November 24, 2024 • 44 mins
October 21st is no ordinary day - it’s one that rewrote the rules and where the future took shape in a flash of brilliance. Whether it’s that bolt of inspiration or the result of grit and grind, October 21st is a showcase of how sparks of genius can change everything!
- In the late 1800’s, a single flick of a switch banished darkness once and for all
- In the early 1940’s a humble late lunch sparked a revolution in restaurants and ballparks worldwide
- In the late 1950’s a wealthy art collector broke all the rules to force abstract art into to the public’s eye
If it's a special day for you or for someone you care about, listening to some fun, engaging tales of the past will make it even better! You’ll find yourself a little smarter and have some great stories you can tell when you bump into folks at the soccer fields! If you need some great gift ideas, we have those too (along with links to where you can find them on Amazon).
Don't miss these links (they worked in late-2024 - not sure how long the links will be available):
- Link to the Bulb Cam - live footage of the longest glowing light bulb in history
- Link to the tastiest nachos in every state
Gift ideas for folks who celebrate October 21st:
- The look of a vintage light bulb would be neat - right? If not, a coffee table book featuring Edison’s sparks of genius would be fun - or some wall art?.
- For those foodies - you could give them nachos, nacho cheese or a coffee table book featuring Nacho’s Especialies.
- Wall art depicting the Guggenheim would be very unique - or some great coffee table books featuring Frank Lloyd Wright’s creation.
- Kim Kardashian's perfume; Alfred Nobel is featured in books; and merch featuring Glen Powell and Judge Judy - and Gorilla Glue Girl’s spray!
- Celebrate today’s holidays: Back to the Future
Text me your favorite time travel movie!!!
~~~ DayStrider Fun ~~~
Do you want to be mentioned here in the podcast? Or do you want me to do a shout-out for a loved one? All you need to do is send me an e-mail: daystriderstories@gmail.com
Better yet, you can record your own shout-out by leaving me a voice message using this SpeakPipe link
Do you have a story that you wish to share? Join me as a guest and let’s tell the world together! Once again, just send me an e-mail or find me here on Facebook: Truman Pastworthy
If you had as much fun listening as I did creating this episode, please click "follow" in your favorite podcast platform . . . oh . . . and even better - why not share it with a friend (or three)! I’m betting you know just the perfect person who would enjoy today’s stories!
If you feel adventurous, how 'bout writing a great review? :-)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Truman (00:02):
Welcome seeker.
October 21st is no ordinaryday.
It's one that rewrote the rulesand where the future took shape
in a flash of brilliance.
Whether it's that bolt ofinspiration or the result of
grit and grind, October 21st isa showcase of how sparks of
genius can change everything.
(00:24):
And as always, your portal iswarmed up and ready to stride
through history with me.
Our journey of illuminationwill begin in the late 1800s
when a single flick of a switchbanished darkness once and for
all, forever changing how welive, work, and create.
Then we're off to the Mexicanborder where a humble late lunch
(00:46):
sparked a revolution inrestaurants and ballparks
worldwide.
In fact, you may just changewhat's on the menu for dinner
tonight.
And then for the first timeever, we will invite some
imaginary insiders to join theshow and tell the tale of the
most innovative approach topresenting abstract art.
We'll return you to your normalself with a bit more knowledge
(01:10):
and some great stories to sharewith others.
After striding through October21st, you'll have a whole new
appreciation for how innovationof all forms can change the
future entirely.
Oh yeah, the portal's humming.
History's waiting, and we'vegot some stories that need to be
told.
Time's a-tickin', so let's getto it.
(01:32):
Welcome, Seekers, to theenchanting world of Daystrider,
the podcast where we embark on adaily journey through history.
I'm your travel guide, TrumanPastworthy, and together we'll
explore some fascinating storiesthat happened on this exact
(01:54):
day, but from some time in thepast.
From groundbreaking inventionsto remarkable birthdays and
extraordinary events to quirkynational holidays, we've got it
all.
So kick back, relax, and openyour mind for some lighthearted
stories that'll leave yousaying, huh, I never knew that
happened on this day.
Alrighty then, let's get to it.
(02:17):
Close your eyes for a second.
Complete darkness, right?
That's how every day ended foreveryone, everywhere in the
world, until one stubborninventor refused to accept it.
This is the story of howhumanity reclaimed the night,
(02:38):
giving us cozy late-nightreading, evening sports, and
romantic city lights.
Now, obviously, in today'sworld, light is ubiquitous.
It's everywhere.
And when you just now closedyour eyes, it probably wasn't
even actually completely dark.
In fact, it's almost impossibleto get complete darkness in
(03:00):
your home.
There are all kinds of lightsin the kitchen on the
appliances.
There are lights on theentertainment center and on your
clocks.
Even if you go into the powderroom and shut the door and lay a
towel down across the bottom tokeep light from seeping under,
there's a teeny tiny light onthat little electrical outlet.
You can't get away from light.
(03:21):
But back in the 1800s, it wasthe complete opposite.
When the sun set, your worldturned pitch black.
No Netflix, no phone screens,just you and the dark.
Basically, businesses, they hadto shut down and nightlife was
relegated to whatever could bedone in candlelight.
(03:43):
Yeah, so you could read booksand write letters and do some
things in the semi-dark.
Now, obviously, open flamespresents a challenge, right?
A candle could blow out, or itcould fall over and catch your
curtains on fire.
You know, minor inconvenienceslike burning your whole house
down.
Yeah, so all through the 1800s,inventors were trying hard to
(04:08):
come up with a safe andeffective way to have more light
and brighter light so that theycould extend their daytime
activities into the night.
And they actually perfected thecandle by creating gaslighting.
Now, when you hear me use theterm gaslighting, you probably
think of emotional abuse andmanipulation.
But actually, for 60 years orso, gaslighting was how they lit
(04:32):
the city streets and how somewealthy folks lit their houses.
Yeah, they burned gaslights,which wasn't the best form of
light.
And it left lots of black sooton things.
Man, it could explode.
Or if the circulation wasn'tgreat in your home or you left
your windows closed, you coulddie from carbon monoxide
(04:52):
poisoning.
There's that.
And if you wanted it brighter,you either cranked up the gas
flow, which was dangerous, oryou just added more gas lights,
even more dangerous.
There had to be a better way,right?
Well, during the 1800s, therace was on to make light using
electricity.
And when you think of the lightbulb, you probably all think of
(05:15):
Thomas Edison, right?
Well, believe it or not, hedidn't actually invent the
electric light bulb.
But what he did do was perfectit to a point where people could
stop bringing flames into theirhomes and they could begin
using much safer, much brighter,and more efficient lighting.
Let me tell you his story.
(05:36):
And we'll start with a funfact.
Edison's full name was ThomasAlva Edison.
And actually, most folks calledhim Alva.
Yep.
So before Alva was even born, acouple of different inventors
had created electric lighting.
And I'll skip all the science-ystuff and have you picture in
(05:57):
your mind these early inventorswatching in amazement as their
tiny wires began to glow whenthey hooked up the battery, only
to be crushed when it fizzledout.
And then someone discovered ifyou did this in a vacuum, the
glow was even brighter andlasted longer until it flashed
out.
And then finally, when they gotit all figured out, the best
(06:19):
wires available were way tooexpensive and couldn't be
mass-produced to make lighting.
They kept at it, but in themeantime, Alva started his own
path.
He first got into chemistry andtinkered around with his own
lab when he was a teenager.
And then he got intocommunications and improved the
telegraph, which you alreadylearned about in the January 8th
(06:42):
episode.
By his early 20s, he wasn'tjust inventing things.
He was revolutionizing them.
For example, for Wall Street,he invented the stock ticker.
Yes, it's true.
Using this, they couldtelegraph out the stock market
price changes for every stockall across the country.
Immediate information.
(07:02):
Yes.
Ticker tape was a real thingback in the day with printed
stock prices.
Every invention made him bolderand hungrier for the next big
challenge.
And around 30, he invented thephonograph, which allowed people
to record and play back sound.
It's amazing.
And then he invented anelectric pen that was
(07:23):
essentially the precursor tocopy machines.
Oh yeah, and then he invented avoting machine and on and on.
So you're getting the idea herethat this guy was brilliant.
And he was also famous by now.
And so guess what happened whenhe announced that he decided to
perfect the electric lightbulb?
Yeah, guess.
(07:43):
Gas stocks tanked.
Yeah, the market was shakenwhen Alva simply announced he
was going to make the electriclight better.
And what's crazy is the day hemade that announcement, he
didn't even know how he wasgoing to do it.
He just boldly claimed, it'llbe done in six to eight weeks.
He was off a little.
He was actually off a lot.
(08:05):
But here's the deal.
Instead of just stumbling intoan idea and then tweaking it,
Alva attacked the lightingproblem with brute force.
Literally, he hired an army of40 researchers, and they set off
in an organized and systematicapproach to find the ideal
filament, which is that tinylittle wire that glows inside
(08:27):
the bulb.
Now, no one likes to fail,right?
