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Topical Island

by Kristin, Cait & Julie

Education Leisure Society & Culture

Season 2

Etiquette Off My Lawn!

What do you think when you hear the word etiquette? Is it all about learning which fork to use with dessert and the quest to find a husband? This week we explore the history of good manners and how they translate in today's world. Follow us on instagram: @topical__island Sources used in today's episode: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/08/lessons-from-the-last-swiss-finishing-school https://www.noozhawk.com/article/john_daly_etiquette_origins_20140812#:~:text=Today's%20etiquette%20began%20in%20the,in%20the%201600s%20and%201700s.&text=One%20piece%20of%20advice%20was,wrong%20ways%20to%20do%20it. https://emilypost.com/about/emily-post https://www.missmanners.com/about-miss-manners/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finishing_school https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emily-Post https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a29265924/modern-etiquette-rules

Everybody Already Knows About the Halifax Explosion!

Are you sure about that? On December 6, 1917, Halifax suffered major devastation from the explosion of a ship in its harbour. This week, let us fill in the gaps of one of Canada's 'Heritage Minutes'. Sources: https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-great-halifax-explosion https://www.britannica.com/event/Halifax-explosion https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/establishing-blame-in-the-halifax-explosion https://darkpoutine.com/

The Lost City of Cahokia

You've heard of Atlantis and Pompeii? Well, let me tell you about a bustling metropolis that was mysteriously abandoned and completely forgotten, leaving nothing but a 100 foot mound and a massive mystery! Today we venture to the lost city of Cahokia. Follow us on instagram: @topical__island Sources used in today's episode: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/aug/17/lost-cities-8-mystery-ahokia-illinois-mississippians-native-americans-vanish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia#Mound_72 https://cahokiamounds.org/

Women not Witches

Hundreds of years after they were sentenced to death, thousands of "witches" might be pardoned. You've heard of the Salem Witch Trials, but find out why witch hunts have been reported all over the world. Join us as we dig in to this Island Hopper-inspired topic. Follow us on InstaGram: @topical__island Sources used in today's episode: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/19/executed-witches-scotland-pardons-witchcraft-act/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/26/catalonia-expected-to-pardon-up-to-1000-people-accused-of-witchcraft https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trials https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hunt https://www.witchesofscotland.com/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scotland-considers-pardon-for-thousands-of-accused-witches-180979316/ https://hyperallergic.com/332222/first-known-depiction-witch-broomstick/ https://www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/features/history/they-were-not-witches-they-were-women/

Hydration: the good, the bad and the gruesome

Don't forget to hydrate, but not too much... In this episode we discuss exactly what happens when you don't get enough water as well as the dangers of over-hydration. How far would you go for a chance to win a Wii gaming console? Follow us on InstaGram: @Topical__Island Sources used in today's episode: https://bigthink.com/health/gruesome-death-macabre-science-dehydration/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill/#:~:text=%22Rapid%20and%20severe%20hyponatremia%20causes,Hospital%20and%20Harvard%20Medical%20School https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16614865 How I drank urine and bat blood to survive - BBC News

Santa's Magic Mushrooms

As some more old school hobbies are becoming ‘hip’ again, there is a resurgence of mushroom foraging. As this hobby takes off, some of the tales and folklore surrounding mushrooms are coming out of the woodwork and they may explain some of our modern day traditions. This weeks episode starts with a confessional and ends with the way in which some tattoo artists are making a difference to make the world a better place. Follow Us on Instagram: @topical__island Sources referenced in today's episode: https://medium.com/@mustaphahitani/santa-was-a-magic-mushroom-d3065b05e76f https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna50263554 https://mygrowingtraditions.com/blogs/news/15902748-the-gluckspilz-lucky-mushroom-tradition https://www.livescience.com/42077-8-ways-mushrooms-explain-santa.html

Celebrity Encounters

In this week's very special episode we recount our and some listeners' brushes with celebrity! Stayed tuned as they include a recent Governor General Award recipient, a famous athlete and find out who Cait shared a hot tub with!

Nostalgia

When you're feeling lonely or sad, do you rely on happy memories for a mood boost? Is it healthy to reminisce about the good ol' days? This week we're talking about nostalgia, a concept with a surprisingly rich (and fittingly bittersweet) history. Follow us on instagram @topical__island Sources used in today's episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/09/science/what-is-nostalgia-good-for-quite-a-bit-research-shows.html https://thewalrus.ca/why-nostalgia-is-our-new-normal/ https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/nostalgia https://www.marketingweek.com/power-nostalgia-building-brands/ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nostalgia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostalgia https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/surprising-role-of-nostalgia-during-coronavirus-pandemic?cmpid=int_org%3Dngp%3A%3Aint_mc%3Dwebsite%3A%3Aint_src%3Dngp%3A%3Aint_cmp%3Damp%3A%3Aint_add%3Damp_readtherest&loggedin=true

The Artichoke Wars

"I want it clearly understood: no thugs, racketeers or punks are going to be allowed to intimidate you as long as I am mayor of the City of New York.” Find out what led the Mayor of NYC to proclaim this to a group of produce merchants at the Bronx Market in 1935 in this week's episode. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe#1944%E2%80%931948:_Modeling_and_first_film_roles https://medium.californiasun.co/when-marilyn-monroe-reigned-as-californias-artichoke-queen-3017ce58c1a5 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/strange-mafia-histories http://www.foodpassages.com/jottings-by-joel/jottings/the-artichoke-wars/ http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/Artichoke/

Welcome to the Wonder Bowl

At the end of the second world war many women gave up the work they had taken on during wartime outside of the home and were looking for ways to supplement their income. This era was also the advent of polypropylene. Today we explore how these two topics were married together by the iconic Tupperware party! Trust us as we explore this fascinating story and end the episode with a fish car. Follow Us on Instagram: @topical__island Sources used in today's episode: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/classroom/fact-sheets/women https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/story-brownie-wise-ingenious-marketer-behind-tupperware-party-180968658/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-1950s/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-work/ https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/wwii-women.html

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