Best City S Gate Media Podcasts (2024)

1
1981 with Josh Lewis 1:11:45

1h ago1:11:45

1:11:45

Film critic and podcaster Josh Lewis explores the “sleaze canon” on his “Sleazoids” podcast, and he joins us to discuss the very sleazy year of 1981, from the gore of “The Beyond” to the paranoia of “Blow Out” to the surprising depth of “MS. 45.” For show notes - including where to stream this week's movies, links to referenced media, and more - su…

1
Mary, Queen of Scots 15:43

1d ago15:43

15:43

One of the most significant figures in 16th-century Britain was Mary Stuart, aka Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary’s life was one of the most fascinating of the period. Depending on which historian you consult, she was a schemer, a traitor, a pawn, or a victim. According to some, she was all of these things. What is certain is that Mary was ultimately res…

1
Gemstones 15:56

1d ago15:56

15:56

For thousands of years, humans all around the world have coveted gemstones. Gemstones have been used as symbols of authority by kings, queens, and emperors, have been central to religious ceremonies, and have served as adornments for the wealthy. While you may have heard of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, what exactly are they, and where…

1
Fingerprints (Encore) 13:34

19h ago13:34

13:34

Located on the tips of our fingers are features known as friction ridges. We evolved them to get a better grip on objects. It just so happens that those friction ridges are unique to every person. That allows us to use friction ridges as unique identifiers and for authorities to use them to catch criminals, and in some ways, we have been doing so f…

1
The Battle of Fort Sumter 14:48

1d ago14:48

14:48

On April 12, 1861, the United States Civil War began when Confederate forces began a bombardment of the Union held Fort Sumter at the mouth of the harbor in Charleston, South Carolina. The battle was not itself a great battle, and the number of casualties was shockingly small, but what it began totally changed the lives of millions of people and th…

1
The GOATs 18:20

1d ago18:20

18:20

In any sport, there is always one debate that comes up. It comes up year after year, and it has been around for as long as sport has existed. The debate is about who is the greatest of all time, or in common parlance, who is the GOAT? Every sport has its own contenders for the GOAT. In some sports, the GOAT is pretty easy to identify. In others, it…

1
The Manhattan Project 16:45

1d ago16:45

16:45

During the Second World War, the United States embarked on one of the greatest science and engineering projects the world had ever seen. Over 100,000 people took part in the program, the vast majority of which had no clue what it was for, and the total cost of the program was in the billions of dollars, at a time when a billion dollars was a lot of…

1
Chicago Way w/John Kass: Palikari III – Civil War, Family, and a New World

7d ago

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The Palikari Project: Part III – Civil War & a Fresh Start | Toward the end of WWII, countries coming out from under the evil rule of The Axis were often were left to pickup the pieces of the decimated lives that once were. In Greece, that was turmoil was compounded by the rise of Communist gorillas and the ensuing civil war that turned families ag…

1
The Berlin Wall (Encore) 16:42

23h ago16:42

16:42

After the end of the second world war, Berlin was a divided city controlled by the four major allied powers. Despite the different zones of control, people could move freely between them. However, on August 13, 1961, the East German government decided to end the free travel of Berliners by building a wall around West Berlin. For 28 years, the wall …

1
1940 with Stephanie Crawford 58:31

1h ago58:31

58:31

Film critic and podcaster Stephanie Crawford usually dabbles in horror and exploitation cinema, but she is also obsessed with screwball comedy — so she joins us to discuss 1940, a banner year for the subgenre, thanks to “His Girl Friday,” “The Philadelphia Story,” and “Christmas in July.” For show notes - including where to stream this week's movie…

1
The History of Data Storage 17:07

9d ago17:07

17:07

If you have used a computer, which I’m assuming is almost everyone listening to this, you have probably had to store your data somewhere. You might have used a USB drive, a hard drive, or if you are old enough, maybe even a floppy drive. These types of data storage are just the latest in a long line of methods to store information that goes back a …

1
Questions and Answers: Volume 21 16:16

1d ago16:16

16:16

In 8 BC, the Roman senate passed a resolution renaming the month of Sextillis to August to honor the emperor Augustus. They chose Sextillis, which was the sixth month in the calendar because it was the month that he conquered Egypt. Fast forward several centuries and August had a permanent place on the calendar. With that, prepare yourself for the …

1
Home Field Advantage 15:43

1d ago15:43

15:43

In almost all sports, people will refer to what is known as having a home-field advantage. Home-field advantage is a simple concept. It implies that teams playing in their home stadium, arena, or field have a slight advantage over the visiting team. But is home-field advantage a real thing? And if it is, what are the reasons for it, and which teams…

