<![CDATA[Press Gang]]>The purpose of a “press gang” is to forcibly conscript unwitting civilians into military service. Well, the purpose of this Press Gang is to babble through interesting, exciting, and strange stories throughout history. Just note that I am not a historian or physically capable of forcing anyone to do anything. I am a mildly funny dork with very unfortunate friends who love me too much to say no to guest-hosting on this podcast. So come join us for the stories, stay for some laughs, and who knows, maybe you’ll learn something. Now let’s get into it.

]]>pressgangpod@gmail.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Thu, 28 May 2026 00:18:04 GMTTue, 25 Nov 2025 03:03:08 GMT60Press Gang<p>The purpose of a “press gang” is to forcibly conscript unwitting civilians into military service. Well, the purpose of this Press Gang is to babble through interesting, exciting, and strange stories throughout history. Just note that I am not a historian or physically capable of forcing anyone to do anything. I am a mildly funny dork with very unfortunate friends who love me too much to say no to guest-hosting on this podcast. So come join us for the stories, stay for some laughs, and who knows, maybe you’ll learn something. Now let’s get into it.</p>episodicPress Gangfazio.aj@gmail.comyes<![CDATA[The Bridgewater Triangle: Massachusetts' Paranormal Epicenter]]>Did you know that Bigfoots, UFOs, and Satanic Cults all exist in South Shore Massachusetts? We didn't buy it either. Join five best buds as we yap over each other and hunt for fairy dust on this episode of Press Gang.

]]>f77bc0ae-6ddf-42ae-838f-cb4edc21d67fSun, 29 Mar 2026 17:33:56 GMT<p>Did you know that Bigfoots, UFOs, and Satanic Cults all exist in South Shore Massachusetts? We didn't buy it either. Join five best buds as we yap over each other and hunt for fairy dust on this episode of Press Gang.</p>yes01:14:13The Bridgewater Triangle: Massachusetts' Paranormal Epicenterfull<![CDATA[The Bridgewater Triangle *TRAILER* (banter sample)]]>Check out this stupid trailer of us yapping for Press Gang Episode 5 - The Bridgewater Triangle.

]]>963c3738-97aa-4660-ae87-2e02a949bb4dSun, 29 Mar 2026 16:58:03 GMT<p>Check out this stupid trailer of us yapping for Press Gang Episode 5 - The Bridgewater Triangle.</p>yes00:01:11The Bridgewater Triangle *TRAILER* (banter sample)trailer<![CDATA[The Bridgewater Triangle *TRAILER*]]>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 5 - The Bridgewater Triangle.

]]>9b912e93-e940-438e-a2e1-deb961ee6265Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:55:05 GMT<p>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 5 - The Bridgewater Triangle.</p>yes00:00:55The Bridgewater Triangle *TRAILER*trailer<![CDATA[Private Wojtek *TRAILER*]]>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 4 - Private Wojtek: The Polish Army's Emotional Support Bear.

]]>0904b6fa-9ffe-497c-9087-af9ce6a984c1Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:06:59 GMT<p>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 4 - Private Wojtek: The Polish Army's Emotional Support Bear.</p>yes00:01:26Private Wojtek *TRAILER*trailer<![CDATA[The North Pond Hermit *TRAILER*]]>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 3 - The North Pond Hermit: And Other Personal Stories of Rome, Maine.

]]>690434f0-939c-4338-9b7a-f0bec2002553Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:05:43 GMT<p>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 3 - The North Pond Hermit: And Other Personal Stories of Rome, Maine.</p>yes00:01:22The North Pond Hermit *TRAILER*trailer<![CDATA[The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout *TRAILER*]]>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 2 - The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout: A Really Bad Day At Work.

]]>48529f12-ca50-49a7-80cc-5c794ab7b041Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:03:45 GMT<p>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 2 - The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout: A Really Bad Day At Work.</p>yes00:01:09The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout *TRAILER*trailer<![CDATA[Pavlov's House *TRAILER*]]>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 1 - Pavolv's House: The Lighthouse of The Volga.

