Podcasts about Georgi Markov

This week, we chat to Rosaria Girorgi, a mystery writer whose life has been as busy as one of her plots. Whilst studying in Denmark, she got a job working for who she thought was an antique dealer. He turned out to be 'The Umbrella Assassin', a cold war legend, who assassinated the Bulgarian dissident journalist Georgi Markov, with a poison pellet discharged from an umbrella.It's inspired her novel,'The Less Unkind', which tells the story of Pico, a young woman making her way in the world and forging new friendships, when she takes a job with a strange antique dealer... who turns out to be something different than he first seemed.Rosaria has lived all over, after being born in Tuscany, moving to Denmark, she founded a fashion start-up in Ireland, and is now living in Canada. We discuss how much where you live inspires what you write and how you write it. You can hear why she writes non-linearly and without a plot, which leads to a tricky edit smoothing the gaps of where chapters should join seemlessly.Also we chat about how to start your second novel when the first mines so much of your life, why a plot is like a flock of birds, and all about her day.Get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the showpatreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summary Neil Bradbury (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the deadly history of poison and espionage. Neil is an author and biochemist.   What You'll Learn Intelligence How different poisons affect the human body  The usage of poisons as a covert assassination method The deaths of defectors Alexander Litvinenko and Georgi Markov The Soviet Union's Lab X and the production and research of poisons on the state level Reflections The double edge of creativity  The necessity for research and experimentation And much, much more … Quotes of the Week “In order to counteract lots of the poisons, you have to know how they work, and you have to be able to develop your own. So, yes, undoubtedly, Western governments are just as actively involved in creating these chemicals and also the antidotes to them.” – Dr. Neil Bradbury. Resources  SURFACE SKIM *Spotlight Resource* A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them, Neil Bradbury (St. Martin's Press, 2022)  *SpyCasts* The Murder of an IRA Spy with Henry Hemming (2024) I Helped Solve the Final Zodiac Killer Cipher with David Oranchak (2024)  The North Korean Defector with Former DPRK Agent Kim, Hyun Woo (2023) Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East vs. West with Calder Walton (2023) DEEPER DIVE Books Poison: The History of Potions, Powders and Murderous Practitioners, B. Hubbard (Welbeck Publishing, 2020) Poison: A History: An Account of the Deadly Art and its Most Infamous Practitioners, J. Davis (Chartwell Books, 2018) The KGB's Poison Factory: From Lenin to Litvinenko, B. Volodarsky (Zenith Press, 2010)  Primary Sources  Press Release on the Poisoning of Alexei Navalny (2020) Update on the Use of Nerve Agent in Salisbury, UK (2018) The Litvinenko Inquiry (2016) Situation Report on Piesteritz (1953) Analysis of Madame Lefarge's Arsenic Trial (1840) *Wildcard Resource* This week's companion song can only be Waterloo Sunset (1967) by The Kinks.  Heralded as one of the most beautiful songs of the swingin' sixties, “Waterloo Sunset” is appropriately incorporated into the title of Neil's chapter on the assassination of Georgi Markov, which took place on London's Waterloo Bridge.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

--{ "Assassins and Their Victims, Dissidents and Their Persecutors"}-- Iran - The Umbrella Murder, Georgi Markov and Annabel Markova - Visit www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com and Donate and Order Books and Discs - Followers of Jesus Abandoned Him when He was On the Cross; Everyone Wants a Winner - Ongoing Wars - The Purpose of the Internet and its Short Period of Relative Freedom - Julian Assange - Gearing Up for Iran - The British Empire; RIIA, Milner Group - Those at the Top Must Own All the Resources of the World - Giving Each Generation of Youth Their Culture - Pornography and Drugs Allowed - Drug Scandals; Oliver North, CIA Black Budgets - Political Assassinations - The Assassin's Trade is About as Old as Prostitution - The Nature of Humans has Never Changed - Targeting Journalists to Ferret out Leaks, Silence Critics and Punish Information Sharing - Spied On Through Your Personal Computer - Sustainability, Population Control - Meddling 101: US Army Research Center Publishes Strategy to Destabilize Russia - Movie, Three Days of the Condor - Google Staff Keep ‘Blacklist' of Conservative and ‘Fringe' Sites.

In our June episode, Ella discusses the assassination of Georgi Markov a Bulgarian writer. Tune in to this episode to find out why and how he was killed.

Unveiling the Shadows: A Cold War Conversations Journey with Ian Sanders In the intricate world of Cold War history, Ian Sanders is not just a name; he's the curator of untold stories, the maestro orchestrating narratives from the shadows of espionage, military maneuvers, and everyday life during a tumultuous era. Since 2018, Ian has been the host and producer of the award-winning "Cold War Conversations" podcast, a platform where eyewitnesses of the Cold War share their riveting tales. A Glimpse into the Shadows In a recent interview on Podcast Radio, Ian took center stage to discuss the genesis of his fascination with the Cold War. Growing up in a household of history buffs, Ian's early exposure to museums and historical sites laid the foundation for his interest. His journey into the Cold War's depths started with a focus on military history, and the events such as the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 left an indelible mark on his young mind. From Community Radio to Oral Histories Ian's journey into podcasting wasn't a straight path. A stint on a community radio station and a passion for audio paved the way for him to discover the world of oral histories. Inspired by the lack of captured stories from the Cold War era, especially compared to World War II, Ian embarked on a mission to unearth the hidden narratives of an era often shrouded in secrecy. Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories The beauty of "Cold War Conversations" lies in its diverse range of guests. From soldiers and spies to civilians and astronauts, Ian delves into the experiences of those who lived through the Cold War. However, navigating through classified information requires caution. Some guests, bound by agreements or personal choice, prefer to remain anonymous, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the podcast. Navigating the Shadows of Espionage In the interview, Ian touches upon the covert world of assassination attempts during the Cold War. While he hasn't hosted guests directly involved in such activities, stories like that of Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian journalist assassinated with a poisoned umbrella, showcase the real-life cloak-and-dagger drama of the era. The Perilous Brink of Armageddon Ian sheds light on moments when the world stood on the brink of nuclear catastrophe. Recalling incidents like the Cuban Missile Crisis and false missile warnings, he emphasizes that the Cold War was far from a conflict without consequences. The podcast not only provides historical insights but also draws parallels to the present day, showcasing how echoes of the Cold War persist. Women in the Cold War A notable aspect of Ian's podcast is its commitment to sharing stories of women in the Cold War. Approximately twenty percent of the episodes feature women's perspectives, challenging the stereotypical image of the Cold War as a male-dominated domain filled with tanks and guns. Ian expresses a desire to delve even deeper into this lesser-known side of history. A Tribute to the Untold Ian Sanders, despite his podcast's success and growing listenership, remains humble. He finds the true essence of his work in uncovering stories that have never seen the light of day. For Ian, the gold lies in those moments when a guest reveals something previously undisclosed, adding a new layer to the complex tapestry of Cold War history. Tune In to "Cold War Conversations" For those eager to embark on a journey through the shadows of the Cold War, Ian's podcast awaits. Whether you're a history enthusiast or a newcomer to the era, "Cold War Conversations" promises a captivating exploration of a time marked by tension, intrigue, and untold stories. To catch Ian Sanders' podcast, visit Cold War Conversations, and for a deep dive into the shadows of history, find the episodes wherever you usually get your podcasts. Ian Sanders continues to illuminate the Cold War's mysteries, one conversation at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What was the sharp pain that Georgi Markov felt in his ankle as he crossed London's Waterloo Bridge one day? Spoiler: it doesn't end well for Georgi. Designer Thomas Heatherwick and host Alice Loxton tell the sad tale of a Bulgarian dissident's encounter with one of the most notorious tools of spycraft. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series produced by Alex Burnard, Morgan Childs, Claire Crofton, Joe Foley, Frank Palmer, Kellie Redmond and Isabel Sutton. Music by Nick Ryan.

