History

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Strange Country Ep. 107: Papa Pilgrim

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Papa Pilgrim brought his giant family to McCarthy, AK to live a simple life, love the lord and escape vice and sin. Or that's what he told the residents who eagerly embraced this new, strange family. What he did in the isolated wilderness was much, much worse. Another gross one for Strange Country fans.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite Your Sources:

Kirby, Mark. “Papa Pilgrim's Progress.” Outside Online, 29 July 2019, https://www.outsideonline.com/1928141/papa-pilgrims-progress-dark-tale-alaskan-frontiersman.

Kizzia, Tom. Pilgrims Wilderness: a True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier. Broadway Books, 2014.

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Strange Country Ep. 34: Radium Girls

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Radium was beautiful to Marie Curie even though it killed her, and radium made the teens and young women employed at United States Radium Corp. shine in the night. They put their radium coated paintbrushes in their mouths like they'd been trained, and ingested the deadly substance. Strange Country Co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about the ramifications, the workers' struggle and their plans to open a different type of food truck in ep. 34.

Cite Your Sources:

“All Radium Plants in Federal Inquiry.” The New York Times, 21 June 1925, pp. 18–18, www.nytimes.com/1925/06/21/archives/all-radium-plants-in-federal-inquiry-labor-department-starts-search.html.

“Begin Wide Inquiry into Radium Deaths.” The New York Times, 20 June 1925, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1925/06/20/101669830.html?pageNumber=1.

Blum, Deborah. “The Radium Girls.” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2011/03/the-radium-girls/.

The Case of the Living Dead Women - The Radium Dial Case in the newspapers - The Case of the Living Dead Women - The Radium Dial Case in the newspapers, www.lgrossman.com/pics/radium/index.html.

Fergusson, Maggie. “The Radium Girls - still glowing in their coffins.” The Spectator, 8 May 2017, www.spectator.co.uk/2016/06/the-radium-girls-still-glowing-in-their-coffins/.

Hersher, Rebecca. “Mae Keane, One Of The Last 'Radium Girls,' Dies At 107.” NPR, NPR, 28 Dec. 2014, www.npr.org/2014/12/28/373510029/saved-by-a-bad-taste-one-of-the-last-radium-girls-dies-at-107.

Kang, Lydia, and Nate Pedersen. Quackery: a brief history of the worst ways to cure everything. Workman Publishing, 2017.

Moore, Kate. The radium girls: the dark story of Americas shining women. Sourcebooks, 2017.

“The Radium Girls.” Medical Bag, 15 June 2016, www.medicalbag.com/profile-in-rare-diseases/the-radium-girls/article/472385/.

“They paid with their lives.” THE GIRLS - theradiumgirls, www.theradiumgirls.com/the-girls/4593781028.

Zhang, Sarah. “A Century Later, the Factory that Poisoned the 'Radium Girls' Still a Superfund Site.” The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/notes/2017/03/radium-superfund-legacy/519408/.

Zhang, Sarah. “The Girls With Radioactive Bones.” The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/radium-girls-kate-moore/515685/.

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Strange Country Ep. 37: Ota Benga

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In September 1906, the Bronx Zoo unveiled its latest exhibit--a Congolese man named Ota Benga. His cage was right next to the orangutans in the monkey house. This was the brain child of the "civilized" people who proclaimed to be great masters of science, but in reality showed the darkest sides of themselves. Listen to Strange Country Episode 37 as it explores this sad, sordid tale.

Cite your sources (it makes you look smart):

“African Pygmy's Fate Is Still Undecided.” The New York Times, 18 Sept. 1906, pp. 9–9, www.nytimes.com/1906/09/18/archives/african-pygmys-fate-is-still-undecided-director-hornaday-of-the.html.

“Bushman Shares a Cage with Bronx Park Apes: Some Laugh Over His Antics, but Many Are Not Pleased. .” The New York Times, 9 Sept. 1906, pp. 17–17, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/09/09/101796670.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=ArticleEndCTA®ion=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=17.

“The Hidden Holocaust.” The Guardian, 12 May 1999, www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/may/13/features11.g22.

Keller, Mitch. “The Scandal at the Zoo.” The New York Times, 6 Aug. 2006, www.nytimes.com/2006/08/06/nyregion/thecity/06zoo.html.

“King Leopold II of Belgium Takes the Congo | History Channel on Foxtel.” History Channel, 9 June 2017, www.historychannel.com.au/articles/king-leopold-ii-of-belgium-takes-the-congo/.

