Ridiculous History

The Victorian Era was, on the surface, a time of almost cartoonish sexual repression. Courtship was governed by rigid sets of rules and heirarchy, and even meeting a prospective partner outside of these codified steps could be considered a breach of cultural mores. So, what's a lover to do? In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the conspiratorial, ridiculous ways people flirted in the Victorian Era. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Nowadays most people are fans of national parks, but this wasn't always the case. Join the guys as they delve into the strange "birds vs. babies" conflict over Lake Malheur. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

For more than two hundred years, the American public has elected not just a president, but a family. While the position of First Lady of the United States is not outlined in the Constitution, you literally cannot be the President without someone at your side. As a result, the position of FLOTUS wields immense, subtle power -- often in ways the public does not understand. In the first part of this continuing series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the intricate, bizarre -- dare we say, ridiculous -- stories of people who quietly saved the world while a president took credit. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Honorifics are perhaps best described as the fancier version of nicknames, with some of the same familiar rules: just like nicknames, you don't get to give yourself an honorific. And, again, just like nicknames, not all honorifics are particularly flattering. What do we mean? Join Ben, Noel and Max to learn more about ridiculous honorifics in today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

What does it mean to own an idea, a brand, a catchphrase or a concept? In part two of their continuing exploration of the weird world of intellectual property, the guys suss out what exactly is (or isn't) a trademark, and why people still find it so confusing in the modern day. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.