What a Weird Week gets you caught up on the weird news of the week. https://www.
See www.shownotes.page for all the podcast stuff. These are the shownotes for Season 5, Ep 20 first published on Friday May 17th, 2024.
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❿ Older Family Film continues to terrify grownups... https://studyfinds.org/adults-scared-of-et/
Study: "1 in 8 adults still find the movie 'E.T. ' scary."
Another interesting stat from the study... "Men are twice as likely to find E.T. scary compared to women."
Also, "37% of people believe aliens are living among us, 41% say nope."
Study: "1 in 8 adults still find the movie 'E.T. ' scary."
Another interesting stat from the study... "Men are twice as likely to find E.T. scary compared to women."
Also, "37% of people believe aliens are living among us, 41% say nope."
artist rendering. please don't sue me, Mr. Spielberg.
❾ AI is lying to us https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240510111440.htm
An article in Science Daily gets into the details... even some AI systems that were trained to be helpful and honest are telling lies in order to get a certain outcome... like a simple AI that plays poker and was programmed to to be honest... it bluffed in order to win at poker... the article gets into more examples... I'm not a fan of these panicky AI articles but if we can't trust AI because sometimes it lies to us... who's gonna want to use AI for anything important? Like, "Hey, AI, do I look fat in these pants? What's that? I look like a catalog model? Well thanks." #PackOfLies!
An article in Science Daily gets into the details... even some AI systems that were trained to be helpful and honest are telling lies in order to get a certain outcome... like a simple AI that plays poker and was programmed to to be honest... it bluffed in order to win at poker... the article gets into more examples... I'm not a fan of these panicky AI articles but if we can't trust AI because sometimes it lies to us... who's gonna want to use AI for anything important? Like, "Hey, AI, do I look fat in these pants? What's that? I look like a catalog model? Well thanks." #PackOfLies!
Open the Pod Bay Door, Hal.
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❽ Kids Eating Sugar: New Research is Great News for some Kids https://studyfinds.org/where-kids-get-their-sugar/
A study about kids eating sugar and obesity seems to indicate that it's not so important how much sugar you eat, it's more important where the sugar comes from/ what food...
Kids who eat sugar from sweetened snack foods are more likely to become obese... but sugar from fruit seems to cause less of a weight gain problem...
Also less likely to lead to obesity: dairy products (unsweetened).
Parents are advised to give their children fruit and milk instead of sweetened milk and other products with added sugar.
It's been a long time since my kids were little, but didn't we always kinda know - try to get your kids to have fruit instead of cookies? Now we have some recent research to justify it.
Stunt Baby: Do not attempt.
❼ Giant Hummingbirds make headlines https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240513150528.htm
The giant hummingbird world has been rocked by this discovery... The Giant Hummingbird of western South America is actually two species... they look identical and science thought they were one kind of giant hummingbird but, nope. Really... this scientific discovery makes our weird news recap show because... did you know we had giant hummingbirds?
I did not. I was picturing hummingbirds the size of penguins! In fact, the giant hummingbird is just, bird-sized... weighing in at a whopping 24 grams... and measuring about 9 inches long... big for a hummingbird, but about the same length as a robin...
The giant hummingbird world has been rocked by this discovery... The Giant Hummingbird of western South America is actually two species... they look identical and science thought they were one kind of giant hummingbird but, nope. Really... this scientific discovery makes our weird news recap show because... did you know we had giant hummingbirds?
I did not. I was picturing hummingbirds the size of penguins! In fact, the giant hummingbird is just, bird-sized... weighing in at a whopping 24 grams... and measuring about 9 inches long... big for a hummingbird, but about the same length as a robin...
artist depiction but basically 100% true
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❻ Boozing it up gets revolutionized! https://studyfinds.org/alcohol-blocking-gel-intoxication/
Researchers have made this gel that you swallow and it coats your stomach, then it prevents you from absorbing booze... it has the capabilities to make you un-drunk.
They're still testing it so hang in there, but it helped mice avoid liver damage and other alcohol- related bad things.
Imagine the potential for this drug if it can sober you up!? To be continued.
Researchers have made this gel that you swallow and it coats your stomach, then it prevents you from absorbing booze... it has the capabilities to make you un-drunk.
They're still testing it so hang in there, but it helped mice avoid liver damage and other alcohol- related bad things.
Imagine the potential for this drug if it can sober you up!? To be continued.
Science is being done as we speak!
❺ Thumbtacks World Record: I don't get the point. Hahahahahaha HiiiiYoooooooo!!!!!
David Record-Breaker Rush sets a world record by sticking 243 thumbtacks into a bulletin board in one minute
icymi, Dave wants to break every world record in the history of the universe and currently has 168.
He uses these record attempts to shine a light on STEM education.
David Record-Breaker Rush sets a world record by sticking 243 thumbtacks into a bulletin board in one minute
icymi, Dave wants to break every world record in the history of the universe and currently has 168.
He uses these record attempts to shine a light on STEM education.
