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This is the show notes blog for the What a Weird Week Podcast: the top 10 weird stories from the news. Listen to the Episode Audio and Subscribe to the podcast! Here are the show notes for Fri Nov 25, 2022, Season 4 Episode 8 ...
❿Headline: Snoop Dogg launched a new pet accessories line...
Notes:
- I love publicity stunts. I used to make fun of them, but now my view has changed.
*side note: True Story, earlier this year I had to attend an emergency meeting at work to decide whether we should go ahead with throwing rubber chickens off a scissor lift even though there was going to be a hurricane. The team ruled that we hold off on the rubber chicken publicity stunt.
- When Snoop Dogg decides to come out with a new line of dog accessories called Snoop Doggie Doggs... it's a good reminder of how the world is now. In the past, this would've been done as a publicity stunt to sell more albums or something like that. These days, no one even blinks at it. It's a legit business no question.
- quote from article: "Snoop Doggie Doggs includes clothes and accessories that are “reminiscent of Snoop’s most iconic looks,”
- and " In addition to releasing 19 studio albums and receiving 20 Grammy nominations as a rapper, Snoop Dogg has also made a name for himself with unique investments and business deals. He’s worked on an animated kid series, released a gluten-free cereal called “Snoop Loopz,” and launched a wine label... has also sold his own branded line of cannabis products."
- pet products are a huge industry... should we do a podcast for dogs you guys? I tried to do a radio show for doggs once... it was ruff.
Link/media: (https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/19/business/snoop-dogg-pet-accessories-trnd/index.html)
- I love publicity stunts. I used to make fun of them, but now my view has changed.
*side note: True Story, earlier this year I had to attend an emergency meeting at work to decide whether we should go ahead with throwing rubber chickens off a scissor lift even though there was going to be a hurricane. The team ruled that we hold off on the rubber chicken publicity stunt.
- When Snoop Dogg decides to come out with a new line of dog accessories called Snoop Doggie Doggs... it's a good reminder of how the world is now. In the past, this would've been done as a publicity stunt to sell more albums or something like that. These days, no one even blinks at it. It's a legit business no question.
- quote from article: "Snoop Doggie Doggs includes clothes and accessories that are “reminiscent of Snoop’s most iconic looks,”
- and " In addition to releasing 19 studio albums and receiving 20 Grammy nominations as a rapper, Snoop Dogg has also made a name for himself with unique investments and business deals. He’s worked on an animated kid series, released a gluten-free cereal called “Snoop Loopz,” and launched a wine label... has also sold his own branded line of cannabis products."
- pet products are a huge industry... should we do a podcast for dogs you guys? I tried to do a radio show for doggs once... it was ruff.
Link/media: (https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/19/business/snoop-dogg-pet-accessories-trnd/index.html)
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| look at that shipping offer! |
❾Headline: Biggest Boat in the World is Really a Giant Floating City.
Notes:
- this story is about a terayacht... a really really big boat... bigger than a super yacht, bigger than a mega yacht and even bigger than a giga yacht.
- according to the designers it'll cost 8 billion to make the biggest boat in the world.
- it'll be over a half a kilometer wide... 550 meters (1,800 feet) by 610 meters (2,000 feet). (so like 4 or 5 soccer fields-ish)
- it'll have hotels, shopping malls, parks and ports for smaller ships or aircraft because people will have to fly in or take a boat.
- they hope construction will start in 2033.
- then it'll take 8 years to build if all goes well.
- great to know: the giant boat will have solar panels on it.
- meanwhile they have crowdfunding going on where you can buy NFTs and virtual things. (remember, there's an 8 billion dollar price tag on this!?)
Link/media: (https://taboolanews.com/article/e5fdadc9-5eee-0874-a6b7-d91ccc7c0ef5)
Notes:
- this story is about a terayacht... a really really big boat... bigger than a super yacht, bigger than a mega yacht and even bigger than a giga yacht.
- according to the designers it'll cost 8 billion to make the biggest boat in the world.
- it'll be over a half a kilometer wide... 550 meters (1,800 feet) by 610 meters (2,000 feet). (so like 4 or 5 soccer fields-ish)
- it'll have hotels, shopping malls, parks and ports for smaller ships or aircraft because people will have to fly in or take a boat.
- they hope construction will start in 2033.
- then it'll take 8 years to build if all goes well.
- great to know: the giant boat will have solar panels on it.
- meanwhile they have crowdfunding going on where you can buy NFTs and virtual things. (remember, there's an 8 billion dollar price tag on this!?)
