The Salem Witch hysteria swept New England in the 17th century but it wasn't really fully about witches. It was about the power of belief. That power was so strong that the fear resulting from it caused normal people - judges, clergymen, shop-owners, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and all alike to believe in the irrational, illogical, and obtuse sensationalized belief that their neighbors and friends were witches.
On today's Halloween Special, author Stephen Hawley Martin (Episode 65 Life After Death) joins us for a second time to discuss his new book, The Witch of Amesbury, the idea of belief, and all things witches.
Stephen has unique insight that no one else does regarding witches (one in particular), so saddle up on your broomstick and be ready to be regaled about witches like you never have before.
Stephen Hawley Martin is the author of more than three-dozen books, including five novels, half a dozen business management titles, and a number of self-help books and metaphysical investigations. He is a former principal of the world-renowned ad firm, The Martin Agency, creator of the GEICO Gecko and “Virginia is for lovers.” He has also won first place for fiction from Independent Publisher and first place for nonfiction from USA Book News.
His new book "The Witch of Amesbury" can be found on Amazon or at shmartin.com along with dozens of other titles. In addition to being an author, Steve is a ghostwriter, book designer, editor, and publisher, and his company, The Oaklea Press, has over 100 titles in print. If you're an author or aspiring one he can help you with publishing, editing, ghostwriting and many other services. Go to his website for more information.
The crack of the bat. A deep bomb down the field for a winning touchdown catch. The eruption of the crowd after a winning shot in the hoop. The sounds and sights of sports has been something people all over the world have emotionally enjoyed all of their lives. But how we experience sports and how the players on the field play are at a crossroads. It's all about to change.
Technology is moving at light speed, turning players of yesteryear into inferior ghosts while today's players with use of analysis and technology are on their way to becoming cyborgs sooner than we might think. And how we watch and experience these games is moving even quicker. With the advent of virtual reality, it's making our watching experience limitless in the future.
Join us and guest Nate Tussy as we discuss where sports are headed as well as what the fan experience looks like in the future. And no shocker, we drink some beers along the way.
About our guest: Nate Tussy is on a "far-nerd-leaning" podcast called Rum & Regret which he dives more into on the show. The show can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.
Humans have been around since the beginning of... well, actually we don't really know do we? Some theorists believe the current version we see in the mirror every day has been around for 12,000 years, others say more, others just do a 48min podcast and conclude nothing on the topic. Click your play button and you'll hear one of the three aforementioned.
Take a dive down memory lane of humanity and ponder just exactly when and where our current selves came from? Where are we going from here? Previous versions of humans came and went, so what exactly does that mean for homo-sapiens when our next better and brighter version comes onto the scene?
Jason Reedy once again joins us.
On today's show we take a detour from our regular show structure to sit and chat about intriguing questions that make you think. Most importantly, what do you think about them? We roll out these questions of intrigue and then take 15 minutes on each to discuss over some cold brews that of course open up the mind. Life is discovered on another planet but it will take 20 years to get there. Would you go? If you could go back to any year throughout history, where would you go and why? And that is just a taste of intrigue ... Enjoy.
Dads have been drinking beer since the beginning of time, most likely cultivating beer in their man caves during the early age of man. Literal caves with a man in them – not the cave with a fridge filled with nitro cream IPAs, darts, and signed, framed jerseys of athletes from the ’80s. The beer they crafted using rock tools, the leaves of a mulberry bush, and wooly mammoth dung has changed a little bit over time but not much. The current version is brewed by a small brewery in America’s heartland– Budweiser. Totally joking. Or am I?
In honor of dads all over the lands, throughout time, we salute you in this special Father’s Day edition where we go over the top 10 dad beers and shocker – we try some along the way. Jason Reedy joins us for the festivities.
To steal an iconic line from one of our favorite shows - Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?
Today's guest, author Stephen Hawley Martin, not only bathes us in this existential ponderance but floods our curious minds with where he believes humankind is headed. Stephen is a bestselling author who has interviewed dozens of near-death survivors, psychics, researchers into the paranormal, as well as quantum physicists and medical doctors and believes that humankind is on the cusp of a transition to a new understanding of the true nature of reality. So, what exactly does this rebirth mean for the world and you? Listen and you shall find out. Well, that and a whole lot more about the afterlife, paranormal, and our species as a whole.
Stephen he has written over a dozen books, is a former principal of the world-renowned ad firm that created the GEICO Gecko and “Virginia Is For Lovers,” The Martin Agency, and is currently the editor and publisher of The Oaklea Press. He is the only three-time winner of the Writer's Digest Book Award, having won first prize twice for fiction and once for nonfiction. He has also won First Prize for Visionary Fiction from Independent Publisher and First Prize for Nonfiction from USA Book News.
You can learn more about Stephen and his books on his website at https://www.shmartin.com/.
It doesn't matter if you're old, young, from different continents, what you look like, if you're male, female, etc. Anyone can have an NDE. Because then again, death doesn't forget anyone now does it? But what about death that leads to continued life? Enter stage left - Near-Death Experiences. Regardless of how you feel about the stories; hearing them is guaranteed to make you question your own reality and what actually lies beyond.
