Doomed to Fail

Today, we go back down below the city of Chicago to talk about the Great Flood (Leak?) of 1992. Did you know that in the 1890s, construction started on a railway under the city that would transport telephone lines, coal, and eventually packages around its 60 miles of track? By the 1950s, the tunnels were shut down and largely forgotten due to better streets, less coal dependence, and some corrupti...

In Part 2 of our PayPal series, we dig into the men who built it and the things that they built next. We'll talk about what a Venture Capitalist is and how even when they fail sometimes when they hit it BIG they hit it REALLY, REALLY big.   The names of these guys & their businesses are EVERYWHERE! What do you think they are up to next? Join our Founders Club on Patreon to get ad-free episodes for...

Today, we explore Circuses of the early 1900s - a not-great-for-animals menagerie of tricks and oddities. Benjamin Wallace was one of the greats out of Indiana and, by 1918, had cashed out while his Circus kept going via two giant trains full of performers, animals, and equipment. After getting through The Great Flood of 1913 and the second worst circus train crash of all time, the Hagenbeck-Walla...

In this real-life Game of Thrones episode, Taylor talks about Princess Olga of Kiev. A widow, a mother, ruler of the Kievan Rus, and eventually a Saint. But the path... it was not laid with good deeds. After the murder of her husband Igor, Olga goes on a rampage of revenge and devastation against the Drevlians. There are Vikings, there is pillaging, there is town burning! It's fun, and even if it...

We are technically old enough to remember when you couldn't send money or pay for things online, but it feels like it was centuries ago! This week, Farz starts us off on his PayPal series with a peek at the origins, who was involved, and what the right place, time, and amount of money was able to create! Join our Founders Club on Patreon to get ad-free episodes for life!  patreon.com/Doomedto...

Listen, Farz knew that Taylor was going to yell about this, and she did. Life is hard and if you have the means and opportunity to help people you totally should, it's just really hard to see the 'help' on terms that are wildly unfair. Mother Teresa's legacy involves NOT giving pain medication to sick people, keeping millions of dollars in bank accounts around the world, and truly believing that t...

Let's talk about the infamous molasses flood in Boston - it sounds almost delightful, a stick mass of molasses, what was it even doing there?? But, surprise, it is not delightful. It was a 25-foot wave of molasses, sticky, cold, and deadly. People died, including firemen and children. What happened? How did such a monstrously large tank get built next to homes?   We'll talk about Boston, WWI, Proh...

Ciao ragazzi! Did you ever wonder HOW we got all the ancient texts after all these years? We didn't think too hard about it until this week when Taylor tells the story of Poggio Bracciolini, the 15th Century Italian Humanist who discovered many ancient texts hiding away in monasteries being copied over and over by monks. Poggio worked for 7 popes as a notary and scribe but would travel around Euro...

What happened this past weekend in Venezuela? Farz walks us through the history of abundance when they found oil, to the Oil Embargo of the 1970s that brought great inflation and poverty. This past weekend, the Venezuelan election happened and so far, Nicholas Maduro is being declared the winner. How did they get from a Socialist uprising to having a dictator essentially? Learn more about this bre...

Happy Olympic Opening Ceremony Day!! How did we get here? Join us as we present all four of our Olympics episodes! Ep 1 - Ancient Olympics & Pierre de Coubertin bringing us the modern games in 1896 Ep 2 - Hitler's 1936 Olympics & The Domination of Jesse Owens Ep 3 - Munich 1972 - The Massacre of the Israeli Olympic Team by Terrorists Ep 4 - Atlanta 1996 - The Atlanta Centennial Park Bombing & The...

Have you ever wondered what trauma brought us together as friends? It was working in Downtown Los Angeles in 2013!! Farz walks through the spooky, creepy, and very gross history of DTLA's least-fine hotel, The Cecil. We talk about the people who've lived there and the ghosts who probably still do. Have you been to a haunted hotel? Let us know!  #hauntedhotel #theshining #cecilhotel #DTLA Join our...

Let's talk about 16th-century 'prophet' Nostradamus! There's nothing spooky here unless you want there to be! If you DO, then heck, there's a lot to unpack! We'll talk about his 942 prophecies that foresaw everything from Napolean to Nagasaki. AND this one? What could it mean?? Upon the airwaves, voices strong will sail, From depths of despair, tales of trials unveil, Listeners gathered from dista...

