Best Human Versus Machine Podcasts (2025)

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CLASSIC: The Ridiculous Story of the World’s First (Documented) Serial Killer 35:31

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2d ago35:31

35:31

Locusta of Gaul, also known as Locusta The Poisoner, was one of the most infamous criminals of ancient times. Alternately sponsored and betrayed by the noble class, she committed crimes with impunity for years — even, at one point, opening an academy to teach her poisoning skills to others. Tune in to learn more about the rise and fall of what may …

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A Ridiculous History of "Fad Diets" 43:40

4d ago43:40

43:40

Everyone in the developed world knows someone who's tried a 'fad diet' -- these are the so-called miracle practices that promise to help people lose weight and keep it off, through any number of potentially dubious methods. But where did they come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and guest producer Dylan dive deep into the Victorian era of tapew…

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A Titanic Disaster: That Time An Entire Production Crew Tripped Off Bad Chowder 44:30

6d ago44:30

44:30

James Cameron's Titanic was, by all accounts, a blockbuster success. And, like so many other masterpieces, the story of its creation is a tale all its own. In today's episode, Ben and Noel dive deep into a little-known disaster that struck the already-tense production: someone laced the chowder with PCP, sending a small army of crew and cast alike …

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Why "AI" Is a Con: Our Book Launch! (with Vauhini Vara), 2025.05.08 1:16:52

7d ago1:16:52

1:16:52

It's finally here! The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want hit the shelves in May. In this special bonus episode, Alex and Emily speak to tech journalist Vauhini Vara at one of the book's online launch events, where they covered the misleading nature of the term "artificial intelligence," why the use of tools like Cha…

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CLASSIC: Back When the Rich Ate Corpses 36:21

11d ago36:21

36:21

Nowadays it's safe to say that cannibalism isn't a widely-accepted practice, but not so long ago it was considered the bleeding edge (get it?) in medicine throughout Western Europe. Join Ben and Noel as they explore the odd practice of consuming human body parts in hopes of curring all one's ills, through everything such as the King's drops to band…

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A Ridiculous History of Sex, with Ross Benes 48:34

13d ago48:34

48:34

Heads-up, folks: this is a PG-13 episode. Ben and the legendary guest producer, also Ben, welcome author and journalist Ross Benes for a wide-ranging discussion on the ridiculous ways in which sex has altered the course of human civilization. We're talking about the origin story of the vibrator, the way the US military accidentally made San Francis…

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CLASSIC: The Mummies of Guanajuato 30:15

16d ago30:15

30:15

When the city of Guanajuato instituted a grave tax, they included some harsh penalties for those who couldn't pay -- if you went more than three years without paying the tax on your loved one's resting place, the body would be disinterred and taken from its grave. As gravediggers began removing corpses, they discovered something bizarre: Many of th…

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A Ridiculous History of Brain Science, with Jorge Cham 56:06

18d ago56:06

56:06

Today, we all generally understand that the brain is responsible for what we call personality and thought -- yet this wasn't always the case. Once humans figured out the brain was more than a weird lump in the skull, it took centuries of trial and error, along with quack science, to really understand how it works. In today's episode, the guys welco…

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Jorge Cham Teaches Us The Universe: Big Bangs and Quantum Hangs 53:01

20d ago53:01

53:01

What is the universe? Where did it come from, and what happens to it in the future? Humanity has wrestled with these questions since the dawn of civilization -- and though we've made a lot of progress, there's still much more to learn. In today's episode, the guys join special guest Jorge Cham, the polymath, engineer, author, cartoonist, and creato…

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CLASSIC: The Curious Rise of SPAM 47:03

23d ago47:03

47:03

Nowadays the iconic 'SPAM' logo is recognized around the world -- whether you're traveling in the US state of Minnesota or Busan, Korea, you'll more often than not run into a couple of Spam cans in the local grocery store. But what made this particular processed meat so popular? Join Ben, Noel and special guest, Savor cohost Anney Reese as they exp…