Link/media: (https://taboolanews.com/article/e5fdadc9-5eee-0874-a6b7-d91ccc7c0ef5)
 |
| photo of most famous boat in Canada |
❽Headline: an Actor and a Scientist Walk into a Hotel Lobby...
Notes:
- this is the story of the Brian Coxes... one is the actor you know from television's Succession...
- the other Brian Cox is a professor who appears on TV shows a lot and who happened to have a reservation at the same hotel...
- they were both booked to appear on BBC Breakfast.
- the both tried to check in at the same hotel...
- the hotel thought there was one Brian... and that Brian had booked two hotel rooms...
- they refused to give professor Brian Cox a room...
- Professor Brian had to get an assistant to book a room...
- once before Brian Cox and Brian Cox had a mix up with dinner reservations.
- Why are these guys traveling together so much? You're bringing it upon yourself, Brian Cox! You too, Brian Cox.
Link/media: (https://news.sky.com/story/brian-cox-and-brian-cox-involved-in-hotel-check-in-mishap-12750308)
and (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(actor)) and also (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist))
Notes:
- this is the story of the Brian Coxes... one is the actor you know from television's Succession...
- the other Brian Cox is a professor who appears on TV shows a lot and who happened to have a reservation at the same hotel...
- they were both booked to appear on BBC Breakfast.
- the both tried to check in at the same hotel...
- the hotel thought there was one Brian... and that Brian had booked two hotel rooms...
- they refused to give professor Brian Cox a room...
- Professor Brian had to get an assistant to book a room...
- once before Brian Cox and Brian Cox had a mix up with dinner reservations.
- Why are these guys traveling together so much? You're bringing it upon yourself, Brian Cox! You too, Brian Cox.
Link/media: (https://news.sky.com/story/brian-cox-and-brian-cox-involved-in-hotel-check-in-mishap-12750308)
and (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(actor)) and also (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist))
 |
| they do look alike |
❼Headline: "Belgium needs more incinerators to burn seized cocaine"
Notes:
- when you think of mountains of cocaine, do you think Belgium? From the article: " astronomical quantities of cocaine from Latin America that are intercepted in Antwerp..."
- it turns out that Belgium has seized so much cocaine from smugglers using the port of Antwerp that the Belgian authorities need more incinerators
- if you don't have enough incinerator space, you have to keep the cocaine locked up somewhere until it can be disposed of... and that gets dangerous because people will try to steal it.
- they should have a contest and get people to submit ideas about what to do with all that cocaine... what about a ski hill? No wait, that's no good. To be continued.
Link/media: (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/21/belgium-needs-more-incinerators-to-burn-seized-cocaine)
Notes:
- when you think of mountains of cocaine, do you think Belgium? From the article: " astronomical quantities of cocaine from Latin America that are intercepted in Antwerp..."
- it turns out that Belgium has seized so much cocaine from smugglers using the port of Antwerp that the Belgian authorities need more incinerators
- if you don't have enough incinerator space, you have to keep the cocaine locked up somewhere until it can be disposed of... and that gets dangerous because people will try to steal it.
- they should have a contest and get people to submit ideas about what to do with all that cocaine... what about a ski hill? No wait, that's no good. To be continued.
Link/media: (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/21/belgium-needs-more-incinerators-to-burn-seized-cocaine)
 |
| Belgium (file photo) |
❻Headline: Will a guy from Saskatchewan break the world record?!
Notes:
- Lee is a soccer fan from western Canada.
- He is planning on attending 41 games at the World Cup.
- right now the World Record is 31... it's held by a fan from South Africa.
- this made the National News in Canada... (it was a kicker. Get it? I just called the soccer story a kicker. I'll show myself out.)
- this is a lot like the time we talked about that guy who made the National News for having a lot of Legos... this is a news item about someone who can afford to do something a lot and so it makes the National News in Canada.
- Good luck and Godspeed Lee!!
(World Cup ends on December 18th)
- afterthoughts: some day somebody over at CTV news is gonna find out who Mr Beast is and they'll be shocked! "you mean stuff like this happens all the time? and it doesn't make the national news in America? But, it's a World Record?!"
Link/media: (https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/i-freaking-love-it-canadian-soccer-superfan-going-for-guinness-record-at-world-cup-1.6160668)
Notes:
- Lee is a soccer fan from western Canada.
- He is planning on attending 41 games at the World Cup.
- right now the World Record is 31... it's held by a fan from South Africa.
