Episode #20 - Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Data - and now Big Cleaning?

Ever wondered how a simple bar of soap could spark a competitive spirit? Or how a wooden hobby horse could lead to a thrilling race? This episode of the Scotty Don't X Show promises to uncover the quirkiest hobbies you never knew existed. From the high-stakes world of bug fighting, where real insects battle it out, to my soap carving escapades that trace back to a Procter & Gamble competition from the 1920s. Plus, you'll hear all about my geocaching adventures in Bellevue, Washington, including some unexpected and rather odd discoveries.

Prepare to be amazed by the whimsical world of cloud spotting and yarn bombing, proving that even the most mundane activities can captivate your imagination. Journey with me through the Pacific Northwest as we explore vibrant yarn creations in Seattle's Ballard area and identify the endless gray clouds overhead. Join the fun on this eccentric episode and maybe even discover your next quirky passion. Don't forget to connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, or via email to share your own unusual hobbies and stories!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
feeling screwed up at a screwed up time in a screwed
up place does not necessarilymake you screwed up.
Yeah, tori, I put that line inthere just for you.
What do you call a podcastabout time travel?
So stupid if the host didn'tprovide you with the next week's
winning lottery numbers?
Speaking of time travel, thisepisode was pre-recorded in

(00:22):
front of a duct tape studioaudience consisting only of
Disney stuffed toys.
Welcome to the Scotty Don't XShow, episode 20.
Sure, we got sidetracked lastepisode by Paul Linman's
exploding whale tail, but Ipromise you we will get further
down the list of strangeness andhobbies and interests.
Will I hit yours on thispodcast?

(00:42):
Meh, here's the quick list.
Rather than a typical radiotease to make you sit through
the podcast wondering Am I in it?
Bug biting, soap carving, hobbyhorse racing, geocaching, cloud
spotting, yarn bombing, extremenail art, knife throwing, pet
rocks, auto cap collecting,hairball collecting, competitive
punning, cheese rolling,extreme croquet and competitive
eating Is not in there.

(01:02):
Email me scottydontx atgmailcom, instagram at
scottydontx, facebook atscottydontx and some other
social medias.
You can probably find me atscottydontx and in that way, the

(01:31):
X-Tones that you heard can bewhere we talk about your unusual
hobbies, interests, etc.
Etc.
Etc.
Bug fighting breeding andbattling insects in a controlled
environment um, isn't thiscalled pokemon?
So wikipedia, insect fightingis a range of competitive
sporting activity, commonlyassociated with gambling, in
which insects are pitted againsteach other.
Okay, that makes a lot of sensethat it goes along with

(01:54):
gambling.
But it's not just bugs takingdamage from this activity.
In the Philippines there havebeen reported fights that have
caused casualties due todisputes over betting from
spider fights.
One incident a 15-year-old boyfatally stabbed a 13-year-old
over an unpaid debt thatamounted to 10 cents.
In another incident, one manwas killed and another injured

(02:18):
when shots were fired afterdispute over winnings.
Way to go, humanity.
Show the bugs what it's allabout.
On to soap carving, creatingintricate sculptures from bars
of soap, and this is why we haveannual fairs and the exhibits.
But of course we can trace thisback to the world of big chem,

(02:39):
you know the cousin industry tobig oil, big pharma and big data
.
In the United States, soapcarving has its roots in a
Procter Gamble competition fromthe 1920s.
So at some point in the 1920ssomebody says this soap needs to
die for our art.
Wow, I wonder if this wassourced in Portland, oregon.

(03:04):
Next up Hobby Horse Racing.
Competing in races on hobbyhorses, wooden or stuffed toy
horses.
You know the horse head on astick.
I was ready to totally trash onthis hobby horse hobby.
But there are some cool YouTubevideos People riding their
hobby horses over equestriancompetition obstacles and doing

(03:24):
fancy walking, as done inequestrian competition obstacles
, and do fancy walking as donein equestrian horse review shows
.
If the people are loving it andno actual horses are harmed by
the activity, I'm all for it.
Next up geocaching Using GPSdevices to find the location of
hidden containers.
So you're saying we get a map.

(03:46):
Anyway, I've tried this sporthobby and found a few local
caches in Bellevue, washington.
I also found some hidden rattraps which had stickers saying
this is not a geocache, do notopen.
I wonder who the person wasthat necessitated those stickers
to be put on the rat poisontraps.

(04:10):
Next item cloud spottingIdentifying and classifying
different clouds formations.
Yeah, this was an electiveclass for those of us studying
recess in elementary school.
Of course, if you're studyingrecess in the great Pacific
Northwest and you're identifyingclouds, they're gray, they're
overcast and they're everywhere.

(04:31):
Please, all of you who liveoutside of the Pacific Northwest
and are thinking aboutrelocating, don't do it.
It's terrible.
You do not want to live here.
Okay, now that I've protected myown backyard, let's go on to
yarn bombing Form, a street artthat involves knitting or

(04:52):
crocheting colorful yarn ontopublic objects.
I've actually seen this Ballardarea of Seattle.
There's a group of humanstatues and they got dressed up
for most of the holidays.
People would crochet that stuffright on there handmade stuff
and it was pretty cool.
I also think some of thosepedestrian statues got mowed

(05:14):
down by a driver who possiblywas inebriated.
I should look back on thatstory because it's probably been
20 years.
Extreme nail art creatingintricate and often bizarre
designs on nails.
Okay, I'm going to use thecliche go out on a limb here and

(05:34):
assume this means finger andtoenails and not people doing
micro engraving on tiny metalspikes that are driven through
wood.
Thank you for consuming episode20 of the Scotty Dope X Show.
See ya, scotty Dope records theScotty Dope X Show on a Windows

(05:55):
95 computer with a SoundBlaster.
16 audio card.