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.

This week on *What the Frock?*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod roll the dice—literally and figuratively—as they reckon with being hilariously wrong about everything.

From the surprise passage of statewide rent control in Washington to the shock election of an American Pope (a White Sox fan, no less!), the divine comedy unfolds with sarcasm, snark, and a healthy dose of skepticism. Zeus even makes a cameo.

The boys also dive into AI in the courtroom, Salt Lake City’s flag follies, and the mysteries of divine will—especially when it sounds suspiciously like politics.

Grab your rosary and your riot helmet, because things are about to get weird.

Listen now on the iHeart Radio App, Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Holy Spirit may or may not approve.

In today’s episode of *Dave Does History*, we delve into the dramatic and tragic Mussel Slough Tragedy of 1880. This shootout between settlers and agents of the Southern Pacific Railroad over disputed land titles left seven men dead and sparked a nationwide conversation about corporate monopolies, land rights, and the battle between the little guy and big business. Join me as we explore the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley, where passion, politics, and power collided, shaping the future of the region. Tune in for an insightful, human-centered look at this pivotal moment in American history.

In the early 1760s, Britain was a country deeply embroiled in political upheaval. King George III had recently ascended the throne, and the country was recovering from the tumult of the Seven Years' War. As Britain’s new monarch, George was eager to restore stability, but his government, particularly under Prime Minister Earl of Bute, was unpopular. The country was divided, with tensions brewing both domestically and abroad. Amidst this backdrop, one man would stand out—John Wilkes, a radical journalist whose influence would extend far beyond the confines of Britain, even impacting the revolutionary fervor in the American colonies.

According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, a Punch and Judy hitter is someone who does not swing for the fences. He chokes up, pokes the ball, slaps it to the opposite field, and drops it just where no one can catch it. No power. No fireworks. But he gets on base. The term, it turns out, is borrowed from the chaotic world of British puppet shows. Punch and Judy, in their original setting, were not exactly known for subtlety.

In the spring of 1721, Rome became the stage for one of the most politically charged papal conclaves in history. Over thirty-nine tense days and seventy-five ballots, powerful factions battled for control of the Church’s future. Out of this storm emerged a quiet and steady figure—Michelangelo dei Conti, who would become Pope Innocent XIII. On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we take you behind the locked doors of the conclave, exploring the intrigue, the backroom deals, and the man who rose to the papacy not through ambition, but as the compromise candidate no one hated—and the Church desperately needed.

It was a clear spring day, May 7, 1915, when a British ocean liner—the RMS Lusitania—slipped beneath the waves off the southern coast of Ireland. She had left New York six days earlier, bound for Liverpool, and was now just hours from her destination. On board were nearly two thousand souls—men, women, children, businessmen, families, and a significant number of Americans. The war in Europe had raged for almost a year, but for most Americans, the Atlantic still felt like a wide and safe buffer. That illusion was shattered in under twenty minutes.

There was a time when history was not written—it was spoken. Passed from elder to child, rabbi to disciple, warrior to scribe. It pulsed with breath, gesture, tone, and rhythm. But somewhere along the road to modernity, history put down the mic and picked up a pen. In this week’s episode of Dave Does History, we explore the great divide between oral tradition and written tradition, and why understanding the difference matters now more than ever.

This week on *Dave Does History*, we bring you the astonishing story of Nellie Bly—the fearless reporter who exposed cruelty inside an asylum, circled the globe faster than Phileas Fogg, and redefined what women could do in journalism. Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, Bly smashed through 19th-century expectations with a pen, a passport, and relentless grit. From undercover stunts to war reporting, her career was a whirlwind of courage and conviction. Join us as we explore her extraordinary life, her legacy in investigative journalism, and the lessons she still offers a world hungry for truth. This is Nellie Bly’s story.

It began on a spring day in Beijing, May 4th, 1919. More than three thousand students from thirteen universities gathered in Tiananmen Square, not to celebrate or observe a holiday, but to protest. They were angry, frustrated, and determined. Their government had failed them, their nation had been betrayed, and they were not going to remain silent. That day would not only be remembered for a student demonstration, but as the birth of modern China.