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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

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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1943: Males in Skirts Protest Against Slacks (Footnote)

Published on April 5, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

Just what happens when a group of young make college students decide to wear skirts?

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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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The Love Pirate – Podcast #194

Published on April 3, 2023

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

In 1923, Kathleen Morrell was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of her own children. Why? Simply because all of her children were illegitimate.

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1935: Missing Arm To Be Buried Again, Deep (Footnote)

Published on April 1, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Footnotes to History

A man's arm was found in the Alturas, CA city dump. Was this evidence of a murder?

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1927: Food Is Literally ‘Shot From Guns’ (Footnote)

Published on March 31, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History

In an unusual promotion, the Quaker Oats Co. drove a vehicle through Racine, Wisconsin shooting Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice from a cannon.

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Retrocast 16 – Podcast #193

Published on March 20, 2023

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts

In this episode: a man who recorded the location of buried treasure on a record, a girl who swallowed 200 rocks, a color-blind plumber, the history of McDonald’s Big Mac, and much more!

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1964: Woman Anonymously Mails Boyfriend $500 (Footnote)

Published on March 14, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Love & Marriage

A 19-year-old had the brilliant idea of mailing her boyfriend $500, thinking he would use it to marry her. It did not go as planned...

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1937: Dog Found to Have Ring Lost Three Years Earlier (Footnote)

Published on March 10, 2023

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Footnotes to History, Love & Marriage

For three long years, Mrs. David Hann searched for her wedding ring. Then, one day, her dog spat it up. Where had it been all this time?

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1967: Dead Elephant Her Valentine

Published on March 7, 2023

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

Would you give a dead baby elephant to your significant other for Valentine's Day? Well, this Oregon man did...

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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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1930: Kissing Ban Proposed (Footnote)

Published on March 3, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Love & Marriage

A 10-year ban on kissing was proposed to slow the spread of tuberculosis. Could it work?

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1957: Doctor’s Stained-Glass Struggle Against Daughter’s Marriage

Published on February 28, 2023

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

A man objects to his daughter's marriage to her high school teacher by hurling stones at St. Patrick's cathedral's stained-glass windows.

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1928: Couple Waits 60 Years to Marry

Published on February 24, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Love & Marriage

It's never too late to marry one's sweetheart, even if they have to wait 60 years to do so.

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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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