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PODCAST

pplpod

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends.Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

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All Episodes

33:30

The Red Ripper: The Crimes of Andrei Chikatilo

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we dig into the story behind the man the media branded “The Red Ripper” and the late Soviet system that struggled to stop him. We follow how fear spread, why the investigation kept missing the mark, and how politics, bureaucracy, and bad assumptions can turn a criminal case into a long-running disaster.We also zoom out from the headlines to talk about what this case reveals about human behavior, profiling, and the way societies explain evil when the truth is messy and

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36:35

The Mechanics of Media Bias: From Gatekeepers to...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we break down the complex machinery of media bias. We move past the simple accusations of individual prejudice to explore how bias is often structural, driven by economic incentives and the demand for confirmation,. Join us as we unpack the history of biased reporting—from the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to modern accusations of "fake news"—and analyze why trust in media has plummeted since the 1980s,.Topics covered in this episode:• Supply vs. Demand: We discuss the

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33:34

Wayne Williams: The Atlanta Child Murders & The...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the life and criminal case of Wayne Williams, the man convicted of two murders in 1982 and suspected of being the serial killer responsible for the infamous Atlanta Child Murders. We trace Williams’s story from his upbringing in southwest Atlanta and his early interest in radio to the fateful night in May 1981 when a police surveillance team heard a splash near the James Jackson Parkway Bridge, leading to his apprehension.Join us as we break down the complex web

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29:16

The Story of the Podcast: From "Audioblogging" to a...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we get meta and dive deep into the history and evolution of the very medium you are listening to right now. Did you know the term "podcast"—a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcast"—was accidentally coined by a journalist in 2004?. We trace the journey from those early days of "audioblogging" to the current landscape where over a billion people watch video podcasts on YouTube every month.Join us as we explore:• The Pioneers: How Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code and the code

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28:22

The Pig Farmer: The Crimes, Confessions, and Death of...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the disturbing case of Robert "Willie" Pickton, the Canadian pig farmer and serial killer known as "The Butcher". Operating out of his farm in Port Coquitlam, Pickton hosted ragers at a venue known as "Piggy’s Palace" while preying on sex workers from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.We explore the grim timeline of disappearances that went ignored by authorities for years, despite tips regarding a freezer full of human flesh and women's belongings found on the

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29:29

The Landscaper, the Santa, the Serial Killer: Bruce...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the chilling case of the 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides, where eight men disappeared from the Church and Wellesley LGBTQ village. We profile the perpetrator, Bruce McArthur, a 66-year-old self-employed landscaper and seasonal mall Santa Claus, who eventually became the oldest known serial killer in Canadian history.Join us as we discuss:• The Victims: How McArthur targeted men—mostly of South Asian or Middle Eastern descent—who had ties to the gay village,

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37:04

Allen Dulles: The Gentleman Spy, The CIA, and the...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Allen Welsh Dulles, the first civilian Director of Central Intelligence and the longest-serving chief in the agency's history. From his aristocratic upbringing and career as a lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell to his days as an OSS spymaster in Switzerland during World War II, we trace the rise of the man who built the modern American intelligence apparatus.We discuss how Dulles, working closely with his brother, Secretary of State John Foster

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35:34

Jonestown: The Promise of Paradise and the Horror of...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the tragic history of the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, known to the world as Jonestown. Founded by Jim Jones to escape U.S. media scrutiny and establish a "socialist paradise" free from racism and capitalism, the remote Guyanese settlement eventually became a prison of isolation and fear,,. We discuss life inside the commune, where residents faced grueling work schedules, constant Soviet propaganda, and terrified rehearsals for death called "White

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29:41

Ivan Milat: The Backpacker Murderer

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the terrifying crimes of Ivan Milat, Australia’s notorious "Backpacker Murderer". Between 1989 and 1992, Milat preyed on hitchhikers along the Hume Highway, transporting them to the remote Belanglo State Forest where he robbed, incapacitated, and murdered them. We examine the grisly discovery of seven victims—including British backpackers Caroline Clarke and Joanne Walters, and German couple Gabor Neugebauer and Anja Habschied—whose remains revealed brutal

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27:25

The Chessboard Killer: Alexander Pichushkin & The...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the chilling case of Alexander Pichushkin, a Russian serial killer known to the world as the "Chessboard Killer" and the "Bitsa Park Maniac". Active between 1992 and 2006, Pichushkin turned Moscow's Bitsa Park into a hunting ground, claiming he intended to kill sixty-four people to match the number of squares on a chessboard.We trace Pichushkin's dark origins, from a childhood accident involving a swing that damaged his frontal cortex to his first murder of a

