Doomed to Fail

Today we travel to Niagara Falls! We will talk about who lived there first, who came next, and what the falls have meant to America and Canada for the past few hundred years! There will be tightropes, barrels, power plants, and lots of people we've seen before in our doomed travels!   Have you been to Niagara Falls? Let us know!    Sources: Inventing Niagara by Ginger Strand - https://www.thriftbo...

In this episode, we’re spotlighting Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and her pivotal role in the creation of TLC. From her bold audition that caught the attention of Perri “Pebbles” Reid to her dynamic partnership with T-Boz and Chilli, Left Eye’s energy, creativity, and vision helped shape TLC’s iconic sound and image. Of course, it wasn't all fun and games - we'll talk about Left Eye's issues with addictio...

Today, Farz explores the life of the Medieval Executioner and the unique challenges of their profession. This role was essential in every town and was often passed down through generations, much like the modern concept of nepotism. We will investigate the various methods of execution used during this period and discuss the qualities that a local Executioner needed to possess. Join our Founders Clu...

🔥 Scorched Omnibus is here! 🔥 In this epic four-part series, we dive into the stories of some of history's most devastating fires: 🌆 The Great Fire of London (1666) 🏙️ The Great Chicago Fire (1871) 🌉 The San Francisco Earthquake & Fire (1906) Discover the chaos, resilience, and lessons learned from these fiery disasters. 🎧 Tune in now to hear how these blazes shaped cities and history. #Podca...

Oh, the tales we will tell, the stories we’ll share, Of a man with a hat and a cat—so rare! From Lorax to Horton, the lessons abound, But what of the whispers, the questions around?   We’ll dive into messages, morals, and themes, Equality, kindness, and big hopeful dreams. But wait! There’s more—controversy’s here, With books pulled from shelves and debates far and near.   Was the Grinch misunders...

Meine Damen und Herren gather round as we tell the tale of die Brüder Grimm! Two brothers in a pre-unified Germany who spent their days writing a German dictionary and grammar laws that were meant to be broken! Oh, and they also spent lots of time writing down stories so they didn't get lost! That's the part that you'll know them for!   Dig out your Lederhosen, follow a path into the forest, and p...

Today, we re-visit North Korea one more time to discuss how a tree nearly caused WWIII. Remember that M. Night Shyamalan movie where the trees were the villains? It's like that but a lot dumber. In the 1970s, at the entrance to the 'Bridge of No Return' on the border between South and North Korea, a tree blocked the view of a guard tower—chaos ensued. Learn more about our crazy past with us! Every...

Journey with us today into the mysterious world of North Korea, why is Korea split in two, and who are the leaders of the North Korean Government? We'll chat about how it all began and some of the ways that North Korea keeps its people separated from the rest of the world - including the giant empty hotel in the middle of Pyongyang and the death of Otto Warmbier.   Imagine sharing a border with BT...

Once upon a time, a man named Hans Christian Anderson fell in love with EVERYONE - and he was rebuffed by almost everyone. Luckily for us, his heartbreak had him do things like write The Little Mermaid and mail it to his friend on his wedding day as a way to say LOOK YOU MADE ME INTO SEA FOAM!!!! It's a bit dramatic, but a win-win for society!   Join us as we talk through this chaotic romantic lif...

Happy Halloween!! Today, we tell the classic tale of Jack the Ripper - who was he? We probably will never know, but we learned some stuff along the way. Like -  most of his victims were not sex workers; they were poor and unhoused, and in 1888, London's mind was the same thing. PLUS - it has to be considered that they were killed while sleeping (and this blew Taylor's mind, but would make a lot of...

Farz, in his infinite kindness, tries to calm the great American Anxiety (tm) and reminds us what we've been saying over and over. We just live in times. Not unprecedented times; there's a roadmap for all of this. He brings us back to the Y2K election (Taylor's first time voting!). Within the 'hanging chad' chaos in Florida, there was also the third-party candidate from the Reform Party, Pat Bucha...

We LOVE sleeping, but isn't it weird that we have to? 1/3 of your life you spend in a vulnerable state where your brain tells you stories that science hasn't found an answer for! Today, let's talk a little about the theories on WHY we need sleep, and the horrible things that can happen to you if you don't get it!   Tuck in and sleep tight!  Join our Founders Club on Patreon to get ad-free episodes...

