Western Fringe

We discuss Colorado's theosophical cults — The St. Germain Foundation and later the Church Universal and Triumphant. Helena Blavatsky, Nazi esoterica, the Freemasonic roots of St. Germain, the cults movement to Ouray, Colorado and their groundbreaking religious freedom lawsuit, the rise of the Church Universal and Triumphant, including their headquarters in the 1960s at the Broadmoor hotel in...

[TW: Child abuse, child sexual abuse] I'm back from the prolonged break with my friend/new cohost Jenna to discuss the 12 Tribes cult and their many child labor-, child abuse-, and child pornography-related scandals, but also their tasty offerings and quaint local cafes. Sources: @DrBlobb's thread FBI Report "STATE PROBES CULT IN CHILD-LABOR SCANDAL – ACTING ON HEELS OF POST REPORT&qu...

This is a quick bonus episode, featuring a conversation with Jason Cordova of the Crypto Science Society about Demons. Additional Reading: "The Black Monarch Hotel offers spooky decor and an exclusive phantom party" by Colorado Springs Independent (my collab with CSS) "Demons, Furries, and Transgender People Focus of CO Springs Candidate" by Colorado Times Recorder "Demon Brother" by Murder City D...

We discuss the life and work of James Dobson, and Focus on the Family's influence on the military, anti-LGBTQ policies, and conservative politics in America. Sources: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez "Some Kinda Hate" by Colorado Springs Independent "Vineyard church says it heals, but some say it hurts Concerns raised about 'cult-like' group" by The Baltimore Sun "Christian Billionaire...

In honor of the Days of Blood, or Trans Day of Visibility, we are exploring Trinidad's history as the "Sex Change Capital of the World." We talk about the history of trans people, in antiquity and the modern era, and the work of Dr. Stanley Biber and later Dr. Marci Bowers, as they provided gender confirmation surgery to over 6,000 trans people in Trinidad. Sources: Going to Trinidad by Martin J....

Robert A. Heinlein, famed sci-fi writer, lived in Colorado Springs in the 1950s. We look at the life of Robert Heinlein, his connections to L. Ron Hubbard and Jack Parsons, the Esalen Institute, and Heinlein's own connections to weird mysticism and the occult. Sources: Robert A Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century Volume 1: Learning Curive (1907-1948) by William H Patterson Turn Off Your Mind: T...

We talk about the Smaldone crime family. Bloody shootouts in Pueblo during the 1920s, gory gangland killings in Denver in the 30s, weird mob connections to Harry S Truman and Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, among others. Things get weird with mentions of Anton LaVey and Clyde Smaldone's take on "conspiracy theories" surrounding the JFK assassination. Sources: Smaldone: The Untold Story of an America...

Computer pioneer Seymour Cray died after a traffic accident in Colorado Springs in 1996. His computers were used in a variety of military and intelligence roles, so is it possible that Cray's death was something more than it seems? Possible but not likely. We talk about the life and death of Seymour Cray. Sources: Seymour Cray Biography "Colorado Springs computer firm broadens its reach with first...

Starting in 1975, Colorado was ground zero for the cattle mutilation phenomenon. Today we look at the reporting of two journalists, Dane Edwards of the Brush Banner and Dorothy Aldridge of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph , as they cover the strange phenomenon that still persists today, which the FBI dubbed the result of "natural predator activity." Sources: The Oregonian Denver Public Libra...

The CIA, secretly training a rebel army in Colorado? It's more likely than you think. After World War II, the CIA used Camp Hale to train Tibetan resistance fighters during the late 1950s and early 1960s. One of the instructors, Anthony Poshepny, later became notorious for sketchy conduct during the Vietnam War. Sources: The CIA's Secret War in Tibet by Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison The Shadow...

We talk about Camp Hale, the Colorado Army base that was home to the 10th Mountain Division during World War II, but also home to 400 German POWs and the 620th Engineer General Service Company, a misfit unit of Nazi sympathizers. One of those soldiers would go AWOL with 2 German POWs in one of the biggest treason cases of the war. Sources: Something Like Treason by Bill Sonn Colorado Encyclopedia...

The final installment of the Nuke-O-Rado series, we discuss the Grand Jury investigation into Rocky Flats' alleged environmental crimes, the clean-up effort, and the ongoing legacy of Rocky Flats. We're also joined by Giselle Herzfeld and Usama Khalid of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center to discuss their efforts regarding Rocky Flats. Sources: Ambushed Grand Jury by Wes McKinley and Caro...

Things get weird in the waning days of Rocky Flats. A UFO sighting, two missing persons cases, and of course continued concerns about the disposal of nuclear waste and the rising rates of cancer for Denver-area residents. It all culminates with a raid on the plant by the FBI. Sources: Dark Side of the Mountain Colorado Bureau of Investigation Brother Tony's Boys by Mike Echols Ambushed Grand Jury...

In this episode we talk about Colorado's Operation Plowshare projects in Rulison and Rio Blanco. Were they covers for the construction of Deep Underground Military Bases? That makes about as much sense as the stated purpose of natural gas exploration. We also look into how the rise of the Environmental Protection Agency along with local and federal health agency oversight convinced Dow it was time...

In this episode we take a look Colorado's role in the Manhattan Project with the Uranium mining operations in Uravan and the Uranium refinery in Grand Junction. After World War II, Colorado was chosen as the site for Dow Chemical's plutonium manufacturing plant, Rocky Flats, which had it's first series of accidents in 1957. Sources: Atomic Heritage Foundation Department of Energy Rocky Flats Timel...