We Love The Internet: Recent Episodes
We Love The Internet
Harrison and Chris are a couple of mates that happen to also be massive nerds who love the internet. Listen to them talk about things they’ve learnt this week on the internet.
On this week’s accidental Irish special, Harrison looks at Irish neutrality during the second world war. Ireland remained neutral, but as one politician put it, neutral on the Allied side. The new country of Ireland walked a dangerous line to stay neutral but not upset too many people along the way.
Chris, meanwhile, investigates the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 and how an incredible list of missed opportunities in the run-up to the theft could potentially have stopped the thieves in their tracks. Everything isn’t as it seems however, as the jewels weren’t actually Crown Jewels like the British ones are, but listen in to find out the whole story.
Harrison’s Sources
Irish neutrality during World War II
Behind the Green Curtain: Ireland’s phoney neutrality during World War II
Ireland during the Second World War
The Emergency – A Brief Overview
Why didn't Ireland Fight in World War 2? (Short Animated Documentary)
Chris’ Sources
The Crown Jewels
The Greatest Unsolved Heist in Irish History
Dublin Metropolitan Police stolen poster
On This Day: The Irish Crown Jewels disappear from Dublin Castle in 1907
Wikipedia article on Arthur Vicars
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On this week’s episode, Chris has learnt about the different ways that the CIA attempted to assassinate Fidel Castro, all 638 of them. Well, the most interesting of the 638 attempts anyway. From the very famous exploding cigar to the slightly bonkers poisoned diving suit to the less subtle hiring of the mafia, the CIA made many attempts to get rid of the communist leader. Either they weren’t very good, or his security was excellent because he lived a very long life.
Then Harrison has learnt about the most expensive party ever thrown. In 1971, the Shah of Iran wanted to prove to the world how rich and sophisticated his country was. The preparations took more than a year and involved the building of a 1,000km highway, a 160 acre “city of tents” and an enormous food order from Paris. The party may have been a hit, but the long term consequences of the party, especially for the Shah, were severe.
Follow Up
Episode 26 - The Queen’s speech and some unusual jobs
New Zealand council ends contract with wizard after two decades of service
Episode 2: Pablo Escobar’s hippos and the most camels in the world
A herd of ‘cocaine hippos’ from Pablo Escobar’s private zoo are being sterilized
Harrison’s Sources
2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire
Cyrus Cylinder
The most expensive party ever
Decadence and Downfall: The Shah of Iran’s Ultimate Party
The Biggest Party Ever
The $22 Million Party that Overthrew an Empire
Iranian Revolution [1978–1979]
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro biography
CIA Attempted to Assassinate Fidel Castro with an Exploding Cigar
8 Bizarre Ways the CIA Tried to Kill Fidel Castro
Killing Fidel Castro: Poisoned Cigars, Explosive Seashells
Close but no cigar: how America failed to kill Fidel Castro
JFK Files: The CIA Planned To Assassinate Cuba's Fidel Castro With Exploding Seashell
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This week, Harrison tells the spooky tail of London’s Necropolis Railway, a rather unusual solution to London’s problem in the mid 1800’s of having simply too many dead people. A company was established that would provide a full service railway funeral, taking the body and mourners from Waterloo to their picturesque cemetery in Surrey. It’s creators confidently predicted that it would be able to bury all of London’s dead for hundreds of years and bury more than 50 million people in 100 years. Listen in to find out how they did (spoiler alert, not well).
Then Chris has learnt about War Plan Red, America’s plan to invade Canada that was drawn up in 1930. Imagine it, what if three allies - the United States, United Kingdom and Canada decided to go to war? Well, War Plan Red really focused on the US invading Canada in order to stop the British in their tracks. This episode also includes Canada’s plan to invade the US (they were all at it!) so clearly in between the world wars, the major western powers were very jittery around each other. Fortunately that is no longer the case today…
Harrison’s Sources
London Necropolis Railway
London Necropolis railway station
London Necropolis Railway - From Waterloo to eternity and back
The London Railway of the Dead - YouTube - Tom Scott
LONDON NECROPOLIS RAILWAY: TRAINS FOR THE DEAD
This abandoned railway was London's train for the dead
Chris’ Sources
That Time the U.S. Almost Went to War With Canada
The secret Canadian plan to invade the US
War Plan Red
When, Why, and How did the United States enter WW2? The Date America Joins the Party
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Chris discovered the time that the Imperial Japanese Navy flooded Nagasaki when they launched the largest battleship - the Musashi - to ever sail the seas. Whilst the Japanese engineers managed to stop the ship just one metre past the point they thought it would roll off its dry-dock, they failed to account for the tidal wave it would create. Also in this episode, you’ll find out all about NATO’s floppy magnets. That’s right, at the height of the Cold War, just after the Cuban Missile Crisis, NATO decided they needed a simple and effective means of tracking Soviet submarines. Only, the idea that was dreamt up was a little too efficient…
Meanwhile Harrison has been looking in to the history of coffee. From the origin of the plants that give us the coffee beans to the culture that’s grown up around coffee and the influences it’s had throughout history. Learn why beans smuggled in a bouquet of flowers are today responsible for 39% of beans grown in 2020, how coffee houses were known as penny universities and how the punishment for being caught drinking a cup of coffee involved a cudgel, a sack and a river. Charming!
Chris’ Sources
4 military fails so awful they’re actually hilarious
Japan's WW2 'Musashi battleship wreck found'
Japanese battleship Musashi
NATO Bombed Soviet Submarines With Tiny, Annoying Magnets
Royal Navy plan to hunt Russian submarines with magnets was TOO successful
Harrison’s Sources
Coffee - Wikipedia
The Coffee Bean Belt
Coffee: The Greatest Addiction Ever - YouTube
The History of Coffee - NCAUSA
History of Coffee - Brewing Controversy - YouTube
History of Coffee - Global Addiction - YouTube
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Harrison investigates the British Interplanetary Society which was found in 1933 and is the world’s longest established organisation devoted solely to supporting and promoting the exploration of space and astronautics. It seems likely that because of this incredible society, Britain could have been first to the moon after World War II, if the country hadn’t been completely broke and on its knees. Join us on a voyage of discovery!
Chris meanwhile learns about the blue people of Kentucky. Through incredibly bad luck, Martin Fugate, a Frenchman who emigrated to the United States in 1820 married a woman who had the same regressive gene that coloured his skin blue. Over 150 years, inbreeding and lack of understanding, the gene meant multiple generations of the Fugate’s and three other families in one small area of Kentucky suffered with blue skin, marking them out as different. Fortunately modern science came to the rescue…
BBC News - Charles and Diana's wedding cake slice sells for £1,850
Harrison’s Sources
Episode 5: Typhoid Mary and all about spacesuits
Episode 68 - Zambia’s astronauts and the Battle for Castle Itter
British Interplanetary Society - Wikipedia
The British Interplanetary Society
The BIS Lunar Spaceship
How a Nazi rocket could have put a Briton in space
Space Suit: 1949 - Wired
The BIS Lunar Spacesuit - National Space Centre
The Lunar Space Suit
The Long-Forgotten History of the British Moon Spacesuit
Chris’ Sources
What Scientists Found After Analyzing Cases of Inbreeding in the UK
Wikipedia article on Methemoglobinemia
The Fugate Family of Kentucky Had Blue Skin For Generations
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It’s time for another mini facts special! The boys have both found 10 fun facts that weren’t quite enough to fill an entire episode, but are still very interesting. very funny or perhaps both at once!
Learn about a man who massively over paid for a curry, the reason we hear a count down before a rocket launch, the most rigged election in history and what makes British tanks unique in the world. All of this and more in this week’s episode.
Chris’ Sources
Old, Weird Tech: Parachuting Sheep Edition
The Hottest Inhabited Place On Earth Will Dazzle You With Its Bright Yellow-Green colours
How One Inventor Tried to Save America—With Roller Coasters
Queen Elizabeth's 'body double' has been kept a secret from public for 30 years
Why USA Started A $100000 Bill And What Happened To It?
NASA Stole the Rocket Countdown From a 1929 Fritz Lang Film
The Origin of the Eiffel Tower
Number of visitors to the Eiffel Tower in Paris from 2011 to 2019
BBC Countryfile visits the Royal Dairy at Windsor Castle
20 UK Tea Industry Statistics and Trends
Care for a spot of tea? British Tanks double as tea-making facilities
Did you know all British tanks have been equipped with tea making facilities since the end of World War II?
The Cat Telephone
William McKinley Gave Away His Good Luck Charm (And Died)
Harrison’s Sources
The 1927 Presidential Elections
1927 Liberian general election
Jean de Selys Longchamps
The crazy-but-true story of a WWII fighter pilot who said his artificial legs saved his life
Funny story of WW2 pilot Sir Douglas Bader resurfaces
Rasputin and the Empress
All persons fictitious disclaimer
North-east business owner’s shock after customer pays £1m for three-course meal
Woman Accidentally Enters Her PIN as a Tip on Restaurant Terminal, Is Now Out $7,732
50 Things About Europe You Never Knew
Why Winter Olympic Athletes Are Getting More Condoms Than Ever Before
Ex-long jump star Susen Tiedtke spills sex secrets of Olympic village with noisy romps keeping athletes up all night
ATHLETES GIVEN “ANTI-SEX” BEDS AT THE TOKYO OLYMPIC VILLAGE
Tokyo Olympics athletes warned not to use 160,000 free condoms
Man who never wanted to ride in fighter jet accidentally ejects himself
They're just loco - Britain's most bizarre train stations
Weird Football Facts
11 Unfortunate or Strange Football Facts
Chart of the day: You're probably not afraid of Australia's deadliest animals
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This week, Chris checks out the time that the United States Postal Service decided that delivering their mail by cruise missile should be a thing. We kid you not, they actually launched 3000 letters from a US Navy submarine for delivery to the US President amongst others. The boys aren’t sure it was a very viable plan as launching the missile in 1955 cost US$267,000. Still, it helped the US Navy flex in the face of the Soviets during the Cold War!
Harrison meanwhile discovers the completely bonkers sequel to the 101 Dalmatians called ‘The Starlight Barking‘. You might think it would involve 102 dalmatians, but how wrong you would be. When the world’s people are put to sleep by a super dog, every dog on the planet has super powers! They don’t need to drink or eat, can communicate with each other telepathically and have assumed the roles their owners had in the British government. Suffice to say, Disney have never actually made this story into a movie, but come with us on a magical journey of discovery to find out if Dodie Smith was on LSD when she wrote it.
