov/ https://www.dickinsongov.com/museum-center/page/badlands-dinosaur-museum https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/1999/11/01/268029/index.htm https://www.ndtourism.com/jamestown/attractions-entertainment/educational-attractions/worlds-largest-buffalo-monument http://www.newsalem-nd.com/salem-sue.html https://www.ndtourism.com/lewisandclark
    Show more Show less
    1 hr
  • Episode 20: The Palmer House Hotel & a Pop Up Wedding

    Episode 20: The Palmer House Hotel & a Pop Up Wedding
    Jun 19 2024
    First, Amanda tells us about the Palmer House Hotel’s history. Built as a wedding present, this hotel is luxury beyond the imaginations and budgets of our public school teacher hosts. For the World’s Fair, Bertha Palmer instructed her pastry chef to create a delectable dessert for her to present to her socialite friends. Thus, the brownie was invented! Amanda recreated the recipe, and boy was it… wet. Then, Kaylie spills some Indianapolis tea. The Mansion Society Cafe is an adorable small business inspired by the vibes of Wed Anderson’s films. Did I mention it was small?? The cafe is used to wedding guests popping in for a cup of joe since they have a wedding venue as a neighbor, but they definitely weren’t prepared for a wedding to randomly take place in their cafe. You heard that right, folks! A full blown wedding happened in a tiny cafe without the knowledge of the venue. The audacity of these business crashers went viral because anyone with an ounce of sanity recognizes that this stunt was wild. Next time you’re in Indy, show the Mansion Society Cafe some love and enjoy a latte. https://www.palmerhousehiltonhotel.com https://modbar.com/cafe-case-study-mansion-society-indianapolis-indiana-usa/ https://nypost.com/2024/01/08/lifestyle/coffee-shop-crashed-by-pop-up-wedding/ @mansionsocietyindy on Instagram https://www.gofundme.com/f/wedding-couple-steals-business
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Episode 19: A Zoom Call & Nerf Guns

    Episode 19: A Zoom Call & Nerf Guns
    Dec 13 2023
    First, Kaylie tells us about trial footage that went viral. Due to the pandemic, court proceedings were held through Zoom, and another consequence of lockdown was victims of domestic violence were trapped with their abusers. The viral video showed viewers that the most dangerous time for victims in abusive relationships is when they try to leave. Then, Amanda looked into another one of Reyn Guyer’s inventions that contributed to our childhoods, the Nerf gun. In true Guyer fashion, his original idea was named something ridiculous, but some rebranding led to the iconic toy that broke plenty of household items during sibling shootouts. Despite being advertised as a harmless toy, we all can remember comforting a wounded sibling in hopes of Mom not finding out you broke the “no head shots” rule. Sources: https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/mans-zoom-court-hearing-ends-with-handcuffs-after-hes-found-attending-victims-home/GPHIUF67DNDUFDQHOGX6NY25RE/ https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/27559/chance_to_get_away_woman_in_michigan_domestic_abuse_zoom_hearing_starts_fund_drive_to_move https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/27518/video_michigan_assault_defendant_attends_zoom_hearing_from_accuser_s_home https://www.sturgisjournal.com/story/news/crime/2021/03/17/coby-harris-court-case-restarts-after-defendant-found-victims-home/4734175001/ https://wsbt.com/news/local/new-charges-brought-against-viral-zoom-hearing-suspect https://blasterscope.com/history-of-nerf/ https://nerfweb.com/history-of-nerf/
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Episode 18: Twister & Mayor Duke

    Episode 18: Twister & Mayor Duke
    Dec 6 2023
    Amanda starts us off by talking about what critics called “sex in a box.” Although Twister is now a favorite amongst children who want to touch shoulders with their crush, it was once considered a raunchy game. For fear of scandal, big box companies didn’t want to put it in their stores, but a late night talk show segment led to high demand. Then, Kaylie talks about a Minnesota mayor. In the tiny township of Cormorant, an election was held as a fundraiser. Residents were asked to vote for their favorite person in town, but it was clear that everyone’s favorite person was a Great Pyranese named Duke. This retired farm dog would go on to serve multiple terms on the platform of kindness. Sources: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/27/698700400/duke-the-beloved-dog-mayor-of-minnesota-township-passes-away https://abc7chicago.com/dog-mayor-minnesota-duke-great-pyrenees/3624099/ https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/drive/duke-the-mayor/9462268 https://abc7chicago.com/dog-mayor-minnesota-duke-great-pyrenees/3624099/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/duke-dog-mayor-dies_n_5c6c71fde4b0f40774c9aa75 https://www.cormoranttownship.org/ https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/cormorant-township-becker-mn/ https://namecensus.com/demographics/minnesota/becker-county/cormorant/ https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/24/dog-wins-reelection-mayor-cormorant-township https://www.ajc.com/news/weird-news/minnesota-dog-elected-mayor-times/osW2NsIhZHI4PEntnzem6I/ https://abcnews.go.com/US/mayor-gracious-losing-dog/story?id=24961792 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/weird-news/duke-the-dog-becomes-elected-mayor-of-minnesota-town-9666358.html https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/twister/ https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/08/the-slightly-sordid-history-of-twister/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/79410/12-flexible-facts-about-twister-its-50th-birthday
    Show more Show less
    44 mins
  • Episode 17: An Opecast Potluck & a Ponca Legend

