CAN ALEXA TALK TO THE DEAD? #WeirdDarknessRadio WEEKEND OF 08/20/2023

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HOUR ONE: We’ll share a few miserable details of the life of Aaron Burr – it got even worse after his duel with Alexander Hamilton! (Aaron Burr’s Life Sucked) *** People have used a wide assortment of devices to try and communicate with the dead. Ouija boards, automatic writing, seances, ghost boxes… but it appears we might now be able to add Amazon’s Alexa to that list. (Can Alexa Speak With The Dead?) *** “I’ve seen some mighty pretty puppies, and I want one.” Those were the last words the mother of eight-year-old Kenneth Beasley would hear from her son. What followed was a disappearance, suspected kidnapping and murder trial that made national news in 1905. (Where is Kenneth Beasley?)
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HOUR TWO: When you hear the name Jigsaw, you likely immediately think of the puppet with the creepy voice of a serial killer who sets up elaborate deaths for his victims in a game only he enjoys. But in 1935 another man’s brutal deeds earned him the same nickname… only his story wasn’t Hollywood fiction. (The Real Jigsaw) *** Could the legend of the Pied Piper hint at a real horrific event that befell the town of Hamelin more than 700 years ago? (The True Story of the Pied Piper) *** Ever woken up suddenly by a loud blast like a gun shot or slamming door, only to wake up and realize there really was no sound at all that was made? This is known as Exploding Head Syndrome, and if you’ve experienced it, you’ve likely not got long to live. Or do you? (Exploding Head Syndrome)
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SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: “Assaulting Ghost. Residents of East Jefferson Street Disturbed. A Thrilling Story of the Strange Persecution of an Old Mexican Woman.” That’s what the Arizona Republic newspaper headline read on September 23, 1899. And I have the story. (The Burning Stones) *** No one knew what the phone number was supposed to be for. No one knew the meaning of the bizarre recording they heard when calling the number. No one knew who owned the phone number, or what they had done with it, or why. It’s the strange history behind a seemingly innocent 1-800 number that still has people baffled… especially those looking for improvement on their golf game. (Canada’s Weirdest Toll-Free Phone Number) *** In 1944, the small town of Mattoon, Illinois was terrorized by a man in black who, according to witnesses and testimony, attacked unsuspecting homeowners with a paralyzing gas he would spray through their windows. Who was he? Why did he do it? The man and the motive are still a mystery. (The Mad Gasser of Mattoon)
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SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT’S SHOW:
“Aaron Burr’s Life Sucked” by Kellen Perry for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p847dyt
“Can Alexa Speak With The Dead?” by Rob Schwartz for Stranger Dimensions: https://tinyurl.com/vb94mcl
“Where Is Kenneth Beasley” posted at Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/ttnr28o
“The Burning Stones” posted at The Fortean: https://tinyurl.com/rbrlr8t
“Canada’s Weirdest Toll-Free Phone Number” posted at The Ghost In My Machine: https://tinyurl.com/uqo8lyx
“The Real Jigsaw” by Robert Walsh for The Lineup: https://tinyurl.com/ufhzmpf
“The True Story of the Pied Piper” by Orrin Grey for The Portalist: https://tinyurl.com/y7tsz3km
“Exploding Head Syndrome” by Melissa for Today I Found Out: https://tinyurl.com/qsuu4rt
“The Mad Gasser of Mattoon” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/u599zfo
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PODCASTS I HOST:
Weird Darkness: https://weirddarkness.com/listen
Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymag
Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrors
Retro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradio
Church of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead
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