“Man and Monkey Show Disapproved by Clergy.” The New York Times, 10 Sept. 1906, pp. 1–2, www.nytimes.com/1906/09/10/archives/man-and-monkey-show-disapproved-by-clergy-the-rev-dr-macarthur.html.

Newkirk, Pamela. “The Man Who Was Caged in Zoo.” The Guardian, 3 June 2015, www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/03/the-man-who-was-caged-in-a-zoo.

Newkirk, Pamela. Spectacle: the Astonishing Life of Ota Benga. Amistad, an Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2016.

“Ota Benga, Pygmy, Tired of America.” The New York Times, 16 July 1916, p. 12, www.nytimes.com/1916/07/16/archives/ota-benga-pygmy-tired-of-america-the-strange-little-african-finally.html.

Parkinson, Justin. “The Significance of Sarah Baartman.” BBC News, 7 Jan. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35240987.

“Send Him Back to the Woods.” The New York Times, 11 Sept. 1906, www.nytimes.com/1906/09/11/archives/topics-of-the-times.html.

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Strange Country Ep. 40: Barbara Newhall Follett

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Barbara Newhall Follett was a child prodigy, banging out her first novel by the age of 9...accomplished enough to make the rest of us feel inadequate. But her adulthood was less than idyllic. And at the young old age of 25, she disappeared never to be seen again. In ep. 40, Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly explore this talented writer's life cut short. And we try out our new tagline: This is an adult conversation and may have some adult language so child prodigies beware. In ep. 40, Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly explore this talented writer's life cut short. And we try out our new tagline: This is an adult conversation and may have some adult language so child prodigies beware.

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Strange Country Ep. 106: Jemima Wilkinson

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When Jemima Wilkinson woke up from a fever in October 1776, she was no longer Jemima, she was a Christ vessel sent by God to warn humanity that the end is nigh. Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about the first American-born female messiah and this one isn't murdery or gross as some of the others they've profiled.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources of face my wrath:

“Driving Tour Follows the Footsteps of Religious Pioneer Jemima Wilkinson.” Life in the Finger Lakes, 23 Feb. 2015, www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/driving-tour-follows-footsteps-religious-pioneer-jemima-wilkinson/.

Morris, Adam. American Messiahs: False Prophets of a Damned Nation. Liveright Publishing Corporation, a Division of W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Moyer, Paul Benjamin. The Public Universal Friend: Jemima Wilkinson and Religious Enthusiasm in Revolutionary America. Cornell University Press, 2015.

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Strange Country Ep. 105: Operation Paperclip

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After WW2, Americans were not fans of Nazis. It was a time that if someone were to remark there were fine Nazis, that person would get a fist in the face. That's why it was imperative that the military not let it get out that it was hiring a bunch of Nazi scientists, doctors and technologist who had just committed crimes against humanity to work for us. Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about Operation Paperclip and how the drumbeat to best the Soviet Union led America to give some shitty Nazis citizenship. Just another show to remind you that nothing has meaning and everything is awful. Enjoy!

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

10 Nazi War Criminals Who Escaped Justice Because They Were Useful to the US.” History Collection, 18 Apr. 2018, historycollection.co/10-nazi-war-criminals-who-escaped-justice-because-they-were-useful-to-the-us/6/.

Harnden, Toby. “Secret Papers Reveal Nazis Given 'Safe Haven' in US.” The Telegraph, 14 Nov. 2010, www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/8132550/Secret-papers-reveal-Nazis-given-safe-haven-in-US.html.

Jacobsen, Annie. Operation Paperclip the Secret Intelligence Program That Brought Nazi Scientists to America. Little Brown and Company, 2014. Lewis, Danny. “Why the U.S. Government Brought Nazi Scientists to America After World War II.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 16 Nov. 2016, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-us-government-brought-nazi-scientists-america-after-world-war-ii-180961110/.

Lipstadt, Deborah E. “'The Nazis Next Door' by Eric Lichtblau.” The New York Times, 31 Oct. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/books/review/the-nazis-next-door-by-eric-lichtblau.html?searchResultPosition=14.

Lower, Wendy. “Willlkommen.” The New York Times, 28 Feb. 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/books/review/operation-paperclip-by-annie-jacobsen.html.

“Picture of Stephen Miller Briefly Illustrates Wikipedia Entry on Kapos.” The Times Of Israel, 9 Apr. 2019, www.timesofisrael.com/picture-of-stephen-miller-briefly-illustrates-wikipedia-page-on-kapos/.

“The Secret Operation To Bring Nazi Scientists To America.” NPR, 15 Feb. 2014, www.npr.org/2014/02/15/275877755/the-secret-operation-to-bring-nazi-scientists-to-america.