- this made the National News in Canada... (it was a kicker. Get it? I just called the soccer story a kicker. I'll show myself out.)
- this is a lot like the time we talked about that guy who made the National News for having a lot of Legos... this is a news item about someone who can afford to do something a lot and so it makes the National News in Canada.
- Good luck and Godspeed Lee!!
(World Cup ends on December 18th)
- afterthoughts: some day somebody over at CTV news is gonna find out who Mr Beast is and they'll be shocked! "you mean stuff like this happens all the time? and it doesn't make the national news in America? But, it's a World Record?!"
Link/media: (https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/i-freaking-love-it-canadian-soccer-superfan-going-for-guinness-record-at-world-cup-1.6160668)
❺Headline: What Budweiser will do with all that World Cup Beer it can't sell...
Notes:
- icymi the World Cup is happening and many football/ soccer fans enjoy drinking beer.
- in a last-minute change of heart by the World Cup organizers, they decided to ban alcohol at World Cup stadiums.
- Budweiser was left with a lot of World Cup beer and nowhere to sell it...
- Budweiser is going to send the unsold beer to the country that wins the tournament!
- the marketing team deserves a medal for this one... they turned a terrible disappointment for their business into a terrific publicity stunt!
Link/media: (https://taboolanews.com/article/2d98e837-71e0-d61f-ece0-7a818df647ed)
Notes:
- icymi the World Cup is happening and many football/ soccer fans enjoy drinking beer.
- in a last-minute change of heart by the World Cup organizers, they decided to ban alcohol at World Cup stadiums.
- Budweiser was left with a lot of World Cup beer and nowhere to sell it...
- Budweiser is going to send the unsold beer to the country that wins the tournament!
- the marketing team deserves a medal for this one... they turned a terrible disappointment for their business into a terrific publicity stunt!
Link/media: (https://taboolanews.com/article/2d98e837-71e0-d61f-ece0-7a818df647ed)
 |
| a lot of beer (file photo) |
❹Headline: Government Agents Raid the Home of the Guy Who Runs Area 51 Blog. (via Gizmodo: "What were the feds looking for when they went rifling through the homes of the man who runs dreamlandresort.com so early in the morning?")
Notes:
- according to Gizmodo (which is not a rando tabloid) FBI and US Air Force Agents raided two homes owned by the guy who runs a small blog about Area 51.
- The blogger says that the officers took all his electronics.
- Here's the statement that the authorities gave to the Las Vegas Review... “This is an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation between the Las Vegas FBI and Air Force OSI.”
- So are we just assuming it's about the Area 51 stuff? I mean, there are other reasons that the FBI raids homes...
- name of website is Dreamland Resort and I'm scared to click on it because what if I get on some list??
- icymi, Area 51 has strange lights in the sky sometimes and it's a government-run base... some people think there's UFO action going on there...
- blogger statement “Despite my repeated requests for an explanation, I was only told that the search was related to images posted on my Area 51 web site,”and they say that the search warrant doesn't say what the purpose of the raid was.
Link/media: (https://gizmodo.com/ufo-dreamland-resort-joerg-arnu-houses-raided-fbi-area-1849797422)
Notes:
- according to Gizmodo (which is not a rando tabloid) FBI and US Air Force Agents raided two homes owned by the guy who runs a small blog about Area 51.
- The blogger says that the officers took all his electronics.
- Here's the statement that the authorities gave to the Las Vegas Review... “This is an open and ongoing law enforcement investigation between the Las Vegas FBI and Air Force OSI.”
- So are we just assuming it's about the Area 51 stuff? I mean, there are other reasons that the FBI raids homes...
- name of website is Dreamland Resort and I'm scared to click on it because what if I get on some list??
- icymi, Area 51 has strange lights in the sky sometimes and it's a government-run base... some people think there's UFO action going on there...
- blogger statement “Despite my repeated requests for an explanation, I was only told that the search was related to images posted on my Area 51 web site,”and they say that the search warrant doesn't say what the purpose of the raid was.
Link/media: (https://gizmodo.com/ufo-dreamland-resort-joerg-arnu-houses-raided-fbi-area-1849797422)
 |
| if anyone asks, this is Area 52. Harmless. |
❸Headline: Somerton Man Mystery is over... ?
Notes:
- this story had been a mystery for so long...
- in 1948, a fellow was found passed away on a beach... he had what seemed like a secret message poem on him... and more going on...
- for so many decades the authorities couldn't id the man...
- before he was buried they did a plaster mask of his face so that they'd be able to create a visual aid for people to help identify the Somerton man...