]]>2101093a-3c63-4fc2-a494-19dc0b5105b3Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:02:09 GMT<p>Check out the trailer for Press Gang Episode 1 - Pavolv's House: The Lighthouse of The Volga.</p>yes00:01:18Pavlov's House *TRAILER*trailer<![CDATA[Private Wojtek: The Polish Army's Emotional Support Bear]]>After being freed from Siberia the Polish Army adopted a Syrian brown bear in Iran and then took him to Italy...for real. On this episode of Press Gang we are joined by a real Polak, Diane, to talk about the most Polish thing that has ever happened.

]]>4b327f52-3449-4f33-9866-836d0605a482Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:52:45 GMT<p>After being freed from Siberia the Polish Army adopted a Syrian brown bear in Iran and then took him to Italy...for real. On this episode of Press Gang we are joined by a real Polak, Diane, to talk about the most Polish thing that has ever happened.</p>yes00:48:104Private Wojtek: The Polish Army's Emotional Support Bearfull<![CDATA[The North Pond Hermit: And Other Personal Stories of Rome, Maine]]>Rome, ME is so awesome that someone walked into the woods in 1986 and didn’t come out until 2013.  On this episode of Press Gang, we tell the story of Christopher Thomas Knight, aka “The North Pond Hermit”, and gab about our love for Rome (the one with Day’s Store, not the one with the Colosseum).

Music:

WANTED by BLUE STEEL

Sources:

The Atlantic. (2020, April 23). The Last True Hermit Survived Alone for 27 Years [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFcbAllQmxc

Fascinating Horror. (2025, April 22). In Hiding for 27 Years: The North Pond Hermit | Fascinating Horror [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rftItsbN2mo

Harvey, A. (2025, September 16). The Astonishing Story Of Christopher Thomas Knight, The Maine ‘Hermit’ Who Lived In Isolation For 27 Years. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/christopher-thomas-knight

Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, August 16). Christopher Thomas Knight. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Thomas_Knight

TVO Today. (2017, August 28). The Last True Hermit [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEcbijLmEXs

]]>049c67e9-4771-485b-95c4-3d0993ff88bbMon, 01 Dec 2025 15:30:55 GMT<p>Rome, ME is so awesome that someone walked into the woods in 1986 and didn’t come out until 2013.  On this episode of Press Gang, we tell the story of Christopher Thomas Knight, aka “The North Pond Hermit”, and gab about our love for Rome (the one with Day’s Store, not the one with the Colosseum).</p><p></p><p><b>Music:</b></p><p>WANTED by BLUE STEEL</p><p></p><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p></p><p>The Atlantic. (2020, April 23). The Last True Hermit Survived Alone for 27 Years [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFcbAllQmxc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFcbAllQmxc</a></p><p></p><p>Fascinating Horror. (2025, April 22). In Hiding for 27 Years: The North Pond Hermit | Fascinating Horror [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rftItsbN2mo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rftItsbN2mo</a></p><p></p><p>Harvey, A. (2025, September 16). <i>The Astonishing Story Of Christopher Thomas Knight, The Maine ‘Hermit’ Who Lived In Isolation For 27 Years</i>. All That’s Interesting. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://allthatsinteresting.com/christopher-thomas-knight" target="_blank">https://allthatsinteresting.com/christopher-thomas-knight</a></p><p></p><p>Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, August 16). <i>Christopher Thomas Knight</i>. Wikipedia. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Thomas_Knight" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Thomas_Knight</a></p><p></p><p>TVO Today. (2017, August 28). The Last True Hermit [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEcbijLmEXs" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEcbijLmEXs</a></p><p></p>yes01:06:273The North Pond Hermit: And Other Personal Stories of Rome, Mainefull<![CDATA[The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout: A Really Bad Day At Work]]>The most famous shootout in the history of the FBI was born out of a string of robberies, murder(s), and a whole lot of mustaches. On this episode of Press Gang, we discuss a very bad day at work. Join us for the story of the 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout and a whole lot of unqualified blabbering.

