The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope

"Russia"

One of the largest countries in the world, and also one of the strangest.

detail from "The Last Minutes of False Dmitry" (1879) by Carl Wenig

Samozvantsy

false Dmitry's in Russia's time of Troubles

It was 1584 and Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, was dead. The boyars of Russia now had a momentous decision to make: who would rule? Only two of Ivan’s children had managed to survive to adulthood: the Tsareviches Ivan and Fedor. Fortunately for Russia, Ivan’s oldest son Ivan […]

Categories: History, Hoaxes, Frauds & Forgeries, Series 15

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The Reverend May S. Pepper

A Good Thing to Die By

the Reverend May S. Pepper and Bright Eyes

This one has it all: the afterlife, evil stepmothers, Kickapoo princesses, the Romanovs, bigamy and fraud, ghost farts and spirit chickens.

Categories: Biography, Footsteps into the Unknown, Hoaxes, Frauds & Forgeries, People & Places, Series 13

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William Dudley Pelley, National Commander of the fascist Silver Legion of America

Seven Minutes in Heaven

the misbegotten existence of William Dudley Pelley (1890-1965)

One man's horrifying journey from toilet paper salesman to famous author to spiritual guru to American Hitler to space brother.

Categories: Biography, Eccentrics & Prophecies, History, Series 12

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Soviet propaganda poster promoting collectivization

Moron or Madman? Addenda

duped by Mendelist-Morganists

We thought our episode on Trofim Lysenko was too focused on the what and when rather than the how and why. This bonus episode should clear things up.

Categories: Bonus Episodes, History, Hoaxes, Frauds & Forgeries, Least Popular, Science & Nature, Supplement, The Marvels of Science

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The Great Stalin Plan for the Transformation of Nature

Moron or Madman?

in which science is subordinated to politics

Trofim D. Lysenko (1898-1976) set back the study of biology in the Soviet Union for two generations -- but the lessons you should learn from his story are not the one scientists and philosophers have pushed.

Categories: Biography, History, Hoaxes, Frauds & Forgeries, Science & Nature, Series 7, The Marvels of Science

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