Byte Sized Biographies…

Kempton Bunton and the Theft of Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part One Aug 01, 2022

In 1961, an unemployed cab driver, Kempton Bunton, pulled off one of the most remarkable art thefts of the 20th century. Or did he? Bunton’s mother named him Kempton Cannon Bunton after a British jockey, Kempton Cannon, who won the Epsom Derby only days before her son’s birth, June 14, 1904, a victory she financially backed. When asked about his unusual name, Bunton also always replied, “It’s Kempton as in Kempton Park racecourse,” as if … Continue reading Kempton Bunton and the Theft of Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part One →

Kempton Bunton and the Theft of Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part Two Aug 01, 2022

In 1961, an unemployed cab driver, Kempton Bunton, pulled off one of the most remarkable art thefts of the 20th century. Or did he? Although Bunton was initially only charged with one count of larceny, the prosecution submitted an indictment that was much more severe. He was now charged with two counts of larceny, one for the painting, one for the frame, that was never recovered, and one charge of menacing for submitting letters to … Continue reading Kempton Bunton and the Theft of Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part Two →

Al Capone (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part One Jul 13, 2022

In 1929, Al Capone was worth an inflation adjusted 1.5 billion dollars. On January 17, 1899, Alphonse Gabriel Capone became the fourth child born into this family, and the second native American. Including the two born in Italy, the Capone family later consisted of nine children, eight surviving into adulthood. Al’s father was a barber by trade, eventually moving the family to a better home that also contained his shop. His father, unlike his mother, … Continue reading Al Capone (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part One →

Al Capone (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part Two Jul 13, 2022

In 1929, Al Capone was worth an inflation adjusted 1.5 Billion Dollars. Most speakeasies and night clubs serving illicit alcohol provided entertainment in some form, mostly jazz or a vocalist with a band. One of these entertainers named Joe E. Lewis was a regular performer at the Green Mill, a club that was owned by the Outfit. As compensation, Al Capone gave Jack McGurn a piece of the club’s profits and when McGurn found out … Continue reading Al Capone (Volume 5, Episode 4) Part Two →

Buddy Holly and The Day the Music Died (Volume 5, Episode 3) Part One Jun 15, 2022

On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly was in the middle of the tour from hell and would do anything to avoid another three hundred mile, overnight bus ride that already had inflicted frostbite on another band member. That determination changed American popular music forever. Charles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock, Texas on September 7, 1936. The “e” in his surname would be dropped when Decca Records misspelled Holley on one of his first recording … Continue reading Buddy Holly and The Day the Music Died (Volume 5, Episode 3) Part One →

Buddy Holly and The Day the Music Died (Volume 5, Episode 3) Part Two Jun 15, 2022

On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly was in the middle of the tour from hell and would do anything to avoid another three hundred mile, overnight bus ride that already had inflicted frostbite on another band member. That determination changed American popular music forever. In mid-January, when the three band members got to NY, Allsup and Bunch checked into a hotel, but Waylon Jennings stayed with Buddy and Maria. Time was of the essence and … Continue reading Buddy Holly and The Day the Music Died (Volume 5, Episode 3) Part Two →

Ted Kaczynski AKA The Unabomber (Volume 5, Episode 2) Part One May 20, 2022

Possessing a 167 IQ, admitted to Harvard University at age 16, a uniquely talented mathematician, this former Berkeley college professor became the subject of the longest and most expensive investigation in FBI history. As a youngster, Ted did develop a precocious interest in reading, math and science, his mother reading to him articles from Scientific American that he could comprehend by the time he was six. He excelled in grade school but even at this … Continue reading Ted Kaczynski AKA The Unabomber (Volume 5, Episode 2) Part One →

Ted Kaczynski AKA The Unabomber (Volume 5, Episode 2) Part Two May 20, 2022

Possessing a 167 IQ, admitted to Harvard University at age 16, a uniquely talented mathematician, this former Berkeley college professor became the subject of the longest and most expensive investigation in FBI history. But Kaczynski had another motive for heading to Chicago. Before he left Montana on a Greyhound bus, he constructed the first of his explosive devices. He meant to send it to a professor at RPI, but when he got to Chicago in … Continue reading Ted Kaczynski AKA The Unabomber (Volume 5, Episode 2) Part Two →