Well, imagine not failing a fewtimes or even failing a dozen
times.
Imagine failing over 3,000times.
Watching your sparks of hopefizzle out over and over.
I can picture the team trudginginto work every day.
(08:50):
Set up a new filament.
Try it.
Fail.
Okay.
After lunch, we'll try again.
Fail.
Fail.
Oh, my gosh.
We'll go home.
We'll sleep on it.
We'll figure something outovernight.
Come back the next day.
Try another idea.
Fail.
Imagine this never-endingfailure and experiment fatigue
(09:12):
and no support from yourcoworkers because they're all on
the same journey.
Eventually, several months ofthis, every day you round up
some of your buddies and say,look, Alva, this isn't going to
work.
Maybe you shouldn't be wastingyour money.
And at the time, he investedover $40,000 into this project,
or about $1.2 million in today'smoney.
(09:33):
Maybe, Alva, this is a dumbidea.
No, guys.
Come on.
We can do this.
We are not stopping.
The solution's right there infront of us.
We are so close.
Actually, it was really, reallyclose.
The team was wearing thesolution to work with him every
day and sleeping between thesolution every night.
(09:55):
Now, before we reveal what thisfilament was, remember when I
said he was a little off withhis two-month claim?
It actually took him 14 monthsof experiment after experiment
until they finally found thefilament that would change the
world forever.
One that would light up for along period of time and work
(10:15):
every time you turned the poweroff and then turned it back on.
Phew.
All right.
You want to guess what thatbest material was?
Go ahead.
Give it a guess.
Come on.
Did you go for carbonizedcotton thread?
Hopefully you got my hint aboutclothing and sheets, right?
Well, if you guessed that,you're spot on.
(10:37):
On this day in 1879, thatcotton thread inside of a vacuum
tube bulb glowed for 15 hoursstraight.
Yay! Success! And of course,They kept going and discovered
that carbonized bamboo filamentswere the very best option, and
that one would burn for 1,200hours without fail.
(10:57):
But anyway, Alva loved himselfsome drama.
And so it wasn't going to beenough to just invite members of
the press to come check outsome light bulb.
No, he wanted a spectacle.
So he and his team made upalmost 50 of these bulbs and
wired them all up, half of themoutside his Menlo Park facility
and the other half inside invarious rooms, each with their
(11:20):
own light switch.
And they invited the press andthen some wealthy looky-loos
were also able to join and theywere all lucky enough to get
this special invitation to visitMenlo Park on New Year's Eve
that year.
And they got the mostelectrifying party ever hosted
for mankind.
They were truly amazed andimpressed.
The reporters described thebulbs as little globes of
(11:43):
sunshine and the flash of athousand diamond facets.
And now people could have lightat night.
safer, cleaner, brighter, andon demand.
But of course, you also neededelectric to make the light bulb
work.
And back then, there were nopower plants, no electrical
(12:05):
cables, no nothing.
So guess what?
Edison had to invent an entireinfrastructure to make
electricity and then deliver iteverywhere so people could buy
his new light bulb and brightentheir nights.
But that It's a whole differentstory.
One about General Electric, andone we'll cover on April 24th.
(12:27):
So tonight, when you flip thatswitch and grab your toothbrush,
say, thanks Alva.
His dedication and stubbornnessallowed the world to step out
of the darkness and into an eraof light.
Edison truly sparked one of thegreatest revolutions in human
history.
(12:48):
Music Roses are red and lightshines bright.
Writing a review would make mynight.
Not sure of the words?
Don't be in doubt.
Type, this pod's a gem.
You should check it out.
Picture this.
You're at the ballpark, ormaybe the movie theater, and
(13:09):
you're craving a salty snack.
So what do you go grab?
Nachos, of course! Come on,we've all done it.
You know you have.
You can admit it.
And when scarfing down thosechips, did you find yourself
licking that gooey cheese offyour fingers?
And thinking, what even is thismagical stuff?
(13:31):
Well, hang tight, because youare about to find out.
Believe it or not, this nachocheese goop has been around
since the early 1970s.
But it was a best-kept secretin Dallas, Texas for quite some
time.
Cheesy nachos was a populartreat at both the Rangers
(13:51):
ballpark and Cowboys Stadium formany years.
And the guy who invented thatcheese, Frank Liberto, couldn't
figure out how to get the wordout.
But then, along came MondayNight Football co-host Howard
Cosell.
And bam! Nachos got shout-outsnationwide.
So the story goes that during acommercial break, he got the
(14:15):
munchies.
And someone brought him somestadium nachos with that same
gooey cheese we were justtalking about.
And he loved them.
And then, once he was back onair, he talked about them during
the broadcast.
In fact, he wouldn't stoptalking about them that night.
He even nicknamed a greatrunning play a nacho run.
(14:37):
Get it?
Run fast because you're out ofnachos.
Okay, maybe not so funny, butstill.
Cosell kept using that term,nacho run, in his color
commentary at Monday night gamesthroughout the rest of the
season, so stadiums outside ofTexas.
So, what did the father ofnacho cheese do after hearing
(14:58):
that?
Of course, he struck fast,reaching out to every stadium
concessionaire in the book.
And before you knew it, nachoswere popping up everywhere.
By the 80s, nacho cheese waspractically running the snack
scene.
It went from a Texas secret toa national obsession.
Yeah.
(15:18):
Now, technically, the FDA saysthis nacho cheese isn't real.
Eh, who cares about labels,right?
Well, nacho cheese, real ornot, has a secret ingredient
called sodium citrate, andthat's what makes it magically
gooey.
Now, I don't want to give you aheadache taking you back to
(15:39):
high school chemistry class, butyou are going to love this.
Are you ready?
You know how H2O is water,right?
Two parts hydrogen, one partoxygen, right?
Well, brace yourself for amind-blowing moment.
Sodium citrate is sodiumnitrate.
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
(16:01):
Different parts of each, butthat doesn't matter.
What matters is sodium'schemical letters are N-A.
Right?
So you have N-A, C for carbon,H and O, N-A-C-H-O, nacho.
Yes! How crazy is that?
The formula for the stuff thatmakes nacho cheese is nacho.
(16:23):
I'm telling you, it's true.
Alright, so...
Truman, why are we evenbothering talking about all this
stuff in the first place?
Well, perhaps you already knowthat October 21st is
International Nacho Day.
And now you're going to learnwhy that's the case so.
No?
(16:44):
Not punny?
Okay, fine.
On this day in 1943, nachoswere invented.
Yeah.
So let me introduce you to thelegend himself, Ignacio Anaya.
Now, he just wasn't any oldMajor D at the Victory Club,
which is a cozy little spot justacross the Mexican border.
(17:04):
No, he was actually set tobecome a culinary genius.
Yep, so one day, a group ofladies from Eagles Pass, Texas,
went on a shopping trip acrossthe border in Mexico.
And they stopped at the VictoryClub for a really late lunch.
Or maybe it was a really earlydinner.
Who knows?
(17:24):
Either way, Ignacio got themseated and then discovered that
the folks in the kitchen werenot around.
I guess they were out on breakbetween meals or something.
Who knows?
Now, before I keep going, youknow how Bobby is a nickname for
Robert?
Well, Nacho is a nickname forIgnacio.
(17:44):
And that's going to be the key,so pay attention.
Our friend Ignacio, or Nacho,needed to keep his customers
happy.
So he went back into thekitchen and threw some stuff
together for the ladies.
Some fried tortilla chips, somecheese, some pickled jalapenos,
throw them all together, warmthem up in the oven, and bam!
(18:05):
And the ladies loved them.
They're like, what is this?
What are these things called?
And he responded, nachosespeciales.
That's right, Ignacio'sSpecial.
And obviously, nachos stuck.
Yeah, how about that?
A made-up name for a made-upmeal that turned into a fun
(18:27):
snack that has been enjoyed bymillions ever since.
And that was 80 years ago.
Nowadays, nachos have evolvedquite a bit.
Yeah, you can travel around theworld and find all kinds of
unique twists on this tastytreat.
In Southern Europe, you'll finda Mediterranean nachos that has
feta cheese, olives, andtzatziki sauce.
(18:49):
In some parts of Asia, you'llfind fusion nachos with
ingredients like teriyakichicken or kimchi.
And nachos are no longer justan appetizer.
They can be a full meal.
And even better, they can be adessert.
Like cinnamon sugar dustedtortilla chips topped with sweet
(19:11):
ingredients like chocolatesauce or caramel or even ice
cream.
Yeah, now that's good stuff.
Yeah, so if this segment hasmade you hungry for some
cheese-topped salty chips, guesswhat?
There's a website out therewhere someone lists the tastiest
nachos in every U.S.
(19:31):
state.
Yeah, and the article says ourselections are based on genuine
user reviews, awards andaccolades, and firsthand
experience of our team.
Mm-hmm.
That sounds like a good team tobe on, right?
I want to get that job.
I'll leave the link to thatarticle in the show notes so you
can check out your state's besttasting nachos.