1
The Hughes H-4 Hercules, aka The Spruce Goose (Encore) 14:48

23h ago14:48

14:48

During the height of the Second World War, American shipping to Europe was constantly being attacked by German U-boats. In an attempt to completely bypass German subs, aviation pioneer Howard Hughes began construction on what would be the world’s largest aircraft. A plane that was so large it could carry 750 passengers or two full-sized tanks acros…

1
The Library of Congress 16:33

1d ago16:33

16:33

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest library in the world is the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. The Library of Congress was originally intended to be the library of the United States Congress, but over two centuries since its founding, it has evolved to something much grander, covering almost every subject and langua…

1
Chicago Way w/John Kass: Palikari pt.2 – Commies, Nazis, and Truman the Mule

13d ago

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The Palikari Project: Part II – Occupation & Communists | In occupied Greece during WWII, life for families was tough enough with a ruling foreign force of fascists & Nazis controlling everyday life but the real danger was the communists from within and their campaign of violence & fear. This is the story of Spyros John Kass and the turbulent life …

1
The Murder of Thomas Becket (Encore) 15:58

1d ago15:58

15:58

On December 29, 1170, the Archbishop of Canterbury was brutally murdered on the floor of the Canterbury Cathedral by four armed knights while preparing for his evening prayers. The ramifications of that incident shook the country of England, its king, and the Catholic Church. Over 850 years later, it is still remembered and remains one of the most …

1
Yellowstone National Park 15:58

1d ago15:58

15:58

Located in the state of Wyoming and a little bit of Montana and Idaho lies one of the world’s greatest national parks on Earth: Yellowstone. In the 19th century, Yellowstone was declared the first national park in the world. However, what makes Yellowstone special actually dates back millions of years. The geologic circumstances that led to the cre…

1
1982 with Chris Nashawaty 1:10:07

11d ago1:10:07

1:10:07

Film critic and author Chris Nashawaty’s latest book is “The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982,” so you’ll never guess what year he joins us to talk about! Hear us wax rhapsodic about the thrills of “Blade Runner,” the chills of “The Thing,” the Catholic guilt of “The Verdict,” and much more. For show notes - inc…

1
Gamblers Who Beat the House 15:35

1d ago15:35

15:35

You have probably heard the expression, “The house always wins.” This is usually true….in fact, it's almost always true. If it weren’t true, then casinos wouldn’t exist. Every game in a casino is designed to give the house an edge so that in the long run, with enough players, they are mathematically guaranteed to win money. However, there have been…

1
Why Did The Roman Empire Fall? 15:59

5d ago15:59

15:59

For over 1000 years, Rome, either in its Republican or Imperial form, was the dominant power in the Mediterranean. Then, at least in the West, the empire eventually fell apart. Ever since people have been asking the question….why? Ever since it happened, people have been debating the reasons why, and after 1500 years, there still isn’t a consensus.…

1
The Hubble Space Telescope 17:18

5d ago17:18

17:18

On April 24, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery launched the Hubble Space Telescope into low Earth orbit. After some initial technical problems, it began providing images of our universe, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Even though larger, better telescopes have been sent to space for over 30 years, the Hubble has remained one of the mos…

1
Cleopatra (Encore) 17:24

14d ago17:24

17:24

Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last ruler of an independent Egypt and one of the most important women of the ancient world. In addition to being a brilliant and cunning ruler in her own right, she was also famously associated with two of the most powerful men in the late Roman Republic. Yet was her involvement with these men that ultimately led t…

1
The History of Motion Pictures 16:32

15d ago16:32

16:32

Perhaps the greatest advancement in the arts in the 20th century was the creation of motion pictures. Motions Pictures was a brand-new art form. While initially it was just recorded stage presentations, it eventually evolved into something much more. Today, it is a multi-billion-dollar industry, which is all due to countless technical advancements …

1
Tristan da Cunha: The World’s Most Isolated Settlement (Encore) 13:16

10d ago13:16

13:16

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, situated between South America and Africa, lies the most remote human settlement on Earth. There, a community of a little over 250 people eke out a living over 1,500 miles from the next closest humans. Getting there is difficult, and living there is probably even harder. Learn more about Tristian da Cuhna and ho…

