Caustic Soda

Latest Episodes:

Child Labor Feb 24, 2014

Show notes

This week, Joe, Kevin, and Toren discuss child labor. They'll discuss the eleven worst countries for child labor, the prevalence of child labor in chocolate production, tobacco, video games, and in mining. Plus: Oliver Twist and some curiously comedic examples of child labor in pop culture. Music: "Angels with Dirty Faces" by Cab Calloway featuring June Richmond Links GMB Akash Child Labor Photos Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJpaqRNKqks#t=2299 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vfbv6hNeng

Clowns Feb 17, 2014

Show notes

Coulrophobes beware! We talk about killer and suicidal clowns, including John Wayne Gacy, clown assassinations, and of course, Juggalos. Plus dangerous clowns in pop culture! Music: "Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)" by Andy Russell Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLMoCIDSCIE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJai18eys0M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JGUKtc9Bjc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v96fv67ak0o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rJj5S1fwXE

Lice Feb 10, 2014

Show notes

Gavin Pitts joins Kevin, Toren, and Joe again via Skype to talk head lice, body lice, public lice, Strigiphilus Garylarsoni, Aristotle's "spontaneous generation" theory, the lice-spread typhus outbreak in the first World War, perukes, Archbishop Thomas Becket, German WWII de-lousing stations, Japanese Unit 731, as well as South Park's "Lice Capades" episode. Correction: Joe stated there are four countries not using the metric system. It's actually just three: USA, Liberia, and Burma. Get with the times, America. Music: “The Kwellada Kid” by SNFU Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEBmZAf3oK4

Toxicity Part 2 of 2 Feb 03, 2014

Show notes

Food tasters, Wiley's poison squad, tetra ethyl lead, pesticide-contaminated lunches, a new botulinum toxin, and the usual pop culture. Plus - what's the lethal dose of various toxins? With Dr. Jenna Moccia, part 2 of 2! Music: "Spooky Scherzo" by Sam Fonteyn Images

Toxicity Jan 27, 2014

Show notes

Dr Jenna Moccia joins us to talk nightshade, strychnine, curare, arsenic, ricin, cyanide, botulinum, chemotherapy, the 1858 Bradford Sweets poisonings, the 1971 Iraq mercury grain poisonin, plus the largest mass poisoning of a population in history. Part 1 of 2. Music: "Life or Death" by Jack Beaver Images

Shipwreck! Jan 20, 2014

Show notes

Part three of our Maritime Mishaps series continues with a look at complete loss of water-going vessels: Shipwrecks! We'll look at the wrecks of the Swedish "Vasa", the Admiral Nakhimov, the MS Estonia, Tek Sing, Le Joola, leading up to the deadliest shipwreck ever: the MV Doña Paz. Then we do some news, and talk mostly about the shipwreck movie: Titanic! Music: "Return to Melanesia" by The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets Links Vasa (Wikipedia) Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VchsHhPIx_s

Marooned Jan 13, 2014

Show notes

We discuss several instances of people cast away to deserted islands in history, and provide a PSA on how to survive! We also analyze Robinsonades such as Robinson Crusoe (on Earth and on Mars), Swiss Family Robinson, Lost in Space, Lord of the Flies, and more. I can't believe we didn't talk about Cast Away! Music: "Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday on Saturday Night?" by Al Jolson Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYxx-NsH6UA Robinson Crusoe On Mars by crazedigitalmovies

Lost At Sea Jan 06, 2014

Show notes

This week, Joe, Kevin, and Toren look at getting stuck out on the open ocean. We'll cover the several dangers of being lost at sea, as well as tales of survivors of some of the longest (and grossest) "unplanned extended ocean vacations" such as the Baileys, amazing survivor Poon-Lim, and the Robertson family. In The News we've got a religious family set adrift and a survivor found in a capsized tugboat 98 feet underwater! Correction: Joe was wrong, tigers love water. Music: "Night On The Water" by Helen Ward Links How To Survive At Sea Wolmi 306 Captain Suh's account of the rescue of the Baileys part 1 Wolmi 306 Captain Suh's account of the rescue of the Baileys part 2 Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_4FPG48SkU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV8NraEwtbI

Ecocide Dec 30, 2013

Show notes

Joanna Gaskell joins us to discuss dead zones, the deforestation of Easter Island, the Dust Bowl, the Great Sparrow Campaign, the desiccation of the Aral Sea, the draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes, and mountain top removal mining. Also: shape-changing testicles in pop culture! Charity O' the Week: Nature Conservancy Music: "Dust Pneumonia Blues" by Woody Guthrie Links The Critical Hit Show Standard Action Images Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnGBqBip9aM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgjbCljrlhk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCwhjWNcH8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSkRS8Ih7o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc-P8oDuS0Q

Trench Warfare Dec 23, 2013

Show notes

Jordan "Funk Hole" Pratt joins us to discuss WWI's Western front, The Battle of the Trench, The Battle of the Crater, trench foot, dysentery, chlorine and mustard gas, self-inflicted wounds, trench raids plus news and pop culture. Music: "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag" by Art Mooney Don't forget our Season 5 Fundraiser! Images Links Trench Warfare Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH3-Gt7mgyM

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