Now, to be fair, people inMexico have been eating fried
(19:55):
tortillas topped with cheese andother yummy stuff for hundreds
and hundreds of years.
But surprisingly, somehow, thedish didn't have an actual name.
So it was just afamily-by-family treat.
Until...
A man named Nacho had a eurekamoment.
Oh, and don't forget to topthat off with the magic of
(20:18):
N-A-C-H-O cheese.
Yep, so the next time you'redigging into a plate of those
gooey cheesy delights, remember,you're not just snacking, you
are biting into history.
A time traveler's delight, wesometimes get cheesy.
But history's wonders makelearning so easy.
(20:40):
If these tales have amused orbrightened your day, please
share with your friends.
Send some fun their way.
Do you ever catch yourselfthinking about breaking the
rules?
Maybe you even dare to do itonce or twice.
It's thrilling, right?
Well, when rich folks break therules, we often hear all about
(21:04):
it in the media.
And when rich folks use theirwealth to intentionally alter
societal norms, it doesn'talways go well.
Yeah, today we're striding backto the origins of just such a
rule breaker.
A building that shook up theart world at first and then
eventually became an icon.
That's right, we're talkingabout the Guggenheim Museum.
(21:28):
And to spice things up, I'vegot some colorful characters
here that will paint us apicture you won't find in any
gallery.
First, let's meet Cynthia, ourpassionate art student.
Cynthia, what's your take onthis unusual building and its
contents?
Oh yes, let me tell you thatthe Guggenheim is like jazz for
(21:52):
the eyes.
It's not just housing art.
It's challenging our veryperception of space.
Abstract art allows artists toexpress pure emotion through
color, shape, and form.
Think of Pollock's drippaintings or Rothko's color
fields and how they challengeour perceptions and invite us to
(22:15):
feel art rather than just seeit.
Well, that's quite anendorsement.
Mr.
Weinberg, you're a deli ownerjust around the corner.
What's your perspective on thiscultural shake-up?
Abstract art, smabstract art.
If I wanted to see randomsplotches, I'd take a look at
the stains on my apron after abusy lunch rush, eh?
(22:37):
So you aren't a fan, Mr.
Weinberg?
All right, well, how would yousuggest we enhance the culture
in New York City?
You want culture?
Bring back the stoop sittingand neighborhood block parties.
These big mucky mucks withtheir swanky museums, they're
forgetting the heart of thiscity is in its people, not its
(22:57):
buildings.
I see.
Sounds like we've got someconflicting opinions here.
If you haven't seen thismuseum, you should know that it
is pretty unique.
When it was being built, peoplechastised it as an inverted
cupcake or a washtub withouthandles.
What do you think, Tony?
You actually drove those,quote, muckety-mucks around in
(23:20):
your cab looking for the perfectsite, right?
Look, I think it's a big, hugeeyesore, like a messed-up
pretzel.
But there I am, right, drivingMr.
G and this Frankie fella aroundtown, and they're yakking about
spirals and organic forms, andI'm thinking, jeez, did these
two guys fall into a barrel ofhooch?
(23:41):
But I'll tell you what.
Hearing them argue was betterthan any radio show, that's for
sure.
Frankie's going on about hisvision, and Mr.
G's face is turning redder thana stoplight on for it to have.
But don't you see?
Those spirals are pure genius.
It's not just a building, it'sa revolution in how we
(24:05):
experience art.
As you ascend the ramp, it'slike you're on a journey through
creativity itself with eachturn revealing new perspectives.
It's the perfect marriage ofform and function.
Wright didn't just design amuseum.
He created a work of art thatcelebrates art.
(24:27):
Well said, Cynthia.
Well said.
So folks, we're talking aboutthe Guggenheim Museum because it
actually opened on this day in1959, right in the heart of New
York City along Fifth Avenue,overlooking Central Park.
Its unusual shape caused quitea stir back in 1952 when the
(24:48):
plans were first submitted.
It took over three years beforethey issued the permits because
there was such opposition toit.
Opposition?
Oof! You're telling me.
It was like a Yom Kippurservice in there.
Everyone had something to atonefor.
21 big shot artists signed somefancy smedgy letter saying the
(25:10):
joint would make theirmasterpieces look like chopped
liver.
Such service over a building.
I thought we were getting thesecond coming, not a glorified
snail shell.
You're not far off, Mr.
Weinberg.
The building does resemble asnail shell.
both inside and out.
It features a spiraling,continuous ramp that winds
(25:34):
upwards for six turns around thecentral atrium.
Visitors ascend the gentleincline viewing art along the
curving walls, all culminatingon a skylit rotunda.
Frank Lloyd Wright aimed tocreate a fluid, immersive art
viewing experience.
I'd say he succeeded.
Those words give me a headachejust hearing them.
(25:54):
Listen.
Frankie and Mr.
G were like oil and vinegar thewhole time we were looking for
sites.
But then, in swoops Ms.
Hilla.
She's like the umpire of theYanks Sox gang.
She goes on about spiritualelevations and temples of
non-objectivity, whatever thatis.
(26:15):
I don't know, but it got thesetwo nodding like a couple of
dashboard ornaments.
I'm thinking, Tony, you couldhave been driving for Yogi
Berra, but no.
You get this crazy art crowd.
Oh, yes.
The Baroness.
The spilkies at the deli couldcurdle milk.
People yanked at her artisticcollaboration with Saul was a
(26:39):
little more hands-on, if youknow what I mean.
But, hey, who am I to judge?
Mr.
Weinberg, really?
That's so unfair.
Baroness Rebay was the beatingheart of this project, not some
tabloid headline.
She practically invented theconcept of this museum,
(27:00):
championing abstract art whenmost people couldn't tell
Kandinsky from a kid's crayondrawing.
Without her vision, we'dprobably be looking at another
stuffy portrait gallery insteadof a revolutionary space that's
reshaping how we experience art.
It's maddening how peopleignore a woman's genius and
(27:24):
focus on gossip.
Okay, guys, take it easy here.
We're just having some funtalking about an alternative
museum that features alternativeart.
And Ms.
Hilaribe, yes, she was abaroness from Germany, and
Solomon Guggenheim met her inthe 1920s after he was already
(27:46):
married and had kids.
And together the two actuallyhelped revolutionize the art
world in America by focusing ongrowing and then displaying his
collection of modern art, orabstract art, or whatever you
want to call it.
You know what I call it?
I call it a plot twist.
Neither of our boys lived tosee the grand opening.
(28:07):
Saul kicked a bucket a decadebefore.
Mr.
Right, Tony calls him Frankie.
That's funny.
Anyway, he left for the greatdrafting table in the sky just
months before the doors opened.
But that's life, right?
You plan, God laughs, and therest of us slept to see a
building shaped like the bundtcakes we sell on Saturday
(28:31):
mornings.
Oh.
But isn't it wonderful?
Despite all of that sillycontroversy, the Guggenheim
became an instant icon.
It's officially a citylandmark, and it proves that
visionary ideas can transcendtheir creators and become part
of our shared cultural legacy.
(28:51):
Yep, Cynthia's right.
The museum became the youngeststructure to make it on the list
of official New York Citylandmarks.
It's also an official U.S.
landmark that is described bythe Department of Interior as
one of Frank Lloyd Wright's mostimportant commissions.
On top of all that, it's on theUNESCO World Heritage List as
(29:13):
well.
That's a pretty impressiveresume for a building that no
one wanted.
You know, I gotta admit...
After the joint opened, I got akick out of dropping Fez off.
I always told him, hey, youwant to know something about
this crazy upside-down ice creamcone?
I helped pick the spot for it.
(29:33):
Maybe one day they'll put upsome crazy modern art plaque for
Tony's taxi stand.
Hey, a guy can dream, right?
I ain't hoping.
Nope.
I jumped on that bandwagonfaster than a yento on fresh
gossip.
Added three new sandwiches tothe menu.
The Guggenheim Grinder, RiceTwisted Reuben, and for the
(29:55):
fancy-schmancy crowd, theBaroness Blinch.
Meh, what if they taste likeregular sandwiches?
It's art, Bubala.
You're not supposed tounderstand it.
Just pay through the nose forit.
Now it's my turn to say...
Oy vey.
Well, folks, now you know alittle more about this
(30:15):
alternative-looking museum andthe unusual circumstances that
led to its creation.
From controversial concept tobeloved landmark, the Guggenheim
proves that sometimes breakingthe rules can create something
truly extraordinary.
Next time you're in the BigApple, maybe you should take a
(30:36):
spin up that spiral and see foryourself what the fuss is all
about.
And there you have it.
Three great stories that lightup our world, fill our plates
with joy, and challenge the waywe see art and innovation.
(30:57):
Whether you're marveling atEdison's brilliance, savoring
nachos at the ballpark, orstrolling through the iconic
Guggenheim, These tales remindus that inspiration can strike
in the most unexpected places.
Why not share these storieswith someone special and spark a
little wonder together?