Chris’ Sources
Enduring Stockpile
Bombs Dropped On Vietnam Compared To WW2
Here Is What Each Of The Pentagon's Air-Launched Missiles And Bombs Actually Cost
Congreve rocket
Stephen Smith (aerospace engineer)
Mail Delivered by Regulus Missile
Regulus I
Astronautix.com Regulus I
That Time the U.S. Postal Service Tried Delivering Mail By Missile
Harrison’s Sources
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
The Starlight Barking
Weirdest sequel ever? The Starlight Barking, Dodie Smith
So, most people are unaware that One Hundred and One Dalmatians, the novel, has a bonkers sequel called The Starlight Barking…
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This week’s episode is a corker. Harrison delves into the post-colonial world of the Zambian Afronauts. That’s right, whilst the Cold War was raging and both the Americans and Soviets were throwing everything, including the kitchen sink at getting a man on the moon, the possibly most unlikely nation on earth decided to throw its hat into the ring. Well, more specifically, Edward Mukuka Nkoloso wanted to put Zambians on the moon and Mars! It’s a crazy story that involves the budding afronauts being pushed down hills in oil barrels and swung from trees in tyres to simulate the lack of gravity on the celestial bodies. You have to listen to believe it.
Chris meanwhile relays the story of the only documented time that the Americans fought side-by-side with the Germans during World War II to defend a number of high-profile French VIPs from certain death at the hands of the SS. If the story of the Battle for Castle Itter wasn’t true, it could easily have been thought up by a budding Hollywood screenwriter, it’s so strange. In the dying days of World War II, a German Wehrmacht unit of roughly 20 men and just seven Americans battled through the night to save the VIPs. A possibly stranger tale doesn’t exist from World War II!
Harrison’s Sources
Zambia
The Time When Zambia Tried To Go To Mars
Afronauts – Zambia’s Space Program
The Zambian “Afronaut” Who Wanted to Join the Space Race
Meet ‘The Afronauts’: An Introduction to Zambia’s Forgotten 1960s Space Program
Image of the News Article
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on Battle of Castle Itter
The Battle for Castle Itter
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Following on from last week’s episode, Chris stays in Martinique, the beautiful Caribbean island, but turns to a dark tale when 30,000 people died on the French island in minutes. The year was 1902 and Mt. Pelee erupted at 7:52am on 8 May. There were just three known survivors - a little girl who was found floating out at sea some time after the eruption, someone the authorities labelled a “madman” and promptly armed with a gun and a hardened criminal who survived a flash temperature rise to 1000 degrees centigrade inside his prison cell. This story has it all!
Harrison meanwhile focused on the incredible story of the African American civil rights leader, Megdar Evers, who was assassinated on 12 June 1963, aged just 37 years old. He is perhaps not as well known as other leaders who gave their life, but we think he should be. Medgar worked to desegregate schools and to bring attention to cases of inequality. For this he was shot in the back outside his home, and his killer was thrown a parade after being let off twice.
Chris’ Sources
Lonely Planet article on Martinique
Lonely Planet article on St-Pierre
The Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris
Saint-Pierre and the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris
Wikipedia article on Ludger Sylbaris
Mt. Pelee Eruption (1902)
Léon Compère-Léandre
Wikipedia article on Mount Pelée
Harrison’s Sources
The Assassination of Medgar Evers - A Hero Silenced - Extra History
MEDGAR EVERS - NAACP
Medgar Evers - Wikipedia
Civil rights leader Medgar Evers is assassinated
Medgar Evers - FBI History
NAACP
Myrlie Evers-Williams
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This week, Harrison has returned to Chris’ topic from episode 23, famous idioms and where they come from. Ever wondered why we talk about Crocodile tears, running amok, winning hands down or turning a blind eye? Well listen to this episode and wonder no longer!
Chris meanwhile discovers the incredible story of Diamond Rock, a few kilometres off the coast of the Caribbean island of Martinique which is a part of France. During the Napoleonic Wars, the British Navy took it upon itself to take over the tiny rock, commission it as a stone frigate (a land-based naval facility) and station cannons all over it. Due the location of the rock, it meant the British sailors stationed on there spent 17 months harrying any enemy shipping attempting to head to Martinique. When the French and Spanish finally sent a combined fleet to deal with the pesky British sailors, they took heavy losses and sailed away when they heard Nelson was in the area hunting for them.
The best bit? When the British Navy commissioned the location, it turned into HMS Diamond Rock, which all Royal Navy ships are required to salute when the pass. We love the British and their arcane ways!
Harrison’s Sources
Episode 23 - Idioms and where they come from plus the Aussie emu war
14 Expressions with Origins that You Would Never Have Guessed
13 English Expressions with Surprisingly Funny Origins
10 Common Sayings With Historical Origins
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
EVER WONDER ABOUT CROCODILE TEARS?
Chris’ Sources
Are Diamonds Actually Unbreakable?
De Beers’ most famous ad campaign marked the entire diamond industry
Brilliant Under Pressure: The Global Diamond Industry 2020–21
Martinique: overseas department, France
Napoleonic Wars
Diamond Rock
Battle of Diamond Rock
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This week on the internet, Chris learns about the time when a Soviet air force pilot defected to Japan with an at the time state of the art MiG-25 that the Americans and their allies were desperate to get their hands on. From flying blind, to landing at a civilian airport with too short a runway to accommodate the warplane through the Japanese finally crating up and sending back the fighter jet and charging the Soviets for the pleasure. This story has it all!
Harrison meanwhile discovers three costly construction cock-ups! The first building created a death ray that caused havoc on the streets of London as cars were slightly melted and one man’s welcome mat was slightly scorched. Then there is the New York skyscraper that could have toppled over, had an engineering student not realised that the designers had messed up their maths. Finally the airport in Berlin that was delayed for nearly 10 years because of thousands of problems and finally opened right in the middle of the Coronavirus lockdown!
Chris’ Sources
The pilot who stole a secret Soviet fighter jet
Cold War
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Viktor Belenko
INTELLIGENCE: Bonanza or Bust?
Defection of Viktor Belenko
Harrison’s Sources
Most Expensive Construction Mistakes in the World - Youtube
20 Fenchurch Street
Did British weather save the day from Walkie Talkie ‘death ray’?
Citigroup Center
The Design Flaw That Almost Wiped Out an NYC Skyscraper
Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Berlin Brandenburg: The airport with half a million faults
Why Berlin's 15 Year-Old Airport has Never Had a Flight - Youtube
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In this episode, Harrison learns about the historic character, Lord Timothy Dexter. Dexter was either a lucky eccentric or a man who knew just what he was doing and had a longing to be accepted by American high society. Despite investing hugely in goods that many people thought were completely pointless and would undoubtedly lose him money, Dexter always seemed to come out on top, earning huge amounts of money. He never found the social acceptance he craved so badly though.
Chris meanwhile discovered the lives of three women who really should be more famous than they are. From Agent 355 who was a spy during the American Revolutionary War between American and Britain, to Hedy Lamarr who was a Hollywood actress and the “Mother of WiFi” to Violet Jessop who managed to survive three significant ships sinking, including the RMS Titanic. These women aren’t known to the majority of people, but really should be!
Harrison’s Sources
Timothy Dexter
The Strange Life of 'Lord' Timothy Dexter
Timothy Dexter, the Ridiculous Millionaire Who Sold Coals to Newcastle
Project Gutenberg's A Pickle For The Knowing Ones, by Lord Timothy Dexter
Chris’s Sources
Agent 355: Female Spy Who Changed the Course of the American Revolution
Wikipedia article on Agent 355
Wikipedia article on Benedict Arnold
Wikipedia article on HMS Jersey
Hedy Lamarr
Wikipedia article on Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr official website
This Woman Survived The Sinking Of The Titanic — And Its Two Sister Ships
Wikipedia article on Violet Jessop
Wikipedia article on the RMS Olympic
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On this week's episode, Chris has found out about some of the innovations that came from Tuberculosis. It may surprise, or disgust you, to learn how ice cream used to be served. Warning, don't listen whilst eating or before consuming ice cream. We can't be held responsible for the results!
Then Harrison has been learning about the worst of the worst of Roman Emperors. Lots of murdering, spending huge amounts of money on foolish things, ego the size of mountains and lots and lots of sexy time. What more could you ask?
This week Harrison found out all about Freeborn John Lilburne, a stubborn son of a gun that Chris has decided is his new hero. As well as taking a castle after his superior officer told him not to, he was thrown in jail many many times, often after the court had released him on the promise that he’d keep out of trouble. He didn’t. He fought for the rights of thee people, standing up for what he called their freeborn rights. The right to keep silent and not incriminate yourself being prime among them. If you’re recently heard the “Miranda Rights” on a tv show or movie, you have John to thank for them!
Chris meanwhile learnt about the fire that burnt down the British Parliament in 1834. Various architects had warned for years that if a fire started in Parliament, it would almost certainly rage out of control. Of course no one listened and that’s exactly what happened when the Clark of Works ordered that a large number of tally sticks be burned on 16 October 1834. The fire might have been stopped if only someone had paid attention to the heat and smoke rising into the House of Lords from the furnaces below the floor…
Harrison’s Sources
John Lilburne
John Bastwick
Star Chamber
John Lilburne - English politician
Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Self-Incrimination
FREE-BORN JOHN
John Lilburne and Habeas Corpus | History - The Strange Case of the Law
The Remarkable John Lilburne | Michael Braddick
How Much Do We Owe to John Lilburne Today? | Michael Braddick
Facts and Case Summary - Miranda v. Arizona
Chris’s Sources
Birth of the English Parliament
Houses of Parliament
The architects: Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin
Destruction by fire, 1834
Tally stick
16 October 1834: Houses of Parliament burn down
The Fire of 1834 and the Old Palace of Westminster
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In this episode Chris learns about a cyber-attack that occurred in France in 1834. Whilst computers didn’t exist at the time, the French government did utilise a network of towers called the ‘Semaphore Network’ to relay messages across the country. At the time sending letters via horses and carriages was the norm so the semaphore network was an incredible invention that enabled messages to be sent at incredible speed. However, just like any technology, people have a way of corrupting it. In this case, a couple of brothers managed to make it work for them, making them lots of money in the process.
Harrison meanwhile discovers a number of bomb scares with happy endings. You might not consider bomb scares to be funny experiences, but sometimes it turns out that way. What if it wasn’t really a WWII bomb that the old man found in his garden or a grenade on a path in the woods. Tune in to find out now!