On today's show, we sit down with M.K. (Kathy) McDaniel who is a #1 Amazon best-selling author on the topic. Placed on a ventilator for lung failure in 1999, she fought for her life in a coma and it was during this time, she found herself in an inexplicably dangerous, foreign realm. And if you make the right decision to hit play on your podcast app, you might get just lucky enough to hear about it.
If you're learning about NDE's for the first time then Kathy's story is one that will change the way you view your life and existence. And, if you've heard many NDE stories before, Kathy's story will also change the way you view your life and existence because it's an NDE story I promise you've never heard before. She is a lovely human being and through nothing short of a miracle, a little grit, a lot of bravery, and a will to endure, she has defeated all odds to be able to share her story with us today.
You can learn more about Kathy at misfitinhelltoheavenexpat.com or buy her book Misfit in Hell to Heaven Ex-Pat: Near-Death Experience and How to Avoid Hell in the Afterlife on Amazon.
Lucy Cooke aka "Sleeping Lucy" was a famous clairvoyant physician who would heal people while in trance. She is credited with healing hundreds of patients and also could recover lost items, and provide other mystical services. And on today's show she takes her skills to the best podcast in all the land - Serial Podcast. Kidding, she's on Grognostics! Well I mean not her personally -she's been dead for 120 years. We break down who she was, what she did and the controversy/intrigue around mystic healers in general. Each show starts out with a skit to put you in the shoes of the subject itself. Enjoy.
The lost city of Atlantis has intrigued historians, dreamers, and well... me. Truth is many are obsessed. One Atlantis theorist described his pursuit of the potentially mythical land as a gambling addiction. And, whether you realize it or not, you are obsessed with it too. It's ingrained in our DNA. So what's it all about? Where was Atlantis? Have we found it? Who were these futuristic humans? Join us for our latest show to find out. As usual, every show starts with a skit. To fully comprehend it you need to either be on some sort of psychedelic root or know that Plato is by far the most important character in this multi-Millenial tale. Sit back and soak it all in. Enjoy.
Face The Music is a collective of creative activists utilizing performances to inspire individual action. With over 70 social justice artists across the US & Canada, many with large national followings, our artists utilize calls to actions developed by partner organizations because the expertise on how to best make a positive impact comes from groups with expertise for the cause.
They are putting on a FREE streaming concert to celebrate Earth Day on Aprill 22nd! You can sign up for a ticket and learn more: Here
Former guest of Grognostics Evanne Jordan has a new philanthropic movement and is participating in the event.
our organizations are supporting the event with calls to actions: Music Declares Emergency (artists, music industry professionals and organisations standing together to declare a climate and ecological emergency), Outside the Box 925 (an education nonprofit focused on environmental issues), Neto Community Network (a northern CA nonprofit that leads people to act toward greater equity) and Field Team 6 (a voter registration organization).
Ye there lads. Top of the morning to ya. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. Why aren’t you in an Irish pub throwing back a few of the black stuff? What’s that? There’s a pandemic? Oh. Well. Don’t worry. We’ve got you sorted. We’ve brought the pub to you. On today’s show we sit down with Tam and Oisin, who have just the right accents for today’s holiday to educate listeners on the beer scene across the pond. What’s the fascination with stouts in Ireland? Guinness? What’s the craft beer scene like in Ireland? And more importantly how many expletives can a few Irishmen use in one episode? 255 is the answer to that by the way.
Join us for another annual St. Patrick’s Day episode as Jason and Steve do blind tastings of six beers – (American Stouts from Highwater Brewing, Epic Brewing and Firestone as well as two types of Guinness and one beer we’d all like to forget). Give a listen and then go out and get yourself a cold one old St. Paddy himself would be proud of.
FYI THIS IS NOT THE SHOW FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T ENJOY THE USE OF FOUR-LETTER WORDS…
Miraculously bees know which flowers to land on to pollinate. Jellyfish are able to live essentially forever by constantly multiplying. Bears go to bed and know exactly when to wake up after months of slumber. And Jason? Well, Jason can drink a beer while standing on one leg. I mean, not all of mother nature's gifts are spectacular. Bears for example. Not that impressive. So if all these species of insects and animals possess magical superpowers why can't humans? Why can't we harness the ability to smell dangerous gases or toxic chemicals or sense the magnetic fields other species can? How about seeing or feeling radiation? Everything we need to thrive is here on this earth. We just have to find it. Today, you've found the best podcast on the planet. Thank you for that mother nature.
President's Day - a day to reflect on the leader's of our nation's past, or a day to stretch a drinking binge weekend into a fourth day of monumental debauchery.
Our country has been led by natural-born leaders, by individuals thrust into a leader role without warning or those who have thrusted their way into scandal. And everything in between. On today's show we treat them all equally breaking down each of the 45 past presidents in one minute or less. Some information you may already know, while some, such as which presidents were fond of reptile intercourse for example you didn't. Or did you? You little...
