The Totally True Story of The Orchid of Solza, 3-Ball Bartolomeo Colleoni
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In thinking through which classic to watch this holiday season, I landed on the Mario Puzo - Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece, The Godfather. That got me wondering about Corleone, Sicily and who that city was actually named after. Professor Enzo Tontodonato of St. Bonaventure University took me down a very unexpected path, to the life and times of a 15th century "family" man, named 3 Ball Bartolomeo Colleoni.
The Totally True Story of the First Successful Parachute Jump… or Push
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I got to thinking about who was the first person to jump from a ledge or flying machine using a parachute. I mean, who invented the first parachute, when was that, what were the circumstances – was it a thing of necessity in some horrible moment – and why would anyone ever want to step out of a flying machine or off a cliff when it’s hundreds, if not thousands of feet in the air using an untested accessory? There are a lot of people who own a piece of designing the first parachute, including Taccola, DaVinci, and a French fella named Andre-Jacques Garnerin.
True Facts #5 – The Invention of the Hamburger and the Founding of McDonald's
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Who doesn't love a big juicy burger? But where did this glorious gastronomic culinary creation come from? Who invented it and how did they dream it up? And what about that go-to condiment mix of mayo and ketchup? Or how did Thousand Island Dressing land on a Big Mac? And what about McDonald's and Ronald McDonald? Doucette de la Croix, the Provost of the Culinary Arts University of America filled me in on all of this need to know history for every hamburger fan.
The Totally True Story of How Thanksgiving Came to Be
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There's a lot that's been uncovered about the first Thanksgiving. Based on the research of Dr. Louis Pazgassian, a professor of Colonial North American and U.S. History and chair of Georgetown University’s history department, we're sharing the totally true facts of the holiday's origin, including a cast that includes Squanto, Massasoit, William and Mary Brewster, Edward and Susan Winslow, and the unheralded hero of the day, Olaf Dijksgeffen. This stuff really happened... it's totally true.
The Totally True Story of the Super Villain, Blofeld, from the James Bond Franchise
You Don't Say...
Super heroes are great, but it's the super villains who make those stories so compelling. Thinking about super villains brought me to the James Bond franchise from Ian Fleming, and specifically a villain who made his debut in Thunderball - Ernst Stavro Blofeld. So, where did the total truth of this villain's character come from? I did a deep dive and found the source, and some startling true facts about his progeny, who is making a name for himself in current times.
DISCLAIMER - Totally True Facts episodes are parodies. Let me say that again – parodies. Names have been changed in most cases to protect the innocent, though in others, the names of totally real people are used for the purpose of presenting the as mentioned parody. I hope that you’ll latch on to one of these facts and look up the totally, totally true facts on your own.
This episode brought to you by LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing and Layerly
The Totally True Story of the Roswell Incident Aliens, Based on Real Facts
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Back in 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico, a flying saucer crash landed in the desert. The Air Force secured the spacecraft as well as a handful of surviving aliens, including a petulant toddler alien, and the government decided to make the event a social experiment. Problem is, it became entangled with Bugsy Siegel, Roy Cohn and a mechanic who is now telling all.
DISCLAIMER - Totally True Facts episodes are parodies. Let me say that again – parodies. Names have been changed in most cases to protect the innocent, though in others, the names of totally real people are used for the purpose of presenting the as mentioned parody. I hope that you’ll latch on to one of these facts and look up the totally, totally true facts on your own.
The Totally True Story of the Bubbly Creek and a Guy Named Jeff Chłapowski, Based on Real Facts
You Don't Say...
We're introducing a new series for You Don't Say... It's called Totally True Facts.
One of the things that alternate facts have caused is a whole lot of unnecessary violence, strife and mischief. Alternate facts have made the world a very stressful and dangerous place. So I decided to create Totally True Facts. These vignettes will offer a grain of truth or reality about what actually happened either in current times or times gone by, but by and large I’m surrounding them with a mess of alternate facts that I hope at the very least will give you a reason to grin, if not have a laugh, and to just get away from the reality of an all too factually messed up world. These are parodies. Let me say that again – parodies. I will change names in most cases to protect the innocent, though in others, I will use the names of actual people, for the purpose of presenting the as mentioned parody. My hope is that you’ll latch on to one of these facts and look up the totally, totally true facts about it on your own.