    Episode 17: An Opecast Potluck & a Ponca Legend
    Nov 26 2023
    Joining on this special episode of Opecast is Evan! When Amanda's husband heard that Kaylie was covering potluck staples, he insisted on being in the studio (aka Kaylie's living room). Kaylie whipped up some dishes to pass and delved into the ~delicacies~ that grace Midwest plates. Get dipped, Cheryl! Then, Amanda tells us the Ponca legend of vagina dentata. If you're a child, this is when you turn the podcast off to preserve your innocence. The mischievous Coyote heard word of there being some beautiful ladies luring men to their island before chomping their ding dong's off with their downstairs dental disasters. Coyote wasn't one to shy away from a challenge. Ponca artist SaSuWeh created the depictions of Coyote pictured on our social media. Sources: "Vagina Dentata" Mythology Podcast https://www.poncatribe-ne.org/culture/history/
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Episode 16: Midwest World Record Holders Part 2 & the Wendigo

    Episode 16: Midwest World Record Holders Part 2 & the Wendigo
    Oct 23 2023
    On this episode, Amanda wraps up the remaining Guinness World Record holders in the Midwest. Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri are up to bat, and the crazy collections and giant jaws will have your jaw on the floor. Put your favorite drink in a squirrel koozie and enjoy these fun feats. Then, Kaylie is compelled by the power of spooky season to tell the tale of a creepy cryptid from indigenous lore. The wendigo is widely misrepresented in the media, but Amanda agrees that nothing needs to be altered about the actual creature to make it scarier than what Algonquin legends have told through generations. To this day, many are wary to whistle in the woods out of fear of the wendigo. Sources: https://www.kansan.com/sports/kansas-breaks-guinness-world-record-for-loudest-crowd-roar-at-an-indoor-sports-event/article_6bf4a640-f260-11e6-b4b3-474fc818bf62.html https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/russell-stover-chocolates-is-the-new-guinness-world-records-title-holder-for-the-largest-box-of-chocolates-301800561.html https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/other_sports/steve-schmidt-nails-two-guinness-world-records/article_b3f8ce21-6368-53bc-8aa4-d23043f75898.html https://lifeislikeabike.wordpress.com/2023/03/07/peace-please/ https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/110895-most-people-performing-jazz-hands https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/08/zap-zone-sets-two-world-records-for-laser-tag.html https://www.annarbor.com/sports/guinness-book-of-records-puts-official-big-chill-at-the-big-house-attendance-at-104073/ https://www.twincities.com/2022/02/23/northern-minnesota-family-is-tallest-in-the-world-says-guinness-world-records/ https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/02/sports/a-running-record-falls-longest-scarf-knitted-in-a-marathon.html https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-self-portrait-photographs-(selfies)-taken-simultaneously https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/we-broke-the-record-20-times-the-st-louis-area-topped-guinness/collection_5210c24c-2d15-5b24-a9f7-d38445b75b0a.html https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/96589-largest-collection-of-socks#:~:text=The%20largest%20collection%20of%20socks,his%20socks%20on%20social%20media. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-tail-on-a-horse https://www.delish.com/food/news/a38947/guinness-world-record-set-largest-plate-nachos/ https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/12/15/Guinness-World-Records-mouth-gape/9471639602434/ https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/8/handsome-cat-altair-inherited-record-breaking-tail-from-his-late-brother-757412#:~:text=William%20John%20Powers%2C%20from%20Farmington,that%20he%20is%20fully%20grown. https://allthatsinteresting.com/erin-honeycutt#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Guinness%20World,take%20any%20hormones%20or%20supplements.%E2%80%9D https://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-snake-ever-(captivity) https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/96843-oldest-person-to-perform-a-handstand#:~:text=The%20oldest%20person%20to%20perform,USA%20on%2016%20December%202022. https://facingtoday.facinghistory.org/more-than-monsters-the-deeper-significance-of-wendigo-stories https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/windigo https://www.backstoryradio.org/blog/the-mythology-and-misrepresentation-of-the-windigo https://www.itascahistorical.org/local-folklore-anishinaabe-tale-of-the-wendigo/ @MattHatterPlays on TikTok
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 27 mins