Jesse Owens (Volume 5, Episode 1) Part One Apr 21, 2022

Adolf Hitler intended the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a coming out party for his Aryan Master Race. African-American Jesse Owens crashed the venue by winning four gold medals. At the Penn Relays, he won the long jump and the 100 meter dash. Unfortunately for Eulace Peacock, the sprinter completely tore his hamstring during a preliminary heat, an injury so severe that Peacock was unable to make the 1936 Olympic Games. Owens qualified easily, winning the … Continue reading Jesse Owens (Volume 5, Episode 1) Part One →

Jesse Owens (Volume 5, Episode One) Part Two Apr 21, 2022

Adolf Hitler wanted the 1936 Berlin Olympics to be a coming out party for his Aryan Master Race. Jesse Owens crashed the venue by winning four gold medals. Owens then had to hustle to the long jump competition which also began at 10:30 AM. Here he faced an athlete from Germany who was his first formidable foreign competition, a 22 year old German; Carl Ludwig “Luz” Long. Long was the current German and European record … Continue reading Jesse Owens (Volume 5, Episode One) Part Two →

Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution (Volume 4, Episode 12) Part One Mar 17, 2022

Of the many political figures involved in Mexico’s 1910 Revolution, Pancho Villa remains the most famous and charismatic. Like the history of Mexico itself, Villa’s early life and biography is obscured or disputed. Much of the information about Pancho Villa came from his own self-serving autobiography or biased journalism and glorifying newsreels from the time period. What is generally accepted is that Villa was born Doroteo Arango to a sharecropper father and domestic mother on … Continue reading Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution (Volume 4, Episode 12) Part One →

Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution (Volume 4, Episode 12) Part Two Mar 17, 2022

Of the many political and military figures involved in Mexico’s 1910 Revolution, Pancho Villa remains the most famous and charismatic. Villa formally requested that Felipe Angeles be permitted to officially join Villa’s military staff. Angeles was a traditional army officer with an expertise in artillery. He served during the Diaz government but was in France when the revolution broke out. Ultimately, he decided that the populist concepts of the revolution were more to his liking … Continue reading Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution (Volume 4, Episode 12) Part Two →

Leonard Seppala and the Alaskan hero dogs Balto and Togo (Volume 4, Episode 11) Part One Feb 09, 2022

In 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. Hear the incredible story of the men and dogs who saved the day.

Leonard Seppala and the Alaskan Hero Dogs Balto and Togo (Volume 4, Episode 11) Part Two Feb 09, 2022

In 1925, a diphtheria epidemic threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska. Hear the incredible story of the men and dogs who saved the day.

Ambassador Kenneth Taylor and the Canadian caper (Volume 4, Episode 10) Part one Jan 19, 2022

Risking his own freedom, Canadian ambassador Kenneth Taylor upheld diplomatic decorum and the international rule of law in the face of a tyrannical and dangerous regime.

ambassador kenneth taylor and the canadian caper (Volume 4, Episode 10) Part Two Jan 19, 2022

Risking his own freedom, Canadian ambassador Kenneth Taylor upheld diplomatic decorum and the international rule of law in the face of a tyrannical and dangerous regime.

the creators of the wizard of oz (volume 4, episode 9) part one Dec 15, 2021

According to the Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz is the most viewed film in the history of motion pictures.

the creators of the wizard of oz (Volume 4, episode 9) part two Dec 15, 2021

According to the Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz is the most viewed film in the history of motion pictures.

julius and ethel rosenberg (volume 4, episode 8) part one Oct 27, 2021

Soviet spies who betrayed the secret of the A-Bomb or innocent victims framed by Cold War hysteria, legal corruption and anti-Semitism? Over seventy years later the debate rages on.

julius and ethel rosenberg (volume 4, episode 8) part two Oct 27, 2021

Soviet spies who betrayed the secret of the A-Bomb or innocent victims framed by Cold War hysteria, legal corruption and anti-Semitism? Over seventy years later the debate rages on.

the three stooges (volume 4, episode 7) part one Aug 28, 2021

A uniquely American institution.

The Three Stooges (Volume 4, Episode 7) Part Two Aug 28, 2021

A uniquely American institution.

howard carter and the treasure of tutankhamun’s tomb (volume 4, episode 6) part one Jun 28, 2021

After searching the Valley of the Kings for decades, for a tomb that every other expert in Egyptology declared nonexistent, Howard Carter eventually discovered the most important archeological find of the 20th century.

