Mark and Toddcast

News about the coronavirus seems to be the only thing spreading faster than the actual coronavirus.  This week we welcome Steve Rekant, who works with the Center for Disease Control, about the facts of the virus (known officially - and clunkily - as "2019 Novel Coronavirus" until they think of a better name), what it is, how it's spread, and the things you should and shouldn't be afraid of.  All that plus an out-sized news section on this extended episode.  Enjoy!

 *20 minutes after this podcast was updated, they officially named the virus "SARS-CoV," or "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Electric Boogaloo" 

It's been a staple of horror movies, sci-fi, and even popular music ("Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, most notably), but what exactly is the instrument that makes those whistl-y, spooky, other-worldly noises?  Why, it's the Theramin, invented in Russia by a Mr. Theramin.  Find out all about this neat electronic instrument that you can only play without touching. In the news: stuff, and things!  Enjoy!

This is an episode of the Mark and Toddcast. Much like our magnet fishing expedition, this pretty much was a bust. Let us never speak of it again.

As we close out another year of the Mark and Toddcast, we celebrate with the one thing that brings people to our show: Mark's "Dad Jokes."  Enjoy this string of jokes from the last 50 episodes. To hear all the jokes from the first 100 episodes, check out episode 100.5!

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.

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?

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.

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!

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!

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.