In 1943, fed up with modernist poetry, two Australian army officers invented a fake poet and submitted a collection of deliberately senseless verses to a Melbourne arts magazine. To their delight, the poems were published and their author was hailed as "one of the most remarkable and important poetic figures of this country." In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Ern Malley hoax, its perpetrators, and its surprising legacy in Australian literature.
We'll also hear a mechanized Radiohead and puzzle over a railroad standstill.
report this ad
A bizarre murder mystery gripped Campden, England, in 1660
When William Harrison disappeared from Campden, England, in 1660, his servant offered an incredible explanation: that he and his family had murdered him. After the family was executed for the crime Harrison reappeared with a bizarre story of his own. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe "the Campden wonder," which [...]
READ THE REST
The story of D.B. Cooper, the only unsolved hijacking in American history
In 1971 a mysterious man hijacked an airliner in Portland, Oregon, demanding $200,000 and four parachutes. He bailed out somewhere over southwestern Washington and has never been seen again. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of D.B. Cooper, the only unsolved hijacking in American history.We'll also hear some [...]
READ THE REST
Smithsonian scientist Harrison Dyar spent 20 years digging hidden tunnels under Washington D.C.
In 1924 a curious network of catacombs was discovered in Washington D.C. They were traced to Harrison Dyar, a Smithsonian entomologist who had been industriously digging tunnels in the city for almost two decades. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe Dyar's strange hobby — and the equally bizarre affairs in [...]
READ THE REST
Build 10 real working apps with Python
This Python Mega Course will help you learn to code by teaching you to build 10 real-world apps that each highlight a unique use of Python.Job prospects for coders are still growing steadily—and with Python being one of the most popular coding languages out there today, it's important for job seekers to demonstrate a widespread understanding of the [...]
READ THE REST
Atmos' bigger, better new vape delivers a longer vape sesh
The Atmos R2 may be bigger than the brand's previously-released vapes, but we argue that in this case it's definitely a good thing. A bigger heating chamber means more room for packing it full. And the bigger battery means longer, more fulfilling vape sessions. In fact, you can use the Atmos R2 for up to about 25 [...]
READ THE REST
Dive into professional 'ethical' hacking with this certification package
These days, there is huge demand for ethical hackers. Companies pay these professionals to identify and remedy security holes in their networks before malicious hackers find and exploit them. What's great about this is that if you love hacking or think you may love hacking, you can do it for a living and not as [...]
READ THE REST
report this ad