It can be stressful trying to think of that perfect gift for someone you care about. Agonizing over a materialistic object that that one special person might appreciate or get excited over, sometimes gives way to the possibility of an “experience gift,” instead. You know… time together watching a performance, or seeing something for the first time, that your loved one would be grateful for.
Today’s episode is an “experience gift” taken to the extreme. What do you give the man who has everything… and is feared by everyone… and what happens when the performer doesn’t realize that they are the gift?
A Missing Chapter Podcast that has it all and that brings us a story unlike any we’ve done in our first 5+ seasons. Remember, no one is forcing you to listen to this podcast; you’re here on your own will. But you do need to be drinking coffee for the full experience… let’s get started.
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Picture this, a beautiful morning - sun is out, birds chirping, coffee in hand. And my family and I are in a lawn chair on the side of the road, waiting for our local memorial day parade. A great way to kick off the summer. Everyone is happy and smiling until a portion of the parade. The one person not smiling? Me. Why? Because there is one group of lunatics riding around ridiculous-looking scooters, throwing candy, and smiling at me like they’re trying to take residence in my dreams - clowns. I can’t stand them. When they start running around, everyone stops and looks at me to see my reaction. I just don’t get it. But all of you Halloween lovers out there I’m sure love them, so that’s why I’m taking one for the team and talking about clowns, all for you. So, grab your coffees, and your insane clown scooters, and let’s get started.
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On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we uncover the unknown origins of cheerleading — a sport and art form that’s now worth billions, seen worldwide, and yet… started from a history that is, well, at the very least, unexpected.
Who was the first cheerleader? And where did it all start? Pour yourself a cup of joe and find out on this Missing Chapter Short!
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One of the more fascinating pieces of history has to be revolutions, the political and many times violent, overthrows of a government. It’s usually sparked by the lower classes who have gone too long without their natural rights being upheld, and their realization that they have power in numbers. And it’s usually led by a common individual who was courageous enough not only to speak up, but to inspire an entire cohort of people to go on the offensive against the most powerful. And if you know us by now, you know how much we love our unknown stories, I mean, it’s the entire essence of our podcast! So why not combine them both - let’s talk about one of the more unknown revolutions in this hemisphere, by one of the more fascinating figures in history. It’s time to turn up your volumes, your senses, and your coffee mugs because the Phils are back for another episode of the Missing Chapter.
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Let’s begin today’s episode with a question - why was the English Teacher accused of being a thief? Because she’s got a way with words. Ok, I apologize, that was a bad one. I promise this episode will morph into something better. And actually, that’s exactly what this episode is about, the history of everyday words. And what’s even more interesting is how these words originated and how eventually, at least some of these most common words, morphed into something altogether different than what was originally intended. Let’s take a walk down etymology lane, the big term that means the study of the history of words, and let’s bring you an episode that will keep you at a loss for words. Welcome to the Missing Chapter everyone, let’s get started.
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Some of the most quoted Bible verses come from the New Testament. You may see them on t-shirts or coffee mugs or in someone’s description on social media. I bet, however, you have never seen the Book of Habakkuk mentioned in someone's bio. Maybe you’ve never even heard of that book! After today’s episode, you will certainly remember it. Not because of rote memorization or repetition, but because of the mission that it was named after. Project Habakkuk might be one of the craziest military ideas we’ve talked about on this podcast and today, as we sip our dark roast coffees, we find out what this project is, why it’s named after a book in the Bible, and how successful this wildly ambitious and quite ridiculous idea truly was. It’s that time again, everyone, so amp up your coffee intake while we break down another piece of unknown history.
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Whenever you click print on your laptop or PC, the printer makes a noise to let you know it is in fact on and working, but almost immediately, the paper you intended to print is completed within just a couple of seconds per copy. It’s something we take for granted. As a teacher, we print all the time, and depending on what mood our copier is in, we can either print 150 copies in a matter of minutes, or after the dreaded red light error message, it could take all day, but I will tell you this, regardless of the frustrations of 21st century printing, it far exceeds the speed of printing just a few centuries before. And that leads me to introduce to you today’s Missing Chapter Profile, Johannes Gutenberg. You might need your French Press for today’s episode. Welcome to the Missing Chapter, everyone, let’s get started.