Rerun. Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov was shot by a poisoned pellet whilst walking on Waterloo Bridge on 7th September, 1978. Four days later, he was dead. He thought the bullet – believed to be filled with ricin – had emanated from the umbrella of a Soviet secret agent, and the British press labelled his assassination the ‘Poison Brolly Riddle'. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion explain how Markov was initially disbelieved by doctors; reveal the mysterious involvement of a pig in the Porton Down investigation; and ask whether poisoning is really as efficient a method of murder as it seems… Further Viewing: Umbrella fired fatal ricin dart (CNN 2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZO5Lf8wD_c&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Ftheretrospectors.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?' Every Thursday is 'Throwback Thursday' on Today in History with the Retrospectors: running one repeat per week means we can keep up the quality of our independent podcast. Daily shows like this require a lot of work! But as ever we'll have something new for you tomorrow, so follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors   Love the show? Join  

Svetlana came from a dissident Jewish family opposed to Soviet rule in Latvia. Her parents survived World War 2, but during the Stalin era two members of her family were held in the Gulags. The family never resigned themselves to Latvia's occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940. It was almost impossible to legally leave the Soviet Union, however, in 1971 the first opportunities for "Jewish" emigration appeared, and Svetlana, then aged 12 and her family left legally. At the age of 16, she is staying with her Uncle in London when she comes across Bush House, the home of the BBC Russian Service. Svetlana manages to get a job there and begins to get promoted. She meets Georgi Markov who is assassinated by Bulgarian Security Services on Waterloo Bridge in London and later she is introduced to Oleg, the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. This meeting has a profound effect on her life… The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You'll become part of our community and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.  Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Details and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/ St Petersburg (Leningrad) aircraft hijack episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode258/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Anti-Communist League, WACL, Captive Nations, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalist-Banderite, OUN-B, Far West Ltd, private military companies, PMCs, private intelligence companies, PICs, origins of World War III, collapse of Soviet Union, Soviet Union's inevitable defeat/bankruptcy, KGB, Vladimir Kryuchkov, Perestroika, glasnost, Yuri Andropova. KGB front companies, Gorbachev, Bush I, Robert Gates, Colin Powell, Fritz Ermath, Robert Maxwell, Simeon Mogilevich, Russian mafia, Israel-Russia connection, Israel-Russian immigration, Bulgaria, Kintex, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, smuggling, KGB/Eastern bloc trafficking, Propaganda Due, P2, Turkey, Italy, Lyudmila Zhivkova, Golyamo Gradishte, Georgi Markov, British intelligence, Bulgarian connection, looting of Soviet Union, Kroll Associates, rise of Russian PMCs in post-Cold War, South Africa, post Cold War Africa, Angola, Executive Outcome, Strategic Consultants, Viktor Bout, KGB as gangsters, KGB behind PMCs, chemical biological warfare smuggling, Far West Ltd, origins of Far West, GRU, General Yuri Gustev, Dmitri Polyakov, Ukrainian connection in GRU, psychological warfareFirst musical break (06:30): End of Cold War, break-up of Soviet UnionSecond musical break (1:02:00): rise of Russian PMCs & AfricaThird musical break (1:55:00): Far West Ltd overviewOriginal WACL series Part I: The Farm Podcast Mach II: World Anti-Communist League Pt.1 | The Farm | Steven Snider with Moss Robeson on Apple PodcastsOriginal WACL series Part II: The Farm Podcast Mach II: WACL II | The Farm | Steven Snider with Moss Robeson and Keith Allen Dennis on Apple PodcastsSecret History of International Fascism Part V: The Farm Podcast Mach II: The Secret History of International Fascism V: African Edition w/ George of cavdef & Recluse on Apple PodcastsThird Barbarossa:THIRD BARBAROSSA. By ANTON BAUMGARTEN (left.ru)Music by: Keith Allen DennisMusic | Keith Allen Dennis (bandcamp.com)Additional Music by: Corwin TrailsCorwin Trails (bandcamp.com)For Ed Coffman, aka Don Diligent. RIP. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 1st: Georgi Markov Born (1929) When someone speaks out against a dangerous group they put their life on the line. On March 1st 1929 a man who spoke freely about the Communist regime in Bulgaria was met with a mysterious end. And, though there is a good idea about who exactly wanted him dead, no one has been charged and his case remains a cold one.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgi_Markov, https://www.theguardian.com/world/from-the-archive-blog/2020/sep/09/georgi-markov-killed-poisoned-umbrella-london-1978, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-04/gerogi-markov-bulgarian-dissident-umbrella-assassination/100084600, https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/blogs/article/who-killed-georgi-markov/, https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/markov-georgi-murder-investigation, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=221821881, https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/georgi-markov-murdered-by-a-bulgarian-secret-service-assassin

On August 23rd of 2010, police are asked to conduct a welfare check at the residence of an MI6 agent named Gareth Williams. His apartment was tidy and absolutely spotless but there was just one item that seemed to be out of place. In the bathtub sat a large, red sports bag and it was padlocked shut. The officers opened the bag to sadly find the already decomposing body of Gareth Williams stuffed inside. Did Gareth do this to himself or was this a cruel and calculated act carried out by professional hitmen? Join us this week as Jillian takes us through all the details and all the theories. Support the showIf you have a creepy true story to share or an idea for a future episode, we'd love to chat! Please email us! Email: giveusthecreeps@gmail.com Website: https://mysteryandmiscellany.buzzsprout.comSupport the show by joining our Patreon community for access to bonus content, early access to episodes each week, and more! To join simply click the "Support the Show" link or go to patreon.com/mysteryandmiscellany

It is August 1978; Georgi Markov is in his London flat when the phone rings. He's greeted by the sound of a cold and distorted voice. “Georgi Markov you're going to die”.   Markov is used to these death threats; he could set his watch by them. And so, he replies in his usual laconic way, “Killing me will only make me a martyr”.   He is about to hang up but for once the voice has a comeback.   “Not this time. This time you will not become a martyr. It will look as if you died of natural causes. You will be killed by a poison that the West can neither detect nor treat”.   A month later, Markov would be dead. But little did the murderer know that by giving Markov this warning they would turn what looked like a natural death into a full-scale murder inquiry.   It would become the most famous assassination of the Cold War, and yet to this day no one has been charged with his murder. However recently declassified documents may shed light on who was responsible and uncover the shadowy work of a mysterious organisation known as Service 7 or, more bluntly, the ‘Murder Bureau'.   In this episode we re-examine the case files of this long unsolved assassination, explore the tactics and gadgetry used in a secret war played out across Europe and unravel the history of the illusive Murder Bureau.    Cast List:  Guy Walters  A British author, historian, and journalist, he has written several books on WWII. As a journalist for The Times, he writes on historical topics for the national press.  Boris Volodarksy  A former officer in Russian Military Intelligence, now a historian and author specialising in Soviet intelligence operations. He is the writer of several works, the most notable being “The KGB's Poison Factory: From Lenin to Litvinenko”.   Alexenia Dimitrova  A Bulgarian journalist and author with 27 years experience in journalism. Her books include “War of the Spies” and “Murder Bureau”.   Richard Felix  A historian and lecturer specialising in local and paranormal history.   Natalia Mehneva  The daughter of Traycho Belopopski, a former target of the Murder Bureau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rerun. Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov was shot by a poisoned pellet whilst walking on Waterloo Bridge on 7th September, 1978. Four days later, he was dead. He believed the bullet - believed to be filled with ricin - had emanated from the umbrella of a Soviet secret agent. The British press labelled his assasination the ‘Poison Brolly Riddle'. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion explain how Markov was initially disbelieved by doctors; reveal the mysterious involvement of a pig in the Porton Down investigation; and ask whether poisoning is really as efficient a method of murder as it seems... Further Reading: ‘The poison-tipped umbrella: the death of Georgi Markov in 1978' (The Guardian, 2020): https://www.theguardian.com/world/from-the-archive-blog/2020/sep/09/georgi-markov-killed-poisoned-umbrella-london-1978 ‘The umbrella murder mystery' (The Oldie): https://www.theoldie.co.uk/article/the-umbrella-murder-mystery Umbrella fired fatal ricin dart (CNN, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZO5Lf8wD_c ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?' We're planning exciting new things for the autumn, and we're banking that most of you haven't heard it yet. So stick with us. For bonus material and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/Retrospectors We'll be back tomorrow with a new episode! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are we secret agents? If we told you, we'd have to kill you. But this episode is all about them, so get ready! First, Anna gives a rundown of the type of espionage a government may take part in, and Benton tells the mysterious tale of Georgi Markov's assassination in London in 1978. Then, Anna relays the career of disgraced FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who worked as a double agent for the Soviet Union and Russia. Finally the two watch a classic episode of American Justice, profiling the thallium poisoning of Peggy Carr.Our TV doc this week is Season 9: Episode 16 of American Justice, "Kill Thy Neighbor". While unavailable to stream, it can be found at the link below:https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3eik9c