Our first installment of Totally True Facts presents the origin story of Chicago's Bubbly Creek and the ancestry of a guy named Jeff Chłapowski.
Better Terms for All : Term Limits and Aging Out
You Don't Say...
All we need to do is to turn on the news and we see stories of septuagenarian and octogenarian politicians and judges whose time is well past. It’s like opening a dumpster and catching a good whiff of all the rot inside it. Term limits are long overdue, and in the 2024 presidential cycle, it's never been more clear that age limits also need to be imposed on our office holders. Here are some common sense ideas on how to change things, as well as some startling facts about the paychecks and pension plan for the lifetime appointees that sit as justices and judges in our courts.
Ep. 60 - Tuesday, September 11 - It Started Like Any Other Day
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I woke up, went off to the gym, then to work, like any other day. I imagine for a lady named Valsa Raju out in Yonkers, New York, her day started in an ordinary way. September 11, 2001 would not be just another day. I recently visited the 9/11 Memorial and it was as moving as you might expect. I met someone there. Someone who, I also imagine, was a lot like me, her name was Valsa Raju, and now I remember her every day.
Links
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Ep. 59 - Burnin' Down the House
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When fire strikes, here's what you need to know...
My sister, Amy Wagner, lost her family home of nearly 30 years to a fire in the spring of 2020. She's sharing her story of loss, community support, and rebuilding, and how that experience drove her to pay it forward by founding The Wagner Family Fire Fund. The Fire Fund is a non-profit supporting families and individuals who lose their homes to fire.
Links
- The Wagner Family Fire Fund
- Fundraiser - August 27, 2020 - The first anniversary of The Wagner Family Fire Fund
- Fundraiser - October 20, 2020 - The Texas Road House - A portion of sales will be donated when you mention The Wagner Family Fire Fund
- Legacy Box
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Ep. 58 - The Baseball Hall of Fame v. The Football Hall of Fame
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I recently visited both The National Baseball Hall of Fame and The Pro Football Hall of Fame. The difference in the feel of them was like going to a family reunion versus a corporate Powerpoint presentation… I'll tell you why.
Links
- The National Baseball Hall of Fame
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame
- The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron by Howard Bryant
- Black Diamonds Podcast
- The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
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Ep. 57 - It’s Time To Pull the Trigger on Real Change
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I'm past being tired of gun violence. So much that I'm also past being on board with the 2nd Amendment. In this episode I'm laying down facts and data on the most common arguments gun owners make in defense of their guns. But that's not all, I'm also providing what I believe are logical solutions that might allow a gun owner to have a shootin' iron, while controlling a lot of the problems of gun ownership.
Links
- Murders by Weapon Used
- Chief Justice Warren Burger's Reading of the 2nd Amendment
- The Problem with Jon Stewart - Gun Control (Apple TV+)
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Ep. 56 – A 66 Year Old Cold Case, With a Hot Trail – The Grimes Sisters Murders
You Don't Say...
Keep the episodes coming! Support YDS today: Support on Venmo l Support on Paypal
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace – LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing – Constant Contact
Mark Wicks grew up in the same neighborhood as the Grimes sisters. As a former investigator, when he started to look at the details of the case, an inconsistency in a person of interest’s account made him dig deeper… and zero in on the prime suspects.
Links
- Email Mark Davis
- Cook County Sheriff’s Department – Barbara & Patricia Grimes Cold Case
- Grimes Sister’s Murders Wikipedia Page
- Murder Gone Cold by Tamara Shaffer
- Teen Cleared by Lie Test In Grimes Case - Chicago Daily Tribune, Feb. 20, 1957
- Girls' Mother Tells Faith In New Witness - Chicago Daily Tribune, Feb. 1 1957
- Jail Four Youths In Grimes Quiz - Daily Defender, Feb. 20, 1957
- Baker Gives New Grimes Evidence - Daily Defender, Feb. 14, 1957
Ep. 55 – Elizabeth Steps Out… After 76 Years
You Don't Say...
A journey of nearly 80 years leads Elizabeth, a transgender woman, to finally being comfortable in her skin and welcoming people into her truth.
