Omnibus
Every week, Ken Jennings and John Roderick add a new entry to the OMNIBUS, an encyclopedic reference work of strange-but-true stories that they are compiling as a time capsule for future generations.
Episodes
The Fan Man (Entry 452.ZE0501)
In which Futureling John Arbenz bemuses us with another eccentric Alaskan who dove into a 1993 heavyweight championship fight, dropped in at Buckingham Palace and made pop culture history. Certificate #31102.
The Berlin Wall (Entry 115.HO0206)
In which Futureling Andrew von Nordenflycht discusses Checkpoint Charlie, renting hammers and chisels to tourists, and the rise and fall of a Cold War monument, while John discovers a new style in Hugo Boss dystopia. Certificate #29207.
The Black Footed Ferret (Entry 128.PR2725)
In which Futureling Katie Nieland explores drones, peanut butter, the bubonic plague, and a delightful animal previously believed to be extinct, while John recounts his experience as a railroad hobo. Certificate #16802.
Vasa (Entry 1384.1K.2248)
In which Futureling Dan Hope relays the tale of a military vanity, a less-than-a-mile voyage, and John relays his success rate in righting overturned canoes. Certificate #30911.
Paul Winchell (Entry 1433.LU.0506)
In which Bohuš Blahut (RetroThing.com, Tech Hunters) and John discuss ventriloquist, the inventor of the artificial heart and the voice of Tigger too. Certificate #25379.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Omnibus Live at the Portland Book Festival - November 4th
(Live at the Library of Congress) Paper Prints (Entry 897.IS3404)
In which John and Ken record an entry at Library of Congress before a live audience, and Ken pitches the next hit reboot starring John Cena. Certificate #24597
Project Habakkuk (Entry 993.HA0105)
In which Futureling Faris Alikhan reveals an Allied plan to stop U-boats with a mix of ice and wood pulp, and John asks why everyone at SFO wears quarter-zip sweaters. Certificate #45325.
West Edmonton Mall (Entry 1422.JO0502)
In which Futureling Adam Wonderly discusses how a rug empire ended up creating a Canadian landmark, and John learns that Anchorage could have done better than an indoor ice rink. Certificate #43923.
The Carnegie Libraries (Entry 188.LU2101)
In which Futureling Jon Hannah discusses the origins of public libraries, labor exploitation and the uneasy bargain between wealth and the common good. Certificate #39770.
The Maury Island Incident (767.EZ0104)
In which Futureling Loren Skaggs and John discuss Tacoma, Cold War paranoia, the birth of flying saucer mythology, and the Katuga boat trote. Certificate #31561.
Jugglers, The Internet (Entry 667.EX0722)
In which Futureling Luke Burrage and John discuss the early history of the internet, Claude Shannon, information theory, and one of the least likely professions ever to be called "Sir". Certificate #28099.
The Bosnian War Camaro (Entry 144.MA0718)
In which Brendan McAleer explains how a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro became a lightly armored, smoke-blowing, night-vision-equipped humanitarian savior, which John insists is the coolest car an eleven-year-old could imagine. Certificate #21628.
Free to Be You & Me (Entry 499.1C1111)
In which we finally get a John show about growing up Gen X in front of the TV console watching Alan Alda, Rosey Grier, Cicely Tyson, Carol Channing, and Michael Jackson and Ken reminisces about what a stone-cold fox Marlo Thomas was. Certificate #36926.
The Bulldozing of Meigs Field (Entry 163.PS3508)
In which Futureling Rebecca unpacks the story of a mayor, a demolished airport, and the battle over who really gets to claim a city's waterfront, while John recalls discovering Chicago through a PC flight simulator. Certificate #32575.
The Ukrainian Interviews (Entry 1356.EC0918)
In which John travels to Ukraine and interviews Alisa Demina (Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy), Kateryna Chuyeva (a Ukrainian cultural heritage expert and former Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine) and Oleksandra Ivanova (PhD student of Archaeology at NaUKMA and co-founder the NGO Scientific and Research lab A
Carob (Entry 188.MA0106)
In which Futureling Christa Dahlstrom and John enjoy a virtual taste test and discuss the lifelong trauma of discovering that what you were promised was, in fact, not chocolate. Certificate #22095.
The Tommy Westphal Universe (Entry 1315.JO0714)
In which Futureling Thomas Dolan-Gavitt traces how an offhand blog post gave rise to television’s greatest conspiracy theory, weaving together Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, The X-Files, and a shared universe the shared-universe craze swept Hollywood. Certificate #6555.
