Don't Look Now

Today's topic is one from the all time annals of unethical experimentation, The Tuskegee Experiment.    From 1932-1972 black men who were infected with syphilis were monitored by their doctors without being told of their condition and without being treated long after the disease became easily curable.  Since their infected status was kept from them, they unknowingly infected their partners and children were born with congenital syphilis.  The experiment was not ended until a whistleblower finally went to the press about it, not due to any sudden bout of ethical or moral concern.  Come take a listen and learn about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and other unethical medical experiments from history.

This week we continue our discussion of the Terra Nova expedition, Robert Falcon Scott's attempt to become the first human to reach the south pole. This week we discuss the push for the pole and the result of the race between Scott and Amundsen including the tragic aftermath.  Take a listen and join us for some time spent in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. 

This week we discuss the Terra Nova expedition, a largely privately funded attempt by Robert Falcon Scott to become the first human to reach the south pole.  While history most often centers on the race between Scott and Norwegian Roald Amundsen to reach the pole, the expedition was took part in a great deal of other exploration and scientific discovery.  This week we learn about the start of the expedition and the discoveries made in 1910-1911, before the push for the pole.

This week we discuss the Greek Myth of King Midas and his wish for a golden touch.  Learn more about the myth, the truth behind the historic King Midas, and variations on the tale that appear around the world in various forms.

Most people have heard the story of Lady Godiva's ride au natural through the town of Coventry and possibly Peeping Tom who was disrespectful enough to watch her and ended up going blind.  However, did you know that the whole story is about taxes?  Take a listen and find out how much, if any, of the story is based on fact and if there ever was indeed a Lady Godiva in 11th century England.

Over the years, almost half a dozen movies have been made about Bufford Pusser, .Tennessee Sheriff, that fought organized crime and attempted to avenge the death of his wife.  We discuss the real story of Buford Pusser and a little bit about the history of Moonshine. 

John Wesley Hardin was the son of a Methodist minister, but it didn't seem to rub off on him.  Born in 1853, he became a notorious outlaw of the wild west (or maybe more correctly a serial killer in folk hero disguise).  Killing a man when he was 14, he was finally sentenced to jail in 1877 having claimed to have killed 42 men, though only 27 were verified.  Somehow he was released from prison and pardoned in 1894, promptly passing the bar exam and gaining the right to practice law before killing a man for a $5 bet and then being killed himself in a saloon dispute.

We continue last weeks topic of the crusades.  Europe's drunken weekend continues with wave after wave armies sent off to "fight the infidels", be they in the holy land or sometimes the south of France.  Richard the Lionheart and Frederic Barbarossa make an appearance, and a pope attempts to lead an army into battle.  Nothing goes well. 

Today we delve into history a bit and discuss the crusades and most specifically the First Crusade.  We often hear the crusades referenced in western language all the time with various causes and quests being termed a "crusade", but most people don't know much about the actual crusades themselves.  Violent, homicidal, ill planned hoards of knights and peasants trying to free the the holy land in search of the salvation promised them for their violent acts... the crusades are not for the faint of heart.  Take a listen!

To kick of 2024 we discuss the Great Library of Alexandria.  Supposedly created around 300BCE in the Ptolemaic Kindom of Egypt shortly after the breakup of the empire of Alexander the Great, the Great Library is famed for having collected all the written knowledge that the rulers of Alexandria could get their hands on.  Any ship passing through the trading port was required to submit any books for copy and installation in the library.  However, was this library really as vast and wonderous as was recounted?  Why is there no direct archeological evidence of its existence?  Take a listen and learn all about The Great Library!

This week, for Christmas, the podcast looks at the history of Krampus, Santa's much less friendly BFF that punishes children for being bad.  From his origins in the myths of the Alps, to Krampus Spinoffs like Frau Perchta, to modern Krampus celebrations in Austria, we have all your Krampus needs covered.  Listen up and be good boys and girls or Krampus might have to birch you... or drag you off to hell depending on your take of the legend.

Ever wonder where some of your favorite Christmas traditions came from?  This week's podcast takes a look at the origins of Christmas Trees in the United States, Gingerbread Houses, and the origin of the ugly Christmas Sweater.  Kick back, drink some egg nog, and enjoy.

This week's podcast gets back to our roots in weird cults.  The cult du jour is The Family, an Australian group also known as the Santiniketan Park Association and the Great White Brotherhood (yes, they are that racist).  The cult started as a new age group led by founder Anne Hamilton-Byrne, that taught a strange amalgamation of Christianity and Eastern Religion with Hamilton-Byrne claiming to be a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Sadly, the group eventually led down the path of Hamilton-Byrne skimming money from everyone involved and a large number of children being illegally adopted and abused.  While the cult is nominally still around, it faded after the 90s when the abuses were brought to light and charges were filed.  Hamilton-Byrne lived to be 98 years old, passing away in 2019.  

Time for a bit of classical music lore.  We discuss the life and times of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from his days as a child prodigy to his early death and burial in a common grave.  What are the most common theories about the cause of his untimely death?  Did F. Murray Abraham do him in? Come take a listen.

Nikola Tesla has gained renown over the years for being a far sighted inventor and engineer that seemed to sense the future potential of electromagnetic waves and induction, helping create the present AC powered world we live in and sensing the usefulness of communication through electromagnetic waves.  While we could go into the details of his inventions, this isn't that kind of podcast ;)  We offer a glimpse into his life, from dodging the Hungarian Army to falling in love with a Pigeon.  Take a listen and learn all about the man whose name has been used to sell electric cars and describe magnetic flux density.

Edgar Cayce was a claimed clairvoyant who though connecting with his "higher self" in a trance like state, spoke of all sorts of subjects both controversial and mundane.  These sessions were often recorded and in them he discussed medical practices, the nature of the afterlife, and interestingly enough... a lot about the Lost City of Atlantis.  Cayce founded the Association for Research and Enlightenment to record the results of his sessions and attempt to put the advice to use, which still exists today.  Much of the modern New Age movement owes its ideas to Cayce's sessions.

Mother Shipton, born Ursula Southeil, was born in Yorkshire, England in the late 1400s.  According to legend she was born in Shipton's cave, a site famous for waters that quickly petrify objects left in it.  She is purported to have written a great deal of prophesy that predicted such things as the death of Cardinal Wolsey and the eventual use of plumbing to bring water across the Ouse Bridge.  While it is hard to determine what, if any, of the writing that are attributed to her are indeed her works, her name remains synonymous with prophesy and witchcraft across all of England. 

Audrey Munson became America's first supermodel shortly after the turn of the 20th century.  She became the most desired model for sculptures all over New York and beyond, earning the nickname Miss Manhattan.  While her fame initially translated into wealth and a movie career, tragedy soon befell her.  She ended up spending the last 65 years of her life committed to a mental institution, eventually dying at age 104 in 1996. 

Ed and Lorraine Warren founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952, making it the oldest ghost hunting group in New England.  Over they years many of their cases have inspired the horror movies that have captivated audiences for decades, from  the Amityville Horror to Annabelle and the Conjuring series.  Take a listen and learn the story behind their relationship and how they became involved with the Annabelle doll that still resides in their museum even after their deaths.

This week we continue the discussion of Jack the Ripper, focusing on the investigation and suspects.  While most of the physical evidence from the case was destroyed during the Blitz in WWII, this has not stopped modern sleuths from coming up with their own theories about who the ripper was.  We discuss a few, some plausible, so not so much.