PODCAST · society
Fascinating People Fascinating Places
by Daniel Mainwaring
”Welcome to ’Fascinating People, Fascinating Places,’ the engaging bi-weekly documentary podcast that takes you on an immersive journey through the realms of news, history, politics, religion, and social justice. Join us as we delve into the depths of these critical subjects with leading experts and celebrity guests who bring their unique insights to the table. If you’re passionate about history, news, or social consciousness, this podcast is your essential guide.Discover moving stories and hear firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses to historic events that have shaped our world. We’re dedicated to unearthing the untold narratives and shedding light on vital issues such as history, social justice, and politics. Subscribe now to ’Fascinating People, Fascinating Places’ and be part of our mission to educate, inspire, and empower.”
Episodes
-
From Cop to Cartel: The Javier Guzman Story
Decorated Tampa police officer Javier Guzman was once named Officer of the Year. But in the early 1990s, his most dangerous assignment drew him deep into the world of Colombian cartels, covert money laundering and constant deception. Recruited to work undercover in Operation PROMO, Guzman handled...
-
Satan and the Exorcists (Part 1 of 2)
Friday 13th …. A few years ago, the Barna Group – a market research firm specializing in religious beliefs conducted a survey in which it emerged that more Americans believe Satan is real than believe in God. On a superficial level, the results seem counterintuitive. In a nominally Christian...
-
The Last Pagan Kingdom in Europe
By the 14th century, God was everywhere. The children of Abraham had conquered the Middle East, North Africa and even portions of Southern Europe under Islam. Christians had churches everywhere from Ireland to Russia, Cyprus to Norway. And Jewish communities thrived across the known world. But...
-
King Christian IV: Crown, Canon, and Catastrophe
Geopolitics have brought me to Europe for the beginning of this episode as a onetime ally eyes up Danish territory, and merchant ships are blocked from free access to key waterways unless they’re willing to pay onerous tolls. If it all sounds familiar, I am not here to discuss recent news events,...
-
The Man Who Rocked an Empire: Tupac Amaru II
In 1780, a successful businessman and local leader became the unlikely leader of a violent rebellion within the sprawling Spanish Empire. Tupac Amaru II -- as he became known -- had Incan roots, a Spanish education, and was a devout Roman Catholic. But, despite having the standing and connections...
-
The Extraordinary Tale of "The Scottish Indian"
In the late 18th century in Scotland, a vagabond gained attention with a story of kidnapping, slavery, war, and immersion into native American culture. Peter Williamson became a sensation in the British Isles, but how much of his story was true? In this episode, I explore the bizarre tale of…
more -
Coming to Terms with Historical Trauma: The Cambodian Genocide
Imagine one day waking up and being told to forget everything you had learned in school. Discovering that key industries in the economy had been eliminated. Learning that culture and history had been reset to year zero. And, worst of all learning that you and your friends and family were to be...
-
Armenian Genocide: Truth and Denial
On the eve of launching a genocidal conflict in 1939, Adolf Hitler is reported to have asked "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The event he was referring to was the near decade long systematic destruction of the ethnic Armenian community living in the Ottoman...
-
AI: The Dangers Real and Imagined with Prof. Margaret Schwartz
Terminator, rogue chat bots, artificial intelligence replacing human workers ... over the last few years we have all seen numerous headlines about the existential threat posed to humanity by AI. But are these fears legitimate? Where do the fears come from? Are we really in danger from AI or...
-
Samurai: Fact Versus Fiction with Dr. Michael Wert
We are all familiar with the Japanese Samurai: Sword wielding traditional warriors all consumed with a rigid honor code known as Bushido. But how much of this is true? In this episode I speak with an expert Dr. Michael Wert Associate Professor of East Asian History at Marquette University.…
more -
To Run the World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power: Sergey S. Radchenko
At the end of ww1, the vast but ailing Russian empire collapsed. What followed was regicide, civil war and famine. But just a generation later, the world had changed. Russia, now part of the Soviet Union found itself uniquely positioned to itself on the global scene in a way it had done before.…
more -
Manipulating The Weather: Folly or Science? A History with Prof. Jim Fleming
Climate change has accelerated efforts by some theorists to develop mechanisms for controlling Earth's weather patterns and even the biosphere. But human attempts to control our these elements are nothing new. In fact, our ancestors aspired to do the same in antiquity. But what attempts have been...