“Strughold Award.” Space Medicine Association, spacemedicineassociation.org/strughold-award/.

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Strange Country Ep. 104: Milli Vanilli

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Readers, you know it's true. We love you. In case you are wondering how we came up with that amazing poem, just ask some German man who really is in charge of what you hear each week on Strange Country. That's right we are all smoke and mirrors. No, that isn't true. Because if we were lying to you about our identity and our script writing skills, Kelly and Beth would be throwing up on air and that really isn't something you want to hear. Ladies and Gentlemen we are bringing you the strange story of Milli Vanilli. Yes it is a story from the 1990's. Yes it is all about pop music. And yes, it includes German dance moves that can't be beat. But it is also a story like all the others that you have grown to love on our weekly podcast; depression, deceit, poverty and power.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

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Strange Country Ep. 103: Hex Hollow Murder

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Make sure to grab some five-finger grass (whatever that might be) for this episode because you are in for a primer on powwow healing. Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly discuss the hex murder of 1928--yes, you read that right--when one powwow healer killed another powwow healer he thought was cursing him. So add some dust to your coffee and find that pig's bladder and get ready for some magical thinking.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite Your Sources:

“Boy Denies Joining In 'Witch Killing'.” The New York Times, 11 Jan. 1929, pp. 28–28. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/01/11/95707956.html?pageNumber=28

“Death of 5 Babies Laid to Witch Cult.” The New York Times, 4 Dec. 1928, pp. 14–14, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1928/12/04/95856757.html?pageNumber=14.

Dugan, Patrick James. “The Origin and Practition of Pow-Wow.” Berks History Center, www.berkshistory.org/multimedia/articles/pow-wow/.

Editors, History.com. “Thirty Years' War.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/reformation/thirty-years-war.

Ehrenreich, Barbara. Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. Metropolitan Books, 2009.

Hohmann, John George. Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend: A Collection of Mysterious and Invaluable Arts and Remedies, for Man as Well as Animals. Wildside Press, 2010.

“Fear of Witchcraft Led to Murder.” The New York Times, 1 Dec. 1928, pp. 3–3, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1928/12/01/95853462.html?pageNumber=3.

Frank, Megan. “Tales of Witchcraft, Spells, Murder Surround Rehmeyer's Hollow.” WGAL, WGAL, 8 Oct. 2017, www.wgal.com/article/tales-of-witchcraft-spells-murder-surround-rehmeyer-s-hollow/6239526.

Free, Shane, director. Hex Hollow: Witchcraft and Murder in Pennsylvania. 2015, www.amazon.com/Hex-Hollow-Witchcraft-Murder-Pennsylvania/dp/B01HBYJ3TG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hex hollow&qid=1562165992&s=instant-video&sr=1-1

Glenn, Joralyn. “‘Powwowing in Pennsylvania: Healing Rituals of the Dutch Country.’” Glencairn Museum, 9 Mar. 2017, glencairnmuseum.org/newsletter/2017/3/2/powwowing-in-pennsylvania.

Kriebel, David. Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch: A Traditional Medical Practice In Pennsylvania. Penn State University Press, 2016.

McClure, Jim. “Murder and Witchcraft: The Incredible Story of York County's Hex Murder.” York Daily Record, 14 Oct. 2017, www.ydr.com/story/news/history/blogs/york-town-square/2017/10/14/murder-and-witchcraft-incredible-story-york-countys-hex-murder/764018001/.

“The Nine Years' War, 1689-1697.” Heritage, www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/exploration/9-years-war.php.

“Prisoner Told Him, 'I Got the Witch'.” The New York Times, 8 Jan. 1929, pp. 3–3, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/01/08/95704835.html?pageNumber=3.

“'Witch' Killer Guilty, Sentenced for Life.” The New York Times, 10 Jan. 1929, pp. 1 & 20, timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/01/10/95706636.html?pageNumber=1.

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Strange Country Ep. 102: Paula and Elyse

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Dearest Readers: Imagine you are having a typical day in your life when the phone rings (right there, we know, we just dated ourselves) and you pick it up (again with the old) and the woman on the line informs you that you have had a twin all your life. You were separated at birth, for the reasons only mad scientists from Nazi Germany can conjure up, and told a lie your whole life until now. It is time to hear the story of Paula and Elyse of NYC and many others born in NYC put up for adoption in the 60’s at the Louise Wise Agency. Can you even imagine what that did to these women and other adults in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s? Fucked them up. Welcome to Strange Country number 102...the hits just keep on coming. We welcome you each episode to hear about the crazy and remind you, it isn’t you who is crazy...the rest of the world is nutso! Happy Reading Dashhounds😘

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite Your Sources Man:

McCormick, William. Records from Controversial Twin Study Sealed at Yale until 2065. https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2018/10/01/records-from-controversial-twin-study-sealed-at-yale-until-2065/

Schien, Elyse, Bernstein, Paula. Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and United. Random House, Trade Paperback, New York. 2007.