1
Chicago Way w/John Kass: The voice of my father and where it all began

21d ago

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The Palikari Project: Part I – Rizes | Thirty-five years ago in Oak Lawn, John Kass & his brother Nicholas set a card table with coffee, cigarettes, & a tap recorder, hoping to capture their family’s story from a primary source, their father, Spyros John Kass. The tapes were part of an art project John’s wife Betty put together, a ballet. But the t…

1
A Brief History of Nothing 15:55

2d ago15:55

15:55

One of the most difficult concepts for early thinkers to get their heads around was the idea of nothing. Everywhere we go, all our lives, there is something. There is air and matter that surrounds us everywhere because if there weren’t, we wouldn’t be here. Eventually, scientists and philosophers became comfortable with the idea of nothing and were…

1
2019 with Noel Murray 1:19:18

35m ago1:19:18

1:19:18

Film critic and O.G. AV Club member Noel Murray does not usually suffer from recency bias, but he thought it would be fun to glance back just five years to 2019, which gave us the hang-out pleasures of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” the stinging commentary of “Parasite,” and the shocks and thrills of “Us.” For show notes - including where to stre…

1
The Geography of Mexico 15:06

1d ago15:06

15:06

Just south of the United States and north of Guatemala is Mexico, a fact which I’m sure all of you know. However, most people don’t know that much about Mexico. There are caricatures of Mexico, and many people are familiar with some of the tourist areas, but that’s about it. In reality, Mexico is one of the world’s largest countries, and its unique…

1
The Germ Theory of Disease 15:56

11d ago15:56

15:56

For thousands of years, many theories have been put forward as to the cause of communicable diseases. These theories ranged from the religious to the magical and sometimes quasiscientific, but what they all had in common was that there was no proof for anything. Over the centuries these theories became dogma and often prevented a better understandi…

1
The 1919 Chicago Black Sox Scandal (Encore) 13:25

19d ago13:25

13:25

In October 1919, the champions of the National League, the Cincinnati Reds, faced the champions of the American League, the Chicago White Sox, in the World Series. While Cincinnati won the championship on the field five games to three, the series will be forever remembered because of the events surrounding it. Even a hundred years later, it remains…

1
A History of Textiles, Fabrics, and Cloth 14:45

1d ago14:45

14:45

I would say that there is a very good chance that almost everyone listening to the sound of my voice right now is wearing something made of cloth. Cloth, textiles, and fabrics go back a very long way, but despite their ancient origins, not every culture had them. Yet, where they existed, they were often some of the most valuable commodities, and th…

1
The Battle of Carrhae 16:19

1d ago16:19

16:19

In the year 53 BC, Rome suffered one of the greatest military defeats in its history. A Roman army led by Marcus Lucinisu Crassus was led into the desert in present-day Southern Turkey and was systematically destroy by an army from the Kingdom of Parthia. The defeat itself didn’t radically weaken Rome, but the death of Crassus led to a chain of eve…

1
Chicago Way w/John Kass: When rhetoric turns deadly, The Republic is in peril

27d ago

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Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/16/24): Nicholas Kass, a retired American diplomat with over 30-years of experience focused on Aegean/Eastern Mediterranean issues, joins his brother John Kass & Jeff Carlin to break down what happens after an attempt on Donald Trump’s life was made and how the ‘Deep State’ will respond. Plus, Kasso won’t forget the viol…

1
The Himalayas 14:37

1d ago14:37

14:37

Located between China and India, Pakistan, Buthan, and Nepal is the world’s highest chain of mountains, The Himalayas. The Himalayas aren’t just very tall, picturesque mountains that are the home of Mount Everest. They are perhaps the most important mountain range on Earth. The Himalayas serve as the source of several of the world’s most important …

1
Introducing: “What It’s Like to Be...” 32:25

17h ago32:25

32:25

Sharing an episode of “What It’s Like to Be...” from author Dan Heath. On the podcast, Dan explores the world of work, one profession at a time, and interviews people who love what they do. He finds out: What does a couples therapist think when a friend asks for relationship advice? How does a stand-up comedian come up with new material? What are t…

1
The Morgenthau Plan (Encore) 16:36

1d ago16:36

16:36

In September 1944, despite over half a year still remaining in World War II, the Allies began preparing for an eventual post-war world. One of the biggest questions being discussed was what to do with Germany. After two world wars with Germany in just a quarter century, no one wanted a third. One American official developed a plan that would basica…

1
1995 with Caden Mark Gardner 1:07:46

1h ago1:07:46

1:07:46

This week, we’re joined by the other co-author of the must-read new book “Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema”; film critic Caden Mark Gardner discusses the cinema of 1995, including such now-classics as “Safe,” “Heat,” and “Devil in a Blue Dress.” For show notes - including where to stream this week's movies,…

