When most people hear the name Johns Hopkins, they think of hospitals, white coats, and maybe a university that sounds a little like a typo. But behind the name is a story worth telling—a story of grit, generosity, contradiction, and vision. Johns Hopkins was a man whose life shaped the very city he called home, and whose legacy continues to shape medicine, education, and philanthropy in America.

This week on *What The Frock?*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod tackle the fallout from Jake Tapper’s new book *Original Sin*, which bravely reveals everything we already knew—but couldn’t say—about President Biden’s cognitive decline. From media complicity to George Clooney’s suspiciously timed “epiphany,” the guys unpack how the press and the political class gaslit America into silence… until it was time to cash in. Along the way, they explore Big Pharma’s ad dollars, TikTok trans tantrums, Iraqis with pet lions, and whether American bread is actually poison (spoiler: it’s not). Dave discovers the French phrase for “Cat, I farted,” and Rod finally confesses his deep love of Prince’s guitar solos. If you like biting satire, honest takes, and a podcast that says what everyone else is afraid to, this episode delivers. *What The Frock?*—available now on the iHeart Radio App, Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Omar Khayyam, the man behind the Rubáiyát, was no ordinary poet. He was born on May 18, 1048, in Nishapur, in what is now northeastern Iran. His surname, “Khayyam,” meaning tentmaker, likely described his father’s profession. But young Omar quickly outgrew any legacy of canvas and rope. His teachers recognized a prodigious intellect, and he was sent to study with the most respected scholar in the region, Imam Muwaffaq Nishapuri. This was not merely book learning. Omar became fluent in philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, and the fine art of skeptical inquiry.

It began with a piece of parchment and a declaration. On May 17, 1756, the Kingdom of Great Britain formally declared war on the Kingdom of France. For anyone watching the slow-burning tensions of the past decade, it was hardly a surprise. But the significance of that declaration cannot be overstated. In that moment, what had been a series of regional conflicts transformed into a single, globe-spanning firestorm: the Seven Years’ War.

On this episode of Dave Does History, we travel back to May 16, 1969, when the Soviet Union dropped a robot into the blazing heart of Venus. Venera 5 was no ordinary probe—it was built like a tank, wired like a scientist, and plunged into an atmosphere so fierce it would crush a submarine. For 53 minutes, it battled heat, pressure, and gravity, sending back data that shattered old assumptions about our sister planet. This is the story of Soviet engineering, scientific grit, and a one-way trip into the unknown skies of Venus. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts.

In 1963, astronaut Gordon Cooper launched on the Faith 7 mission, completing 22 orbits in over 34 hours. Facing equipment failures, he maintained composure and used manual calculations to safely return. Cooper's journey symbolized American perseverance and faith, shaping future space missions while capturing the spirit of a changing era.

Otto Klemperer, born in 1885 in Breslau, was a prominent conductor who navigated a tumultuous musical and personal life. He fled Nazi Germany, struggled with health issues, and yet triumphed, conducting major orchestras and championing diverse repertoires. His legacy endures through his music and the notable career of his son, Werner.

In this first episode of our new series, Dave lays the cornerstone by drawing a sharp and necessary distinction between two words we often treat as interchangeable: freedom and liberty. With stories ranging from Captain Levi Preston's 1840s recollections to the tale of Joseph in Genesis, Dave shows how liberty—unlike mere freedom—is a deeply rooted condition of the soul. It is not the ability to do whatever one wants. It is the right to self-govern, the responsibility to live uprightly, and the power to say no to tyranny.

Today on *Dave Does History*, we honor the quiet heroes in scrubs by diving into the legacy of Florence Nightingale—the woman who transformed nursing from a thankless task into a global profession. On International Nurses Day, we reflect on her bold defiance of Victorian norms, her relentless pursuit of reform during the Crimean War, and how her spirit still burns bright in every hospital hallway. From battlefield tents to delivery rooms, the lamp she carried still lights the way. Join us for a heartfelt look at the Lady with the Lamp and the nurses who carry on her mission today.

What do Achilles and Thomas Jefferson have in common?

No, this is not the start of a bad bar joke involving sandals and powdered wigs. It is the central question of today’s episode of Dave Does History, where we continue our Liberty – 250 journey by looking at how flawed men—sometimes deeply flawed—can still forge greatness.