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    Education

    Wiki Walks

    Wiki Walks is a short podcast devoted to some of the more intriguing and, “huh! Who knew?” articles you can run across in the seemingly unending cavalcade of bizarreness that is Wikipedia. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © Chris Griesemer

    • Apple Podcasts
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    Latest Episodes:
    Ep. 82 - Juliane Koepcke Jul 11, 2024

    The Most Ridiculous Plane Crash Survivor EVER

    Discover the crazy story of Juliane Koepcke, whose plane was hit by lighting, leading to her getting yeeted out of the cabin where she had a 10,000-foot plunge into the Amazon strapped to her seat, only to survive and endure venomous insect bites and botfly larvae, and emerging from the jungle to become a groundbreaking scientist still alive today.


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliane_Koepcke


    Sidenote: If you have a checking/savings account that earns absolute garbage interest, you can get a Wealthfront account that earns 5.5%, which is just bananas. Normally its just 5%, but if you use this link you get 5.5%. Free money!

    ⁠https://www.wealthfront.com/c/affiliates/invited/AFFD-45QM-8MCV-L5VP⁠


    Ep. 81 - SS John Harvey...and Cancer Jul 09, 2024

    A "Mini Pearl Harbor" Leads to The Most Important Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment History

    If you or someone you know has ever been affected by cancer, then I think you'll really enjoy this episode. A most unfortunate secret bombing disaster in WW2 became the origin of the most important tool we have in the fight against cancer.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_John_Harvey


    Sidenote: If you have a checking/savings account that earns absolute garbage interest, you can get a Wealthfront account that earns 5.5%, which is just bananas. Normally its just 5%, but if you use this link you get 5.5%. Free money!

    ⁠https://www.wealthfront.com/c/affiliates/invited/AFFD-45QM-8MCV-L5VP⁠



    Ep.80 - Gouverneur Morris Jul 05, 2024

    This Founding Father Makes Benjamin Franklin Look Like Mother Theresa

    Discover the wild and scandalous life of Gouverneur Morris, the "Penman of the Constitution," whose contributions to America were as legendary as his escapades in public, uh, romance, vengeful dismemberment, peg-legged diplomacy, and fatal self-surgery. Insane life, why didn't we learn about this guy in history class?!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouverneur_Morris


    Sidenote: If you have a checking/savings account that earns absolute garbage interest, you can get a Wealthfront account that earns 5.5%, which is just bananas. Normally its just 5%, but if you use this link you get 5.5%. Free money!

    https://www.wealthfront.com/c/affiliates/invited/AFFD-45QM-8MCV-L5VP


    Ep.79 - Deborah Sampson Gannett Jun 18, 2024

    That's a Man, Baby!

    The first woman to ever receive a pension for her service in the US Armed Forces was a Revolutionary-era woman named Deborah Sampson...who actually spent her entire military career pretending to be a man named Bob.

    Ep. 78 - Old Tom Jun 04, 2024

    A Killer Whale of a Time

    For over eight decades, a massive killer whale known as Old Tom, along with his skilled and loyal pod of orcas, forged an incredible partnership with a family of whalers in Australia to dominate the Aussie coast.


    Ep. 77 - The Sullivan Brothers May 30, 2024

    Saving Private Ryan's Inspiration

    They were five brothers who enlisted together to serve in World War II, only to all tragically perish aboard the same ship, leaving their Iowa family devastated and prompting a new military policy to prevent such a concentration of family sacrifice.


    Ep.76 - Merikins May 28, 2024

    Can't Say I Blame 'Em

    They turned their guns on the American colonies in exchange for a chance at freedom and land of their own. Over 200 years later, the villages founded by these enslaved Black soldiers who fought for the British in the War of 1812 still exist today as a unique ethnic community in Trinidad.


    Merikins -- Wikipedia




    Ep.75 - Georgia Tann May 24, 2024

    Georgia Tann...just the worst

    She was a woman who preyed on the desperate and poor, stealing their children to sell to wealthy families for massive profits. By the time her black market baby ring was exposed, Georgia Tann had torn apart over 5,000 families, subjecting the children to unimaginable cruelty and abuse. Prepare to have your heart broken by this shockingly dark chapter of American history.