Howard Carter and the treasure of tutankhamun’s tomb (Volume 4, episode 6) Part Two Jun 28, 2021

After searching the Valley of the Kings for decades, for a tomb that every other expert in Egyptology declared nonexistent, Howard Carter eventually discovered the most important archeological find of the 20th century.

Fletcher Christian, William bligh And the mutiny on the bounty (Volume4, Episode 5) Part One May 20, 2021

Fletcher Christian and William Bligh are permanently linked to the Mutiny on the Bounty. Listen to the true story of this infamous incident.

Fletcher Christian, William Bligh and the mutiny on the Bounty (volume 4, episode 5) Part Two May 20, 2021

Fletcher Christian And William Bligh are permanently linked to the Mutiny on the Bounty. Here is the true story of this infamous incident.

Alfred Hitchcock (Volume 4, Episode 4) Part One Mar 22, 2021

In his sixty year career, Alfred Hitchcock established himself as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century

alfred hitchcock (volume 4, episode 4) Part Two Mar 22, 2021

In his sixty year career, Alfred Hitchcock established himself as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century.

Billy the Kid (Volume 4, Episode 3) Part One Jan 29, 2021

Although he never robbed a bank or a train, never fought a traditional duel and didn’t drink, Billy the Kid remains one of America’s most notorious outlaws.

Billy The Kid (Volume 4, Episode 3) Part Two Jan 29, 2021

He never robbed a bank or a train and never fought a traditional duel but Billy the Kid remains one of America’s most notorious outlaws.

Virginia Hall, American espionage agent (Volume 4, Episode 2) Part One Jan 05, 2021

After her rejection by the State Department, Virginia Hall became the most decorated American female civilian during World War II.

virginia hall, american espionage agent (Volume 4, Episode 2) Part Two Jan 04, 2021

After her rejection by the State Department, Virginia Hall became the most decorated American female civilian of World War II

Captain al haynes and United Flight 232 (Volume Four, Episode 1) Part One Nov 11, 2020

On July 19, 1989, United Air Lines pilot Captain Al Haynes was confronted with a mechanical failure that threatened all 296 passengers aboard his flight, United 232. The response of Haynes and his crew and the ensuing landing provided one of the most remarkable stories in the history of commercial aviation.

Captain Al Haynes and United Flight 232 (Volume Four, Episode 1) Part Two Nov 11, 2020

On July 19, 1989, United Air Lines pilot Captain Al Haynes was confronted with a mechanical failure that threatened all 296 passengers aboard his flight, United Flight 232. The response of Haynes and his crew and the ensuing landing provided one of the most remarkable stories in the history of commercial aviation.

Gram Parsons (Volume 3, Episode 12) Part One Sep 13, 2020

Part Hank Williams and part Spinal Tap, Gram Parsons’ influence on popular music can be heard every day.

Gram Parsons (Volume 3, Episode 12) Part Two Sep 13, 2020

Part Hank Williams and part Spinal Tap, fifty years after his death, Gram Parsons’ influence on popular music can be heard every day.

George Orwell (Volume 3, Episode 11) part one Jul 11, 2020

The creator of 1984 and Animal Farm lived a life that was as original and strange as the books themselves.

George Orwell (Volume 3, episode 11) part 2 Jul 11, 2020

The creator of Animal Farm and 1984 lived a life as original and strange as the books themselves.

George Dasch and the 1942 nazi u-boat invasion of america (volume 3, Episode 10) Part One Jun 06, 2020

The true story of eight nazi spies who landed on American shores via U-Boat at the height of WWII

George Dasch and the 1942 Nazi U-boat invasion of america (Volume 3, Episode 10) part 2 Jun 06, 2020

The true story of eight nazi spies who landed on American shores via U-Boat at the height of WWII.

Joan of Arc (Volume 3, Episode 9) Part One Apr 27, 2020

Martyr and Saint, Savior of France, National Icon, All by the Age of Nineteen

Joan of Arc (Volume 3, Episode 9) Part Two Apr 27, 2020

Martyr and Saint, Savior of France, National Icon, All by the Age of Nineteen

Charles Van Doren, Herbert Stempel and the 50’s Quiz Show Scandal (Volume 3, Episode 8) Part One Mar 26, 2020

The true story of the television scandal that shocked America.

