1 00:00:00,866 --> 00:00:06,640 The comedy4cast Network. Let's dog-ear that for now. 2 00:00:06,641 --> 00:00:14,014 This is comedy4cast, episode 873. Bountiful Bye-Bye. 3 00:00:14,015 --> 00:00:19,561 It's time once again for the August Dog Days of Podcasting Challenge. 4 00:00:19,562 --> 00:00:23,938 For more information and to hear shows from all the participants, 5 00:00:23,939 --> 00:00:27,346 go to dogdaysofpodcasting.com. 6 00:00:27,347 --> 00:00:31,986 Comedy4cast is taking this time to provide you with some interesting, 7 00:00:31,987 --> 00:00:34,738 yet totally useless odd news. 8 00:00:34,739 --> 00:00:39,576 In fact, two odd news stories that we think deserve each other. 9 00:00:39,577 --> 00:00:45,943 So, let's have some fun with Odd News Times Twos. 10 00:00:45,944 --> 00:00:53,000 For today's first story, we're headed to India, and the home of Rachna Gurjar. 11 00:00:53,001 --> 00:00:57,608 As you can plainly see, she has spread out a great deal of her jewelry, 12 00:00:57,609 --> 00:01:00,315 cash, and other items on a table. 13 00:01:00,316 --> 00:01:02,962 It's an impressive collection indeed. 14 00:01:02,963 --> 00:01:06,451 Words alone don't do it justice. Don't you agree? 15 00:01:06,452 --> 00:01:10,752 But why has she done this? Perhaps she's taking inventory. No, wait. 16 00:01:10,753 --> 00:01:13,618 She's recording a video, describing everything. 17 00:01:13,619 --> 00:01:18,258 Ah, something for the relatives, no doubt. No, hang on. 18 00:01:18,259 --> 00:01:24,656 She's posting the video on social media. 19 00:01:24,657 --> 00:01:29,955 While the video uploads, let's head to Panama for our second story. 20 00:01:29,956 --> 00:01:33,035 This is the El Cano Archaeological Site. 21 00:01:33,036 --> 00:01:36,759 For over 20 years, the location has been under study. 22 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,179 But something tells me it's about to become a star. 23 00:01:40,180 --> 00:01:45,779 The site dates from somewhere between 800 and 1000 AD and has already yielded 24 00:01:45,780 --> 00:01:48,949 some insights into ancient Central American culture. 25 00:01:48,950 --> 00:01:54,875 However, this year the annual dig has revealed how complex the burial site really is. 26 00:01:54,876 --> 00:01:59,609 Excavators found several human remains inside the tomb, along with carefully 27 00:01:59,610 --> 00:02:02,961 crafted gold ornaments and ceramic pieces. 28 00:02:02,962 --> 00:02:07,280 The gold objects include chest plates, earrings, and bracelets. 29 00:02:07,281 --> 00:02:12,729 Some carry images of crocodiles and bats, symbols tied to local beliefs and 30 00:02:12,730 --> 00:02:15,175 artistic traditions. Dang it! 31 00:02:15,176 --> 00:02:19,319 For a second, I thought this might be the original Batcave. Researchers say 32 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:24,475 the quality and quantity of the items points to a person of great importance. 33 00:02:24,476 --> 00:02:28,950 In ancient societies, gold served as a clear sign of authority. 34 00:02:28,951 --> 00:02:33,873 It showed power, influence, and high standing within the community. 35 00:02:33,874 --> 00:02:36,723 How times have changed, am I right? 36 00:02:36,724 --> 00:02:41,189 The presence of so many valuable objects suggests the individual buried at the 37 00:02:41,190 --> 00:02:44,785 center held a leading role. Ah, see? 38 00:02:44,786 --> 00:02:48,227 Leading role. No longer the understudy. 39 00:02:48,228 --> 00:02:53,489 But it also tells a tale about rank and ritual. Archaeologists say the person 40 00:02:53,490 --> 00:02:57,919 surrounded by gold held the highest status among those buried. 