Than, Ker. A Brief History of Twin Studies. Smithsonian. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/brief-history-twin-studies-180958281/

Shensiki, Lorii, The Twinning Reaction. Movie

Quercia, Jacopa della. Unsolved. Readers Digest, April 2019.

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Strange Country Ep. 101: Harry Anslinger

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Harry Anslinger wanted to save his bureaucratic machine and he needed an enemy fast--enter marijuana. Thanks to policies he put into place, we've been fighting a futile War on Drugs for nearly 80 years. Strange Country cohosts Beth and Kelly try to stave off their reefer madness as they talk about the impact of Anslinger's life work.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite Your Sources:

Adams, Cydney. “The Man behind the Marijuana Ban for All the Wrong Reasons.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 17 Nov. 2016, www.cbsnews.com/news/harry-anslinger-the-man-behind-the-marijuana-ban/.

Anslinger, Harry, and Courtney Riley Cooper. “Marijuana: Assassin of Youth.” Red House Books, www.redhousebooks.com/galleries/assassin.htm.

Blum, Deborah. “The Little-Told Story of How the U.S. Government Poisoned Alcohol during Prohibition.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 19 Feb. 2010, slate.com/technology/2010/02/the-little-told-story-of-how-the-u-s-government-poisoned-alcohol-during-prohibition.html.

Chasin, Alexandra. Assassin of Youth: a Kaleidoscopic History of Harry J. Anslingers War on Drugs. The University of Chicago Press, 2016.

Cottle, Michelle. “Well, At Least Sheriff Joe Isn't Going to Congress.” The New York Times, 29 Aug. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/08/29/opinion/sheriff-joe-arpaio-congress.html?searchResultPosition=16.

Gladstone, Brooke. “The Man Who Declared War On Drugs | On the Media.” WNYC Studios, On the Media, 14 Aug. 2017, www.wnycstudios.org/story/man-who-declared-war-drugs.

Guzzo, Paul. “Mental Illness or Mob Hit? Questions Arise as Man Moves Into Home Where Family Was Slaughtered.” Tampa Bay Times, 18 Apr. 2019, www.tampabay.com/hillsborough/mental-illness-or-mob-hit-questions-arise-as-man-moves-into-home-where-family-was-slaughtered-20190418/.

Hari, Johann. Chasing the Scream: The First and the Last Days of the War on Drugs. Bloomsbury, 2016.

Harvey, Matt. “Did America's First Drug Czar Secretly Supply Dope to Sen. Joe McCarthy?” Alternet.org, 14 May 2013, www.alternet.org/2013/05/did-americas-first-drug-czar-secretly-supply-dope-sen-joe-mccarthy/.

“H.J. Anslinger Papers, 1835-1975 1875.” H.J. Anslinger Papers, 1835-1975 1875, www.libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/1875.htm.

Lesser, Jeremy. “Today Is the 100th Anniversary of the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act.” Drug Policy Alliance, 16 Dec. 2014, www.drugpolicy.org/blog/today-100th-anniversary-harrison-narcotics-tax-act.

Schmidlin, Kyle. “Column: 'War On Drugs' Merely Fights The Symptoms Of A Faulty System.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 13 Sept. 2008, www.cbsnews.com/news/column-war-on-drugs-merely-fights-the-symptoms-of-a-faulty-system/.

“STATEMENT OF H. J. ANSLINGER.” Statement of Harry J. Anslinger, www.druglibrary.org/SCHAFFER/hemp/taxact/anslng1.htm.

Weinreb, Michael. “The Complicated Legacy of Harry Anslinger.” Penn Stater, Jan./Feb. 2018, pp. 32–41, www.case.org/system/files/media/file/Penn Stater Harry Anslinger.pdf.

Weirde, Dr. “Chinatown's Opium Dens.” FoundSF, www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Chinatown's_Opium_Dens.

