500 Open Tabs

Apr 09 2025 65 ep. 87 mins 281

500 Open Tabs Podcast artwork

Each episode, hosts Kaveh Taherian and Hannah Hillam choose one of their countless open browser tabs and finally take the time to read and discuss its contents until they gain enough strength to close that tab once and for all.

Society & Culture Comedy History

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64: Chicago's Lager Beer Riot and The Yes Men

Apr 09 2025 88 mins

This week we're in Chicago for C2E2 as we deep dive into what led to the confrontation of German and Irish immigrants vs the Chicago Police Department in 1855 and how 2 renegade tricksters managed to tank Dow Chemical's stock by giving a fake interview to the BBC. A listener email shares their Filipino family's own personal story of crossing paths with the Aswang. Episode Tabs:

63: First Amendment Auditors, Nixon's Favorite Restaurant, and Auditor the Miner Dog

Apr 02 2025 97 mins

This week we're joined by special guest Murahd Shawki as we deep dive into people who are questioned by police for exercising their First Amendment right to video record in public spaces like a Taco Bell parking lot, how El Adobe in San Juan Capistrano came to be Richard Nixon's favorite Mexican restaurant despite only serving continental cuisine, and how a shaggy sheepdog named Au

62: Pretendians and Rube Waddell

Mar 26 2025 80 mins

This week we deep dive into the strange phenomenon of people who falsely claim to be descended from Native American or First Nation ancestors and the absolutely unhinged on and off field antics of Baseball Hall of Famer Rube Waddell. A listener email explains how the only copilot in NASCAR history was a rhesus monkey named Jocko Flocko. Episode Tabs: Who can Identify as a Nati

61: Legend of Siavash and State of Jefferson

Mar 19 2025 94 mins

It's Nowruz again so this week we deep dive into how the legend of Siavash may have influenced Persians to jump over fire on Red Wednesday and how a proposed U.S. state would span the southern Oregon and Northern California region. A listener email explains how Disney perfected a hue of green for their trashcans as to become almost invisible to park goers. Episode Tabs: Chahar

60: Supermarket Sweep, Beetle Beer Bottle Sex, and Fake Filipino Vampires of the CIA

Mar 12 2025 92 mins

This week we're joined by special guest J. L. Westover as we deep dive into the mechanics of a capitalist gameshow of yesteryear, how Australian jewel beetles mistakenly bang discarded beer bottles, and that time the CIA tried to trick a Filipino communist guerrilla movement into thinking vampires were real. A listener email tells us how a Finnish pizza restaurant clapped back at S

59: Stone of Destiny Heist pt. 2 and Richard Parkers at Sea

Mar 05 2025 95 mins

This week we conclude the Stone of Destiny heist and deep dive into the various stories of ship boys named Richard Parker who were eaten at sea. A listener email tells us about the time the UK Royal Air Force airdropped cats into a remote part of Malaysia to help deal with the rat problem. Episode Tabs: The Students Who Stole The Stone Of Destiny https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-s

58: Konami Code Origins and Stone of Destiny Heist pt. 1

Feb 26 2025 73 mins

This week we deep dive into how a shortcut meant to save time while programming spawned a love affair with cheat codes and how a group of college students decided to steal an ancient symbol of Scottish kings back from the English. A listener email reveals the multicultural history of Groundhog Day. Episode Tabs: Game Breaking: How Cheat Codes Changed Video Games Forever https

57: Diary of The Shah and More Spite Houses

Feb 19 2025 81 mins

This week we deep dive into Naser al-Din Shah Qajar's published diary of his 1873 European tour and learn about bigger and better houses of spite. A listener email reveals how a sexy Abe Lincoln statue broke everyone's brains. Episode Tabs: Nasir Al-Din Shah And The Art Of Indifference https://new.bidoun.org/articles/redolent-delusions Spite Buildings: When Human Grudges Get

56: Crocker Spite House and John Orr

Feb 12 2025 84 mins

This week we deep dive into how Billionaire James Crocker built a fence around a German immigrant's home in San Francisco and how legendary arson investigator John Orr's passion project doubled as a confession for some of California's worst fires. A listener email explains how the first ever women’s college basketball game was played at Smith College in 1893. Episode Tabs: T

55: Big Jim O’Leary and Mark Twain vs USPS

Feb 05 2025 86 mins

This week we learn how the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 gave birth to the city's most honest gambler and how Mark Twain's feud with the United States Postal Service lasted a lifetime. A listener email tells us the story of Mike the Headless Chicken. Episode Tabs: The Irish American Gangster Whose Family Rose from Chicago's Ashes https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/big-ji