41 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,966 The design of the tomb shows that social differences remained important… 42 00:03:01,967 --> 00:03:03,799 Even after death. 43 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,808 Leaders appear to have carried their authority beyond the grave. 44 00:03:07,809 --> 00:03:11,922 Well, they probably had someone else carry it for them, but point taken. 45 00:03:11,923 --> 00:03:14,975 Okay, we're headed back to India. 46 00:03:14,976 --> 00:03:19,202 Those videos have posted, and after a busy day, 47 00:03:19,203 --> 00:03:22,338 Rachna and her husband have retired for the night. 48 00:03:22,339 --> 00:03:24,689 I hope their friends like the videos. 49 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:29,818 Oh, hold on. It turns out that Rachna is a social media influencer with a bit 50 00:03:29,819 --> 00:03:34,320 of reach, including one million followers on Instagram. 51 00:03:34,321 --> 00:03:38,836 And it appears that a few of them might have been very interested in those videos, 52 00:03:38,837 --> 00:03:44,258 because as Rachna and her husband slept, several unidentified men cut the fencing 53 00:03:44,259 --> 00:03:48,938 around the property and made their way inside the house, where they proceeded 54 00:03:48,939 --> 00:03:51,994 to lock the door to the room where the family was sleeping, 55 00:03:51,995 --> 00:03:54,908 then apparently made off with jewelry and cash 56 00:03:54,909 --> 00:04:00,469 worth somewhere between $8,000 and $10,500 U.S. 57 00:04:00,470 --> 00:04:04,242 Also, for some reason, they took a carton of energy drinks. 58 00:04:04,243 --> 00:04:08,062 Police sources believe the burglars may have watched the videos, 59 00:04:08,063 --> 00:04:12,544 which would have given them an idea of the house layout, the presence of valuables, 60 00:04:12,545 --> 00:04:15,505 and possibly even security arrangements. 61 00:04:15,506 --> 00:04:18,238 So, what did we learn today? 62 00:04:18,239 --> 00:04:23,381 I think it's that it's a good thing the internet didn't exist a thousand years ago. 63 00:04:23,382 --> 00:04:28,606 Can you imagine those archeologists digging up a bunch of empty Red Bull cans? 64 00:04:28,607 --> 00:04:30,839 I know it's hard to fathom, 65 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,456 but it seems this culture believed this nectar would give them wiiings. 66 00:04:35,457 --> 00:04:38,881 Also, they spelled wings with three I's. 67 00:04:38,882 --> 00:04:40,742 They were very strange. 68 00:04:40,743 --> 00:04:42,605 ♪ "END THEME" MUSIC IN AND UNDER ♪ 69 00:04:42,606 --> 00:04:46,343 That about wraps it up for today's Odd News Times Twos. 70 00:04:46,344 --> 00:04:52,078 But first, a very special shout-out to my Patreon patrons, including producer-level 71 00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:57,842 patrons Paul Barrie from the A Window to the Magic podcast, Kirby Bartlett-Sloan, 72 00:04:57,843 --> 00:05:04,349 Chuck Tomasi from the Technorama podcast, Kyle Nishioka, Brian Martsolf, Amy Murphy, 73 00:05:04,350 --> 00:05:08,582 and Steve Ng from steveng5.com. 74 00:05:08,583 --> 00:05:13,548 That's S-T-E-V-E-N-G, the number five, dot com. 75 00:05:13,549 --> 00:05:17,458 You too can show your support. Just search for comedy4cast, 76 00:05:17,459 --> 00:05:22,560 all one word with the number 4, on Patreon.com. Original script, 77 00:05:22,561 --> 00:05:28,203 voices, and original music by me, Clinton Alvord. Copyright 2026. 78 00:05:28,204 --> 00:05:32,078 All rights reserved. Talk to you again next time. But for now, 79 00:05:32,079 --> 00:05:35,414 that's it. We're done, done, done, done, done. Bye-bye.