(31:17):
If Edison's light bulbscratched your inventor's itch,
you've got to make time for TheTelegraph on January 8th and The
Telephone on October 18th, bothrevealing sparks of genius that
reshaped our world.
If fun stories about foodinnovations had you salivating,
then you'll love hearing aboutthe tater tot on February 2nd.
(31:40):
And if some on-the-spotinspiration got you going, check
out the same, I need to makesomething for these folks, with
the Irish coffee that wasinvented in the same way.
Check out March 17th.
And if you like to geek out onarchitecture, then we got you
covered.
Check out June 25th with AntoniGaudi.
(32:01):
And stay tuned for December15th when we talk about the
Eiffel Tower.
Oh, yeah.
Every day has a story andthere's so much fun.
And we're going to stridethrough them all until we're
done.
Have you ever bought somethingonly to feel like it was
(32:22):
designed to break?
Like your phone or yourappliances or even your light
bulb?
Well...
That might not be acoincidence.
The conspiracy folks call thisplanned obsolescence.
And it's more real than you maythink.
Let me tell you why.
(32:42):
Back in the early days,Edison's light bulb wasn't just
a marvel.
It was a symbol of progress.
Perfection.
So much so that, believe it ornot, there's a light bulb that's
been glowing since 1901.
Yes, it's in a fire stationnear San Francisco that's been
(33:04):
burning over a million hours.
Amazing.
But guess what?
In 1924, everything changed.
The focus wasn't on makingthings better anymore.
It was about making them breakon purpose.
So what happened in 1924?
(33:24):
The Phoebus Cartel.
They are the bad guys of thisstory.
And they got together becausethey realized the light bulbs
were lasting too long.
Profits were shrinking becauseno one wanted to replace their
bulbs.
What was their selfishsolution?
Stop trying so hard to improvethe product and instead sabotage
(33:49):
it.
Yes, sabotage.
And this wasn't just a theory.
No, no.
They left evidence behindImagine being the one who found
all their old letters, wherethey actually admit to plotting
this out.
Yes, that's right, buried insome dusty archives in Germany,
a journalist found proof of thisscheme to sabotage light bulbs.
(34:12):
It's a little eerie, isn't it,that something as simple as a
light bulb, a symbol ofprogress, became a tool for
profit manipulation?
And if they were doing this ahundred years ago, what do you
think they're up to now?
Probably the next time yourphone suddenly slows down or
(34:32):
your appliances act up, youmight wonder that somewhere out
there, someone was working hardto make sure that that product
ended up breaking a littleearlier than you'd like.
After you share these specialstories, you can also mention
the following famous folks whocelebrate their birthdays today.
(34:54):
Kim Kardashian, she adds acandle to her cake today.
A lot of folks like to ponderwhy she's even famous.
Well, we only have ourselves toblame because we love to gawk
at folks who are outrageous.
Maybe if my podcasts were moreoutrageous, I could make them
more famous.
I don't know.
(35:15):
We'll think about it.
Alfred Nobel, he was born onthis day about 90 years ago.
His last name is famous for theNobel Prize.
which we featured on theNovember 27th episode.
Glenn Powell adds another notchto his belt today.
Do you know him?
His early acting career wasfilled with supporting character
(35:36):
roles, but after he played inTop Gun Maverick with Tom
Cruise, who was mentoring himalong the way, he started making
more popular movies like AnyoneBut You and the Netflix movie
Hitman.
And I'm sure everyone knowsJudge Judy.
Yep, she bangs the gavel todayto blow out her candles.
Judy Shindlin, that's her realname, is actually in the
(36:00):
Guinness Book of World Recordsfor her over 25 years of
television arbitration.
Isn't that crazy?
All right, trivia time.
How many cases do you thinkJudge Judy presided over?
Raise your hand if you saidmore than 2,500.
Good, good.
Keep it raised if you said morethan 25,000.
(36:22):
That's right.
She ruled on over 20,000 casesin a real court of law and then
another 12,500 cases in hertelevision show.
That's insane, isn't it?
Okay, now for our 50th mostfamous person born today.
(36:42):
We've talked about breaking therules, right?
And sometimes that helps peoplebecome famous.
Well, other times accidentsjust happen.
And that's another way toachieve some fame.
For example, today's 50th mostfamous birthday, according to
famousbirthdays.com, is theGorilla Glue Girl.
(37:03):
Have you ever heard of her?
Yeah, the Gorilla Glue Girl.
Her real name is Tessica Brown,and she accidentally used
Gorilla Glue adhesive spray inher hair instead of regular
hairspray.
And then she posted videos ofher journey trying to fix this
mess that she made of her hair.
(37:23):
Now, I didn't have time tofully research this story deep
enough.
to learn why anyone would putGorilla Glue Spray in the same
area as they keep their regularhairspray.
I don't know.
Seems sketchy to me.
Today is Back to the FutureDay.
Why today?
(37:44):
Well, right at the end of thefirst movie, Doc Brown shows up
in his fusion-powered DeLorean,and he takes Marty and Jennifer
to October 21st, 2015, becausesomething was wrong with their
kids.
I like it, but what I love istalking about the flux
capacitor, which we are going todo on November 5th, so stay
(38:07):
tuned.
Today is also National AppleDay.
I'm talking about the kind youeat, not the kind you use to
listen to podcasts.
Celebrating the apple in thefall is smart, right?
It's around the best time toharvest apples.
And then today is also LoudShirt Day.
And there's more that meets theeye or ear with this one.
(38:31):
The point of wearing a loudshirt to work or school is to
get people to remark, hey,that's a pretty loud shirt.
And then you explain the realpurpose, which is raising
awareness for children withhearing loss.
Loud shirt, get to raiseawareness.
That's a noble cause, right?
All right, so do you need agift idea for your loved one?
(38:53):
Well, In addition to retellingthe stories you just learned
about this day in history, youcan have them open up a gift
that is customized to theirbirthday.
And I have several great ideasfor you.
And as always, you can findlinks to get these in the gift
idea section of the show notes.
Now, often I mention you canget a unique gift for the person
(39:16):
who has everything.
And once again, today is noexception.
Starting with the master ofMenlo Park.
you can find vintage-lookinglight bulbs that look just like
they came from the early 1900s.
There are also coffee tablebooks featuring Edison and the
light bulb invention, along withsome of his others.
And if your loved one is afoodie, there are plenty of
(39:39):
nacho chips and cheese options,along with more coffee table
books with nacho recipes.
And keeping the coffee tablebook theme going, there's also
plenty of those featuring theGuggenheim Museum.
But in addition to that,there's some great wall art
featuring Mr.
G's fancy schmancy building.
(39:59):
Or you could just take yourloved one to the Guggenheim.
Why not?
They'll love it.
The famous folks that were borntoday also have some great gift
ideas associated with them,mostly movies and posters.
Similarly, today's specialholidays have unique gift ideas.
You can even get some spray-onGorilla Glue and then decide for
(40:22):
yourself how Tessicaaccidentally could have sprayed
this stuff in her hair.
Yep, so there are actually lotsof customized gifts for folks
who wake up ready to celebrateOctober 21st.
And these ideas are unique toonly this day of the year.
But if you really want to upyour gift-giving game, you have
(40:44):
the chance to make someone'sbirthday special.
You could dedicate apersonalized shout-out right
here on the podcast, and theywill be memorialized forever.
Yeah, I can do the shout-outfor you if you email me their
name and something fun you wantto share, like this one.
Hey, Bethany, it's been a long,long time since we've
(41:05):
connected.
I hope your life has beenblessed and that you enjoy
October 21st more and more asthe years roll by.
Just like rolling the dice inMonopoly, right?
Okay.
Or you can do your own shoutout by using the speak pipe link
that's available in the shownotes.
Here's an example for today'sspecial someone.
Guest (41:29):
Hey, babe, just wanted to take this opportunity to tell
my soulmate, my partner incrime, and the love of my life
how thankful I am for this dayall the way back in 1975.
Because without this day, Iwouldn't have you, and I can't
imagine my life without you.
I love you so much, and I can'twait to see how the next
chapter of our life togetherunfolds.
Happy birthday, babe.
(41:50):
I love you.
Truman (41:50):
Wow.
Now that's a great shout out.
The world needs more love likethat.
As always, if you have a storythat just needs to be shared
about any day in the past, emailme at daystriderstories at
gmail.com and let's connect.
In fact, as many of you know, Ihave a Facebook page and I put
(42:12):
interesting or fun stuff outthere every day.
What happened on this day inhistory or something fun about
today's special holiday, stufflike that.
Well, from time to time, peoplesend me pictures or links to
great stories.
For example, my friend Tylerwas recently in Baltimore and he
traveled past the Getz's CandyPlant and he sent me a picture.
(42:33):
Basically saying, hey, do astory on this candy.
And I've looked it up.
I got it on my list.
Also, my friend Muddy Grimes,who was a guest on June 11th to
talk about Hot Rod Day, recentlysent me a link to the greatest
beer run ever.
And I've researched that tooand added it to my list as well.
(42:54):
That's awesome.
Thanks, guys.