Music:

WANTED by BLUE STEEL

Sources:

Bushatz, A. (2019, June 21). Shootout in Miami. Recoil. https://www.recoilweb.com/shootout-in-miami-142459.html 

Fatal Firefight in Miami. (n.d.). Federal Bureau of Investigation. https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fatal-firefight-in-miami 

Harrell, Paul. (2017, March 31). FBI 1986 Miami Dade Shooting: An Analysis [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv8cByaVyNQ&t=1193s

Pike, T. (2023, December 28). Guns of the ’86 Miami Shootout: An In-Depth Look - The Mag Life. The Mag Life. https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/guns-of-the-86-miami-shootout-an-in-depth-look/ 

The FBI Files. (2020, August 8). Firefight | FULL EPISODE | The FBI Files [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5UVkNhqi_k&t=2563s

Wendigoon. (2024, December 29). The Deadliest Shootout in FBI History [Video]. YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzJyn_NbxSk&t=4707s

Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, September 5). 1986 FBI Miami shootout. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

]]>006424e0-5ddb-4028-8613-b730f9bfaf1eSat, 29 Nov 2025 15:25:07 GMT<p>The most famous shootout in the history of the FBI was born out of a string of robberies, murder(s), and a whole lot of mustaches. On this episode of Press Gang, we discuss a very bad day at work. Join us for the story of the 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout and a whole lot of unqualified blabbering.</p><p></p><p><b>Music:</b></p><p>WANTED by BLUE STEEL</p><p></p><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p>Bushatz, A. (2019, June 21). Shootout in Miami. Recoil. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.recoilweb.com/shootout-in-miami-142459.html" target="_blank">https://www.recoilweb.com/shootout-in-miami-142459.html</a> </p><p></p><p>Fatal Firefight in Miami. (n.d.). Federal Bureau of Investigation. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fatal-firefight-in-miami" target="_blank">https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fatal-firefight-in-miami</a> </p><p></p><p>Harrell, Paul. (2017, March 31). FBI 1986 Miami Dade Shooting: An Analysis [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv8cByaVyNQ&amp;t=1193s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv8cByaVyNQ&amp;t=1193s</a></p><p></p><p>Pike, T. (2023, December 28). Guns of the ’86 Miami Shootout: An In-Depth Look - The Mag Life. The Mag Life. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/guns-of-the-86-miami-shootout-an-in-depth-look/" target="_blank">https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/guns-of-the-86-miami-shootout-an-in-depth-look/</a> </p><p></p><p>The FBI Files. (2020, August 8). Firefight | FULL EPISODE | The FBI Files [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5UVkNhqi_k&amp;t=2563s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5UVkNhqi_k&amp;t=2563s</a></p><p></p><p>Wendigoon. (2024, December 29). The Deadliest Shootout in FBI History [Video]. YouTube. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzJyn_NbxSk&amp;t=4707s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzJyn_NbxSk&amp;t=4707s</a></p><p></p><p>Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, September 5). 1986 FBI Miami shootout. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.</p>yes01:06:262The 1986 Miami-Dade FBI Shootout: A Really Bad Day At Workfull<![CDATA[Pavlov's House: The Lighthouse of The Volga]]>During The Battle of Stalingrad, a four story apartment building with questionable strategic importance…exists.  And everybody wants it.  On the very first episode of Press Gang, we tell the story of Pavlov’s House, aka “The Lighthouse”, and how the Red Army turned it into a fortress of fascist death. 