Charles Van Doren, Herbert Stempel And the 50’s Quiz Show Scandal (Volume 3, Episode 8) Part 2 Mar 26, 2020

The true story of the television scandal that shocked America.

Bob Marley (Volume 3, Episode 7) Part One Feb 06, 2020

Bob Marley (Volume 3, Episode 7) Part 2 Feb 06, 2020

crazy Horse (volume 3, episode 6) part one Nov 06, 2019

Crazy Horse (Volume Three, Episode six) Part Two Nov 06, 2019

JOHN WILKES BOOTH AND THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 5) PART ONE Aug 18, 2019

john wilkes booth and the lincoln conspiracy (Volume 3, episode 5) part two Aug 18, 2019

charles Bukowski (Volume 3, episode 4) part one May 24, 2019

Charles Bukowski (Volume 3, Episode 4) part two May 24, 2019

BENEDICT ARNOLD (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 3) PART ONE Mar 03, 2019

The ultimate American traitor, Benedict Arnold’s life was much more complicated

BENEDICT ARNOLD (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 3) PART 2 Mar 03, 2019

Benedict Arnold is the ultimate American traitor, his life was actually much more complicated

RONNIE VAN ZANT (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 2) PART ONE Oct 28, 2018

The eternal Free Bird, Ronnie Van Zant Ronald Wayne Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948. His father Lacey, was a long haul trucker and his mother Marion, nicknamed “Sister”, was a part time doughnut shop employee and the fundamental caregiver of the family’s six children. Even as a young person, Ronnie had ambitions to escape the lower middle class enclave he grew up in which was literally known as “Shantytown.” Typically, warmup bands … Continue reading RONNIE VAN ZANT (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 2) PART ONE →

RONNIE VAN ZANT (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 2) PART TWO Oct 28, 2018

Ronnie Van Zant, the eternal Free Bird Heading into the recording studio, Skynyrd added two important elements to the band. Ed King met Skynyrd when they were the warmup band for The Strawberry Alarm Clock. King had written this group’s top ten one hit wonder “Incense and Peppermint,” and jumped at the chance to be the third guitar in Skynyrd’s unique three lead guitar makeup. Ed King would eventually be replaced by the brother of … Continue reading RONNIE VAN ZANT (VOLUME 3, EPISODE 2) PART TWO →

WC FIELDS (VOLUME 3, EPISODE ONE) PART ONE Jul 03, 2018

W. C. Fields, Hollywood Legend W. C. Fields was born William Claude Dukenfield on January 29, 1880 in Darby, Pennsylvania. His parents, James and Kate, were English immigrants of modest means, his mother a homemaker and his father appropriately enough at the time of his son’s birth, an innkeeper and bartender. Fields scraped together some money, relocated and made the rounds of the numerous NY agents and bookers that funneled entertainers to the hundreds of … Continue reading WC FIELDS (VOLUME 3, EPISODE ONE) PART ONE →

WC FIELDS (VOLUME 3, EPISODE ONE) PART TWO Jul 03, 2018

W. C. Fields, Hollywood Legend To much excitement, it was announced that Fields would next team up with Mae West. One of America’s biggest stars in the mid-thirties, West, now aged 43, had also recently been cut loose by Paramount after her popularity waned. Months would pass before a script and director would be selected, the result of Fields’ cantankerous and territorial approach to his participation. Surprisingly, the two actors were able to co-exist and … Continue reading WC FIELDS (VOLUME 3, EPISODE ONE) PART TWO →

The Chicago Black Sox And the 1919 World Series (Volume 2, Episode 12) Part One Jun 16, 2018

The Chicago Black Sox and the Scandal Surrounding the 1919 World Series Almost one hundred years after the Black Sox scandal, the legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson, created by disingenuous journalists and burnished by Hollywood, lives on in the American imagination. An illiterate mill hand, a country boy who escaped small town poverty and obscurity as a baseball savant, Jackson is perceived as tragically victimized by wealthy owners and slickered by hustlers and cheats who … Continue reading The Chicago Black Sox And the 1919 World Series (Volume 2, Episode 12) Part One →

The Chicago Black Sox And The 1919 World Series (Volume 2, Episode 12) Part Two Jun 16, 2018

The Chicago Black Sox and the scandal surrounding the 1919 World Series “Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player that throws a ballgame; no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ballgame; no player that sits in a conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are planned and discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball.” Today, … Continue reading The Chicago Black Sox And The 1919 World Series (Volume 2, Episode 12) Part Two →