    Georgia Tann -- Wikipedia


    Ep.74 - Antimony Pills May 22, 2024

    Reusable Pills?

    Back in the day, it was not uncommon for people to swallow a pill made from the semi-metallic element, antimony, in an effort to absolutely fill their britches to detoxify their intestines. Once they did that...they'd reuse that same pill. It could even be passed down as an heirloom for the grandkids to use one day. Grossssssss.


    Antimony Pills -- Wikipedia

    Ep.73 – Centralia, Pennsylvania Jan 29, 2024

    Episode Notes

    A trash fire sparked an underground inferno that forced the evacuation of Centralia, Pennsylvania, turning it into a poisonous gas-filled ghost town. Oh, and it will probably keep burning for hundreds of years. Yikes!

    Centralia, Pennsylvania

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    WikiWalks.net

    Support Wiki Walks by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/wikiwalks

    Ep.72 – The Assassination of James Garfield Jan 26, 2024

    Episode Notes

    President James Garfield was shot twice by an absolute mad-lad, Charles Guiteau, but however terrible his assassin was, he was nothing compared to President's doctor. Everything he tried made things a million times worse, including shooting beef and opium up the President's fanny. This tragic story just keeps on giving in the worst ways imaginable.

    The Assassination of James Garfield

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.71 – U.S. Army Camel Corps Jan 23, 2024

    Episode Notes

    The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, involved 500,000 square miles of Mexican territory, including vast stretches of deserts. And what better animal to explore this new land than with imported camels. Many of whom were then set free to roam the Southwest for decades to come.

    United States Camel Corps

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    WikiWalks.net

    Support Wiki Walks by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/wikiwalks

    Ep.70 – Maybe it's....Mascara Jan 19, 2024

    Episode Notes

    Mascara might seem like your run-of-the-mill beauty staple, but the history of it goes back thousands of years, and the most well-known brand today came about through sheer happenstance.

    Mascara

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    WikiWalks.net

    Support Wiki Walks by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/wikiwalks

    Ep.69 – Third Man Factor Jan 15, 2024

    Episode Notes

    Mountain explorers, shipwreck survivors, and polar explorers have all claimed to have either seen a person or heard a voice, often providing helpful information on how they should escape their situation.

    Third Man Factor

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.68 – Radioactive Jimmy Carter Jan 12, 2024

    Episode Notes

    In 1952, a young Pre-President submariner named Jimmy Carter was tasked with preventing a nuclear meltdown that threatened Canada and the Northern US...in person.

    Jimmy Carter

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.67 – Anton Syndrome Jan 09, 2024

    Episode Notes

    Patients with Anton Syndrome are often found describing people or surroundings that are not present, or walking into objects, though they will continue to deny that they cannot see even when presented with evidence otherwise.

    Anton Syndrome

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.66 – Venous Hum Jan 05, 2024

    Episode Notes

    That soft buzzing in your neck might sound alarming, but it's actually just the normal sound of blood flowing through your jugular vein. Listen to understand the harmless causes behind "the hum" and learn when it could indicate a more serious issue.

    Venous Hum

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.65 – W.C. Minor Jan 01, 2024

    Episode Notes

    The Oxford English Dictionary is the gold-standard of all English language dictionaries. However, its most prolific contributor, a surgeon/War Hero/psychotic murderer, did so from a place you'd least expect it.

    W.C. Minor

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.64 – William Kemmler Dec 28, 2023

    Episode Notes

    The battle over which electrical current would be used in our growing nation was between AC and DC, however, in this war for business, the initial causality was the first man to ever be executed by electric chair. It did not go well.

    William Kemmler

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.63 – Hymie Weiss Jul 14, 2023

    Episode Notes

    Hymie Weiss was a Prohibition-era mob boss in Chicago with a serious death wish. Not many people earn the distinction of being the only man Al Capone feared. And for good reason, too.

    Hymie Weiss

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.62 – Button Gwinnett Jul 10, 2023

    Episode Notes

    The most expensive signature in the world, after only William Shakespeare, belongs to a little known politician from Georgia. Outside of one autograph, he didn't really do that much relative to his peers. And that's exactly what makes it so valuable today.

