Goose Chase Podcast

Episode 71: Tales from the Cabbage Patch

If you're over 25, you probably either had one or knew someone who did: The late 80's ubiquitous cabbage patch kids. Adorable little dolls supposedly grown right out of the ground, they were the hot thing everyone had to have for a while. But behind the scenes, there was a battle going on, pertaining to the rights and the origin of these uniquely personalized and special toys. And it raged for years. This week: the truth behind the cabbage patch kids. 

Episode 70: Deus Ex Machina

This week we're talking about an internet legend and tragedy rolled into one. TempleOS was a unique, highly idiosyncratic project created by programmer Terry A. Davis, a bright but troubled man whose project went through various stages. Starting as a pet project, later labeled as an educational tool, and ultimately manifested as the will of God, the creation of this project is the story of one man's complete and thorough obsession and struggle with mental illness. Along the way he became the stuff of internet legend and an unforgettable piece of history. 

Episode 69: Dr. Bronner and His Literal Soap Box

For episode 69 (nice), we're talking about Dr. Bronner's magic soap! You probably would recognize the label from the store: the soap that comes in the bottle covered with very tiny print all over. Dr. Bronner is an interesting figure with a tragic past and a true passion for quality soap. But also, he had a very lengthy and complicated philosophy to share with the world. We look into the man, the philosophy, and the legacy. 

Episode 68: International Espionage or Just Crickets?

This week we're talking about sound! Sound is something most of us are pretty well acquainted with, but we're not so familiar with the sounds we can't hear that exist outside our audible frequencies: ultrasound and infrasound. We're talking about both, as well as ways sound can be weaponized, and the mysterious sound event in Cuba that rattled our national security apparatus. Hear hear!

Episode 67: So Mote It Be

This week we're finally talking about the Rosicrucians, a secret society and ancient order that claims a lot of leaders, variations, and expressions of itself. It's not quite clear cut exactly what it is: somewhat Christian in some interpretations, somewhat new agey in others. It's not even clear in some sense that it even exists. We know. It's confusing. Also thanks to Helen Zuman for her email, and as discussed in this episode, here is a link to her review of "Sanction" by Roman McClay. Goose Chase!

Episode 66: Weird New Jersey - Don't Forget Your Headlamp!

This week we're joined by Sam and Chloe from the Dot Dot Dot podcast! We're talking this week about New Jersey, a place you might associate with boardwalks, the mafia, or summer fun. But we're talking about the weird, the haunted, the strange, and the mysterious places of New Jersey you might never have heard about. It's a great place to visit and see some peculiar sites, and every region has their own unique ones, but New Jersey is something special. Or the seventh circle of hell, depending on who you ask. 

Episode 65: Celibacy Begins with a Balanced Breakfast

You'll recognize the name from your morning flakes: Dr. John Kellogg was a 19th and 20th century doctor, nutritionist, and author. He got some things right. He got more things way, WAY wrong. Kellogg was obsessed with bodily health, good gut flora, and keeping your hands off your genitals. Or other people's genitals. This week we look into the contributions of John Kellogg, including the cereal that bears his name. 

Episode 64: Balling for the Revolution

Hi. We missed you. This week we're talking about Zendik Farms, something that could have started as a jazzy summer camp and instead turned into a freaky sex-prescriptive cult with a language all of its own. With excerpts from "Mating in Captivity" by Helen Zuman and many other sources, we work our way through the cult from its inception to its ultimate demise (see, this one has a happy ending!). So good to chase geese with you again.

Episode 63: The Love Canal's Hooker Problem

Now that we have your attention: We're talking today about Love Canal, a neighborhood in New York that became the poster child for toxic chemical disasters in the late 70's. What was dreamed up to be a model town full of homes, shopping, and clean hydroelectric power came to be something so far from its intentions that it's borderline unbelievable. But this is more than the story of one environmental incident in one small town. The pattern is much larger, and it's surprising exactly how broad the impacts are. 

Episode 62: Just Say No to Enthusiastic Sobriety

We're not saying don't be sober, we're just saying maybe cool it with the enthusiasm. We're talking about "The Group," as it's often known: a collection of a handful of drug and alcohol treatment programs for children and young adults, practitioners of a unique concept called "Enthusiastic Sobriety." Sounds good in practice, but the behaviors and governance of this little collective left us scratching our heads and wondering whether any good was actually being done. In general, it seems like it may be creating new problems altogether. And some of it bears resemblance to some shady groups we've talked about in the past.