This is Michael Medved.

Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany, once said that God offers special protection

to drunkards, lost dogs, children, and the United States of America.

We'll explore that special protection

and what it means in the American miracle.

Subscribe to the American miracle on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, my name is Matt, host of the Pirate History Podcast.

Pirates rank among the most mythologized and romanticized of all historical figures.

It can become easy to forget that pirates were real people

that had real world concerns. If you like tales of High Seas Adventure,

daring do, and also want to learn more about who Blackbeard supported to be King.

You can learn more about all of that at the Pirate History Podcast.

Back in the 1920s, the Westlake District was considered one of the most elegant and desirable residential neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

In 1925, the 94 unit Glen Donald apartment building opened its doors and became home to a number of

wealthy doctors, lawyers, and actors. Back in those days the building was considered the height of opulence

with a grand lobby and a basement ballroom that was a location of many fancy gala's.

Prior to World War II, the Street-card network was the primary mode of transportation for most of the neighborhood's residents. But after the war, the streetcars were dismantled, and more and more people began buying cars.

The problem was Westlake wasn't built to accommodate private car ownership, causing many of the

wealthy patrons to flee to other more automobile-friendly

neighborhoods such as Encino and Westwood.

As the years went by, the neighborhood began to change. During the 1980s a number of refugees

from Central American countries like war torn El Salvador began moving into

...