In our final episode on The Olympics, Taylor tells the story of Olympic Hero Richard Jewell. Jewell was a "law-enforcement" type of guy who, despite being fired from law enforcement, would take any opportunity to tell you that he had 'scanned the perimeter' and 'knew how to diffuse a bomb.' In July 1996 he was working security at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta when a bomb very much did go off...

Today, we go south to talk about the terrible serial killers Luis Garavito & Pedro Lopez. Separately, these two are the top two killers on record, killing nearly 200 children each. There's nothing to sugar coat here - these guys took advantage of poverty and the terrible human condition to commit some of the most atrocious crimes possible.   True Crime friends - this is for you!  Join our Founders...

This is it! Our final re-release and we are all caught up! It's one of Taylor's favorite episodes. Let's talk about our dear Vincent van Gogh!   🎧 Immerse yourself in the vibrant yet turbulent life of Vincent van Gogh, one of history’s most fascinating and misunderstood artists. This week, we explore his artistic genius, the personal struggles that haunted him, and the enduring mysteries surround...

Join us on "The Enigmatic Journey of Gary Hart," a deep dive into the life and career of one of America's most intriguing political figures. From his meteoric rise as a presidential hopeful to the scandal that shook the nation, we explore the highs and lows of Gary Hart's public and private life. Through exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and rare archival footage, we unravel the complexities...

Ok. This is horrible. This week we talk the Olympics from 1950 - 1980. Some fun stuff happens, some records are broken. Mark Spitz wins 7 gold medals in swimming, with a mustache! We really feel like that might have slowed him down. But, the big horrible story is the Massacre at Connollystraße 31 on September 5, 1972. Eleven Israeli athletes were taken hostage by members of "Black September," a Pa...

Can you believe it's been a year since this!! The most predictable / insane story of 2023 - revisited - 🎧 Dive into the depths of maritime mysteries with our latest episode, where we explore two of the most tragic and intriguing underwater incidents: the Byford Dolphin accident and the Titan submersible disaster. Discover the harrowing details, the science behind the catastrophes, and the lessons...

Olympics Part 2! 1906 - 1950! We're going to talk about some of the events leading up to the biggie - the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When Germany was picked to host the Olympics, it was 1931, and Germany was a VERY different Germany. In 1936, Hitler was Chancellor for three years, and he could not wait to show everyone how great Aryans were at everything. Except, that's not the case. We'll talk about t...

Ready to get nervous about our place in the universe? Farz tells the story of the Mars Climate Orbiter - lost on the dark side of Mars forever - & other stories of near misses and lost billions of research dollars from one very very tiny mistake. We also discuss the Hubble Telescope and ask the eternal question: how do cameras work? If you're worried that you're messing up at work remember at leas...

It is truly a tragedy that these two names are tied together in history! 🎧 Dive into the glitz, glamour, and tragedy of the fashion world with our latest episode on the shocking murder of Gianni Versace. This week, we explore the life and legacy of the iconic designer, the circumstances leading up to his assassination, and the nationwide manhunt for his killer, Andrew Cunanan. Join us as we unrav...

🚀 Dive into the covert world of WWII espionage with our latest episode on Operation Pastorius! 🌍🔍 Discover the daring mission, the saboteurs' journey, and how it all unraveled. Tune in for a thrilling tale of spies, secrets, and sabotage. 🎙️🎧 #OperationPastorius #WWIIHistory #Espionage #PodcastEpisode #HistoricalMysteries #SecretMissions #WarStories #SpyTales #HistoryUnveiled #MustListen Join...

Welcome to Part 1 of the Olympics! We will talk about the very nude ancient games, tell some probable myths about huge men who carried cows on their backs into a fighting ring, and once again marvel that Nero was able to pull off winning every event!   Then, we talk the modern games. In 1894 French rich-dude Pierre de Coubertin decided that what the French were missing was sportsmanship and physic...

🎧 Step back in time to uncover the mystery and intrigue of the Mayerling Incident! This week, we delve into the tragic and controversial events surrounding the deaths of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his lover, Baroness Mary Vetsera, in 1889. Was it a pact, a political conspiracy, or something even more sinister? Join us as we unravel the secrets and scandals of this royal enigma. 👑🔍 Join...

Andrew Jackson - orphaned by age 14, really became President of the United States and spent his time promoting slavery, denying Federal Aid to states, and pushing Native Americans west during the "Trail of Tears." Described as both a true White Supremacist and the first Pro-Slavery President - "King Andrew" is first on our casual list of Bad US Presidents. Could you imagine if that man had Twitter...