Chris’ Sources
Cyber Attack Definition
The Morris Worm - 30 Years Since First Major Attack on the Internet
Claude Chappe
How the world’s first “cyberattack” looked 200 years ago
The crooked timber of humanity
Inc.com article on the Blanc brothers
Harrison’s Sources
Hazardous grenade found in German forest turns out to be hazardous grenade-shaped butt plug
Huge Butt Plug Sparks Grenade Scare in Germany
WWII bomb scare leads police to big zucchini
Watch This Serious News Anchor Try To Report On Funny Bathroom 'Bomb Scare'
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Harrison and Chris decided to try another mini-facts episode, after the success of the last one during episode 50.
This time, the boys range from Marie Curie’s radioactive belongings through the small farming town of Quincy, Florida that at one time was the richest place in the United States per capita to why Queen Elizabeth can’t sit on the Game of Thrones Iron Throne. It’s spectacular stuff so listen now to laugh your way through 20 completely random facts!
Chris’ Sources
What Can 28,000 Rubber Duckies Lost at Sea Teach Us About Our Oceans?
NYC Has Its Own Ant, the “ManhattAnt”
Frisbee golf inventor's dying wish / He wants his ashes molded into memorial discs
The Man Responsible for the Modern Frisbee Design and the “Father of Disc Golf” was Cremated and Had His Ashes Molded Into Frisbees
Marie Curie's Belongings Will Be Radioactive For Another 1,500 Years
Why people used to look so serious in photos but now have big smiles
The Town of Coca-Cola Millionaires
New Clue May Be the Key to Cracking CIA Sculpture’s Final Puzzling Passage
Documents Reveal How the NSA Cracked the Kryptos Sculpture Years Before the CIA
The Crazy Reason Queen Elizabeth Couldn't Sit on the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones
"The average South Korean is 3 inches taller than the average North Korean, a huge gulag."
Funeral Music Chart 2019
Harrison’s Sources
Polls of Future Past: Public Expectations for the Future of Science
Thomas Fitzpatrick (pilot)
You won't believe where McDonald's opened its first drive-thru
The Man Buried in a Pringles Can
Berwick-upon-Tweed’s ‘War with Russia’
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
US Navy Naval Sea Systems Command Report on the Salvage of the Space Shuttle Challenger Wreckage
Saints and Sinners - Robert Liston
How William Wrigley invented direct marketing
Who is Beverly, anyway? (Beverly Hills Centennial: The history)
I would like to retain ‘fart in your general direction’
P.S. This is my favorite memo ever
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Chris finds out about 35 horrific axe murders that happened in the American south in the early 1910s. The febrile rumours that spread at the time say they involved a Voodoo priestess, a reverend and the Church of Sacrifice. But was the real killer ever found…?
Harrison meanwhile discovers an incredible airline hijack in 1970. A bunch of Japanese students that were members of the Red Army Faction of the Communist League tried to fly the plane to Cuba. The only problem was they hijacked a regional jet that could never make it across the Pacific Ocean. Not to be outdone, they demanded the plane was flown to North Korea and that’s when the real drama started.
Chris’ Sources
Brits' beliefs about God(s)
Wikipedia article about Clementine Barnabet
Daily Signal reporting
Lafayette Advertiser reporting
The Federal Writers Project
The 'Voodoo' Murders of Clementine Barnabet, Who Claimed to Have Killed 35 People
Harrison’s Sources
Destination Pyongyang: the Yodo hijacking incident, 50 years on
Japanese Jet Is Hijacked But Lands Safely at Seoul
Japan Airlines Flight 351
Boeing 727
Japanese Red Army
Japanese hijackers go home after 32 years on the run
Former Red Army Faction leader Takaya Shiomi dies, aged 76
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This week Harrison learns about Devil’s Porridge, the name given to Cordite by Arthur Conan Doyle. Cordite was instrumental to success on the front lines during World War One, and with all of the men on the front line, the dirty and dangerous work fell on the women. Production had to be done by hand and often resulted in accidents and death.
Then Chris has learnt about the night of the horrified sheep, in fact, two nights! Mysteriously, in the middle of the night, thousands of sheep absolutely lost their shit, and no one is entirely sure why. Of course, that didn’t stop several people putting forward their own theories, including thick darkness!
Harrison’s Sources
Uncovering the stories of the 'Devil's Porridge' mixers
The Devil’s Porridge Museum
The Devils Porridge
Battle of Aubers
Shell Crisis of 1915
Cordite
HM Factory, Gretna
ROF Bishopton
Chris’ Sources
Understanding the stress response
Man, 82, killed after being attacked by cows
Sheep in the UK
An Introduction to Sheep Behavior
Charles Fort
The Mysterious Oxfordshire Sheep Panic of 1888
The Strange Case of the Great Sheep Panics of Oxfordshire
Sheep Panics
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Chris’ Sources
Fighting Jack Churchill
Wikipedia article on Jack Churchill
‘Mad’ Jack Churchill – The Only Man To Kill An Enemy Soldier With A Longbow In WW2
Harrison’s Sources
The Female Programmers Who Put Men on the Moon
Margaret Hamilton: ‘They worried that the men might rebel. They didn’t’
Margaret Hamilton Led the NASA Software Team That Landed Astronauts on the Moon
Her Code Got Humans on the Moon—And Invented Software Itself
Margaret Hamilton (software engineer) - Wikipedia
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Harrison’s Sources
Casablanca Conference
Operation Barclay
Trout memo
John Henry Godfrey
Ian Fleming
Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat: How a dead tramp fooled Hitler
What was Operation Mincemeat?
Chris’ Sources
Solar Storm and Space Weather - Frequently Asked Questions
Northern Lights Likely This Week As Strongest ‘Solar Storm’ Yet In Sun’s Cycle Kicks-Off ‘Aurora Season’
Richard Christopher Carrington
A Perfect Solar Superstorm: The 1859 Carrington Event
We’re Overdue For The 150-year Carrington Event
New Study Suggests Solar Storm in 1967 Nearly Caused Nuclear War
The May 1967 great storm and radio disruption event: Extreme space weather and extraordinary responses
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Chris learns about a fire that has been burning for the past 59 years and is predicted to burn for between another 100-250 years. The mad thing is, it could have been completely avoided if a certain city council didn’t dump rubbish down a mine shaft and then purposely set fire to it… In real terms, it means a city in Pennsylvania has been all-but abandoned, whilst graffiti artists have covered the local highway in, well, graffiti!
Meanwhile, Harrison found out about an audacious World War II plan dreamt up by the British secret service called ‘Operation Mincemeat’. This wartime mission was so insane, Harrison has decided to split his part of the podcast across two episodes!
Harrison’s Sources
Casablanca Conference
Operation Barclay
Trout memo
John Henry Godfrey
Ian Fleming
Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat: How a dead tramp fooled Hitler
What was Operation Mincemeat?
Chris’ Sources
Mining
Total assets of BHP from 2009 to 2020
Coal and Air Pollution
Coal Fatalities for 1900 Through 2020
Who Were the Molly Maguires?
A Town with a Hot Problem Decides Not to Move Mountains but to Move Itself
A Walk in the Woods (book)
This Mine Fire Has Been Burning For Over 50 Years
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In this episode, Harrison learns about a Geoffrey Pyke, also know as Churchill’s Snowman. Pyke was British and can somewhat charitably be called eccentric, but he had many ideas that whilst at first view might seem completely insane - such as building a 2km long aircraft carrier out of ice that could let WWII bombers take off and land - he was clearly a clever guy. It’s a real shame the British don’t take strange ideas more seriously.
Chris meanwhile discovered the time that a bunch of Russian “Cossacks” who weren’t Cossacks at all invaded and tried to colonise a part of Africa, which at the time was colonised by the French. After about a month, the French lost their patience and sent in a flotilla of gunboats. Best of all the rag-tag army of Cossacks was led by a 23 year old Russian who until his African adventure had the ear of Czar Alexander III. The late 19th century was a strange time.
Harrison’s Sources
Geoffrey Pyke
Pykrete
Geoffrey Nathaniel Pyke; 1894 -1948
Geoffrey Pyke: The man behind the 'iceberg aircraft carrier'
Geoffrey Pyke - Inventor, genius, fugitive, spy
Chris’ Sources
There Are Only 22 Countries in the World That the British Haven’t Invaded
How Russian 'Cossacks' tried to conquer Africa
The Half-Cocked Cossack
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This week, Chris has learnt about the truly horrific winter of 1948/1949, that saw the American government send thousands of people to clear snow and ice and rebuild the infrastructure that was destroyed by three months of snow. Chris tells us a few stories involving cows, dynamite and an unusual trip to a hospital.
Then Harrison has been learning about crime in Japan, specifically bank robberies. Japan has the lowest murder rate in the world and some of the lowest crime rates, but that only means that when such things as bank robberies happen, they are quite remarkable. Learn how 3 robberies occurred, one with a note, one with a gun and some bandages and one with some pills and an armband.
Harrison’s Sources
Crime in Japan
300 million yen robbery
Who was the mysterious motorcyclist behind infamous Japanese heist? After 50 years, the case remains unsolved
Biggest Bank Heist Ever in Japan
A Cost-Savings Measure Carries $5.4 Million Tab
Robbers Send Thank You Note
The Mystery of Mass Cyanide Poisoning and Bank Robbery in Japan
Sadamichi Hirasawa
Chris’ Sources
Snow at Heathrow and Gatwick ruins plans of thousands
Passengers suffer on trains stuck in Channel Tunnel
Average Temperatures for Nebraska in December
Average Temperatures for Wyoming in December
Average Temperatures for Colorado in December
Historical Vignette 122 - Operation Snowbound
Freezing, hungry and trapped: 1949 blizzard left thousands stranded
The Notorious Blizzard of 1949
For Texas, The Worst Of The Weather Has Passed, But Water Is Still A Big Problem
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Harrison builds on Chris’ British royal family focus by finding out which royals have actual jobs. Take for example, young Prince Nikolai of Denmark - he’s seventh in line to the throne so doesn’t get access to the royal purse. What’s the solution? Go and be a model. Chris wasn’t impressed…
Chris meanwhile learns about the creepy practice (to modern ears at least) of creating death masks. These masks were created generally within hours of a person’s death and then used to display around the home, or create statues based on their likeness. Perhaps unsurprisingly Madame Tussaud got her start by making death masks, though she perhaps didn’t really want to do so.