    Button Gwinnett

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.61 – Plennie Wingo Jun 28, 2023

    Episode Notes

    In an era where the Great Depression drove people to all sorts of stunts and gimmicks to make ends meet, not only did Plennie Wingo travel further than anyone else, he did it backwards.

    Plennie Wingo

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    WikiWalks.net

    Support Wiki Walks by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/wikiwalks

    Ep.60 – Kingsford Charcoal Jun 25, 2023

    Episode Notes

    Everyone associates Henry Ford with the automobile and the invention of the assembly line, but you also have the American businessman to thank for most of your cherished backyard cookouts.

    Kingsford Charcoal

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.59 – Perpetual Stew Jul 12, 2022

    Episode Notes

    Also called ‘hunter’s stew’ or ‘hunter’s pot’, the perpetual stew was both novel yet extremely simplistic: take what you’ve got in your kitchen and chuck it into a pot and simmer, replenishing the liquid when necessary. In some cases, these stews would cook for HUNDREDS of years.

    Perpetual Stew Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.58 – Philosophical Razors Jul 07, 2022

    A razor is a principle or rule of thumb, that allows for the elimination (the “shaving off”, hence razor) of unlikely explanations for a phenomenon.

    Philosophical Razors Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.57 – Telling the Bees Jul 05, 2022

    Episode Notes

    For hundreds of years, it has been a widespread tradition to share news of important events with your bee colony, lest terrible fortunes befall your family for keeping them in the dark about what's going on.

    Telling the Bees Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

    Ep.56 – Keep the Ball Rolling Jun 29, 2022

    Episode Notes

    The phrase "Keep the ball rolling" actually stems from a bizarre campaign stunt from the 1840 Presidential Election, wherein William Henry Harrison tried to get the word out in the most, uh, spherical way possible. Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'.

    Harrison's 1840 Presidential Campgain

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.55 – Leopold and Loeb Jun 26, 2022

    Episode Notes

    Two brilliant college students, fueled by delusion of grandeur thinking they were "super men" above man's laws, concoct the perfect plan to kill a local boy and get away it, as referenced by the season finale of Better Call Saul. Meet Leopold and Loeb.

    Leopold and Loeb Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.54 – The Night Witches Aug 03, 2021

    With the might of the Soviet military during WWII, you'd think the most highly decorated regiment within their air force would be a group of highly specialized pilots. Nope, it was 400 women in 1920's era crop-duster biplanes made of plywood who absolutely crushed the Nazis under the cover of darkness. Meet the Night Witches.

    Night Witches Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.53 – Zombie Frank Hayes Jul 29, 2021

    During a steeplechase event at the famed Belmont Park in NY, jockey Frank Hayes set a record that has never been duplicated. And that's probably a really, really good thing.

    Frank Hayes Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.52 – America's First (and only) Emperor Jul 27, 2021

    A fed up and down on his luck San Francisco businessman, Joshua Norton, declared that he was the new Emperor of the United States, and the people sort of...just went with it. He passed laws and issued his own currency, and literally for the lolz the citizenry just played along. But like, for real though.

    Emperor Norton Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.51 – Ship of Theseus Jul 23, 2021

    What makes a thing a thing? What makes you...you? How much can you change something before it stops being that thing? Just one tweak? Or all tweaks but one? The Ship of Theseus is a classic Greek thought experiment that lays this complicated question that has been debated for millenia.

    Ship of Theseus Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.50 – Bat Bombs Jul 20, 2021

    World War II was a time of technological marvels and revolutionary new weaponry that changed the world as we know it. However, one military project stands alone as perhaps the nuttiest (and brutally effective) plan ever devised. Gluing bombs to thousands of bats and just letting 'er rip.

    Bat Bombs Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

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    Ep.49 – Bluetooth Jul 13, 2021

    Episode Notes

    The ubiquitous piece of technology that connects everything from headphones to toothbrushes is named after a Scandinavian king who had some pesky dental issues.

