Mark and Toddcast

#151 - Daylight Saving Time, Nordstrom

This week we take a look at the confounding, confusing, nonsensical origins and reasonings behind Daylight Saving Time, which wreaks havoc all of the world twice a year. Is there a reason we have it? Not really. Does that stop us from implementing it? Not really.

#150 – Edna Kristofferson, Medicine Woman. And aviation woman. And sharpshooter woman.

This week we take a look at another awesome pioneering Portland woman named Edna Kristofferson, who made waves in everything from aviation, to sharpshooting, to x-rays. We've also got a pile of rather depressing news, so happy Thanksgiving?

#149 – The Element P(ee)

In an attempt to try and find the mystical "philosopher's stone," which would turn other metals into gold, one scientist from the 1600s decided that the key ingredient he must explore was...urine. But while he didn't find the key to alchemy, he did find one of the elements on the Periodic Table. Find out how on this week's show. In the news: Can you lose weight by thinking hard?, Tesla is America's most valuable automaker, Twitter bans political ads, America's food map, dead body space junk, and more.

#148 – Kilroy Was Here

We've all seen the old graffiti of the little man peeking over the wall with the caption "Kilroy was here." It's a world-traveling meme before memes were even a thing. So where did it come from? How did it start? Find out on this week's show. In the news: face scans at airports, Cameron's Books closes, Wapato Jail to be demolished, finding a location by eye reflection, local hero fights yellow lights, Oregon has the best Blue Cheese, and much more. Enjoy!

#147 – That’s HUAC

The US has a rather sordid history when it comes to witch hunts. From actual witch hunts to figurative ones, this week we take a look at the granddaddy of political witch hunts: the House Un-American Committee's communist trials of the 1950s, and the offshoot of Joseph McCarthey. In the news: "The Far Side" is back!, updates on the "sonic attack" in Cuba, Home Depot and Lowe's are stealing your face, man sues sperm clinic after fathering 17 children, Portland's David Walker gets picked up by Hollywood, and more. Enjoy!

#146 – Special Edition: “Courier of Death,” with composer Dan Fiebiger

For this special episode, we're running our last episode of Portland at the Movies, where we talk with Dan Fiebiger, Portland film historian and composer for the film “Courier of Death.” He tells us about his dealings with Tom Shaw, the notorious director of “Courier” that was an important hub in Portland film history, who loaned film-making equipment to the likes of Penny Allen and Gus Van Sant. It was a great discussion with a natural storyteller, and a wonderful look into the 80s Portland indie movie scene.

#145 – Radio Free Daria

Portland radio legend Daria Eliuk (formerly Daria O'Neill) visits us to talk about her radio career, the changes radio has gone through during the 2000s, muckbang videos, Insectaurs, and much, much more on this special episode of the show. There would have been news, but Todd forgot to press record. Oops.

#144 – Home Sweet Homing Pigeon

Homing pigeons have been around for over 3,000 years, and were even used to deliver the results from the literal first Olympics. So how do they work? How do you train them? All that and a wrap-up of Todd's trip to a Forest Airplane Rave with the Unipiper!

#143 – Bomb You Like a Hurricane

We hear it every hurricane season: "But if we could drop a nuclear bomb into a hurricane, it would dissipate the storm and we'd be saved!" This idea, along with terraforming Siberia, melting the arctic, and flooding the Sahara, are just some of the real-life ideas people have proposed using nuclear bombs in the past. In the news: 5G health concerns, Ring's doorbell surveillance, Apple apologizes, a "scooternado, and more. Enjoy!

#142 – Under Water, Over China, Inside Portland

Join us as we discuss a wide swath of topics on today's show, including the pressures of the bottom of the ocean, what's going on in Hong Kong, and a very special look inside an upcoming Unipiper project (with the Unipiper himself) with some of Portland's biggest luminaries. In the news: Proud Boys/Antifa wrap-up, more Democratic candidate talk, the Grand Ronde tribe gets Willamette Falls back, and more. Enjoy!