Harrison’s Sources
Members of the world's royal families who work for a living
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
Meet the King of Rwanda who lives in a council house in Manchester
Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece
Prince Nikolai of Denmark
Chris’ Sources
The Crazy True History Of Death Masks
Tutankhamun
Madame Tussauds history
Wikipedia article on Marie Tussaud
Turns Out, CPR Doll’s Face Is A Copy Of 19th Century Drowned Woman’s Face
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This week, Chris has been looking in to the procedures and processes that will happen when the Queen dies. This includes a period of national mourning when no comedy will be played on the BBC and mournful music only will be heard on the radio. It may surprise you to hear that he has some Thoughts on this!
Then Harrison tells the story of what is considered to be the worst corporate giveaway in history. One so bad it took a company that had entered the lexicon in the UK, and brought it to its knees. It was an offer too good to be true, in so many ways.
Chris’ Sources
Queen Victoria
Royal record: How long has Queen Elizabeth II been on the throne? Extraordinary milestone
Justin Welby: I hope I do not oversee Queen's funeral
Most currencies featuring the same individual
Britain’s new plastic banknotes will cost 50% more to make—but at least they’ll fit in your wallet
What will happen when the Queen dies?
Britain’s TV and Radio Stations Already Have a Meticulous Plan for Queen Elizabeth II’s Death
The military drill that sparked WhatsApp rumours of Queen's death
Harrison’s Sources
Generic trademark
Hoover free flights promotion
The worst sales promotion in history
Hoover's free flights fiasco recalled
That time hoover accidentally cost itself almost £50,000,000 by giving away free flights with the purchase of a vacuum cleaner
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This week, to celebrate the podcast reaching 50 episodes, Harrison and Chris have each put together a list of 10 mini facts they’ve discovered whilst researching topics from the last year.
These are all things that are not quite enough for an entire episode on their own, but were just too funny or interesting to leave out! Learn about the president who liked to hide from his secret service agents, the festival that involves jumping over children, a Chinese general who defeated an army with only a lute and the story of the pink lake pictured above.
Thank you so much for your support for the last 50 episodes of We Love The Internet, here’s to 50 more!
Chris’ Sources
John F. Kennedy Podium
Apollo 11: 'The greatest single broadcast in television history'
Meet the first man who ‘peed’ on moon! He is not Neil Armstrong
Why Doesn't Artificial Banana Flavor Taste Like Bananas?
10 Most Bizarre Festivals in The World
Look Inside Spain’s Unusual Baby Jumping Festival
Polar Bears: Is climate change putting them risk of Arctic extinction?
Will I die if I eat polar bear liver?
MIT Has Had a Secret Pirate Program This Whole Time
How Lobster Got Fancy
Why This Company Sent Poop to 30,000 People for Black Friday
Lake Hillier: Australia's Pink Lake and the Story Behind It
Why does Hawaii’s flag include the Union Flag?
The Word "Quarantine" Comes from the Italian Word "Forty Days"
Black Death
Harrison’s Sources
The Time Julius Caesar Was Captured by Pirates
U.S. President Calvin Coolidge Buzzed His Bodyguards, Then Hid Under His Desk
Lyndon Johnson Liked Taking His Advisors Out For Joyrides That Ended With This Terrifying Prank
This mystery writers' prank would make an incredible sociological experiment
In 1866, 80 men went to war — this is why 81 came home
How accurate is the assertion that Britain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world?
Mithridates VI Eupator
EMPTY FORT STRATEGY
Koalas make a monkey out of the police
The fastest red card in football
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In this episode Chris explores Ida Wood’s life (pictured above). Ida was one of New York’s socialites from around 1857 through to 1907 when she suddenly disappeared and subsequently lived life as a hermit with her sister and daughter in the Herald Square Hotel. That was until 24 years later when Ida’s sister became sick and she sought help. What became clear was Ida was an extremely wealthy women, but essentially lived in squalor. It’s a fascinating tale of one woman doing what she thought was best to hang onto her wealth.
Harrison meanwhile investigates Ernest Hemingway’s crazy life, from fighting with the French Resistance during WWII behind enemy lines to living through two plane crashes in two days (and escaping of the planes by smashing his head against the jammed door!). Unfortunately for the accomplished writer, depression, or his “Black Dog” as he called it, stalked him and eventually caused him to commit suicide. A terribly sad end for such an incredible force of nature.
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on Ida Wood
Wikipedia article on Benjiman Wood
Earl of Crawford
Benjamin Wood
Panic of 1907
The story of the rich New York socialite who hid in a hotel room for 24 years
How Ida Wood Talked Her Way Into The Manhattan Elite But Died 'The Recluse Of Herald Square'
Everything Was Fake but Her Wealth
Fascinating Ida – Frank McNally on the continued story of Ida Wood, a rich recluse who hid her humble Irish origins
Harrison’s Sources
22 Facts About Ernest Hemingway
10 Surprising Facts About Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway - Britannica Biography
45 Macho Facts About Ernest Hemingway
Five Fascinating Facts about Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway - Wikipedia
Death in the Afternoon
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How long do you think the shortest war in history was? You’ll probably be surprised to learn that it came in between 38 and 45 minutes! In this episode, Harrison finds out about the time the British went to war with the Zanzibar in 1896, against a group of unprepared locals, making it history’s shortest war.
Chris meanwhile discovered the time that German saboteurs bombed New York, resulting in the loss of five lives. What was extraordinary was the explosions didn’t kill more people and although the Americans later joined World War I in support of the Allies, it wasn’t because of this terrorist incident.
Harrison’s Sources
List of conflicts by duration
Reconquista
Sultanate of Zanzibar
Anglo-Zanzibar War
Khalid bin Barghash of Zanzibar
HHS Glasgow
Why the Shortest War in History Lasted 38 Minutes
Chris’ Sources
September 11 Attacks
7 July London bombings: What happened that day?
Count Johann von Bernstorff, Ambassador and Spymaster
1915 Vanceboro international bridge bombing
Black Tom explosion
The Black Tom Explosion
In 1916, German Terrorists Launched an Attack on American Soil
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Chris learns about ‘Death by GPS’ with some quite incredible stories of people who have followed their GPS past any reasonable point. Whilst fortunately not all the people involved in the stories have died because of their actions, it’s a timely reminder to keep your eyes on the road and remember that when you’re driving you need to use your brain too!
Harrison meanwhile found out about the world’s most dangerous world record. Whilst for the majority of the time the record might have been contested by professional teams of speed freaks, this world record was last broken in 1978 by an Aussie who built a boat in his back yard. Can you guess what we’re talking about yet?
How Amazon's Super-Complex Shipping System Works
Chris’ Sources
Death by GPS
Sat-nav sends Swedish tourists to wrong end of Italy after Capri spelling mistake
Women trust GPS, drive SUV into Mercer Slough
Cops: Driver was following GPS in crash off bridge that killed wife
Damaged NW Indiana bridge’s replacement opens 11 years later
Driver followed satnav to edge of 100ft drop
GPS Tracking Disaster: Japanese Tourists Drive Straight into the Pacific
Harrison’s Sources
Water speed record
HD-4
Garfield Wood
Henry Segrave
Malcolm Campbell
Donald Campbell
Stanley Sayres
John Cobb (racing driver)
Ken Warby
This is the Most Dangerous World Record to Beat
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In this episode, Harrison learnt about the time that the worldwide courier company, UPS, shipped two whales from Taiwan to Atlanta, Georgia. Overnight. Yep, they shipped two whale sharks over night. How insane is that!
Chris meanwhile found at about the time in 1814 that the British attacked, ransacked and burnt all the government buildings to the ground in Washington DC. It remains the only time that a foreign power has occupied the United States capital city. We somewhat believe it will never happen again either!
Harrison’s Sources
That Time When UPS Overnight Shipped a Whale in the Mail
A shark whale of a time with UPS
Georgia Aquarium Whale Sharks Receive Special UPS Delivery; Two Resident Male Whale Sharks are Joined by Two Females
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on the United States Capitol
The First Cornerstone
U.S. Capitol Building
Why Is The War Of 1812 Considered a Second American Revolution?
Robert Ross (British Army officer)
Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet
Joshua Barney
The Tornado That Saved Washington
Welcome to our first episode of 2021 and what a treat we have for you! Chris learns about the often times crazy gifts world leaders get each other. If you’re the French President, what do you get Queen Elizabeth II, a women who wants for nothing? Why a large wine cooler/table in the guise of a massive grasshopper of course! What about when two long-standing enemies, America and Russia meet? Potatoes from Idaho of course.
Harrison meanwhile found out all about a genius grandfather who broke a US state lottery, winning an estimated $26m over a number of years for his syndicate. How did he do it? Maths of course! The craziest thing about the whole story is that the company running the lottery were quite happy with the situation. That is until the media blew the whole thing wide open.
Chris’ Sources
How much do we spend at Christmas?
Christmas Spending Survey 2019 - Results and Statistics
Button gaffe embarrasses Clinton
Vladimir Putin given a puppy during trip to Bulgaria
Puppy diplomacy: Japan hopes to win Vladimir Putin over with Akita Inu dog
Grrr! Russia's Putin gets tiger cub for birthday
Oops! Mali family cooks and eats Francois Hollande's gift camel
Mali gives Hollande new camel after first one eaten by caretakers
North Korean museum shows off leaders' gifts
Queensland's prickly royal wedding gift
Weird and wonderful gifts given to the Queen
John Kerry gives Sergei Lavrov two large Idaho potatoes
Harrison’s Sources
Episode 34 - Darwin Awards and a granny who killed a country’s internet access
The Mathematical Loophole that Broke the Lottery
The Lottery Hackers - Huffington Post
How a retired couple found lottery odds in their favor
Episode 33 - Halifax explosion and the Olympic skier who played the system
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I’m sure we can all agree 2020 hasn’t been the best of years, and that’s an understatement, but Harrison found 20 great things that did happen this year and tells us all about them in this end of year episode. Everything from a whale’s tail sculpture saving a train from crashing over the end of the line to conjoined twins, Ervina and Prefina, being separated at a hospital in the Vatican City. Inspiring stuff!
Chris meanwhile follows on from the special Christmas episode by find out what bonkers New Year’s traditions people around the world do to celebrate seeing in the new year. From Colombians that run around the block with a suitcase to make sure they’ll be able to travel in the new year (we wish them better luck in 2021!) to Peruvian's who live in the Andes mountains fighting each other to clear the slate for the coming year!