Kat covers the umbrella murder of Georgi Markov. Bad boy broke the #1 rule: Don't make fun of the government! To be fair, it's a heroic act to speak out against Bulgarian communism… But no one expects to die by... Well, just listen to the episode! Next, Hayley takes us down under to tell us about the time a shark helped solve a murder mystery involving characters like the Australian Tony Soprano and the poster boy for big dairy! This episode is sponsored by betterhelp. For 10% off your first month of better help visit http://betterhelp.com/classy or enter our promo code CLASSY. Produced by Parasaur Studios © 2022 Check out Kay Reed's blog HERE!  Additional Sources

September 11 1978, Georgi Markov dies in hospital in Balham, South London. Markov was a Bulgarian journalist working for the BBC, having recently defected to the West earlier that year. He had developed a fear after something resembling an insect bite appeared on his thigh.An autopsy found a small pellet in the area, most likely filled with ricin. Before he died Georgi told his wife that when he felt the 'bite', he was on Waterloo Bridge and a man behind him was picking up an umbrella.Was Georgi assassinated for his defection by the Bulgarians or the KGB? And did they use a modified umbrella to do it?One of the most famous Cold War murders gets the Mystery on the Rocks treatment, which basically means bickering about the size and shape of the bullet, arguing about a 69 joke and getting distracted about little Masud watching Last Action Hero... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Episode 25 Georgi MarkovJoin Eileen from the CrimeLapse podcast as she discusses a case that is beyond bizarre – the death or Bulgarian playwright Georgi Markov. Markov, a Bulgarian dissident who had defected to England, was living in London and working for the BBC Bulgarian service. He also freelanced for Radio Free Europe, a western-centric broadcast news company that was critical of the government in his native Bulgaria. In September 1978 he was taken to a London hospital, where he died of blood poisoning. Before he died, Markov made sure doctors noted a small puncture mark on his thigh, which he said resulted when he was stabbed with the tip of an umbrella by a man he did not know. He came down with a fever within hours of the contact with the umbrella. And sure enough, a post-mortem revealed a metal pellet in his leg, believed to have been shot by a sophisticated gun. The tiny projectile was believed to contain ricin, and the attack on Markov was labeled a homicide. Who killed Georgi Markov? Be sure to follow Eileen and Crimelapse on social media-

"Parapluie bulgare" : l'on pourrait penser qu'il s'agit là d'une simple expression imagée comme le sont "montagne russe" ou "été indien". Pourtant, les services secrets bulgares ont bien utilisé cet objet banal... pour inoculer du poison dans le corps de leurs cibles ! Sinistre effet de surprise Certains évènements historiques pourraient sembler tout droit sortis de films d'action et autres fictions d'espionnage. L'empoisonnement de l'écrivain et dissident bulgare Georgi Markov en fait incontestablement partie. Tout survient dans la nuit du 7 au 8 septembre 1978. Installé à Londres, cet homme en exil se réveille brusquement - dans un piteux état. Nausée et fièvres l'assaillent, sans qu'il ne sache vraiment ce qui en est la cause. Tout juste remarque-t-il qu'une de ses jambes comporte une rougeur inhabituelle et douloureuse... Alors qu'il est amené à l'hôpital le plus proche, Georgi Markov s'interroge et décide de remonter le fil des évènements. Le jeudi 7 septembre, à 18h30, il attendait simplement son bus au pont de Waterloo. C'est à ce moment précis qu'il avait ressenti une brûlure aiguë à la cuisse. Une sensation qui coïncidait étrangement avec l'intrusion, dans son champ de vision, d'un homme muni d'un parapluie... In umbrella venenum Peut-être que, durant les dernières heures de sa vie (qui prit fin le 11 septembre 1978), Georgi Markov avait réussi à intégrer toutes les pièces du puzzle... Car le fin mot de l'histoire est effectivement incroyable. Ce romancier et dramaturge qui avait dû fuir son pays - pour cause de prises de position dissidentes – était activement recherché par les services secrets de la "République populaire de Bulgarie". C'est précisément ce "comité de sécurité" qui avait diligenté l'un de ses agents, pour mettre à mort l'homme en fuite (lequel avait déjà transité par l'Italie, neuf ans plus tôt). Au moyen d'une gâchette, d'un embout pointu et d'une soupape (tous intégrés à un parapluie), le meurtrier avait tout simplement inoculé un poison (la ricine), via une piqûre furtive. Un peu plus tôt, le 26 août de la même année, Vladimir Kostov (un Bulgare réfugié en France) avait - d'ailleurs - failli connaître le même sort que son homologue écrivain. Plus chanceux, ce dernier parvint à survivre et mit justement à profit son expérience pour écrire l'ouvrage "The Bulgarian Umbrella", en 1988 (contant également, avec moult détails, l'attentat commis contre Georgi Markov). Finalement : le "parapluie bulgare" est peut-être plus effrayant que la "roulette russe". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By popular listener demand, today's episode covers the 1978 assassination of Georgi Markov using one of the world's oldest poisons. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week's episode takes a walk on the dark side, with a molecular look at a prominent international poisonings.Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died in 1978 after a ricin pellet was shot into his leg, from an air gun disguised as an umbrella. Twenty-eight years later, former KGB/FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko suffered horribly and died after the poison polonium-210 was slipped into his tea. And former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia nearly died in 2018 from the effects of a nerve agent attack.To understand how the molecules used in these assaults do their worst to the human body, David Priess speaks with Dr. Neil Bradbury, Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science--where he teaches and conducts research on genetic diseases, especially cystic fibrosis. He is the author of A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them, which combines elements of popular science, medical history, and true crime to show how the precise systems of the body can be impaired to lethal effect through the use of poison. We spoke about the four routes through which poison can be delivered to a victim, the physiology and biochemistry behind a few poisons, the prominent assassinations of Markov and Litvinenko, the attempted assassination of Skripal, and the difficulty of getting away with murder using even rare poisons once their effects are known. The information in this episode is purely for educational and entertainment purposes and is not intended to give the advantages and disadvantages of the use of any particular poison in the commission of any crime.Chatter is a production of Lawfare and Goat Rodeo. This episode was produced and edited by Cara Shillenn of Goat Rodeo. Podcast theme by David Priess, featuring music created using Groovepad. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Among the works cited in this episode:A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them, by Neil BradburyDr. Bradbury's research on cystic fibrosis"Murder by Numbers," The Police (the PoliceWiki)"A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie" (agathachristie.com) Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

The forensic battle to unlock two of the most mysterious deaths in modern day London history. 

Hello comrades! This time around, Mike has a story that you might have heard about before, with the apparent assassination of Georgi Markov back in 1978, killed with a sneaky little poison. Some poisons only take one drop to kill, hence this week's pairing with a rather delicious beer from One Drop Brewing Co.Featured beers: One Drop Brewing Co. - Mango Passionfruit Sorbet Smoothie SourFollow Hey Brew on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit our website at https://www.heybrew.zone.Hey Brew artwork provided by Pickle Ipsum.

In 1978, a man was injured while standing at the bus stop, and ended up dying of a heart attack 4 days later. What happened, and why is this incident referred to as the Umbrella Murder?? You'll learn all that, plus the science behind the deadly toxin called ricin in this episode. ---- SOURCES & TRANSCRIPT: https://www.sharanadarcel.com/blog/2021/10/08/05-ricin/ ---- Like the show? Leave me a tip! https://ko-fi.com/sharanadarcel --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov was shot by a poisoned pellet whilst walking on Waterloo Bridge on 7th September, 1978. Four days later, he was dead.He thought the bullet - believed to be filled with ricin - had emanated from the umbrella of a Soviet secret agent, and the British press labelled his assassination the ‘Poison Brolly Riddle'.In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion explain how Markov was initially disbelieved by doctors; reveal the mysterious involvement of a pig in the Porton Down investigation; and ask whether poisoning is really as efficient a method of murder as it seems...Further Reading:‘The poison-tipped umbrella: the death of Georgi Markov in 1978' (The Guardian, 2020): https://www.theguardian.com/world/from-the-archive-blog/2020/sep/09/georgi-markov-killed-poisoned-umbrella-london-1978‘The umbrella murder mystery' (The Oldie): https://www.theoldie.co.uk/article/the-umbrella-murder-mysteryUmbrella fired fatal ricin dart (CNN, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZO5Lf8wD_cFor bonus material and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/RetrospectorsWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join host Lauren Miller and a rotating group of Armchair Detectives as they discuss true crime stories and cold cases then speculate on what happened to try to solve them. In this episode, the group discusses The Girl Scout Murders, Casey Anthony, Georgi Markov, and more . CONTENT WARNING: Some episodes include discussions of crimes and stories some may find disturbing. Individual episodes have more specific content warnings about the specific cases.

