Best dave@thedavebowmanshow.com Podcasts (2025)

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This is How Democracy Dies 13:11

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4h ago13:11

13:11

Athens in the summer of 411 BCE was a city smoldering beneath the weight of its own glory. The golden age had cracked, and under the strain of war, pride, and poverty, the world’s first democracy was about to slit its own wrists. This wasn’t some minor squabble among politicians. It was an existential crisis. A full-blown betrayal from within. The …

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WTF - It's Fine 1:02:21

6h ago1:02:21

1:02:21

Welcome back to *What The Frock?, where the robes are real, the satire is sharp, and the heresy is bipartisan. In this week’s episode, *It’s Fine…*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod dive headfirst into the absurdity of modern life, starting with the battle of the broken states: Washington vs. California. Spoiler—Washington wins, and not in a good way. From…

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The Liberty Incident 10:40

9h ago10:40

10:40

On June 8, 1967, in the sunlit waters of the eastern Mediterranean, an American ship flew the Stars and Stripes over calm seas. Her name was the USS Liberty, a lightly armed intelligence vessel serving under the National Security Agency. She carried 294 crew members, including sailors, Marines, and NSA linguists trained in Arabic and Russian. That …

1
The Lee Resolution 7:27

1d ago7:27

7:27

It was June 7, 1776, a heavy summer day in Philadelphia. The streets simmered with tension, and inside the State House, the Second Continental Congress sat on the edge of history. The men in that room had argued, pleaded, and petitioned for peace, but now the moment had come to talk about war. Not just war with muskets, but a war of ideas, a war of…

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Teufel Hunden 11:11

2d ago11:11

11:11

On a warm morning in early June 1918, somewhere amid the rolling farmland and wooded clearings of northern France, a handful of American Marines fixed bayonets, whispered prayers, and stepped into the wheat. It was June 6, 1918 and the woods they faced were called Belleau. Before sunset that day, more United States Marines would be killed or wounde…

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The Last Lawman 8:52

3d ago8:52

8:52

On this episode of Dave Does History, we take a long, hard look at one of the most controversial figures of the American West—Pat Garrett. You probably know him as the man who shot Billy the Kid, but Garrett’s story runs far deeper than that single, fateful moment in a darkened New Mexico bedroom. Born in Alabama, raised in Louisiana, and forged by…

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The Last King of America 5:15

4d ago5:15

5:15

When most Americans think of George III, they picture a tyrant in a powdered wig, raving about taxes and trying to crush the spirit of liberty. That image, baked into our national memory by revolution and rebellion, is not entirely wrong—but it is far from the whole story. George III, born in 1738 and crowned king in 1760, was a complicated man try…

1
Liberty 250 - It It Be Treason 32:09

5d ago32:09

32:09

In Virginia’s House of Burgesses, a 29-year-old lawyer with a sharp tongue and a sharper sense of justice stood up and gave a speech that shook the walls of the chamber—and the foundations of British authority in America. As he warned his fellow legislators about the dangers of unchecked power, Henry’s words grew bold. Too bold, some thought. When …

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A Mans Home Is His Castle 10:36

6d ago10:36

10:36

Today on *Dave Does History*, we are digging into a law that did not just ruffle feathers—it rattled rafters. The Quartering Act of 1774, passed by a distant Parliament, gave royal governors the power to house British soldiers in uninhabited buildings across the colonies. To many Americans, it felt like a military boot stomping through the front ga…

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The Glorious 1st of June 9:55

7d ago9:55

9:55

On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we set sail into the heart of the Atlantic for one of the bloodiest naval battles you have never heard of—the Glorious First of June. It is 1794, and Revolutionary France is starving. A massive grain convoy from America becomes a lifeline, and the British Royal Navy is determined to cut it off. What follows i…

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WTF - Mass Ejections, Coronal and Others... 1:00:07

7d ago1:00:07

1:00:07

**What The Frock? – Podcast Introduction (150 Words)**This week on *What The Frock?*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod explore the fiery temper of the sun and the flaky madness of humanity. Rabbi Dave kicks things off with a surprise medical drama, proving once again that technology may be smart, but it’s not very thoughtful. From there, the holy duo turns…

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The Petri Dish 6:18

8d ago6:18

6:18

It is one of the most overlooked inventions in modern science—a simple glass dish with a lid that quietly revolutionized the world. In this episode of *Dave Does History*, we explore the life of Julius Richard Petri, the man whose name lives on in labs and classrooms everywhere. From his work alongside Robert Koch to the dish that bears his name, P…

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The Flame and the Fleur-de-lis 8:44

