Empires, amirite? There’s nothing like an international pissing contest to stoke the fires of patriotism. There’s also nothing new about world powers finding it impossible to back down, even when the cause of conflict is completely stupid. This week, the guys jump whole hog back to the time that the US and Britain came to the brink of war over the […]
Oh, the tangled web we weave…when we con millions of people out of their money, promising heavenly rewards to them while quietly enriching ourselves and avoiding taxes. Isn’t that how the saying goes? This week, the guys explore the glorious tragedy that was Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, two of the most successful (and corrupt) televangelists of all time. Have […]
What would history be without a healthy dose of misogyny? Thanks to men, we will never know! Fortunately, some women have been such badasses that their stories cut through the static and inspire us even today. This week, the guys highlight one such heroine, the incomparable Nellie Bly–a journalist, activist, traveller and business magnate who shattered the glass ceiling in […]
If there is one thing history has taught us, it’s that you should never piss off the Germans. Mein Gott! They can hold a grudge! This week, the guys cross the ocean with the New Germany movement of the 19th Century, an ill-fated attempt by a few displaced German royals to create a German Reich inside of the Republic of […]
Well, it’s early January, so chances are you’ve already failed at maintaining your New Year’s resolutions! But don’t feel bad; you’re in great company–just about as long as there have been people, those people are mostly terrible at sticking with a plan. This week, the guys ring in the new year with a look back at the history of the […]
Ah, Christmas time! It’s a wonderful season of giving, making memories, and co-opting pagan celebrations to quash any religious expression that isn’t Christian! This week, the guys strap on some skis and slide headlong down the slippery slope of the origins of Christmas. You should be sitting down for this one, preferably in front of a warm fire, eggnog in […]
Think 2018 invented the Year of the Woman? Think again. Women have been kicking ass and taking names since before time began. This week, the guys slip into a toga and travel back to the Roman Empire of the 4th Century, where Hypatia of Alexandria exploded the cultural idea of what a woman ought to be, earning a place for […]
The holidays are here, which means it’s time to remember the reason for the season–the food! We hope you enjoy all the treats that abound, but sometime around when you’re shoveling in that fourth piece of Yule log, give a thought to whether or not your cat-lady aunt washed her hands before she made it. In the meantime, join the […]
Whoring is dangerous. Just ask Jason T. Gaffney. Or ask any of the victims of Jack the Ripper, the first serial killer to go viral. This week, the guys delve into the deep cuts of Jack’s infamous, nightmarish murder spree of 1888, from the Canonical Five to various theories of who he really was. Speaking of nightmare fuel, Jack’s identity […]
Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov was, depending on your perspective, either a visionary biologist years ahead of his time, or a despicable monkey fucker. This week, the guys explore his gory attempts in the early 20th century to create a “Humanzee,” a theoretical creature that is the result of crossbreeding of humans and chimps. As you may imagine, it doesn’t go well […]