Umbrellas aren't known for being dangerous, but this one is famous for being deadly.

Historiquement Vôtre réunit 3 personnages qui ont été empoisonnés : la favorite, maîtresse officielle du roi Charles VII, Agnès Sorel, le dissident bulgare, empoisonné en pleine rue – et en pleine Guerre Froide aussi, Georgi Markov, et le chanteur Robbie Williams qui lui a été empoisonné… en mangeant trop de poissons ! Allons bon…

We are back with episode 41 and we are one episode closer to 42 and the meaning of life! But for this episode we take a jaunt across the pond to jolly ole England's capitol, London. First we tackle the absolutely wackadoodle account of the assassination of Georgi Markov. Y'all, this one is straight out of a James Bond movie so definitely get your shaken, not stirred, martini ready! Then we move onto one of the most famous buildings in all of London, the Tower. The history of this building is amazing but along the way it saw it's share of misery, tears, blood and violence. And all of that is the perfect recipe for a whole lotta ghosties. Pour some tea, grab a crumpet, and settle in for this double decker bus tour of some of London's grisly past. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/todieforpodcast)

This week, the sisters cover unsolved murder cases from the 1970's. Cassie covers the Freeway Phantom Murders and the Murder of Pauline “Robbin” Burgette, while Gina covers the murder of “Hogan's Heroes” star Bob Crane and the Assassination of Georgi Markov. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, inspired by Chris' topic of the real life spy who inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond, Harrison has been researching some actual spy weapons which sound like something right out of a 007 movie!Then Chris has found out about two great apes, who both lived very different lives. One lived it up in the Cotswolds, drinking cider and coffee, the other went on a grand adventure in the name of science! Chris' SourcesWikipedia article on the Life on Earth TV series Sir David Attenborough - The story behind Life on Earth video First known zoo Animal Legal and Historical Center - Great Ape Laws by State Untold story of the English village that raised a gorilla as a boy The strange tale of the gorilla who went to an English country school Memorial sculpture of Uley's gorilla John Daniel unveiled Chimpanzees In The US The Tragic Tale of Ham The Chimp Ham, the First Chimpanzee in Space Ham the Chimp became the first monkey in space in 1961 Harrison's SourcesGolden GunSCARAMANGA'S 24CT GOLDEN GUN PROP REPLICA - NUMBERED EDITIONLipstick Pistol - The Kiss of DeathGeorgi MarkovBulgarian umbrellaThe poison-tipped umbrella: the death of Georgi Markov in 1978 - archiveThe CIA secretly created an undetectable ‘heart attack gun'The Confederate Coal TorpedoJames Bond has Nothing on these Clever Spy WeaponsCIA HEART ATTACK GUN

Plants have developed an array of deadly defences and chemical compounds can turn an innocent looking ornamental into a deadly assassin. Different toxins affect different parts of our body too, causing everything from kidney failure, heart failure, brain damage and even death. It's why humans have used poisonous plants in weapons to kill prey and even commit murder. But most of the time, our run in with poisonous plants is a mistake with thousands of accidental poisoning illnesses and deaths each year all around the world because it's often very hard to tell the difference between something that’s poisonous, and something that’s not.

Georgi walked the short distance to the end of Waterloo bridge to wait for a bus on the final leg of his journey. As he stood waiting, he felt a sharp, stinging pain in his right thigh.He made his was to work where he complained of nausea, and began to vomit. Throughout the afternoon, his condition began to deteriorate. His temperature had dropped, and his blood pressure had fallen.He was rushed to the hospital where he immediately informed doctors (qu) 'I am a Bulgarian defector, i broadcast with the BBC, i have enemies in Bulgaria and my friends have told me the KGB are out to get me'(unqu).The doctors who were treating Georgi were sceptical of his story and didn't believe him. After examination, they concluded the pain to be from something natural, such as an insect bite...

In this episode we discuss Bulgarian émigré Georgi Markov's murder, and the mysterious case of the umbrella assassinations.

