Wade Wainio
Bio
Wade Wainio writes stuff for Pophorror.com, Vents Magazine and his podcast called Critical Wade Theory. He is also an artist, musician and college radio DJ for WMTU 91.9 FM Houghton.
Stories (80)
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Werewolf Trial of 1521: Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun
In the early 16th century, a chilling case emerged from eastern France that would become one of the most infamous werewolf trials in European history. The story of Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun, executed in 1521 in Besançon, sits at the crossroads of folklore, fear, and the brutal justice systems of the time.
By Wade Wainioabout 24 hours ago in Criminal
The Right’s Loud Romance With Violence and Fascism
For decades, American conservatives have warned about the “moral decline” of the United States. Sometimes those warnings sounded sincere. I remember the Terri Schiavo case, when many conservatives framed the removal of a feeding tube as a profound moral failure. You could argue some of that outrage was politically convenient, but it was at least plausible that many of the people involved genuinely believed life was sacred and violence, broadly defined as merely ending a human life (even out of medical mercy), was wrong.
By Wade Wainio2 months ago in The Swamp
Blaž Hrvat, A Medieval Croatian Serial Killer and the Harsh World of 15th-Century Justice
Serial killers have always been part of human history, and fear of strangers has always been with us. Yet many cases go largely unmentioned, even when the killers are just as ruthless as the infamous names we all know.
By Wade Wainio6 months ago in Criminal
Freedom in Tension: Between Anarchic Ideal and Fascistic Reality
The American anarchist and political economist Benjamin Tucker once called himself an adherent of “unterrified Jeffersonianism.” That phrase, half tongue-in-cheek and half serious, captures the contradiction at the heart of freedom: it is at once an ideal of perfection and a struggle against imperfection.
By Wade Wainio8 months ago in The Swamp
Trump’s ‘Anarchist Jurisdiction’ Talk Was Mostly Nonsense — But Could Such a Thing Exist?
On January 5, 2021, I wrote on my blog about a peculiar phrase that emerged during the Trump administration: "anarchist jurisdictions." It was used by the Department of Homeland Security to describe cities like Portland, Seattle, and New York — places that had seen protests in response to police brutality or simply didn’t align with Trump’s political narrative. The term, however, made little sense. Anarchism isn’t jurisdictional. It isn’t something defined or confined by government-sanctioned borders, laws, or frameworks. If anything, the concept of an "anarchist jurisdiction" is oxymoronic.
By Wade Wainio9 months ago in The Swamp
The Hopefuls: Gentrification and the Changing Face of Cities (and Even Some Small Towns)
In 1964, British sociologist Ruth Glass gave a name to a process reshaping urban life in ways both visible and invisible: gentrification. Writing in her book London: Aspects of Change, she described how working-class neighborhoods in London were being "invaded" by middle-class newcomers — both upper and lower — bringing with them rising rents, property speculation, and a cultural transformation that permanently altered the character of the communities they entered.
By Wade Wainio9 months ago in The Swamp
Gilles de Rais: A Tale of Valor and Horror
Gilles de Rais, also known by his noble title Gilles de Montmorency-Laval, was a French nobleman and a prominent military commander during the Hundred Years' War. His life is a stark contrast of military glory and dark, sinister deeds that have captivated historians and the public for centuries.
By Wade Wainio9 months ago in Criminal
Quirky Behaviors Caused By 'The System' and 10 Solutions
Please, allow me to go on some Andy Rooney-esque rants to explain some quirks to living under a rotten system (and if you wish to see the less rant-oriented "solutions" part of this text, just scroll down and you'll see the list).
By Wade Wainio10 months ago in The Swamp
Alice Kyteler: Ireland’s First Witch Trial and the Origins of European Witchcraft Persecution
In 1324, long before the infamous witch trials of Salem or Bamberg, a wealthy Irish noblewoman named Alice Kyteler became the central figure in one of Europe’s earliest recorded witchcraft trials. Her story is a revealing look at medieval attitudes toward power, gender, and fear of the occult.
By Wade Wainio11 months ago in Criminal
From Slavery to Genocide: The American Tradition of Hideous Moral Compromise
There are many differences between myself and a typical Republican. One of them: I do not shed a single tear if some monuments to General Robert E. Lee and other Confederate-era figures are being removed. Similarly, Gary Flowers, a black radio show host and civil rights activist, stated: "As a native of Richmond, I want to say that the head of the snake has been removed..."
By Wade Wainioabout a year ago in The Swamp
Pedro Rodrigues Filho: The Chilling Tale of Brazil's Infamous Vigilante Serial Killer
Pedro Rodrigues Filho, infamously known as "Pedrinho Matador" or "Killer Petey," remains one of the most notorious figures in Brazil’s criminal history. Born on October 17, 1954, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Rodrigues became infamous for his brutal acts of violence — crimes that were made unique by his most common choice of victims: other criminals.
By Wade Wainioabout a year ago in Criminal
Powerful People Don't Live Forever: What's Implied When Influential People Die
When Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died in 2020, it obviously had significant political implications. It's not like no one mentioned her poor health, but it still came as a surprise. After all, she had missed a Supreme Court argument, which was something she was not known for.
By Wade Wainioabout a year ago in The Swamp