Let's hop back into Spooky Season with a very quick history of Witches! We'll talk about what makes a witch and about witch trials in Germany in the 1600s that led to thousands of burnings, specifically the Würtzburg Witch Trials. On the way there, we will talk about Salem, The Malleus Maleficarum (aka Hammer of Witches), and we will talk about how, between 2019 and 2019, more than 20,000 people w...

How much do you know about Harry Houdini?? We start off October with the story of the most famous magician of all time; we feel very lucky that he was working at the beginning of cinema and at a time when we can have photos of him and his stunts. The choppy silent footage and the stage makeup add just the perfect touch of mystery to his already impressive mystique. Learn how this Hungarian Immigra...

Today, we take you to the first of hopefully many conspiracy theory episodes! We start small (no, nobody is eating babies) with the death of journalist Michael Hastings. After exposing corruption in the US Military's Middle East operations, Michael was driving in Los Angeles at 4 am when his car hit a tree, and he was incinerated.   Was it foul play? Was he being followed?? Let us know what you th...

Listen, as we know, there are terrible things in lakes. Monsters. There are monsters. This week we learn that there ALSO can be buildups of poison underneath lakes that can 'erupt' at any time and do a clean sweep of all animal life around it. We'll talk about two times in recent history (and we have reason to believe it happened in ancient times) when methane gas killed everyone around Lake Kivu...

In the 1960s, thousands of babies worldwide were born with physical abnormalities, and the culprit was a 'wonder drug' given to mothers who had morning sickness. Pharmaceutical companies promoting the drug Thalidomide didn't do enough testing on pregnant women before marketing their product directly to them (well, legal testing anyway; there was most likely testing in Concentration Camps during WW...

Actually, this has happened a few times! Join us as we talk through the times when planes and buildings collided in New York City! We are NOT talking about 9/11 because Taylor was there and she's just not interested in talking about it! In 2006 Yankees pitcher Cory Lidel crashed into an apartment building. In the 70s New York Airways had helicopter service from the Pan Am building to JFK that ende...

Picture it: It's 1930s Germany, and you just want to get out, so you go to a remote island in the Galapagos to start a homestead and be left alone. Then you start to get neighbors. Some are normal (babies, donkeys, etc.). But others are a wild trio of pretend aristocrats who yell and shoot into the air and really ruin the island vibe. Join us to learn the wild story about to be told in the movie E...

🚀 New Episode Alert! 🚀 Join us as we explore the tragic story of the Challenger Explosion , the space shuttle disaster that changed NASA and space exploration forever. In this episode, we delve into the moments leading up to the launch, the aftermath, and the incredible stories of the brave astronauts onboard. 🌍✨ Tune in for a deep dive into history, science, and human resilience. #Challenger...

If you haven't heard this story, don't google it! You'll never guess where it's going and the ride, the ride is wild!   Edwin Rist loved tying fishing flies, a fun craft where you have the potential to stab yourself in the finger at every turn! He just had hit the peak of his work and needed something new, something snazzy, potentially extinct. Enter the Natural History Museum at Tring - and we'll...

Let's talk about one of the worst ways to die... there are chances you've seen this graphic of how John Jones was stuck in Nutty Putty Cave... but did you know he's still there? A young father with another on the way, John made a wrong turn in Utah's Nutty Putty Cave and ended up head down in a crevice that was impossible to get him out of. For over 24 hours rescuers tried to get him out in vain,...

While reading the children's classic "Madeline," Taylor's kids asked her what an appendix is, and she had no idea. No longer classified as a vestigial structure (take that, Darwin), the appendix might help with regulating gut bacteria after an illness. We'll talk about Gabriele Falloppio, who was no doubt wrist-deep in a human body when he called the appendix worm-shaped in 1522. Claudius Amyand,...

Let's talk about more bad US presidents! This week, we talked about our 29th, Warren G. Harding. A Republican who was subtly pushed into running by the Oil industry. The goal is to send Albert Fall to the Secretary of the Interior job & sell some US Navel Reserve Oil to the only bidders. Fall got super suspiciously rich. Harding probably would have been in trouble for turning a blind eye but he di...

In our final PayPal episode, we talk about the delicious ways you can enact revenge on people if you are a billionaire. Whether it's totally shutting down a media company (even if that media company is gross and VERY early 2000s) or short-selling Tesla stock whilst you are looking Musk in the face and asking him to donate to charity. If you are rich, revenge can be piping hot.  Join our Founders C...