Scattered Curiosities

Take a trip down Saturday Morning Memory Lane with Albort Einstone as he recalls some favorite cereals, commercials, toys and mascots from the late 1800s to today. Learn the history behind some of the biggest companies in breakfast and how Battle Creek, Michigan became ground zero for the start of the unending mascot wars and cereal killers.

Albort knows a thing or two about being full of hot air and blows quite a bit of it in this episode surrounding the rigid airships of the early to mid-1900s and how hot air balloons used in the US Civil War helped to inspire the creation of the Luftschiff Zeppelin. Get to know the LZ129 Hindenburg, how it crashed and then wound up on the record jacket of the world’s greatest rock and roll band.

35 The Return of Bobby Fulton by Albort Einstone

What happens when a podcaster is asked to turn the first season of his show into a book that does not get published? This episode happens. Chapter one sets the tone for Scattered Curiosities: The Book by utilizing material from our first “Tinysode” (New Yorkosities) and expanding it by a hexatruple and a Pizza Rat. A handy listen for navigating the acronymed neighborhoods: SoHo, NoHo, DUMBO, TriBeCa, NoLita, and the history behind the unabbreviated precincts of Manhattan. Discover where to find “des nudas”, Shorakkopoch Rock, Turtle Bay, Hell’s Kitchen and understand why New York City is called New Amsterdam. It is the prequel to chapter two, which happens to be episode one of Scattered Curiosities.

What is the connection between Pink Floyd, a cat named Jackie and the Wizard of Oz? Third roar synchronicity…or second…or NEITHER. Get to know the black & white, sepia-toned and Technicolor MGM “Felidae” that roared (or not) their way into Hollywood royalty to one day unveil The Dark Side of the Rainbow.

It is curious that our one hundred forty character, emoticon-centered, cell phone addicted, American society is not well-known for its ardency of reading, yet is so familiar with a doublet of British writers from 150-400 years ago that had so much in common: neologism, fame, reboots, fathers’ named John, and fantastic signatures. Enter the parallel worlds of William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens and learn how they influenced modern literature, storytelling, culture, theatre and films.

Get to know Albort’s idol Rube Goldberg a little better in this episode through Pee Wee Herman, Mr. T and a slew of RGMs. You’ll also meet a train robbing Rube, a sandwich named Rueben, some heroic lady Rubys, along with some musically talented ones who are as precious and iconic as rubles, rubies and the Rubicon River.

Leftovers are the soup du jour today. Get into Albort’s scatter-brains and learn about Sadie Hawkins Day, Bandwagons, Diner Slang and King Og. This episode is especially interesting for those of you that love the year 1986.

It’s the first episode of Season Two! Albort explores the world of simple inventions and how they came to market. Did you know Twister was thought of as “Sex in a Box” when it debuted? Or that the Snuggie wasn’t the first sleeved blanket? How exactly did John Henderson benefit Mister Kite? And what do Wacky Wallwalkers have to do with Christmas? All these answers and much, much more. Welcome back to Scattered Curiosities.

PILOT: In this first episode of Scattered Curiosities, Albort Einstone takes you to the Netherlands and makes poignant connections between Amsterdam and New Amsterdam (New York City) all while weaving in and out of the Eighty Years War.

For the season one finale, Albort will explore the connections between Duct Tape, Swiss Army Knives, Matches, Springs, Lighters and the Boy Scouts of America. Learn about the Unknown Scout and how he was pivotal to the formation of the BSA. Discover what “Congreves” and “Lucifers” are, and the difference between “The Original Swiss Army Knife” and “The Genuine Swiss Army Knife.” What do a Muskrat, Sunfish, Dog Bone, Congress and Lady Leg have to do with one another? Prepare your “Zombie Apocalypse” panic bag with our Scattered Curiosities checklist, and become versed with the “red neck repair kit”.

Finding the right band name is one of the most pivotal moments in a musical group’s journey. Many notable bands went through more than one title before settling on a Rock Moniker. Discover which bands once went by names like: Naked Toddler; Wicked Lester; The Shrinky Dinks; Atomic Mass; and The Polka Tulk Blues Band.

Join us for one of the most infuriatingly extreme subway rides ever, and learn all about toe spreading, licking the sword, burning the giraffe, magic blankets and why Albort is worried about possums, zebras and woodpeckers plaguing the New York subway systems.

Widen your vocabulary with these words that sound dirty, but aren’t: Sack-But; Sack-ButT; Shuttlecock; Nicker-Picker; Nib lick; Logorrhea; Pissasphalt; and an Interrobang (‽). Don’t be a lobcock or a nodgecock; be a fartlek and get fecund with Albort Einstone in today’s episode, Talking Dirty.

Did you know that Green Acres was a spinoff of Petticoat Junction? And Petticoat Junction was a spin off of The Beverly Hillbillies? And Good Times was a spinoff of Maude! Can you believe that Sheriff Lobo got his own series? And Magnum PI has crossed over with Simon & Simon and Murder, She Wrote. Learn some fascinating television trivia relating to sitcoms, spinoffs, crossovers and catchphrases. It’s Sit and Spinoff.