-
The Bizarre Tragedy of Killer Catherine Hayes
WARNING: This episode includes eye witness accounts of a violent murder and subsequent execution. Catherine Hayes was born into an unexceptional working class family at the end of the 17th century in Birmingham, England. Like so many of that era, and most of us today, she led a life that…
more -
Life After Hate: The Reformed Neo Nazis
In recent years El Paso, Buffalo, Charleston, and Overland Park have joined the list of cities where right wing extremists have committed mass killings. Racial hate and fascism are not new. From slavery, into the civil war, Jim Crow, the civil rights era, onto the Oklahoma City bombing,...
-
Lost Tribes and the Ark of the Covenant found in Africa? Tudor Parfitt Interview
By the mid Nineteenth century Europeans had conquered or explored all of the Americas, Asia and even remote Pacific outposts that we know today as Australia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. But bizarrely one area remained largely unexplored and it was right on Europe's doorstep: Sub Saharan Africa. As…
more -
Classic Episode: Astronaut Steve Hawley
Originally aired 2022. In 1990, astronaut Steven Hawley deployed the Hubble telescope in space as part of the crew of the space shuttle Discovery. Kansas-born Hawley was among the civilians selected to be part of the space program on the basis of his expertise in a specific area: astronomy. One…
more -
Romanian Revolution 1989: Classics Revisited
Explore the captivating story of the Romanian revolution of 1989, a pivotal moment shaped by the country's rich history of resisting and embracing external influences. This intricate tapestry of events traces back to the second century AD when the Roman Emperor Trajan conquered the region…
more -
Mata Hari: Super spy? or Victim of Circumstance.
Mata Hari -- publicly portrayed as a mysterious Javan princess who became famous for her exotic dance routines and high profile affairs -- has become the poster child for twentieth century female espionage. The bombshell sex symbol who can seduce any man. The cunning and ruthless individual who...
-
TITANIC
In 1912, the "unsinkable" jewel in the crown of White Star Line voyages -- The Titanic -- hit an iceberg and sunk on its maiden voyage. It is difficult to imagine how passengers enjoying the amenities of this luxury liner would have reacted when suddenly they realized the vessel had become a...
-
Mata Hari
She has become the poster child for James Bond style cunning, honey-trap-setting, spying vixens but does reality match the myths around Mata Hari? In this upcoming episode I speak with Prof. Tammy Proctor of Utah State University, author of Female Intelligence: Women and Espionage in the First...
-
Saharan Nightmare: The Invasion the World Forgot featuring Prof. Jacob Mundy
Situated on the Mediterranean, just a short distance from Spain and the rest of Europe, Morocco attracts tens of millions of tourists every year. They flock to see the iconic mosques and bazaars. But there's another, much larger structure that you won't find in any tourist guides and is seldom...
-
Amelia Earhart: Mysterious End, Fascinating Beginning
In 1937, Kansas native and pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart sought to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. It was a daring adventure but one that ended in tragedy. Almost 9 decades later, a company named Deep Sea Vision produced evidence of a plane closely resembling…
more -
ANGOLA
An old Angolan proverb suggests it is the voyage not the ship that is important. And for the people of Angola the voyage has been a long one, from the era of the might Kongo empire, through the slave trade, colonialism, an independence struggle, and more recently decades of civil war. Despite…
more -
"Witchcraft," and violence in paradise with Dr. Fiona Hukula
Imagine one day being cast out of your society, subjected to violence or killed simply because you continue to participate in the traditional rituals and activities your community have practiced for generations. It might sound extraordinary but as we’ve seen down the centuries this is what…
more -
Sonic Booms, Feathers, & Dinosaurs: Renowned Paleontologist Philip J. Currie
Imagine an alien world where a creature could create a sonic boom simply by whipping its tail. Look no further as such creatures once roamed the Earth. This is just one remarkable discovery made by the world renowned Paleontologist Philip J. Currie -- the man whose worked inspire Michael…
more -
Madagascar Discovery With Dr. Patricia Wright
In 1986, anthropologist Patricia Wright arrived in the tropical paradise of Madagascar. Seemingly, she was hunting a ghost: the greater bamboo lemur — then believed to be extinct. Lemurs predate humans by millions of years and have long been prevalent on Madagascar. In contrast, the first human...
