Myths
Myth of Global Cooling
The Global Cooling “evidence” of the 1970s is a “zombie myth” that has plagued public understanding of climate change ever since. Dr. Andrew Ramey from Carnegie Mellon University explains how this myth started, how the media reported it at the time, and how it has been revived and repeated endlessly ever since. It’s one of…
Read More“Nazi” “Socialist”: What’s in a Name?
Marjorie Taylor Greene has brought up the Nazi-Socialist thing to defame certain left-wing American politicians in 2021. Obviously, she doesn’t know history. But why was Hitler’s fascist party named the “National-Socialist German Workers’ Party”? “Socialist” and “Fascist” usually have totally different, indeed opposite, meanings. How did they get combined and what did the “National Socialist”…
Read MoreAbraham Lincoln “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people…” Quote or No Quote?
Voting rights are being taken away in 2021. So we should listen again to Honest Abe. Right? But did he actually say, “…government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”? Was it his phrase originally? The background of the quote will fascinate you. Listen and learn, Buzzkillers!…
Read MoreThe Filibuster in the United States Senate
The filibuster, and the practice of filibustering in the United States Senate, is a raging topic in American politics these days. And, of course, the abuse of history has been rampant when current politicians attack or defend the filibuster. Professor Sarah Binder (_the_ expert!) explains it to you Buzzkillers! Episode 421 — Buzzkill Bookshelf Sarah…
Read MoreHistory of the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail has a long and winding place in American history and culture. Professor Philip D’Anieri takes us on a hike through the significant aspects of its history and explains what the trail’s construction and development have meant for the country. Episode 422 Link to the Appalachian Trail Conference: https://appalachiantrail.org/ —Buzzkill Bookshelf Philip D’Anieri,…
Read MoreCharlie Brown’s America: the Popular Politics of Peanuts
Professor Blake Scott Ball discusses his new book on the history of the Peanuts comic strip! Despite–or perhaps because of–its huge popular culture status, Peanuts enabled cartoonist Charles Schulz to offer political commentary on the most controversial topics of postwar American culture through the voices of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts gang. Episode…
Read MoreHousehold Gods: the Religious Lives of the Adams Family
Reflecting on his past, President John Adams mused that it was religion that had shaped his family’s fortunes and young America’s future. For the nineteenth century’s first family, the Adamses of Massachusetts, the history of how they lived religion was dynamic and well-documented. Christianity supplied the language that Abigail used to interpret husband John’s political…
Read MoreCold War Trading Cards!
Yes, you read that correctly, Buzzkillers! Trading cards sets like “Fight the Red Menace” were popular in the west, and were regularly purchased by young people (especially boys) during the Cold War. Historian Harriette Kevill-Davies explains the roles these cards played in American and Allied culture during those extremely tense times! Episode 425.
Read MoreHitler’s Rise to Power
In this Professor Buzzkill episode we examine the many myths surrounding Adolf Hitler’s rise from Chancellor to the outbreak of World War II. These include: how Nazi Germany functioned; the myth of purely tyrannical dictatorship; and the myth of an efficient, orderly dictatorship. We also explore Hitler’s genuine popularity, and explain the successes of Hitler’s…
Read MoreAda Lovelace – Woman Crush Wednesday!
As Lady Buzzkill and I can tell you, it’s tough to be born to wealth and privilege. The constant socializing, serving on the boards of charities and non-profits, being invited to an endless number of weddings and events by everybody who’s anybody, and on and on. In the face of these massive temptations to live…
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