Rome: Empire vs Republic

Rome: Empire vs Republic

Transcript I’ve done several episodes pertaining to Ancient Rome. The reason is that so many of the foundational things in our world, from our alphabet to our calendar, to the names of our months, all can be traced back to Rome. During these episodes, I’ve often talked about the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.  …

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The History of Saint Patrick’s Day

The History of Saint Patrick's Day

Transcript Every March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. Everyone wears a lot of green, there are parades, shamrocks, and a whole lot of drinking.  But who exactly was St. Patrick? Why do we celebrate his day? And what does any of this have to do with shamrocks, drinking, and wearing green? Learn more about …

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The Mercury 13

The Mercury 13

Transcript In the late 1950s, NASA recruited military test pilots to become the very first American Astronauts.  They underwent an extensive battery of tests to find the very best astronauts for the Mercury program. These men became the Mercury 7.  However, at the same time, another round of tests was being conducted on another group …

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Operation Sealion

Operation Sealion

Transcript In the spring of 1940, the German war machine rolled over the nations of Western Europe so quickly that it surprised everyone, including the Germans.  With France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark conquered, there was only one more country left to fall: Great Britain. To topple this final domino, the German high command …

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The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

Podcast Transcript When most people think of World War II, they think of the Allied power of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, versus the Axis power of Germany, Italy, and Japan.  However, this wasn’t always the case. At the start of the war in Europe, Nazi Germany and the Soviet …

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The Wives of Henry VIII

The Wives of Henry VIII

Podcast Transcript Henry, Eighth of his name, King of England, Ireland, and Wales, and head of the House of Tudor, was one of the most significant monarchs in British history.  One of the things which made his reign so noteworthy was the controversy surrounding his wives.  His marriages completely changed the course of England and …

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The Erfurt Latrine Disaster

The Erfurt Latrine Disaster

Transcript In the year 1184 in the Dutchy of Thuringia, in what is today the country of Germany, a conflict raged between the Count of Thuringia and the Archbishop of Mainz.  To resolve this dispute, the German King Henrich VI called the parties to the city of Erfurt to settle their outstanding issues. Things did …

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What Happened on December 8, 1941?

What Happened on December 7 & 8, 1941?

Podcast Transcript Most people are probably aware of the events which took place on December 7, 1941. As Franklin Roosevelt said, “it was a day that would live in infamy.” However, the events of December 7 weren’t limited to Hawaii, and they weren’t even limited to December 7. It was part of a much larger …

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All About the Internal Combustion Engine

All About the Internal Combustion Engine

Podcast Transcript One of the technologies which helped make the modern world is the internal combustion engine. Without it, the world would be a very different place today.  Yet it wasn’t a technology that appeared fully formed. It was developed incrementally over a century. To get it to a point where it was viable for …

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