-
The Bizarre Borat-like Regime of Turkmenistan with Bruce Pannier
The Borat movies were a fun but far fetched parody right? Think again. The Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan is currently ruled by the clownish Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow and his son Serdar. He has styled himself as an action hero. Unfortunately he isn't very good at racing, handling…
more -
Rwanda Genocide Survivor, Political Exile, and Inspiration: Drocella Mugorewera
In 1994, Drocella Mugorewera was a young mother when Ethnic tensions between Hutu's and Tutsi's rooted in colonial divisions boiled over and led to a horrific genocide in Rwanda that cost up to one million lives. Drocella fled to the comparative safety of the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo...
-
Simón Bolívar: Liberator of The Americas with Prof. Tomas Straka
Despite being orphaned at a young age, Simon Bolivar was far from an orphan Annie character. Born into a wealthy Criollo family in 1783, his education continued before he made an extensive trip around Europe. While there, he was introduced to ideas of the enlightenment and events such as the…
more -
How I went from Mafia Enforcer to DOJ Informer: Aiden Gabor Interview
The DeCavalcante Crime Family of New Jersey were the inspiration for HBO's acclaimed Sopranos drama series. In this episode, I speak with one of their members: Aidan Gabor. He is a mafia henchman, turned DOJ informant and cop. Gabor shares his origin story from his parents escape from Soviet...
-
Candace: The Woman Who Defeated the Might Roman Empire. Featuring Prof. Stanley M. Burstein
Rome's first and arguably greatest Emperor Octavian (Augustus) helped to evolve and expand the Roman Republic into an empire that encompassed France, parts of Germany, Asia Minor, Egypt and North Africa. But the seemingly all conquering Roman met his match in an African woman called Candace. Who...
-
Albert Schweitzer with Eric Madeen
In 1913, Albert Schweitzer, a respected theologian and organist left Alsace-Lorraine and made his way to the French colony of Gabon. As a newly qualified doctor, he decided to to use his skills to establish a free hospital in a remote corner of the French Empire. Schweitzer eventually earned a...
-
Israel & Palestine: War and Peace (?) with Dr. Stephen Zunes
30 years ago the US brokered Oslo accords seemed to herald a new era of peaceful coexistence for Israelis and Palestinians. Yasser Arafat -- long demonized as a terrorist in the Tel Aviv, whilst being hailed as a freedom fighter in Palestine -- shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli Prime…
more -
Iran: Terrorism and Proxy War with Matthew Levitt
During the last 45 years, Iran has become synonymous with terrorism. While much of its direct, and indirect involvement in these acts is focused on Israel and the Middle East, plots involving Iran and its proxies have been uncovered in nations ranging from Denmark to Thailand. In this episode I...
-
I Found the Lost Inca Treasure: Tamara Estupiñán Viteri
500 years ago Spanish conquistadors invaded the Incan Empire and slew Atahualpa -- the unfortunate who would prove to be the last Emperor. Due to his vast wealth -- largely in the form of gold -- treasure hunters have spent centuries searching in vain for lost treasure of the Incas. Ecuadorian...
-
Navalny, Wagner, Putin & Nuclear War
Wall Street Journal and Financial Times correspondent David Satter was expelled and banned from Russia after exposing corruption in Putin's regime. On 19 March he talks to @FascinatingPeopleandPlaces about the shocking death of #russian politician Alexie #navalny. We also discuss the #wagner…
more -
Navalny: Putin Strikes Again With David Satter
In February 2024, Alexei Navalny a Russian politician died in an Arctic Russian penal colony. At just 47 years old his death would have been surprising were it not for the fact the Russian secret service FSB seemingly at the direction of Vladimir Putin had already tried and failed to kill him…
more -
Living on Water for hundreds of years: The Nzulezo of Ghana with Nana Kesse
Hundreds of years ago, it is believed a group of African migrants made their way South from the Remnants of the collapsing Mali Empire -- once ruled by the wealthiest human in history: Musa Mansa. These travelers eventually made their way to the South coast of what is now Ghana in North West...
-
Diana: Death of a Princess
On 31 August 1997, Diana Spencer the ex-wife of the now King Charles III of the United Kingdom was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris. Just 36 years old at the time, Diana left behind two young sons: William and Harry. Her death sent a nation into mourning. Millions traveled to London…
more -
Liberty in North Korea
Western media reports on North Korea tend to focus on the nation's missile launches, nuclear weapons program, and involvement in illegal activities such as weapon and drug smuggling. The despotic regime of the Kim Family are usually front and center in any reporting. But what about the millions…
more -
MAJ Jason Wright: Protecting the Constitution at personal cost in Guantanamo Bay
MAJ Jason Wright was forced to choose between following military orders and honoring the Constitution when tasked with defending 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed at Guantanamo Bay. The government and media had identified KSM as the culprit and he had freely admitted his guilt. But did his...
