EP 154: Best That Never Was

by almosteducators, posted in Alternate History, Debate Show

This week we delve into three athletes that were the greatest that never became the greatest.

We bring three different athletes from three different sports and wonder aloud on what their impact would be on the American landscape

  1. Len Bias

How An Athlete’s Death Led To Shoddy Drug Laws

30 Years after Basketball Star Len Bias’ Death, Its Drug War Impact Endures

    2.  Steve Dalkowski

A look back at Steve Dalkowski, one of baseball’s most mythical fireballers

High Heat: History of the Fast Ball

   3.  Joe Don Looney

The Greatest Player Who Never Was

Paper Lion: Confessions of a Last-String Quarterback

Random Stuff

City of Champions

Ford Hunger Riot 1932

EP 153: Snake Oil

by almosteducators, posted in Debate Show, Guest

Patrick is joined by guest host Mike “Red Wizard” Fallek to discuss bunk, hoaxes, junk science and general groupthink in American society.  We start with PT Barnum and end with TED Talks. This one is hard to pin down we go in all over the place, there is a thesis in there someplace.  

You can find Mike here Let’s Start A Cult Podcast

Dark Twins Mark Twain’s America

Great Moon Hoax

This deconstruction of all TED Talks is itself the ideal TED Talk

America’s Big Circus Spectacular Has a Long and Cherished History

EP 152: Norse America or Nouveau France

by almosteducators, posted in Alternate History, Debate Show, science fiction

This week alternate North Americas are discussed.  What would an America look like with a Norse Nova Scotian Empire?  How would a cold war between New France, England, and their American colonies play out in 1820?  What would America look like without a Puritan colony?

Notes

New France Forever

Vinland Empire

European Population Maps

The Peshawar Lancers, by S.M. Stirling

Clash of Eagles

The Years of Rice and Salt

What if the Vikings Stayed In America?

EP 151: Twilight Zone Draft

by almosteducators, posted in Debate Show, Draft, Guest, science fiction

This week Patrick is joined by guest host Keith Foster from Tonight in San Diego and the podcast Jabber and the Drone to have a Twilight Zone draft.  We discuss Keith’s effort to create a live improv version of the Twilight Zone, what makes Zone endure, and provide some cultural and historical context around the themes of the show.  Plus we draft our favorite ten episodes and spoil them all.  

Links

Tonight in San Diego

Jabber and the Drone

Simpson’s and Twilight Zone

Rod Serling’s Vast Promised Land: Battling Sponsors, Debating the FCC and Fighting for Mature Television, 1959–1966

EP 150: The Alternate History of Walt Disney

by almosteducators, posted in Alternate History, Debate Show, science fiction

Dennis and Patrick play alternate historians with Walt Disney.   Would Walt have us all living in some retro-futuristic utopia by 2018?  Would we be living in scaled-up Singapore?  If Disney went under would we have Bugs Bunny fever for 80 years?  Would we all just be living under the fear of Mouseketeer death squads?  Four different alternate timelines are devised and debated.

Four Timelines are…

What would happen if Walt ran as Republican in 1952 presidential election?

What if Disneyland was followed up by a Disney World in Missouri, Branson?

What if Disney went under after the animator strike of 1941?

Epcot is constructed as a World’s Fair and industrial park that showcases city planning technology?

Dark Timeline

Happy Timeline

Disney Animators Strike 1941

FBI, Hoover, Disney Snitch

Drawing the Line Book

Trump and Disney hot take

EP 149: Alternate 1914 Christmas Truce

by almosteducators, posted in Alternate History, Uncategorized

Patrick goes solo to ponder a more uplifting Alternate History topic.  On Dec 25th, 1914 after seven horrific months of fighting during the first World War German and British Soldiers played soccer and exchanged gifts during a brief truce.  What if things went differently?

  • What if Jean Jaures had not been assassinated and could have stayed a voice of dissent in France?
  • What if the New York Times ran the story the day after the revolt?  Instead over a week later?
  • What if leadership was slow to respond to protests at home and Op-Ed columns ran?
  • What if Wilson took advantage of the situation and have pressured matters from America?
  • What would happen to Alsace Lorraine?
  • Would things change on the Eastern Front?

Notes

Great Timeline and Story on subject

The Other Assassination that Started World War 1

The Seven Months War of 1914

Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914

EP 148: Political Fight Club

by almosteducators, posted in Debate Show, Draft, Game, Uncategorized

Enjoy some historical profiles along with some high-level dorkish drafting as Patrick and Dennis pick their six of the “toughest” American political figures.    Then we explain how the epic fight would shake out. What follows is a long and wild  Dragon Ball Z meets WWE Royal Rumble.

Notes

Andrew Jackson was in more than 100 duels! And he killed a guy!!!

Theodore Roosevelt: The Rough-and-Tumble, Wrestling, Grappling President

Walking to Mackinac

Breaking The Backcountry: Seven Years War In Virginia And Pennsylvania 1754-1765

Senator Joe McCarthy Spars with Senator Stuart Symington

March: Book Three

LBJ Was Obsessed With His Dick