DB Cooper (Volume 2, Episode 11) Part One Mar 16, 2018

DB Cooper, the man behind the most notorious airplane hijacking in American history On November 24, 1971, a man walked up to the Northwest Orient ticket counter at the Portland, Oregon International Airport. After waiting on line for a few moments, he paid $20 dollars in cash for a ticket for Flight 305 to Seattle, a scheduled 30 minute trip leaving at 2:50 PM. He gave his name as “Dan Cooper” for the purposes of … Continue reading DB Cooper (Volume 2, Episode 11) Part One →

DB Cooper (Volume 2, Episode 11) Part Two Mar 16, 2018

DB Cooper, the man responsible for the most notorious air hijacking in US history. On Thanksgiving morning, A Portland FBI investigator involved in the case, Ralph Himmelsbach, took it upon himself to use his own single engine plane to fly over the area where it is believed that Cooper might have bailed out. He spends much of Thanksgiving Day flying back and forth over Vector 23, the route that flight 305 took through the area, … Continue reading DB Cooper (Volume 2, Episode 11) Part Two →

Robert E. Lee (Volume 2, Episode 10, Part 1) Dec 23, 2017

Robert E. Lee, Valiant Hero or Misguided Traitor? Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807. He was the son of Henry Lee III and Anne Carter, Henry and Ann’s fifth child. Lee was initially assigned to assist in the construction of a fort on the Savannah River, 12 miles from the city of Savannah, Georgia itself. But construction was unsuccessful and it would be sixteen years before Fort Pulaski was completed. Long before … Continue reading Robert E. Lee (Volume 2, Episode 10, Part 1) →

Robert E. Lee (Volume 2, Episode 10, Part 2) Dec 23, 2017

Robert E. Lee: Valiant Hero or Misguided Traitor? George Parke Custis was kicked out of Princeton, left St. John’s College of Annapolis after only one semester and made a living renting out all of the various plantation properties that he had inherited. By comparison to the industrious and spartan Robert E. Lee, Custis was an indolent patrician who lived on the wealth of his ancestors. Eventually, understanding that his daughter was enthusiastic about marrying Lee, Mary … Continue reading Robert E. Lee (Volume 2, Episode 10, Part 2) →

Herman Melville (Volume 2, Episode 9, Part 1) Sep 25, 2017

Herman Melville: From obscurity to immortality When he died at age 72, on September 28, 1891, Herman Melville was so obscure that those who even remembered his literary output presumed that he had passed away many decades earlier. Melville’s works were out of print, his last novel published more than thirty years before his death. The title of his epic work Moby Dick was misspelled in Melville’s New York Times obituary and one of his … Continue reading Herman Melville (Volume 2, Episode 9, Part 1) →

Herman Melville (Volume 2, Episode 9, Part 2) Sep 25, 2017

Herman Melville: From Obscurity to Immortality Over forty, Melville need not be concerned with actually having to fight for the Union but in 1863, he and his wife decided to move back to New York City, exchanging Arrowhead, which he was unable to sell, for his brother Allan’s East 26th Street home. Throughout this time period, Melville continued to toil away at his custom’s officer’s job. When he began working at the Customs House in 1866 … Continue reading Herman Melville (Volume 2, Episode 9, Part 2) →

Ted Ngoy, The Donut King Of Southern California, (Volume 2, Episode 8) Sep 01, 2017

Ted Ngoy, the ultimate American Dream, including donuts Eventually, in 1976, one of Ted’s customers showed him an ad in the local newspaper, the Orange County Register, advertising a donut shop for sale. Ngoy had meticulously saved 20,000 dollars, the seller financed the rest of the $45,000 purchase price. By 1985, Ted was a millionaire and a very respected member of the Cambodian community. He and his wife moved into a 7,000 square foot home … Continue reading Ted Ngoy, The Donut King Of Southern California, (Volume 2, Episode 8) →

Frida Kahlo (Volume 2, Episode 7) Part 1 May 27, 2017

Frida Kahlo, Mexican icon Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo Calderon was born on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, Mexico. Today, Coyoacan, officially a borough of the Federal District, is part of the urban sprawl of Mexico City. But when Frida was born it consisted of open space, farm and ranch land. Although her birth probably occurred at her grandmother’s house, Frida would spend her childhood and much of her life living in the Casa Azul, the … Continue reading Frida Kahlo (Volume 2, Episode 7) Part 1 →

