As the cold Wisconsin winter drags on, why not make the most of it? That’s just what a man in Superior is doing, as he tries to create the world’s largest ice sculpture. We learn about his project, celebrate the anniversary of Johnny Cash’s concert at Folsom State Prison, and talk to a counter-terrorism expert about how terrorism has evolved in recent years.
Featured in this Show
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Work Continues On Superior's Massive Ice Sculpture
Slow but steady progress has been made on a massive ice sculpture in Superior that in time could grow to world-record proportions.
Roger “Iceman” Hanson, the Minnesota-based engineer and software developer behind the wall of ice, has been creating ice sculptures since 2007. Each year, his sculptures get a little bigger.
This year, he said he hopes his sculpture will be to 70 feet tall and 50 feet wide — dimensions that would earn it a spot in the Guinness World Records as the biggest free-standing ice sculpture in the world.
“It’s coming along pretty well,” Hanson said. “We’ve had very, very good temperatures here, and good conditions for making ice so far this year.”
That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges. The structure started to lean to the west due to the soft sand that had been dredged up from the St. Louis River. It has stabilized since, but Hanson still worries about catastrophe.
Hanson built a high-tech weather station near the structure that monitors the weather, tracks wind speed and directs the spray of water.
“It may seem primitive and it may make a lot of nonsense, but I thought it might be kind of fun. I’m finding that people are really interested in what I do. That’s what makes it so fun,” Hanson said.
The sculpture currently stands at about 52 feet high and 25 feet wide. He’s not sure exactly when it will reach its record-breaking height.
“I don’t know. It’s all up to the weather,” Hanson said. “I like to tell people I’m just the contractor. Mother Nature is the real artist. It’s up to her as to what she wants to do. Sometimes, she has some very strange ideas.”
Those curious can follow the sculpture’s progress on the project’s Facebook page and watch a video of work from previous years.
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Construction Of What Would Be World's Largest Ice Sculpture Underway In Superior
Construction of a massive ice sculpture is underway in Superior, which could be the world’s tallest when finished. The man behind The Ice Project talks about the sculpture, and the technology he designed to make it happen.
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The State Of Terrorism Today
Targeted, small-scale terrorist acts have become more common since 9/11. A national security expert discusses the state of terrorism today, and explains how national security agencies are adapting to ever-changing threats.
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Johnny Cash: The Folsom Prison Concert
On the anniversary of Johnny Cash’s Folsom State Prison Concert, we talk to an author about the significance of this historical performance.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Veronica Rueckert Host
- Chris Malina Producer
- Cynthia Schuster Producer
- Karl Christenson Producer
- Roger Hanson Guest
- William Banks Guest
- Michael Streissguth Guest
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