Relative Disasters

Latest Episodes:

Liu Bang and the Founding of the Han Dynasty (Episode 112) Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

Liu Bang was a man who had a good life and then had a really bad day. How he handled that bad day led to the creation of one of China's most important dynasties and reshaped China's history - join us as we talk about executions, how legal systems based on fear are not sustainable, and lacquer. Lots of lacquer.

Also, Greg's fighting a cold this week, so expect a few background sniffles.

Sources:

Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

The Short and Terrible Reign of Caligula (Episode 111) Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Born in 12 CE, Gaius Cesar Augustus Germanicus - nicknamed 'Caligula' - survived a horrific adolescence to become the third Roman Emperor at just 24 years old. The four years that followed were expensive, scandalous, and full of increasingly violent behavior - but was he really as 'mad' as his earliest biography would have us believe?

On this episode, we're discussing dynasties, paranoia, and all those juicy scandals.

Sources for this episode include:

"Caligula: A Biography" by A. Winterling, 2015 "Caligula: a neuropsychiatric explanation of his madness", J. Charry-Sanchez, et al, for Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 2021 "Dinner with Caligula" by C. Baumgarthuber for The New Inquiry, 2016

"The lives of the Caesars", Suetonius, 1913 Loeb translation

The Dilberito (Episode 110) Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

In 1999, Scott Adams used his beloved-at-the-time character Dilbert to market... a line of microwaveable burritos.

Join us as we take a look at bizarre marketing, the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals, and cooking with gelatin, plus an insight into weird foods that Ella and Greg enjoy.

The 1950 Green Hornet Disaster (Episode 109) Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

In 1950 Chicago, a rush-hour streetcar missed an emergency switch and slammed into a gas truck carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline. The resulting explosion and fire burned down five apartment buildings and killed 34 people.

On this episode, we're discussing streetcar safety, emergency exits, and one of the worst traffic accidents we've ever come across.

Sources for this episode include:

"The Green Hornet Streetcar Disaster", C. A. Cleve, 2012

"On This Day in 1950: The Green Hornet Streetcar Disaster", CBS News Chicago, 2012

The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 (Episode 108) Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

In 1925, a tornado of incredible size and power swept through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana; by the time it was finished, it had killed over seven hundred people, injured at least two thousand, and destroyed entire towns. Join us as we talk about tornado systems, how this particular tornado formed, the clairvoyancy of early 20th-century farmers, and the sheer tragedy of destruction at this speed.

Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources:

The Forgotten Storm by Wallace Akin

The Tri-State Tornado by Peter Felknor

Storms of the Century by Stephanie Watson

The Tri-State Tornado by The Tornado Project

as well as contemporary newspaper articles.

The Wreck of the USS Akron (Episode 107) Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

In April 1933, the US Navy's airship Akron flew directly into a thunderstorm off the coast of New Jersey. The crash that followed claimed the lives of 75 people, making it the deadliest accident in airship history.

On this episode, we're discussing the American airship program, spy cars, cigarette smoking, aircraft carriers, and the big difference between hydrogen and helium in airship design.

Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources for this episode include:

"US Navy Rigid Airships" Airships.net “Airship: Design, Development and Disaster” by J Swinfield, 2012 "The Loss of the Akron", L.C. C.E. Rosendahl for Proceedings, 1934

The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake (Episode 106) Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

We're headed to Portugal this week, with an earthquake so large it shook fundamental human belief systems. The 1755 earthquake hit the capital of Lisbon (and elsewhere), with its physical effects being felt as far away as Brazil; its effects on society at the beginnings of the Enlightenment were just as profound. Join us as we discuss earthquakes, tsunamis, firestorms, and why the question of divine judgement was raised.

Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources:

1755 O Terramoto de Lisboa by Jao Duerte Fonseca

This Gulf of Fire by Mark Molesky

Wrath of God by Edward Paice

The Last Day by Nicholas Shrady

and various archived materials available through the National Archive at Torre do Tombo

Hyacinth Madness! (Episode 105) Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

In 1910 America, residents of the southeastern states were facing down two major problems: a shortage of meat, and an invasive plant that was threatening fishing, shipping, and recreation. Luckily, a Louisiana official and two 'experts' had just the solution: hippo ranching. On this episode, we're talking water hyacinths and hippopotamuses, as well as cocaine, meatpacking, lake-cow bacon, and some of the most colorful characters we've ever discussed.

Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources for this episode include:

"American Hippopotamus" by J. Mooallam for The Atavist, 2013

“How the U.S. Almost Became a Nation of Hippo Ranchers” S. Parks for Smithsonian, 2023

"The true story of when Congress almost released wild hippos into the Louisiana bayou", M. Rosza for Salon, 2022

"The Crazy, Ingenious Plan to Bring Hippopotamus Ranching to America", G. Miller for Wired, 2013

“A Dangerous Beauty” Army Corps of Engineers

10-Cent Beer Night (Episode 104) Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Well, we're back with 1970's baseball again. This time, the hapless baseball team from Cleveland decided to offer a 10-Cent Beer promotional event... but they neglected a key restriction that would result in a riot that left both teams injured, the stadium getting torn up, and a massive force of Cleveland police coming to put an end to it. In this episode we'll talk about the city of Cleveland, the things that REALLY should be part of planning any event centered around alcohol, and the truly scary events of that night in June. Kick your feet up, settle back, and maybe drink a soft beverage as we explore what might be the worst riot in baseball history.

Love the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources:

The night beer and violence bubbled over in Cleveland, by Paul Jackson for ESPN

Forty years ago, 10-cent beer makes memories, by Anthony Castrovince for Major League Baseball

The Strange Tale of Ten Cent Beer Night, by Bill Lubinger for Ohio Magazine

The 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks (Episode 103) Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

In July of 1916, five swimmers at the Jersey Shore were attacked by a shark. Four suffered fatal wounds and the fifth required two months in the hospital to recover. The "New Jersey Man-Eater" was front-page news across the country, and the attacks are still a subject of debate, scrutiny, and speculation. On this episode, Ella talks about the five attacks, the sharks who may (or may not) have been responsible, and the beach dangers much more likely to cause a fatal accident.

Love the show? Support us on Patreon, at ⁠www.patreon.com/RelativeDisastersPodcast⁠.

Sources for this episode include:

"Twelve Days of Terror", R. G. Fernicola, 2016

"Two Weeks, Four Deaths, and the Start of America's Fear of Sharks", V. McCall for National Geographic, 2019

"The Real-Life ‘Jaws’ That Terrorized the Jersey Shore", C. Klein for History, 2023

"The 1916 Shark Attacks That Gave Sharks a Bad Rap" by N. Gonzalez for Brittanica, n.d.

"The Shark Attacks That Were the Inspiration for Jaws", M. Gambino for Smithsonian, 2012