Episode 189: "Let's go, girls!"

Left of Skeptic

Happy Spooky Wednesday, Folks! Kala’s got two locations for you this week, which are often discussed at the same time. The Tennessee State Prison and the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary are located about an hour and a half away from each other, and both are plagued by paranormal activity brought on by years of overcrowding, violence, and general ill-treatment. While the TSP was basically demolished by a tornado in 2020, Brushy is still available for tours. Will you encounter the ghost who is still having nicotine cravings, or try to escape the heat with the cold spots in the chapel? And Brittany tells us about the badass, Giulia Tofana. This woman continued the work of her mother Thofania d'Adamo, who created the elixir known as Aqua Tofana. Through the 17th-century whisper network, this poison saved women from abusive arranged marriages for decades. While we would never condone this activity today, the women of this era didn’t seem to have any other choice. And it would seem that Giulia Tofana was a hero to more people than we can count.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please don’t hesitate to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. They have folks who can talk to you 24/7 in English, Spanish, and 200+ additional languages through interpretation services

Call 800-799-7233 or text 88788

Or visit their website at www.thehotline.org

Editor’s Note: Women were allowed to apply for credit cards independently in 1974, after the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). Before the ECOA, banks could refuse to issue credit cards to women or require their husbands to co-sign for them.