I'm going to send you both asticker.
Oh, while I'm talking aboutMuddy Grimes, he has recently
started a new podcast calledImperial, and it's all about
Chryslers.
So if you own or drive aChrysler or want to learn more
about Chryslers and all thedifferent brands under that
umbrella, check him out.
(43:15):
Imperial.
Alrighty, then.
Thanks so much for listening.
I know it's been a minute sinceour last episode was published.
It's actually been a long time.
And yes, this show did come outmore than a month after it was
supposed to.
But hey, sometimes life gets inthe way, right?
Well, I really appreciate thefeedback from so many of you,
(43:36):
and I'm still going to keep thispodcast rolling into 25.
There are some great storiescoming up, and I can't wait to
get to them.
I hope you had half as much funlistening as I did creating
this episode, especially when itcomes to my imaginary insiders.
All three of those voices arecharacters that my children have
heard throughout their growingup years.
(43:58):
Sharing today's episode with afriend or family member would be
incredible and sincerelyappreciated.
Thanks so much for listening.
Until next time, this is TrumanPastworthy, reminding you that
every day has a great story.
And we'll be striding throughthem all to find some more
(44:20):
goodies for you.
Now get out there and make yourown great story today.
Welcome seeker.
October 21st is no ordinaryday.
It's one that rewrote the rulesand where the future took shape
in a flash of brilliance.
Whether it's that bolt ofinspiration or the result of
grit and grind, October 21st isa showcase of how sparks of
genius can change everything.
(00:24):
And as always, your portal iswarmed up and ready to stride
through history with me.
Our journey of illuminationwill begin in the late 1800s
when a single flick of a switchbanished darkness once and for
all, forever changing how welive, work, and create.
Then we're off to the Mexicanborder where a humble late lunch
(00:46):
sparked a revolution inrestaurants and ballparks
worldwide.
In fact, you may just changewhat's on the menu for dinner
tonight.
And then for the first timeever, we will invite some
imaginary insiders to join theshow and tell the tale of the
most innovative approach topresenting abstract art.
We'll return you to your normalself with a bit more knowledge
(01:10):
and some great stories to sharewith others.
After striding through October21st, you'll have a whole new
appreciation for how innovationof all forms can change the
future entirely.
Oh yeah, the portal's humming.
History's waiting, and we'vegot some stories that need to be
told.
Time's a-tickin', so let's getto it.
(01:32):
Welcome, Seekers, to theenchanting world of Daystrider,
the podcast where we embark on adaily journey through history.
I'm your travel guide, TrumanPastworthy, and together we'll
explore some fascinating storiesthat happened on this exact
(01:54):
day, but from some time in thepast.
From groundbreaking inventionsto remarkable birthdays and
extraordinary events to quirkynational holidays, we've got it
all.
So kick back, relax, and openyour mind for some lighthearted
stories that'll leave yousaying, huh, I never knew that
happened on this day.
Alrighty then, let's get to it.
(02:17):
Close your eyes for a second.
Complete darkness, right?
That's how every day ended foreveryone, everywhere in the
world, until one stubborninventor refused to accept it.
This is the story of howhumanity reclaimed the night,
(02:38):
giving us cozy late-nightreading, evening sports, and
romantic city lights.
Now, obviously, in today'sworld, light is ubiquitous.
It's everywhere.
And when you just now closedyour eyes, it probably wasn't
even actually completely dark.
In fact, it's almost impossibleto get complete darkness in
(03:00):
your home.
There are all kinds of lightsin the kitchen on the
appliances.
There are lights on theentertainment center and on your
clocks.
Even if you go into the powderroom and shut the door and lay a
towel down across the bottom tokeep light from seeping under,
there's a teeny tiny light onthat little electrical outlet.
You can't get away from light.
(03:21):
But back in the 1800s, it wasthe complete opposite.
When the sun set, your worldturned pitch black.
No Netflix, no phone screens,just you and the dark.
Basically, businesses, they hadto shut down and nightlife was
relegated to whatever could bedone in candlelight.
(03:43):
Yeah, so you could read booksand write letters and do some
things in the semi-dark.
Now, obviously, open flamespresents a challenge, right?
A candle could blow out, or itcould fall over and catch your
curtains on fire.
You know, minor inconvenienceslike burning your whole house
down.
Yeah, so all through the 1800s,inventors were trying hard to
(04:08):
come up with a safe andeffective way to have more light
and brighter light so that theycould extend their daytime
activities into the night.
And they actually perfected thecandle by creating gaslighting.
Now, when you hear me use theterm gaslighting, you probably
think of emotional abuse andmanipulation.
But actually, for 60 years orso, gaslighting was how they lit
(04:32):
the city streets and how somewealthy folks lit their houses.
Yeah, they burned gaslights,which wasn't the best form of
light.
And it left lots of black sooton things.
Man, it could explode.
Or if the circulation wasn'tgreat in your home or you left
your windows closed, you coulddie from carbon monoxide
(04:52):
poisoning.
There's that.
And if you wanted it brighter,you either cranked up the gas
flow, which was dangerous, oryou just added more gas lights,
even more dangerous.
There had to be a better way,right?
Well, during the 1800s, therace was on to make light using
electricity.
And when you think of the lightbulb, you probably all think of
(05:15):
Thomas Edison, right?
Well, believe it or not, hedidn't actually invent the
electric light bulb.
But what he did do was perfectit to a point where people could
stop bringing flames into theirhomes and they could begin
using much safer, much brighter,and more efficient lighting.
Let me tell you his story.
(05:36):
And we'll start with a funfact.
Edison's full name was ThomasAlva Edison.
And actually, most folks calledhim Alva.
Yep.
So before Alva was even born, acouple of different inventors
had created electric lighting.
And I'll skip all the science-ystuff and have you picture in
(05:57):
your mind these early inventorswatching in amazement as their
tiny wires began to glow whenthey hooked up the battery, only
to be crushed when it fizzledout.
And then someone discovered ifyou did this in a vacuum, the
glow was even brighter andlasted longer until it flashed
out.
And then finally, when they gotit all figured out, the best
(06:19):
wires available were way tooexpensive and couldn't be
mass-produced to make lighting.
They kept at it, but in themeantime, Alva started his own
path.
He first got into chemistry andtinkered around with his own
lab when he was a teenager.
And then he got intocommunications and improved the
telegraph, which you alreadylearned about in the January 8th
(06:42):
episode.
By his early 20s, he wasn'tjust inventing things.
He was revolutionizing them.
For example, for Wall Street,he invented the stock ticker.
Yes, it's true.
Using this, they couldtelegraph out the stock market
price changes for every stockall across the country.
Immediate information.
(07:02):
Yes.
Ticker tape was a real thingback in the day with printed
stock prices.
Every invention made him bolderand hungrier for the next big
challenge.
And around 30, he invented thephonograph, which allowed people
to record and play back sound.
It's amazing.
And then he invented anelectric pen that was
(07:23):
essentially the precursor tocopy machines.
Oh yeah, and then he invented avoting machine and on and on.
So you're getting the idea herethat this guy was brilliant.
And he was also famous by now.
And so guess what happened whenhe announced that he decided to
perfect the electric lightbulb?
Yeah, guess.
(07:43):
Gas stocks tanked.
Yeah, the market was shakenwhen Alva simply announced he
was going to make the electriclight better.
And what's crazy is the day hemade that announcement, he
didn't even know how he wasgoing to do it.
He just boldly claimed, it'llbe done in six to eight weeks.
He was off a little.
He was actually off a lot.
(08:05):
But here's the deal.
Instead of just stumbling intoan idea and then tweaking it,
Alva attacked the lightingproblem with brute force.
Literally, he hired an army of40 researchers, and they set off
in an organized and systematicapproach to find the ideal
filament, which is that tinylittle wire that glows inside
(08:27):
the bulb.
Now, no one likes to fail,right?
Well, imagine not failing a fewtimes or even failing a dozen
times.
Imagine failing over 3,000times.
Watching your sparks of hopefizzle out over and over.
I can picture the team trudginginto work every day.
(08:50):
Set up a new filament.
Try it.
Fail.
Okay.
After lunch, we'll try again.
Fail.
Fail.
Oh, my gosh.
We'll go home.
We'll sleep on it.
We'll figure something outovernight.
Come back the next day.
Try another idea.
Fail.
Imagine this never-endingfailure and experiment fatigue
(09:12):
and no support from yourcoworkers because they're all on
the same journey.
Eventually, several months ofthis, every day you round up
some of your buddies and say,look, Alva, this isn't going to
work.
Maybe you shouldn't be wastingyour money.
And at the time, he investedover $40,000 into this project,
or about $1.2 million in today'smoney.
(09:33):
Maybe, Alva, this is a dumbidea.
No, guys.
Come on.
We can do this.
We are not stopping.
The solution's right there infront of us.
We are so close.
Actually, it was really, reallyclose.
The team was wearing thesolution to work with him every
day and sleeping between thesolution every night.
(09:55):
Now, before we reveal what thisfilament was, remember when I
said he was a little off withhis two-month claim?