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33:18

The Global Anatomy of Culture War

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode, we trace the genealogy of the "culture war," a metaphor for political polarization that has moved beyond policy debates into a conflict over values, morality, and lifestyle. We begin by unpacking the term’s 19th-century origins in the German Kulturkampf—a struggle between the state and the Catholic Church—before exploring how it re-emerged to define American politics, from the urban-rural divides of the 1920s to Pat Buchanan’s declaration of a "religious war" in 1992.We discuss the

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31:25

The Crime of the Century: The Great Brink’s Robbery

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

On this episode of pplpod, we travel back to January 17, 1950, to break down the "crime of the century"—the Great Brink's Robbery in Boston. We discuss how a crew of eleven men executed what was then the largest robbery in U.S. history, stealing over $2.7 million from the Brink’s building in the North End.Listen in as we explore the years of meticulous planning behind the heist, which included the robbers removing locks to fabricate keys and infiltrating the alarm company. We cover the night of the

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27:51

The Green River Killer: The Double Life and Dark...

pplpod ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the chilling case of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, who is responsible for more confirmed murders than any other American serial killer. We discuss his early life and how a man described by friends as "friendly but strange" lived a double life as a truck painter and a predator targeting vulnerable women and runaways in the Pacific Northwest,,.Tune in as we detail Ridgway’s terrifying modus operandi of strangulation and his disturbingly casual

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30:50

Transit to Sirius: The Apocalyptic Saga of the Order...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we investigate the Order of the Solar Temple (OTS), a neo-Templar secret society that shocked the world with a series of mass murders and suicides in the 1990s. Unlike the typical profile of vulnerable cult members, the OTS was composed of affluent, cultured professionals—including mayors, journalists, and business leaders—who sought a return to the spiritual heritage of the Knights Templar.We examine the group's dual leadership: the charismatic recruiter and homeopath Luc

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29:48

"God Socialist": The Rise, Power, and Tragedy of the...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the complex and tragic history of the Peoples Temple, tracing its evolution from a progressive religious movement in Indiana to a destructive cult in the jungles of Guyana. We examine how founder Jim Jones blended Pentecostal healing practices with Marxist ideology to build a congregation focused on racial equality and "Apostolic Socialism".Episode Highlights:• Origins and Ideology: How Jim Jones founded the church in 1955 to infiltrate the religious landscape

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32:41

The Hillbilly Heist: The $17.3 Million Loomis Fargo...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the chaotic true story of the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery, which was the second-largest cash heist on U.S. soil at the time. We explore how vault supervisor David Ghantt conspired with his girlfriend Kelly Campbell and her friend, Steve Chambers, to load a company van with $17.3 million in cash before Ghantt fled to Cozumel, Mexico. You’ll hear about the gang’s immediate and extravagant spending, including the purchase of a luxury home, a BMW Z3, a $600

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36:42

The Heist of the Century: The School of Turin, The...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In February 2003, the world watched in disbelief as thieves infiltrated the heavily guarded Antwerp Diamond Center, pulling off what was dubbed the "heist of the century". In this episode, we break down how a crew of Italian thieves known as "The School of Turin" bypassed infrared heat detectors, seismic sensors, and a lock with 100 million possible combinations to vanish with over $100 million in loose diamonds and gold.We profile the mastermind, Leonardo Notarbartolo, who rented an office in the

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32:51

The Hatton Garden Heist: "One Last Job" for London's...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we descend into the details of the "largest burglary in English legal history"—the audacious 2015 Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary. We explore how a gang of experienced, elderly thieves worked over the four-day Easter bank holiday weekend to infiltrate an underground vault in London's jewelry district.Tune in to hear how the crew, including ringleader Brian Reader, entered through a lift shaft and utilized a Hilti DD350 industrial power drill to bore through 50 cm of

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30:54

Robert Hansen: The "Butcher Baker" of Anchorage

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we descend into the chilling double life of Robert Hansen, a mild-mannered bakery owner in Anchorage, Alaska, who harbored a terrifying secret. Known to his neighbors as a record-holding hunter and well-liked local businessman, Hansen was actually a prolific serial killer who abducted women and flew them into the Alaskan wilderness to hunt them like game,.Join us as we examine the disturbing case of the "Butcher Baker," covering:• The Predator: How Hansen, a man diagnosed

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31:18

The Wilseyville Nightmares: Charles Ng, Leonard Lake,...

pplpod ·

2026/02/04

In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the disturbing crimes of Charles Ng and his accomplice, Leonard Lake. Between 1983 and 1985, the pair targeted men, women, and infants from a remote cabin in Calaveras County, California, where authorities later uncovered a cinder-block bunker containing a hidden cell,. We explore how the duo was driven by a twisted fantasy Lake called "Operation Miranda"—inspired by John Fowles' novel The Collector—and the "M-Ladies" videotapes that captured their brutal

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7,536 results

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