Niagara Falls in a Barrel (Entry 836.PS4207)
In which a Yankee leaper and a long line of hucksters and daredevils take their chances over an American landmark, and John reveals he doesn't have Incognito Mode turned on in his browser. Certificate #54642
Nell Gwyn (Entry 557.GE2106)
In which cartoonist and writer Emily Flake discusses chance encounters with Dan Rather, being denied entry to Turks and Caicos, and the namesake of Emily's St. Nell's Humor Writing Residency for Ladies. Certificate #863.
The Astor Place Riot (Entry 76.PR2817)
In which David Hyde (Blue City Blues, Seattle Nice) meets John in the bunker to discuss the 1849 Astor Place Opera House Riot and the welcome return of the timeless Ken-era art of razzing Canadians. Certificate #26694.
The Dyatlov Pass Incident (Entry 389.1SA2314)
In which Futureling Ariela Silberstein gives John his Cold War fix while discussing the mysterious disappearance of nine Soviet hikers. Certificate #48070.
The Death of Mr. McMahon (Entry 319.MA0605)
In which Nick Butler (Sometimes Weekly) recalls exploding limos, kayfabe and a future President. Certificate #44697
Operation Columba (Entry 869.GE0810)
In which Futureling (and occasional magician’s assistant) Jennifer MacFarlane discusses pigeons and a family story from the southern Netherlands in the fall of 1944. Certificate #23861.
Doorbells (Entry 372.LU0207)
In which comedian Lisa Lane and John revisit late 20th-century nostalgia, and what technology has done to the delicate art of knocking on strangers’ doors. Certificate #12881
General Mills (Entry 520.GE0615)
In which comedian and writer Alex Falcone discusses weather balloons, broken arrows, and the most general of mills. Certificate #35593.
Nolan Bushnell (Entry 167.MA1323)
In which an Atari founder turns borrowed ideas into a gaming empire, makes a killing, and launches Rick Rat’s Pizza—guided by Futureling Keli Boucher. Certificate #48560.
The Cabinet of Doom (Entry 171.JE0814)
In which Bob Crawford, author of America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick and bass player for The Avett Brothers, waxes on William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and an unfortunately named Peacemaker. Certificate #34343.
The World's Largest Drum (Entry 144.CO0807)
In which giant university marching drums, mythic African war drums, and even a Salvadoran bronze masterpiece take center stage — guided by Futureling Natalie Hudson. Certificate #31992.
The Filibuster War (Entry 468.RE0602)
In which Futureling Hugh Scott unpacks the saga of drifter, doctor, and self-declared president William Walker. Certificate #28903
"Champagne" in New Mexico (Entry 205.DA0201)
In which Futureling Katie Tarara uncovers the surprising rise of a symbol of French celebration in the American Southwest. Certificate #31308
The Pyramid of North Dakota (Entry 1014.IS1901)
In which a lonely concrete pyramid in North Dakota uncovers the story of America’s ambitious—and short-lived—Cold War missile defense system, with guest Michael Milner. Certificate #1502
Worcester Sauce (Entry 1442.NU1150)
In which comedian Saul Henry discusses the global reach of Worcestershire sauce and regional British accents. Certificate #37300.
Eurowesterns (Entry 431.EZ0902)
In which Futureling Robert educates John about Germany's all-time best-selling author—and fraudster—Karl May. Special appearance by Einstein. Certificate #23821.
Surrealist Prank Calls (Entry 1258.OB0102)
In which Erin Dawson, a trans black metal musician who goes by the moniker Genital Shame, explores the nature of prank calls, their cultural significance, and Longmont Potion Castle. Certificate #50858.
Candlestick Park (Entry 179.EX3937)
In which writer and podcaster Grant Brisbee reveals the history of baseball's worst stadium. Special appearance by Richard Nixon and The Beatles. Certificate #31484.
The Phantom Time Hypothesis (Entry 928.PR1027)
In which various crackpots and Russians decide that three hundred years of the European "dark ages" simply didn't happen, and Ken doesn't want his eulogy to be vague. Certificate #22651.
Tama Bell Brass (Entry 1275.PR2225)
In which author, music executive and host of the Identified podcast Nabil Ayers discusses selling used CDs, The Terminator, The Drum Doctor and more. Certificate #48391.
Second Missouri Compromise (Entry 1122.MA0624)
In which Linus Chan explores American citizenship, the law, and the long shadow of the Missouri Compromise. Certificate #24581.
