Useless Information

Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Samuel Renick Buys His Own Murder -Podcast #39

Published on December 10, 2010

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Law & Order, Podcast

Albany jeweler Samuel Resnick retired to Phoenix, Arizona, but something went wrong. He ended up paying to have himself murdered.

Click to Read More...

The Cardiff Giant – Podcast #38

Published on October 26, 2010

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Entertainment, Fraud & Deception, Podcast

The 1869 discovery of this fossilized giant provided the first definitive proof that giants once did inhabit the Earth. Could it be true?

Click to Read More...

The Greatest Escape – Podcast #36

Published on August 10, 2010

Posted in: Escape and Survival, Podcast

Slavomir Rawich's escape from a Siberian prison camp is among the greatest stories of survival ever. So great that it seems totally unbelievable at times.

Click to Read More...

Dumpy the Dog – Podcast #35

Published on July 9, 2010

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Podcast

For a while it seemed like Dumpy the Dog could survive just about anything, but a puppy-hood illness came back to haunt him. Be sure to check out this incredible true story.

Click to Read More...

Death by Exploding Playing Cards – Podcast #34

Published on June 7, 2010

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Podcast

William Kogut decided to end his life using a deck of ordinary playing cards. Learn how he managed to do so in this fascinating true story.

Click to Read More...

The Little Widow of Herald Square – Podcast #33

Published on May 5, 2010

Posted in: Death and Murder, Money & Financial, Podcast

Ida Mayfield Wood lived as a recluse in the Herald Square Hotel in NYC for 24 years. When she died, 1,103 people claimed to be the heir to her fortune. Eight years later not a single one of them got a penny.

Click to Read More...

The Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt – Podcast #32

Published on April 6, 2010

Posted in: Love & Marriage, Money & Financial, Podcast

Wealthy Ann Cooper Hewitt was sterilized at age 20 by her mother and two doctors, yet had no knowledge that the procedure was being done.

Click to Read More...

The Phantom Sniper – Podcast #31

Published on March 3, 2010

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Law & Order, Podcast

The Phantom Sniper terrorized women of the Los Angeles area in the early 1950s. He was captured because of one minor mistake that most people would have easily overlooked.

Click to Read More...

The Strange Kidnapping of Milly McGill – Podcast #30

Published on February 1, 2010

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

The long forgotten story about the strange kidnapping of Milly McGill back in 1945. It is what happened after Milly was returned back to her parents that is the oddest part of this true story.

Click to Read More...

The 1913 Calumet Christmas Party Disaster – Podcast #29

Published on November 24, 2009

Posted in: Death and Murder, Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

A 1913 Christmas Eve celebration for the children of Calumet, Michigan turned into a death trap.

Click to Read More...

The Cranberry Crisis of 1959 – Podcast #28

Published on November 23, 2009

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

Can you imagine Thanksgiving without cranberries? That actually happened in 1959 when cooks across America tossed out all of their cranberry products.

Click to Read More...

The Great Elephant Caper – Podcast #27

Published on October 30, 2009

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Crime & Punishment, Podcast

Eleven circus elephants died from arsenic poisoning within a one-week period in 1941. The search for the murderer was on...

Click to Read More...

You’ve Got the Wrong Men – Podcast #26

Published on October 1, 2009

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Law & Order, Podcast

One of the best stories ever covered on this podcast. It's the story of two men placed on trial for murder and were saved from almost certain death by an event that occurred many miles away.

Click to Read More...

Escape in a Homemade Submarine – Podcast #25

Published on September 2, 2009

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Escape and Survival, Podcast

The fascinating true story of three Milwaukee men that started bombing Milwaukee Sears stores in an effort to obtain $100,000 and escape in their homemade submarine.

Click to Read More...

The Kidnapping of Caleb Milne IV – Podcast #24

Published on August 6, 2009

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Hoaxes, Podcast

A long-forgotten story about the sensational kidnapping of Caleb Milne IV back in 1935. Not all was as it seemed.

Click to Read More...

Language

Follow the Podcast

Over 6 Million Downloads!

Recent Podcast Episodes

Retrocast #20 – Podcast #204
September 20, 2023
Boxed for a Better Life – Podcast #203
September 11, 2023
Retrocast #19 – Podcast #202
August 15, 2023
Back Into the Woods – Podcast #201
August 2, 2023
Mississippi Bans Sesame Street – Podcast #200
July 17, 2023
Bonus Episode: I Am a Guest on the Off Exit 10 Podcast
July 5, 2023
Retrocast #18 – Podcast #199
June 21, 2023
The Kid Is Not My Son – Podcast #198
June 7, 2023
Dubious Advice – Podcast #197
May 18, 2023
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion – Podcast #196
May 3, 2023

╳