Today we celebrate the author and poet who wrote some beautiful garden verses. We'll also learn about a magnificent Australian artist and botanical illustrator, and her art is now part of Australia's national library. We celebrate the selection of the State Flower for Arkansas - and the very cute story of how it came to be picked. We honor the life of the poet and WWI soldier who wrote what is probably the most popular poem ever about trees. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book about living naturally with eco-friendly ideas that don't sacrifice style, function, or sustainability. And then we'll wrap things up with the story of first academy award-winning animated cartoon that gardeners will love. But first, let's catch up on some Greetings from Gardeners around the world and today's curated news.   Subscribe Apple  | Google  | Spotify  | Stitcher | iHeart   Gardener Greetings To participate in the Gardener Greetings segment, send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org And, to listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to play The Daily Gardener Podcast. It's that easy.   Curated News Director of science at Kew: it's time to decolonize botanical collections Professor Alexandre Antonelli is the Kew Gardens director responsible for the world's largest collection of plants and fungi. He was born and raised in Brazil and wrote this landmark piece for The Conversation research website. Alexandre believes that the time has come to decolonize botanical collections by ridding the field of "structural racism." Here's an excerpt: “I’ve often struggled to answer the simple question, “Where are you from?” As I was born and raised in Brazil, like many people my origin is mixed… I dislike pre-defined labels. At school, I was taught that Brazil was “discovered” in 1500 by the Portuguese. The fact that several million people lived there prior to that was barely mentioned in our books. We were told of a long history of brutal exploitation of our natural resources, including vast amounts of gold, rubber and timber. All this was achieved through the exploitation of our native people and African slaves – including my own ancestors. …[That] Brazil is … the world’s most biodiverse country... astounded colonial botanists. Charles Darwin was astonished at our “lands teeming with life”, as was Alfred Russel Wallace, who spent years in the Amazon. It is not lost on me that these were both white British men. And Britain is also where I ended up professionally. After two decades studying biodiversity across the world, I’m now head of science at Kew, responsible for the world’s largest collections of plants and fungi. For hundreds of years... colonial botanists would embark on dangerous expeditions in the name of science but were ultimately tasked with finding economically profitable plants. Much of Kew’s work in the 19th century focused on the movement of such plants around the British Empire, which means we too have a legacy that is deeply rooted in colonialism. ...Scientists continue to report how new species are “discovered” every year, species that are often already known and used by people in the region – and have been for thousands of years. ...The first inhabitants of Brazil and the first users of plants in Australia often remained unnamed, unrecognised, and uncompensated. They are quite literally invisible in history. This needs to change. By opening up our collections and practices, we will give voice to a past that includes troubled chapters, but one that will hopefully contribute to a brighter future.”   Have you tried growing Castor Bean? It's one of Michael Pollen's favorite plants. Check out the way he starts his article on the plant called, "Consider the Castor Bean": "Pretty they are not, but a garden can labor under a surfeit "surfut" of prettiness, be too sweet or cheerful for its own good. Sometimes what’s needed in the garden is a hint of vegetal menace, of nature run tropically, luxuriantly amuck. For this, I recommend the castor bean." While most of us have heard of castor oil (extracted by crushing and processing the seeds), growing the castor bean plant can be a new adventure for gardeners. The castor bean plant is the only member of the genus Ricinus communis and belongs to the spurge family. Unlike other members of the euphorbia family, castor bean does not have that milky latex sap, the sap of castor bean is watery. The giant, tropical leaves and peculiar seed pods make the plant an exotic addition to your garden. A native plant from Ethiopia, castor bean can grow to 40 feet tall when it can grow year-round. For most gardeners who grow castor bean as an annual in a single season, castor bean will grow quickly and vigorously, but it will only reach about 8-10 feet. If you grow castor bean, you need to be aware that the seeds are extremely poisonous. If you have kids around, keep plants out of reach, and eliminate the seeds altogether by cutting off the flowering spike. As you probably suspected from the Latin name, the toxin in castor seeds is ricin (RYE-sin), one of the world's deadliest natural poisons. During the Cold War, the Bulgarian journalist, Georgi Markov, was killed when an umbrella rigged as a pellet rifle, shot a small BB into his leg as Markov stood in line at a bus stop. After he died in 1978, Scotland Yard investigated and found the BB; it was the size of a pinhead, and it had been drilled with two holes producing an X-shaped cavity, and the holes had been packed with ricin. The holes had been coated with a sugary substance that trapped the ricin inside the BB. The coating was designed to melt at body temperature, at which time the ricin was free to be absorbed into the bloodstream and kill him. Despite their unnerving history, castor beans are still good garden plants. They look beautiful with cannas, bananas, and elephant ears for a tropical garden. They make a beautiful backdrop for grasses. And, they shine at the back of the flower border where they create a magnificent screen in no time. Castor Beans do best in full sun, and they don't like wet feet - so plant them high and dry or in well-drained locations.   When you are done harvesting blackberries or boysenberries, it is time to do a little housekeeping. Cut this year's fruit-bearing canes back to the ground and tie up the new green canes to take their place. Once all the fruiting has finished, you can begin to trim back your blackberries and boysenberries. The canes that just produced the fruit will start to dry and become woody and brown. Now is the time to cut them right back to the ground. While you're at it, cut back any diseased or damaged canes. Next, look for anything too long or out of control. Try to make your plants have a beautiful, pleasant form. Take the new canes and train them where you want them to go. Make sure to spread them out so that they get good airflow. Remember, taking the time to do this right now will make them easier to pick from next season. Thornless varieties make the job of pruning blackberries and boysenberries much easier. Don't forget: The fruit grows on new wood. And be sure to remove all dead or broken limbs - and suckers as well.   Alright, that's it for today's gardening news. Now, if you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1818 It's the birthday of the author and poet Emily Brontë. Emily's older sister, by two years, was Charlotte. Her younger sister and closest friend was Anne. They were two peas in a pod. Emily's mom died when she was three. She lost two older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth when she was six. The result of this loss was an exceptional closeness between the four surviving Brontë children: Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and Branwell. Emma Emmerson wrote a piece called the Brontë Garden. In it she revealed: “The Brontës were not ardent gardeners, although… Emily and Anne treasured their currant bushes as ‘their own bit of fruit garden’." Charlotte [once wrote:] "Emily wishes to know if the Sicilian Pea (Pisum sativum)and the Crimson cornflower are hardy flowers, or if they are delicate and should be sown in warm and sheltered situations." Emily's father, Patrick, once wrote; Oh why, in the snow and storms of December, When the branches lie scattered and strewn, Do we oftest and clearest and dearest remember The sunshine and summer of June?   Emily Brontë wrote: Reason, indeed, may oft complain For Nature's sad reality, And tell the suffering heart, how vain Its cherished dreams must always be; And Truth may rudely trample down The flowers of Fancy, newly-blown. Love is like the wild rose-briar, Friendship like the holly-tree— The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms But which will bloom most constantly? The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring, Its summer blossoms scent the air; Yet wait till winter comes again And who will call the wild-briar fair? Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now And deck thee with the holly’s sheen, That when December blights thy brow He still may leave thy garland green. Friendship is like the holly tree.  The holly is dark when the rose-brier blooms,  But which will bloom most constantly? Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away; Lengthen night and shorten day; Every leaf speaks bliss to me Fluttering from the autumn tree. I shall smile when wreaths of snow Blossom where the rose should grow; I shall sing when night’s decay Ushers in a drearier day.   1848  Today is the birthday of the Australian artist and botanical illustrator Ellis Rowan. In a 1994 newspaper article, Sarah Guest described Ellis this way: "She was an explorer. She set off alone at 68, for Papua New Guinea - and died in 1922.  She dyed her hair red; had a face-lift; left her husband (the suggestion is that she was bored); was a member of one of Victoria's great pastoralist families; was a much-admired, prolific, technically proficient and joyous painter of plants and birds; and a conservationist she campaigned to stop the slaughter of birds for the decoration of ladies' hats... in her day she was known as "Australia's brilliant daughter" which, indeed, she was." Ellis discovered painting after her botanist husband, Frederick, encouraged her to develop a talent. Ellis developed her passion into her profession, and it led her into unknown parts of Australia. During the First World War, Ellis was living in New Guinea. At one point, she painted 45 of the 62 known species of birds of paradise. As a woman living during the mid-1800s, Ellis followed the dress code of her era. Wherever she went, whether on an expedition or at home, she was always impeccably dressed, wearing heavy ankle-length dresses, high collars with full sleeves - complete with crinolines, corsets, whalebone stays, and a hat. Just before Ellis died, the federal parliament in Australia debated whether or not to buy 1,000 of Ellis' paintings. The Australian artist and novelist, Norman Lindsay, called Ellis' work vulgar art. Lindsey didn't think wildflowers were worthy subjects for real art. Ultimately, Ellis' paintings were purchased for $5,000. They are now a treasured part of Australia's national library.   1901  On this day, the General assembly of Arkansas selected the apple blossom as the floral emblem. This selection was not without controversy. The Floral Emblem Society, led by Love Harriett Wilkins Barton, had supported the apple blossom. The Arkansas Federation of women's clubs wanted the passionflower. The disagreement between the two groups became known as the battle of the blooms. Love became a one-woman crusader for the apple blossom, writing articles and memos to newspapers - even personally mailing letters to affluent citizens. Whenever she sent anything, she included a promotional pamphlet that she had created praising the apple blossom. In an ingenious move, she not only promoted the apple blossom, but she also dissed the passionflower, saying it was "as pretty as a non-native of Arkansas," and saying that it would "grow anywhere the farmer's hoe let it." Ouch. When the legislature was set to vote, Love appeared at the capital wearing ... wait for it.... a bright apple red dress. And, she pulled a Martha Stewart and personally gifted every lawmaker with an apple and a note that said, "These are the results of our beautiful apple blossoms. But, what is the result of a passionflower? A dried, shriveled pod." Well played, Love.   Unearthed Words Today is the anniversary of the death of the journalist, poet, and World War I soldier Alfred Joyce Kilmer, who was born in Brunswick, New Jersey. He was killed in action while serving as a sergeant in the 165th Infantry regiment on July 30, 1918 Every year on his birthday in April, Kilmer's childhood home at 17 Joyce Kilmer Ave. in New Brunswick, holds an Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Joyce is best remembered for his poem, Trees: I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.   Joyce also wrote these gems:   The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings. — Joyce Kilmer, Spring   If I should live in a forest And sleep underneath a tree, No grove of impudent saplings Would make a home for me. I'd go where the old oaks gather, Serene and good and strong, And they would not sigh and tremble And vex me with a song. — Joyce Kilmer, Old Poets   Grow That Garden Library Natural Living Style by Selina Lake This book came out in March of 2019, and the subtitle is Inspirational ideas for a beautiful and sustainable home. In her review of this book Julie from Try Small Things said, "They say change starts at home. What I've come away with from Natural Living Style are all kinds of ideas for reducing plastics and waste around the home in favor of natural or greener alternatives. As it turns out, they can be functional, sustainable, and that's inspired living." Selina's book is divided into sections, Inspirations, Textures, Natural Living Spaces, and The Natural Garden, where Selina writes about green gardening, growing your own food, and exploring, enjoying, and living in the natural world. The book is sprinkled with lots of earthy-friendly tips and inspiration to help you create an eco-friendly home and garden. This book is 160 pages of eco-living without sacrificing style. You can get a copy of Natural Living Style by Selina Lake and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $16.   Today's Botanic Spark 1932  On this day, Walt Disney premiered his first academy award-winning animated cartoon. The short was called "Flowers and Trees," and it was the first cartoon to use technicolor. Flowers and Trees was supposed to be a black-and-white cartoon, but Walt Disney decided it would make the perfect test film for the new technicolor process. The vivid colors of the natural world were the ideal subject for a technicolor production. Meanwhile, the Mickey Mouse short features were judged to be successful enough; they remained in black-and-white until 1935. Flowers and Trees premiered at the Chinese theater in Los Angeles on this day and won the Academy Award for animated short subject. In the movie, the trees and flowers are anthropomorphized, and they wake up at the beginning of the day and begin lifting their heads and stretching. In this short film, a beautiful lady tree is wooed by a suitor tree, while an evil old leafless tree attempts to steal her away. The two trees duel for her affection. When the old tree loses the battle, he sets the forest on fire. Together, all the plants in the forest work together to put the fire out. In the end, the two trees are together and happy; they get engaged in the final seconds of the movie. The gentleman tree presents the lady tree with a ring made from a curled up caterpillar. And, as the trees embrace, bellflowers begin to play the wedding march, while the other flowers dance around the hugging trees.

