Podcast
McBirdo's Expedition
Hosted by LD Towers · EN
Welcome to McBirdo’s expedition into the unknown and terrible. We have been stuck here in the ice for an eternity. Come into the Captain’s Cabin and warm yourself before you head back out to the decks. Listen to stories from "The Past Said It Better" to "Storytime with McBirdo" to "Shipwrecks We Didn't Do" (Coming soon!). Also check out our Youtube channel if you want to see this all in video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV_RQK7xbK0rxrwYi3mVaaw
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Two Ways -PSIB- From the eyes of a boy and the eyes of Victoria
Jul 20, 202200:12:35Tap to summarizeApologies on this one if the sound in the title sequence is funky. Queen Victoria was an iconic figure whose reign represents an entire epoch. She ruled over one of the greatest eras of scientific, industrial, and social change in both British and international history. Under her gaze, England became the superpower of the 1800s. Her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne, was a glittering affair. In today's video, we see the Jubilee through the eyes of a choir boy at St. Paul's, who just happened to be famous author Russell Thorndike, and from the perspective of the great queen herself. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Need more hot Diamond Jubilee action? Check out "Twilight of Splendor: The Court of Queen Victoria During Her Diamond Jubilee Year" by Greg King: https://amzn.to/3PPuJ0f00:00 I love it when the poor people can keep their crap together!00:18 Skip the title sequence here!01:31 From a choir boy!06:02 From a queen and empress!
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The Real Dodge City -PSIB- Bat Masterson and some Rowdy Cowpokes!
Jul 9, 202200:34:11Tap to summarizeWho grew up thinking that the Wild West took place over 100 years? All the movies and TV shows made it seem like this period lasted a really long time. Instead, the golden age of the Wild West was over in about 30 years, as the Gold Rushes ended and the towns along the railroads became increasingly civilized. Andy Adams' "Log of the Cowboy," tells us what it was really like to enter the infamous Dodge City, Kansas on a cattle drive in the 1880s. Dodge City was famous for its peace keeping force led by Bat Masterson, but Andy and his friends got a little rowdy!Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Want to learn more about what it was really like in Dodge? Check out "Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West" by Tom Clavin: https://amzn.to/3uwdWab00:00 Introduction01:21 Certified Lynching Free!01:39 Log of a Cowboy01:54 We Are Going to Dodge!07:30 Don't Be An Idiot In Town!12:29 Only Half a Month's Wages 13:23 Bat Masterson18:22 Dudebros in Dodge City!20:18 We Sauntered Around, Drinking Moderately22:11 Dinner With the Cattle Men25:58 It Took Money To See The Elephant26:31 It Started At The Lone Star Dance Hall28:13 Let's Do Something Really Stupid30:00 Ride or Die31:08 Quince Stays To Cover Our Rear31:44 Quince's Story33:02 What's in His Pocket?!
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The Battle of Blenheim -PSIB- The Greater of Two Churchills?
Jul 6, 202200:08:28Tap to summarizeJohn Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, absolutely crushed the forces of the French at the Battle of Blenheim. His account is one of negligent smugness. It is a true veni, vidi, vici moment in history. A soldier of good family but little status, Churchill would rise to become one of the most famous soldiers in British history, spawning a dynasty that would lead to Winston Churchill's greatness two hundred years later.Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Want to learn more about just how unrelentingly awesome John Churchill was? Check out "Marlborough: Britain’s Greatest General: England's Fragile Genius" by Richard Holmes: https://amzn.to/3bN4oRv00:00 BTW, We Won!00:11 The Past Said It Better01:27 John Churchill01:59 Prince Eugene needed my help!02:38 For the Greater Expedition03:08 Get Off My Lawn!03:33 Making War Before Coffee04:22 A Complete Victory04:38 We Have a Few Prisoners05:38 He Made a Great Slaughter of Them06:36 So About All These Hostages07:22 Who is Awesome? John Churchill!
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Richard Frethorne Letters - The Past Said It Better - 1623 Colonial Virginia
Jul 4, 202200:22:38Tap to summarizeImagine... Richard Frethorne, a 12-year-old boy is sent as an indentured servant to the Virginia Colony near Jamestown because his family back in England was poor. He has an awesome time. Really! REAAAAAALLLY! Ok. Totally lying. This is McBirdo's expedition! It is a disaster! Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Interested in seeing more about the Jamestown Colony? Check out a great show they did- it's a little made for TV, but the costumes are not terrible!! https://amzn.to/3IkmnJv
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The Charge of the Light Brigade -PSIB- Two Perspectives... All Sadness...
