The character of Zorro clearly had a number of inspirations, some literary and some historical. But the proto-Zorro with the deepest mythology is undoubtedly the Mexican bandit Joaquin Murrieta. The outlaw was allegedly a master of disguise who made a sport of taunting his would-be bounty hunters. He was said to have escaped death countless times, w ... Show More
Jun 17
Episode #230- Why President McKinley? (Part I)
The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, has recently been in the news. In the 2025 inaugural address it was announced that Alaska's highest peak would once again be known as Mt. McKinley to honour the former President, who was apparently a "great businessman" w ... Show More
1h 27m
Jun 10
Bonus Episode- Selkies, Spectacles, and Satire
In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about his recent exploration of mermaid mythology. He gets into the difference between Selkies and Mermaids, and wades into the murky waters of Scottish oral tradition. There is also some discussion of the 2012 hoax documentary Merm ... Show More
34m 40s
Feb 2021
El Chapo Part 1: Public Enemy Number One
El Chapo: the scourge of Mexico and America’s most-wanted. Joaquín Guzmán Loera, to use his real name, escaped from custody multiple times and dodged death many more. For years, he rode roughshod over Mexican justice and evaded the long arm of the US Government. He became an A-li ... Show More
38m 39s
May 2022
Little Slaughterhouse on the Prairie: The Serial Killer Family Who Terrorized 1870s Kansas
Lone-wolf serial killers like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy live in infamy – it’s a familiar archetype in true crime. But a family of serial killers is much less common, and the killing spree committed by the Benders in 19th century Kansas is likely the most famo ... Show More
29m 47s
Jul 2023
101. Joaquín Ferrándiz, el depredador de Castelló (Comunitat Valenciana, 1995)
Cuando en 1995 desaparece una chica que vuelve a casa tras salir con sus amigos, nadie piensa que haya un asesino en serie en Castelló. Cuando la encuentran muerta, nadie relaciona su muerte con la de tres prostitutas; pero esta es la historia del asesino en serie Joaquín Ferránd ... Show More
35m 36s