9d ago8:44

8:44

On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we travel back to the smoke-filled streets of Rouen in the spring of 1431. It is here, on May 30, that a nineteen-year-old peasant girl named Joan of Arc faced her final hour—chained to a stake, surrounded by fire, and steadfast in her faith. But Joan’s death was not the end of her story. It was the spark tha…

1
Deep Ocean of Love 8:31

10d ago8:31

8:31

In this episode of *Dave Does History*, we revisit one of the most overlooked maritime tragedies of the 20th century—the sinking of the RMS *Empress of Ireland*. On May 29, 1914, just weeks before the world would plunge into war, the great liner went down in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence River, taking 1,012 souls with her. Among the dead we…

1
The Eclipse of Thales 9:52

11d ago9:52

9:52

The morning of May 28, 585 BCE, must have felt like any other on the plains near the Halys River. For six long years, the Lydians and the Medes had been at war, clashing over territory and pride. There had been victories on both sides, defeats as well, and even a curious battle fought in the dark of night. But on this day, the two armies met once a…

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Liberty 250 - Rum Soaked Taxes 33:02

12d ago33:02

33:02

On this episode of *Dave Does History*, Dave Bowman joins *Bill Mick Live* to explore how molasses, monarchs, and mismanagement helped ignite the American Revolution. From a failed cobra bounty in colonial India to the British government’s disastrous molasses tax in the 1700s, Dave draws a straight line from economic blunders to revolutionary fervo…

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Edmund The Magnificent 5:35

13d ago5:35

5:35

King Edmund I ruled with courage and clarity during one of England’s most volatile eras. In just seven years, he beat back Viking invasions, secured alliances, and strengthened royal justice—only to die suddenly during mass. Discover the story of Edmund the Magnificent, the king history almost forgot.…

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WTF - Is This Even Real? 1:00:05

14d ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod explore the blurred lines between faith, technology, and identity in this thought-provoking episode. From AI-written sermons to synthetic news anchors, they ask: what’s real, what’s righteous, and what’s just cleverly coded? A hilarious and insightful look at the digital age through sacred (and skeptical) eyes.…

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Cresap's War 9:27

14d ago9:27

9:27

Before the colonies ever turned their attention toward revolution, before a single musket was fired at Lexington or Concord, two of Britain’s American provinces nearly came to blows with each other. The conflict was not about tea or taxes, but about maps, egos, and one particularly hard-headed frontiersman named Thomas Cresap. His name would come t…

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Toleration... Kind Of... 8:19

15d ago8:19

8:19

Before there was freedom of religion in America, before Thomas Jefferson penned the Virginia Statute, before James Madison hammered out the First Amendment, there was a moment in 1688 when England, ever so cautiously, took a step toward religious tolerance. The Toleration Act of 1688, often referenced by its date of royal assent in 1689, was not a …

1
Squalus Down 9:35

16d ago9:35

9:35

On a crisp May morning in 1939, the crew of the USS Squalus set out from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, unaware that they were about to write one of the most remarkable chapters in submarine history. The Squalus was new. She was sleek, modern, and powerful. A Sargo-class submarine, she had been launched only the previous September, and commissioned int…

1
A Pope 6:08

18d ago6:08

6:08

Alexander Pope was many things, but above all, he was a survivor. Born in London on May 21, 1688, he entered a world that was not built for a boy like him. His family was Roman Catholic at a time when that faith all but guaranteed exclusion from the institutions of power, education, and polite society. Thanks to the penal laws of the day, Pope coul…

1
Liberty 250 - The First World War 33:05

19d ago33:05

33:05

Long before the thunder of muskets at Lexington or the echo of Jefferson’s pen across the pages of the Declaration of Independence, the American colonies were already engulfed in a struggle that would change the world.In this week’s episode of Dave Does History on Bill Mick Live, we trace the origins of that struggle—not to July 1776, but back to t…

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Johns Hopkins 8:03

20d ago8:03

8:03

When most people hear the name Johns Hopkins, they think of hospitals, white coats, and maybe a university that sounds a little like a typo. But behind the name is a story worth telling—a story of grit, generosity, contradiction, and vision. Johns Hopkins was a man whose life shaped the very city he called home, and whose legacy continues to shape …

1
WTF - Original Sin 1:02:18

21d ago1:02:18

1:02:18

This week on *What The Frock?*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod tackle the fallout from Jake Tapper’s new book *Original Sin*, which bravely reveals everything we already knew—but couldn’t say—about President Biden’s cognitive decline. From media complicity to George Clooney’s suspiciously timed “epiphany,” the guys unpack how the press and the political …

