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Useless Information

Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

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Podcasting Since January 2008

17-Year Christmas Card Mystery

Published on January 11, 2020

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Year after year, Mr. and Mrs. Leo M. Dooley of Akron, Ohio would receive a Christmas card but had no clue who was sending it. The mystery was finally solved...

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Parachute Drops Christmas Gifts

Published on January 4, 2020

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

For Christmas 1944, Pfc. Wesley De Quinn was overseas fighting in the war. His gifts to his family were delivered in the most unusual way.

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Sacramental Wine for Jewish Families to Be Doubled

Published on December 27, 2019

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

The question arose in 1932, during Prohibition, whether or not the quota of sacramental wine for Jewish families should be increased.

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A Christmas Eve Kidnapping – Podcast #130

Published on December 20, 2019

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

On Christmas Eve of 1937, a man in Centerville, Indiana kidnapped a young boy and his babysitter. Minutes later, the boy's mother and the local grocer were taken prisoner by a second thug. A shootout between the bandit and the boy's father then followed.

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No Locks at Denny’s

Published on December 25, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

In December of 1988, the restaurant chain Denny’s decided to close all of its 1,221 stores for the Christmas holiday. That's when they found out that many of their restaurants lacked door locks.

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Empty Christmas Envelopes

Published on December 24, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

A true story about 50 empty envelopes that were mailed from the Spokane, Washington post office.

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Santa Breaks Girl’s Heart

Published on December 23, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

When Tillie Oakley was told by an older student that Santa did not exist, she became very ill. No one could do anything to help her.

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Christmas Time in Santa Heim – Podcast #118

Published on December 21, 2018

Posted in: Forgotten History, Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

Fun story from the 1940's about a man named Harry H. Heim who converted a defunct mill town into the ultimate Christmas wonderland.

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Safety Buttons Proven Unsafe

Published on January 21, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

In 1974 the Consumer Product Safety Commission had to recall 80,000 of their own "Think Toy Safety" buttons because they were unsafe.

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Only Santa Fits Down Chimneys

Published on January 14, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Shortly after Christmas in 1960, 8-year-old London resident Alan Smith decided to emulate Santa by going down the chimney. He got stuck...

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Got Just What He Asked For

Published on January 7, 2018

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

In 1958, Warren David of Racine, Wisconsin received exactly what he wanted for Christmas: A living doll.

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The Man Who Gave Away His Birthday – Podcast #108

Published on December 30, 2017

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

When Robert Louis Stevenson learned that Annie Ide disliked her Christmas birthday, he gave her his birthday. The story includes an interview with Heather Finn, the woman who inherited his birthday.

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Found Out Who Her Husband Really Was…

Published on October 28, 2016

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Holidays & Celebrations, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

Halloween 1936: Howard Law of Chicago purchased a box of candy for his wife. He was soon arrested for being an escaped prisoner.

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Dressed Like a Man for Halloween

Published on October 24, 2016

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Back in 1921, New York City resident Etta Caulfield decided to dress up as a man for Halloween. Soon she was arrested for doing so.

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The Trick-or-Treat Dentist – Podcast #98

Published on October 19, 2016

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Holidays & Celebrations, Law & Order, Podcast

Back in 1959 dentist William V. Shyne was charged with giving laxative pills to trick-or-treaters. Find out what happened next...

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