Neopets (Entry 831.EC0904)
In which Futureling Kate tells John about the rise, fall, and attempted revival of a millennial obsession. Certificate #30063.
Thomas-Alexandre Dumas (Entry 386.DA1125)
In which Futureling Richard Stephens tells of the rapid rise of a Revolutionary general through the military ranks, the challenges he faced as a person of color in a predominantly white society, and the decline of his legacy under Napoleon’s regime. Certificate #40773.
Glacier Girl (Entry 530.JB3822)
In which a WWII fighter plane crashes on a Greenland ice sheet in 1942 and is painstakingly recovered and restored by a pilot over two decades. Certificate #25573.
Exiled to Sentosa (Entry 438.LU2319)
In which a politician is banished to Singapore’s theme-park island, recounted by Nathan Jennings. Certificate #41799
E.A. Wallis Budge (Entry 161.IS1901)
In which the illegitimate son of a Cornish housekeeper rises to the top of the British Museum Egyptology department. Featuring futureling and the host of the podcast Books of All Time Rose Judson. Certificate #43419.
Penn Cove Whale Capture (Entry 916.JB0712)
Wherein dozens of Orca were kidnapped in an unspeakable scene and Christopher didn’t bring a laptop (and John didn’t have a camera yet). Certificate #41344.
Grit (Entry 551.PR1004)
In which a plucky immigrant "printer's devil" creates a newspaper that puzzles and pays off generations of young American boys, and John avoids a chainsaw duel. Certificate #31682.
The Grand DARPA Challenge (Entry 543.PS5507)
In which a government-backed desert race for unmanned vehicles ignites the technologies driving the autonomous future now creeping into our cities - with guest Andrew Miller. Certificate #49327
Jack Kirby’s Lost Art (Entry 688.DE2203)
In which Jack Kirby, a titan of American pop culture, confronts the disappearance of thousands of pages of his original comic art—and the battle over his place in creating modern pop culture guided by guest host Joseph J. Darowski. Certificate #43383
New York to Nome (Entry 835.AC2710)
In which two young Depression-era clerks break from their dull routines and embark on a canoe trip. Certificate #44688
(LIVE) New Coke (Entry 835.LK0538)
In which three well-meaning Atlanta executives accidentally announce their surrender in the cola wars, and Ken reads a letter. Certificate #38738.
Pneumatic Tubes (Entry 955.JN0308)
In which mail, cash, trash, passengers, burgers, and cats are sent zipping through vast networks on puffs of compressed air, and John would like to be sent a horny landscaper. Certificate #46257.
Management by Wandering Around (Entry 754.PS10740)
In which a Wyoming-educated economist gets big in Japan by inventing modern business theory, and Ken wants to be able to wince on a call. Certificate #36485.
The Spirit of Australia (Entry 1203.PS7716)
In which an power tools salesman builds the world's fastest boat in his Sydney backyard and somehow survives the experience, and John thinks it's funny to be accordion-shaped in the past. Certificate #16230.
Spam (Entry 1195.JB0607)
In which a Minnesota meat concern changes the face of world cuisine by passing their surplus pork shoulder off on hungry soldiers, and Ken imagines a pre-war Sir Mix-a-Lot. Certificate #53117.
The False Dmitrys (Entry 451.2K0428)
In which three or four pretenders decide to pass themselves off as a very convincingly killed Russian prince, and John realizes some jobs have dripping access. Certificate #51533.
Laugh Tracks (Entry 704.EC0202)
In which a mystery of Nazi propaganda, once solved, powers television sitcoms for decades to come, and Ken wonders about the least talented part of a guitarist. Certificate #37919.
The NATO Phonetic Alphabet (Entry 826.RV2213)
In which post-war science finally develops the perfect system for spelling things over radio and telephones, and John learns he has been misspelling a pretty famous play. Certificate #50168.
Muzak (Entry 820.1S1616)
In which a series of engineers, entrepreneurs, and classic TV producers discover that America wants gentle music piped into its public spaces, and Ken likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. Certificate #54082.
We Now Conclude Our Broadcast Day (Entry 1422.PS0305)
In which television stations spend decades signing off every night after the national anthem, and John likes to keep a stiff upper lip during Mormon TV ads. Certificate #31942.
The MGM Auction (Entry 783.JB2813)
In which wheeler-dealers and Debbie Reynolds pillage a priceless trove of movie treasure for pennies on the dollar, and Ken has never been in his own conference room. Certificate #38661.
