Idiots Talk History

In the first of a series of episodes focused on mysteries, Matt reports on the Lost Colony of Roanoke. British settlers in North America disappeared in the late sixteenth century, leaving no trace of their settlement behind. For the past 400 years historians have tried to deduce what happened to the colony, and yet the answer remains elusive. Matt and Lorna finally figure it out! (They don’t.) There’s a lot of getting distracted this week, from Sir Walter Rally-Car to mentions of Cluedo murders, and a couple of Matt’s terrible jokes for good measure. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week we focus on two Civil Wars that took place in Asia. Firstly, Lorna talks us through the Genpei War of the 12th Century. In late-Heian period Japan, two clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, fought for power. And second, Matt reports on the Secret War. During the Vietnam War, the US was secretly involved in a war in neighbouring Laos too. The impact of this war was devastating to the people of Laos, and is still felt today. The USA’s involvement in Laos would stay a secret for over twenty years.   Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week we take a look at space! (Look out a window it’s there!) Matt focuses on the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union. Over the course of twenty years the two superpowers battled over dominance of space, leading to a ton of new and impressive firsts. We look at the First Space Station, the Salyut 1, as well as the tragic Soviet mission, Soyuz 11. We finish with some fascinating pre-launch cosmonaut traditions! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

We follow on from last week with another dissection of famous photographs and the stories behind them. Lorna reports on the unique image of Salvador Dali known as Dali Atomicus which has inspired millions of people to jump in photos (perhaps not). The photographer Philippe Halsman behind the image also had a fascinating life! Then Matt reports on the Migrant Mother, one of the most powerful images of the twentieth century. The photo of a mother and her children living in Depression-era America became a symbol of the hardship of the American people in the 1930s. We also have quite a serious conversation for once! This time about the motivations behind documentary photography and filmmaking.   Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy    

This week we report on two of the most famous photos of all time. Matt delves into the story behind a photo of the Revolutionary Che Guevara. Photographer Alberto Korda saw little reward for his now iconic shot of Che throughout much of his life. The photo is now recognised the world over and we discuss how the constant reproduction of the image may have meant the message is now lost. Lorna reports on Tank Man. Captured by at least five different photographers, Tank Man depicts a brave man who put his life on the line by confronting a line of tanks in China in 1989. Look out for a follow up episode next week as we discuss more of the stories behind famous photos! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Lorna reports on the lives of four of the first female Disney artists. They had a significant influence on the early Disney films impacting the course of the company’s history. Matt weaves in fascinating facts about the history of the Disney World Theme Park. Elsewhere we try to figure out where the best place is to put a bin in a theme park. Check out our new Facebook page and Instagram to keep up to date with all our news and exciting updates. The links are below! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTalkHistory    Instagram: @IdiotsTalkHistory Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

The focus this week is on two pioneers of running. Both Kathrine Switzer and Bobbi Gibb took part in the Boston Marathon in the 1960s changing the future of women’s long distance running forever. In between reports, Lorna provides us with a whole bunch of fascinating facts about the history of running. Matt also shares his story about getting sunburnt during a race, whilst Lorna talks about how she swims at the same pace at all times to the exasperation of her parents. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

  It's the first episode of the second year of Idiots Talk History! And with that anniversary we have decided to make use of a new beginning. Now instead of a long report on a single topic, we will each report on a topic linked by a key word.  This first episode focuses on Presidents. Lorna is up first, reporting on Edith Wilson. Many believe that when her husband President Woodrow Wilson fell ill, Edith took charge of the White House and the country, becoming the unofficial first female President of the USA. Matt chooses to focus on Cuba, where Fidel Castro was first Prime Minister then President. Castro survived an alleged 634 attempts on his life by various outside forces (mainly the CIA), and Matt rattles off some of the most ridiculous. There's talk of hated secretaries, molluscs and even Guinness World Records this week! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Matt reports this week on two pioneers of early aviation history. First up is Otto Lilienthal, a man who popularised the art of flight through 2000 tests. As these were watched by the masses he became known as the Glider King. Soon after a man named Franz Reichelt decided he was going to create a new, safer parachute. His subsequent trials and errors ensured his name as a mainstay in history books forever more. He was the famous Flying Tailor. Elsewhere, Lorna gives us a lesson on the film series Madagascar as we get waylaid. This is a new start for the Idiots, as we move into Year 2 of Idiots Talk History!! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy The video of Otto Lilienthal flying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLuIiwmu3OE

