Ripley Radio – A Talking Dog and What’s Banned from Wal-Mart

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Was Don, a celebrated German pooch from the early 20th century, really able to talk as so many stories and legends proclaim? Huffington Post correspondent Marc Hartzman looked into the popular tale and talks with us this week on Ripley Radio – An On-Demand Oddcast.
Do you think all big box retailers carry virtually everything? Think again and tune in to see what Wal-Mart has banned over the years from being sold in their stores! Intern Abby notes that “everything from the unexpected – Mattel Dolls, to the expected – CDs with explicit lyrics” has been shunned by America’s largest retailer.

Additional Bizarre, Unusual and Weird Topics discussed this week:
• Ripley Archivist Edward Meyer continues his countdown to the Number One best acquisition he made during 2011 for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! It’s not Number One, but one of the top three is the Hogwart’s Castle, made by Pat Acton out of a million wooden matchsticks.
• In the “Jackpotting with James Taylor” segment, the sideshow historian and author of Shocked and Amazed, relates the incredible story about the oddest married couple ever – Jeanie Tomaini the half-girl and the Giant Al Tomaini.
• Kim Orlando, who heads up the Travelingmom.com website, drops by and tells us about a couple of warm and wonderful – albeit weird and funky – wintertime destinations, including what most travel writers call the most alien-looking country on earth.
• Angela delves into the unbelievable historical roots of monsters – Why we create them, why we love them and why so many popular creatures have been fashioned over the years. She reports that “we create monsters and give them life in a form that we fear in ourselves.”
• Our co-host Ralf with an F explains that stressed out law students at George Mason University Law School are given puppies to help them relax. Officials say the process does two very important things – it helps the students relax and it saves the life of a puppy! It’s an unbelievably successful program.
• AND to give our feline friends equal time, we hear about Daniel the 26 toed cat that lives at the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center. His deformity has made him a celebrity and his keepers used him this year as a fund-raising feline to help raise money to cover the increase in rent for the shelter. To date, he has helped raise more than $80,000!

Don – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-hartzman/a-touch-of-knowledge-don-_b_1002799.html
Monsters: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2011_10_27/monster_culture
Wal-Mart – http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/34728
Oddest Married Couple – http://thehumanmarvels.com/?p=1012
Shocked and Amazed – http://www.shockedandamazed.com/
Marc Hartzman – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-hartzman
Kim Orlando – www.travelingmom.com
Daniel, the 26-toed cat – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/cat-with-26-toes-helps-mi_n_1067942.html
George Mason University – http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/cuddly-puppies-help-law-students-de-stress-before-exams/2011/12/01/gIQA0s9LIO_story.html
Hogwart’s Castle – http://crazy-clips.blogspot.com/2006/10/matchstick-castle.html