The Missing Chapter Podcast

The internet is flooded with unfounded stories and fake news.  Many of these disguise themselves in memes or as short anecdotes on the stage of social media.  It makes it difficult – challenging – to decipher what is true and what is fiction.  You may have seen one of these claims regarding a woman by the name of Judith Love Cohen.  Her story, as it would turn out, is one that...

Many clichés have made their way through the airwaves over the years.  All starting off the same way…as a catchy, trendy slogan, then transforming into nails on a chalkboard every time you hear the same cliché over and over again.  Well, the cliché “game-changer” is not an exception to this rule, but this time, we’re actually using it in its literal sense.  On this episode of the Mi...

The plane jarred violently as it climbed into the gray February night sky, but the 95 passengers onboard were not dismayed.  After being grounded an additional 3 hours for severe weather, some were already asleep, and all were excited to be leaving snowy and icy New York on their way to beautiful, sunny Miami, Florida on February 1st, 1957. Northeast Airlines Flight 823 had taxied off the run...

Everyone loves a good "rags to riches" story - but how about a "rejection to riches" story?  On this Missing Chapter Short, we tell the unknown, yet very poetic beginnings of one of the most famous authors of all-time.  Would rejection stop him?  It almost did - but a very chance encounter with a college buddy stopped him from setting his dreams ablaze.  Find out more about thi...

Have you ever wondered how far man can dig? Or maybe you have wondered how far down the Earth’s mantle is. From 1958 to 1990 there have been multiple attempts to get to the Earth’s mantle, or the closest layer to the crust. With temperatures increasing upwards of 356 degrees and thick liquid like rock wreaking havoc on equipment, this is no easy task. On this episode of the Missing Chapter podcast...

As the Christmas season of 1938 came to Chicago, Illinois, Bob May was not feeling much in the holiday spirit and for good reason.  The 34-year old father of one, who penned ads for retail giant Montgomery Ward, was exhausted and nearly broke.  Worse yet, his wife, Evelyn, was bedridden and fighting valiantly against a cancer that had already stolen 2-years of her young life.  One n...

The Empire State Building is known throughout the world as one of the icons of freedom, democracy, and the culmination of diverse people working together to accomplish something bigger and greater than themselves. It’s a destination for tourists around the world to come visit, it’s a sight to behold for those who’ve never seen it before, and it’s the million dollar view for observers in neighborin...

Imagine being in a war zone, frigid temperatures, explosions happening all around you, ammo is diminishing, food is in short supply.  You scurry to get to a radio and call in air support.  You need more ammunition.  You make the call, and the call sign is given to drop as many mortar rounds as possible so we have a fighting chance against the enemy.  We hear a helicopter hover...

Albert Einstein, born in Germany in 1879, became a theoretical physicist and is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest scientists of all time. Einstein is best remembered for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.  In life, people marveled at Einstein’s brilliance and his name quickly became syno...

There is a verse in the book of Proverbs that says “where there is no vision, people perish.”  Upon reading that, someone might wonder if that is describing literal vision, or a metaphorical way of understanding goals, dreams, aspirations.  Well, we know that blind people aren’t limited by their lack of physical vision, and quite often, the opposite is true...they’re able to operate with...

Mildred Fish-Harnack was a Wisconsin-born woman on a mission...an Anti-Nazi resistance mission.  And the road to success wasn't easy as one can imagine, nor was it met with support by even the United States.  During WWII, she and her husband led the largest underground resistance movement in Berlin.  She risked her life for 10 years with incredible courage and heroism, yet not many...

It is one of the most iconic images in American History.  A photograph so powerful, it captured the essence of despair that gripped an entire nation, over an entire time period.  A woman holding a baby, 2 small children huddled by her side; shielding their faces over her shoulders.  The woman stares into the distance, a single hand drawn to her cheek.  Her expression, one of ho...