1
The Ruby Yacht 6:59

21d ago6:59

6:59

Omar Khayyam, the man behind the Rubáiyát, was no ordinary poet. He was born on May 18, 1048, in Nishapur, in what is now northeastern Iran. His surname, “Khayyam,” meaning tentmaker, likely described his father’s profession. But young Omar quickly outgrew any legacy of canvas and rope. His teachers recognized a prodigious intellect, and he was sen…

1
The World Catches Fire 7:31

22d ago7:31

7:31

It began with a piece of parchment and a declaration. On May 17, 1756, the Kingdom of Great Britain formally declared war on the Kingdom of France. For anyone watching the slow-burning tensions of the past decade, it was hardly a surprise. But the significance of that declaration cannot be overstated. In that moment, what had been a series of regio…

1
Data From The Mouth of Hell 6:21

23d ago6:21

6:21

On this episode of Dave Does History, we travel back to May 16, 1969, when the Soviet Union dropped a robot into the blazing heart of Venus. Venera 5 was no ordinary probe—it was built like a tank, wired like a scientist, and plunged into an atmosphere so fierce it would crush a submarine. For 53 minutes, it battled heat, pressure, and gravity, sen…

1
A LIttle Faith 9:35

24d ago9:35

9:35

In 1963, astronaut Gordon Cooper launched on the Faith 7 mission, completing 22 orbits in over 34 hours. Facing equipment failures, he maintained composure and used manual calculations to safely return. Cooper's journey symbolized American perseverance and faith, shaping future space missions while capturing the spirit of a changing era.…

1
Otto Klemperer 8:00

25d ago8:00

8:00

Otto Klemperer, born in 1885 in Breslau, was a prominent conductor who navigated a tumultuous musical and personal life. He fled Nazi Germany, struggled with health issues, and yet triumphed, conducting major orchestras and championing diverse repertoires. His legacy endures through his music and the notable career of his son, Werner.…

1
DDH - Habit of the Heart 33:32

26d ago33:32

33:32

In this first episode of our new series, Dave lays the cornerstone by drawing a sharp and necessary distinction between two words we often treat as interchangeable: freedom and liberty. With stories ranging from Captain Levi Preston's 1840s recollections to the tale of Joseph in Genesis, Dave shows how liberty—unlike mere freedom—is a deeply rooted…

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Nurses Day 6:01

27d ago6:01

6:01

Today on *Dave Does History*, we honor the quiet heroes in scrubs by diving into the legacy of Florence Nightingale—the woman who transformed nursing from a thankless task into a global profession. On International Nurses Day, we reflect on her bold defiance of Victorian norms, her relentless pursuit of reform during the Crimean War, and how her sp…

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Revolutionary Lessons from the Iliad 10:25

28d ago10:25

10:25

What do Achilles and Thomas Jefferson have in common?No, this is not the start of a bad bar joke involving sandals and powdered wigs. It is the central question of today’s episode of Dave Does History, where we continue our Liberty – 250 journey by looking at how flawed men—sometimes deeply flawed—can still forge greatness.…

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WTF - The Will of Zeus 54:55

28d ago54:55

54:55

This week on *What the Frock?*, Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod roll the dice—literally and figuratively—as they reckon with being hilariously wrong about everything. From the surprise passage of statewide rent control in Washington to the shock election of an American Pope (a White Sox fan, no less!), the divine comedy unfolds with sarcasm, snark, and a …

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Mussel Slough 7:26

28d ago7:26

7:26

In today’s episode of *Dave Does History*, we delve into the dramatic and tragic Mussel Slough Tragedy of 1880. This shootout between settlers and agents of the Southern Pacific Railroad over disputed land titles left seven men dead and sparked a nationwide conversation about corporate monopolies, land rights, and the battle between the little guy …

1
North Brirton 45 8:23

29d ago8:23

8:23

In the early 1760s, Britain was a country deeply embroiled in political upheaval. King George III had recently ascended the throne, and the country was recovering from the tumult of the Seven Years' War. As Britain’s new monarch, George was eager to restore stability, but his government, particularly under Prime Minister Earl of Bute, was unpopular…

1
A Punch and Judy Hitter 7:33

1M ago7:33

7:33

According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, a Punch and Judy hitter is someone who does not swing for the fences. He chokes up, pokes the ball, slaps it to the opposite field, and drops it just where no one can catch it. No power. No fireworks. But he gets on base. The term, it turns out, is borrowed from the chaotic world of British puppet shows…

