Doomed to Fail

Today, Taylor talks us through the story of Grafton, NH, and the "Free Town Project." Grafton, like much of New England, has been home to Black Bears for thousands of years (maybe longer? We're not Bear Historians). The Abenaki people hunted them and lived with them. The Europeans almost hunted them to extinction, but with some new regulations, the population revived Join us now in Grafton, where...

In our latest episode, we dissect the failures of the mental health system in America. With insights from experts and historical context, we explore how we got here and what can be done to make a change. Don't miss it! #MentalHealthReform #DoomedToFail Today we talk about the history of Mental Aslymns in the context of Ezra Klein's new book, Abundance.  Join our Founders Club on Patreon to get ad-...

Today, we close out Women's History month with the story of Sarla Thakral - who received her pilot's license in 1936 and was one of the first women pilots in India. Today, the average number of women pilots in India is double the global average! We'll learn about the support Sarla got from her husband, his tragic death, and her second act as an accomplished fashion designer!    https://vivchavan.w...

We love science projects & women in STEM! Today, we're talking about a winner, Dr. Valerie L. Thomas and her contributions to science while working at NASA. Dr. Thomas broke all the barriers to lead some incredible projects. One, the Landsat Satellite Program, starting in the 1970s  is still in operation taking pictures today (We're at Landsat 9), and her work with mirrors and 3D images with her '...

We've all heard how Adolf Hitler was rejected from art school... today we'll dive into the details, how being a poor non-student in Vienna led him to the back rooms of rebellion - and eventually to the horrors of WWII. Did you know that Pol Pot of Cambodia was similarly rejected by the Paris elite while in college? Also, Stalin was rejected by the Church and kicked out of the seminary. Would histo...

In the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, a mansion stood as a symbol of wealth and prestige—until its horrifying secrets were exposed. Madame Delphine LaLaurie was a socialite, a woman of influence, and a monster lurking behind the grandeur. What truly happened inside her infamous home? Was she a sadistic torturer, or has history twisted her tale into something even darker? Join us as we unrav...

Now, let's talk about a hero of WWII! Virginia Hall was an American woman who wanted to work in Europe, specifically France, to help the French Resistance stop the Nazis from taking over. Unfortunately, two things - she was a woman, and they only allowed women to type, and she shot her own leg off while hanging out with friends in Turkey.   Well, if the US didn't want her, the Brits would take her...

We mentioned Leni in Episode 117 when we discussed the Berlin Olympics in 1936. She is the director who created the 'Olympia' film, breaking barriers as a woman and adding invaluable skills to the craft of filmmaking.   Leni also denied and denied and denied that she was a part of the Nazi Propaganda Machine --- and she got to live to 101!! Today, we'll talk about how there is literally no way she...

History, as we know, is filled with uplifting stories - it's also full of awful stories that are sometimes difficult even to imagine, like his one.   Today, Farz tells us about one of the worst concentration camp guards, Irma Grese. Her depravity, often sexually arousing for her, stands out even among the stories of WWII. We discuss how we're sure that even if there hadn't been a war, Irma would h...

Today, we learn the adorable story of the Huskie Hachikō, who waited at the train station for his owner for years after his death. Hachikō isn't the only dog who remained loyal to his owner until his own death. There's obviously Fry's dog in Futurama & many other real-life examples.   Taylor wants to remind you that she isn't anti-dog. She just doesn't want one, and she believes that there are man...

Today starts our Women's History Month coverage! We remind you that nobody is perfect, women, like all genders, contain mulititudes.   Taylor starts off with the story of Helen Keller - from the disease that took her sight and hearing at 19 months - to an international superstar and advocate for disabled people, Socialism, and women. How did she go from her silent dark world to a graduate of Radcl...

Let's travel a century or so in the future from Britain's Peasant Revolt to what happened in Germany after they had their own. It's fully the Renaissance now, but don't tell that to Anabaptist Jan Matthis; he's planning for the End Times. We're going to have a city under siege, a Preacher who (surprise, surprise) wants to be a King and marry everyone, and a lot of good old-fashioned torture. We re...

Let's get creepy for Women's History! Farz walks us through the tale of Elizabeth Bathory, who murdered countless peasants in her Transylvanian castle. Did she bathe in their blood to stay young?? Did she just like killing people? How many places in a castle can you hide a body???   If you live in a castle and know that answer please email us.  Main Source: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd...

