Lie, Cheat, & Steal

Pat and Kath discuss how to win on "baited hook" scratch tickets, using an algorithmic disovery made in 2003 by Canadian statistician Mohan Srivastava, and possibly many others around North America. Much of the information in this episode comes from the 2011 Wired Article by Jonah Lehrer about Srivastava's discovery: https://www.wired.com/2011/01/cracking-the-scratch-lottery-code/

Part 1 of our series on Outlaw Gambling legends with Zac Brooks kicks off with the tall tale of Titanic Thompson, unusually gifted in both athleticism and prop bets, using one skill to feed the other.

: Pat takes Kath through a few scams that have hit the news lately, including a dime theft, a beloved tamale restaurant's dark underbelly, and a fake priest ring.

Kath brings Pat another art scam from a man so disgusted by modern art he decided to invent an entire genre of it: Disumbrationism.

Pat tells Kath about yet another Australian man who benefitted from an ATM glitch to the tune of over a million dollars - it's happened twice! And he would have gotten away with it if he weren't such a good guy.

Kath tells Pat about a enterprising criminal who finagled his way into a job at the FBI and subsequently took down scores of politicians in a sting involving a fictional Emirati Sheik. This story is the basis for David O Russell's movie, AMERICAN HUSTLE.

Pat tells Kath about the predatory franchising agreements behind our (least?) favorite sandwiches, which screw over new American immigrants in particular.

Kath tells Pat about a Canadian first nations painter whose work has been mimicked by multiple forgery rings to the tune of over 100 million dollars' worth of fake paintings.

Pat tells Kath about a Ghanaian in America who scammed hundreds of people from into thinking he had the keys to the wealth of the newly independent nation of Ghana. Check out the new book Anansi's Gold by Yepoka Yeebo for more info!

Learn about Napoleon Hill, originator of the American self-help movement. Topics include his early life and education, exaggerated accomplishments, and relationship with his son. The hosts also explore the philosophy of the New Thought movement and discuss the potential impact of a lost chapter in his book 'Think and Grow Rich'.