Jul 2, 202200:10:19Tap to summarizeThe Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War is one of those epic moments in Anglo-Saxon history. A group of tremendously brave men was slaughtered through a series of unfortunate events and foolhardiness. Those who witnessed the event found it heartbreaking. As French General Brite said, "I am old, I have seen battles but this is too much."In this episode, we have two accounts. One is from an anonymous officer, and the other is from Sir Henry Clifford V.C. Both will leave you wondering how such a thing could have happened. Hear about Lords Cardigan and Lucan, as well as Captain Nolan who may have been responsible for the charge. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Want to know more about the Charge of the Light Brigade? Sneak a peak at "Into the Valley of Death: The Light Cavalry at Balaclava" by Nick Thomas! https://amzn.to/3Rf6f1U00:00 Who will survive... the introduction01:22 The Battle of Balaclava01:42 The Words of Anonymous02:11 Hrothgar Interlude04:48 Um Niblet?!05:21 The Words of Henry Clifford V.C.07:59 Cats and Bad French
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Battle of the Popes -PSIB- Life before the Crusade by Fulcher of Chartres
Jun 29, 202200:23:35Tap to summarizeThe "Gesta Francorum Iherusalem peregrinantium" by Fulcher of Chartres is the definitive chronicle of the First Crusade. In this first chapter, Fulcher tells us the real reason the princes of Europe went off to fight in the Holy Land. Was it piety? Or was it two popes, duking it out to be number one? If you guessed "power struggle between popes" you get a cookie, dear listener!Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Want to know more about the First Crusade? Check out Jay Rubinstein's "The First Crusade: A Brief History with Documents" from the Bedford Series in History and Culture https://amzn.to/3u7s5KP
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Who doesn't love a public hanging? -PSIB- Charles Dickens not a fan.
Jun 25, 202200:11:39Tap to summarizePublic execution was a staple of British life until 1867! In 1849, the Bermondsey Horror case was one where Marie Manning and her husband murdered her rich lover and buried him under the kitchen floorboards. They tried to escape justice but were caught, tried, and sentenced to death. Charles Dickens went to the execution and was so horrified by what he saw, he wrote this letter to the "Times of London". It's considered one of the most important documents to end the spectacle of public execution in England. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Want to know more about the Bermondsey Horror case? Check out "Cold Case Detective's episode which includes an overview here: https://youtu.be/fX13mEcZYc8?t=63"Murder Maps" Season 1, Episode One also has an hour-long recreation and explanation of the case: https://amzn.to/3HOIzgtStill jonesing for more public hangings in England, and the full story of what finally ended them? https://amzn.to/39PgER5Chapters... We got creative with the titles. 00:00 A snarky intro00:13 McBirdo's Expedition and The Past Said It Better01:27 Into the tropics at last!01:40 Let us all be amused by the spectacle.02:25 November 14, 184903:31 Hang 'em high!04:27 How dare they not comport themselves better?06:00 Was that an ankle?!06:59 Is death not entertainment today?07:51 McBirdo doesn't feel sorry for the Mannings!08:31 Dickens rants on...08:49 Was public execution a deterrent?09:20 Dickens wants to save your soul!09:55 Opinion time!10:56 *The* Eyeroll
Transcribe →They did WHAT With Becket's Blood!? -PSIB- Thomas Becket Part II
Jun 22, 202200:10:51Tap to summarizeOops! I did it again, Baby! Becket is back- or rather- he's still dead, but the story continues. What happened to his corpse? Did the knights take it? Did the monks leave it? Tune in for Becket, Part II. I wish I could say it's Becket's Revenge, but that's probably part III or IV. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!Need to know more about Thomas Becket? Check out today's source material! https://amzn.to/3NxZllU Michael Staunton's "The Lives of Thomas Becket". It's a really interesting read with way more detail than I can get into!
Transcribe →The Bombing of Guernica - PSIB - George Steer
Jun 18, 202200:19:10Tap to summarizeOn April 26, 1937, Nazi Germany's Condor Legion let loose a wave of bombs on the Basque city of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Hitler's Luftwaffe, supporting the Nationalist forces of General Franco, used Guernica and other bombing raids as an opportunity to test out their new planes and develop aerial strategy. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!The absolute horror wrought in those three hours would bring the world to its knees. The city was devastated; civilians killed and farms destroyed. George Steer, an enterprising journalist from the Times of London went to the city the night after the bombing and made his way through the still burning city to make this report. If you would like to read it, you can find that report here:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bombing-of-guernica-original-times-report-from-1937-5j7x3z2k5bv Want to watch a movie about Guernica? https://amzn.to/3xzvXVDWant to learn more about the military history of the Spanish Civil War? Check out "Spain in Arms: A Military History of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939" https://amzn.to/3xzwgjf
Transcribe →The 1793 Yellow Fever Outbreak in Philadelphia - PSIB - Samuel Breck
Jun 15, 202200:13:12Tap to summarizeThe 1793 Yellow Fever Outbreak in Philadelphia killed 10% of the population. This is the time when Philadelphia was still the capital of the USA. George Washington was the President. As usual, the deaths occurred amongst the poor who had not the money to flee. Samuel Breck was a merchant from a prosperous family who had to return to the city for business. This is his account. Hello and welcome to The Past Said It Better! A table read of primary sources from history!There will be a Part 2 to this because I found a truly wow account while editing from the African-American end of things. Their story is really something. Primary sources from pandemics really light my fire. There are some interesting ones in "Pandemics and Global Health" by Barry Youngerman https://amzn.to/3tDfT4e
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