Useless Information - Fascinating True Stories from the Flip Side of History

Useless Information

Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Retrocast #11 – Podcast #175

Published on June 30, 2022

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts

Latest episode! In this episode: A mystery man speaks an unknown language, a boy gets his head stuck in a toilet seat, a woman slips on a bar of soap and then flies out the window, and much more! Madison Newton cohosts.

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Almost Over the Hump – Podcast #174

Published on June 20, 2022

Posted in: Escape and Survival, Podcast

Just what happens when your airplane crashes high up in the Himalayan mountains and there is no chance that anyone will ever find you? This happened to two pilots during WW II as they attempted to pilot a cargo plane over “The Hump.”

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Retrocast #10 – Podcast #173

Published on June 1, 2022

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts

Sliced bread is banned, popcorn in theaters may be banned, women using fly swatters to lose weight, and much more! Matt Breen of the Explorers Podcast cohosts.

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Henry Ford’s Peace Ship – Podcast #172

Published on May 16, 2022

Posted in: Forgotten History, Podcast

In 1915, Henry Ford sought to end WWI by chartering a ship and sailing with many of the prominent peace activists of the day to Europe. Find out what happened next...

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Footnote – 1956: Driver Grabs At Bird, Hits New Police Car

Published on June 27, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Law & Order

A parakeet was blamed for a car accident that destroyed a brand-new police car.

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Footnote – 1947: Doctor Wins Bet but Client Dies After Paying Off

Published on June 24, 2022

Posted in: Death and Murder, Footnotes to History

Imagine losing a bet with a doctor and then dropping dead minutes after settling the bet. That happened to Allan Sharp.

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1952 – Akron Woman Loses Car

Published on June 22, 2022

Posted in: Humor, Tidbits

Mrs. Helen Block abandoned her car after it got stuck during a snowstorm. The problem was that she had no idea where she had left it.

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Footnote – 1937: Fall on Ice Starts Blaze in His Pants

Published on June 17, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Humor

Joseph Trainor fell on the ice and his pants caught on fire. Yet, he did not have a single match on him...

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1949 – Theater Popcorn Ban Proposed

Published on June 13, 2022

Posted in: Law & Order, Tidbits

A bill was introduced in the Oregon State Senate that called for the banning of popcorn and peanuts in movie theaters.

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Footnote – 1935: Cake Still Good After 35 Years

Published on June 10, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

Would you eat a 35-year-old piece of wedding cake? Frederika Weber did just that it was surprisingly still good.

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1943 – Sliced Bread Banned by the United States

Published on June 6, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

The U.S. government banned bakeries from slicing bread during WWII. Let's just say that things did not go as planned...

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Footnote – 1927: Fly Swatter Used To Lose Weight

Published on June 3, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

Springfield, MA was experiencing a big run on fly swatters because women were using them to swat away their excess weight.

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Footnote – 1950: Dog Saves Lives of 60 Men College Students

Published on May 10, 2022

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Death and Murder, Escape and Survival, Footnotes to History, Tidbits

The lives of 60 dormitory residents were endangered by carbon monoxide poisoning. A pooch named Piedmont was credited with saving their lives.

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Footnote – 1949: Nimrod Gives Bizarre Excuse

Published on May 6, 2022

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Crime & Punishment, Footnotes to History, Tidbits

Can you tell the difference between a deer and a groundhog? These two hunters in Maryland apparently could not.

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Footnote – 1935: Tarantula in Britches

Published on May 3, 2022

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Footnotes to History, Tidbits

A Montgomery, AL officer had to deal with an erratic banana truck driver who had a tarantula in his pants!

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Recent Podcast Episodes

Retrocast #11 – Podcast #175
June 30, 2022
Almost Over the Hump – Podcast #174
June 20, 2022
Retrocast #10 – Podcast #173
June 1, 2022
Henry Ford’s Peace Ship – Podcast #172
May 16, 2022
Arbor Day Turns 150! – Podcast #171
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Retrocast #9 – Podcast #170
April 13, 2022
The Father of Voice Radio – Reginald Fessenden – Podcast #169
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The Case of the Hollow Nickel – Podcast #168
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Retrocast #8 – Podcast #167
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The Eddie Cantor Peace Prize – Podcast #166
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