    Bluetooth Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

    Ep.48 – Sarah Rector Feb 05, 2021

    Episode Notes

    After her family was sold to the Creek Indians and moved to Oklahoma in the early 1900s, Sarah Rector was given land at the age of 4 that turned out to be sitting on liquid gold. Nearly overnight, this young woman became arguably the richest black girl in the world.

    Sarah Rector Wiki

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    WikiWalks.net

    Ep.47 – The Last Civil War Widow Feb 03, 2021

    Episode Notes

    The crazy story of Helen Jackson, the 101 year old Missouri woman who died just a few weeks ago in December of 2020. Oh, quick note on Helen, she was the WIDOW OF A CIVIL WAR SOLDIER. Ya know, the Civil War, like, the one from the mid 1800s. Her husband fought in it. How is that even possible??

    Also, the utterly random but oddly related story of how cicadas got their sound, according to Greek mythology. I promise its connected.

    Helen Viola Jackson

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    WikiWalks.net

    Ep.46 – America's Oldest Ally Dec 10, 2020

    Episode Notes

    America was short on allies after its founding, and its Navy was getting absolutely thrashed overseas by pirate states. However, one surprising nation come to our rescue and was the first country to recognize the legitimacy of the United States, and still serves today as our companion in America's longest unbroken treaty.

    America's Oldest Ally

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.45 – The Forbidden Island Nov 06, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The Kingdom of Hawaii's Ni'ihau Island was purchased in the 1860s by Elizabeth Sinclair, a Scottish woman by way of New Zealand looking to find land to raise sheep and her family. Since then, "The Forbidden Island" has been off-limits to outsiders, even other Native Hawaiians, to protect the indigenous Ni'hauans' way of life. It has survived storms and even a wild escaped Japanese pilot who crashed there immediately after Pearl Harbor, where he took hostages and threatened to kill them all. But will it survive another 160 years with modernity just a quick boat ride away?

    The Forbidden Island Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.44 – Operation Babylift Nov 04, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In the closing days and hours of the end of the Vietnam War, as Saigon began to crumble, the American military attempted to evacuate as many orphans out of the country as they could. These children were flown out in makeshift airborne nurseries to be delivered to American parents waiting to take them in. But further investigations revealed that many of these children were stolen from families and would spend decades trying to locate the families lost to them years ago.

    Operation Babylift Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.43 – Auto-Brewery Syndrome Oct 09, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Well this is a bizarre thing. There exists a bonafide, honest to goodness medical disorder wherein your gut bacteria will ferment with the addition of carbs and turn the contents of your stomach into...alcohol. Which then gets absorbed into your body and you get drunk off it. Auto-Brewery Syndrome. If you thought you were a cheap date before, you ain't heard nothing yet.

    Auto-Brewery Syndrome Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.42 – America's Rabbit Assassination Attempt Sep 25, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In 1979, America was suffering through a hostage crisis, a gas crisis, and a President deemed as weak and ineffectual by his rivals. That image was not helped when a photo was released that showed US President Jimmy Carter being attacked by a swamp rabbit while fishing alone in his native Georgia.

    The Jimmy Carter Rabbit Incident Wiki

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    Ep.41 – The Starlight Barking Sep 23, 2020

    Episode Notes

    You may know that 101 Dalmatians was originally a 1950s children's book. You may not know, however, that it had a sequel (not named 102 Dalmatians, by the way) based on comatose humans and alien dogs with superpowers trying to avoid nuclear war. This is a book...for children. Disney lovers, listen up.

    The Starlight Barking Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.40 – The Slave Pirate Who Became a Congressman Sep 15, 2020

    Episode Notes

    One of the most thrilling and fascinating stories of the Civil War and its aftermath. During the war, Robert Smalls escaped from slavery by stealing a Confederate ship, piloting it through Confederate-controlled waters to freedom, then personally helped convince Abraham Lincoln to accept African-Americans into the Army and Navy. But the story doesn’t end there. After a successful career in business, he entered politics and served three terms in the House Of Representatives.