It actually took him 14 monthsof experiment after experiment
until they finally found thefilament that would change the
world forever.
One that would light up for along period of time and work
(10:15):
every time you turned the poweroff and then turned it back on.
Phew.
All right.
You want to guess what thatbest material was?
Go ahead.
Give it a guess.
Come on.
Did you go for carbonizedcotton thread?
Hopefully you got my hint aboutclothing and sheets, right?
Well, if you guessed that,you're spot on.
(10:37):
On this day in 1879, thatcotton thread inside of a vacuum
tube bulb glowed for 15 hoursstraight.
Yay! Success! And of course,They kept going and discovered
that carbonized bamboo filamentswere the very best option, and
that one would burn for 1,200hours without fail.
(10:57):
But anyway, Alva loved himselfsome drama.
And so it wasn't going to beenough to just invite members of
the press to come check outsome light bulb.
No, he wanted a spectacle.
So he and his team made upalmost 50 of these bulbs and
wired them all up, half of themoutside his Menlo Park facility
and the other half inside invarious rooms, each with their
(11:20):
own light switch.
And they invited the press andthen some wealthy looky-loos
were also able to join and theywere all lucky enough to get
this special invitation to visitMenlo Park on New Year's Eve
that year.
And they got the mostelectrifying party ever hosted
for mankind.
They were truly amazed andimpressed.
The reporters described thebulbs as little globes of
(11:43):
sunshine and the flash of athousand diamond facets.
And now people could have lightat night.
safer, cleaner, brighter, andon demand.
But of course, you also neededelectric to make the light bulb
work.
And back then, there were nopower plants, no electrical
(12:05):
cables, no nothing.
So guess what?
Edison had to invent an entireinfrastructure to make
electricity and then deliver iteverywhere so people could buy
his new light bulb and brightentheir nights.
But that It's a whole differentstory.
One about General Electric, andone we'll cover on April 24th.
(12:27):
So tonight, when you flip thatswitch and grab your toothbrush,
say, thanks Alva.
His dedication and stubbornnessallowed the world to step out
of the darkness and into an eraof light.
Edison truly sparked one of thegreatest revolutions in human
history.
(12:48):
Music Roses are red and lightshines bright.
Writing a review would make mynight.
Not sure of the words?
Don't be in doubt.
Type, this pod's a gem.
You should check it out.
Picture this.
You're at the ballpark, ormaybe the movie theater, and
(13:09):
you're craving a salty snack.
So what do you go grab?
Nachos, of course! Come on,we've all done it.
You know you have.
You can admit it.
And when scarfing down thosechips, did you find yourself
licking that gooey cheese offyour fingers?
And thinking, what even is thismagical stuff?
(13:31):
Well, hang tight, because youare about to find out.
Believe it or not, this nachocheese goop has been around
since the early 1970s.
But it was a best-kept secretin Dallas, Texas for quite some
time.
Cheesy nachos was a populartreat at both the Rangers
(13:51):
ballpark and Cowboys Stadium formany years.
And the guy who invented thatcheese, Frank Liberto, couldn't
figure out how to get the wordout.
But then, along came MondayNight Football co-host Howard
Cosell.
And bam! Nachos got shout-outsnationwide.
So the story goes that during acommercial break, he got the
(14:15):
munchies.
And someone brought him somestadium nachos with that same
gooey cheese we were justtalking about.
And he loved them.
And then, once he was back onair, he talked about them during
the broadcast.
In fact, he wouldn't stoptalking about them that night.
He even nicknamed a greatrunning play a nacho run.
(14:37):
Get it?
Run fast because you're out ofnachos.
Okay, maybe not so funny, butstill.
Cosell kept using that term,nacho run, in his color
commentary at Monday night gamesthroughout the rest of the
season, so stadiums outside ofTexas.
So, what did the father ofnacho cheese do after hearing
(14:58):
that?
Of course, he struck fast,reaching out to every stadium
concessionaire in the book.
And before you knew it, nachoswere popping up everywhere.
By the 80s, nacho cheese waspractically running the snack
scene.
It went from a Texas secret toa national obsession.
Yeah.
(15:18):
Now, technically, the FDA saysthis nacho cheese isn't real.
Eh, who cares about labels,right?
Well, nacho cheese, real ornot, has a secret ingredient
called sodium citrate, andthat's what makes it magically
gooey.
Now, I don't want to give you aheadache taking you back to
(15:39):
high school chemistry class, butyou are going to love this.
Are you ready?
You know how H2O is water,right?
Two parts hydrogen, one partoxygen, right?
Well, brace yourself for amind-blowing moment.
Sodium citrate is sodiumnitrate.
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
(16:01):
Different parts of each, butthat doesn't matter.
What matters is sodium'schemical letters are N-A.
Right?
So you have N-A, C for carbon,H and O, N-A-C-H-O, nacho.
Yes! How crazy is that?
The formula for the stuff thatmakes nacho cheese is nacho.
(16:23):
I'm telling you, it's true.
Alright, so...
Truman, why are we evenbothering talking about all this
stuff in the first place?
Well, perhaps you already knowthat October 21st is
International Nacho Day.
And now you're going to learnwhy that's the case so.
No?
(16:44):
Not punny?
Okay, fine.
On this day in 1943, nachoswere invented.
Yeah.
So let me introduce you to thelegend himself, Ignacio Anaya.
Now, he just wasn't any oldMajor D at the Victory Club,
which is a cozy little spot justacross the Mexican border.
(17:04):
No, he was actually set tobecome a culinary genius.
Yep, so one day, a group ofladies from Eagles Pass, Texas,
went on a shopping trip acrossthe border in Mexico.
And they stopped at the VictoryClub for a really late lunch.
Or maybe it was a really earlydinner.
Who knows?
(17:24):
Either way, Ignacio got themseated and then discovered that
the folks in the kitchen werenot around.
I guess they were out on breakbetween meals or something.
Who knows?
Now, before I keep going, youknow how Bobby is a nickname for
Robert?
Well, Nacho is a nickname forIgnacio.
(17:44):
And that's going to be the key,so pay attention.
Our friend Ignacio, or Nacho,needed to keep his customers
happy.
So he went back into thekitchen and threw some stuff
together for the ladies.
Some fried tortilla chips, somecheese, some pickled jalapenos,
throw them all together, warmthem up in the oven, and bam!
(18:05):
And the ladies loved them.
They're like, what is this?
What are these things called?
And he responded, nachosespeciales.
That's right, Ignacio'sSpecial.
And obviously, nachos stuck.
Yeah, how about that?
A made-up name for a made-upmeal that turned into a fun
(18:27):
snack that has been enjoyed bymillions ever since.
And that was 80 years ago.
Nowadays, nachos have evolvedquite a bit.
Yeah, you can travel around theworld and find all kinds of
unique twists on this tastytreat.
In Southern Europe, you'll finda Mediterranean nachos that has
feta cheese, olives, andtzatziki sauce.
(18:49):
In some parts of Asia, you'llfind fusion nachos with
ingredients like teriyakichicken or kimchi.
And nachos are no longer justan appetizer.
They can be a full meal.
And even better, they can be adessert.
Like cinnamon sugar dustedtortilla chips topped with sweet
(19:11):
ingredients like chocolatesauce or caramel or even ice
cream.
Yeah, now that's good stuff.
Yeah, so if this segment hasmade you hungry for some
cheese-topped salty chips, guesswhat?
There's a website out therewhere someone lists the tastiest
nachos in every U.S.
(19:31):
state.
Yeah, and the article says ourselections are based on genuine
user reviews, awards andaccolades, and firsthand
experience of our team.
Mm-hmm.
That sounds like a good team tobe on, right?
I want to get that job.
I'll leave the link to thatarticle in the show notes so you
can check out your state's besttasting nachos.
Now, to be fair, people inMexico have been eating fried
(19:55):
tortillas topped with cheese andother yummy stuff for hundreds
and hundreds of years.
But surprisingly, somehow, thedish didn't have an actual name.
So it was just afamily-by-family treat.
Until...
A man named Nacho had a eurekamoment.
Oh, and don't forget to topthat off with the magic of
(20:18):
N-A-C-H-O cheese.
Yep, so the next time you'redigging into a plate of those
gooey cheesy delights, remember,you're not just snacking, you
are biting into history.
A time traveler's delight, wesometimes get cheesy.
But history's wonders makelearning so easy.
(20:40):
If these tales have amused orbrightened your day, please
share with your friends.
Send some fun their way.
Do you ever catch yourselfthinking about breaking the
rules?
Maybe you even dare to do itonce or twice.
It's thrilling, right?
Well, when rich folks break therules, we often hear all about
(21:04):
it in the media.
And when rich folks use theirwealth to intentionally alter
societal norms, it doesn'talways go well.
Yeah, today we're striding backto the origins of just such a
rule breaker.
A building that shook up theart world at first and then
eventually became an icon.
That's right, we're talkingabout the Guggenheim Museum.
