Caustic Soda

Some of the most wretched and caustic ghost towns are discussed, including “blue sky mine” Wittenoom, Picher’s chat piles, Oradour-sur-Glane’s nazi massacre legacy, the dioxin-tainted roads of Times Beach, Centralia’s ongoing coal fire, and more. All this and pop culture too! PS – Don’t worry Soda Jerks, we didn’t forget Chernobyl – it will get its own episode at some point! Well look at that, my attempt to schedule it for 11:30pm accidentally got set for 11:30 am. Oh well, enjoy the extra early episode! Music: ”G’Bye Now” by Martha TiltonImagesVideosLinksDetroit’s Beautiful, Horrible Decline Ordos, China: A Modern Ghost Town

RN Katie Scoular returns for the science and rather unpleasant history of that old Neapolitan bone-ache: syphilis. Plus news & pop culture. Music: “Hot Nuts” by Williams Washerboard Band Charity o’ the Week: https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/ImagesLinksThe National Archives released files from the 1946 Guatemala experiments. Quiks & Quarks “Solving Syphilis”Videos

Joe, Kevin, and Toren have gathered up so much information on compulsive hoarding in this episode it’s threatening to tip over and crush us all under its weight! Food hoarders, animal hoarders, cosmic-powered hoarders — they’re all here! Music: ”Put ‘Em In A Box” by Doris DayImagesVideos  Caustic Charity: Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

Ian Boothby, The Simpsons comics writer and co-host of Sneaky Dragon podcast, joins Kevin, Joe and Toren to talk about cyclopean albino sharks, crab parasites, octopus wrestling, prehistoric krakens, the Glore Psychiatric Museum, cement butt implants, ancient Roman lead poisoning, alkaline hydrolisis and other funerary awkwardness. All this plus how to stay in the eye of a tornado and… BADGERS! Music: “Panic Patrol” by Kenny GrahamCaustic Charity Adopt an octopus! ImagesLinksSneaky Dragon Bongo Comics http://www.stjosephmuseum.org/glore.htmVideos

Kevin, Joe, and Toren cover cocaine-laced products with papal approval, cocaine intake options, some personal insight on cocaine addiction from a friend of the show, plus cocaine-centric songs and movies! In case you hadn’t figured it out, this week’s topic is cocaine! Music: ”Cocaine Blues” by Luke Jordan  ImagesMovies Blow Kevin: 7/10 Joe: 6/10 Toren: 7/10 True Romance Kevin: 9/10 Joe: 9/10 Toren: 8/10Half Nelson Kevin: 10/10 Toren: 8/10 (would have been higher if I knew why it was called ‘Half Nelson’)

The secret world of burns is investigated with the help of veteran firefighter Allan Newell. How does one distinguish the four degrees of burns? What’s the ‘rule of nines?’ How did burning at the stake work? Also news and pop culture. Plus: Which is the lesser of two evils? Having 50% of your body burned in a car fire or getting mercury poisoning? Music: “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire” by The Ink Spots Charity of the week: Burn Camps: http://www.canadianburnfoundation.org/donate.phpImagesLinksGQ – Burning ManVideos

Forensic entomologiest Gavin Pitts joins the hosts to talk about the hemiptera order of insects, more commonly known as ‘true bugs.’ Assassin bugs, chagas disease, bat bugs and water bugs that take down reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals are all on topic! Plus: The Lesser of Two Evils – would you rather spend a few years in an Uzbekistan bug pit or trying to farm out a living under the Khmer Rouge? Music: ”I’m Just a Jitterbug” by Chick Webb & Ella FitzgeraldCharity de Jour: The Chagas Disease Foundation ImagesVideos

This episode Joe, Kevin, and Toren look at the giant waves known as tsunami. You’ll hear about the biggest and deadliest waves known to man, incredible stories of survival during one of nature’s deadliest disasters, and tsunami vs. kittens! Music: ”Tidal Wave” by Fletcher HendersonImagesLinksThe Passionate Eye – Tsunami Caught On Camera - only available for 45 days after last airing, sorry. If there’s another airing this will work again so I’m keeping the link up. Hideaki Akaiwa – Badass of the Week XKCD on “Tidal Wave” (we recorded before this went up, but agree with him!)VideosHereafter Tsunami scene (can’t embed)

