Michael Rank's Blog, page 12
November 23, 2014
HFM 097 | Cassius Marcus Clay – Abraham Lincoln’s Blue Suited, Bowie-Knife Carrying, Diplomat to Russia – and Namesake for the Famous Boxer
In this episode, learn about the man who dressed like Django, convinced LIncoln to enact the Emancipation Proclamation, and fought off men by the dozen with his bowie knife.
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November 21, 2014
Pre-Order ‘How Iowa Conquered the World’ for $0.99, get $59 bonus!
My new book “How Iowa Conquered the World” is available for pre-order! It comes out December 1, but if you order it now, I’m throwing in my Udemy course “History of the Middle East: 600 A.D. to Today” absolutely free! This course contains over 10 hours of video lectures and normally retails for $59.
In “How Iowa Conquered the World” find out how this underdog state
– Saved billions of people from starvation in the 20th century
– Created Silicon Valley in the 1960s and inspired the startup culture of egalitarianism and hoodies
– Decides who will win the presidential election every four years
– Was the multicultural center of America and hosted more utopian communes and transcendental meditation centers than any other place in the United States
– Created the General American English accent spoken by all actors and broadcasters. People the world over are learning to speak like an Iowan, even if they don’t know it.
November 16, 2014
HFM 096 | Why the British Govt. Lied About Carrots Being Good For Your Eyes: The Best Deceptive Tactics Used During War, Part 4
Everybody believes carrots improve your eyesight, so of course this fact is not true. But why does everybody believe it? Because the British government lied to the public during World War II to make them eat an unpopular vegetable during war rationing, of course!
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November 10, 2014
HFM 095 | General Patton’s Ghost Army and Operation Quicksilver: The Best Deceptive Tactics Used During War, Part 3
Tricking enemy intelligence into thinking your army is larger than it actually is has been a favorite move for generals throughout history. General Patton used this trick to defeat the Germans several times using nothing but inflatable tanks and wooden guns.
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November 2, 2014
HFM 094 | How The Ottomans Pushed Dozens of Ships Up a Hill To Conquer Constantinople in 1453: The Best Deceptive Tactics Used During War, Part 2
How do you get your ships into an enemy harbor when it sits behind the strongest fortifications on earth and guarded by a massive sea chain? If you are Sultan Mehmed fighting the Siege of Constantinople in 1453, you grease timbers and push the ships up a hill, of course!
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October 27, 2014
HFM 093 | How the Persian Empire Conquered Egypt With Cats: The Most Deceptive Practices in Warfare, Part 1
War is deceit. But some are better at deceit than others. Especially the Persian Empire, who managed to conquer the Egyptians by playing on one of their most deeply held religious beliefs — cat worship. See the novel way that Persia defeated Egypt in the Battle of Pelusium (525 BC)
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October 20, 2014
HFM 092 | Where Do Vampire Myths Come From?
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Vampires didn’t always sparkle or maintain a vegan diet of deer — they were once known as bloodthirsty killers. The myth of vampires goes back centuries and exists in many different cultures. But where does the myth originate? Are there any real historical figures that inspired the myth? Find out in this episode!
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October 13, 2014
HFM 091 | Legends of the Knights Templar, Part 3: Embalming Your Enemies to Show Your Love
Nobody believes that love conquers all more than a Knight Templar. Particularly since one knight embalmed his enemy to prove his love to his paramour.
To learn more about the Knights Templar check out A.A. Grishin’s new book “Legends of the Knights Templar.” You can learn more about his work at his website http://knightstemplarvault.com/.
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October 6, 2014
HFM 090 | Legends of the Knights Templar, Part 2: The Skull of Sidon that Became the Pirate Skull and Crossbones
In our second part of the Knight’s Templar podcast series, we’ll look at a particular gruesome story. You will never look at a skull and crossbones flag the same way.
To learn more about the Knights Templar check out A.A. Grishin’s new book “Legends of the Knights Templar.” You can learn more about his work at his website http://knightstemplarvault.com/.
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September 29, 2014
HFM 089 | Legends of the Knights Templar, Part 1: The Headless Templar Who Haunts Prague
Learn about crazy legends from the Knights Templar, the military order founded during The Crusades. Our first story is about a headless man that terrorizes the Czech Republic’s capital.
To learn more about the Knights Templar check out A.A. Grishin’s new book “Legends of the Knights Templar.” You can learn more about his work at his website http://knightstemplarvault.com/.
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