(21:28):
And to spice things up, I'vegot some colorful characters
here that will paint us apicture you won't find in any
gallery.
First, let's meet Cynthia, ourpassionate art student.
Cynthia, what's your take onthis unusual building and its
contents?
Oh yes, let me tell you thatthe Guggenheim is like jazz for
(21:52):
the eyes.
It's not just housing art.
It's challenging our veryperception of space.
Abstract art allows artists toexpress pure emotion through
color, shape, and form.
Think of Pollock's drippaintings or Rothko's color
fields and how they challengeour perceptions and invite us to
(22:15):
feel art rather than just seeit.
Well, that's quite anendorsement.
Mr.
Weinberg, you're a deli ownerjust around the corner.
What's your perspective on thiscultural shake-up?
Abstract art, smabstract art.
If I wanted to see randomsplotches, I'd take a look at
the stains on my apron after abusy lunch rush, eh?
(22:37):
So you aren't a fan, Mr.
Weinberg?
All right, well, how would yousuggest we enhance the culture
in New York City?
You want culture?
Bring back the stoop sittingand neighborhood block parties.
These big mucky mucks withtheir swanky museums, they're
forgetting the heart of thiscity is in its people, not its
(22:57):
buildings.
I see.
Sounds like we've got someconflicting opinions here.
If you haven't seen thismuseum, you should know that it
is pretty unique.
When it was being built, peoplechastised it as an inverted
cupcake or a washtub withouthandles.
What do you think, Tony?
You actually drove those,quote, muckety-mucks around in
(23:20):
your cab looking for the perfectsite, right?
Look, I think it's a big, hugeeyesore, like a messed-up
pretzel.
But there I am, right, drivingMr.
G and this Frankie fella aroundtown, and they're yakking about
spirals and organic forms, andI'm thinking, jeez, did these
two guys fall into a barrel ofhooch?
(23:41):
But I'll tell you what.
Hearing them argue was betterthan any radio show, that's for
sure.
Frankie's going on about hisvision, and Mr.
G's face is turning redder thana stoplight on for it to have.
But don't you see?
Those spirals are pure genius.
It's not just a building, it'sa revolution in how we
(24:05):
experience art.
As you ascend the ramp, it'slike you're on a journey through
creativity itself with eachturn revealing new perspectives.
It's the perfect marriage ofform and function.
Wright didn't just design amuseum.
He created a work of art thatcelebrates art.
(24:27):
Well said, Cynthia.
Well said.
So folks, we're talking aboutthe Guggenheim Museum because it
actually opened on this day in1959, right in the heart of New
York City along Fifth Avenue,overlooking Central Park.
Its unusual shape caused quitea stir back in 1952 when the
(24:48):
plans were first submitted.
It took over three years beforethey issued the permits because
there was such opposition toit.
Opposition?
Oof! You're telling me.
It was like a Yom Kippurservice in there.
Everyone had something to atonefor.
21 big shot artists signed somefancy smedgy letter saying the
(25:10):
joint would make theirmasterpieces look like chopped
liver.
Such service over a building.
I thought we were getting thesecond coming, not a glorified
snail shell.
You're not far off, Mr.
Weinberg.
The building does resemble asnail shell.
both inside and out.
It features a spiraling,continuous ramp that winds
(25:34):
upwards for six turns around thecentral atrium.
Visitors ascend the gentleincline viewing art along the
curving walls, all culminatingon a skylit rotunda.
Frank Lloyd Wright aimed tocreate a fluid, immersive art
viewing experience.
I'd say he succeeded.
Those words give me a headachejust hearing them.
(25:54):
Listen.
Frankie and Mr.
G were like oil and vinegar thewhole time we were looking for
sites.
But then, in swoops Ms.
Hilla.
She's like the umpire of theYanks Sox gang.
She goes on about spiritualelevations and temples of
non-objectivity, whatever thatis.
(26:15):
I don't know, but it got thesetwo nodding like a couple of
dashboard ornaments.
I'm thinking, Tony, you couldhave been driving for Yogi
Berra, but no.
You get this crazy art crowd.
Oh, yes.
The Baroness.
The spilkies at the deli couldcurdle milk.
People yanked at her artisticcollaboration with Saul was a
(26:39):
little more hands-on, if youknow what I mean.
But, hey, who am I to judge?
Mr.
Weinberg, really?
That's so unfair.
Baroness Rebay was the beatingheart of this project, not some
tabloid headline.
She practically invented theconcept of this museum,
(27:00):
championing abstract art whenmost people couldn't tell
Kandinsky from a kid's crayondrawing.
Without her vision, we'dprobably be looking at another
stuffy portrait gallery insteadof a revolutionary space that's
reshaping how we experience art.
It's maddening how peopleignore a woman's genius and
(27:24):
focus on gossip.
Okay, guys, take it easy here.
We're just having some funtalking about an alternative
museum that features alternativeart.
And Ms.
Hilaribe, yes, she was abaroness from Germany, and
Solomon Guggenheim met her inthe 1920s after he was already
(27:46):
married and had kids.
And together the two actuallyhelped revolutionize the art
world in America by focusing ongrowing and then displaying his
collection of modern art, orabstract art, or whatever you
want to call it.
You know what I call it?
I call it a plot twist.
Neither of our boys lived tosee the grand opening.
(28:07):
Saul kicked a bucket a decadebefore.
Mr.
Right, Tony calls him Frankie.
That's funny.
Anyway, he left for the greatdrafting table in the sky just
months before the doors opened.
But that's life, right?
You plan, God laughs, and therest of us slept to see a
building shaped like the bundtcakes we sell on Saturday
(28:31):
mornings.
Oh.
But isn't it wonderful?
Despite all of that sillycontroversy, the Guggenheim
became an instant icon.
It's officially a citylandmark, and it proves that
visionary ideas can transcendtheir creators and become part
of our shared cultural legacy.
(28:51):
Yep, Cynthia's right.
The museum became the youngeststructure to make it on the list
of official New York Citylandmarks.
It's also an official U.S.
landmark that is described bythe Department of Interior as
one of Frank Lloyd Wright's mostimportant commissions.
On top of all that, it's on theUNESCO World Heritage List as
(29:13):
well.
That's a pretty impressiveresume for a building that no
one wanted.
You know, I gotta admit...
After the joint opened, I got akick out of dropping Fez off.
I always told him, hey, youwant to know something about
this crazy upside-down ice creamcone?
I helped pick the spot for it.
(29:33):
Maybe one day they'll put upsome crazy modern art plaque for
Tony's taxi stand.
Hey, a guy can dream, right?
I ain't hoping.
Nope.
I jumped on that bandwagonfaster than a yento on fresh
gossip.
Added three new sandwiches tothe menu.
The Guggenheim Grinder, RiceTwisted Reuben, and for the
(29:55):
fancy-schmancy crowd, theBaroness Blinch.
Meh, what if they taste likeregular sandwiches?
It's art, Bubala.
You're not supposed tounderstand it.
Just pay through the nose forit.
Now it's my turn to say...
Oy vey.
Well, folks, now you know alittle more about this
(30:15):
alternative-looking museum andthe unusual circumstances that
led to its creation.
From controversial concept tobeloved landmark, the Guggenheim
proves that sometimes breakingthe rules can create something
truly extraordinary.
Next time you're in the BigApple, maybe you should take a
(30:36):
spin up that spiral and see foryourself what the fuss is all
about.
And there you have it.
Three great stories that lightup our world, fill our plates
with joy, and challenge the waywe see art and innovation.
(30:57):
Whether you're marveling atEdison's brilliance, savoring
nachos at the ballpark, orstrolling through the iconic
Guggenheim, These tales remindus that inspiration can strike
in the most unexpected places.
Why not share these storieswith someone special and spark a
little wonder together?
(31:17):
If Edison's light bulbscratched your inventor's itch,
you've got to make time for TheTelegraph on January 8th and The
Telephone on October 18th, bothrevealing sparks of genius that
reshaped our world.
If fun stories about foodinnovations had you salivating,
then you'll love hearing aboutthe tater tot on February 2nd.
(31:40):
And if some on-the-spotinspiration got you going, check
out the same, I need to makesomething for these folks, with
the Irish coffee that wasinvented in the same way.
Check out March 17th.
And if you like to geek out onarchitecture, then we got you
covered.
Check out June 25th with AntoniGaudi.
(32:01):
And stay tuned for December15th when we talk about the
Eiffel Tower.
Oh, yeah.
Every day has a story andthere's so much fun.
And we're going to stridethrough them all until we're
done.
Have you ever bought somethingonly to feel like it was
(32:22):
designed to break?
Like your phone or yourappliances or even your light
bulb?
Well...
That might not be acoincidence.
The conspiracy folks call thisplanned obsolescence.
And it's more real than you maythink.
Let me tell you why.
(32:42):
Back in the early days,Edison's light bulb wasn't just
a marvel.
It was a symbol of progress.
Perfection.
So much so that, believe it ornot, there's a light bulb that's
been glowing since 1901.