Frida Kahlo (Volume 2, Episode 7) Part 2 May 27, 2017

Frida Kahlo: Mexican Icon Since the death of Lenin in 1924, a power struggle over not only over the Soviet government but also the international Communist movement ensued with the winner Josef Stalin and the loser Leon Trotsky. But Stalin was not content with merely expelling Trotsky from the party and the country. His megalomaniac paranoia would subsequently require the physical extermination of his opponent, including Trotsky’s family. Many of Trotsky’s relatives, including his first … Continue reading Frida Kahlo (Volume 2, Episode 7) Part 2 →

Ian Fleming, Creator of James Bond (Volume 2, Episode 6, Part 1) Mar 24, 2017

Ian Fleming, who proved that a great deal of fiction is factual. Ian Fleming was born on May 28, 1908, the second son of Valentine and Evelyn Fleming. Both parents came from upper crust British backgrounds, Evelyn, known as Eve, was the descendant of a solicitor paternal grandfather and a maternal grandfather who was the personal physician to Queen Victoria, both of whom would be knighted for their efforts. Valentine, known as Val, was the … Continue reading Ian Fleming, Creator of James Bond (Volume 2, Episode 6, Part 1) →

Ian Fleming, Creator of James Bond (Volume 2, Episode 6, Part 2) Mar 24, 2017

Ian Fleming proved that a great deal of fiction is factual Acquiring a name for his protagonist was simple enough. When cosmopolitan visitors to Goldeneye found themselves a little bored by the repetitive, tropical languor, Fleming suggested some bird watching accompanied by the book Macmillan’s Field Guide to the West Indies by James Bond, a volume that sat prominently on a shelf near Ian’s desk. Fleming deliberately wanted a simple name for a character that … Continue reading Ian Fleming, Creator of James Bond (Volume 2, Episode 6, Part 2) →

Grigori Rasputin (Volume 2, Episode 5, Part 1) Jan 20, 2017

Rasputin, the wrong man in the right place. Grigori Rasputin was born on January 9, 1869, in the Siberian village of Pokrovskoe, one of nine children of Efim and Anna. Even the number of surviving siblings of Rasputin is a matter of dispute. Possibly all of his nine brothers and sisters died only a few days after they were born and the only sister to perhaps survive was born in 1875 and named Feodosiya. That … Continue reading Grigori Rasputin (Volume 2, Episode 5, Part 1) →

Grigori Rasputin (Volume 2, Episode 5, Part 2) Jan 20, 2017

Rasputin, the wrong man in the right place. Rasputin routinely spent his summers in Pokrovskoe and June, 1914 found him back in his home town. On June 29, Rasputin emerged from his house in order to hand a telegram to his postman. He was greeted by a mysterious female stranger, dressed in black with a white kerchief over her features, only her eyes visible. She silently bowed in front of him and Rasputin paused to … Continue reading Grigori Rasputin (Volume 2, Episode 5, Part 2) →

Georg Elser’s Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler (Volume 2, Number 4) Part One Oct 31, 2016

Georg Elser’s failure is one of the most remarkable stories in European history. The contrast between Adolf Hitler and Georg Elser could not have been more dramatic. Hitler was a fanatically driven over achiever who had overcome his lower middle class background, lack of education and early personal failures to become one of the most charismatic and extroverted political figures of the twentieth century. Elser was a simple woodworker, with an intermittent work history, an … Continue reading Georg Elser’s Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler (Volume 2, Number 4) Part One →

George Elser’s Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler (Volume 2, Number 4) Part 2 Oct 31, 2016

Georg Elser’s failure is one of the most remarkable stories in European history. At precisely 9:20, the first of George Elser’s clocks activated perfectly the bomb detonated with a tremendous blast that pulverized the speaker’s platform, shattered the pillar behind it and brought the roof of the building down upon its inhabitants. Dust and debris filled the air, the room now shrouded in darkness with beams falling and screams for help. Seven people were killed … Continue reading George Elser’s Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler (Volume 2, Number 4) Part 2 →

