Unfriending, from Jefferson and Adams to Today

For the final cast of 2016 we look at Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and their period of estrangement and renewed correspondence. Their story is very well known, but a few less commonly known points -such as Abigal Adams’s role in the story  – are discussed.  Also, a somewhat critical look at social media and its effect on…

Geeks, Orcs and Herbert Hoover

Christmastime, New Years are upon us, and so a fun-little episode I enjoyed recording on the history of radio from the start as geek fare to big business  The history of radio and Herbert Hoover’s role in speaks a bit to the debate over ‘fake news’ today, though I wouldn’t have had the foresight to make direct…

Congress Counts: The 1876 Election’s Lasting Impact

The disputed election between Hayes and Tilden in 1876 is an infamous part of American history.  It created a tense environment where both sides talked of a return to war.  While war didn’t come, and perhaps was not going to come in an environment of post-Civil War aversion to war, there was a deal made to avoid bloodshed.  …

The Fib That the President Creates Jobs

In the first debate of the election, the first question was how either candidate would create jobs. As this podcast argues, the idea that the President creates jobs, popular as it is,  is a myth that is invalidated with a look at history.  A snipet from Bruce Carlson’s book on The Five Biggest Fibs in American…