Links
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Transgender Resources
- The Trevor Project
- Trans Lifeline
- Who Is Lia Thomas? Trans Swimmer Breaking College Records Sparks Debate
- Amid trans athlete debate, Penn’s Lia Thomas loses to trans Yale swimmer
- Stripped of women’s records, transgender powerlifter asks, ‘Where do we draw the line?’
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace
Ep. 54 – Canceling the Greatest
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If Muhammad Ali lived in these times, he would be canceled… which would deny us his greatest gift. Canceling people who dissent or drop vile comments and perspectives doesn’t solve anything. Maybe it’s time to cancel cancel-culture.
Links
- Gruden’s Emails Were Collateral Damage in Washington Football Inquiry - New York Times, 10.12.21
- Jon Gruden emails, explained: Raiders coach resigns following release of damning messages - The Sporting News, 10.17.21
- Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, by Thomas Hauser
- Ali: A Life, by Jonathan Eig
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace – LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing – Constant Contact
Ep. 53 – Painting a Colorful Future with Raziah Roushan
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Once upon a time a kid opened a gallery in her parents’ garage. Her neighborhood supported her by buying her work and encouraging her. Now she’s returning the favor by leading the way to support and foster the arts in her own back yard.
Links
- Raziah Roushan Website
- Tualatin Valley Creates (TVC)
- TVC ArtPass (launching 9/20/2021)
- Nonprofit Association of Oregon
- 2D4D
- 2D4D's La Strada dei Pastelli annual chalk art festival
This Episode Sponsored by: Tualatin Valley Creates ArtPass – LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing – Constant Contact
Ep. 52 – Baseball, Cornfields and Strat-O-Matic… A Love Story
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I recently re-discovered Strat-O-Matic baseball, after nearly 40 years. The game – and the one played on The Field of Dreams - has reignited my love for baseball. It’s also made me realize that the one constant through all the years really is baseball.
Links
- Strat-O-Matic Baseball
- Terence Mann…the one constant, Field of Dreams speech
- Shoeless Joe by W.P Kinsella
- The Natural by Bernard Malamud
- Eight Men Out by Eliot Asinof
- Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick by Paul Dickson
- Disco Demolition, 1979 at Comiskey Park
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) – LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing – Constant Contact
Ep. 51 – Boxes of Stuff
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We have a compulsion… getting more stuff. Now we pay for stuff, and we don’t even care what’s in the box. I’ve got a better idea! Plus, an update on my new dog, Lucy!
Links
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) – Instacart
Ep. 50 - On Grief and Loss
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When losing a loved one, whether a pet or person, there’s no such thing a closure.
I recently lost my dog, Nub, to cancer. It came quick and wasn’t expected. I’m sharing my thoughts on that experience and working through that grief and loss. But there’s hope and Nub’s example reminded me how to cope with it.
Links
- 20 Keys to Heal After the Loss of a Pet, Mar. 10, 2018 - Humane Goods
- Why Losing a Pet Hurts So Much - August 22, 2016 - Ralph Ryback, M.D. - Psychology Today
This Episode Sponsored by: Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) – Constant Contact
Ep. 49 – Religion Is Flawed… Faith Is Where It’s At
You Don't Say...
I’m talking with a former Catholic nun, my aunt, Reneta Webb, about her own story and the source of faith in a messy world.
Organized religions are empty corporate entities. For most of my life I’ve not had any faith in them. My aunt, a former nun, and I talk about that. We also talk about her journey, going into the convent at 13, then leaving the sisterhood after 29 years. And most importantly what the source of our faith is, and it’s not in a building, sect, or anything like that.
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) – Constant Contact
Ep. 48 – I Dunno About US Anymore
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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about where we live, and I’ll bet you’re wondering about this place too.
I’ve always been patriotic, which is why I’ve been doing a lot of wondering about our country over, well, the last couple decades, and specifically the last few years. I just don’t know about us anymore… is it time to turn over the keys? And, oh yeah, where the hell has humor gone?
Links
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) – Constant Contact
Ep. 47 – A Life That Adds Up
You Don't Say...
Sensei Miwako Sakabayashi helps young minds blossom by teaching the abacus.
In1992, an immigrant comes to America from Japan. She could read and write, but not really speak the language. So, what happens next? In 2000 she launches a Japanese Abacus school of course. Today Sensei Miwako Sakabayashi has made a huge impact in the lives of hundreds of students… it just adds up.
