An Ounce - For Your Consideration
Discover hidden stories from history—bite-sized, clever tales that challenge what you thought you knew. At An Ounce, we uncover the little moments that quietly changed everything, surprising truths, and fascinating facts you won’t hear elsewhere.
I’m Jim Fugate—retired firefighter, lifelong learner, and an outside-the-box thinker who loves sharing history’s hidden gems. These quick, engaging stories don’t take themselves too seriously, won’t steal your precious time, and might just make you feel a little bit smarter.
I hope you’ll join a community of curious minds who enjoy a fresh take on history—where conversation is always open and everyone’s invited.
Podcasting since 2019 • 416 episodes
An Ounce - For Your Consideration
Latest Episodes
Why People Bought Pills to Survive a Comet — And Why We Still Fall for the Same Panic
In 1910, people bought “Anti-Comet Pills” to survive Halley’s Comet. This weird history episode exposes why mass hysteria and fear still spreads faster than truth—and why we keep falling for the same panic-driven traps today.In 19...
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Season 7
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Episode 51
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7:43
The Big Burn: The Forgotten Firestorm That Changed America
The 1910 Big Burn wasn’t a wildfire — it was a firestorm that outran horses, erased towns in minutes, and nearly destroyed the entire U.S. Forest Service.In August 1910, a perfect storm of drought, wind, bad policy, and impossible...
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Season 7
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Episode 50
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10:34
Reclaiming Your Mind in the Age of Outrage: Escaping the Algorithm’s Fun House
How much of what you see online is real—and how much is the algorithm’s illusion? Learn how to take back your attention, retrain your brain, and escape the digital funhouse.Your social-media feed isn’t random. It’s a reflection—wa...
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Season 7
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Episode 49
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6:47
The New Snake Oil: Outrage and Validation in the Digital World
Social Media, So-called News, Bots, Algorithms, and digital snake-oil salesmen—this episode of An Ounce exposes how misinformation spreads, why outrage sells, and how your clicks keep it alive.Bots aren’t the villains—they’re the ...
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Season 7
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Episode 48
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11:37
Queen’s Hidden Genius: The Rock Star Who Helped NASA Map Pluto
Queen had two geniuses — and one helped NASA map Pluto.Everyone knows Freddie Mercury lit up the stage. Few know Brian May earned a PhD in astrophysics, built his own guitar from a fireplace mantle, and helped create NASA’s first 3-D ...
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6:12