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You've heard of war trophies—maybe a musket, a medal, a tattered flag brought home from the battlefield. But what if I told you that after one of history's most pivotal battles, the most sought-after souvenir wasn't a weapon or a symbol of valor, but something far more… intimate? Something taken directly from the fallen, destined for the mouths of the living. Today, we're unearthing a truly unsettling chapter where the brutal aftermath of battle met the expanding world of cosmetic enhancement. Prepare to discover how the smiles of the elite were literally built on the jaws of the dead.
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What better way to kick off Season 6 than with one of our fan's favorite guests - Tim Field! And today, the usual music history lessons that Tim usually provides is being put to the side so we can discuss another fan favorite - a Top 5!
Grab your coffees and put your seatbelts on because this Top 5 is dangerous - the Top 5 Most Dangerous Toys!
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When you think about baseball, what is one of the first foods you think of? Hot dogs, peanuts, cracker jacks. But there's another food that comes to mind that players and fans alike have to grab when they know they're going to a game, or better yet, playing in a game...sunflower seeds.
But why sunflower seeds and baseball? Well, with the help of my two guests today, we're going to look into the history of the relationship between America's Pastime and the sunflower seed.
Welcome to the final episode of Season 5, everyone! Have an extra coffee to celebrate!
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It’s cliche to say, but people will remind you all the time, Phil… “enjoy it, because time goes fast.” Cliche, but so true. We started this journey on The Missing Chapter Podcast nearly 5 years ago with moderate goals and realistic expectations. As we close out season 5, on the eve of season 6, Phil and I reflect on the amazing adventure that this podcast project has taken us on. From the stories we’ve told and our own personal love for history, today’s discussion brings it all together for you - our loyal listeners. Coffee and good stories? Could this podcast really catch-on? The answer is yes… thanks for listening all these years and for joining us today… on The Missing Chapter.
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On June 18, 1815, the fields of Waterloo ran red with the blood of up to 20,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of horses. Eyewitnesses described the chaos: mass graves dug in haste, bodies burned, the stench of war hanging heavy in the air. War leaves behind bodies—that’s the hard truth. But what happens when those bodies… disappear?
Over two centuries later, archaeologists have uncovered a haunting mystery: despite the scale of the slaughter, only two human skeletons and three horses have ever been found on the battlefield. So where, exactly, are the bones?
This story will take you beyond the battlefield and into the sugar factories, the farmlands, and the shadows of post-war Europe to uncover a chilling, forgotten story. You’ve heard of the Battle of Waterloo—but you've never heard this version.
This one will make you rethink everything you know about history, industry, and the disturbing afterlife of war.
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If you’re a listener to our podcast for any length of time, you’ll know and appreciate our love for coffee. I mean, for goodness sake, we start every episode with an actual pour of coffee into one of our MC mugs! So if you step into our podcast, you’ll hear the coffee. If you step into our classroom, you’ll smell the coffee. And today, we merge with coffee itself. Not only are we drinking coffee, we’re talking about coffee…not just our typical flavor of the day, but how coffee actually shaped history! There’s so much history that was developed around the cup of joe, that we want to highlight how the two coincide. It’s time for class, everyone, so settle in, smell the coffee, and let’s get started.
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Everyone loves a good story, and lately, especially with the advent of social media, everyone loves a good conspiracy. Something that boggles the mind - a situation, scenario, or series of events that seem to defy our civilian minds and almost sparks our innate curiosity, triggering what we were made to do…learn. And then it’s our duty to investigate and filter out the falsities with the truth. And with that, I introduce you to…weather modification. All one big conspiracy theory, right? Nope, it’s not fiction, it’s fact. And no, this isn’t something new for 2025, oh no, declassified documents show us that we did this as part of our plan to win the Vietnam War. What? Yup, you heard me right. You’re going to need some more coffee for this one, so saddle up everyone, welcome to the Missing Chapter.
