Two wild stories about two very different women. Brenton details the life of Khutulun, Genghis Khan's Great Great Granddaughter who was a warrior & undefeated wrestler. Then Emily recounts the twisty tale of con artist Elizabeth Bigley, who had 3 pseudonyms, conned banks out of their money and even was a clairvoyant.

Khutulun References: https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/khutulun
https://allthatsinteresting.com/khutulun

Cassie Chadwick references: https://www.strangehistory.org/cms/index.php/popular/25-item-8

Join us for a space double feature! Emily discusses the Voyager missions, two probes sent out into space collecting data & carrying golden vinyl records filled with Earth sounds and greetings. Then Brenton details the current Perseverance missions to investigate Mars for ancient organisms. 

Voyager References: https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/golden-record/
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/timeline/#event-a-once-in-a-lifetime-alignment 

Perseverance References: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
https://www.space.com/perseverance-rover-mars-2020-mission
https://www.space.com/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-touches-down-martian-surface
https://www.space.com/perseverance-mars-rover-landing-success

Did you know the McDonalds jingle "I'm Lovin' It" was a full on Justin Timberlake song? And that there's controversy over song credits? Brenton details the full history behind the famous jingle. Then Emily dives into the news of the week, the Suez Canal stoppage, and recounts the tale of when it had been blocked before. Long live the Great Bitter Lake Association!

Mcdonalds References: https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1227-the-contentious-tale-of-the-mcdonalds-im-lovin-it-jingle/
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/12/business/the-media-business-advertising-mcdonald-s-campaign-embraces-a-loving-theme.html
https://www.okayplayer.com/music/pusha-t-im-lovin-it-jingle-no-rights.html

Suez Canal References: https://www.vice.com/en/article/akd5zg/the-last-time-the-suez-canal-was-blocked-a-utopian-communist-micronation-was-formed-at-sea?utm_content=1617112825&utm_medium=social&utm_source=VICE_facebook&fbclid=IwAR3I_NOXx74292yKikRsQ_2wStzORaePkb02FcB_UUk5EBbrlK2ASk8hSKM
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/world/middleeast/suez-canal-container-ship.html
https://www.space.com/full-moon-helps-free-stuck-ship-suez-canal 

Join us for an exploration of space! Emily brings us tidings of a 9th (we see it as the 10th) potential planet in our solar system named Planet X & the theoretical science behind it. Then Brenton details why channel 37 on TV was only static & how the astronomical science community rallied to protect their studies.

Planet X References: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/hypothetical-planet-x/in-depth/
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/new-dwarf-planet-goblin-solar-system-discovered/ 

Channel 37 References: https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy8by7/why-channel-37-doesnt-exist-and-what-it-has-to-do-with-aliens?utm_source=pocket-newtab
https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201505/physicshistory.cfm 

We take a walk down memory lane and find we're not in the town we thought we were in. Brenton details the story of Erwin Kreuz, a German tourist who thought he landed in San Francisco but was actually in Maine. Then Emily discusses the history of Lou Ottens and his pioneering work on the cassette. We also segue into discussion of the famous seal Andre (we swear it's related to Erwin's story). 

Lost SF Tourist: https://www.sfgate.com/local/editorspicks/article/lost-tourist-who-thought-Bangor-was-San-Francisco-15940512.php

Lou Ottens: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/10/975598869/lou-ottens-inventor-of-the-cassette-tape-has-died

This week is all about the brain! Emily takes a real deep dive into the science of astral projecting recounting the results found from the CIAs research into the "Gateway Process." Then Brenton dispels the myth around humans using only 10% of their brain and a few other brain misconceptions.

Astral Projection reference: https://www.vice.com/en/article/7k9qag/how-to-escape-the-confines-of-time-and-space-according-to-the-cia

10% Myth: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321060#brain-facts 

We shake our heads at the miserable tax situation in America and grant ourselves a reprieve from it by heading to space. Brenton details the long history of Intuit lobbying the US government to keep taxes complicated. Then Emily charts a course for Ceres as we explore the icy seismic activity taking place there.

Intuit References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGVK4ibMI-Y
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-return-free-filing-and-how-would-it-work
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-other-countries-use-return-free-filing#:~:text=Denmark%20and%20Sweden%2C%20both%20small,implemented%20tax%20agency%20reconciliation%20systems.
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-maker-of-turbotax-fought-free-simple-tax-filing
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2297/text
https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free
https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/1/21045779/irs-turbotax-free-file-h-r-block-tax-preparation-new-rules 

Ceres References: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/dwarf-planets/ceres/overview/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRgpuvjV_Vs

We're back after a week hiatus with strange traditions & dark histories. Emily discovers the fascinating history behind women popping out of cakes, its medieval origin and the current state of the industry. Then Brenton, provoked by a bad article, details the Hollywood Blacklist of the 1950's and why comparisons to cancel culture completely are actively harmful.

Cakes References: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/04/23/pop-out-cake/
https://www.thrillist.com/sex-dating/nation/the-history-of-women-popping-out-of-adult-cakes

Blacklist References: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hollywood-blacklist
https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/hollywood-ten
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hollywood-Ten 

Have you ever wondered if you might be cursed? That you keep having horrible things happen to you? Well Violet Jessup sure had a lot of curveballs, and we recount how she survived 3 boat sinkings. Have you also ever wondered where in the hell Valentine's Day comes from? You will probably not surprised that the Catholic church overwrote an existing holiday and even has a conflicting mythology of its own.

Violet Jessup References: https://mentalitch.com/the-strange-and-unusual-life-of-violet-jessop/
https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/violet-constance-jessop.html
https://museumhack.com/violet-jessop/ 

Valentine's Day References: https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

We study the ancient stones of Callanish & intercept a pirate burger joint operation. First Emily details the history of the Calanis stone structures and the ritual practices that we believe accompanied them. Then Brenton tells the story of a Pittsburgh local legend and what was actually happening when things started to go awry. Also discussed: time travel romantic dramas?

Callanish References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNuK68MrnlE
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/calanais-standing-stones/
https://www.transceltic.com/scottish/mystery-of-scotlands-ancient-callanish-standing-stones

Burger King: https://www.cracked.com/article_28014_the-crazy-story-fake-burger-king-in-pittsburgh.html
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/fast-food-chain-issues-statement-after-bogus-burge/140343004/
https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/fake-burger-king-leaves-customers-asking-questions-200136786.html
https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/its-real-burger-king-again-south-side-customers-en/140298737/
https://www.grubstreet.com/2016/01/burger-king-ant-burger.html