Alt Shift X - The Expanse recap for Season 5
Harrison’s Sources
US election results 2020: Joe Biden's defeat of Donald Trump
Two cheetah cubs were born for the first time by IVF
Africa declared free from wild polio
Cat's return after three years 'takes the Biscuit'
Drive-ins: A new way to watch live performances
What a fluke: Dutch whale tail sculpture catches metro train
42-year-old pulled out of crowd to make NHL debut ... and wins game
Moonrise converts production to hand sanitizer for the community
This Woman Accidentally Turned Herself Into A Potato For A Video Meeting And Couldn't Figure Out How To Fix It
The penguin watching Pingu so he doesn't get lonely
Conjoined twins separated at Vatican-owned hospital
A malfunction causes red wine to flow from faucets in an Italian town
VIENNA TO GIVE FREE CONCERT AND MUSEUM TICKETS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRAVELLERS
Newly created embryo nourishes hope for the survival of the northern white rhino
Captain Tom Moore on raising millions and being a ‘late starter’
Let your corona crankies out by screaming into an Icelandic abyss
Postcard stamped in 1920 delivered 100 years later
Australia surfer saves wife by punching shark
We Love The Internet
‘This is a remarkable achievement’: First patients receive vaccine as nationwide rollout begins
Chris’ Sources
Takanakuy: Peru’s Christmas fighting festival settles the year’s grievances by fist
New Year’s Eve: Break Dishes Friends’ Doorstep
Vasilopita (New Year’s Coin Cake)
Colombian New Year's Traditions
The 12 Lucky Grapes: A New Year’s Eve Tradition in Spain
Russian ice divers put up New Year's tree in frozen Lake Baikal
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In this special Christmas episode, Chris learns about some strange and crazy Christmas traditions practiced around the world including a German Christmas pickle decoration (that isn’t German) and what the Christmas meal of choice in Japan is (hint: it’s not turkey that’s for sure)!
Harrison meanwhile finds out that UPS trucks never turn left (or right if they drive on the left side of the road). It’s really quite fascinating and Chris thinks it’s the kind of company he could work for because they’re all about efficiency…
Harrison’s Sources
United Parcel Services
UPS Fact Sheet
Travelling salesman problem
Vehicle Routing Problem
Why UPS drivers don’t turn left and you probably shouldn’t either
Intersection approach speed and accident probability
Why UPS Trucks Almost Never Turn Left - YouTube
FedEx vs. UPS
Chris’ Sources
Why Japan celebrates Christmas with KFC
Japan's Population
The legend of La Befana
The legend of La Befana – The Witch of Christmas
Meet Tió de Nadal, Catalonia's smiling Christmas log that defecates presents
German Christmas Pickle Tradition
This Icelandic Legend of Jólakötturinn, Is About The Giant ‘Yule Cat’ Who Eats People Without New Clothes On Christmas
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Harrison discovers various animals that have been promoted to high ranks within militaries around the world. There is even one British Army regiment that picks a goat from a bloodline gifted to Queen Victoria.
Chris meanwhile finds out about some seriously crazy submarine facts, including the British Royal Navy submarine that can run for 25 years without ever having to surface. Of course, the sailors may die long before from the lack of food before that ever happens…
Reinheitsgebot
Harrison’s Sources
10 Animals Used for Military Purposes
Here are 13 of the most impressive and high-ranking animals in military history
War bond
William Windsor (goat)
Soldiers choose regimental goat
Penguin power: Norwegian regiment honours pint-sized chief
Nils Olav
Chris’ Sources
Royal Navy Submarine Museum
British sub which can stay underwater for 25 years makes us wonder…
How a 60-year-old BBC radio show may be one of the only things keeping the world from nuclear war
Trident: What are the letters of last resort?
Theresa May’s grim first task: Preparing for nuclear armageddon
Windows for Submarines
The Manly History of Cribbage and How to Play the Game
Oldest submarine in US Navy service returns from final deployment
Why the largest submarine in the world has a pool? Well, where else would you go after sauna? (Video)
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Chris learns about some of the many inventions that were either invented during World War I or gained in popularity during the conflict. There may be some pivots from tea bags to passports so be prepared for a wild ride!
On the flip-side, Harrison found out about Cocaine Bear. This poor bear died tripping off his face after overdosing on 40kg of cocaine that he found in a Georgia forest. But his story doesn’t end there as he was stuffed and sold to a famous Country & Western singer. Honestly, you need to hear the story of Cocaine Bear!
Harrison’s Sources
Andrew C. Thornton II
American black bear
'Pablo EskoBear': The story of the legendary cocaine bear of Kentucky
MEET OUR NEW MASCOT: COCAINE BEAR
Waylon Jennings
Chris’ Sources
How Many People Died in WW1? A Look at the Numbers
The Countries Involved in World War I
Do wars drive technological advancement?
British Government on Passports
Government of Canada on Passports
Schengen Agreement
The reason why passports are all designed the same
League of Nations Passport Conference document
ICAO ePassport Basics
Romania during World War I
Konrad Adenauer
10 inventions that owe their success to World War One
Greggs launching ‘vegan friendly’ sausage roll
Veganism Skyrockets To 7% Of UK Population, Says New Survey
European parliament votes to scrap daylight saving time from 2021
The History of the Tea Bag
A Brief History of the Tea Bag
100 Years of Legacies: The Lasting Impact of World War I
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In this episode, Harrison learns about some of the unluckiest people alive, including Alice Roth who was hit in the face by a baseball, then once she’d made it to the stretcher - and medical attention, she was hit again by another baseball from the same player! You could be mistaken for thinking he had it in for this poor grandmother…
Meanwhile, Chris investigates the story of DB Cooper who is the only hijacker to never get caught. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727 in November 1971, demanded a ransom on $200,000 and jumped out of the plane at 10,000ft. What happened to him? Listen now to find out!
Harrison’s Sources
These Are Officially The 13 Unluckiest People in The World
Lady Struck Twice By Foul Balls Hit By Phillies' Richie Ashburn In The Same At Bat
Everyone's a winner in Sodeto … almost
Most lightning strikes survived
Melanie Martinez: the unluckiest woman in America
Thank God! Jason & Jenny aren't coming here
Is this Britain’s unluckiest man?
Fortune smiles on unluckiest man
Chris’ Sources
List of aircraft hijackings
Wikipedia article on D. B. Cooper
Hijacker and criminal mastermind D.B. Cooper parachutes out of plane
D.B. Cooper Hijacking: The Enduring Mystery of America’s Only Unsolved Skyjacking Case
D.B. Cooper Notes make $37K at Heritage’s Americana Memorabilia Auction
DB Cooper's Loot Serial Number Searcher
FBI Is Giving Up On Solving The Mystery Of D.B. Cooper
‘We got it wrong!’ Major discovery in DB Cooper case indicating TWIST in mystery revealed
The Skyjacker That Got Away
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This week, inspired by Chris’ topic of the real life spy who inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond, Harrison has been researching some actual spy weapons which sound like something right out of a 007 movie!
Then Chris has found out about two great apes, who both lived very different lives. One lived it up in the Cotswolds, drinking cider and coffee, the other went on a grand adventure in the name of science!
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on the Life on Earth TV series
Sir David Attenborough - The story behind Life on Earth video
First known zoo
Animal Legal and Historical Center - Great Ape Laws by State
Untold story of the English village that raised a gorilla as a boy
The strange tale of the gorilla who went to an English country school
Memorial sculpture of Uley's gorilla John Daniel unveiled
Chimpanzees In The US
The Tragic Tale of Ham The Chimp
Ham, the First Chimpanzee in Space
Ham the Chimp became the first monkey in space in 1961
Harrison’s Sources
Golden Gun
SCARAMANGA'S 24CT GOLDEN GUN PROP REPLICA - NUMBERED EDITION
Lipstick Pistol - The Kiss of Death
Georgi Markov
Bulgarian umbrella
The poison-tipped umbrella: the death of Georgi Markov in 1978 - archive
The CIA secretly created an undetectable ‘heart attack gun’
The Confederate Coal Torpedo
James Bond has Nothing on these Clever Spy Weapons
CIA HEART ATTACK GUN
This week, Chris learnt about the greatest con man to ever have lived. He managed to sell the Eiffel Tower once, sold non-existent Broadway plays to first class passengers and almost made people lose trust in the might US dollar! That was until the Secret Service caught up with him…
Harrison meanwhile looks into some imaginative ways that elections which were too close to call have been decided. You might think coin flips, drawing cards and lots are the order of the day and shockingly you’d be right! Just don’t ask the British to go back to the polls again if they think you lost the first time, that’s just not cricket.
Chris’ sources
Wikiepdia article on Victor Lustig
The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.
Meet Victor Lustig, The Conman So Smooth He ‘Sold’ The Eiffel Tower — Twice
Victor Lustig, King of the Con
Harrison’s sources
10 of the most bizarre elections in American history
Coin flips, poker hands and other crazy ways America settles tied elections
Virginia Republican David Yancey Wins Tie-Breaking Drawing
1997 Winchester by-election
Ballot paper marked 'Brexit' gives win to Tory councillor
VOTER WRITES 'WNK' ALL OVER BALLOT PAPER, PUTS 'NOT WNK' NEXT TO GREENS, DEEMED ACCEPTABLE AS A VOTE
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Could you ever imagine a dog being elected as a mayor of a city? Well imagine no longer, as Harrison tells you all about dogs (and other animals!) have been elected as mayors in mainly the United States, to be fair…
Chris meanwhile finds out about the “greatest spy of all time”. Sidney Reilly was an incredible man who led a life of glitz and glamour, charming powerful people all around the world, working for the British intelligence community and eventually being shot by the Russians in 1925, on Stalin’s personal orders. He even inspired Ian Fleming to write James Bond!
Harrison’s Sources
French bulldog elected as mayor of Kentucky town
5 of the nation's most accomplished animal mayors
4 Animals That Ran for Mayor (and Won!)
10 TIMES ANIMALS STOOD FOR ELECTIONS
Bosco the dog
Cacareco
Rhinoceros Party of Canada (1963–1993)
Duke, Beloved Dog Mayor Of Small Minnesota Town, Has Died
1968 United States presidential election
Pigasus (politics)
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on James Bond
Anna Chapman: Diplomat's daughter who partied with billionaires
A Spy Story Even James Bond Might Envy
How fate, and Stalin, finally dealt the 'ace of spies' a losing hand
Spartacus Educational article on Sidney Reilly
7 of the Greatest Spies Who Ever Lived
Wikipedia article on Sidney Reilly
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Harrison learns about the Nottingham cheese riot of 1766 when a bunch of Lincolnshire merchants tried to buy and spirit away Nottingham’s cheese. What started with a bunch of “rude boys” shouting at the merchants ended up morphing into a riot that spanned over a number of days. Nottingham’s mayor was also knocked off his feet…by a cheese wheel!