1
The Conclave of 1721 10:31

1M ago10:31

10:31

In the spring of 1721, Rome became the stage for one of the most politically charged papal conclaves in history. Over thirty-nine tense days and seventy-five ballots, powerful factions battled for control of the Church’s future. Out of this storm emerged a quiet and steady figure—Michelangelo dei Conti, who would become Pope Innocent XIII. On this …

1
The Moral Framing of the War 7:33

1M ago7:33

7:33

It was a clear spring day, May 7, 1915, when a British ocean liner—the RMS Lusitania—slipped beneath the waves off the southern coast of Ireland. She had left New York six days earlier, bound for Liverpool, and was now just hours from her destination. On board were nearly two thousand souls—men, women, children, businessmen, families, and a signifi…

1
Before the Internet, There was Grandpa 22:53

1M ago22:53

22:53

There was a time when history was not written—it was spoken. Passed from elder to child, rabbi to disciple, warrior to scribe. It pulsed with breath, gesture, tone, and rhythm. But somewhere along the road to modernity, history put down the mic and picked up a pen. In this week’s episode of Dave Does History, we explore the great divide between ora…

1
Around the World.. In One Amazing Lifetime 8:04

1M ago8:04

8:04

This week on *Dave Does History*, we bring you the astonishing story of Nellie Bly—the fearless reporter who exposed cruelty inside an asylum, circled the globe faster than Phileas Fogg, and redefined what women could do in journalism. Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, Bly smashed through 19th-century expectations with a pen, a passport, and relentless …

1
May 4th Movement 11:13

1M ago11:13

11:13

It began on a spring day in Beijing, May 4th, 1919. More than three thousand students from thirteen universities gathered in Tiananmen Square, not to celebrate or observe a holiday, but to protest. They were angry, frustrated, and determined. Their government had failed them, their nation had been betrayed, and they were not going to remain silent.…

1
Bubby 10:36

1M ago10:36

10:36

Golda Meir was not born into power. She was born into pogroms. On May 3, 1898, in Kiev, within the crumbling Russian Empire, a little Jewish girl named Golda Mabovitch entered the world with history already pressing against her door. Her earliest memory, as she would later recount, was watching her father hammer boards across the entrance of their …

1
Chancellorsville - Day 2 9:15

1M ago9:15

9:15

On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we follow Stonewall Jackson into the shadows of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863—the day the thunder rolled through the Wilderness. With audacity that bordered on reckless, Jackson launched one of the most daring flank attacks in American military history, shattering the Union right and changing the tide of th…

1
Chancellorsville day 1 8:53

1M ago8:53

8:53

The morning of May 1, 1863, broke over the tangled thickets of Virginia’s Wilderness with the kind of deceptive peace that war often wraps itself in. The sun rose, the birds sang, and thousands of men stirred in the dew-drenched underbrush, tightening their belts, adjusting gear, preparing for something that none of them could yet name. At a brick …

1
Equō nē crēdite, Teucrī! 8:38

1M ago8:38

8:38

In the dim light of the eastern horizon, on what tradition holds as April 24, 1183 BCE, the city of Troy, proud and impregnable for a decade, finally succumbed to the cleverest of tricks and the fiercest of wrath. Flames licked the sky. Statues crumbled. The gods, once patrons of heroes and city alike, now watched in silence as the once-glorious ci…

1
Louisiana 9:27

1M ago9:27

9:27

On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we explore the boldest land deal in American history—the Louisiana Purchase. Signed on April 30, 1803, this momentous decision doubled the size of the young republic, redrew the map, and set the United States on a course for continental dominance. But it was more than a bargain—it was a gamble filled with pol…

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Liberty! 250 - Introdcution

1M ago

—

When we talk about the American Revolution, it is easy to get lost in a tangle of causes: taxes, representation, gun rights, even modern revisionist theories. But what if the real cause was something simpler — and far deeper? What if the Revolution was born of an idea so profound that it shaped not only 1776, but still echoes through our lives toda…

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The Last Founding Father 8:57

1M ago8:57

8:57

James Monroe’s name today stirs little beyond a few dusty mentions in schoolbooks, a Doctrine vaguely remembered, and a presidency draped in the soft mist of the so-called Era of Good Feelings. Yet behind that fading silhouette stands a man forged in blood, battered by war, and tempered by a hard love for a fragile, hungry young nation. Monroe was …

1
The Shores of Tripoli 8:07

1M ago8:07

8:07

In the spring of 1805, on a dusty strip of Libyan coastline, a small band of Americans, mercenaries, and one exiled prince marched into the pages of history. Their objective was a fortified town called Derna, perched between the Mediterranean Sea and the desert, ruled by a Bashaw named Yusuf Karamanli. What happened there gave the United States its…

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