    Robert Smalls Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.39 – America's Youngest Diplomat Sep 08, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The amazing story of young Samantha Smith, a 10 year old girl from Maine, who, in 1983, wanted to know why the head of the USSR wanted to hurt America. So, she wrote him a letter pleading for peace. He responded, and then invited her to visit Moscow and tour the Soviet Union as his guest. She did, and became an inspiration for both countries to push for peace and end the Cold War. Take that, Greta.

    Samantha Smith Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.38 – The Boy Who Stole Queen Victoria's Panties Sep 03, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Celebrity stalkers these days are old news. But back in Victorian England, a 14 year old named, "The Boy Jones" loved nothing more than stealing Her Majesty's royal undergarments, and wouldn't leave the poor woman alone. Until he was banished to a prison ship and then exiled to Australia. We've all been there, right?

    The boy Jones Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.37 – Alice Roosevelt Sep 01, 2020

    Episode Notes

    We can debate all day who was the most impactful first lady, but it’s unlikely we’ll find a more captivating first daughter than Alice Roosevelt. She was a smokin', drinkin', gamblin' pant-wearing whirling dervish who took Washington by storm and drove her father Teddy absolutely insane. She's a hoot.

    Alice Roosevelt Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.36 – The Resolute Desk Aug 25, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The desk you see on TV whenever they show the Oval Office has a crazy history. From being encased in Arctic Ice, to helping avoid multiple wars, the Resolute Desk has a long and winding backstory that spans hundreds of years and multiple scandals. From Rutherford B. Hayes to Donald J. Trump, this desk has stood the test of time.

    Resolute Desk Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.35 – Waffles! Aug 20, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Everyone loves waffles, right? But how did such a distinctive looking food come to be? Why do the Belgians seem to have a stranglehold on naming rights? What about the frozen ones? The story of the waffle begins over 2000 years ago and was filled with drama and innovation every step of the way.

    Waffles Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.34 – Princess Caraboo Aug 18, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The TRUE, bizarre, and downright charming tale of Princess Caraboo. In 1800s England, a mysterious and beautiful woman randomly appeared in town, dressed strangely and speaking a language never before heard. This exotic enigma enchanted the whole of Britain and soon everyone wanted to know more about Princess Caraboo, but they never could have imagined what they would soon learn...

    Princess Caraboo Wiki

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.33 – Capgras Delusion Aug 13, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Those who suffer from Capgras Delusion believe that their friends, family members, even lovers, have been replaced by uncanny imposters. Today we delve into the bizarre and frightening world of unusual delusional disorders.

    Capgras Delusion Wiki

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    Ep.32 – The Bhopal Disaster Aug 11, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In 1984, the Union Carbide pesticide chemical plant had a major gas leak that caused a huge poisonous cloud to descend over the town of Bhopal, India during the middle of the night. The sun rose on a town that had been gassed and thousands were left dead or dying in the wake of incredible negligence and corporate malfeasance.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster

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    Ep.31 – The Radioactive Boy Scout Jul 30, 2020

    Episode Notes

    David Hahn was just your normal teen in the 90s. He loved sports, science experiments, the Boy Scouts...and he built an actual working nuclear reactor in a garden shed and got shut down by the FBI. The crazy true tale of one very radioactive Boy Scout.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn

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    Ep.30 – Lawnchair Larry Jul 28, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In 1982, LA resident Larry Walters took a 45-minute flight in a homemade airship made of an aluminum lawn chair and 45 helium-filled weather balloons, armed only with a CB Radio and a pistol. The aircraft rose to an altitude of over 15,000 feet where it was nearly hit by passing aircraft as he sailed closer to the Pacific. Ever see the movie, “Up”? Yeah…they based it off this guy.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawnchair_Larry_flight

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    Ep.29 – The Lioness of Brittany Jul 23, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In the 1300's, French noblewoman Jeanne de Clisson's husband is wrongfully executed by France for treason. Enraged, Jeanne sells everything, raises a pirate navy, paints her boats black and her sails blood-red, is known as the "Black Fleet", and terrorizes French ships for over 13 years. What a Badlass! The Lioness of Brittany might be my new favorite historical character, ever.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_de_Clisson