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Everyone loves a good story. And I think everyone would love it if the news was actually filled with good news. The word Gospel means just that, good news. And within the Gospel account of Jesus, there are many unbelievable stories and accounts in and out of the Bible that are just downright good stories. Today on the Missing Chapter, I’ll bring you one of those stories. Let’s talk about one of the most well-known events in all of human history, and how an unknown soldier has his name interwoven into the fabric of the Roman Catholic Church. Is this soldier’s story part of the evidence and historical account of Jesus’s crucifixion, or is this soldier’s life just a legend that has merged its way into the truth of that Good Friday. Well, let’s tease this out today with some facts, some conversation, and of course, coffee. Welcome to the Missing Chapter, everyone, let’s get started.
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Is there any job outside of maybe sports betting, where people put their faith into trying to predict the future? How many times have you found yourself making long-range outdoor plans, only to have things ruined, by an unexpected thunderstorm or even a snow storm? Today, the Missing Chapter looks at the history of one of our most frustrating professions and the roots it has in ancient times… the Babylonians analyzing cloud patterns and the Chinese developing the earliest weather calendar. What did man’s earliest ancestors rely on for weather forecasts and what do today’s professionals use, to make their predictions?
So, looking ahead, let’s pour another cup of coffee… today’s story has a 70% chance of making you laugh, a 90% chance to make you think, and a 100% chance of entertaining you.
A front is moving through early Saturday morning, carrying with it another story, delivered by… your 2 favorites hosts.
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It’s an unavoidable task in one’s life and we all fall into 2 camps… those who don’t mind grocery shopping and those that loath it. But today, at least, we have options… options on where to go or simply on how to get our groceries. Which grocery store is closest, most convenient, or offers the best produce? Do you want to order our groceries online and pick them up at a specific time, have them delivered, or should I simply run out and do it all myself? Technology has advanced and changed every facet of our everyday lives and grocery shopping is no exception, but how did we get here? What was it like performing this mundane task decades ago? Well, make sure and add it to your list for this weekend, right next to coffee… Saturday morning… 2 a.m…. Spotify.
Because it’s time for a price check on isle #1… your favorite brand of podcast… The Missing Chapter.
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Go in depth and underground in one of NY State's natural wonders - in our first inaugural video podcast! Last week, we talked about the beauty of Howe's underground Caverns, and now this week you get to see a small glimpse!
In our Part II episode, we re-cap our experience with April Islip and her willingness to give us a private tour!
Join us today for our Part II Video Premiere!
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We’ve taken The Missing Chapter on the road… and underground! In our inaugural “on location” episode. 156-ft. below the earth’s surface to be exact, Phil. Howe Caverns has opened its doors an hour early for us and given us exclusive access to the caves to let you know… our worldwide audience… the incredible history behind these natural wonders.
Thanks for joining us on today’s adventure, as we travel underground to discuss Howe Caverns in Upstate NY… wait, did we remember to bring the coffee?? Time was stalacTITE this morning, but, of course, we still remembered the coffee! Let’s dig into today’s story!
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As technology continues to evolve, there are many jobs, careers, professions that slowly shrink in popularity and necessity, in some cases, become completely obsolete. Today’s generation may never know that some of these occupations even existed, much less played such important roles in our culture. Such is the plight of the first talk show host/talent discoverer/podcast host… who, when all mixed together, would give you the… disc jockey. The radio pioneers who became synonymous with late night job shifts, long family road trips, or impromptu dance parties. For this co-host it was the iconic Casey Kasem. I can, to this day, still hear his voice as he did his weekly countdown of top hits each Saturday. But who paved the way for legends like him?
Today’s profile episode explores the life and times of one of radio’s first and most influential voices of the radio waves; whose impact extended from behind the microphone and into movies and television. The DJ whose name and voice continue to inspire today, with the hosts who proudly stand on the shoulders of the innovators who came before them. It’s The Missing Chapter Podcast!
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