Notorious Narratives

The Hope Diamond is a gem that has been shrouded in mystery since its discovery. Perhaps the origin of the curse lies in the gems provenance; as it is rumored to have been stolen from the head of an idol in India by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. From the time the gem came to Europe till it reached the doors of the Smithsonian numerous deaths and accidents have been assigned to the cursed gem. In this episode, Jen tells us the story of this legendary stone and it's body count. 

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Freemasonry is shrouded in mystery and has given rise to a multitude of conspiracy theories. But in the early 19th century one man set out to break down the wall of secrecy. This man was William Morgan. While you may be thinking of him as some sort of social justice warrior, think again. William Morgan was a hustler and a vagabond and set out to make some real cash selling the secrets of the masons....that was until his mysterious disappearance. In this episode, Jen will tell you a story of secrets, blackmail, murder and politics.

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In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Robin tells us some of the strange uses for our favorite prophylactic; the condom. And this week Jen tells us the story of an archeologic find that changes the way we view the pre-Columbian culture of Peru. In Huanchaquito-Las Llamas, Peru, on a low bluff just a thousand feet from the sea, a pizza shop owner and his dog stumbled upon a massive amount of bones, old bones.....small, very small bones. The story of these bones is in fact the tragic tale of the end of a civilization known as the Chimu. In this episode, Jen will tell the story of these bones and the disastrous end of the Chimu.

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There are few things as nightmarish as working in a field of grain while starving, but that is the fate that befell the people of the Ukraine in the years of 1932-1933. The word Holodomor is derived from the Ukrainian words for hunger (holod) and extermination (mor). This is a accurate description of the situation. Death, hunger and genocide are not topics that are easily discussed in polite company, but in this episode, Robin tells us the story of Holodomor; a heartbreaking tale of famine, loss and starvation.

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From Irish secret societies, labor uprisings to a major garbage crisis, Centralia, Pennsylvania is a town with a story to tell. Once a bustling hub of mining, now a town of only 9 citizens who brave the fire that burns below that constantly threatens to take the earth from beneath their feet. How does a town become a ghost town in the modern day? Well, Centralia is a ghost town, and in this episode, Jen will tell you this ghost's story.

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From Ancient Rome to Modern Mongolia, immurement has been used as a method of capital punishment, torture and sacrifice. Numerous cultures worldwide have used this practice for a myriad of reasons but regardless of the reason the horror remains. In this episode Robin tells us about the practice of immurement; history's most horrific death sentence.

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There is only one female winner of the Medal of Honor, that is Mary Edwards Walker. Mary was a singular woman in her day, a progressive dresser, physician, field surgeon and suffragette. In this episode, Jen introduces us to a woman ahead of her time.

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Well it is that time of year again - Christmas. Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, one thing is certain, there are lot of weird traditions that surround the holiday. For this episode Jen has dug up a story that brings us trolls, ogres, elves and candy in a shoe. This is the story of the Icelandic Christmas Tradition that surrounds Gryla-The Christmas Witch and her bizarre family of mischief makers. Hope you like it. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.

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In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Jen will tell you the story of a publicity stunt turned deadly. Then we travel to Ireland where recent discoveries of neolithic structures are changing the way we understand the history of Ireland. In this episode, we armchair archeologist the shit out of one of Ireland's greatest mysteries: New Grange.

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There are only a few words that evoke such a perfect description of an individual as the word Casanova. But what few know is that Casanova is not just an adjective, he was a real man whose exploits were so grandiose that they cemented his name forever in history. A playboy who made his living as a gambler, an astronomer and even a spy; he rubbed shoulders with all of the Enlightenment's greatest names. While the legend is sounds debonaire the reality of the man may be very different. In this episode, Robin introduces you to a man whose legend may be darker that you realize.

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