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❹ Boat Owner fights City Hall with passive aggression, art. A guy in California was ordered by city council to do something about his boat... his boat was parked in his driveway and some neighbors complained... it turns out having a boat in the driveway is against the rules so city council ordered the fella to conceal that boat... you're supposed to hide your boat behind a fence so the neighbors don't have to look at it... so the fella, Etienne, put his boat behind a fence then had an artist paint the fence to look like a boat. Now it's art! Beautiful, spite-fueled, photo-realistic boat art... kind of a "how do you like me now, boat haters?" situation.
Neighbors: Obey the rules, boater.
Etienne: you got it, nabe!!
Neighbors: Obey the rules, boater.
Etienne: you got it, nabe!!
❸ Window Cleaner proves they deserve a higher salary. Aliscia Burrows cleaned three 45 inch by 45 inch windows in 16.13 seconds at the Manchester Cleaning Show (UK).
That's the story. She is very efficient and deserves a raise. Also, they have a Cleaning Show in Manchester?! As a germophobe, I like the idea of Cleaning Shows.
That's the story. She is very efficient and deserves a raise. Also, they have a Cleaning Show in Manchester?! As a germophobe, I like the idea of Cleaning Shows.
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❷ Fake Pandas at the Zoo cause outrage!? https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/09/panda-dogs-Taizhou-Zoo-China/5761715271251/
A Chinese zoo disguised some chow chow dogs as pandas... people were hoping to see actual pandas... in the zoo's defense, they say "well, we don't have pandas right now, so whatcha gonna do?" (paraphrase)... honestly, based on the photos, those pooches are pretty close... well done to the fur and makeup team!
The zoo had signs to indicate "These are pooches, not pandas" (paraphrase) but my experience with signs is that people don't read them oftentimes, especially if the signs appear to contain rules...
so some people maybe got fooled and now there's the least amount of outrage possible.
Check the photos! See https://youtu.be/uVXp2Cuw3z0?feature=shared
A Chinese zoo disguised some chow chow dogs as pandas... people were hoping to see actual pandas... in the zoo's defense, they say "well, we don't have pandas right now, so whatcha gonna do?" (paraphrase)... honestly, based on the photos, those pooches are pretty close... well done to the fur and makeup team!
The zoo had signs to indicate "These are pooches, not pandas" (paraphrase) but my experience with signs is that people don't read them oftentimes, especially if the signs appear to contain rules...
so some people maybe got fooled and now there's the least amount of outrage possible.
Check the photos! See https://youtu.be/uVXp2Cuw3z0?feature=shared
🍅 Honorable Mention... New Candy Wins Award https://candyusa.com/cst/sweets-snacks-expo-announces-2024-most-innovative-new-product-awards-winners/
The Sweets & Snacks Expo Awards Ceremony recognized the most innovative confectionery and snack products of the year...
Nerdy Nuts Avalanche Peanut Butter Treat won Best in Show. THIS HONORABLE MENTION GOES TO THE NAMING COMMITTEE WHO CAME UP WITH "Nerdy Nuts Avalanche Peanut Butter Treat" ... From the Nerdy Nuts folks: "Crafted 100% as a treat that you will eat while you 'Netflix, Nerdy Nuts and Chill"... 5 layers of: White Chocolate, Marshmallow Fluff, Mini-Marshmallows, Caramel, Crispy Rice (Gluten Free)" ... eat it by the spoonful or as a spread...
The Sweets & Snacks Expo Awards Ceremony recognized the most innovative confectionery and snack products of the year...
Nerdy Nuts Avalanche Peanut Butter Treat won Best in Show. THIS HONORABLE MENTION GOES TO THE NAMING COMMITTEE WHO CAME UP WITH "Nerdy Nuts Avalanche Peanut Butter Treat" ... From the Nerdy Nuts folks: "Crafted 100% as a treat that you will eat while you 'Netflix, Nerdy Nuts and Chill"... 5 layers of: White Chocolate, Marshmallow Fluff, Mini-Marshmallows, Caramel, Crispy Rice (Gluten Free)" ... eat it by the spoonful or as a spread...
🍅 Honorable Mention... This Dinosaur World Record Attempt got TOO CRAZY and had to be abandoned...
see https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/drumheller-guinness-world-record-jurassic-jamboree-dinosaur-costumes-1.7203262 and also see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USg8flpwCT0 and here's the social media post https://www.facebook.com/TravelDrumheller/posts/pfbid0XsRPjAVK5UdghKv82nexb3fic9TLNbJcQwDEQv9ma3Sn4EJGeHDmQMESz6vXEshJl
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❶ Teeny Tiny Fish Sandwich Breaks Records for Teeny Tinyness... https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/15/worlds-smallest-fish-finger-sandwich-measures-1cm-tall-20844820/
Frozen Food company, Birds Eye, made headlines with a fish finger sandwich that measures 16mm by 15mm by 8mm tall... so it would fit on a dime... you could use a dime as a tiny plate! In some of the publicity photos it is carefully balanced on the fingertip of the ship captain spokesmodel. This was a publicity stunty to raise awareness of the new Birds Eye brand Mini Fish Fingers.
It worked, Birds Eye... I'm hungry.
there is a tiny fish sandwich in this photo
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