Markov, a prolific novelist and playwright in Bulgaria was assassinated in 1978 while crossing the Waterloo Bridge in London. Join us this week as Courtney discusses the circumstances surrounding the assassination and the unique method that was used to ultimately end his life. Interested in helping us out? Check out our Patreon page: https://patreon.com/twospookybroads Listen on Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/twospookybroads/two-spooky-broads

On this day in 1978, writer and broadcaster Georgi Markov died of blood poisoning, four days after being implanted with a poisonous device from an umbrella.

Today we share unusual weapons of choice - The murders of Dwayne Ball an Georgi Markov.

Have you tried growing Castor Bean? It's one of Michael Pollen's favorite plants. Check out the way he starts his article on the plant called, "Consider the Castor Bean" : "Pretty they are not, but a garden can labor under a surfeit "sur·fuht" of prettiness, be too sweet or cheerful for its own good. Sometimes what’s needed in the garden is a hint of vegetal menace, of nature run tropically, luxuriantly amuck. For this I recommend the castor bean." While most of us have heard of castor oil (extracted by crushing and processing the seeds), growing the castor bean plant can be a new adventure for gardeners. The castor bean plant is the only member of the genus Ricinus communis and belongs to the spurge family. Unlike other members of the euphorbia family, castor bean does not have that milky latex sap, the sap of castor bean is watery. The giant, tropical leaves and peculiar seed pods make the plant an exotic addition to your garden. A native plant from Ethiopia, castor bean can grow to 40 feet tall when it can grow year round. For most gardeners who grow castor bean as an annual in a single season, castor bean will grow quickly and vigorously but it will only reach about 8-10 feet.  If you grow castor bean, you need to be aware that the seeds are extremely poisonous. If you have kids around,  keep plants out of reach and eliminate seeds altogether by cutting off the flowering spike. As you probably suspected from the latin name, the toxin in castor seeds is ricin (RYE-sin), one of the world's deadliest natural poisons.  During the Cold War, the Bulgarian journalist, Georgi Markov, was killed when an umbrella rigged as a pellet rifle, shot a small BB into his leg as Markov stood in line at a bus stop. After he died in 1978, Scotland Yard investigated and found the BB; it was the size of a pinhead and it had been drilled with two holes producing an X-shaped cavity and the holes had been packed with ricin. The holes had been coated with a sugary substance  which trapped the ricin inside the BB. The coating was designed to melt at body temperature, at which time the ricin was free to be absorbed into the bloodstream and kill him.   Despite their unnerving history, castor beans are still good garden plants. They look beautiful with cannas, bananas and elephant ears for a tropical garden. They make a wonderful backdrop for grasses. And, they shine at the back of the flower border where they create a magnificent screen in no time. Castor Beans do best in full sun and they don't like wet feet - so plant them high and dry or in well drained locations.      Brevities   #OTD It’s the birthday of Emily Brontë who was born on this day in 1818.     Brontë wrote:   Reason, indeed, may oft complain For Nature's sad reality, And tell the suffering heart, how vain Its cherished dreams must always be; And Truth may rudely trample down The flowers of Fancy, newly-blown.     #OTD  It’s the birthday of Ellis Rowan, who was a well-known Australian artist and botanical illustrator, born on this day in 1848. In a 1994 newspaper article, Sarah Guest described Rowan this way:   "She was an explorer. She set off alone at 68, for Papua New Guinea - who died in 1922. She dyed her hair red; had a face-lift; left her husband (the suggestion is that she was bored); was a member of one of Victoria's great pastoralist families; was a much-admired, prolific, technically proficient and joyous painter of plants and birds; and a conservationist she campaigned to stop the slaughter of birds for the decoration of ladies' hats... in her day she was known as "Australia's brilliant daughter" which, indeed, she was."   Rowan discovered painting after her botanist husband. Frederick. encouraged her to develop a talent. Rowan developed her passion into her profession and it led her into unknown parts of Australia.  During the first World war Rowan was living in New Guinea. At one point, she painted 45 of the 62 known species of birds of paradise.   As a woman living during the mid-1800s, Rowan minded the dress code of her era. Wherever she went, whether on an exploration or back at home, she was always impeccably dressed; wearing heavy ankle length dresses, high collars with full sleeves - complete with crinolines, corsets, whalebone stays, and a hat.   Just before Rowan died, the federal parliament in Australia debated whether to buy 1,000 of her paintings despite the Australian artist and novelist, Norman Lindsay, who called her work vulgar art. Lindsey didn't think wildflowers were worthy of subjects of real art. Ultimately, the paintings were purchased for $5000 . They are now part of Australia’s national library.     #OTD And it was on this day in 1901 that the General assembly of Arkansas selected the apple blossom as the floral emblem. This selection was not without controversy. The Floral Emblem Society, led by Mrs. Ed Barton, had supported the apple blossom. The Arkansas Federation of women’s clubs wanted the passion flower. The disagreement between the two groups became known as the battle of the blooms.   Barton became a one woman crusader for the apple blossom; writing articles and memos to newspapers - even personally mailing letters to affluent citizens.  Whenever she mailed anything, she included a promotional pamphlet that she had created praising the apple blossom. In an ingenious move, she not only promoted the apple blossom, but she also dissed the passion flower; saying it was, "as pretty as a non-native of Arkansas", and saying that it would "grow anywhere the farmers hoe let it."  Ouch.   When the legislature was set to vote, Barton appeared at the capital wearing ... wait for it.... a bright apple red dress.   And, she pulled a Martha Stewart and personally gifted every lawmaker with an apple and a note that said, "These are the results of our beautiful apple blossoms. But, what is the result of a passion flower? A dried shriveled pod."   Indeed.     Unearthed Words "Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."  - Russel Baker "Dirty hands, iced tea, garden fragrances thick in the air and a blanket of color before me,  who could ask for more?" - Bev Adams, Mountain Gardening   Today's book recommendation: Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood by Martin Wood and Judith Tankard Gertrude Jekyll was one of the most influential garden designers of the early 20th century. This wonderful book explores her life and work at the home she created for herself at Munstead Wood in England. The book is a fantastic collection of all things Jekyll;  her writings and photographs, as well as personal accounts from friends and acquaintances.      Today's Garden Chore When you are done harvesting blackberries or boysenberries, it is time to do a little housekeeping.  Cut this years fruit bearing canes back to the ground and tie up the new green canes to take their place. Once all the fruiting has finished, you can begin to trim back your blackberries and boysenberries. The canes that just produced the fruit will start to dry and become woody and brown. Now, is the time to cut them right back to the ground.   While you’re at it, cut back any diseased or damaged canes.   Next, look for anything that is too long or out of control.  Try to make your plants have a nice, pleasant form.    Take the new canes and train them where you want them to go. Make sure to spread them out so that they get good airflow. Remember, taking the time to do this right now will make them easier to pick from next season   Thornless varieties make the job of pruning blackberries and boysenberries much easier. Don't forget: The fruit grows on new wood. And be sure to remove all dead or broken limbs - and suckers as well.     Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   It was on this day in 1932 that Walt Disney premiered his first academy award winning animated cartoon.   The short was called"Flowers and Trees" and it was the first cartoon to use technicolor.  Flowers and Treeswas supposed to be a black-and-white cartoon, but Walt Disney decided it would make the perfect test film for the new technicolor process. The vivid colors of the natural world were the perfect subject for a technicolor production   Meanwhile the Mickey Mouse short features were judged to be successful enough; they remained in black-and-white until 1935.    Flowers and Treespremiered at the Chinese theater in Los Angeles on this day and won the Academy award for animated short subject.   In the movie, the trees and flowers are  anthropomorphized; they wake up at the beginning of the day and begin lifting their heads and stretching.   In the short, a beautiful lady tree is wooed by suitor; while an evil old leafless tree attempts to steal her away.  The two trees dual and when the old tree loses the battle, he sets the forest on fire. The plants in the natural world work together to put the fire out. The two trees end up happily together and they get engaged in the final seconds of the movie. The lady tree is presented a ring made from a curled up caterpillar. As the trees embrace, the bellflowers begin to play the wedding march and the other flowers dance around the hugging trees.     Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Who doesn’t like a good old-fashioned ghost story, or to be scared stiff watching a creepy movie? It’s even more heart pounding when weird spooky things happen in the City where we live – London. Today’s guest Nikki Druce is the creator and host of Macabre London, an original podcast telling the stories of London’s’ gruesome history. Nikki stories are inspired by her lifelong love of the dark, gothic, and creepy—and in today’s episode Nikki reveals not only why she is passionate about London and its grizzly past but her real life ghostly encounter as well. “I didn’t say anything about it to anybody at the time because I didn’t want to acknowledge it—because if I acknowledge it, and “it” knows that I’m aware of it—it might get worse.” [5:54] Nikki grew up on the spooky and macabre from a young age. She was told ghost stories and went on ghost walks with her parents trying to spot ghosts, and remembers her first horror movie (shown to her by her grandmother) Night of the Living Dead. Nikki kept watching these kinds of films and diving into literature like Frankenstein, and her fascination with the dark and Gothic only continued to grow throughout the years. [10:15] Nikki has a ghost story of her own—of course it takes place in a house with a terrible boiler that made all sorts of horrible noises. But the story starts with a table seeming to rock back and forth on its own—something Nikki shrugged off and went on about her evening. In the weeks to come, things started appearing in her bedroom from around her house, you know, the odd magazine, and perhaps more strange; cutlery. Her experience culminates one night after seeing something in her bathroom mirror, leading her to witness what I will just relay as being “quite an odd and terrible scene” in her stairway, something best left described by Nikki herself. It is undoubtedly off the scale of strange and weird, and perhaps ties into the area being a major through way to London years and years in the past. “I just had this vision in my head of London being this Victorian city that was just sort of smoggy with men in top hats and capes and that kind of thing, so I sort of romanticized that side of London.” [18:45] When Nikki moved to London she wanted to find a way to capture it’s darker side, as there are hundreds of years of weird and murderous history in our city. Stories that range from a hanging Charles Dickens attended where the first husband and wife couple were executed them in public by William Calcraft—a notorious executioner with a penchant for showmanship. There is also the Necropolis Railway, which was a railway made to transport the dead out of London after graveyards started shutting down due to an influx of the deceased. There are more modern tales as well, such as the Enfield Poltergeist and the Georgi Markov haunting—all of these which have their own episodes on Nikki’s podcast, Macabre London. Nikki researches all these stories and gives them a personal touch through her narration. She’s recently started a YouTube channel as well, and when asked if she thinks she’ll be running out of spooky London stories anytime soon—Nikki shakes her head, and jokes that if she does run out she will move on to Edinburgh.   Links Macabre London (https://play.acast.com/s/macabrelondon) Macabre London Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7ZBMUcmQ6CRlPIrtfz14Q)   Support this podcast

