Micronations
2024-11-21 06:18:54
Lyssna i ny flikOrdinary Observations is the radio equivalent of knowing enough to know you’re wrong, but knowing too little to care about the details. It gives enough for a passing grade and leaves room to figure out the rest along the way. Join hosts Mark and Jack as they discuss a bizarre potpourri of ideas, occurrences, personalities, and problems from all imaginable corners of the globe, across all of recorded history.
2024-11-21 06:18:54
This week on Ordinary Observations Mark & Jack go one smaller and dig into a few noteworthy micronations from around the globe. Mark begins with explaining why he would rather not talk about Freetown Christiania, the 'international community commune' surrounded by what most people call Copenhagen. Jack takes us through one of the most unique micronations; Sealand. With its beginning as a British defence fort during WWII, period as a pirate radio hosting platform, and now sovereign nation, complete with outrageous stories of armed resistance, treason, and international diplomacy. Next up, Mark tries to explain why Malossia, a self determined enclave within Nevada also claims dominion over 50,000 acres on Venus. We also wonder the logistics of their cookie-dough based currency. Finally, Jack leads us through the Other World Kingdom, probably the world's first 'Slave-Holding Matriarchal Monarchy', a BDSM & Femdom resort complete with all the utilities you might imagine come along with that, and maybe a some you wouldn't. All this and more on this episode of Ordinary Observations! Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-11-12 16:24:15
Listen in to Ordinary Observations from K103 Live Day Nov 1st, where Mark & Jack dig up some fun facts regarding the smallest countries on the map. In order of ascending geographical size, we start off with the Vatican, the pope's XI, their standard gauge railway, and the young, Swiss bachelors who protect it. We move on to Monaco, home of many a retired F1 driver, dodgy bank account, and reluctant tax paying Frenchman. Next is Nauru, the smallest island nation in the world and excellent source of high grade phosphate. Finally we get to Tuvalu, which has no ATM's, practically no tourists, but has a particularly nifty Internet Country Code Top-Level Domain. All this and more on this episode of Ordinary Observations! Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-11-06 18:35:34
This episode of Ordinary Observations is actually not an episode of Ordinary Observations at all! It is in fact Gothenburg Student Radio K103's submission to World College Radio Day 2024. In light of the looming US election, Mark and Jack team up with fellow K103 member Marion to give the rundown on some troublesome democratic speedbumps from recent American electoral history. Jack digs up the historical details on Watergate, Mark counts the votes of Gore vs Bush 2000, and Marion explains just how the January 6th Capitol Insurrection came to be. Hosts: Jack Williamson, Mark Stribling, & Marion Simakungwe
Lyssna i ny flik2024-10-23 18:57:38
Join Jack & Mark for a free falling discussion through the time honoured tradition of humans throwing each other out of windows. Jack lays out some history behind the word 'Defenestration' itself and how the good people of Prague put it on the map. We discuss the proud Russian past time of allowing your clumsy political rivals to fall from great heights and it's rapid growth in popularity over the past few years. Mark follows the fall of Deng Fupeng, the allegedly little-bit-too-capitalist son of Chinese Chairman to be, Deng Xiaoping. And Jack reminds us all of the dangers of being the office stuntman with the cautionary tale of Garry Hoy, the Toronto securities lawyer who was unfortunately wrong regarding the structural integrity of the window frame he ran into. Join us for all this and more, this time on Ordinary Observations. Please be aware, this episode contains discussions of tragic deaths & suicide.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-10-17 07:16:33
This week Mark and Jack are joined by long time friend of the show Callum to discuss the time honoured tradition of making friends through binge drinking. Competitively. We lace up the lamborfeeties and get trotting round the Bierkastenlauf trail. Set our sports watches for the Beer Mile. And suit up for the fine wine Marathon Du Medoc. We ponder the impossible logistics of drinking a yard glass and spend some time complaining about people who put eggs in the Kings Cup. Mark introduces us to Flunkyball, and Jack gives us the boozy background on how the greatest sport of the history of all mankind, Beer Pong, came to be.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-09-26 15:06:35
Join Jack and Mark as they take a perfectly un-peer-reviewed stroll trough the world of geographically specific illnesses and syndromes. We take a look at what it is about Paris that makes some tourists feel so terrible, the events that lead to Stockholm Syndrome getting its name, and the artwork and architecture behind Florence Syndrome. Jack takes us back to the 1840s and the antics of the fans of composer Franz Liszt, with the appropriately named Lisztomania named after him. And Mark takes us on scenic tour of Sweden to investigate the Bullerby Syndrome. All this and more on this instalment of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-09-19 15:59:56
