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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the WWW Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Shoes Designed to Protect Postmen from Dogs (1956)

Published on April 28, 2025

Posted in: Fashion & Design, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

The National Association of Chiropodists set their sights on designing a new type of footwear for letter carriers, one that would minimize the damage from dog bites.

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Exploding Sweaters (1952)

Published on April 24, 2025

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

Sweaters were being sold in the early 1950s that just seemed to burst into flames. How could this be?

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Cat Placed in Jail While Awaiting Court Hearing (1937)

Published on April 21, 2025

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Tidbits

A cat was placed in jail while two people fought in court over who really owned it.

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Retrocast #33 – Podcast #238

Published on April 16, 2025

Posted in: Podcast, Tidbits

A cat is jailed, clothing seems to instantly combust, shoes for postmen designed to minimize dog bites, Titanic supposedly unsinkable, a tastier spinach, and much more!

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A Vacation Lost in Translation (1977)

Published on March 20, 2025

Posted in: Tidbits

After decades of living in the United States, Nick Scotti took a trip back to Italy, the place of his birth. He was surprised to see the Roman ruins had been torn down. Or were they?

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Female Bartenders Barred (1937)

Published on March 18, 2025

Posted in: Law & Order, Tidbits

The State of Ohio decided to ban women from tending bar. By 1960, 26 states had similar laws. Why would they do such a thing?

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Stay Single or Lose It All (1924)

Published on March 14, 2025

Posted in: Death and Murder, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

When Louisa Philler Gaw Johnson passed away in 1924, her will shocked the nation. Her son-in-law could inherit $100,000—only if he stayed single forever.

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Retrocast #32 – Podcast #236

Published on March 12, 2025

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts, Tidbits

A man discovers the Roman Ruins of his youth have been torn down, a violin made from a lobster claw, an electric chair that electrocuted itself, and much more!

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Dividing a Cadillac 57 Ways (1960)

Published on February 4, 2025

Posted in: Money & Financial, Tidbits

57 firefighters won a 1960 Cadillac in a Rotary Club raffle. Then came the big question: how to divide up an automobile 57 ways...

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Manhole Covers Blown Sky High (1937)

Published on January 30, 2025

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Death and Murder, Tidbits

An explosion sent 17 manhole covers flying along a busy Chicago street. One of them descended down an elevator shaft, killing its operator in what can only be described as a freak accident.

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A Lost Ring Found (1930)

Published on January 27, 2025

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

A man loses a valuable diamond ring at Madison Square Garden. Weeks later, he spots a similar ring of the finger of a man that he is eating lunch with in a New Jersey restaurant. Could it be his?

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Santa Gave Away Too Much (1962)

Published on December 23, 2024

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Sometimes Santa can be just a bit too generous. Take, for example, this story of a department store Santa who was fired for handing out too many gifts to the children that sat on his lap.

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Savannah’s Secret Santa (1952)

Published on December 20, 2024

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

The identity of Savannah's Mysterious Santa Claus was finally revealed with his passing in 1952. But why did he secretly give out gifts for fifty years?

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Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1939)

Published on December 17, 2024

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Did you know that Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer began as a cost-cutting move on the part of retailer Mongomery Ward? They assigned the task of creating the story to one of their staff members, Robert L. May.

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Publishers Reject Best-Selling Book (1979)

Published on November 22, 2024

Posted in: Entertainment, Tidbits

As an experiment, the manuscript for the award-winning book Steps by Jerzy Kosinski was submitted to a number of publishing houses. Would any of them show interest in publishing it?

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