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Strange Country Ep. 100: DB Cooper

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Well, well, well, readers Strange Country is now Centenarians in the podcast world! We have made it to our 100th episode. Beth and Kelly pull out all the stops for you Dear Readers as we tell the tale of D.B. Cooper the man who jumped into oblivion in 1971 with $200,000 in a knapsack from a 727 Boeing. Of course we talk about our periods and our dislike of POTUS SCROTUS- it is all related! What makes this tale strange is that yes, Dan, D.A., D.B. hijacked an airplane pretty successfully, but his identity has never been solved and many people over the years claimed to be D.B. What is your take on the culprit? Also what is your favorite memory over the past 100 episodes? Beth and Kelly would love to hear! We need a little boost this summer. Now is the perfect time to post on Facebook, or twat us, or write to us at strangecountrypodcast@gmail.com

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

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Strange Country Ep. 99: Parrot Fever

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You know what they say, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. In this case it's probably best to keep those birds in the bushes and wash your hands immediately. On this week's episode Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly talk about the Parrot Fever Epidemic of 1930 where it seemed Polly wanted more than a cracker...she wanted your soul!

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Honigsbaum, Mark. Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris. W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Inglis-Arkell, Esther. “Cows Are Deadlier Than You Ever Knew.” Gizmodo, 16 Dec. 2015, io9.gizmodo.com/cows-are-deadlier-than-you-ever-knew-1690950434.

Lepore, Jill. “It’s Spreading: Outbreaks, Media Scares, and the Parrot Panic of 1930.” The New Yorker, 25 May 2009, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/06/01/its-spreading.

Psittacosis (Ornithosis, Parrot Fever, Chlamydiosis). New York State Department of Health, Aug. 2017, www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/psittacosis/fact_sheet.htm.

Quammen, David. Spillover: Animal Infections and the next Human Pandemic. W.W. Norton, 2013.

Reuell, Peter. “Harvard Study Shows Parrots Can Pass Classic Test of Intelligence.” Harvard Gazette, 27 Feb. 2019, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/02/harvard-study-shows-parrots-can-pass-classic-test-of-intelligence/.

Rooney, Kate. “Joe Biden's Swine Flu Hysteria.” Time, 8 Dec. 2009, content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944338_1944286,00.html.

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Strange Country Ep. 98: Child's Play

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Hey Dash Hounds- You’re still here? That means you managed to listen to Strange Country's longest podcast ever, and still come back for more. Or you skipped that one for later- we understand. It is time now dear readers to sit back relax and enjoy Kelly and Beth unwind and eventually get to the topic of play in the Victorian Era. We glean our research from Therese Oneill’s, Ungovernable a wonderful book about all the crazy things parents did back in the day. Today we are way more advanced, I mean which one of you didn’t grow up playing drug dealer?

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

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Strange Country Ep. 97: The Mueller Report, Part 2

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Whew! Mueller Report Part 2 is here and, readers, this is the longest one and the most obstructy. Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly nearly didn't make it, but like a good marathon partner, Kelly dragged an exhausted Beth over the finish line, diarrhea running in rivulets down her legs. Slog through this with us and it will be worth it because then you'll know the president obstructed justice and, yet, he still remains president so you eat your feelings...or is that just me?

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Apuzzo, Matt, and Emmarie Huetteman. “Sally Yates Tells Senators She Warned Trump About Michael Flynn.” The New York Times, 18 May 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/us/politics/michael-flynn-sally-yates-hearing.html.

Berkowitz, Bonnie, et al. “Here’s What We Learned about Team Trump’s Ties to Russian Interests.” The Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/trump-russia/?utm_term=.e7bba7a83490.

Entous, Adam, et al. “Sessions Discussed Trump Campaign-Related Matters with Russian Ambassador, U.S. Intelligence Intercepts Show.” The Washington Post, 21 July 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-discussed-trump-campaign-related-matters-with-russian-ambassador-us-intelligence-intercepts-show/2017/07/21/3e704692-6e44-11e7-9c15-177740635e83_story.html?utm_term=.7592c4f90886.

Guray, Geoffrey Lou. “How Michael Cohen Broke Campaign Finance Law.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 12 Dec. 2018, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-michael-cohen-broke-campaign-finance-law.

Holter, Lauren. “A $15,000 Ostrich Coat & 7 Other Items Paul Manafort Dropped Stupid Money On.” Bustle, 8 May 2019, www.bustle.com/p/8-ridiculous-purchases-paul-manafort-made-like-a-15000-ostrich-coat-9961710.

Jurecic, Quinta. “Obstruction of Justice in the Mueller Report: A Heat Map.” Lawfare, 25 Apr. 2019, www.lawfareblog.com/obstruction-justice-mueller-report-heat-map.

Mueller, Robert S., et al. The Mueller Report. Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2019.

Rosenberg, Matthew. “ Contradicting Trump on Russia: Russian Officials.” The New York Times, 20 Feb. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/02/20/us/politics/donald-trump-russia.html?searchResultPosition=4.