Michelangelo (Volume 2, Number 3) Part 1 Sep 18, 2016

Michelangelo, the Eternal Genius Michelangelo Buonarroti-Simoni was born on March 6, 1475 in Caprese, Italy in Tuscany , about sixty miles east of Florence. A month later his father moved the family back to the Tuscan capital. Ludovico Buonarroti’s family were bankers and money lenders and despite the failure of the family bank, Michelangelo’s father managed assets and property that allowed an upper middle class existence. He occasionally served as a bureaucrat and at the … Continue reading Michelangelo (Volume 2, Number 3) Part 1 →

Michelangelo (Volume 2, Number 3) Part 2 Sep 18, 2016

Michelangelo, the Eternal Genius The relationship between Julius II and Michelangelo has been dramatized as a nasty battle of wills between two egocentric men. In actuality, Michelangelo’s issue with the Pope stemmed from the reality that Julius’ main focus was to expand the territory of the Papal States and the ensuing warfare that would be required. Michelangelo’s artistic projects would always be secondary to this fundamental. As soon as the Last Judgment was completed the … Continue reading Michelangelo (Volume 2, Number 3) Part 2 →

Harriet Tubman (Volume 2, Number 2) Jul 21, 2016

Harriet Tubman, righteous heroine Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross in the eastern shore region of Maryland in 1822. Her exact date of birth remains unknown. Both of her parents were slaves, Harriet (Rit) Green and Ben Ross. The summer of 1859 also brought a resumption of John Brown’s plan for rebellion. He was already gathering assets in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in anticipation of his planned attack on the Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. His … Continue reading Harriet Tubman (Volume 2, Number 2) →

Alexander Hamilton, (Volume 2, Episode 1) May 28, 2016

Alexander Hamilton, the Zelig of American military and political history. The circumstances surrounding the birth of Alexander Hamilton are complicated and even when he was born is a matter of dispute. His mother, Rachel Faucette, was of British and French descent. His father, James Hamilton was a Scot. They met on the island of St. Kitts in the British West Indies where James Hamilton was unsuccessfully attempting to build a career trading sugar and other … Continue reading Alexander Hamilton, (Volume 2, Episode 1) →

Francis Scott Key and The Star Spangled Banner (Volume 1, Podcast 12) Apr 09, 2016

Francis Scott Key and the National Anthem Key was a prominent lawyer from Frederick, Maryland who, through a sequence of incidents that occurred during the War of 1812, observed one of the most critical episodes in American history. In fact, Ross and Cockburn had decided on a coordinated air and sea attack. Ross would land his troops at North Point, Maryland at the tip of the Patapsco Neck and make the short fifteen-mile march to … Continue reading Francis Scott Key and The Star Spangled Banner (Volume 1, Podcast 12) →

Amelia Earhart (Volume 1, podcast 11) Feb 23, 2016

Amelia Earhart, Lost Heroine Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. Although her mother came from a wealthy family, her father was an attorney but also an alcoholic with an erratic work history that lead to an unstable childhood for both Amelia and her sister, Muriel. Amelia would attend six high schools before graduating from Hyde Park High School in Chicago. Although Amelia dismissed speculation about a global flight, George Putnam … Continue reading Amelia Earhart (Volume 1, podcast 11) →

Paul Gauguin (Volume 1, Podcast 10) Jan 13, 2016

Paul Gauguin, the Bitterness and the Beauty From his very first days, Gauguin’s life was filled with a volatile instability that must have affected his development. He was born in Paris on June 7, 1848. His father, Clovis, was a journalist, his mother, Aline, the daughter of Flora Tristan, a seminal feminist writer of the early nineteenth century. Aline’s father had been imprisoned for the attempted murder of Flora, an indication of the chaos surrounding … Continue reading Paul Gauguin (Volume 1, Podcast 10) →

Jack Johnson, Heavyweight Champion of the World, (Volume 1, Podcast 9) Jan 10, 2016

Jack Johnson, the Real Deal Jack Johnson was born on March 31, 1878 in Galveston. Very little can be verified about his early life. Most historical information about him comes from autobiographies that he published himself. Had he not gone on to achieve boxing notoriety, both he and his family would have been completely forgotten. By the end of the fourteenth round Jeffries could barely see, his nose was broken and face and upper body … Continue reading Jack Johnson, Heavyweight Champion of the World, (Volume 1, Podcast 9) →