Chris then finds out all about London - and the world’s - first traffic light. Unfortunately for the policeman operating it, and the traffic management’s designer, it wasn’t a success with somewhat explosive consequences. You’ll also find out what a ‘cat's meat man‘ is too, which alone is worth the listen!
Harrison’s Sources
Nottingham cheese riot
Nottingham Goose Fair
Food: NOTTINGHAM CHEESE SHOP MARKS 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NOTTINGHAM GREAT CHEESE RIOT
Damn his Charity, we’ll have the Cheese for nought! - Nottingham’s Great Cheese Riot & other 1766 Food Riots
Episode 12: Bizarre British sports and all about Concorde
Chris’ Sources
TfL marks the 150th anniversary of the traffic light
Pictured: The junction with 42 separate traffic lights finally labelled 'too much'
The Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894
Top hats everywhere, a traffic jam of horse drawn carriages and not a car in sight
The Cat’s Meat Man, From Dickens To Jack The Ripper
London's Teeming Streets, 1830-1914
When the Street Light First Came to London, Disaster Ensued
When were the first traffic lights installed?
Here's What The World's First Traffic Lights, In Westminster, Looked Like
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Harrison discovers some of the weirdest and spookiest Halloween related world record breakers. There’s a guy who can carve a Jack-o'-lantern in mere seconds through to the largest pumpkin in the world, that also travelled 35 hours to be judged!
Chris meanwhile learns about witches and the women who were accused of being witches and how they were persecuted, tortured and killed throughout the 15th century for over 200 years. It was certainly a dark period of history and far scarier than any Halloween tale!
Harrison’s Sources
How Much Do Pumpkins Weigh?
Anoka man wins world championship in California with his giant pumpkin
Largest jack o'lantern (size)
Largest jack o'lantern (weight)
Fastest time to carve one pumpkin
Most pumpkins smashed in one minute
5 Guinness World Records titles you can try at home this Halloween
Largest gathering of people dressed as witches
Largest gathering of people dressed as ghosts
Largest gathering of people dressed as zombies
Largest collection of candy wrappers
Chris’ Sources
History of Witches
A Timeline of Witch Hunts in Europe
Dominican Order
5 Infamous Witch Trials in Britain
Pendle witches
North Berwick Witch Trials
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Chris learns about some bonkers Darwin Award winners. If you haven’t heard of them, the Darwin Awards officially were started in 1993 to celebrate individuals who remove themselves from the gene pool in spectacular ways, usually quite unintentionally. You’ll hear about a bunch of people who met quite messy ends in this darkly humorous episode.
Harrison meanwhile checks out the story of a 75 year old grandma who managed to shut down the internet with a shovel. Go granny! Also, give us our internet back already.
Chris’ Sources
Darwin Awards
A Slack-Robatic Effort
Australian Man, 20, Dies After 98-Foot Fall Into Sinkhole After Allegedly Attempting Handstand
The Missionary Position
American 'killed in India by endangered Andamans tribe'
Focus On The Bear
Man ‘trying to take selfie' dies after being mauled by bear
Double Darwin Award! Sports Training
Two men killed by Rotterdam Zuid train were ‘fooling around’
Harrison’s Sources
Georgia (country)
Caucasus Cable System
Hayastan Shakarian
Georgian woman cuts off web access to whole of Armenia
Pensioner in Georgia cuts Armenia off from internet
How one woman and a garden spade cut off the internet for an entire COUNTRY
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Chris investigates an explosion that you’ve probably never heard of, but one that devastated the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1917, injuring at least 9,000 people and making some 25,000 homeless. In the middle of freezing temperatures and a six-day blizzard. A story of appalling luck and human resilience.
Harrison meanwhile finds out all about Elizabeth Swaney who qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics as a member of the Hungarian team. Her chosen sport? The half-pipe. Only, she couldn’t do any tricks…
Chris’ Sources
Beirut explosion: What we know so far
Annual Weather Averages Near Halifax
Wikipedia article on the Halifax Explosion
Bank of Canada inflation calculator
The Halifax Explosion of 1917
ThoughtCo article on the Halifax explosion
Harrison’s Sources
Elizabeth Swaney
Freestyle skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Women's halfpipe
Half-pipe skiing
Here’s what Elizabeth Swaney was like during her Harvard days, according to her mentor
At least this can be said: Elizabeth Swaney still standing after her run
Elizabeth Swaney: the Olympic halfpipe athlete who doesn't really do tricks
OLYMPICS 2018 Hungary Skier Goes Down Halfpipe with NO Tricks !!!
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Ever regretted sending an e-mail with a typo? I’m sure we all have, but in this episode, Harrison learns about people and companies that suffered major financial damage from a single typo. Be careful out there!
Meanwhile, Chris discovers some of the crazy duels of the past. Duels were mostly fought by upper-class and noble men of issues of honour, but that wasn’t always the case as we also find out about a couple of duels that involved women.
Harrison’s Sources
Penguin cookbook calls for 'freshly ground black people'
Australian $50 note typo: spelling mistake printed 46 million times
Australia's A$50 note misspells responsibility
Travel Agent Angry Over Phone Book Typo
Mariner 1
July 22, 1962: Mariner 1 Done In by a Typo
Typesetter’s Nightmares
Chris’ Sources
Future president Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel
Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs Elphinstone
8 Famous Duels and 1 Almost Duel
A Princess Once Dueled A Countess Over Floral Arrangements...Topless
Aaron Burr slays Alexander Hamilton in duel
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You probably can’t understand it today, but in the 1800s, cocaine infused wine was a thing. So popular in fact, the producers couldn’t produce enough of it to supply consumers needs. In this episode, Harrison learns all about how not one, but two popes loved the product so much that they even went as so far as to advertise it to the general public.
Chris meanwhile finds out all about some bonkers English laws that either never were or that did exist but have since been repealed. For example, it might be illegal to kill one of the Queen’s swans, but it isn’t a traitorous act. However there was a time when you couldn’t wear outrageous and monstrous double ruff shirts at Queen Elizabeth I’s court. Because when you’re an autocratic monarch, what you say goes!
Harrison’s Sources
Vin Mariani
Angelo Mariani (chemist)
Coca wine
Cocaine
Cocaine - Popularization
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Pius X
John Stith Pemberton
Pemberton's French Wine Coca
Chris’ Sources
Legal Curiosities: Fact or Fable?
Top 5 Silly Laws That You Might Be Breaking
The reason why London black cab drivers carry a bale of hay everywhere they go
Lord Bassam of Brighton on relieving yourself in urban environments vs the Forest of Dean
Does The Queen really own all the swans?
The Worshipful Company of Dyers
The Vinters Company
Swan Upping
The Unlawful Gaming Act
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On this bonkers episode, Chris has been looking in to the 1904 Olympic marathon, an event so dangerous it nearly killed the poor sods running in it, and was briefly won by a cheater! The man who ended up winning paid a hell of a price to do so.
Then Harrison tells us about Lawn chair Larry, Chris' new hero. A truck driver from America who could never quite give up his dream of flying. Despite terrible eye sight, no plane and no licence, he was determined to make his dream a reality!
Harrison’s Sources
We Love The Internet - Episode 8
Larry Walters
Lawnchair Larry flight
Lawnchair Larry flight - Imitators
Cluster ballooning
Chris’ Sources
Olympic Games history
The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever
The 1904 Olympic Marathon
Wikipedia article - Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Samuel Mellor
Fred Lorz
Thomas Hicks
Strychnine
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This week, learn about the LeMans 24hr Endurance Race, the oldest regularly held race in history. Harrison also tells the tale of the 1953 race, when health and safety was absolutely not a thing, and the incredible story of Jaguar’s number 18 car and its drivers.
Then Chris has been learning about Pepsi Co and a fact about the company, sent in to us by a listener, which is so crazy, Chris didn’t believe it when he first read it!
Harrison’s Sources
24 Hours of Le Mans
1953 24 Hours of Le Mans
Tony Rolt
Duncan Hamilton (racing driver)
Westland Lysander
Jaguar C-Type
THE DRUNKEN TALE OF DUNCAN HAMILTON
1953 - Drunken charge
Chris’ Sources
The History of Pepsi Cola
PepsiCo press release on its 2019 earnings
Pepsi Store – History of the birthplace
Encyclopaedia of North Carolina article on Pepsi-Cola
Patio Diet Cola
PepsiCo UK products
PepsiCo US products
How Pepsi briefly became the 6th largest military in the world
Wikipedia article on Caleb Bradham
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In this episode Chris has discovered what the most dangerous animals on the planet are and you may be surprised to learn what the top predator is. There are buffalo, mosquitoes and box jelly fish. We hope you’re not too terrified to go swimming after this episode!
Harrison meanwhile checks out the most elaborate schemes for tax avoidance. You’ll be shocked to learn that not many wealthy Greek homeowners pay their pool tax, but the tax authorities had a plan to find them anyway…
Harrison’s Sources
Greek Wealth Is Everywhere but Tax Forms
Greece Taxes And Pools
All the Weird Ways People Have Tried to Avoid Paying Taxes
Harthacnut
Peasants' Revolt
Whiskey Rebellion
Chris’ Sources
Cape buffalo Facts
Encyclopaedia Britannica article on Cape buffalo
Angry Cape buffalo attacking a vehicle
National Geographic article on Box jellyfish
How Deadly Is the Box Jellyfish?
CrocBITE - a worldwide crocodilian attack database
National Geographic article on Saltwater crocodiles
The 10 most dangerous animals in the world
Researchers Turn Mosquitoes Into Flying Vaccinators
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On this episode Chris has been learning about the frankly terrifying history of nuclear weapons that have been lost by the worlds super powers, known as broken arrows. Learn about several times we’ve come perilously close to a nuclear accident.
Then Harrison tells us about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a story with so many examples of bad luck and judgement and unfortunate circumstances, which would ultimately lead to the First World War, and the deaths of millions of people.
This week, Chris has been looking in to the history of the Queen’s speech at the opening of parliament. What happens and why, including what happens to the royal hostage!
Then Harrison has been finding out about the official wizard of New Zealand, and some other unusual jobs from around the world.