Join Jack and Mark as they peel back the pages of history and peek into some of the worst jobs to ever need doing. Clean out the Houses of Easement with London's gang of gong farmers, tasked with carting away human excrement in the dead of night. Stomp around in the bucket full of wool and piss, and find out how people in the middle ages made their wool bright and clean, with the Wool Fullers. And come wading into the swamps of 16th century England to catch 'medical' leeches for the booming 'bloodletting' business. All this and more on this instalment of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-08-12 13:08:37
Join Mark & Jack as they rap up the first the half year with the 2024 Summer Omnibus. We open the fridge on each of our previous 16 episodes and heat up the left overs we didn't manage to squeeze into the show at the respective time of broadcast. We've been banging on about it all year, so why not come to the table and share a plate? There's plenty to go round. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson This is a podcast by K103 Göteborgs Studentradio.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-08-12 13:07:59
Join Jack and Mark for another episode of Ordinary Observations, this time to discuss a perhaps under appreciated artform, the humble nickname. We rummage through a laundry list of some of the great nicknames from throughout history. Football players, vikings, presidents, swimmers, dictators, organised criminals, other criminals. A great nickname can really capture the essence of a personality, be it good, bad, or ugly. Some nicknames even carry historical importance long after the wearer has passed away. Listen in for a few laughs and the chance to learn something new. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson This is a podcast by K103 Göteborgs Studentradio.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-06-10 07:31:30
Join Mark and Jack as they once again welcome Captain Anton onto the show, this time to discuss a little nautical naughtiness aboard the comically large cruise ships that patrol our oceans. Jack poses some tough logistical questions in his recount of 'The Poop Cruise From Hell'. Anton walks us step by step through just how Salty Seaman Francesco Schettino managed to create a 35m hole in the hull of his ship, The Costa Concordia. And Mark goes deep into the bowels of the ship, looking for dead bodies and a lack of ice cream. It later becomes clear the fellas have been paid off by two opposing sides of the climate lobby, but this ideological discrepancy is nothing that can't be fixed by stripping off for a little nude cruising together, aboard Bare Necessities Cruises. Listen in for all this and more, this time on Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling, Jack Williamson, & Anton Berggren
Lyssna i ny flik2024-05-30 06:56:09
Join Jack & Mark as we welcome special guest Dr Joey Gregan on the show for our special live day discussion on all things Bovine. We discuss the origins of domestication and how history has shaped the humble cow as we know it today. Mark chats about a couple of his favourite breeds and Jack shares the bittersweet story of his beloved childhood pet calf. All rounded out with a handful of stories about some of the greatest cattle to ever live. Listen in for all this and more on this week's instalment of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-05-23 07:14:49
Join Jack and Mark as we lace up our boots and take a stroll through the walk-in-wardrobe of high fashion & high society. We powder our wigs and duck though the doorway of 17th century class structures. We deliberately rot our teeth to flex our exuberant wealth. We fold up our ruffs and choke ourselves in the name of clean collars and good posture. All while tiptoeing around in our hobbled skirts to prove just how far removed we are from the working class. Listen in for all this, plus a few opinions from our rather suave listenership. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-05-09 13:17:41
Join Jack and Mark as they spin the globe and explore some truly cursed islands around the World. Inflate your packraft and paddle with us to North Sentinel Island as we try to win the trust of the locals, one of the World's last remaining uncontacted tribes. We recount the dark history of Nazino Island and the horrors endured by those forced to relocate there. And we try to keep the fire lit and ration the freshwater on the Isle of Sand in the Indian Ocean, where nothing grows. All this and more on this week's episode of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling and Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-05-03 10:29:55