Georgi Markov died following a strange encounter on the streets of London. But as we discovered in Part 2 of the episode, there were even more unusual - and disturbing - things going on. In the final part of our episode, we examine the contradictory claims associated with the case, and we ask what might really have happened.To learn more about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov died following an encounter on the streets of London - the so-called Umbrella Assassination. As the British media speculated as to what exactly caused his death, behind the scenes more strange and disturbing drama unfolded. In Part 2 of our episode, we investigate an attempted murder in Paris, which at first appeared to solve the case … but ended up raising more questions than answers.To learn more about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

In one of the most infamous moments of the Cold War, Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov died following a strange encounter on the streets of London. The incident came to be known as the "Umbrella Assassination", after the British press picked up on claims that Markov had been killed by a mysterious man carrying an umbrella. But the truth might be different - and even more shocking - than the lurid media tale. In the first part of our 3 part episode on his death, we meet Markov and learn about his assassination.For more information about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

In Episode 41, Chloe describes the killing of Georgi Markov with an unusual weapon called the Bulgarian Umbrella. Mario digs into a classic unsolved serial killer, the Cleveland Torso Murderer.Thanks for listening y’all! We super appreciate it!Mario & ChloeTeam Mystery See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Umbrella Murder - A Cold War Poisoning Murder as a rule is usually a messy and noisy affair that can’t usually be carried out in broad daylight and go undetected. A murder weapon as inconspicuous as an umbrella and a micro dose of poison could however make murder swift, clean and almost painless for the victim. The death of Bulgarian defector, Georgi Markov happened in just this way. In broad daylight and with its victim not really knowing what had happened. But, who was Georgi murdered by and why?This time on Macabre London, we uncover The umbrella murder. *Apologies for some of the minor audio issues of late - I'm still working on trying to get better audio options with a limited budget and recording at home.*———————————————————You can now watch our episodes! There are hosted versions of each podcast available on YouTube by me, your host Nikki Druce! Featuring photos and pictures to really set the scene and to bring the episodes to life....or death in some cases. Make sure you check it out and subscribe if you like it and tell your friends. Just search Macabre London podcast on the YouTube website and you’ll find the show. As we’re brand new on YouTube we’d love it if you could share the show around so we can reach more people. Please like, comment and subscribe too so you don’t miss any shows. ———————————————————If you like this episode, please like, share and subscribe. It helps people to find the podcast which helps the Macabre Family grow! Please leave us a review, this also helps us to be discovered on iTunes and helps you guys in turn as more listeners helps the podcast grow into something bigger and better!! All stories in this episode were written and researched by Nikki Druce and are not to be reproduced in any aspect without consent. Social media ——————————You can find Macabre London online @macabrelondon across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! You can also email us at macabrelondon@hotmail.com Patreon——————————-If you like the podcast and would like it to continue then please support us on Patreon. You can donate for as little as a price of a cup of coffee and you’ll get even more Macabre London. Our patrons get access to exclusive content and money off our new merchandise when it lands as well as Macabre London Shaped rewards when they arrive! www.patreon.com/macabrelondon Thanks to our Patreon supporterCarrieAnne Doering Sponsors————————-Download your free audiobook that you get to keep forever by using our code when you sign up for a 30 day free trial with audible.com Simply visit www.audible.com/macabrelondon to get your trial. *this is an affiliate code for US customers only* *If you use this code, you’ll be supporting us so we are able to continue bringing you episodes* Music—————————-Theme music by Mattia CulpelliAdditional music by www.bensound.com And Kevin McLeod See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Georgi Markov falls victim to a poisoned umbrella on this episode of This Day In History! On this episode of This Day In History, Tony and Armand recall the assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov with a poisoned umbrella. In 1978, Georgi Markov was walking across Waterloo Bridge in London when Bulgarian secret police agent... The post September 7th – The Poisoned Umbrella Assassination of Georgi Markov appeared first on This Day In History.

Rachael and Amy discuss the case of Georgi Markov and the conspiracy theory involving the Titanic.   Contact: digitalcauldronproductions@gmail.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/digitalcauldronproductions Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/digitalcauldron Twitter: @Spreepodcast @TheGingerbolt @RL_Reynolds

On the 11th of September 1978, Bulgarian born Georgi Markov was waiting for a bus on Waterloo Bridge in London. He was on his way to work for a normal run of the mill day. The day did not turn out the way in which he had expected. That day on the bridge, Georgi was poisoned with what turned out to be an umbrella. This crime was baffling and investigators struggled to figure out what had happened. Had Georgi been killed for his brave decision to speak out about the conditions in his own country? Important information provided by: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/06/poisoned-umbrellas-and-polonium-russian-linked-uk-deathshttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297854/Did-man-kill-Cold-War-spy-Georgi-Markov-umbrella-35-years-prime-suspect-revealed-ex-Communist-agent-working-antiques-dealer-Austria.htmlhttps://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/928368/Georgi-Markov-Bulgarian-dissident-poisoned-umbrellahttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9949856/Prime-suspect-in-Georgi-Markov-umbrella-poison-murder-tracked-down-to-Austria.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-37376130/the-bbc-journalist-assassinated-with-a-poison-tipped-umbrella

Georgi Markov se convirtió en los años sesenta del pasado siglo XX en uno de los escritores más brillantes y prometedores de su Bulgaria natal. Sin embargo, sus choques con la férrea censura impuesta por el régimen comunista de Zhivkov le llevaron a tomar la decisión de desertar. Markov se refugió en Londres, donde consiguió rehacer su vida trabajando en el servicio internacional de la BBC y representando todas aquellas obras de teatro que le habían censurado en Bulgaria. Además, Markov colaboraba con otro medio, Radio Europa Libre, desde donde criticaba sin pudor tanto al régimen comunista de su país como a su líder. En septiembre de 1978, Markov fue atacado mientras esperaba el autobús: utilizando un falso paraguas, un hombre le disparó en la pierna una cápsula con ricina, un potente tóxico que le produjo la muerte en apenas tres días. Aunque a día de hoy sigue siendo un crimen sin resolver, todas las sospechas apuntan a que la KGB actuó por encargo del Gobierno búlgaro.