“The British are coming, the British are coming” - Paul Revere’s famous ride, right?  Well of course, but the problem with that is he never said that, even though he did manage to warn all of Lexington about the British invasion, it was hours before he spurred a horse toward Concord.  But that’s not where the Missing Chapter is going here...we’re going to the unknown story of a person wh...

Back by popular demand - the Top 5!   Today the Phils walk through their Top 5 Haunted Historical sites in the United States in no particular order.  What better way to kick off Halloween weekend than to talk about the part of history that haunts locals, travelers, and tourists alike?  Get your favorite coffee and get ready to hear some ghost stories in Missing Chapter Podcast style...

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” by famed author Washington Irving, is widely considered to be the first “ghost” story in the then young country’s history. The tale of a headless horseman in a quiet, unassuming New York town, often resurfaces every year around the time of Halloween.  But Irving didn’t invent the idea of a headless rider, nor did he base the story entirely on fiction.  Find...

Some say this Autumn staple is their favorite candy, while others say it's best dealt with by being thrown directly into the trash!  What is the history behind this polarized treat?  Or is this candy altogether a trick?  Find out more on this episode of the Missing Chapter.

The best inventions have always stemmed from a vision.  Great visionaries can picture a solution to a current problem, or imagine turning a luxury into a necessity, or maybe an innovation that changes how a future society operates entirely.  And most visionaries are met with nay-sayers and doubters, and even outright barriers or obstacles because others can’t see what this visionary can....

When the United States entered into World War II in 1941, people of all backgrounds and demographics enlisted and went to fight overseas.  In fact, others would end up joining these same ranks and travelling to far off places to assist in the war effort as well – and not all were people. Included in this group was a 4-pound Yorkshire terrier, who was discovered in New Guinea, near an Ame...

It's 1930 in Banks Mississippi, Robert Johnson walks into a juke joint where two of the most popular blues guitarists of the day, Son House and Willie Brown, were playing a show for a packed house.  He had not been seen in almost a year and asked Son House if he could sit in his chair and play a few songs.  Son responded saying, “Alright, but you sit in that chair, you better do somethin...

It was on October 22, 1962, that former president JFK told the world that the Soviets were building secret missile bases in Cuba, about 90 miles off the coast of Florida. And not only did he make claims to that, he had photographic evidence to prove it.  The Americans and Soviets began the nose-to-nose confrontation over these bases stationed in Cuba.  So, while a diplomatic solution was...

Where were you? Where were you when the sun came up on that gorgeous, picturesque late summer day? Where were you when the commute began, the horns honked, and the daylight broke? Where were you? Where were you when the terminal gates closed, the luggage was loaded, and runways cleared? Where were you when the coffee brewed, the early hello’s exchanged, and the see-you-later hugs were given? Where...

When you hear the word “nuclear”, you might think of nuclear family, nuclear power, nuclear bomb, or nuclear accident.  Well, when you think of nuclear accidents, most of us go right to Chernobyl or Three Mile Island or maybe the most recent Fukushima incident in 2011.  But not too many know about the other nuclear incident that happened on U.S. soil.  As a matter of fact, it’s not...

The triumphs of Alexander the Great and his lasting legacy are undisputable and his impact on world history is legendary, but his story also teaches us something else important, that in the end, even if you are the conqueror of lands, death always prevails.  Find out what finally defeated history's most epic warrior, Alexander the Great, on this episode of The Missing Chapter. 

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”  Since the dawn of man, looking to the skies has been a reminder of the vastness of space in comparison to the smallness of human beings, the infinite possibilities that have yet to be discovered, the power in which it holds, and the wonderment that it evokes in our finite human hearts.  We’ve looked to the skies for answers, we’ve...

Their names are synonymous with Saturday mornings and the laughter of children.  Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester the Cat.  Generations began their weekends by welcoming these comical characters into their homes and, as a result, they helped shape the culture that they entertained.  Porky Pig, Tweetie Pie, Foghorn Leghorn, the Road Runner.  The golden age of cartoo...