As we educate we do this Drunk History style with a shot of beer for each president described. It gets silly. It gets unruly. It gets just perfectly divine.
Do try this at home.
Join us for another beer session show as we navigate down the historical trail of craft beer's latest craze - the Hazy Ipa.
When it comes to ancient discoveries centered around the core principles of humanity's story, no one is more apt to uncovering lost enigmas than our very own Sir Matthew. From taming savage turkeys in Roanoke to uncovering secret elixirs in vampire lairs to the unveiling of Santa's whereabouts in the North Pole, Sir Matthew's marveled exploits have fallen nothing short of prodigious in the advancement of our species. On his latest quest, he travels to North Africa to unearth the ancient secrets of the Boink-Oink Lapooodha Tribe in hopes of changing humanity forever. Along the way, he encounters a collection of snafus, tallyho, and I'll be the queen's uncles as usual.
2020 has seen deadly viruses, rioting, unemployment, general unrest and well the return of McDonald's McRib. So let's be honest with ourselves. Was it really that bad? It got us thinking; we all feel 2020 has been the worst year of our lifetimes but where does it rank in the history of worst years? Famine, war, disease, nuclear fallout, massive natural disasters have plagued humanity since the rise of our existence. So what was the actual worst year. Was it 2020? In the spirit of the New Year and in the negative spirit of the past year we teamed with our friends at Unearthing Paranormalcy to count down the 5 worst years of humanity's history and then because c'mon now, we're not all doom and gloom (mostly are) we also counted down the 5 best years. The best year we are positive will surprise you. Happy New Year!
Happy Holidays from Grognostics. As usual we take a page out of the Grognostic Storybook for an original tale about a winter time character. Give a listen. The story might surprise you. Or scare you. One of the two.
New shows, new shows and new shows. All coming out soon...
On today's show we continue on in our quest to determine whether ancient builders had just mad building skills, help from aliens or if we're missing it entirely. Newsflash: We're missing it entirely. Something at least. Enjoy.
The Great Pyramid of Giza stands 481 feet high, and was built thousands of years ago when only primitive building and engineering methods existed...we think. Ancient structures are scattered all over Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and even Australia and Antarctica that are quite unexplainable. Since we're the most advanced humans in our species' timeline how did these ancient civilizations manage such feats? I mean, these inferior cultures barely had pots to pee in right? We're the top of the chain are we not? Well...newsflash, we might be wrong. These ancient civilizations - exactly how did they move 20-ton rocks and place them exactly where they wanted hundreds of feet up? How did they have tools enabling them to cut massive, thick stones all the same? It can be explained right? Nope, not really.
On this episode, we examine ancient structures from all over the globe to discuss just how these ancient feats were done while drinking some great beer along the way. Don't judge.
A Grognostics Halloween short. Written and recorded by Grognostics. Bonus Halloween show courtesy of Unearthing Paranormalcy Podcast.
Closed in 1971, Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary is considered by many to be one of the most haunted places in the country. It’s been featured on multiple television shows and is visited by dozens of paranormal researchers each year. There are multiple stories of paranormal-like experiences corroborated by visitors, inmates, guards, and workers for decades.
On today’s show, we’re joined by former prison tour guide, and author Dr. Paul Kahan to take us through the history of the prison and its propensity for eerie occurrences. He’s the author of a number of books, including Eastern State Penitentiary: A History and The Bank War: Andrew Jackson, Nicholas Biddle, and the Fight for American Finance. He earned his Ph.D. in history from Temple University and is currently working on a narrative history of Philadelphia due out in 2022. Find out more about Dr. Kahan and his work at www.paulkahan.com.
Known to many as one of the country's most haunted houses, the Winchester Mystery house holds just as many peculiarities in the physical world as it does in the spirit. What started as a modest farmhouse was turned into the most unorthodox house ever built over three decades of continuous construction. With a staircase that leads to a ceiling, doors that lead to nowhere and over 160 total rooms, 40 of which are bedrooms, one has to ponder the very same question - how on earth would I ever find my iPhone charger? It was plugged in just right there so I could watch TV and charge at same time! I swear. Or wait, was it in bathroom so I could charge while getting ready, or... Darnit I forget! Where is it? Why me?!
On today's show, we sit down with Winchester House expert Chris Garcia who has been passionately intrigued with the house for most of his life. Through his research, his local knowledge, and countless visits to the home, he has inside knowledge you won't hear anywhere else. What I'm saying is that he will leave no oddity or spooky twist and turn left ...unturned (um, not sure that totally makes sense). What I'm trying to say is Chris is really awesome ok? Join us on our Halloween train of scary and comedic and check back each of the following Thursdays in October for a new Halloween-esque episode.
More info about the guest Chris Garcia:
His podcasts are Zodiac Speaking which is a true crime podcast and can be found anywhere you get your podcasts and Short Story, Short Podcast which can be found here or on Spotify.
He also writes a zine on the Winchester House which you can find at http://siligonevalley.weebly.com/wide-unclaspd.html
Check him out!
Science can generally disprove most supernatural to an extent. But there is one that is closer to all of us than one might think.
Written by Grognostics.