In March nineteen sixty-two, the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff sent Defense Secretary Robert McNamara a memorandum about pretexts for military intervention in Cuba. Its annex proposed a manufactured attack on a ship, a campaign of terror blamed on Cuba, and a simulated civilian-airliner shootdown. These were preliminary proposals, not operations carried out. This episode follows the paper from Operation Mongoose to the Joint Chiefs and then to its public release decades later. It asks how a

In this week's episode, Katja and Chris are joined by Professor Tim Blanning to discuss Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Famous for his strength, mistresses and lavish parties, Augustus has been called one of Europe's worst monarchs. They explore how he won and lost the Polish crown, his failures in the Great Northern War, and his triumph as the patron who transformed Dresden. So was he really such a bad king?Books Augustus the Strong: A Study in Artistic Greatness and

In this two part special, Ryan welcomes John Christian Spadavecchia to discuss the latest on the pseudo-aerospace company Stavatti and its CEO Chris Baskar. Then Darcy Weir joins to discuss his documentaries like Dark Alliance, and the Corey Goode copyright striking against people sharing his publicly available deposition. @jcspad

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Send us Fan Mail Have you noticed that division in the United States feels higher than ever? What if conflict isn't the cause of our division, but rather the normalization of contempt within conflict? In this dual release, Matt Todd of The Ranch podcast invites Alexis on to talk all things Dignity Index. As a member of the Dignity Politics team at Dignity.US, Alexis takes listeners behind the scenes of the index: how it was developed, how research studies have verified and validated it, and h...

Did the creators of the groundbreaking 60 Minutes show have any idea how popular they would become? What other wonders of the world need to be on that list of ancient spectacles? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max gear up for a field trip to Bermuda and explore all the Ridiculous History they wished they'd mentioned in this year's previous episodes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pastor who becomes a mayor sounds like a headline, but Pastor Rob McCoy treats it like a calling problem: how do you love God, love people, and still tell the truth when the public square gets hostile? Tim Barton sits down with Rob for a candid first part of a three-part conversation, tracing Rob’s unlikely path from the business world into decades of pastoral ministry at Calvary Chapel Godspeak in Thousand Oaks, California, and then into elected office. Along the way, we talk about exposi...

On June 11th, 1787, Roger Sherman proposed the settlement — population in the House, one vote per state in the Senate — and the Constitutional Convention voted it down without a debate. This is the story of the 5 weeks it cost to walk back: Luther Martin’s 2-day endurance speech; Benjamin Franklin, 81 and unchurched, asking a deadlocked room why it had never once prayed — and the convention adjourning without a vote because it couldn’t afford a chaplain; Gunning Bedford telling the large stat...

Raised in difficult cirumstances, it was no surprise that Brenden Abbott turned to a life of crime. But once he got going, he was an endless source of surprises for the Australian police who struggled to capture and recapture him, as he broke out of multiple prisons and enjoyed life on the lam as Australia's favorite bank robber and outlaw folk hero. Come for the ridiculousness, stay for Zaron's attempts at an Australian accent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the United States really have free and fair elections? In this conversation, voting rights attorney David Walbert discusses his book Stealing Elections American Style, which explores America's contentious electoral history. He highlights the ongoing issues of voter suppression and the historical context of the 1876 election, illustrating how political structures have perpetuated racial inequalities and the challenges faced in achieving true democratic representation. Join us as we highli...

Three years after October 7, the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history looms large over the Jewish state’s upcoming election. Former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren says whomever takes the helm next is unlikely to “remove a single soldier from Lebanon, from Gaza, from Syria.” Today, Oren joins School of War to discuss Israel’s “80 percent” consensus on national security, why he thinks Hezbollah “cannot be destroyed militarily,” and the deepening political divide between religious

"Running Water" by A. E. W. Mason invites listeners into a world where the boundaries of reality and the supernatural blur. This captivating narrative explores themes of mystery and the unseen forces that shape our lives, making it a timeless tale that resonates with those who seek to understand the complexities of faith and human experience. The story's enduring appeal lies in its ability to provoke thought about the nature of belief and the impact of unseen influences, encouraging listeners to

"Fevers and Physicians in Space (Ed Reads Short Sci-fi, vol. II)" is a captivating anthology that delves into the intersection of medicine and the cosmos, exploring how humanity's quest for knowledge and healing transcends earthly boundaries. This collection invites listeners to ponder the challenges and triumphs faced by physicians in the vastness of space, highlighting themes of resilience, innovation, and the enduring human spirit. With its thought-provoking narratives, the audiobook resonates

Muncie, Indiana, September 2026, and Shane and Kim finally put our buddy Brent in front of a microphone. He is Shane's old college roommate and the buddy behind a lot of the travel stories told on this show. Shane brought a mystery to the table. It never made it out of his notes, and by the end of the hour you will understand why.Jinkies, it starts with Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix, and the text Kim sent Shane the minute Aileen Wuornos showed up in the story. That turns into a

Where did all those gunfighters popping up the Old West actually come? Join best-selling author Bryan Burrough as he explores the extraordinarily violent place that gave birth to a whole lot of them: Texas. Thank you to our sponsor, Tecovas. Follow now on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, and YouTube. MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Check out more MeatEater's American History audio originals "The Long Hunters" and "Mountain Men" Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network

El comercio que debilitó a la China imperial | Cómo el OPIO destruyó el mayor imperio de China | Historia aburrida para dormir explora la lenta e inquietante historia de cómo el opio, el comercio exterior, la ambición imperial y la debilidad política contribuyeron a transformar uno de los imperios más poderosos de la historia mundial. En esta tranquila narración histórica, recorremos el auge del comercio del opio, la creciente crisis dentro de la China Qing, la presión de los comerciantes británicos

The Trade That Weakened Imperial China | How OPIUM Destroyed China's Greatest Empire | Boring History for Sleep explores the slow, unsettling story of how opium, foreign trade, imperial ambition, and political weakness helped reshape one of the most powerful empires in world history. In this calm historical narration, we drift through the rise of the opium trade, the growing crisis inside Qing China, the pressure from British merchants, and the conflicts that became known as the Opium Wars.Settle

In Part 6, Essex goes off the rails and plots seizing the throne. Then the death of Elizabeth sends Raleigh's fortunes into a downward spiral that will lead to charges of treason. Sponsors: Quince. Get free shipping with your order by using code EXPLORERS at quince.com/explorers The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

When she was still a child, Margaret Tudor, sister of the future King Henry VIII, was married to the King of Scotland. But it wouldn't be until her husband's death that Margaret would face the greatest challenges of her life during her regency. Support Noble Blood:—ORDER 'THE ARCANE ARTS'— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From sex-crazed libertines, to noble courtesans, to innocent Empresses; syphilis was a devastating disease which ravaged many, and sometimes changed the course of history. Let’s meet 10 royal and noble victims of this sexually transmitted infection. Lorenzo de’Medici, Duke of Urbino 1492 – 1519 Maria Salviati de’ Medici 1499 – 1543 Abbas II of Persia, Shah of Iran 1632 – 1666 John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester 1647 – 1680 Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor 1678 – 1711 Sally Salisbury 1692 – 1724 Lola Montez,