-
Scott of the Antarctic: Lizzie Meek of the Antarctic Hertiage Trust
Journey back to the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration as we recount the epic expedition led by Englishman Robert Falcon Scott, who set his sights on reaching the elusive South Pole. This audacious quest represented not only a personal ambition but a monumental step for humanity in its pursuit…
more -
The Global Epidemic: Human Trafficking with Martina E. Vandenberg
"In our eye-opening episode, we confront the harsh reality of modern slavery as revealed by a sobering 2022 report from the International Labor Organization. Shockingly, the report estimates that a staggering 50 million people worldwide are ensnared in this web of exploitation, with 28 million...
-
How I found Saddam Hussein: Eric Maddox
In this gripping episode, we delve into the remarkable story of Eric Maddox, the interrogator who played a pivotal role in the capture of Saddam Hussein. In 2003, as part of a Delta Force team operating under the Joint Special Operations Command, Eric embarked on a mission to track down Iraqi...
-
Classics Revisited: The Business of Sex
In this unusual and eye-opening episode, we dive headfirst into a topic that hadn't been on our radar until a surprising encounter with a female brothel owner from Nevada. Her story, which was featured in a previous episode, piqued our curiosity and led us to explore a controversial and often...
-
Classics Revisited: Munich 1972
In October 2023, Hamas terrorists massacred Israeli civilians as well as many foreign tourists in an unprecedented attack. Consequently, the Israeli government under Netanyahu launched retaliatory strikes on Gaza with manifold civilian deaths. Over 50 years ago, a similar attack at the Munich...
-
Classics Revisited: Satan and The Exorcists
This was the most disturbing episode I have ever recorded. Vatican Exorcist Vincent Lampert is one of the most prominent Roman Catholic combatants of demons in the world. I was very anxious when I made this episode as many people -- including a demonologist -- warned me I could provoke demonic...
-
Classics Revisited: Eva Peron
One of the most enjoyable interviews I have had over the past two years was with Prof. Margaret Schwartz from Fordham University about Eva Peron. Clearly, I wasn't alone as that episode was the most listened to of all episodes released within the last year. Next season, Prof. Schwartz will return...
-
Season 5
Fascinating People, Fascinating Places returns in January. Here about the exciting new episodes in this preview.
-
Classics Revisited: Putin’s False Flag
The new series of Fascinating People, Fascinating Places launches on 5 January 2024 with new episodes featuring the man who caught Saddam Hussein, the lawyer for the 9/11 mastermind, and much more. But in the interim, I am replaying five episodes that were selected by listeners as the best…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
”Welcome to ’Fascinating People, Fascinating Places,’ the engaging bi-weekly documentary podcast that takes you on an immersive journey through the realms of news, history, politics, religion, and social justice. Join us as we delve into the depths of these critical subjects with leading experts and celebrity guests who bring their unique insights to the table. If you’re passionate about history, news, or social consciousness, this podcast is your essential guide.Discover moving stories and hear firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses to historic events that have shaped our world. We’re dedicated to unearthing the untold narratives and shedding light on vital issues such as history, social justice, and politics. Subscribe now to ’Fascinating People, Fascinating Places’ and be part of our mission to educate, inspire, and empower.”
HOSTED BY
Daniel Mainwaring
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fascinating People Fascinating Places have?
Fascinating People Fascinating Places currently has 136 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fascinating People Fascinating Places about?
”Welcome to ’Fascinating People, Fascinating Places,’ the engaging bi-weekly documentary podcast that takes you on an immersive journey through the realms of news, history, politics, religion, and social justice. Join us as we delve into the depths of these critical subjects with leading experts...
How often does Fascinating People Fascinating Places release new episodes?
Fascinating People Fascinating Places publishes regularly with 136 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Fascinating People Fascinating Places?
You can listen to Fascinating People Fascinating Places on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fascinating People Fascinating Places?
Fascinating People Fascinating Places is created and hosted by Daniel Mainwaring.
URL copied to clipboard!