Listen in to Jack recount some of the highlights from his recent presentation at Vetenskapsfestivalen, the local science festival in Gothenburg. We will go through Sir Isaac Newton poking needles into his eyes, follow up on Charles Darwin’s dietary habits, and discuss Albert Einstein’s blatant disregard for the sacredness of marriage. Did Werner Heisenberg trick the Nazi’s into giving up on the atomic bomb? Or did he just not understand the science well enough? We let the cat out of the box on Erwin Schrödinger and recount the triumph and tragedy of the life of Marie Curie. All this and more on this episode of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Jack Williamson & Mark Stribling
Lyssna i ny flik2024-04-19 07:47:17
Join Jack and Mark as they open their wallets and splurge on exciting and downright bizarre engineering vanity projects. Clip on your snowboard bindings and join us as we test out the wintersports facilities at Trojena, one of Saudi Arabia's luxury NEOM projects. Joined once by long time friend of the show Dr Anton as he details the spectacular downgrades facing Elon Musk's futuristic Hyperloop, and the economics of Akon City in Senegal. All this and more in another instalment of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling, Jack Williamson, & Anton Berggren
Lyssna i ny flik2024-04-11 06:39:08
Arggghhhh me Hearties, it's time to Hoist the Colours and raise the Jolly Rodger!! Join Jack and Mark on a swashbuckling adventure of Pirate Tales from the high seas. From the mighty Prince of Pirates, Black Sam, to the Gentlemen Pirate Stede Bonnet, and the quest for precious pirate plunder. We call all hands on deck and declare a mutiny here on K103's Live Day, with our favourite stories of piracy in this special instalment of Ordinary Observations. Head back in time to the days of Julius Ceasar and his infamous encounter with some salty sea dogs of the Mediterranean, where we investigate how he managed to escape with all the bounty. Light the fuse and batten down the hatches with Blackbeard himself. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-03-28 07:20:48
Join Jack and Mark as they don their business thinking caps and investigate the strange world that is LinkedIn. This week we are joined by OO Business Strategy Analyst and long time friend of the show Mattias "Dr Zipe" Johansson, who is here to help us increase shareholder value, talk strategy, find market opportunities, and navigate the social media cesspit of the business world. We discuss the rampant, never-ending arguments in LinkedIn's comment sections, the "experts" of industry, grindset thought-leaders, and much more from the LinkedIn wall of cringe in this episode of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Jack Williamson & Mark Stribling
Lyssna i ny flik2024-03-06 14:34:59
Join Mark & Jack once again as we max out the credit cards and see how the rich waste their money on trying to live forever. We harvest the blood of the young, healthy, and broke, with tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, supposedly the most measured man on Earth. Pull on a labcoat with human-monkey-embryo (evil) scientist Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, who's been doing a lot of thinking about how to grow human organs inside primates. Sit down at the table of 14th Century feudal peasantry with Gwyneth Paltrow, who makes a hearty bone broth with boiled vegetables (NO SAUCE NO SPICE). Before settling in for a nice long sleep in the cryo chamber, hoping the technology to upload our conciousness to a robot becomes viable before the next power outage. All this and more, this week on Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-02-29 11:20:16
Join Jack and Mark as they dust off the history books and take another look at the lives and behaviours of some more famous dictators in this part two of "Deranged Leaders of the Modern Era". We discuss Saddam Hussein and his rise to power in Iraq with the Ba'ath Party, before his eventual demise in 2006. We take a closer look at the spending habits of Grace "Gucci" Mugabe, and try to balance the books in Zimbabwe, the World's Worst Economy. We rename Swaziland with King Mswati III, and also take a glance at the perils of 1970s Equatorial Guinea. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-02-21 13:24:31
Join Jack & Mark as we discuss the horrific mechanics of torture devices from the days of Ancient Rome and Greece. We turn back time and get toasty in the Brazen Bull with Perilaus of Athens. We discuss the extensive list that made Romans so fond of crucifiction, over other tortures. And we treat ourselves to a picnic of milk and honey, on a day spent floating around a lake in "The Boats". So get strapped in (to the rack) for this spine tingling episode of Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-02-08 07:55:55
Join Jack and Mark as they sweep off the hay bales and wade through the manure that's been smeared by angry French farmers in this week's episode discussing Protest Shithousery and shenanigans, the stranger and more bizarre protests of recent history. We try to break down what exactly has got these farmers so hot and bothered, as well as the tactics they've deployed around the French Capital. Join us as we draw attention to British roads and infrastructure, discussing the celebrity status of Mr Pothole, ask Angeles Bejar if she'd like anything to eat, throw our shoes at George Bush and much more! Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson.