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The Ridiclulous Hsitory of Typos 38:58

25d ago38:58

38:58

Ah, the bane of authors, students and copywriters the world round: the infamous typo! Something as small as a single misplaced letter can call the entire credibility of a book, text, or essay into question. Usually readers can still "get the gist," but every so often an innocent typo sows chaos, hilarity, scandal and disaster. In today's episode, B…

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"Like Magic Intelligence in the Cloud", 2025.05.26 59:50

25d ago59:50

59:50

Because Sam Altman hates opening his laptop, OpenAI is merging with iPhone guy Jony Ive's design firm in the name of some mysterious new ChatGPT-enabled consumer products: Alex and Emily go full Mystery Science Theater and dissect the announcement video. Plus how tech billionaires like Sam Altman mythologize San Francisco while their money makes it…

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Come For the Palooka, Stay For the Farts! 47:13

27d ago47:13

47:13

What on Earth is a "palooka"? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max embark on a bizarre journey -- inspired by a single, fascinating word, they discover one of the weirdest, life-long beefs between two cartoonist legends of yesteryear. We don't want to spoil it, so please tune in! Also, the guys once again crack on James Joyce. See omnystudio.com/l…

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CLASSIC: The Origins Of, and Backlash Against, Father's Day 42:44

1M ago42:44

42:44

With another Father's Day in the books, Ben, Noel and Max hit the new studio for the first time, exploring the history of this paternal partner to the slightly-more famous Mother's Day. Featuring a cameo from the one and only Matt in this week's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Father's Day, Around the World 36:08

1M ago36:08

36:08

In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max discover stunning commonalities between Father's Day celebrations across culture, community, and time. We wrote that first sentence knowing our Dads will not read the rest, and we genuinely believe we have some good jokes with this one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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The History of Morning Routines, Part Two: All Hail The Toothbrush! And Deodorant! 42:11

1M ago42:11

42:11

For most of us -- hopefully! -- dental care is a fundamental piece of the morning routine. There are few things quite as refreshing as starting the day with a fresh, minty smile. Then, of course, deodorant (please)! In the second part of the History of Morning Routines, Ben, Noel and Max give massive thanks to the many inventors of yesteryear who w…

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CLASSIC: The Smooth-talking Takeover of Tabor Bridge: "Yes And-ing" Your Way To Victory 31:21

1M ago31:21

31:21

In 1805, two French Marshals found themselves in quite a pickle -- Jean Lannes and Joachim Murat needed to cross the Danube at the Tabor bridge (a series of three bridges, actually) to reach Vienna. However, Austrian forces held the bridges and were prepared to destroy them before allowing the French to cross. With a brilliant talent for improvisat…

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CLASSIC: History's Coolest (Non-Human) Political Candidates, Part I 54:51

1M ago54:51

54:51

It's no secret that politics can be a minefield of quirky events, and strange things happen in the lead up to elections. But just how strange can it get? Join the guys and returning guest Christopher Hassiotis as they explore bizarre tales of non-human politicians in this special Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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The History of Morning Routines, Part One: Thank Goodness People Learned to Wash Themselves 34:35

1M ago34:35

34:35

Regardless of culture or country, most people have some sort of morning routine. This could be a simple as a shower, a shave and brushing one's teeth -- on the other hand, some morning routines are elaborate affairs requiring an hour or more of careful grooming, mousiturizing, meditation, and more. So where do these rituals come from? In the first …

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CLASSIC: Attack of the Aswang: How the CIA Used Vampires as Weapons of War 31:26

1M ago31:26

31:26

Horror fans can tell you there's more than one type of vampire -- in fact, there are hundreds of vampire-like fiends in cultures around the world. In most cases these are dismissed as spooky stories for children or ancient myths, but when the CIA needed to oust a group of Communist rebels in the Philippines, they decided to make the myth of the Asw…

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The Ridiculous -- and Surprisingly Dangerous -- History of Hair Dye 45:18

