It seems like the history of definitions and dictionaries might be a bone dry topic. However, things are seldom what they seem. Things are complex, and complicated, and dark and ill-defined. Until they are not. This is the story of how words come to have definitions; and the battles, and madness, and passions that have shaped the language and the meanings we agree upon today. We'll kick this week off by exploring the fascinating false etymology of everyone's favorite foul word. Then learn about the American language, and the way in which its chief lexicographer hoped to shape the national identity. Finally we will explore the relationship between a criminally insane American Civil War doctor and the finest dictionary ever compiled. 

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Ep 80: Ill Defined History: The F Word

A weekly podcast taking a look at the stories that we tell over and over again. What our myths and misdeeds, fears and fables say about us as humans.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

What gives art its value? Is it beauty? Is it history? The artist’s signature? The fact that the piece is housed in a prestigious institution? Maybe it’s the story of the work of art and it’s creator. Maybe the legend of the art is as important as the work itself. Join us this week for the tales of art heists, forgeries, and true masters of their craft as we ask what makes a pretty painting, into art. 

Special Guest Story Teller: The Lonely Palette Podcast: http://www.thelonelypalette.com

Ep 127: Ceci N'est Pas De L'art: Art Heists

Sometimes the character of a place is so apparent that one can help but feel the stories that formed it. Natchez, Mississippi is one of those places. History has always brought conflicted, complicated characters to this city on the bluffs, and it seems that those characters and the spaces that he inhabited are still around. Natchez held on tight to its history, and today, legends abound. Join us this week as we discuss the southern character itself, focusing on stories from this sleepy Mississippi town: from the haunting of King’s Tavern, to the town’s ties to the infamous Harpe Brothers; from the trial of Aaron Burr, to murder at Goat Castle.

Ep 126: Southern Gothic AF:  Ghosts of Natchez

There is a time honored tradition in America of elevating the heroes amongst us, who are willing to take matters into their own hands. They quickly become legends. We seem to love an antihero, and at no time was this more apparent than in the 1970s. The heyday of the vigilante film, saw such classics as Shaft, Taxi Driver, Foxy Brown, and Dirty Harry hit screens for the first time. So, what does this tell us (other than that Tarantino was a child of this era)? What can we learn by looking at the people who are willing to put their lives on the line to either preserve an order that benefits them, or upends system that oppresses them? Can extralegal justice ever be a good thing? Join us this week as we talk about historical vigilantes, from twelfth century Gaul, to the Wild West, to World War I and the legends they have become.

Ep 125: Deal with the Consequences Later: Vigilantes

Rock and roll is here to stay, and that’s why some truly enduring urban legends have sprung up around the landmark hits and the bands that performed them.  Before there was Instagram, or even MySpace; before AOL instant messenger, before MTV, or John Hughes; before arcades and shopping malls; before all that: there was rock and roll. For teenagers, by teenagers, about teenagers; rock was going to be a voice of its generation for generations to come. Music journalism, festivals and concerts created a true grapevine. So of course, there was gossip, and where there’s gossip, urban legends can grow wild. So join us this week as we explore the true stories behind such classic as “In the Air Tonight,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the most storied song of the 20th century, “American Pie.” Kick off your shoes, let’s dig those rhythm and blues.

Ep 124: Can Music Save Your Mortal Soul?

Shadow People are an international phenomenon. As far as paranormal experiences go, seeing a fleeting dark figure in you peripheral vision, or waking up to a sensation of being unable to move as a dark figure stares at you, or seeing a dark silhouette in a spooky building; are very common happenings. However there is definitely more to these mysterious entities than meets the eye. Join us this week as we discuss the particulars of shadow people. From the Dark Watchers of Big Sur, to the Hat Man and his minions, to possible omens associated with true crimes, to the dark influence of Walking Sam on the Pine Ridge Reservation; we will do our best to unravel the seemingly simple question, what are they?

Guest Story Tellers: Our Amazing Listeners 

Music Credit: Purple Planet Music

Ep 80: Ill Defined History: The F Word

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