Harrison investigates the Italian cultural rules around not drinking a cappuccino after 11am. Strangely enough there’s actual reasoning behind such a bizarre rule…
Chris meanwhile discovers a number of English laws that are still in effect, even though they make very little sense in modern times. One for example is that you can’t build a pigsty in your front garden but it doesn’t say anything about your back garden…
Harrison’s Sources
Why Italians are saying 'No' to takeaway coffee - BBC News
James Hoffman
Why Italians Don't Drink a Cappuccino After 11am
Lactose intolerance
Lactose
Lactose Intolerance by Country
Chris’ Sources
Encyclopaedia Britannica article on Common law
Prerogativa Regis. Of the King’s Prerogative
Sturgeon heads for new home – BBC News
11 August 1968: the last steam passenger service in Britain
Licensing Act 1872, Section 12
Metropolitan Police Act 1839
Licensing Act 2003
A Statute forbidding Bearing of Armour (1313)
Metropolitan Police Act 1839, Section 54
Metropolitan Police Act 1839, Section 55
Metropolitan Police Act 1839, Section 60
Town Police Clauses Act 1847, Section 28
TfL Railway Byelaws
Currency and Banknotes Act 1928, Section 12
Coinage Act 1971, Section 10
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In this episode, Chris finds out about The US Department of Defense’s headquarters - the Pentagon. Why is the building the shape it is and who’s got lost inside its massive labyrinth of corridors and offices?
Harrison meanwhile tells everyone about the insane American Airlines AAPass. It was a one-off ticket that bought its users unlimited first class travel whenever and wherever they wanted it. Find out how trying to get themselves out of bankruptcy actually led to even more cash-flow problems!
Chris’ Sources
9 Things You May Not Know About the Pentagon
GlobalSecurity.org article on the Pentagon
Official Pentagon Tours
Wikipedia article
Lost and Found in the Pentagon
Harrison’s Sources
AAirpass
The rise and demise of the AAirpass, American Airlines’ $250k lifetime ticket
The frequent fliers who flew too much - LA Times
The American Airlines AAirpass – The Unlimited Flight Pass That Didn’t Work
My father had a lifelong ticket to fly anywhere. Then they took it away - The Guardian
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On this week’s episode, Chris has been looking at some famous and well known sayings, and their origins. Some of which may surprise you! Learn about the mis-sold elephant, the prize cigar and many others.
Then, Harrison tells us the not so glorious tale of Australia’s Emu War of 1932. Find out how the Aussies fought a real, honest to goodness war, with guns and everything, against their own national bird.
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on Aesop
Don't count your chickens before they hatch
White elephant
P.T. Barnum
Account of P.T. Barnum's purchase of the white elephant
Statistics on Smoking, England - 2019
What Does the Saying “Close, but No Cigar” Really Mean?
The Real Meaning of Hangover
The origin of the phrase "Pulling your leg"
Don't look a gift hose in the mouth
Where Does the Phrase “Let the Cat Out of the Bag” Come From?
Harrison’s Sources
Emu War
Emu
The Great Emu War: In which some large, flightless birds unwittingly foiled the Australian Army
The Rabbit Problem
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Harrison discovers some of the funny town names from around the UK and globally. The residents of Shitterton took matters into their own hands when their sign kept being stolen and funnily enough, it hasn’t been stolen since!
Chris meanwhile finds out about the Guinness World Records and some of the absolutely golden world records that they have recorded. You could say they’re eye-popping.
Links
Drinking Marmite Soda | WheresMyChallenge
The Delicious Meat Sludge Factory
The Gut-Wrenching Story of Shoenice, the YouTube Star Who Will Eat Anything
Surströmming Taste Test with Barry | Ashens
Harrison’s Sources
Shitterton
Fucking, Austria
Fucking village told they can't be renamed Fugging because name is already taken
Place names considered unusual
Batman's Village of Fools: Gotham, England
Silly placenames: welcome to Dull, twinned with Boring
Bland, Dull and Boring: Three towns team up to excite tourists
Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein
List of long place names
Chris’ Sources
Golden Plover information
Guiness World Records history
Serious stats from the Guiness World Records folks
Most straws stuffed in the mouth (hands off) record
Fastest time to crush three watermelons with the thighs (male)
Strongwoman crushes watermelons with her thighs
Farthest eyeball pop
Man breaks own record by climbing stairs with his head
Largest hula hoop spun (male)
Largest hula hoop spun (female)
Largest collection of Transformers memorabilia
Largest yo-yo
Most human targets hit with plungers in one minute
Chris finds out about some accident inventions that have turned into really successful products, including the bane of parent’s lives everywhere: Play-doh (which came from a putty to clean wallpaper) and the summer delight, Popiscles (that were created by an 11 year-old boy!).
Harrison meanwhile investigates what the American military and the CIA are up to at Groom Lake, or Area 51 as it is more famously known. And what does an airline called ‘Janet’ have to do with it all?
Chris’ Sources
Play-Doh Wikipedia article
Play-Doh FAQ
About Velcro
le News article on Velcro
Wikipedia entry for Velcro
Wikipedia article on Percy Spencer
Atomic Heritage Foundation piece on Percy Spencer
IEEE article on microwaves
How An 11-Year-Old Boy Invented The Popsicle
The Popsicle story by Unilever
Popsicle Wikipedia entry
Harry Coover - Inventor of Super Glue
New York Times obituary for Dr Harry Coover
Harrison’s Sources
Janet (airline)
Area 51
Lockheed U-2
Lockheed A-12
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
HAVE DOUGHNUT
HAVE DRILL
United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program
Bob Lazar
What is Area 51 and what goes on there?
Storm Area 51
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This week, Harrison talks about the history of Google Maps and some of the incredible features it has that you may not know about.
Then Chris talks about his favourite subject yet, as he delves head first in to the history of some Yeast Products, Marmite, Vegemite and Bovril! You either love them or hate them, spoiler alert, he hates them.
The Remarkable Story Behind Command & Conquer's Remastering | Noclip Documentary
Harrison’s Sources
Google Maps
List of satellite map images with missing or unclear data
11 Fascinating Facts About Google Maps
Google Street View conquers Venice
Google Street View maps the Arabian Desert using a camel
11 Interesting Places to Go Inside with Street View
25 Funny Google Street View images
Chris’ Sources
Justus von Liebig on Wikipedia
Marmite: Ten things you'll love/hate to know
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company's Marmite
Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
Marmite: A potted history of the British-born spread
Unilever's Marmite
Marmite Peanut Butter – BURGH!
Wikipedia article on Bovril
Vegemite's Story
The slow spread of Vegemite
11 Facts From Down Under About Vegemite
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On this episode of We Love The Internet, Harrison has been finding out about some ways that countries have accidentally invaded, or in some cases shelled, their neighbours.
Then Chris tells us about the history of Piccadilly Circus, with a slight detour to talk about Bovril. How can you go from talking about Piccadilly Circus to talking about Bovril? Listen and find out!
This week, the boys learn first about some of the ways that people attempted, and failed, to get out of Alcatraz. Then we learn about a day in 1966 when the Australian Prime Minister went for a swim, and was never seen again.
Harrison’s Sources
Harold Holt
Attempted assassination of Arthur Calwell
White Australia policy
Disappearance of Harold Holt
The Prime Minister Was a Spy
Mystery of missing PM finally solved
Chris’ Sources
List of escape attempts from Alcatraz
Wikipedia entry on Alcatraz
Last escape attempt from Darl Lee Parker and John Paul Scott
Battle of Alcatraz
In this episode, Chris finds out about Colonel Thomas Blood who attempted to steal the British crown jewels in 1671 and a 14-year old by, nicknamed ‘Boy Jones’ who broke into Buckingham Palace. Meanwhile, Harrison investigates some seriously scary consumer products that contained radioactive substances, including toothpaste and a bowl of radioactive water that people actually drunk!
Harrison’s Sources
TIL A toothpaste was sold in early 20th century Germany which was slightly radioactive because it contained small amounts of thorium.
Radioactive quackery
History of radiation therapy
THAMES STAR, VOLUME XLVII, ISSUE 10359, 19 OCTOBER 1912
Doramad Radioactive Toothpaste
Radium ore Revigator
R. W. Thomas and the Revigator
Yesterday's News - Radiation baths
Uranium Dirt Sitting Houses
NICO Clean Tobacco Card
The Nico Clean Tobacco Card
Radium Girls
Chris’ Sources
Long-term trends in theft offences as reported by the Office of National Statistics
Wikipedia article on the Antwerp diamond heist
Brainz piece on the diamond robbery
Wired article on the world's biggest diamond heist
Wikipedia article on Colonel Thomas Blood
Historic UK article on Colonel Blood
Daily Telegraph piece on Blood
Boy Jones Wikipedia article
The boy who sneaked into Buckingham Palace
Chris investigates the life of the slave, Nearest Green, who mentored Jack Daniel and enabled him to make the famous whiskey and how even today, Nearest’s relatives are still working at the company!
Harrison meanwhile tells us about the largest volunteer army in the history of the world that was deployed by the British Empire during World War II. The bravery of some of the soldiers was rewarded with the Victoria Cross but the majority were not paid the same as their British counterparts.
Harrison’s Sources
India in World War II
Indian Army during World War II
Yeshwant Ghadge VC
Namdeo Jadav VC
Fazal Din VC
Umrao Singh VC
Bhandari Ram VC
Indians in the trenches: voices of forgotten army are finally to be heard
Bengal famine of 1943
Why remembrance of Indian soldiers who fought for the British in World War II is so political
Hunger, starvation and Indian soldiers in World War II
Has India's contribution to WW2 been ignored?
Indian Independence Act 1947
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on Nathan "Nearest" Green
Jack Daniel's official history citing Nearest
Wikipedia article on Jack Daniel
Uncle Nearest whiskey
Nearest Green Legacy Scholarship
New York Times article on Nearest Green and Fawn Weaver
CBS video and transcript on Fawn Weaver's investigation into Nearest
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Taking inspiration from the book of the same name, Harrison has been looking in to the lives of some bad popes and the very questionable activities they took part in! Orgies, War, Brothels and Demon’s from Hell, what a lovely bunch they are!
Meanwhile Chris tells us about some of the craziest things the CIA has done, that we currently know about, including a very expensive cat who met a sticky end and their very own airline!
Harrison’s Sources
TIL that after failing to elect a new Pope for 2 years...
Pope Celestine V
The Bad Popes
Pope Stephen VI
Pope John XII
Pope Benedict IX
Pope Boniface VIII
Pope Urban VI
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Leo X
Pope Clement VII
The 11 most scandalous popes in history
Eight of the worst popes in church history
7 wicked popes, and the terrible things they did
7 Quite Unholy Pope Scandals
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on British intelligence agencies
United States Intelligence Community members
Edward Snowden leaks
History.com article on the CIA
About the CIA
Operation Northwoods
Wikipedia article on Operation Northwoods
Original documentation on Operation Northwoods
Acoustic Kitty concluding memo
The Atlantic Acoustic Kitty article
AirAmerica.org
CIA page on Air America
Information about Projects ARTICHOKE and MKULTRA
Harrison investigates the world of competitive eating where the record for scoffing 74 hotdogs is 10 minutes, whilst it took someone just 8 minutes to chow down 564 oysters, which is as remarkable as it is disgusting!
