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Episodes

March 18, 2024

Ep.206: Happy Fill in the Blank Day

Holidays used to be the domain of religions, banks, or governments. Recently, however, there is a new phenomenon in nationwide–global even–celebrations as certain days on the calendar become elevated above others. There is Pi...

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March 11, 2024

Ep.205 Ode to the Commode

In this episode, Jon and Kurt turn their attention to the room in the house where we spend a good chunk of our waking hours–the bathroom. How did this space–borne out of necessary cleaning of our bodies and expunging of …

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March 4, 2024

Ep. 204:From Wars to Stores (redux)

Jon and Kurt explore everyday products that got their start in the military. How did something originally developed for the battlefield end up in our everyday life? From the practical to the hysterical, the co-hosts examine a...

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Feb. 26, 2024

Ep.203: Could That Really Happen?

Humankind loves to guess, predict, and wonder at what the future holds. Countless sci fi books and movies have taken a shot at imagining what the years ahead will look like and there has been no shortage of pundits claiming …

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Feb. 19, 2024

Ep.202: Do you Believe in Miracles?

With the advent of globe spanning media technology and distribution platforms in the early 20th century, millions of people have been exposed to singular events–some tragic, some horrific, and some inspiring–that have been ca...

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Feb. 12, 2024

Ep.201: Forever Linked

Two people are thrown together into the annals of history by a singular event. This one moment forever links them and they cease to exist as their individual selves, instead they are always referred to as a tandem. Jon and …

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Feb. 5, 2024

Ep.200: Milestone Mania

The Vegas odds-makers lost their shirts on the over/under of number of Smart Drivel episodes. In fact, after hearing just the first fourteen episodes, they put their money on the under…well, guess what, dear listeners, Jon an...

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Jan. 29, 2024

Ep.199: Oh, Brother!

Anyone who has spent any time at a Thanksgiving dinner knows the angst and joy that comes with seeing siblings interact. In this episode, Jon and Kurt discuss some intriguing, successful, dysfunctional, and world changing sib...

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Jan. 22, 2024

Ep.198: Art is Everywhere (redux)

Stretching their word retrieval abilities, Jon and Kurt have fun in this episode by coming up with words that have ‘art’ embedded within them. Art means one thing on its own (the beautiful category of expressionism–be it pain...

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Jan. 15, 2024

Ep.197: Getting Stoned

Stones. They are a big part of history (Blarney, Rosetta), fiction (Philosopher’s), music (Sly and the Family), people (Emma, Sharon), etc. Well, if stones really do have that big an impact across all of humanity, then they m...

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Jan. 8, 2024

Ep.196_The Hatfields and McCoys

Jon and Kurt decide to put their differences aside for a moment and delve into the world of famous rivalries. They find emblematic rivals in different categories: history, politics, fiction, business, sports, music, etc. Some...

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Jan. 1, 2024

Ep.195 Famous Pairs (redux)

Adam & Eve. Romulus & Remus. Gin & Tonic. Bert & Ernie. Oscar & Felix. Jon and Kurt identify, laugh, and survey just a few of the many famous pairs throughout history. It is a rollicking, fast, fun adventure.

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Dec. 25, 2023

Ep.194: It’s All Greek To Us (redux)

The civilization of Ancient Greece emerged into the light of history in the 8th century BC. Normally it is regarded as coming to an end when Greece fell to the Romans, in 146 BC. What is amazing is that this …

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Dec. 4, 2023

Ep.191: The Chicken or the Egg?

Jon and Kurt hurt their brains in this episode as they attempt to make sense of the world of paradoxes. How can something that seems so contradictory end up being true? Youth is wasted on the young? This is the …

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Nov. 27, 2023

Ep. 190: Table for Ten

The boys are at it again…they each invite four guests for the ultimate dinner party. All will be invited to partake in the conversation, but Jon and Kurt need to first provide the bona fides of their recommendations. Jon veer...

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Nov. 20, 2023

Ep.189: Well, How About That!

We all go through life blithely using everyday products without knowing why they are what they are or why they have certain qualities. We just accept them for their utility value, not bothering to ask why. Well, phew, thankfu...

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Nov. 13, 2023

Ep.188: “Great Nicknames (redux)

Who was “The Minister of Defense”? Which President was called “His Accidency”? Can you guess what Tolstoy’s nickname was? Jon and Kurt jump into the world of nicknames and unearth some absolute gems...like Grover Cleveland’s.

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Nov. 6, 2023

Ep.187: Say That Again?

Jon and Kurt return to a theme from the early days of Smart Drivel as they give examples and discuss sayings that just make no sense. Some, like “on cloud 9” confuse one and not the other while others, such …

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Oct. 30, 2023

Ep.186: Bumping Gums

Jon and Kurt have a ripsnorting time in this episode as they discuss and showcase slang terms from the 1930s. Sometimes they are a bit off the cob, but not enough to ever necessitate putting them in a Chicago Overcoat. …

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Oct. 23, 2023

Ep.185: Hypothetically Speaking

J on and Kurt decide, in this episode, to ask each other some life changing, soul crushing, deep as the deepest depths of Mordor, questions. Like, “if you were a vegetable, what would you be?” And others of equal gravitas. …

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Oct. 16, 2023

Ep.184 British or American (redux)

While both countries share a common language, the words don’t always mean the same thing in England as they do in America. Jon and Kurt dig into this and expose some of the potentially embarrassing situations that can arise.....

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Oct. 9, 2023

Ep 183: More of History's Mysteries

With all our technology and AI and larger frontal cortices these days, you would think that we could solve some of history’s greatest mysteries. And, it is fair to say, many previous wonders and complete bafflements have rece...

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