Allan Bakke, M.D. (Entry 093.SS0510)
In which a Marine vet and NASA engineer changes the course of American public policy when he fails to get into medical school, and John has no pith. Certificate #29277.
Radioactive Boy (Entry 1026.JB4132)
In which a Detroit-area teen overachieves in Boy Scouts by trying to build a nuclear reactor in a potting shed, and Ken only wants capitalized toys. Certificate #50176.
Dollar Princesses (Entry 370.NU3603)
In which a generation of English peers and their sons look to fix their leaky castle roofs by marrying wealthy American "buccaneers," and John has never kidnapped anyone in Bulgaria. Certificate #33143.
Teddy Girls (Entry 1283.PR3122)
In which the dandyish vintage finds of postwar British teens set a blueprint for the rest of 20th-century youth fashion, and Ken keeps getting hit in the head by nose flutes on the bus. Certificate #13953.
The Integratron (Entry 650.SS0117)
In which a 700-year-old Venusian designs a mysterious whitewashed dome in the Mojave Desert, and John would like to change history at the mutiny on the Bounty. Certificate #13181.
Chemtrails (Entry 212.AM0407)
In which internet-era conspiracy theorists become convinced that jet contrails are weather control masterminded from Fairbanks, Alaska, and Ken thinks John sounds like a Muppet for exactly one syllable. Certificate #52946.
Ex-Millionaires (Entry 438.EC0514)
In which some of the bankers who lost their shirts in the Great Depression find a cushy retirement in the Bronx instead of jumping out windows, and John will never say anyone isn't gay. Certificate #35727.
Margarine (Entry 759.JU0525)
In which butter substitutes have to overcome scientific hurdles, dairy-friendly laws, and bad news about trans fats, and Ken thinks Germany is trying to control olive oil. Certificate #34384.
Chopin's Heart (Entry 218.JB4124)
In which Poland's most famous exile partially returns to Warsaw to posthumously annoy both tsars and Nazis, and John's restaurant idea has some light cannibalism. Certificate #31277.
Hostile Architecture (Entry 601.PR2907)
In which today's cities face tough choices on how to guide urban behavior with incredibly uncomfortable-looking design features, and Ken would pee on a fly but not a bee. Certificate #19421.
The War Between the States (Entry 1409.IS1902)
In which it takes decades for America to decide whether its civil war was an insurrection or an invasion, nomenclature-wise, and John walks very erratically on his orange shag carpet. Certificate #26478.
The Dreadnought Hoax (Entry 380.PS6831)
In which six bored, Cambridge-connected bohemians con their way onto the British Empire's naval flagship by dressing as African royalty, and Ken thinks John is either Batman or a Karen. Certificate #19722.
The Comics Code Authority (Entry 248.2CH2115)
In which a crusading social psychiatrist drums up the moral panic that gets two mega-popular comic book genres banned from America's newsstands, and John agrees that punching Hitler is unmissable. Certificate #44894.
Gorillas, Discovery of (Entry 540.PS10420)
In which it takes Europe over two thousand years to figure out that the greatest of the great apes is not just Carthaginian folklore, and Ken would like to be considered merciful. Certificate #46468.
Victorian Hairwork (Entry 1394.LK2118)
In which the popularity of "mourning bequeathments" and the death of the Prince Consort lead to an explosion of morbid family handicrafts, and John gives away the same piano twice. Certificate #50902.
Hawaiian Guitar (Entry 572.PS14409)
In which a Honolulu teenager discovers a rusty bolt by the side of the road and changes the face of 20th-century music across multiple genres, and Ken is surprised to learn what Aerosmith, Paul Shaffer, and Harvard have in common. Certificate #35281.
Vows of Silence (Entry 1403.PS10730)
In which a famed monastic tradition is revealed to be a modern misunderstanding of the chattiness of religious life, and Ken does not want to know what a Robot Guitar really is. Certificate #38497.
Rock Paper Scissors (Entry 1079.1CH2613)
In which an ancient Chinese game of intransitive balance changes the world as both a children's pastime and a decision-making method, and John has the candy tastes of a pioneer child. Certificate #23611.
Lemmings (Entry 711.MK1503)
In which the documentary films of the Arctic are revealed to be full of lies, leading to one misunderstood rodent, and John thinks about a vole in a bowl. Certificate #25575.
Pulgasari (Entry 1007.IS4602)
In which North Korea jump-starts its fledgeling monster movie industry by literally kidnapping talent from across the DMZ, and Ken was distracted by skateboarding. Certificate #37139
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