Chris meanwhile finds out about the life of William Chaloner who was a master counterfeiter from the late 1600s. Chaloner had an ability called “tongue pudding” that could get him out of almost any trouble he found himself in. That is, until Sir Isaac Newton came along and permanently dealt with him!
Harrison’s Sources
Matt Gray
Will It Soft Serve?
Interesting Facts About Ice Cream
History of Ice Cream Sundae
Woman breaks ice cream eating world record at Indiana State Fair
Miki Sudo
Major League Eating
Major League Eating - Records
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
Takeru Kobayashi
The untold truth of competitive eating - Mashed
The Dangers of Eating Contests
Q & A with a Competitive Eater - Pooping and Why I'm not fat - Episode 1 | Furious Pete - YouTube
11 eating competitions that will leave you disgusted — but impressed
I EAT 528 OYSTERS IN 8 MINUTES - YouTube
Chris’ Sources
Wikipedia article on William Chaloner
William Chaloner, Master Counterfeiter
Newton and the Counterfeiter on The Independent
Wikipedia article on Sir Isaac Newton
Bank of England inflation calculator
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry on William Chaloner
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Harrison finds out about the weird English sports that happen each year, including chasing a cheese down a steep hill and carrying a flaming barrel on your back, whilst Chris remembers a story about an embarrassing and hilarious raft race that he once took part in. Meanwhile, Chris investigates Concorde, its incredible history and where you can see these majestic planes now that they’re retired.
Harrison’s Sources
Coronavirus: Dorset knob-eating contest held online amid lockdown
Dorset Knob
Conkers
THE UK’S 12 STRANGEST SPORTS COMPETITIONS
7 UNUSUAL SPORTS PLAYED IN GREAT BRITAIN
10 strange British sports
Pooh Sticks
Parliamentary Pancake Race
The History of Pancake Day
Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
Ozzy Man Reviews: Cheese Rolling Contest 2018
Shin Kicking
World Shin-Kicking Championships 2019 takes place in the UK
World Gravy Wrestling
Man vs Horse Race
The Tar Barrels of Ottery St Mary
Flaming Tar Barrels of Ottery St. Mary, November 5th 2012
Tin Bath Championship Race Rules
Bog Snorkelling
Bog Snorkelling Championship 2019
Welly Wanging
Meghan Markle beats Prince Harry
Dorset Knob Throwing & Food Fest
Chris’ Sources
Concorde wins the Great British Design Quest by a nose
Wikipedia article on Concorde
1973 Paris Air Show Tu-144 crash
British Airways Concorde information
Concorde makes its first commercial flights from London and Paris
Concorde and the twin towers attack
BBC News article on the 9/11/2001 Concorde flight
Concorde's Stellar Safety Record
BBC article on the fatal Concorde crash
End of an era for Concorde
French spies likely bugged Concorde
Locations of Concorde planes around the world
———
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Harrison discovers the fate of the soldiers who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade and how their commander ended up going to lunch on his yacht as the battle was still raging.
Chris meanwhile investigates three huge city fires that happened in Boston and San Francisco shaping how the cities look today.
Chris finds out all about Butch Cassidy and Bonnie and Clyde, roughly how much they stole and how they came to untimely ends. Meanwhile, Harrison tells us all about some amazing inventions that are named after their inventors. Did you know that the humble cardigan is named after the man who led the Charge of the Light Brigade?
Chris’ Sources
BBC News video about FBI shutting down the Silk Road website
Pay by cash? Not for long, report warns
6 Things You May Not Know About Butch Cassidy
Wikipedia article on Butch Cassidy
Wikipedia article on Bonnie and Clyde
The Inside Story Behind The Gory Death Of Bonnie And Clyde
Harrison’s Sources
TIL John Cleese has a rubbish tip named after him in New Zealand because he insulted the city of Palmerston North.
Town dumps revenge on John Cleese
Eponym
Henry Shrapnel
James Brudenel, 7th Earl of Cardigan
Charge of the Light Brigade
Samuel Maverick
Ignacio Anaya
John Macadam
Marquis de Sade
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
12 Things You Didn't Know Were Named After People
25 Words You Might Not Have Realized Were Named After People
5 Famous Things That Were Named After Awful People
10 Words You Didn’t Realize Were Named After People
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In this episode, we learn about the history of London’s Gentlemen’s clubs and some of the wide range of ludicrous things that happened in them. Harrison also tells us of some ridiculous bets that were made between there members .
Then Chris tells us about three crazy battles in history, including one fought between humans and club seals, spoiler alert, it doesn’t end well for the seals. Then he also tells us about the worst peacetime naval disaster in British history.
Chris’ Sources
Harrison’s Sources
Gentlemen's club
List of gentlemen's clubs in London
White's
Brook's
Boodle's
The Secret History Of London’s Private Members Clubs
Randy Politicians And Breathtakingly Stupid Bets: A Brief History Of London's Members Clubs
London’s oldest private members’ clubs
Gambling in London’s Most Ruinous Gentlemen’s Clubs
Wagers at White’s
Garrick Club
Groucho Club
London’s Best Private Members’ Clubs - The Handbook
The best private member’s clubs in London - Tatler
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Chris and Harrison learn about the Manhattan Project and one of the unluckiest (and at the same time, luckiest!) Japanese men when the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The guys also discover information on some of the famous people who ended up being held prisoner in the Tower of London. We think you'll be as surprised as they were at the names.
Chris’ Sources
Historic Royal Palaces on the Crown Jewels
Tower of London History
Exploring Castles information on the two princes
ATI page on the two princes
Historic Royal Palaces information
MyLondon's take on the Kray Twins' stay at the Tower of London
More information about the Kray's from Wikipedia
All about National Service from the BBC
Information on Josef Jakobs
The last execution at the Tower of London
Smithsonian Magazine article on Rudolf Hess
History.com page of famous Tower of London prisoners
Wikipedia article on Spandau Prison
Harrison’s Sources
The Manhattan Project - Wikipedia
10 Fascinating Facts About The Manhattan Project
J. Robert Oppenheimer - Wikipedia
The Doomsday Clock
The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs
Tsutomu Yamaguchi - Wikipedia
If you enjoyed this episode please leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Chris and Harrison learn about the Manhattan Project and one of the unluckiest (and at the same time, luckiest!) Japanese men when the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The guys also discover information on some of the famous people who ended up being held prisoner in the Tower of London. We think you'll be as surprised as they were at the names.
Chris’ Sources
Historic Royal Palaces on the Crown Jewels
Tower of London History
Exploring Castles information on the two princes
ATI page on the two princes
Historic Royal Palaces information
MyLondon's take on the Kray Twins' stay at the Tower of London
More information about the Kray's from Wikipedia
All about National Service from the BBC
Information on Josef Jakobs
The last execution at the Tower of London
Smithsonian Magazine article on Rudolf Hess
History.com page of famous Tower of London prisoners
Wikipedia article on Spandau Prison
Harrison’s Sources
The Manhattan Project - Wikipedia
10 Fascinating Facts About The Manhattan Project
J. Robert Oppenheimer - Wikipedia
The Doomsday Clock
The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs
Tsutomu Yamaguchi - Wikipedia
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Harrison and Chris this week discuss the origins of the Modern Olympics and some of the crazy Sultans who ruled the Ottoman Empire.
Chris’ Sources
Olympic history from Olympic.org
The Guardian on the 1896 Olympics
Review of 'A Global History of the Olympics'
1936 Berlin Olympics
BBC News article on the Olympic Games being postponed until 2021
Harrison’s Sources
QI Tweet
Mad Ottoman Sultans Who Made History For The Wrong Reasons
Ottoman Empire - Wikipedia
Murad IV - Wikipedia
Ibrahim of the Ottoman Empire - Wikipedia
Mustafa I - Wikipedia
The Ottoman Sultans Who Were Raised in Cages
6 lesser-known facts about the Ottoman Empire
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Chris’ Sources
Typhoid NHS
Mary Mallon - Wikipedia
Asymptomatic Carrier - Wikipedia
George Soper - Wikipedia
Harrison’s Sources
Space Suit - Wikipedia
The Original Sin of NASA Space Suits - The Atlantic
NASA's new Artemis spacesuits make it easier for astronauts of all sizes to move on the Moon - Tech Crunch
Facts About Spacesuits and Spacewalking
46 Out Of This World Facts About Astronauts
That Story About the Million Dollar US Space Pen and Russian Pencil is BS
Chris tells us about London Underground trains being used on the Isle of Wight and Harrison runs through some crazy figures for online shopping.
This week Harrison is sharing some hilariously bad failed assassination attempts. Then Chris tells us about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Harrison’s Sources
In 1882, Roderick Maclean tried to assassinate Queen Victoria; two Eton boys fought him off with umbrellas.
Roderick Maclean - Wikipedia
8 Times Queen Victoria Survived Attempted Assassinations
The 10 Craziest Failed Assassination Attempts
Giuseppe Marco Fieschi - Wikipedia
Infernal Machine - Wikipedia
Chris’ Sources
How big is the Pacific Ocean?
How did the Pacific Ocean get its name?
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Ocean Cleanup
Harrison & Chris find out all about Pablo Escobar's hippos who are running amok in Columbia. Also, where in the world has the largest population of camels? The answer may surprise you!
Harrison’s Episode Sources
Pablo Escobar's hippos have become an invasive species in Colombia
Legendary drug lord Pablo Escobar lost $2.1 billion in cash each year — and it didn't matter
Pablo Escobar - Wikipedia
Hippopotamus - Wikipedia
Hungry Hungry Hippos - Wikipedia
Exotic Pets - Wikipedia
Captive tigers in the U.S. outnumber those in the wild. It's a problem.
15 of the Weirdest Pets That You Can Actually Own in the UK
Miniature Pig - Wikipedia
Göttingen minipig - Wikipedia
Why You Should Think Twice Before Adding a ‘Teacup’ Pig to Your Family
Esther The Wonder Pig - Instagram
10 Unusual Pets You Can Own
Chris’ Episode Sources
Australia's Size Compared by Geoscience AustraliaAustralia, home to the world's largest camel herd by BBC NewsJohn Ainsworth Horrocks (1818–1846)History of The Ghan railway journey
What is We Love The Internet? Who are we? Why are we? Some of these questions may be answered in this episode.