This episode starts with a couple of stories that probably only I care about, like the lawsuit over Seattle’s homeless shelter hotels and yet another IT failure that managed to make life harder for the people caught in its web. But then the show turns inward.

I take you through the long story of my right shoulder, which goes all the way back to Navy sports in the 1980s, took a bad turn with a fall in 2018, and now has doctors listing off arthritis, cartilage tears, and tendon problems like they are reciting baseball stats. The plain English translation? It hurts, it is weak, and it makes life a whole lot more complicated.

Surgery might be on the horizon, and that means five weeks of forced immobility. So today’s show is about pain, persistence, and trying not to lose sight of what matters most.

Washington State just handed a Florida shipyard a contract worth $714 million dollars to build three new hybrid-electric ferries. For the first time in decades, these boats won’t be built here at home, and the ripple effects are already hitting taxpayers, local shipyards, and the reliability of our ferry system.

The story is bigger than dollars and steel. It’s about climate mandates, political choices, and whether Washington’s Climate Commitment Act is driving policy off course. Supporters call this progress. Critics say it’s a hidden tax that inflates costs, outsources jobs, and delivers little global impact for a very high local price.

Is this really in our best interest, or is it a case study in failed public policy?

Cracker Barrel has long been a roadside favorite, a place for biscuits, rocking chairs, and a slice of nostalgia. But today the chain is at the center of a high-stakes corporate fight. Activist investor Sardar Biglari is challenging Cracker Barrel’s leadership, arguing that the company has wasted money, lost touch with its customers, and needs a drastic overhaul. His plan is blunt: cut waste, sell off weak side ventures, fix operations, and return money to shareholders.

At the same time, customers are grumbling about smaller portions, slower service, and management that seems disconnected from the brand’s roots. Analysts have turned cold, with no buy ratings left on the stock. And looming over it all are the power brokers at BlackRock and Vanguard, whose votes will decide the outcome.

Lena Marlowe and Graham Calder unpack what this battle means for Cracker Barrel and for the future of legacy American brands.

This week on Dave Does History, Dave is out, but the show rolls on with Lena Marlowe and Graham Calder in the host chairs. Together, they tackle one of the thorniest questions in American public life: should the National Guard be used to police our cities? Chicago often takes center stage in this debate, with violent crime making national headlines and sparking calls for action beyond what local law enforcement can manage. But bringing in the Guard isn’t as simple as it sounds. From the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 to the Insurrection Act and beyond, the legal and historical backdrop is a minefield. Lena and Graham weigh the potential benefits of increased manpower and order against the dangers of militarizing our neighborhoods and blurring the lines between soldier and police officer. Stay tuned, because this is one conversation that reaches far beyond Chicago.

What do Achilles, Odysseus, and the Founding Fathers have in common?

In this episode we explore how flawed heroes—from mythic battlefields to the halls of Independence—can still shape the world. Drawing from Stephen Fry’s Troy, we unpack the pride, grief, and imperfection of ancient warriors and connect them to the real, complicated men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin—none of them were saints. But like the heroes of legend, they carried heavy contradictions while laying the foundation for liberty.

As we launch the Liberty – 250 series in the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday, we are not polishing halos—we are pulling back the curtain on greatness born from imperfection.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation as we ask the big question: Can flawed men still forge freedom?

#Liberty250 #DaveDoesHistory #AmericanFounding #Troy #StephenFry #FoundingFathers #FlawedHeroes

Pope Francis has died, and the world now turns its eyes to the smoke above the Sistine Chapel.

In this episode of Dave Does History, Dave Bowman joins Bill Mick to break down the ancient—and often misunderstood—process of the papal conclave.

From medieval roof removals to modern-day power plays, Dave explores the rituals, rules, and raw politics of picking the next pope. Was it always this secretive? (Yes.) Was it always this messy? (Also yes.)

Tune in for history, humor, and maybe a few holy surprises. It’s “Game of Thrones,” but with incense and Latin.

In this episode of Dave Does History on Bill Mick Live, we head north—way north—to uncover the bizarre moment when the United States almost claimed part of Greenland.

It started with a bad map, involved a lost Danish expedition, and ended with two frostbitten heroes proving the truth. From mistaken geography to geopolitical consequences, Dave unpacks how a simple cartographic error nearly redrew the Arctic.

Join us as we explore survival, sovereignty, and the enduring value of getting your facts straight—even when they’re buried under two feet of ice.

Catch it now on Spotify, iTunes, and the iHeart Radio app.

April 1st isn't just for pranksters—it's for historians with a wicked sense of humor.

In this episode, Dave peels back the glittery nonsense of April Fools’ Day to uncover its shadowy (and often fictional) past. From Chaucer’s chicken to a Flemish prank poem, and the legendary hoax that duped the Associated Press, it all leads to one irresistible conclusion: we should be calling it Boskin Day.

Tune in for history, hilarity, and a few paper fish stuck to your back. Trust nothing. Laugh anyway.