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the letters & things
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episode directory
· the letters & things · episode directory
*presidential episode* he who controls the trains ...
In this episode, we continue to talk about the US presidents by zodiac. This time it is Virgos, Lyndon B. Johnson and William Howard Taft. We totally forget to talk about anything to do with the sign of Virgo, but make up for it with some President Taft fan fic!
episode 149
*boat girl summer * a turducken of exploitation
In this episode, we cover the drama queen oIn this episode, we recount the story of one of the most notorious mutinies that has inspired - weirdly - multiple movies. While Hollywood has a romantic projection of this story, the real truth of the HMS Bounty is, in fact, very dark. And then we talk another maritime tragedy, a true tale of good versus evil, the bombing of the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior.
episode 148
*boat girl summer* angering the sea gods
In this episode, we discover what happens when people stop being nice and start being boat with the boat reality tv dating show crossover. And then we talk about how to anger, or not anger, the sea gods. Get your cheeseburgers ready, for Poseidon demands his payment.
episode 147
*presidential episode * raise your hand if you've been violated by Bill Clinton
In this episode, we cover the drama queen of the zodiac, Leo. The technocratic Herbert Hoover, soup and corn loving Benjamin Harrison, charismatic Barack Obama, and diabolical Bill Clinton all share the distinction of being the zodiacs most extra sign. Join us as we continue to air our grievances (mostly with Bill) as we continue to recount the life and times of America's CEOs.
episode 146
*boat girl summer* the only way is Essex
In this episode, we get the story of the whaling ship Essex, which is a brutal story of the sea and whales and another example of why we should respect the sea and all its creatures great and small. Then we pivot to the disaster behind the making of the best worst water movie - Waterworld.
episode 145
*boat girl summer* gold rush
In this episode, Manette is very sick and skips the intros and dives straight into chaos. Starting with aphorisms and parables - harmless and light. However then Sam decided to bring the mood down (again) with the story of a side wheel boat (never a good idea) and a disastrous search for a whole lot o' gold and a man named Thomas Thompson (why).
episode 144
*boat girl summer* the war of 1812 rears its ugly head
In this episode, we continue boat girl summer with two fresh, new boat topics. Manette talks about the boats of most historical importance in American history, and of course the war of 1812 gets name dropped. Meanwhile Sam recounts the disaster of the SS Princess Alice on the Thame River in London. This story has it all (in a bad way), a true maritime disaster.
episode 143
*boat girl summer* semantic satiation
In this episode we discover the top five ports, both modern and historical, the busiest sea routes, and the global maritime chokepoints. And then Samantha freaks us all the heck out with boat ghost stories and now we're all haunted and there's a ghost in possession of my creepiest cabinet. Trigger warning: ghosts.
episode 142
*boat girl summer* internalised boat stress
In this episode, we talk through arctic explorer and boat guy, Ernest Shackleton and explore the artisan side of ship building with the Chinese junk ship. And despite saying we're not talking about the Titanic, we talk about the Titanic.
episode 141
*presidential episode* trash ass Jackson
In the episode, we talk about the presidents born under the sign of cancer: sons George W. Bush and John Q. Adams, the silent Calvin Coolidge and Gerald Ford. The most interesting thing about any of these presidents is first wife Betty Ford, who was ICONIC. And though Andrew Jackson wasn't a cancer, he still manages to make it into this episode somehow.
episode 140
*boat girl summer* the ass end of the Cutty Sark
In this episode, we are fully in swing with boat girl summer. This time we cover two museum boats. the Cutty Sark and the HMS Warrior, and then two sunken boats, the Vasa and Mary Rose. Lessons are learned, namely make sure your gun ports are more than 1 meter above the water line.
episode 139
*boat girl summer* it’s a submersible, sweetie
In this episode, we continue boat girl summer with submersible stories. Despite being terrified of undersea, deep sea, submarines, submersibles we can't seem to get enough of talking about these guys.
episode 138
*boat girl summer* unsinkable II
In this episode, it's anchors aweigh as we launch Boat Girl Summer! In this Boat 101 episode, we discuss the syllabus for Boat Girl Summer with a rundown of the main categories of boats, which Samantha takes issue with before proposing an even more nonsensical categorisation method.
episode 137
*presidential episode * I need to see the manager
In this episode, we go through two of the three Gemini Presidents: JFK and George H. W. Bush, or as he is now known Shady Bush. Both rich east coast Ivy League white guys that didn't even have to try to be President. Both terms a shit show in their own right. Chaos reigns supreme with the Gemini guys.
episode 136
Samantha and Samantha
In this episode, Samantha does a deep dive on Samantha Parkington, American Girl, which is why my Google history now has "samantha parkington's dead parents". It is the final Lynn letters, also an American girl, and I don't think anyone will be sad about it, just like Samantha Parkington's dead parents.