- many many many years later they run DNA on hairs that were stuck to the death mask...
- that pretty much did it but now we have even more evidence...
- the man's name was Charles Webb... but photos were not easy to come by...
- the story started making headlines again because they now have confirmed photos of Charles...
- so now we know WHO he was and WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE...
- P.S. he wasn't a spy after all.
- So if you hate Unsolved Mysteries because the darn mysteries remain unsolved, this deep dive is for you... mystery solved...
Link/media: (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-21/somerton-manfamily-photographs-revealed-/101643524)
Notes:
- this story had been a mystery for so long...
- in 1948, a fellow was found passed away on a beach... he had what seemed like a secret message poem on him... and more going on...
- for so many decades the authorities couldn't id the man...
- before he was buried they did a plaster mask of his face so that they'd be able to create a visual aid for people to help identify the Somerton man...
- many many many years later they run DNA on hairs that were stuck to the death mask...
- that pretty much did it but now we have even more evidence...
- the man's name was Charles Webb... but photos were not easy to come by...
- the story started making headlines again because they now have confirmed photos of Charles...
- so now we know WHO he was and WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE...
- P.S. he wasn't a spy after all.
- So if you hate Unsolved Mysteries because the darn mysteries remain unsolved, this deep dive is for you... mystery solved...
Link/media: (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-21/somerton-manfamily-photographs-revealed-/101643524)
❷Headline: "Mystery of exploding toilet at Texas dental office"
... from the article: “In my 30 years of experience, I have never seen anything like it,” Lt. Ron Hutto said.
Notes:
- quote from the story from someone who arrived for work in the morning: "There was this acidic, putrid smoke throughout the entire place – it burned to breathe."
- what they discovered was that the staff toilet at the dental office had exploded... another quote
“looking up at the ceiling where the vent should have been, there was just a black hole… I had no answers, just a lot of questions.”
- no injuries, thank Goodness.
- so whaaaaa happened? What left them with a ceramic stub where the staff toilet used to be??
- they believe that it was a lightning strike that did it. Maggie who works at the dental office started researching exploding toilets and this has happened to other toilets... lightning strikes the vent and ends up exploding the toilet!
- so many bathroom jokes exist that could go here. I want credit for showing restraint.
Link/media: (https://www.wcia.com/news/national/mystery-of-exploding-toilet-at-texas-dental-office/)
... from the article: “In my 30 years of experience, I have never seen anything like it,” Lt. Ron Hutto said.
Notes:
- quote from the story from someone who arrived for work in the morning: "There was this acidic, putrid smoke throughout the entire place – it burned to breathe."
- what they discovered was that the staff toilet at the dental office had exploded... another quote
“looking up at the ceiling where the vent should have been, there was just a black hole… I had no answers, just a lot of questions.”
- no injuries, thank Goodness.
- so whaaaaa happened? What left them with a ceramic stub where the staff toilet used to be??
- they believe that it was a lightning strike that did it. Maggie who works at the dental office started researching exploding toilets and this has happened to other toilets... lightning strikes the vent and ends up exploding the toilet!
- so many bathroom jokes exist that could go here. I want credit for showing restraint.
Link/media: (https://www.wcia.com/news/national/mystery-of-exploding-toilet-at-texas-dental-office/)
 |
| re-enactment. do not panic. |
πHonorable Mention Headline: Hot Dog Vendor Turf War Gets Violent.
Notes:
- it was LA doggers setting up shop in the area that the San Diego doggers usually set up in... that resulted in heated exchanges and eventually one dogger got stabbed in the back... non life-threatening injuries...
- happened outside Petco Park last weekend.
- this was after a Duke Dumont concert but Duke's OK you guys... Duke didn't get involved.
- it's tough out there you guys, everybody's hustlin' and we need to try to find a way to get along... I'm glad no one got seriously injured... imagine the ketchup flying around in this brawl... how many people were bleeding versus how many people were just covered in ketchup?!
- also, they should settle their differences with a hot dog fight. Put down your knives and replace them with hot dogs... Pay Per View opportunity.
Link/media:
(https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/hot-dog-vendor-arrested-for-stabbing-hot-dog-vendor-outside-petco-park/509-287e0d17-716a-49c3-894b-17d115e15ee0)
Notes:
- it was LA doggers setting up shop in the area that the San Diego doggers usually set up in... that resulted in heated exchanges and eventually one dogger got stabbed in the back... non life-threatening injuries...
- happened outside Petco Park last weekend.