Yes, it's in a fire stationnear San Francisco that's been
(33:04):
burning over a million hours.
Amazing.
But guess what?
In 1924, everything changed.
The focus wasn't on makingthings better anymore.
It was about making them breakon purpose.
So what happened in 1924?
(33:24):
The Phoebus Cartel.
They are the bad guys of thisstory.
And they got together becausethey realized the light bulbs
were lasting too long.
Profits were shrinking becauseno one wanted to replace their
bulbs.
What was their selfishsolution?
Stop trying so hard to improvethe product and instead sabotage
(33:49):
it.
Yes, sabotage.
And this wasn't just a theory.
No, no.
They left evidence behindImagine being the one who found
all their old letters, wherethey actually admit to plotting
this out.
Yes, that's right, buried insome dusty archives in Germany,
a journalist found proof of thisscheme to sabotage light bulbs.
(34:12):
It's a little eerie, isn't it,that something as simple as a
light bulb, a symbol ofprogress, became a tool for
profit manipulation?
And if they were doing this ahundred years ago, what do you
think they're up to now?
Probably the next time yourphone suddenly slows down or
(34:32):
your appliances act up, youmight wonder that somewhere out
there, someone was working hardto make sure that that product
ended up breaking a littleearlier than you'd like.
After you share these specialstories, you can also mention
the following famous folks whocelebrate their birthdays today.
(34:54):
Kim Kardashian, she adds acandle to her cake today.
A lot of folks like to ponderwhy she's even famous.
Well, we only have ourselves toblame because we love to gawk
at folks who are outrageous.
Maybe if my podcasts were moreoutrageous, I could make them
more famous.
I don't know.
(35:15):
We'll think about it.
Alfred Nobel, he was born onthis day about 90 years ago.
His last name is famous for theNobel Prize.
which we featured on theNovember 27th episode.
Glenn Powell adds another notchto his belt today.
Do you know him?
His early acting career wasfilled with supporting character
(35:36):
roles, but after he played inTop Gun Maverick with Tom
Cruise, who was mentoring himalong the way, he started making
more popular movies like AnyoneBut You and the Netflix movie
Hitman.
And I'm sure everyone knowsJudge Judy.
Yep, she bangs the gavel todayto blow out her candles.
Judy Shindlin, that's her realname, is actually in the
(36:00):
Guinness Book of World Recordsfor her over 25 years of
television arbitration.
Isn't that crazy?
All right, trivia time.
How many cases do you thinkJudge Judy presided over?
Raise your hand if you saidmore than 2,500.
Good, good.
Keep it raised if you said morethan 25,000.
(36:22):
That's right.
She ruled on over 20,000 casesin a real court of law and then
another 12,500 cases in hertelevision show.
That's insane, isn't it?
Okay, now for our 50th mostfamous person born today.
(36:42):
We've talked about breaking therules, right?
And sometimes that helps peoplebecome famous.
Well, other times accidentsjust happen.
And that's another way toachieve some fame.
For example, today's 50th mostfamous birthday, according to
famousbirthdays.com, is theGorilla Glue Girl.
(37:03):
Have you ever heard of her?
Yeah, the Gorilla Glue Girl.
Her real name is Tessica Brown,and she accidentally used
Gorilla Glue adhesive spray inher hair instead of regular
hairspray.
And then she posted videos ofher journey trying to fix this
mess that she made of her hair.
(37:23):
Now, I didn't have time tofully research this story deep
enough.
to learn why anyone would putGorilla Glue Spray in the same
area as they keep their regularhairspray.
I don't know.
Seems sketchy to me.
Today is Back to the FutureDay.
Why today?
(37:44):
Well, right at the end of thefirst movie, Doc Brown shows up
in his fusion-powered DeLorean,and he takes Marty and Jennifer
to October 21st, 2015, becausesomething was wrong with their
kids.
I like it, but what I love istalking about the flux
capacitor, which we are going todo on November 5th, so stay
(38:07):
tuned.
Today is also National AppleDay.
I'm talking about the kind youeat, not the kind you use to
listen to podcasts.
Celebrating the apple in thefall is smart, right?
It's around the best time toharvest apples.
And then today is also LoudShirt Day.
And there's more that meets theeye or ear with this one.
(38:31):
The point of wearing a loudshirt to work or school is to
get people to remark, hey,that's a pretty loud shirt.
And then you explain the realpurpose, which is raising
awareness for children withhearing loss.
Loud shirt, get to raiseawareness.
That's a noble cause, right?
All right, so do you need agift idea for your loved one?
(38:53):
Well, In addition to retellingthe stories you just learned
about this day in history, youcan have them open up a gift
that is customized to theirbirthday.
And I have several great ideasfor you.
And as always, you can findlinks to get these in the gift
idea section of the show notes.
Now, often I mention you canget a unique gift for the person
(39:16):
who has everything.
And once again, today is noexception.
Starting with the master ofMenlo Park.
you can find vintage-lookinglight bulbs that look just like
they came from the early 1900s.
There are also coffee tablebooks featuring Edison and the
light bulb invention, along withsome of his others.
And if your loved one is afoodie, there are plenty of
(39:39):
nacho chips and cheese options,along with more coffee table
books with nacho recipes.
And keeping the coffee tablebook theme going, there's also
plenty of those featuring theGuggenheim Museum.
But in addition to that,there's some great wall art
featuring Mr.
G's fancy schmancy building.
(39:59):
Or you could just take yourloved one to the Guggenheim.
Why not?
They'll love it.
The famous folks that were borntoday also have some great gift
ideas associated with them,mostly movies and posters.
Similarly, today's specialholidays have unique gift ideas.
You can even get some spray-onGorilla Glue and then decide for
(40:22):
yourself how Tessicaaccidentally could have sprayed
this stuff in her hair.
Yep, so there are actually lotsof customized gifts for folks
who wake up ready to celebrateOctober 21st.
And these ideas are unique toonly this day of the year.
But if you really want to upyour gift-giving game, you have
(40:44):
the chance to make someone'sbirthday special.
You could dedicate apersonalized shout-out right
here on the podcast, and theywill be memorialized forever.
Yeah, I can do the shout-outfor you if you email me their
name and something fun you wantto share, like this one.
Hey, Bethany, it's been a long,long time since we've
(41:05):
connected.
I hope your life has beenblessed and that you enjoy
October 21st more and more asthe years roll by.
Just like rolling the dice inMonopoly, right?
Okay.
Or you can do your own shoutout by using the speak pipe link
that's available in the shownotes.
Here's an example for today'sspecial someone.
Guest (41:29):
Hey, babe, just wanted to take this opportunity to tell
my soulmate, my partner incrime, and the love of my life
how thankful I am for this dayall the way back in 1975.
Because without this day, Iwouldn't have you, and I can't
imagine my life without you.
I love you so much, and I can'twait to see how the next
chapter of our life togetherunfolds.
Happy birthday, babe.
(41:50):
I love you.
Truman (41:50):
Wow.
Now that's a great shout out.
The world needs more love likethat.
As always, if you have a storythat just needs to be shared
about any day in the past, emailme at daystriderstories at
gmail.com and let's connect.
In fact, as many of you know, Ihave a Facebook page and I put
(42:12):
interesting or fun stuff outthere every day.
What happened on this day inhistory or something fun about
today's special holiday, stufflike that.
Well, from time to time, peoplesend me pictures or links to
great stories.
For example, my friend Tylerwas recently in Baltimore and he
traveled past the Getz's CandyPlant and he sent me a picture.
(42:33):
Basically saying, hey, do astory on this candy.
And I've looked it up.
I got it on my list.
Also, my friend Muddy Grimes,who was a guest on June 11th to
talk about Hot Rod Day, recentlysent me a link to the greatest
beer run ever.
And I've researched that tooand added it to my list as well.
(42:54):
That's awesome.
Thanks, guys.
I'm going to send you both asticker.
Oh, while I'm talking aboutMuddy Grimes, he has recently
started a new podcast calledImperial, and it's all about
Chryslers.
So if you own or drive aChrysler or want to learn more
about Chryslers and all thedifferent brands under that
umbrella, check him out.
(43:15):
Imperial.
Alrighty, then.
Thanks so much for listening.
I know it's been a minute sinceour last episode was published.
It's actually been a long time.
And yes, this show did come outmore than a month after it was
supposed to.
But hey, sometimes life gets inthe way, right?
Well, I really appreciate thefeedback from so many of you,
(43:36):
and I'm still going to keep thispodcast rolling into 25.
There are some great storiescoming up, and I can't wait to
get to them.
I hope you had half as much funlistening as I did creating
this episode, especially when itcomes to my imaginary insiders.
All three of those voices arecharacters that my children have
heard throughout their growingup years.
(43:58):
Sharing today's episode with afriend or family member would be
incredible and sincerelyappreciated.
Thanks so much for listening.
Until next time, this is TrumanPastworthy, reminding you that
every day has a great story.
And we'll be striding throughthem all to find some more
(44:20):
goodies for you.
Now get out there and make yourown great story today.
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