Ridiculous History

What happens when both candidates in a gubernatorial election are cartoonishly corrupt? That's the question Colorado wrestled with back in 1904 -- in part two of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the cavalcade of chicanery that led not one, but two Governors to resign within hours of taking office. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elections are somewhere between sports and religions for the United States. It seems that, each and every time, people have problems with the official results. In this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep into one of the most ridiculous elections in all of US history: two candidates for state governor went head to head. They fought dirty. They both tried to fix the vote -- and both loudly complained about the other along the way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A successful military hinges on nutrition, and modern warfare is no different. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive to the strange deal Uncle Sam made with the Hershey chocolate company: creating a candy bar that tasted terrible -- on purpose.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While San Marino may not make many international headlines, this micronation has one of the most fascinating origin stories in all of Europe. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a formerly rural area just about 6 miles from Rimini became a home for a stonemason hoping to get away from it all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 1800, the Library of Congress has functioned as the national library of the United States. Don't let the name fool you -- this institution isn't just a bunch of dusty old tomes and long-forgotten letters from politicians. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of the weirdest things in the joint, from ancient cuneiform to human hair and, honestly, some stuff so lewd that we decided not to put it in the description.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man in Arizona purchased the London Bridge and relocated it to create a tourist attraction. The podcast explores the history of London bridges, including witchcraft accusations and bridge heists. It also discusses Robert McCulloch's other projects, such as promoting gyro planes as commuter vehicles. The episode encourages listeners to pursue their dreams and includes a discussion on buying historical artifacts.

As the toy car industry exploded, new companies entered the market -- but the Matchbox/Hot Wheels rivalry remained front and center for collectors and distributors alike. In the second part of this special two-part episode, we explore what happened to all those old toy car companies... and why you should always (always!) hold on to your old toys.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember toy cars? Ben, Noel and Max investigate the surprisingly weird evolution of old-school, die-cast car models from their origins to the modern day, ultimately asking what happened to the fad. Bonus points for everyone taking a Matchbox or Hot Wheels toy and vrooming-vrooming around as we explore this one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our grand tradition of being a bit late to things, we celebrate Mother's Day with an exploration of the multiple women -- activists, poets, and heroes -- responsible for creating a tradition that continues across the world in the modern day. Bonus points if you call your Mom right after listening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the vast majority of the world, Monaco seems like something out of a billionaire's fever dream -- completely surrounded by France, this tiny country is perhaps best known for the wealth of its residents and its opulent approach to gambling. However, there's much, much more to the story. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origin story of this unique micronation, from the ancient past to the modern day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.