- this was after a Duke Dumont concert but Duke's OK you guys... Duke didn't get involved.
- it's tough out there you guys, everybody's hustlin' and we need to try to find a way to get along... I'm glad no one got seriously injured... imagine the ketchup flying around in this brawl... how many people were bleeding versus how many people were just covered in ketchup?!
- also, they should settle their differences with a hot dog fight. Put down your knives and replace them with hot dogs... Pay Per View opportunity.
Link/media:
(https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/hot-dog-vendor-arrested-for-stabbing-hot-dog-vendor-outside-petco-park/509-287e0d17-716a-49c3-894b-17d115e15ee0)
❶Headline: Jack Daniels versus Dog Toy Company... going to the Supreme Court?
Notes:
- the Jack Daniels company wants the Supreme Court to stop a dog toy company from selling the Bad Spaniels chew toy which is shaped like a Jack Daniels bottle.
- to me this seems silly but a lot of brands are hoping Jack Daniels wins this because it'll impact trademark law... so Campbell's Soup and Levis Jeans, brands like that want the Supreme Court to squish this chew toy company...
- it seems like what really got the Jack Daniels people angry is that the chewy stole the look of the bottle and label and then lampooned it with poop jokes like "Old No. 2 on Your Tennessee Carpet." instead of Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey... also the chewy is 100% smelly according to the label...
- the dog toy company says it's just good fun and if you can't do corny puns anymore, well that's just wrong. Why can't the Whiskey people take a joke? *paraphrase
- the Jack Daniels folks say jokes are fine, but that the chew toy company is making a profit off of Jack Daniels image/ things that are trademarked.
- it sounds like it's pretty easy to make a joke product for profit and just say 'this thing is just meant as a hilarious joke/ not a licensed product that we have to pay royalties on' *paraphrase.
- some people might think the chew toy is a product put out by the actual Jack Daniels company.
- a few more things:
-- these chew toys are up to $20 each.
-- a court stopped the chewy toy people from selling a Budweiser parody already (it was called Buttwiper... this was years ago.)
-- BUT, another chewy toy company got sued by Luis Vuitton when the Chewy Vuitton was introduced... (Chewy Vuitton hahahahahahahaha) the Louis Vuitton people lost their case.
-- So how does a hard-working parody dog chew company know where to draw the line? How does the whiskey company protect their trademarks before things get REALLY wild? That's how we ended up with the Supreme Court in the picture.
-- Official case name "Jack Daniel's Properties Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, 22-148"
Link/media: (https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/justices-asked-to-hear-dog-toy-dispute-will-they-bite-1.6161373)
Notes:
- the Jack Daniels company wants the Supreme Court to stop a dog toy company from selling the Bad Spaniels chew toy which is shaped like a Jack Daniels bottle.
- to me this seems silly but a lot of brands are hoping Jack Daniels wins this because it'll impact trademark law... so Campbell's Soup and Levis Jeans, brands like that want the Supreme Court to squish this chew toy company...
- it seems like what really got the Jack Daniels people angry is that the chewy stole the look of the bottle and label and then lampooned it with poop jokes like "Old No. 2 on Your Tennessee Carpet." instead of Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey... also the chewy is 100% smelly according to the label...
- the dog toy company says it's just good fun and if you can't do corny puns anymore, well that's just wrong. Why can't the Whiskey people take a joke? *paraphrase
- the Jack Daniels folks say jokes are fine, but that the chew toy company is making a profit off of Jack Daniels image/ things that are trademarked.
- it sounds like it's pretty easy to make a joke product for profit and just say 'this thing is just meant as a hilarious joke/ not a licensed product that we have to pay royalties on' *paraphrase.
- some people might think the chew toy is a product put out by the actual Jack Daniels company.
- a few more things:
-- these chew toys are up to $20 each.
-- a court stopped the chewy toy people from selling a Budweiser parody already (it was called Buttwiper... this was years ago.)
-- BUT, another chewy toy company got sued by Luis Vuitton when the Chewy Vuitton was introduced... (Chewy Vuitton hahahahahahahaha) the Louis Vuitton people lost their case.
-- So how does a hard-working parody dog chew company know where to draw the line? How does the whiskey company protect their trademarks before things get REALLY wild? That's how we ended up with the Supreme Court in the picture.
-- Official case name "Jack Daniel's Properties Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, 22-148"
Link/media: (https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/justices-asked-to-hear-dog-toy-dispute-will-they-bite-1.6161373)
 |
| maybe we should let the dogs choose? |
Stream this podcast like no one's watching!!
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