Woodruff, Betsy. “Trump's Lawyers Plot Joint Defenses With Others Caught in Mueller Probe.” The Daily Beast, 11 June 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-lawyers-plot-joint-defenses-with-others-caught-in-mueller-probe.

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Strange Country Ep. 96: The Mueller Report, Part 1

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It's Mueller Time, readers. Beth spent the last week reading the entire Mueller Report so you didn't have to. But you should. Really. Go read it. Now. I'll wait. Get ready for Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly to mangle some Russian names, attempt terrible Russian accents and get really, really angry. Total exoneration? This ain't it.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Abramson, Seth. “A Thread Written by @SethAbramson.” Threader, threader.app/thread/1118631217212067841.

Banco, Erin. “Mueller Exposes Erik Prince's Lies About Russian Rendezvous.” The Daily Beast, 18 Apr. 2019, www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-exposes-erik-princes-lies-about-his-seychelles-rendezvous-with-top-russian-kirill-dmitriev.

Benen, Steve. “Trump Tries to Dismiss Adviser He Praised as an 'Excellent Guy'.” MSNBC, NBCUniversal News Group, 31 Oct. 2017, www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-tries-dismiss-adviser-he-praised-excellent-guy.

Bevan, Matthew, and Ruby Jones. “Papadopoulos and Downer Tell Us about the Drink Date That Started the Mueller Investigation.” ABC News, 23 May 2019, www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-24/mueller-investigation-george-papadopoulos-alexander-downer-speak/11107712.

Blake, Aaron. “What Does the Trump Team Say to Russia behind Closed Doors? We’re about to Get a Glimpse.” The Washington Post, 17 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/17/what-does-trump-team-say-russia-behind-closed-doors-were-about-get-glimpse/?utm_term=.cdbd221ceb2a.

Chaffin, Joshua, and Kiran Stacey. “Mueller Report: Trump Inner Circle and Russians Were Desperate to Connect.” The Irish Times, 20 Apr. 2019, www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/mueller-report-trump-inner-circle-and-russians-were-desperate-to-connect-1.3865875.

Corn, David, et al. “The Mueller Report: a Detailed Account of Trump's Lies and Misconduct.” Mother Jones, 18 Apr. 2019, www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/mueller-report-donald-trump-russia-lies/.

“Fusion GPS/Steele Dossier.” The Moscow Project, themoscowproject.org/tags/fusiongpssteeledossier/.

Gesson, Masha. “The Hustlers and Swindlers of the Mueller Report.” The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2019, www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-hustlers-and-swindlers-of-the-mueller-report.

Hamburger, Tom. “Longtime Manafort Associate Konstantin Kilimnik Rejects His Depiction in Mueller Report.” The Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/longtime-manafort-associate-konstantin-kilimnik-rejects-his-depiction-in-mueller-report/2019/04/19/af9221ce-62bc-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html?utm_term=.15489ea53a0e.

Hamburger, Tom, et al. “Manafort Offered to Give Russian Billionaire ‘Private Briefings’ on 2016 Campaign.” The Washington Post, 20 Sept. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/manafort-offered-to-give-russian-billionaire-private-briefings-on-2016-campaign/2017/09/20/399bba1a-9d48-11e7-8ea1-ed975285475e_story.html?utm_term=.ba67e3b40955.

Hasan, Mehdi. “Trump's Transition Team Colluded With Israel. Why Isn't That News?” The Intercept, 5 Dec. 2017, theintercept.com/2017/12/05/michael-flynn-jared-kushner-israel-settlements-trump/.

Johnson, Carrie. “2016 RNC Delegate: Trump Directed Change To Party Platform On Ukraine Support.” NPR, NPR, 4 Dec. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/12/04/568310790/2016-rnc-delegate-trump-directed-change-to-party-platform-on-ukraine-support.

Leonnig, Carol D., and Rosalind S. Helderman. “Judge Orders Public Release of What Michael Flynn Said in Call to Russian Ambassador.” The Washington Post, 16 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/judge-orders-public-release-of-what-michael-flynn-said-in-call-to-russian-ambassador/2019/05/16/1e68712a-7825-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html?utm_term=.4c8d632d4c5e.

Lichtblau, Eric. “Questions Remain About Putin's Request for a Back Channel to the Trump Transition.” Time, 21 May 2019, time.com/5592739/donald-trump-petr-aven-alfa-bank/.

Liptak, Adam. “Brett Kavanaugh Urged Graphic Questions in Clinton Inquiry.” The New York Times, 20 Aug. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-clinton-starr.html.