Music:

WANTED by BLUE STEEL

Sources:

http://www.digitalcapricorn.com/Pavlov/Downloads/Pavlovs_House_Companion.pdf

Pavlov’s House. (n.d.). Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pavlovs-house 

Pavlov’s House / Sights of Volgograd / BATTLEFIELD TOURS OF STALINGRAD. (n.d.). Www.stalingradtours.com. https://www.stalingradtours.com/en/sights/articul/pavlov_s_house 

Pavlovs House - Stalingrad fortress. (n.d.). Stalingradfront.com. https://stalingradfront.com/articles/articles-about-stalingrad-battle/pavlovs-house/ 

“Pavlov’s House” - Volgograd - TracesOfWar.com. (2025). Tracesofwar.com. https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/10529/Pavlovs-House.htm 

Pavlov’s House - War History. (2015, February 24). War History. https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/pavlovs-house?amp=1 

TIKHistory. (2018, July 16). The REAL Story of Pavlov’s House at Stalingrad [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc-rFzC63hU&t=773s

Wikipedia Contributors. (2018, December 1). Battle of Stalingrad. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad 

Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, August 5). Operation Barbarossa. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa 

Wikipedia Contributors. (2022, May 8). Pavlov’s House. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House 


Yakov Pavlov. (2021, January 7). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakov_Pavlov

]]>3d6403f3-5a8c-457c-814a-fe6a665dff30Tue, 25 Nov 2025 03:08:14 GMT<p>During The Battle of Stalingrad, a four story apartment building with questionable strategic importance…exists.  And everybody wants it.  On the very first episode of Press Gang, we tell the story of Pavlov’s House, aka “The Lighthouse”, and how the Red Army turned it into a fortress of fascist death. </p><p></p><p><b>Music:</b></p><p>WANTED by BLUE STEEL</p><p></p><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.digitalcapricorn.com/Pavlov/Downloads/Pavlovs_House_Companion.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.digitalcapricorn.com/Pavlov/Downloads/Pavlovs_House_Companion.pdf</a></p><p></p><p>Pavlov’s House. (n.d.). Atlas Obscura. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pavlovs-house" target="_blank">https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pavlovs-house</a> </p><p></p><p>Pavlov’s House / Sights of Volgograd / BATTLEFIELD TOURS OF STALINGRAD. (n.d.). <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Www.stalingradtours.com" target="_blank">Www.stalingradtours.com</a>. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.stalingradtours.com/en/sights/articul/pavlov_s_house" target="_blank">https://www.stalingradtours.com/en/sights/articul/pavlov_s_house</a> </p><p></p><p>Pavlovs House - Stalingrad fortress. (n.d.). <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Stalingradfront.com" target="_blank">Stalingradfront.com</a>. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stalingradfront.com/articles/articles-about-stalingrad-battle/pavlovs-house/" target="_blank">https://stalingradfront.com/articles/articles-about-stalingrad-battle/pavlovs-house/</a> </p><p></p><p>“Pavlov’s House” - Volgograd - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://TracesOfWar.com" target="_blank">TracesOfWar.com</a>. (2025). <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Tracesofwar.com" target="_blank">Tracesofwar.com</a>. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/10529/Pavlovs-House.htm" target="_blank">https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/10529/Pavlovs-House.htm</a> </p><p></p><p>Pavlov’s House - War History. (2015, February 24). War History. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/pavlovs-house?amp=1" target="_blank">https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/pavlovs-house?amp=1</a> </p><p></p><p>TIKHistory. (2018, July 16). The REAL Story of Pavlov’s House at Stalingrad [Video]. YouTube. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc-rFzC63hU&amp;t=773s" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc-rFzC63hU&amp;t=773s</a><br /></p><p>Wikipedia Contributors. (2018, December 1). Battle of Stalingrad. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad</a> </p><p></p><p>Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, August 5). Operation Barbarossa. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa</a> </p><p></p><p>Wikipedia Contributors. (2022, May 8). Pavlov’s House. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House</a> </p><p><br />Yakov Pavlov. (2021, January 7). Wikipedia. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakov_Pavlov" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakov_Pavlov</a></p>yes01:03:281Pavlov's House: The Lighthouse of The Volgafull