Top 4 Most Mysterious Assassinations  Assassination – Whenever we hear this word, we often think of someone famous being killed like President Lincoln or Kennedy. But there are other assassinations, some you may not know lying just beyond the limelight that have equally baffled people as to why and how they happened. These are the top 4 most mysterious assassinations. 4. Max Spiers – UFO Hunter Max Spiers isn't a household name but to the many UFO hunters and conspiracy theorists out there, he's a well-known figure. Max was a 39-year old father of two who was originally from Canterbury, England. He went on to live in America for several years before moving back to his home country. Spiers was known for a blog he wrote called "Where Truth Meets Heart" where he posted his ideas and thoughts. His primary focus included investigating various UFO sightings and cover-ups conducted by the government. Before his death, he was looking into the lives of well-known political figures in both entertainment and business. 3. Georgi Markov Born on March 1st, 1929, Georgi Markov was a controversial dissident and writer who defected from Bulgaria during its Communist period. After defecting, Markov worked as a journalist under the BBC World Service, a US funded company where he highly criticized the Bulgarian regime. While living in London, Markov was able to release various plays successfully while also working on his weekly show, where he analyzed life under Communist Bulgaria. In these shows, he was particularly critical of party leader Todo Zhivkov. Suffice it to say, this did not gain him any friends. On September 7, 1978, Markov was walking across Waterloo Bridge which spans the River Thames. He stopped and waited for the bus that he took to work each day. While waiting, he felt a sharp sting on one of his legs as if a bug had bit him. When he turned around, he saw a man pick up an umbrella and hurriedly head to the side street where he got into a cab. Markov headed to work and examined his leg and told at least one of his colleagues of what had happened. 2. 18 Witnesses to the JFK Assassination While the assassination of President JFK himself is among the top stories when it comes to mysterious assassinations, what's even more mysterious is that in just three years after the death of the President, 18 witnesses to the event died. Six of these people were killed with gunfire; three in car accidents, two people from suicide, one was killed by having their throat slashed while another was killed by a karate chop to the neck. Two others died from natural causes and three suffered heart attacks. With 200 people actual close enough to witness the event, the likelihood of having 18 of them die within these three years is highly unlikely. Some of the victims were part of the Warren investigation. The very first person to die linked as a witness was 23-year old Kathryn Kupcinet, the daughter of journalist, Irv Kupcinet. Days before the event, Kathryn placed a call to the Los Angeles police department and she was screaming at the operator that "President Kennedy was going to be killed." Her body was found on November 30, 1963. She was found strangled to death and police found no leads. 1. Alberto Behar and 74 NASA Scientists On January 12, 2015, a small plane crash-landed on the streets of Los Angeles shortly after taking off. Operating the plane was Alberto Behar, a NASA scientist working in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as well as at Arizona State University. Behar was among the scientists who were the first to discover that water once existed on Mars. Normally, a scientists' death is no cause for suspicion or alarm. But Behar's death marked the 74th case of a prominent scientist dying within just two years. It leads many to believe that perhaps these people knew something that perhaps they shouldn’t and that their deaths were actually executions?

The OG Assassins. A group of Islamic druggies, followers of a mystic old man in the mountains, or really cool guys in hoods that jump off of high structures into hay bails? Whoever they were, the Hashashin couldn’t sneak their past the Mongols forever.    6 Wild Assassinations: Gustav III found out he could run but couldn’t hide. Literally.  The sharpest part of John Wilkes Booth came in the form of his spurs. Which spurred his capture.   Tiberius Gracchus (Jr.) found out what WWF wrestlers have known for years- chairs suck.    Rasputin manages to stay afloat a lot longer than most. Well, until he drown.    Georgi Markov got stuck at a bus stop. He died a few days later.   Kim Jong Nam found out that if you’re related to Kim Jong Un, there’s never a good time to LOL.

On this episode of The Poisoncast learn how ricin, one of the most toxic chemicals on the planet, can kill you. You may remember it from Breaking Bad, or the Ricin Letters, or even Georgi Markov, but there is so much more to be learned about this fascinating toxin.

  Writer and broadcaster Georgi Markov has died of blood poisoning, four days after he said he was stabbed with an umbrella at a London bus stop. Scotland Yard said they are treating his death as suspicious and samples of his blood have been sent to the Porton Down Germ Warfare Centre for examination.       Estimates of world population for various points in history have been a subject of study for many years. Many authoritative sources exist for historical population estimates (e.g. U.S. Census estimates of historical world population). This article lists many of these estimates. Estimates previous to the year 10,000 BC can be made only from archaeological evidence. The last point in which Homo sapiens hit a dangerous low, coming close to extinction, was at approximately 70,000 BC during the Toba catastrophe. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign estimates human world population (Homo sapiens in Africa) between 1,000 and 10,000 breeding couples.[      http://galen.metapath.org/popclk.html On writting this world pop was 7,106,540,659   Happy days   Happy Days is an American television sitcom that aired first-run from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in the mid-1950s to mid-1960s United States.[1] The series was produced by Miller-Milkis Productions (Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions in later years) and Henderson Productions in association with Paramount Television. Happy Days is one of the highest-rated shows of the 1970s.         Susan B Anthony   Susan Brownell Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was an American social reformer who played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement. Born into a Quaker family committed to social equality, she collected anti-slavery petitions at the age of 17. In 1856, she became the New York state agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society.

I have a confession for all of you… Breaking Bad is friggin awesome.  Especially when we get such heavy hits of Ricin.  I don’t think you could pack more ricin into this episode if you had a Russian Ricin Umbrella.  So, come on and gather round, Walt is about to tell you some bullshit.  Just hit play.    As always, our website is:             http://castpodcasts.blogspot.com/Facebook:                              https://www.facebook.com/CastpodcastsHank and Marie watch the VMA’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8UUD3zyu7Ektoo many fucking videos like thisEating Bad: http://www.newscastic.com/news/eating-bad-a-complete-food-and-drink-guide-for-breaking-bad-fans-846486/IF BB had Dexter writers - http://i.imgur.com/ryGn6Xy.jpg Jessie: My weed is gone! Did Huel take it?Voiceover: Could he have taken the Ricin cigarette?!Ghost Gale: Looks like Walter tricked you Jessie.  There’s no telling what other lies he’s told!Jessie: Could Walt have done this?  I need to be sure(Confirmed, Walt lied to you).Vehicles as Souls??? http://i.imgur.com/DP7fDHz.jpg danomano65Walt and Jessie’s cook had a soul of its’ own - RVWalt continually wrecks his car (his soul) and eventually sells it for next to nothingMuch business begins in the junk yard which is littered with abandoned soulsruns a car wash cleaning soulsSkyler Op Ed Piece – http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/opinion/i-have-a-character-issue.html?_r=0 Download link

The Bulgarian dissident was attacked by a man with a poisoned umbrella on his way to work at the BBC World Service in Bush House. He died several days later in a London hospital. We hear from a colleague and friend, and one of the doctors who tried to save him. Photo: Georgi Markov

Richard H. Cummings served for fifteen years as Director of Security for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). He reviews the propaganda activities of RFE/RL during the Cold War and describes Soviet bloc operations against the stations, including the 1978 murder of RFE scriptwriter Georgi Markov in London, and the 1981 bombing of RFE/RL headquarters in Munich by the terrorist Carlos the Jackal.