2M ago45:18

45:18

Whether we're talking jet black, stunning platinum or fire engine red, there's just something fascinating about hair as a fashion statement. And, of course, forms of hair dye have been used since antiquity to help people maintain a youthful appearance... even when the ingredients caused tremendous physical harm. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Ma…

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The "AI"-Enabled Immigration Panopticon (with Petra Molnar), 2025.05.05 1:01:58

2M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

This week, Alex and Emily talk with anthropologist and immigration lawyer Petra Molnar about the dehumanizing hype of border-enforcement tech. From hoovering up data to hunt anyone of ambiguous citizenship status, to running surveillance of physical borders themselves, "AI" tech is everywhere in the enforcement of national borders. And as companies…

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Bridging the Gap: Navigating Generational Dynamics in the Workplace with Clint Runge, CEO & Founder of Archrival 23:12

2M ago23:12

23:12

Five generations. One workplace. Endless opportunities—and plenty of friction. In this episode of Guided Disruption in the Workplace, host Manisha Pathak is joined by Clint Runge, CEO & Founder of Archrival, to explore the powerful potential of multi-generational teams. Clint, a seasoned strategist on generational behavior, shares how organizations…

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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: That Super Humble Statue of Zeus 35:07

2M ago35:07

35:07

Statues are sort of a big deal. Even today, most folks you meet don't have a statue of themselves. So it comes as no surprise that back in the day, one statue in particular became a wonder of the ancient world. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the story of Zeus. (Ben here: I need everyone to know we are not talking about the origins of…

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CLASSIC: Who are the Hartlepudlian Monkey Hangers? 34:21

2M ago34:21

34:21

Years ago, if you wanted to start a fight in Hartlepool in north eastern England, all you'd have to do is start calling people 'monkey hangers'. But why? Join the guys as they explore how the Napoleonic War, a terrified village and one incredibly unlucky monkey collided -- allegedly -- in one of the most ridiculous events of its time. See omnystudi…

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HP Lovecraft Was A Super Weird Dude, Part Two: The Horror Stories That Changed The World 56:04

2M ago56:04

56:04

Newly inspired by his recent associations in amateur magazine circles, HP Lovecraft returns to fiction. In the second part of this series, Ben, Max and special guest Jonathan Strickland witness Lovecraft's work building a mythos with his friends and collaborators, his love life, his tragedies and triumphs. Also his strange hatred of so many things …

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The Future of Work: Skills First with Sachit Kamat, Chief Product Officer at eightfold.ai 24:29

2M ago24:29

24:29

Is the traditional job role becoming a thing of the past? In this forward-looking episode, host Yael Shur, joined by co-host Asaf Jackoby, welcomes Sachit Kamat, Chief Product Officer at Eightfold.ai, to unpack the bold move toward skills-based organizations. Together, they explore how organizations are shifting focus from rigid roles to dynamic sk…

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HP Lovecraft Was A Super Weird Dude, Part One: Childhood Tragedy 52:59

2M ago52:59

52:59

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Howard Phillips Lovecraft fundamentally altered the course of horror and speculative fiction. So how did he become one of the most influential authors in all of horror history? In the first part of this special two-part episode, Ben and Max welcome returning guest Jonathan Strickland for an exploration …

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CLASSIC: William Walker: Filibuster and (Fantastically Bad) President 42:22

2M ago42:22

42:22

In today's Classic episode, Ben, Noel, Casey In Spirit and Max explore a bizarrely American story. The adventurer and filibuster William Walker was, in his heyday, lauded as an American hero for his repeated failed invasions of areas of Mexico and Nicaragua. But what led this man on a fanatical mission to invade these regions? Perhaps more importan…

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Accidental Inventions of the 20th Century, Part Two: The Slinky and the Post-it Note 37:48

2M ago37:48

37:48

While things like the Slinky and the Post-it Note may seem pretty ubiquitous, simple ideas today, they each have their own bizarre accidental origin story. In the second part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the stories of military coil research and a tenacious 3M employee nicknamed "Mr. Persistent." See omnystudio.com/li…