Mayer, Jane. “In the Mueller Report, Erik Prince Funds a Covert Effort to Obtain Clinton’s E-Mails from a Foreign State.” The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2019, www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/in-the-mueller-report-erik-prince-funds-a-covert-effort-to-obtain-clintons-e-mails-from-a-foreign-state.

Mueller, Robert S., et al. The Mueller Report. Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2019.

Neuman, Scott. “Firm That Contracted Steele Dossier Says It Was 'Shocked' By Findings on Trump.” NPR, NPR, 3 Jan. 2018, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/03/575259858/firm-that-contracted-steele-dossier-says-it-was-shocked-by-findings-on-trump.

Ohlheiser, Abby. “No, John Podesta Didn’t Drink Bodily Fluids at a Secret Satanist Dinner.” The Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/04/no-john-podesta-didnt-drink-bodily-fluids-at-a-secret-satanist-dinner/?utm_term=.5395c544b0c4.

“Papadopoulos Told Kotzias That the Russians Had Hillary’s Emails.” The National Herald, 12 Sept. 2018, www.thenationalherald.com/212864/papadopoulos-told-kotzias-that-the-russians-had-hillarys-emails/.

Rogin, Josh. “Dimitri Simes Flew Too Close to Trump, and His Think Tank Got Burned.” The Washington Post, 2 May 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/02/dimitri-simes-flew-too-close-trump-his-think-tank-got-burned/?utm_term=.b50cdc0b9434.

“Sex & The Starr Report: Excerpts from the Starr Report Concerning Seven Sexual Encounters.” Famous Trials, www.famous-trials.com/clinton/892-starrreport.

Stanley-Becker, Isaac. “Roger Stone Wanted WikiLeaks Dump to Distract from ‘Access Hollywood’ Tape, Mueller Witness Says.” The Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/29/roger-stone-wanted-wikileaks-email-dump-distract-access-hollywood-tape-associate-claims/?utm_term=.f58014a27516.

Vogel, Kenneth P. “Deripaska and Allies Could Benefit From Sanctions Deal, Document Shows.” The New York Times, 21 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/us/politics/oleg-deripaska-russian-sanctions.html.

Wong, Brittany, and Brittany Wong. “Robert Pattinson Finally Responds To Trump's Weird 'Twilight' Tweets.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 14 Aug. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/robert-pattinson-talks-trump-tweets_n_5991d173e4b09071f69b8768.

Yourish, Karin, and Larry Buchanan. “Mueller Report Shows Depth of Connections Between Trump Campaign and Russians.” The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/26/us/politics/trump-contacts-russians-wikileaks.html.

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Strange Country Ep. 95: Theodosia Burr Alston

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Dear Theodosia, what to say to you? Plenty--on today's Strange Country. Co-hosts Beth and Kelly discuss Theodosia Burr Alston, the daughter of Alexander Hamilton's dueler Aaron Burr, her squicky relationship with dad, and her disappearance in 1813. Get ready for some really amazing sound effects in this episode.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Cote, Richard. Theodosia Burr Alston: Corinthian Books, 2005.

"The Portrait of Theodosia Burr Alston." North Carolina Ghosts. https://northcarolinaghosts.com/coast/portrait-theodosia-burr/

"Theodosia Burr Alston." History of American Woman. http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2012/11/theodosia-burr-alston.html

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Strange Country Ep. 94: SS Eastland Disaster

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Today on Strange Country we dive into the terrible tale of the SS Eastland Disaster. Have you ever heard if it? If you aren’t from Chicago ( Yes we will mention Da Bears), and you don’t have a passion for macabre maritime disasters, then this story is probably one you have never heard before. Why? Find out on this 94th episode lovingly handcrafted for your listening pleasure by your favorite friends, mothers, librarians and sister wives, Kelly and Beth. And make sure to check this website out...http://www.eastlanddisaster.org/

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Stranahan, Susan. The The Eastland Disaster Killed More Passengers Than the Titanic and the Lusitania. Why Has It Been Forgotten? Smithsonian.com.

October 27, 2014.

Sutton Patricia. Capsized, The Forgotten Story of the SS Eastland Disaster.2018, Chicago Review Press

The Eastland Disaster Historical Society. http://www.eastlanddisaster.org/ Accessed May 16, 2019.

Mzezwa, Tariro. Please Call Her Captain. The New York Times. Feb 25, 2019.

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Strange Country Ep. 93: Chang and Eng

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Chang and Eng, conjoined twins from Siam, arrived in America in 1829 to tour as curiosities. Why are we compelled to gawk at those who appear "abnormal"? Is it a manifestation of our own inner anxieties? Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly tackle these questions, which lead to some bizarre tangents on pooping and farting that should not be missed.