Links
- JAMS – The Japanese Abacus Math School
- JAMS Facebook Page
- Watch a 7 Year old beating the calculator - JAMS Students in Action
- Eatin’ wit’ a Regular Guy – Ep. 15 - Japanese Curry Chicken with Sensei Miwako
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - Constant Contact - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) - Hugo Coffee (Enter SAVEDOGS at checkout for 10% off your order!)
Ep. 46 – Murder in Canaryville
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Detective Jim Sherlock chases down a 40-plus-year-old cold case
In January 2021 the book, Murder in Canaryville was released. It’s the story of the murder of teenager John Hughes in the spring of 1976. The murder was covered up by Chicago Police, politicians, and judges. I’m talking with Detective Jim Sherlock who’s investigated the cold case for years, about how it happened and where it goes from here.
Links
- Murder in Canaryville – The True Story Behind a Cold Case and a Chicago Cover Up
- John R. Hughes Memorial Open
- Chicago FBI Field Office (CE6)
- Chicago Police Department (Cold Case Unit)
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) - Hugo Coffee (Enter SAVEDOGS at checkout for 10% off your order!)
Ep. 45 - Drink a Cup, Save a Pup
You Don't Say...
A reformed attorney prosecutes a crusade for better coffee and finding forever homes for dogs
Claudia McMullen was burned out… on New York, on being a lawyer, on burnt coffee and on dogs not being able to find forever homes. So what’s a girl to do? She moved to Utah and started Hugo Coffee. Now she’s making great coffee and helping to support dog and animal rescue charities.
Links
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) - Hugo Coffee (Enter SAVEDOGS at checkout for 10% off your order!)
Ep. 44 - How People Buy into Batshit Crazy
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Digital media and social networks are programming us exactly how we want to be programmed...
You know that person who goes on about crazy conspiracies and fake news? They probably think you’re as crazy as you think they are. And worse, it leads us to cancel each other out, regardless of the bonds we might have. How does it happen? The truth is, we’re all allowing digital media and social networks to program us exactly how we want to be programmed… and it’s widening the divide.
Links
This Episode Sponsored by: Instacart - Squarespace (SAVE 10% on your first website subscription when you enter PARTNER10 at checkout!) - Hugo Coffee (Enter SAVEDOGS at checkout for 10% off your order!)
The Totally True Story of The Orchid of Solza, 3-Ball Bartolomeo Colleoni
31:05
The Totally True Story of the First Successful Parachute Jump… or Push
39:37
True Facts #5 – The Invention of the Hamburger and the Founding of McDonald's
31:29
The Totally True Story of How Thanksgiving Came to Be
49:44
The Totally True Story of the Super Villain, Blofeld, from the James Bond Franchise
28:08
The Totally True Story of the Roswell Incident Aliens, Based on Real Facts
28:13
The Totally True Story of the Bubbly Creek and a Guy Named Jeff Chłapowski, Based on Real Facts
15:40
Better Terms for All : Term Limits and Aging Out
18:43
Ep. 60 - Tuesday, September 11 - It Started Like Any Other Day
16:53
Ep. 59 - Burnin' Down the House
59:40
Ep. 58 - The Baseball Hall of Fame v. The Football Hall of Fame
26:43
Ep. 57 - It’s Time To Pull the Trigger on Real Change
25:29
Ep. 56 – A 66 Year Old Cold Case, With a Hot Trail – The Grimes Sisters Murders
1:16:58
Ep. 55 – Elizabeth Steps Out… After 76 Years
1:11:58
Ep. 54 – Canceling the Greatest
22:08
Ep. 53 – Painting a Colorful Future with Raziah Roushan
55:34
Ep. 52 – Baseball, Cornfields and Strat-O-Matic… A Love Story
24:18
Ep. 51 – Boxes of Stuff
12:24
Ep. 50 - On Grief and Loss
16:16
Ep. 49 – Religion Is Flawed… Faith Is Where It’s At
1:05:19
Ep. 48 – I Dunno About US Anymore
20:22
Ep. 47 – A Life That Adds Up
1:00:59
Ep. 46 – Murder in Canaryville
57:54
Ep. 45 - Drink a Cup, Save a Pup
54:50
Ep. 44 - How People Buy into Batshit Crazy
27:24