In 1966 Paddy Roy Bates and his family took to an old army fort in the middle of the North Sea, and the next year decided to declare it as a nation, called the Principality of Sealand. This is a challenge for Matt who constantly mixes it up with Seaworld, however this has nothing to do with the marine parks and instead Sealand has a history you won’t believe. Whilst discussing Sealand’s bizarre history Matt also has a personal connection to a member of Sealand’s football team. And we finish by looking into becoming a lord and lady of Sealand. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

It’s our 50th birthday this week!! To celebrate Matt brings us a fantastic report on a moment from history 50 years ago. The focus is on Paris in 1968 and its period of civil unrest. Listen out for Matt’s attempts at French when reciting a famous saying of the time and also his bad ‘bless you’ joke.   Also another exciting moment this week is Matt’s Movie History corner, a development from previous movie corners when we learn about the closing of the Cannes Film Festival! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week its Lorna’s turn to report, and she focuses on James Holman, who at the time of his death was arguably the most travelled man in the world. He zig zagged across the globe, all this despite the fact that he went blind early in his life. James Holman also went on to write travel books, and as a result we attempt to shorten the name of his first novel (it was such a long one!). A seamless edit in the middle of the episode hides a McDonald’s trip and some car issues. And finally, in Lorna’s movie corner we discuss James Holman the New Zealand director. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy  

Matt reports this week on the poet and author of the first novel, Murasaki Shikibu. She lived in 10th Century Japan, and today she holds an incredible legacy. Lorna makes some very poor guesses early on, and we work out what our surnames would have been. And as always, another episode, another existential crisis for Lorna. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Lorna tells us all about our hometown, Oldham, in WWII. It was struck by the Last Flying Bomb of the war and was also home to the Prisoner of War Camp named Glen Mill. There are personal stories about the POW's and their interaction with locals. Lorna wrote her dissertation on the topic and is full of interesting titbits! Elsewhere, Matt creates his own new segments to various degrees of success. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Lorna reports on the author Zelda Fitzgerald, an iconic figure of the Roaring Twenties in America and in Europe. Not only did she write but she also painted and was an accomplished ballet dancer. Zelda was one half of the first celebrity couple, with her partner being Lost Generation writer, and author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. To say the two had a turbulent relationship would be an understatement. Famously Scott stole writing from Zelda’s diaries for his own works! For once Matt actually knows a bit about the topic and almost ruins the whole story at the start! There’s also talk of Zelda as a feminist revolutionary, Lorna reveals her favourite celebrity couple and Matt worries about the hygiene levels of the 1920s. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Lorna begins by detailing in quick fashion her disastrous day. Then Matt jumps in to his tragedy-ridden report on the Kennedy Family Curse. Throughout the 20th Century numerous members of the famous family died in horrific ways.   Also this week, Lorna worryingly wants to become the first member of the 23 Club, and your hosts realise a shared love of spelling bees.  There's also an impromptu game of "Curse or No Curse?" For this week’s Big Question Matt runs through some out-there conspiracy theories about the assassination of JFK. Thanks for listening! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna reports on 3 incredible peace walks that took place in the second half of the twentieth century. It encompasses the creation of the peace symbol, and two men giving teabags to world leaders on the brink of nuclear war. There’s other important developments too as Matt learns (and is immediately disgusted by) what crimped hair is, and we use Siri to try to learn how to say antipathy. As usual Matt side-tracks the episode multiple times. this week with his talk of English counties and wrestling’s biggest event, Wrestlemania. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

Matt fills us in on the life and times of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. Credited as the man who modernised Russia, Peter won a few wars, rebuilt the government structure and founded the future capital St Petersburg. He also really really hated long beards. Elsewhere we name our own cities, talk Disney princesses and create our own days of the week (Happy Florgsday everybody!) Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week Lorna talks us through the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 and the subsequent war. We also delve into the life of the spy Bianca Tam who had her own fascinating tale in the midst of it all. Elsewhere, we get our Abyssinian and Manchurian Crises mixed up a bit and Lorna has a revelation live on air about the realities of war. We also have a go at a live version of the Big Question theme song and there’s even a Little Question thrown in too. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

This week our report focuses on the deeply unpleasant tale of the Golden State Killer from the 70s and 80s, which has actually been in the news very recently. Be warned it gets quite icky! As usual, we get immediately distracted and fly off topic. Who knew the nicknames of American states could be so confusing? In fact we get distracted by a hell of a lot at the start of this episode, especially Lorna’s dad’s age. Check out our social media as we keep you up to date on this ongoing case! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHistoryPod@gmail.com Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy    @InnesJackson