Lyssna i ny flik2024-02-01 08:19:29
Ordinary Observations is back and ready to kick off 2024 with some selected stories of Bad On-Stage Behaviour. This week Mark and Jack are joined by very special guest and long term fan of the show Linnea Weinz, the Cancel Consultant herself. Join us for backstage stories about some of the worst people to ever grace the stage. We grab a bite to eat with Ozzy Osbourne, enter a dance competition at an Akon show, make a mess with GG Allin, and analyse the main policy points outlined in Afroman’s 2024 Presidential Campaign. Listen in for all this and more. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-01-08 09:59:51
Keep drifting into the hazy holiday buzz with Mark & Jack, in this Part 2 of the Ordinary Observations Christmas Omnibus. Yes we realise now that having a two-part "omnibus" is an oxymoron, but that's just the way things are going to have to be. For now. Join us on another round up of all the scraps we didn't manage to squeeze into shows/episodes 6 - 13. We cook up some pancakes with intimate friends Xi & Putin. We sketch up the plans for a backyard breeder reactor with radioactive boy scout David Hahn. We take some methdecine and out-ski the Soviets with Finnish soldier Aimo Koivunen. We bring to light one of Swedish Rugby's biggest conspiracies of the professional era. We ask ourselves "How do kangaroos get so buff?" And we wash it all down with the story of Peter Skyllberg, the Swedish man who survived two months in his snowed-in car. Join us for all these fantastic stories and more on this Ordinary Observations Christmas Omnibus Part 2. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2024-01-08 09:58:54
Get into the Christmas Spirit with Mark and Jack as we relitigate some of our previous mistakes from the first few episodes and flip through the notepads to find the leftovers we didn't have time to get to this autumn. Perfect listening for those lazy holiday afternoons when you need a break from that punishing family chat. Catch up on some dragon energy with Kanye & Donald Trump. Shoot some pigeons. Urinate on a football pitch. Ask yourself, Is Israel Adesanya actually an alright dude? Watch a bit of Ogopogo television on local Canadian channel Shaw Cable. Maybe even debate the necessity of basking sharks in our oceans. Join us for all these riveting Christmas conversations and more on Part 1 of the Ordinary Observations Christmas Omnibus. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-12-11 12:11:24
Join Jack and Mark as they stomach some Strange Diets on this K103 Live Day Special. We open the toolbox and eat anything we can get our hands on with Mr Mangetout, known as the man who ate everything, even a plane! We serve up a gastronomic delight of just carrots for Steve Jobs, and Supersize our Maccas order with Morgan Spurlock. Grab the cutlery, set the table, and dig in with Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-12-06 12:52:10
Join Mark, Jack, and Dr Anton once again, as we attempt to spell 'HELP' on a beach using nothing but driftwood and the coconuts we managed to shake loose from the palm tree outside the K103 studio. We go shark fishing with Jose Alvarenga, the man lost at sea for over 430 days. We get creative in the kitchen with the survivors of Uraguayan Air Force Flight 571. And we go skydiving with Julianne Koepcke, before she leads us on a 10 day guided tour through the beautiful Amazon Rainforest. Join us for all this and more on Ordinary Observations. Hosts: Mark Stribling, Jack Williamson, & Anton Berggren
Lyssna i ny flik2023-11-30 06:54:40
Join Jack and Mark as they slip on the hazmat suits and investigate a selection of Nuclear mistakes, mishaps, and miscalculations. Joined by The Human Fuel Cell himself, Dr Anton, we explore some well known, and some lesser known incidents of the last 100 years. Join us on a deep dive right into the Demon Core, discuss the most radioactive game of Jenga ever played, relive the dark days of Mr Hisashi Ouchi, the world's most radioactive man, and explore the cruel fate of the Radium Girls in the early 1900's. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-11-23 07:11:19