King Ludwig II of Bavaria, (Volume 1, Podcast 8) Oct 22, 2015

King Ludwig II of Bavaria, a Beautiful Madness Wonderful Atlantic Monthly Photo Essay on Ludwig II Ludwig II was born on August 25, 1845. His father, Maximillian, was then the Crown Prince of Bavaria. His grandfather, Ludwig I, was the King of Bavaria and a member of the House of Wittlesbach, the ruling dynasty that had governed the Kingdom of Bavaria, for over six hundred years. Upon Maximilian’s death, Ludwig became Ludwig II at the … Continue reading King Ludwig II of Bavaria, (Volume 1, Podcast 8) →

Billie Holiday (Volume 1, Podcast 7) Oct 22, 2015

Billie Holiday, Lady Day Sometimes the most remarkable artistic genius can emerge from the humblest of beginnings. Sarah Julia Harris was born on August 16, 1895 in Baltimore, MD. Disowned by her father, she was raised by her mother, who ultimately married another man and had two more children. Like her siblings, Sarah, nicknamed “Sadie”, began working at cleaning jobs at an early age, a lack of education rendered her virtually illiterate. She was employed … Continue reading Billie Holiday (Volume 1, Podcast 7) →

Edgar Allan Poe (Volume 1, Podcast 6) Aug 27, 2015

Edgar Allen Poe: Life Sucks and Then You Die Poe was born Edgar Poe on January 19, 1809, in the city of Boston. His parents, David and Eliza were actors that travelled a circuit along the Eastern seaboard. His mother performed a week before his birth and would return again to the Boston stage a month later, which is indicative of the economic stability of Poe’s family. David Poe had abandoned a career in law … Continue reading Edgar Allan Poe (Volume 1, Podcast 6) →

Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Volume 1, Podcast 5) Aug 26, 2015

Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Revolutionary Poster Boy Ernesto Guevara de la Serna was born in Rosario, Argentina on May 14, 1928. His upper class parents forged his birth certificate to read June 14 to conceal the fact that Ernesto was conceived out of wedlock. Ernesto Guevara Lynch and Celia de la Serna y Llosa both came from socially well-connected families. Despite Ernesto Sr.’s attempts at several money-making ventures, the family lived on Celia’s inheritance. On March … Continue reading Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Volume 1, Podcast 5) →

Friedrich Nietzsche (Volume 1, Podcast 4) Jul 15, 2015

Friedrich Nietzsche: I am not a Man! I am Dynamite! Friedrich Nietzsche was born in Rocken, Germany on October 15, 1844. In July of 1849, Nietzsche’s father, a thirty-five year old minister, died of an indeterminate brain condition, forcing the family to move to the nearby town of Naumburg. Both of these locations are in the Saxony region, former German Democratic Republic, approximately thirty miles southwest of the city of Leipzig. Ree and Salome quickly … Continue reading Friedrich Nietzsche (Volume 1, Podcast 4) →

Mildred Harnack and the Red Orchestra (Volume 1, Podcast 3) Jul 14, 2015

Mildred Fish Harnack, the Only American Female Ever Executed For Espionage by Nazi Germany Mildred Fish Harnack was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 16, 1902. Her parents, descended from a New England, protestant background, separated when Mildred was a teenager and she was primarily raised by her mother. After her father’s death in 1918, the family relocated to the Washington, DC area but Mildred returned in 1921 to attend the University of Wisconsin. While … Continue reading Mildred Harnack and the Red Orchestra (Volume 1, Podcast 3) →

George Smith Anthony and the Voyage of the Catalpa (Volume 1, Podcast 2) Jun 22, 2015

Captain George Smith Anthony and The Voyage of the SS Catalpa In 1874, rebel leader John Devoy received another letter from Fenian prisoner James Wilson that he chose to read aloud at a national meeting of the Clan Na Gael. Part of it read: “Think that we have been nine years in this living tomb since our first arrest and it is impossible for mind and body to withstand the continual strain … Continue reading George Smith Anthony and the Voyage of the Catalpa (Volume 1, Podcast 2) →

John Paul Jones-American Admiral, (Volume 1, Podcast 1) Jun 08, 2015

John Paul Jones, Admiral and Patriot Considered a hero of the American Revolution, John Paul Jones was born in Scotland, carried out most of his naval exploits in the British Isles and died in Paris. His most famous encounter, a victory over the British warship, HMS Serapis, took place off of the coast of Yorkshire, England, thousands of miles from the American colonies. It is now a matter of historical debate as to when or … Continue reading John Paul Jones-American Admiral, (Volume 1, Podcast 1) →

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