Fascinating Nouns

Talk about serendipity: Right after talking with George Pendle about Jack Parsons, "Mystical" Mitch was in town, and chatted with me about the occult side of Parsons. We even did the interview at Manly P. Hall's University for Philosophical Research! We discussed Aleister Crowley, L. Ron Hubbard, symbolic tattoos, and even the event in Mitch's life that sent him down the mystical path.

Much like Jack Parsons and myself, George Pendle is a man of many eclectic tastes. It turns out, he wrote an article on barbed wire! We discuss that, as well as his obsession with airport carpeting, and the alternative history of clown prohibition!

The Life of Marvel "Jack" Whiteside Parsons is an incredible one. He is the true Godfather of rocket science, for without his drive, imagination and reckless behavior, we might never have gotten to the moon. Well that's not entirely true, since we did import a bunch of Nazi scientists during Project Paperclip who were vital in getting man into space, but I digress. He was invaluable in launching t...

*BONUS EPISODE* Steve hangs out to talk about how these Barb Wire Barons put aside their differences, and combine their influence & resources to bring a major university to DeKalb Illinois. If that wasn't enough, we also talk about how Governor John Altgeld thought public building were so unpleasing to the eye that they were an insult to the people of Illinois! Every building built under his admin...

In my days at Northern Illinois University, I learned that DeKalb, IL was ground zero for barbed wire. At the time, I had no idea how historically important this was, but especially after learning about the Wild West, I came to realize that barbed wire made living on the open range possible. No one knows more about DeKalb history than Steve Bigolin. Of course we chat about the Big Three Barb Wire...

Texas State Historian Bill O'Neal sticks around to talk about the end of the west. We get into the Outlaw/Lawman Jim Plummer and how he worked both sides of the law with a group called The Innocents, as well as The Last Gunfight, and the Last Great Stagecoach Robbery.

I have always loved the Wild West. I don't know if it is the struggle against lawlessness, vigilante justice, gold prospecting, ghost towns, showdowns at high noon, snake oil salesmen, railroad tycoons, or riding a horse everywhere you go. I am sure it is one of those, or the perfect combination of all. The true encapsulation of this era are the various personalities that flavored the myths and le...

Carousels are a time honored tradition, stretching back to at least to the 12th century. According to expert and historian Lourinda Bray, they may even date back as far as the invention of the wheel: Fire, Wheel, Carousel. I sat down at her amazing restoration compound "Running Horse Studio" and learned all about their incredible history. We talked about standers, stargazers, lolling tongues, pole...

In honor of the 5th anniversary of his passing, I reached into vault for the second interview I did with Paul about his wrestling career. We talked about his secret life as a practical jokester, getting whacked over the head with a cane by an old man in the crowd, and hoe Michael P. S. Hayes beat him into the business because he had a referee shirt in his trunk.

Mike Headley is the Executive Director of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, and current head of the Sanford Lab in Lead, SD. It is my assertion that the story of the creation of the Homestake Mine through its transition into the Sanford Laboratory is an encapsulation of America's progress from Post Civil War to the Space Age. It has everything: The Wild West, a gold rush, evil ind...

*BONUS* episode: Kathleen sticks around and talks to me about her two favorite examples: A barnacle that takes over the mind and body of a crab, and Orb Spiders that are commanded to spin very particular webs for their new hosts.

Have you ever felt like your thoughts were not your own, that there was some unseen force guiding your actions from deep inside your brain? One possibility is that you are absolutely crazy and should seek professional help immediately. Another is that you may be under the influence of a mind controlling parasite! I chat with Kathleen McAuliffe, author the the book 'This is your Brain on Parasites'...

There are endless tales of mediocre artists who get noticed because they live in either LA or New York, but it takes an extraordinarily special one to become world renowned from a small town in rural South Dakota. That is exactly what Dick Termes, creator of the Termespheres, has done. His secret? Advancing beyond the two-dimensional world of traditional canvas art, Dick developed a way to paint t...

Just in time for the New Year, I sit down with Dr. Samuel West, the curator of The Museum of Failure. In my mind, there is no better way to prepare for your future success than by analyzing the mistakes of your past, or better yet, the pasts of others. Sammy Dubs and I discuss what makes something a failure, and several other amazing things, including a threatened lawsuit over Colgate Frozen Dinne...

There are few subjects more perfect for Christmastime than the candy cane. Especially in recent years, but dating back centuries, peppermint has become the official flavor of the holiday season, in the same way pumpkin rules Thanksgiving. Unbeknownst to me, hand-rolled candy canes have become a lost art, but Jerry Rowley of Logan's Candies is determined to bring quality back to the cane. Just in t...

There are very few times in life where you get to be the first ever to do something, but that is exactly what happened to Astronomer Dr. Maria Drout. She was one the team that both "heard" and "saw" a Neutron Star Collision/Merger for the first time! Obviously this was exciting for her, but it is also an important milestone for science as a whole. Why? Well you will have to listen to find out. We...

My 100th episode: The 100 year anniversary of the 100 inch Hooker telescope. How perfect is that? Dr. Cynthia Hunt was my guide down the truly historic path. Why is it such a big deal? This piece of machinery was paradigm shifting in the way it collected light, and how it was constructed. At the time it was built, it was the largest such structure constructed. The glass that ultimately became it's...

BONUS EPISODE! Jeff walks me through his theory that H. H. Holmes was in fact the notorious Jack The Ripper.

In Part 2 of my H. H. Holmes discussion, I talk to one of his living relatives, Great Great Grandson Jeffery Mudgett. At the forefront of Holmes history, Jeff has both literally and figuratively uncovered some long-hidden evidence, culminating in the exhumation of the body buried in Holmes' Grave. For years, Jeff has postulated a very compelling theory: He believes the notorious Jack the Ripper wa...

Harold Schechter is an American true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo where his PhD director was Leslie Fiedler. He is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York. He chose the perfect title for his book on H. H. Holmes - Depraved. Born Herman Webster Mudgett, H. H....

This is a preview of my new podcast Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies! In our first episode, just in time for Halloween, Physicist Dr. Michael Dennin, Rocket Scientist Ben Siepser, Microbiologist Dr. Brittany Needham, and The Analytical Mastermind Daniel J. Glenn discuss how to create your very own reanimated corpse. Okay, so reanimating dead tissue is out of our grasp right...

Finally Michael Carbonaro has come to Fascinating Nouns! I love his show The Carbonaro Effect, but I have been following his career since he was the Magic Clerk on The Tonight's show! After a four and a half year pursuit I sit down with Carbo, and we get WAY into the weeds. We talk about his first love, a lap dancing Pennywise the Clown, his reality-bending duties as a Time Lord, a profound moment...

I am from Chicago, the "Windy City". It turns out that nickname was earned because native Chicagoians were inherently chatty, or "full of wind", and not because it is windy weather wise. To make matters more confusing, the city does in fact have incredible gusts, especially in the winter. Why am I bringing this up? Well, it turns out that wind is a powerful resource, and it is being harvested in t...

BONUS EPISODE! We discuss some of my favorite movies including how The Ghostbusters is a film about the battle between zodiac signs, and how RS4 has NEVER listened to The Wizard of Oz w/Pink Floyd. I am not sure how that is even possible.

I have always been a fan of Easter eggs, hidden clues, and occult mysteries. Enter Robert Sullivan IV, AKA RS4. His books on Cinema Symbolism are amazing. He outlines common mystic narrative threads (Gnosticism, Alchemical, Hero's Journey), as well as hidden meanings behind popular movies/tv shows. Listen as we discuss his fascination with the Tarot, how casting can be used for occult purposes, an...