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AGI: "Imminent", "Inevitable", and Inane, 2025.04.21 1:05:02

2M ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Emily and Alex pore through an elaborate science fiction scenario about the "inevitability" of Artificial General Intelligence or AGI by the year 2027 - which rests atop a foundation of TESCREAL nonsense, and Sinophobia to boot. References: AI 2027 Fresh AI Hell: AI persona bots for undercover cops Palantir heart eyes Keir Starmer Anti-vaxxers are …

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Accidental Inventions of the 20th Century, Part One: Penicillin, X-Rays and the Microwave Oven 42:57

2M ago42:57

42:57

Humans have always been compelled by curiosity -- sometimes, this leads to misfortune, but other times... curiosity and accident can also lead to world-changing innovations. In part one of this week's special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origin stories of history's greatest accidental inventions, from penicillin to the microwave o…

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CLASSIC: Lawsonomy: How the Father of the Modern Airline Started His Own Religion 51:46

2M ago51:46

51:46

When middling baseball player Alfred Lawson first learned of the Wright Brothers, he experienced a revelation that would guide the greater part of his life: Aviation, he believed, was the future of more than just transit -- it would become one of the most important advances in the history of the human race. Lawson, brimming with confidence and char…

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Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System? 36:40

2M ago36:40

36:40

Why is the United States so culturally opposed to the metric system? According to a popular legend, this conundrum dates back to the late 1700s, when a French polymath named Joseph Dombey sailed to Thomas Jefferson with two crucial artifacts: a rod measuring exactly one meter, and a copper cylinder weighing one kilogram, set to bring the new nation…

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Yet More Ridiculous Historical Honorifics: Ethelred Just Ain't Ready 42:10

2M ago42:10

42:10

Have you been blessed -- or, perhaps, cursed -- with a nickname that just won't go away? Some of most terrifying, inspiring and ridiculous figures in human history are in the same boat. Join Ben, Noel and Max as they return to their continuing series on Ridiculous Historical Honorifics, exploring the stories of Charles the Bald, Ethelred the Unread…

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CLASSIC: A Dead Pope Goes To Court 27:26

2M ago27:26

27:26

The Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal and controversy, but in January of 897 the institution was home to a new and unique scandal that put the garden variety tales of adultery and financial corruption to shame. Listen in to learn what drove Pope Stephen VI (also sometimes called Pope Steven VII) to dig up one of his predecessors and put the…

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History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part Two 36:34

2M ago36:34

36:34

What's the weirdest pair of shoes you've ever seen? If you were King, would you force everyone else to be shorter than you? In the second part of this week's special two-part episode, returning guest AJ "Bahamas" Jacobs, creator of "The Puzzler," regales the gang with a wide-ranging exploration of history's most ridiculous clothing. See omnystudio.…

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AI Hell in a Handbasket, 2025.04.14 1:00:25

3M ago1:00:25

1:00:25

It's been 4 months since we've cleared the backlog of Fresh AI Hell and the bullshit is coming in almost too fast to keep up with. But between a page full of awkward unicorns and a seeming slowdown in data center demand, Alex and Emily have more good news than usual to accompany this round of catharsis. AI Hell: LLM processing like human language p…

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History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part One 29:12

3M ago29:12

29:12

It's no secret that history is filled with relatively arbitrary fashion rules, fads and faux pas -- and what may be hot stuff in one era often ends up being seen as cringeworthy in later years. But how ridiculous does clothing of yesteryear get? In part one of this week's special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max welcome their returning guest, the…

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CLASSIC: War and Candy: The Infamous Tootsie Roll Air Drop 33:28

3M ago33:28

33:28

During the battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, the First Marine Division seemed doomed. Surrounded, outnumbered, outgunned and running dangerously low on ammunition, the Marines called for an airdrop of ammo only to receive... pallets of tootsie rolls. Over the next two bloody, violent weeks these tiny candies turned out be much m…