1
The Apollo 1 Disaster 15:13

1d ago15:13

15:13

In the early 1960s, the United States was always a step behind the Soviet Union in the space race. By the mid-1960s, the Americans had caught up. They didn’t have many glamorous firsts, but they were doing increasingly difficult things in space. All of that came crashing to a halt on January 27, 1967, when three astronauts died in what was a seemin…

1
The Herculaneum Papyri 15:22

24d ago15:22

15:22

In the mid-18th century, excavations in the ancient town of Herculaneum, just outside the city of Pompeii and destroyed by the same volcano, discovered something….interesting. They found a villa that contained 1800 ancient scrolls. Unfortunately, the volcano's heat carbonized them, making them illegible and incredibly fragile. Still, for over 250 y…

1
Chicago Way w/John Kass: Garry McCarthy offers ways to stem the violent tide on the streets

1M ago

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Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/11/24): After a violent holiday weekend that saw over 100 people shot and 20 killed, Garry McCarthy -former Chicago Police Superintendent and current Chief of Police for Willow Springs, IL -join John Kass & Jeff Carlin for a discussion about why the city has seen such a spike in violent crime since his tenure at CPD. Plu…

1
The Passenger Pigeon (Encore) 14:34

6d ago14:34

14:34

In the early 19th century, the most abundant bird in North America, and perhaps the entire world, was the passenger pigeon. An estimated three billion of them would fly in flocks so large that they could blot out the sun. However, within a century, the entire species had gone extinct. It was one of the fastest and most disastrous turnarounds for an…

1
The Worst Roman Emperors (Encore) 14:21

1M ago14:21

14:21

Depending on how you define it, there were somewhere between 70 to 100 Roman emperors between the ascension of Augustus to the fall of the western empire in 476. A period of about 500 years. Some of them managed to be just and competent rulers who ruled for extended periods of peace and prosperity. Others….were not. Learn more about the worst Roman…

1
The Origin of Words and Phrases: Common Idioms 14:48

3d ago14:48

14:48

Let me cut right to the chase. This episode is going to be a deep dive into the origin of some common idioms. I don’t want to dance around the subject or have to walk on eggshells, so I’m using this introduction to break the ice. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or ready to burn the midnight oil with us, you’re in for a treat. I will spill …

1
Unintended Consequences 17:06

9d ago17:06

17:06

One of the most famous lines in poetry comes from the poet Robert Burns, who spoke of ‘The best-laid schemes of mice and men.’ The line has been used in reference to the fact that no matter how good the plan or the intentions behind it, things will often not go according to plan. Indeed, there have been times in history when plans have made things …

1
The English Premier League 15:17

5d ago15:17

15:17

The most popular sports league in the world in terms of the number of people who follow and watch is the English Premier League. Unlike other sports leagues, the English Premier League is relatively new. It was only created in the early 90s in response to the poor condition of top-division football at the time. Since then, it has brought in billion…

1
1969 with Willow Catelyn Maclay 1:05:15

6d ago1:05:15

1:05:15

“Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema” (out Tuesday) is one of our favorite film books of the year, and we’re welcoming both of its authors as consecutive guests. This week, film critic Willow Catelyn Maclay joins us to talk about the movies of 1969, from the ahead-of-its-time freedom of “Funeral Parade of Rose…

1
The Horrible Voyage of the 1905 Russian Baltic Fleet (Encore) 11:56

23d ago11:56

11:56

In February 1904, the Russian Empire found itself at war with the Empire of Japan over what was territory in the current nation of China. The problem for Russia was that a big chunk of its navy was located in the Baltic Sea, and the war was in Asia. The Baltic fleet was sent on an incredibly long and interesting voyage to get the ships into battle.…

1
How to Lie With Statistics 13:32

7d ago13:32

13:32

Mark Twain once said, 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.' The reason why he placed statistics into its own category is because it is possible to use numbers to misrepresent the truth, distort reality, or outright lie. However, if you know what to look for, you can catch misuses of statistics, and if really pay attent…

1
Questions and Answers: Volume 20 17:01

8d ago17:01

17:01

The month of July is named after Julius Caesar. In 44 BC, after his assassination, the Roman Senate renamed the month of Quintilis after him in honor of the month he was born. The fact that he was appointed dictator for life probably had something to do with it. All the emperors that came later never changed it, so instead of Quintilis, we have Jul…

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