Join Mark & Jack as they clean out the fish tank of animals in places they were never supposed to be. We sit around the campfire and recount the adventures of Wojtek, the Syrian Brown Bear who became enlisted in the Polish Army during WW2. We sneak into SeaWorld to feed some fish to Tilikum, the individual Orca responsible for 75% of all human deaths attributed to killer whales. We measure out how much cocaine Pablo Escobar could fit up a hippopotamus's nose. And we blast off with Laika, the Soviet Space Dog, famous for being the first being with a backbone to orbit planet Earth. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-11-15 14:24:48
Join Jack and Mark as they kick-off a rugby filled adventure of the controversies and conspiracies of this weird and wonderful sport, and TRY to shine the floodlights on Rugby's Bad Boys of days gone by. Get your boots on as we look at the gore of Bloodgate, the mystery illness of the All Blacks World Cup team, and the grueling conditions at Kamp Staaldraad. Dive into a Scrum of laughs and the ruck(us) of the early 2000s, where we hope this episode can tick all the rugby fans box(kicks). Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-11-08 22:09:46
Join Jack and Mark your (g)hosts on a spooky adventure of all things supernatural. With fellow Halloween historian Anton, we take a deep dive into the Bell Witch, one of America's most frightening and mysterious tales. Follow us to the great state of Tennessee as we explore the spine tingling story of how the Bell Witch reaked havoc and chaos on the Bell Family, driving them to despair, where even the power of Christ couldn't save them. As well as this bloodthirsty spirit, we also look at the hauntings of the Playboy Mansion, the legendary ghost ship of the Flying Dutchman, and the eerie last meals of death row inmates. Join us if you dare! Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-10-26 09:54:41
Join Jack and Mark as they get down and dirty with the Dutch, on a deep dive into the history of Rioting in the Netherlands. The boys also welcome being-tall correspondent Rein the flying Dutchman on this chronological trip down memory lane. Together we explore The Golden Ages of Dutch Imperialism, Football Hooliganism, and Potato Famine-ism. We get involved in a little Palingtrekken, and try to determine once and for all, how lekker was Johan de Witt? Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-10-11 11:51:36
Join Jack and Mark as they explore some rather remarkable and unexpected friendships between famous people around the World. This episode features a dive into the bizarre companionship of Kim Jong Un & Dennis Rodman, and takes a look at some of his antics in the Hermit Kingdom. We also discuss old mates Mesut Özil & Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and a couple other confusing alliances of the modern era! Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-10-04 10:12:21
Join Jack and Mark as they scout the High Seas for the terrifying monsters and beasts that dwell within. This episode is sure to shiver your timbers as we explore the caves of Loch Ness, dissect globsters along the shorelines, and fight the Kraken in the North Sea. Tales of the terrifying Taniwha and U-Boat atrocities, this episode has all the spooky sea stories you need. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-09-27 06:03:15
Join Jack and Mark as they explore some outrageous on field behaviour in the sporting world. From Iron Mike Tyson and his infamous bite, to the lesser known antics of John Hopoate and his peculiar field tactics, this episode will dive deep into the heat of the moment stuff where athletes completely lose it. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-09-21 06:51:47
Join Jack and Mark as they scan the globe for the weirdest and wildest sports involving the fairly questionable treatment of animals. With everything from horse diving to octopus wrestling this episode has it all, as we say hola to the sport of Pato, and avoid any gnarly kicks to the head in camel tagging. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-09-06 08:37:17
Join Mark & Jack as they comb through the policy and analyse the data on some of modern history's most unhinged dictators. We gloss over the atrocities and question the erratic behaviors, manic decisions, and frantic ideologies of a few modern tyrants. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik2023-08-30 07:17:17
Join Mark and Jack in their very first episode as they dig through the wreckage of some terrible accidents and investigate where it might have all gone wrong. Hosts: Mark Stribling & Jack Williamson
Lyssna i ny flik