Let's talk about celebrities & our obsession with them. Farz will walk us through some examples, from fun things like Taylor having a Prince William poster to very scary things like someone sitting on the Queen's bed while she slept. Why do we feel connected to people we've never met, and how can they feel safe with so many strangers knowing intimate details of their lives? Join our Founders Club...

Poetry Professor Taylor will be walking us through the life and times of Geoffery Chaucer! Just kidding - a normal person who doesn't understand Middle English at all, Taylor, will walk us through this story today!   We tie back to last week's peasant revolt to talk about how Chaucer's apartment was above the Aldgate - so he would have watched people rush into London. We also talk about the precip...

Today, Farz tells the story of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who dared to talk about the ruler of Saudi Arabia. After years in exile, Jamal decided to go to Turkey to get married, which sounds great, except he had an ex-wife in Saudi Arabia and a currently very much still married wife in the US. When he needed to get proof from the Embassy that he wasn't married (to the first one, under Islam) he wa...

Summer Of Blood Peasants Revolt Of 1381: Jones, Dan The 1300s were rough in England. There's the plague; there's the 100 Years War, and there's serfdom. An interesting thing that happened after the Black Death killed 50% of the population was that workers were worth more - there were 50% fewer serfs, so they started to be asked to be paid more! That obviously wasn't going to fly with the Lords; yo...

Here's the way to explain how famous John Wilkes Booth was BEFORE - imagine, it's 1996, you are 14, Leonardo Dicaprio is the most handsome person you have ever seen AND we just learned that he can do Shakespeare (We are are SURE that understanding Shakespeare in any way makes you smart, so you are trying) -- THEN Leo kills someone. You have to take down your Teen People pictures of him as you sob...

Photos from wikipedia and - https://plane-crashes.fandom.com/wiki/2002_%C3%9Cberlingen_mid-air_collision   Welp. Farz likes to jostle our nerves, and today is no exception! We're going to talk about a mid-air collision - not the most recent one, but the one that happened in 2002. A DHL plane and a smaller jet collided mid-air; the smaller jet was full of Russian Children on a trip to the beach (an...

Today, Farz takes us on a journey through the history of the US Food System. We'll talk about who owns what, what they want you to eat, and why they want you to eat it! Don't forget to start prepping for your Victory Garden, America!  Join our Founders Club on Patreon to get ad-free episodes for life!  patreon.com/DoomedtoFailPod We would love to hear from you! Please follow along!  Inst...

Do you remember October 1987? If you were around, there is no way that you missed the live CNN coverage of Jessica McClure stuck in a well (essentially, an 8-inch pipe; "well" is generous) in Midland, TX. It was the second time that CNN's live reporting attracted millions of viewers (the first was when The Challenger exploded the year before). May we also suggest watching 'Everybody's Baby' the TV...

In today's bonus episode, Taylor talks with formerly incarcerated firefighter Brett Crawford. We reached out to Brett from a comment he left on a very 'gotcha' headline from the NY Times. He graciously spent some time with us to talk about his experiences in prison and in recovery. In times like the LA Fires, the news is so hectic, and we hope this can help us all understand our shared humanity ju...

Let's talk about one of the worst Naval disasters in US history. At the end of WWII, the United States needed to get the uranium for the atomic bomb closer to Japan. Enter the USS Indianapolis - a ship that was just repaired from a kamikaze attack in the Battle of Okinawa. Nobody onboard knew what their mission or cargo was, but it was completed without incident. HOWEVER, on the way back to Guam t...

Well, well, well! Why do we do all the festivities around a presidential inauguration anyway? Today, let's look at some of the most famous speeches and learn the history behind the US Presidential transfer of power, from Washington's inauguration in downtown NYC to the tradition of leaving a letter for your successor! Some of our favorites will include FDR's jab at Hoover and JFK's subtle nods at...

Ew. You've heard this story but not the details! Stella was in New Mexico on Feb 27, 1992 when she stopped for a coffee at McDonald's. She then spilled the coffee in her lap -- and OMG the injuries are horrific. She sued McDonald's (as she should have because, again, OMG)   Then we spent the 90s making fun of her because, of course, coffee is hot. We were terribly terribly wrong. This coffee wasn'...