RandO Facts for Taft O. Derby
A collection of audio episodes where Dr. Mel Brown (Mom) tells Taft weird, true stories about things that don't make it into textbooks. Each episode picks a theme—strange jobs, wars over stupid reasons, animals that broke science—and unpacks 4-5 stories that sound fake but aren't.
Started because of that two-hour car ride back from Logan where we went from discriminant AI to Michelin stars to the Korean War with no map between them. This is that conversation, extended. Some episodes will drop daily. Some weekly. Some whenever there's a good theme worth chasing.
No fluff. No listicles. Just: here's what happened, here's why it matters, here's what it says about how people work.
The audio is AI-narrated after the intro. The intro is Mom. The rest is built so you can listen at 1.5x if you want, or save them for later, or ignore them entirely. They'll be here when you want them.
Named after you. Made for you. Kept going because... why not! I love you, Rooney!
RandO Facts for Taft O. Derby
Chocolate Bars and Carrier Pigeons: Tiny Things That Changed Wars
Small, overlooked details that shifted war outcomes—a chocolate bar, a weather forecast, a language nobody bothered to learn, a pigeon flying through gunfire, and a diplomat's public confession. Not dramatic turning points but quiet pivots that only look important in hindsight. Wars decided by generals, but also by meteorologists, chocolatiers, pigeons, and the choice to confirm or deny one telegram.
Content Notice
This episode discusses warfare and military history, including casualties and wartime conditions. Treatment is historical and analytical, not graphic.
Let's see what the world's been hiding.