In the 1994, critically acclaimed movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman’s character, “Red,” sits with his friend and fellow inmate, “Andy Dufresne,” brilliantly portrayed by Tim Robbins, in the courtyard of Shawshank Prison. “Hope can be a dangerous thing,” Red says, as Dufresne stares blankly into space.

It certainly can be…. Or, it can be what keeps a man alive under extraordinary circumstances.

For today’s episode, I take you, the listeners of The Missing Chapter Podcast, to my home town; the small hamlet of Altamont, NY, some 30 mins. outside of New York State’s capital of Albany for a truly remarkable, inspirational story of determination and survival. Like a Hollywood movie script, when our nation called upon the “greatest generation” to defend freedom from tyranny and fascism, men, women… families… responded like never before. Their stories – this story – from the nestling hills of the Hudson Valley to your ears on an episode that truly “hits home” for this host.

Thanks for joining us… on this, a special home town episode of The Missing Chapter.

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If you’re anything like us, the miracle of flight is something that has always dazzled us.  We still see the awe in watching planes take off and land, and being on a plane continues to thrill no matter how mainstream and normal commercial flights have become.  There’s something so fascinating about it that it’s hard to describe.  What’s truly unbelievable is how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time.  We’ve only had a little over a century’s worth of flying experience and look how capable, safe, and almost physics-defying our common plane has truly become.  And to think it all started with two brothers who shared the same fascination with flight as us.  And that fascination, which led to obsession, is the focus of today’s episode.  

So pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your tray tables in their upright and locked position, and prepare for takeoff as your captains, Phil and Phil, bring you into the unknowns of the Wright brothers on this episode of the Missing Chapter.

The day that will live in infamy.  Those harrowing words might be one of the first things that come to mind when mentioning December 7, 1941.It’s been studied, watched, reviewed, and discussed countless times, evoking the same frightful emotion every time.  But our goal here on the MCP is to look deeper into history’s well-known events and reveal the unknown, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. So let’s honor this day by discussing some of the unknown facts, stories, and heroes of that day, some 83 years ago. And let’s highlight, maybe even rewrite, what we know about that day, in a new, Missing Chapter.

Native Americans aren’t often associated with New York City and its dense, vertical, iron landscape. With so many indigenous nations pushed to America’s frontier in the 19th century, they usually appear in popular culture as populates of the rural West, occupying wide open spaces brimming with tipis, buffalo and pow wows. Yet the Mohawk Nation has deep roots in metropolitan New York City—where, beginning in the early 20th century, Mohawk, ironworkers contributed to building many of the iconic skyscrapers that dominate the Manhattan skyline today.

These “Skywalkers” have for generations traveled far and wide to work on the “high steel,” bringing back good wages to support their homes and building reputations as fearless laborers in the process. Today’s episode takes us from Upstate NY to downtown Manhattan as we tight rope walk the iron beams of what are now some of the tallest buildings in the United States.

Pour your coffee, settle in… it’s The Missing Chapter Podcast.

No risk no reward, right?  We’ve all heard it.  But have we heard of the focus of today’s episode?  Norilsk, Russia?  Yeah, me either.  It’s one of the unknown areas of history, and is still one of the unknown areas of the world.  A location so remote, so cold, and so polluted, that the environment itself is not only changed, but our perception of what color the skies, precipitation, and water should like will be forever modified.  What is this place?  Who is responsible for such a desolate wasteland?  And why on earth would anyone go to this toxin-filled, pollutant-ridden nightmare?  You’re going to need a strong cup of coffee for this one, and don’t go iced either, this episode of the Missing Chapter is going to be cold, and chilling, let’s get started!

Did you know that George Washington had wooden teeth? Wait, that’s not true is it? I thought that was a myth.  Well, as teachers, we should probably debunk some of these historic myths, while at the same time, letting everyone know what unbelievable stories are actually… truth. Let’s do it on today’s episode. A Missing Chapter Podcast all about truths versus myths… fact versus fiction. So, did Washington really have wooden teeth? Pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and relax, and let’s test your knowledge about history - true or false style.

Welcome back to the Missing Chapter Podcast and Happy almost Veterans day to all of our vets! As we begin the holiday weekend and honor those that have served, past and present, I think it’s also honorable to know the history of the holiday and how we got here.  So that’s what we’re here for.  Grab your coffees, salute your vets and lets pay homage to all of our service members around the world, past and present!

Well, listeners, we started this series of seeing double a few weeks ago with the discussion about Joseph Stalin - did he or did he not have a body double?  Check out S5E4 to find out our response.  But today, we have another rendition of this series and today’s question is whether or not Saddam Hussein had known body doubles.  Oh, there’s a hint…I said body doubles, plural, didn’t I?  Here we go, Missing Chapter listeners, no need to adjust your glasses, we’re seeing double…again…and we’re doubling down on our coffee intake as we enter into another episode of the Missing Chapter.

Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks,

And when she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.

Well, Missing Chapter fans, it’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling and the pumpkins are lit. For the past 4 years, Phil and I have been bringing you history’s forgotten stories and when the calendar turns to October… those stories turn to the dark & the mysterious.  On this Halloween special of The Missing Chapter Podcast, we’re joined by a special guest; who will discuss with us one of the most notorious, grisly murders in our nation’s history and the trial that followed. You know the routine: coffee is poured, shades are drawn, and doors are locked…

You won’t want to miss this episode and you won’t want to listen alone. It’s The Missing Chapter Podcast - Halloween Edition.

I’m sure most of you, especially this time of year, love a good haunted story - something scary, mysterious, murderous, ghastly, ghostly - like the very popular ghost tours around the country right now - like the  nighttime ghost tours of Gettysburg or Salem.  This time of year, especially, many people flock to Salem especially to visit the town that is known for the Salem Tomato Trials - wait, wait, wait - I meant to say Salem Witch Trials, sorry, typo right? 

Oh no, not on this episode.  This episode is filled with deadly, yet juicy details on the trials of…you heard me right…Tomatoes.  Welcome to the Missing Chapter, and Happy Halloween weekend, everyone, let’s get started.