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    Ep.28 – The Straw Millionaire Jul 21, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The Japanese Buddhist folk tale of The Straw Millionaire tells a story where a peasant is able to, through a series of trades, move up from one piece of straw to being a millionaire. As crazy as it seems, this happened in real life, as a Canadian man was able to trade up from just one red paperclip to owning a two story farm house in Saskatchewan without spending a dime.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_red_paperclip

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    Ep.27 – The First Vaccine Jul 16, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Smallpox has been one of, if not THE, biggest killers in medical history. Hundreds of millions died as the result of the miniature menace, but it was eventually completely eradicated after British scientist Edward Jenner noticed that dairy farm-working milkmaids never got infected. The story of the FIRST vaccine.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_vaccine

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.26 – The Ben Franklin Effect Jul 14, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Ben Franklin discovered that he was able to ingratiate himself to his most ardent enemies and critics by asking them to do him a favor. This outrageously counterintuitive strategy is the most famous example in our foray into the psychological minefield that is cognitive dissonance.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect

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    Ep.25 – The Colossus of Roads Jul 09, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Scotsman John Macadam is the man who took us from rutted-out dirt roads to the tar covered boulevards we know today. His invention is the inspiration behind the airport "tarmac". All roads might lead to Rome, but it was probably made from macadam.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Macadam

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    http://wikiwalks.net

    Ep.24 – Jack the Railway Baboon Jul 07, 2020

    Episode Notes

    A double peg-legged South African railway employee teaches his pet baboon to throw the switches when trains come through his signal house, while the railway managers are none the wiser to this brilliant baboon's mistake-free railroad record.

    Wikipedia: Jack the Railway Baboon

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    Ep.23 – Van Halen's M&Ms Jul 02, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Musicians are notorious for including insane riders in their contracts when it comes to live shows. Kanye demands a barber chair in his dressing room, for example. But rock gods Van Halen had a particularly odd demand that there be no brown M&Ms in their dressing room. Was this just classic diva behavior, or a brilliant strategic test?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Halen

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    Ep.22 – The Boston Molassacre Jun 30, 2020

    Episode Notes

    An industrial accident in Boston caused a massive tidal wave of molasses to descend upon an unsuspecting neighborhood, killing 21 people and injuring 150 more. This actually happened.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood

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    Ep.21 – The Hungriest Man in History Jun 25, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The absolutely bonkers story of Tarrare, a deranged Frenchman who could not stop eating anything and everything he could get his hands on. Garbage, cats, people, more garbage. This remorseless eating machine could not be stopped.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrare

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    Ep.20 – The Tiny Building with 285,000 Businesses Inside Jun 23, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Thanks to some beneficial corporate tax laws in the state, one forgettably single story building in Delaware is the legal home to nearly ever large US company you've ever heard of....in fact, over 285,000 businesses call this little shabby office home.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation_Trust_Center_(CT_Corporation)

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    Ep.19 – The Loneliest Whale in the World Jun 18, 2020

    Episode Notes

    There Is one unidentified whale who has been singing a song and trying to communicate for 31 years In a frequency that only he/she can understand. This Is the story of the Loneliest Whale In the World.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52-hertz_whale

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    Ep.18 – The Drug Detective Jun 16, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In the 1960s, FDA scientist Dr. Frances Kelsey refused to approve the sleep-aid medicine Thalidomide, because clinical trials had not proved to her that it was safe for pregnant women to take. Soon, the world would see that thousand of babies were born missing limbs because of this dangerous drug.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Oldham_Kelsey

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    Ep.17 – The Incredibly Stupid One Jun 11, 2020

    Episode Notes

    United States Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Hegdahl is captured by the Vietnamese, but pretends to be an absolute idiot and ends up outsmarting his captors, all the while memorizing hundreds of POWs information to the tune of "Old McDonald Had a Farm".

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hegdahl

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    Ep.16 – The Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich Jun 09, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Tech giants like Google and Apple have taken advantage of an offshore corporate tax loophole that passes money from the USA to Bermuda to Ireland to the Netherlands and back to the Bermuda. The Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Irish_arrangement

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    Ep.15 – The Tulsa Race Massacre Jun 04, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The Tulsa race massacre of 1921 took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921, when mobs of white residents attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The attacks ranged from shootings to lynchings to beatings and even to dropping incendiary bombs from biplanes. It has been called "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history."

