The Last US Civil War Pension

The Last US Civil War Pension

Transcript On May 31, 2020, Irene Triplett passed away at the age of 90. Her life was rather unremarkable save for one important fact: she was the last person who received a pension from the United States government from the US Civil War. Find out how a woman who died two decades into the 21st …

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The US/Canadian Border

The US/Canadian Border

Transcript The border between the United States and Canada is the longest border between any two countries in the world. The total length of the land border is 8,891 kilometers or 5,525 miles long. In addition to being the longest border in the world, it is also the longest non-militarized and non-fenced border in the …

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Tulipmania!

Tulipmania

Transcript In the 17th century, the Netherlands was struck by the world’s first investment bubble. They weren’t investing in stocks or bonds or real estate. They were investing in…..tulip bulbs.  Tulip bulbs became a mania and even common people were spending money on tulips. The price of some tulip bulbs rose so high that at …

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The Fosbury Flop

The Fosbury Flop

Transcript At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Dick Fosbury won the Gold Medal in the men’s high jump.  He did it by jumping an Olympic record 2.24 meters or 7 feet, four inches.  What was remarkable about his accomplishment wasn’t the height he jumped, but how it did it. He didn’t just win a …

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The History of the Dollar as a Currency

The History of the Dollar as a Currency

Transcript The currency in the United States is the dollar. You probably already knew that. It is also the name of the currency in over 20 other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. What is a dollar exactly, and why is that the name of the currency in these countries?  Learn more about …

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Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Transcript In the course of doing research for shows, I often come across interesting facts that wouldn’t really make for an entire episode. They are really interesting, but I’m not sure how I could turn it into even a short daily podcast like this one.  So, the solution was to create an episode where I …

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The UNESCO World Heritage Program

The UNESCO World Heritage Program

Transcript I’m sure everyone has heard of such famous places as the Great Pyramids, the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, and the Taj Mahal.  Besides all being famous landmarks, they have something else in common. They are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  What is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and how does a site …

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Olympian George Eyser

Olympian George Eyser

Transcript Although you probably never heard of him before, American George Eyser is one of the most decorated Olympians in history. In the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, he put on one of the greatest single-day performances in Olympic History.  Yet, his real claim to fame is not what he accomplished, but how.  Learn more …

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The World’s Most Expensive Things

The World's Most Expensive Things

Transcript There is an old saying that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. But sometimes, one person’s treasure is just another person’s treasure that they can’t afford.  I’m talking about the realm of ultra-expensive items which would be more than most people would make in a lifetime. Items so expensive, that they usually make …

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