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The Power of AI Partnerships with Mike MacDade and Lilac Ilan 21:09

3M ago21:09

21:09

As Generative AI redefines industries, strong partnerships have never been more critical. In this episode, host Mike MacDade, Head of Operations at Amdocs Strategy and Technology, is joined by Lilac Ilan, Head of Global Telco, AI-Powered Operations at NVIDIA, to explore the unique dynamics of AI partnerships and ecosystem building in the Gen AI era…

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A Ridiculous History of Tupperware 45:06

3M ago45:06

45:06

Burrrrp! The sound is familiar to any fan of Tupperware -- it's that little whoosh of air when you push down the lid and remove excess air. But what exactly is Tupperware? How did it become such an ubiquitous part of U.S. kitchens? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep into the surprisingly dramatic rise of Tupperware... and how the unsun…

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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus 38:32

3M ago38:32

38:32

Like most rulers of old, Mausolus wasn't exactly known for his modesty. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max continue their exploration of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with the story of a tomb so opulent that humans ended up making a brand-new word to describe it: the Mausolem (at Halicarnassus). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i…

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CLASSIC: The Man Who Assassinated Abe Lincoln's Assassin 34:56

3M ago34:56

34:56

On April 14th, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in Ford's theatre, escaping shortly thereafter and going on the run. The Federal troops in pursuit of the assassin had orders to bring Booth and any of his conspirators back alive. For most of the soldiers, this wasn't a problem. However, Boston Corbett felt he answered t…

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Paul Is Dead, Part Two: Welcome to the Walrus 45:09

3M ago45:09

45:09

After a US-based college student pens a satirical article exploring hippy folklore and the Beatles, mainstream media takes off -- "Is Paul McCartney actually dead?" they ask, in a growing fever pitch. In part two of this series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the continuing saga of the greatest conspiracy theory in all of modern music. See omnystudio.co…

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"AI" Agents, A Single Point of Failure (with Margaret Mitchell), 2025.03.31 1:03:02

3M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

After "AI" stopped meaning anything, the hype salesmen moved on to "AI" "agents", those allegedly indefatigable assistants, allegedly capable of operating your software for you -- whether you need to make a restaurant reservation, book a flight, or book a flight to a restaurant reservation. Hugging Face's Margaret Mitchell joins Emily and Alex to h…

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Paul Is Dead, Part One: The Beatles versus MI5 50:46

3M ago50:46

50:46

It's one of the greatest conspiracy theories in all of modern music -- what if, at the height of their success, the world famous Beatles suddenly lost Paul McCartney? As the theory goes, Paul Prime actually died in a car accident in November of 1966. With millions of fans -- and dollars! -- on the line, the remaining Beatles and MI5 conspired to co…

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CLASSIC: The Cock Lane Ghost: Haunting, Hoax, Hysteria… or Hilarious? 39:34

3M ago39:34

39:34

In 1762, crowds from across London gathered in hopes of seeing something the papers called "The Cock Lane Ghost". This alleged spirit was known to communicate in knocks and scratches, reacting to yes or no questions and, according to some observers, seeking justice from beyond the grave. But who was this spirit, exactly? What did this poltergeist h…

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CLASSIC: Roland the Farter and the Weird World of Professional Flatulence 34:32

3M ago34:32

34:32

Regardless of what polite societies often want us to believe, everyone farts. And we fart often! And, believe it or not, a few rare individuals have been able to turn this embarrassing bodily function into a full-time job. Join Ben and Noel as they explore the weird, weird world of professional flatulence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in…

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CLASSIC: Gregor MacGregor Invented a Country and Convinced People to Invest in It 57:05

3M ago57:05

57:05

When His Serene Highness Gregor the First, Sovereign Prince of the State of Poyais and its Dependencies, and Cacique of the Poyer nation visited London, he made a huge impression. Hundreds of people jumped at the chance to buy land in his remote, Central American paradise. There was only one problem -- the Cacique, whose real name was Gregor Macgre…