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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Boston Women Race to the Altar (1938)

Published on October 25, 2023

Posted in: Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

Women who worked for Boston Edison risked being fired if they didn't marry by April 30, 1938. Many quickly married to avoid the deadline.

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The Naked Mustard Ladies – Podcast #205

Published on October 9, 2023

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

A bizarre true story that involves mustard, relish, the UPS, and three nude Michigan women. It was one that gained national notoriety, but quickly disappeared into the shadows of obscurity.

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Leonardo de Toenail (1980)

Published on September 28, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Tidbits

The unusual true story of a man who snuck under library tables to paint women's toenails with nail polish.

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Woman Repeatedly Fails Driver’s Test (1969)

Published on September 26, 2023

Posted in: Law & Order, Tidbits

Just what is the world record for failing test to obtain a driver's license? Let's just say it is a very large number...

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Teenagers Steal Airplane (1959)

Published on July 7, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Tidbits

Three teenagers decide to steal an airplane and take a joyride in it. But what would they do when they began to run out of fuel?

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He Was Born Somewhere… (1903)

Published on June 23, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Law & Order, Tidbits

When one is born while on a trip from one place to another, what does one place on their birth certificate. Harry Mowrar had such a problem.

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1943: Boy’s Court Plea Wins Suit And A New Home (Footnote)

Published on May 8, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Law & Order, Tidbits

A 10-year-old Detroit boy convinced a judge to throw out his family's eviction order. They were given a new home instead.

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A Little Boy’s Revenge (1953)

Published on April 21, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Hoaxes, Law & Order, Tidbits

Three boys at PS 90 in Manhattan were witness to the murder of one of their classmates. Police were called and began a search for the body...

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Hand Shaking for Civic Pride (1936)

Published on April 7, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Law & Order, Tidbits

As sirens blast in unison around the world, everyone turns to the person near them and shakes hands. Would this result in world peace? Roscoe E. Dickson certainly thought so.

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The Broken Record: A Search for Lost Treasure (1911)

Published on April 4, 2023

Posted in: Death and Murder, Law & Order, Money & Financial, Tidbits

Just what happens when a man records the location of a buried treasure on a phonograph record and the record shatters before anyone listens to it?

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A Severed Relationship – Podcast #192

Published on March 6, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Podcast

Ouch!!! The ghastly true story of Bertha Boronda who, in 1907, took a straight razor and sliced off her husband Frank’s penis. Did he survive?

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1904: The Match Head Man: A Strange Tale of Addiction

Published on February 21, 2023

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

A woman complains that her husband has been eating match heads since their honeymoon and wants to know what can be done about it.

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The Cryptanalyst (Part 2) – Podcast #183

Published on November 3, 2022

Posted in: Fraud & Deception, Law & Order, Podcast

In this second installment, 93-year-old Marvin Lautzenheiser discusses his time as an FBI field agent, how his team finally deciphered the hollow nickel message, and offers up his opinion on the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies.

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The Cryptanalyst (Part 1) – Podcast #182

Published on October 21, 2022

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

An interview with 93-year-old Marvin Lautzenheiser, who was the lead cryptanalyst for the FBI team that deciphered the microfilm message contained in the Hollow Nickel (Podcast #168).

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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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Recent Podcast Episodes

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