ep24 Two Billion Dollar Bet

Two men! That's more than two billion dollars on a building! Cows in Scotland, where's Swetters? A herring is never seen alive! Can you imagine that? Yes, the salins and macarrier back again, ladies and gentlemen, with odd bleenings from libraries, newspapers and encyclopedias.

In just one and a half minutes, we'd all be back with proof that the statements made a few seconds ago. So until then, wait around, won't you please? I'm sure you must have all heard or read at some time of the custom of placing copies of current newspapers, coins, legal documents,

legal documents, pictures, phonograph records, and whatnot in the cornerstone of a new building. This custom may seem to us to be an estimable method by which to preserve for posterity the modes and manners of the day.

It may appear to be a gladsome salutation to the erection of a new building and auspicious recognition of the beauty of the handiwork of man. But the origin of laying a cornerstone is one of the most bloody and all the annals of antiquity.

To prehistoric men, the raising of any edifice, whatever, was a direct act of impiety, a challenge to the wrath of their ancient gods. was born to live in caves to take shelter under trees as did his animal brothers, and when he presumed to erect any sort of building toward the heavens, he was flying in the face

of possible vengeance from the gods. Ancient man was convinced this was true because so many buildings were struck by lightning, shattered by earthquakes or ravaged by the elements. So to appease this supposed righteous wrath, human beings were buried alive under the foundations of any new structures.