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Barbier, Laetitia. “Morbid Monday: The Death of Chang and Eng, Conjoined Twins Until the Last.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 9 Dec. 2013, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morbid-monday-the-demise-of-chang-and-eng.

“Cast and Livers of Chang and Eng Bunker.” Exhibits | Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, muttermuseum.org/exhibitions/cast-and-livers-of-chang-and-eng-bunker/.

Evans, Gideon. “‘Mobituaries’: Chang and Eng Bunker, the Original Siamese Twins.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 28 Feb. 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/mobituaries-mo-rocca-chang-and-eng-bunker-the-original-siamese-twins/.

Getlen, Larry. “The Fruitful Sex Lives of the Original Siamese Twins.” New York Post, 1 Nov. 2014, nypost.com/2014/11/01/the-sex-lives-of-siamese-twins/.

Huang, Yunte. Inseparable: the Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History. Liveright, 2018.

Rezaei, Asal. “Descendants of Original Siamese Twins in Mount Airy for Family Reunion.” Spectrum News, 27 July 2018, spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2018/07/27/hundreds-of-descendants-of-original-siamese-twins-arrive-for-family-reunion-#.

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Strange Country Ep. 92: Abortion

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Strange Country cohosts Beth and Kelly want to keep things light and frothy with this week's episode so that's why they're talking about. . . abortion. They talk about some really dope laws that have been passed recently, discuss abortion's history, and wonder how women dying unnecessarily is considered "pro-life."

Theme music: Resting Place by A Cast of Thousands.

Cite your sources:

Abbott, Karen. “Madame Restell: The Abortionist of Fifth Avenue.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 27 Nov. 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/madame-restell-the-abortionist-of-fifth-avenue-145109198/.

Bernstein, Adam, and Patricia Sullivan. “Frances Oldham Kelsey, FDA Scientist Who Kept Thalidomide off U.S. Market, Dies at 101.” The Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/frances-oldham-kelsey-heroine-of-thalidomide-tragedy-dies-at-101/2015/08/07/ae57335e-c5da-11df-94e1-c5afa35a9e59_story.html?utm_term=.b1716edbb9d4.

Bingham, Clara. “Code Names and Secret Lives: How a Radical Underground Network Helped Women Get Abortions Before They Were Legal.” Vanity Fair, 17 Apr. 2019, www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/04/jane-network-abortion-feature.

Blakemore, Erin. “The Criminalization of Abortion Began as a Business Tactic.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 22 Jan. 2018, www.history.com/news/the-criminalization-of-abortion-began-as-a-business-tactic.

Carmon, Irin. “A Brief History of Abortion Law in America.” BillMoyers.com, 14 Nov. 2017, billmoyers.com/story/history-of-abortion-law-america/.

Chokshi, Niraj. “Ohio's Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban Is Latest Front in Fight Over Roe v. Wade.” The New York Times, 12 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/us/ohio-abortion.html.

Horton, Adrian. “ 'It's Not a Little Child': Gynecologists Join the Fight against Six-Week Abortion Bans.” The Guardian, 24 Apr. 2019, www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/24/its-not-a-little-child-gynecologists-join-the-fight-against-six-week-abortion-bans.

Jacobs, Julia. “Failed Texas Bill Would Have Made Death Penalty Possible in Abortion Cases.” The New York Times, 10 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/us/texas-abortion-death-penalty.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer.

Kaplan, Laura. The Story of Jane: the Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. The University of Chicago Press, 1997.

Reagan, Leslie Jean. When Abortion Was a Crime: the Legal and Medical Regulation of Abortion, Chicago, 1880-1973. University Microfilms, 1992.

Smith, Kate. “Abortion Would Automatically Be Illegal in These States If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 22 Apr. 2019, www.cbsnews.com/news/new-abortion-law-abortion-clinic-automatically-illegal-roe-v-wade-overturned-2019-04-22/.

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Strange Country Ep. 91: The Pitch That Killed

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Hey Dash Hounds! (Why do we call you that anyway? Listen to today's episode and you'll find out) It's baseball season and high time Kelly and Beth took a swing at a good old-fashioned baseball story full of death, sadness, and inappropriate jokes. Listen to today's episode as we retell the story of the 1920 Pennant Race between the Yankees (have you ever heard of them?) and the Cleveland Indians (when are they going to change their name already?). Cantankerous Carl Mays was pitching against the lovable Ray Chapman when one of the worst accidents in baseball history happened. Tune in and enjoy-grab a beer and a dog for this one- even if it's breakfast time!