Succubi, oni, pishacha – call them what you will. Whether they’re scapegoats for serial killers or epilepsy, demons have been a part of human culture for aeons. The boys talk history, news and pop culture, plus as a special bonus: practical tips on how to summon a demon! Music:  ”Kamakilas” by S. Satoh (from Son of Godzilla)ImagesLinksList of Demon Names Legend of the Five Rings Half in the Bag – Jack and JillMovies Night of the Demon Toren: 5/10 The Keep Toren: 5/10 Hellraiser Toren: 6/10 Kevin: 7/10 The Evil Dead Kevin: 8/10 Joe: 7/10 Evil Dead 2 Toren: 8/10 Kevin: 9/10 Joe: 8/10 Army of Darkness Toren: 9/10 Kevin: 8/10 Joe: 9/10 Drag Me To Hell Toren: 7/10 Kevin: 7/10

Continuing the Evil Men in History series, Kevin, Toren, and Joe look at Cambodian Communist leader Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Music: ”Call Me Irresponsible”ImagesVideosPol Pot (can’t embed, sorry)LinksPhotos from S21 Forced Marriage and the Khmer Rouge

This episode’s got it coming out of both ends! Toren, Kevin, Joe are joined by Almost Dr. Jenna to talk  about cholera. Death by vomit and diarrhea, cholera cots, mummies, and how procrastination led to the world’s first artificial vaccine! Music: ”Shoggoths Away” by The Darkest of the Hillside ThicketsImagesLinksUN Haiti Cholera Outbreak Report

Fraser Cain of Universe Today and Astronomy Cast joins Toren, Joe and Kevin to talk about meteors, comets and asteroids including the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, the Tunguska blast, the Chicxulub impact event and the Dawn Mission to not one but two asteroids. Also news, films, pop culture, and some German kid who may or may not have been hit by a meteorite. Music: ”Caravan” by Gordon Jenkins Images Links Astronomy Cast Universe Today Gerrit Blank’s alleged meteorite injury Dawn Mission Videos Movies Armageddon Toren: 4/10 Kevin: 2/10 Joe: 5/10 Fraser: 2/10 Empire Strikes Back Toren: 10/10 Kevin: 9/10 Joe: 9/10 Fraser: 9/10 Deep Impact Kevin: 4/10 Creepshow Toren: 5/10 Kevin: 5/10 Fraser: 5/10 Day of the Triffids (1962) Toren: 6/10 Fraser: 5/10 Meteor Man Toren: 3/10 The Blob Toren: 4/10 Kevin: 2/10 Joe: 4/10 Fraser: 4/10 Night of the Comet: Toren: 5/10 Joe: 6/10

Tuberculosis! It’s not just for lungs any more! Almost Dr. Jenna Capyk joins Joe, Toren, and Kevin to talk about the disease infecting one-third of the world’s population. Learn why those infected with TB were once thought to be vampires, why the hunchback of Notre Dame may have had TB, and more! Music: You Leave Me Breathless by Mildred Baily Images Links That’s Science! - Almost Dr. Jenna’s blog! List of tuberculosis victims

Shock talk with special guest Derek Mack. We discuss the different kinds of burns and bodily harm caused by electricity, the war of the currents, macroshock vs microshock, electric eels, plus the usual news & pop culture. Note: “Lightning” and “Electric Chair” will be covered in subsequent episodes. Music: ”I’m Beginning to See the Light” by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald Images Videos Movies The Prestige Toren: 7/10 Kevin: 8/10 Joe: 7/10 The Running Man Toren: 4/10 Kevin: 6/10 Joe: 5/10 Shocker Kevin: 3/10 Frankenstein Kevin: 1/10 Ernest Goes to Jail Kevin: 6/10

Scurrying, skittering, and scampering into your ears, it’s the Caustic Soda rats episode! Toren, Joe, and Kevin look at the brown rat and black rat. Infanticide, rat-based murder and torture, and the “Ratamari Damacy” gruesomeness of ”Rat Kings”, and rat-baiting! Music: “Muskrat Ramble” by Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby. Images Videos Movies Willard (Remake) Toren: 5/10 Ratatouille Joe: 8/10 Toren: 8/10 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Joe: 7/10 Kevin: 7/10 Toren: 7/10 The Princess Bride Joe: 10/10 Kevin: 9/10 Toren: 10/10 The Secret of NIMH Kevin: 7/10 Toren: 7/10 The Sweet Hereafter Kevin: 10/10 Toren: 7/10