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre

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    Ep.14 – The CAPTCHA Jun 02, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The super annoying test you have to take when creating a new account, where you have to spell out the crazy letters or numbers In order to prove you're a human, has a fascinating history In not only thwarting spammers, but helping digitize all written language, all the while feeding the machine hivemind endless information.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAPTCHA

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    Ep.13 – The Manhattan Wire May 28, 2020

    Episode Notes

    A thin metal wire, called an "eruv", is strung up and run around nearly the entirety of the island of Manhattan as a loophole to Jewish law to allow its robust Orthodox population to work on the Sabbath. Its been there for nearly 100 years and I bet you had no idea.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruv

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    Ep.12 – Thomas Midgley Jr. May 26, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The most environmentally destructive organism to ever grace the face of our fragile planet, was a Pennsylvanian chemist named Tom. The crazy and horrifying tale of unintended consequences concerning the career of Thomas Midgley, Jr.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas\_Midgley\_Jr.

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    Ep.11 – The Double Sunrise Flights May 21, 2020

    Episode Notes

    The longest commercial flights ever recorded were nightmarish 32 hour journeys from Australia to Sri Lanka via a hollowed out sea plane flown through two different sunrises to avoid the Japanese navy.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Double\_Sunrise

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    Ep.10 – The Fast of Angus May 19, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In 1965, a hefty young Scottish lad, in his quest to lose some pounds, decided to just be done with food. Like, completely. He didn't put another bite in his mouth for 382 days, and lived to see his goal weight. The incredible fast of Angus Barbieri.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus\_Barbieri%27s\_fast

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    Ep.9 – Fritz Haber May 14, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Fritz Haber was a brilliant mind who is considered "the father chemical warfare," but also made discoveries in agriculture that are believed to have prevented the starvation of over a billion people. The poisoner's paradox is a road littered with tragedy.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Haber

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    Ep.8 – The Crash at Crush May 11, 2020

    Episode Notes

    In 1896, a marketing stunt from the braintrust at the Katy Railroad pits two 35-ton locomotives against each other in a 50mph head-on collision in the pop-up town of Crush, Texas. And of course, this giant crash went horribly awry.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crush,_Texas

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    Ep.7 – The Chicken Tax May 08, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Have you ever wondered why there are so many foreign auto makers on the road when it comes to sports cars, sedans, coupes, etc...but when it comes to pickup trucks, its mostly American produced vehicles? Well, there's a reason. And its because the only thing we do better than trucks is: frozen chicken

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax

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    Ep.6 – Mad Jack Churchill May 07, 2020

    Episode Notes

    "Mad" Jack Churchill was a British hero and legend during the second World War who would storm the beaches playing the bagpipes while swinging his sword above his head, and recorded the only kill of the war with a longbow. Why haven't 200 movies been made about this guy?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill

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    Ep.5 – Dirk Willems May 04, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Two stories of honorable men meeting very different ends. The tragic tale of Dirk Willems.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Willems

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    Ep.4 – The Great Stork Derby May 04, 2020

    Episode Notes

    One Canadian lawyer's death lead to the birth of hundreds of babies in Depression-ravaged Toronto. This attorney had both a rock solid will and a twisted sense of humor

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great\_Stork\_Derby

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    Ep.3 – The French Fistula that Made Diapers Cool Again (Slightly NSFW) May 03, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Louis the XIV's swollen backside changed how surgery is performed, made diapers cool in public, and gave us the British national anthem. This story is not geared towards younger listeners, so you might want to skip this if you've got youngins with you.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis\_XIV\_of\_France

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    Ep.2 – The Grandsons Tyler May 02, 2020

    Episode Notes

    President John Tyler...born in 1790...has two living GRANDSONS. In 2020. A quick walk through the insane progeny of one of our earliest presidents.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tyler

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    Ep.1 – Interstate 19 May 01, 2020

    Episode Notes

    Here's a quick walk through America's only remaining metric highway!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_19

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