Western Fringe

Heidi Beedle
  • 4.5 (14)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Western Fringe is a podcast about the weird history of Colorado. westernfringe@protonmail.com

  1. Theosophical Colorado pt. 1: The St. Germain Foundation

    10/28/2023

    Theosophical Colorado pt. 1: The St. Germain Foundation

    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 Colorado Springs. Also QAnon guy Michael Flynn and his plagiarized Elizabeth Clare Prophet prayer. Sources: The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth An embarrassing amount of Wikipedia "*******" by Jets to Brazil

    45 min
  2. Dirty Dozen: The 12 Tribes Cult

    08/27/2023

    Dirty Dozen: The 12 Tribes Cult

    [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" by NY Post "Protect the Abuser" by Broward Palm Beach New Times "In Germany's Twelve Tribes sect, cameras catch ‘cold and systematic’ child-beating" by the Independent "Twelve Tribes sect may have smuggled children to Czech Republic" by Radio Prague International "Man convicted after 'bizarre' child-porn confession" by Prince George Citizen "Investigation Finds Children Working in Factory Packaging Beauty Products Sold at Major Retailers" by Inside Edition "‘They are evil’: Ex-Twelve Tribes members describe child abuse, control inside religious cult" by Denver Post "Tribal conflict" by Colorado Springs Indy "Maté Factor's Twelve Tribes community called out by Vice" by Colorado Springs Indy "God's Got It" by Old Crow Medicine Show

    1h 12m

  3. 09/28/2022 · BONUS

    Intro to Demonology (ft. Jason Cordova)

    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 Devils

    40 min
  4. Out of Focus (on the Family)

    09/01/2022

    Out of Focus (on the Family)

    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 Philanthropist Bill Hwang Charged with ‘Historic’ Stock Scam" by Religion Unplugged "Lawsuit Alleges Billionaire’s Christian Foundation Engaged in Self-Dealing" by Christianity Today "Hard to Be" by David Bazan

    44 min
  5. Going to Trinidad (The Trans Episode)

    03/27/2022

    Going to Trinidad (The Trans Episode)

    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. Smith The Histories by Herodotus Gilgamesh translated by John Gardner The Johns Hopkins Newsletter "My New Vagina Won’t Make Me Happy" by Andrea Chu Long "Crying in a Bathroom Stall" by Dyke Drama Further Listening: One From the Vaults

    1h 6m
  6. The Man Who Sold The Moon

    03/07/2022

    The Man Who Sold The Moon

    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: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius by Gary Lachman Programmed to Kill: The Politics of Serial Murder by David McGowan "The Night They Blew Up The Moon" by Hot Rod Circuit Further Study: "I'M YOUR PUPPET: The Sorcerous Sinema of Kenneth Anger" by Subliminal Jihad "Sons of Sam" Netflix Documentary "Self Improvement" by Heidi Beedle, Colorado Springs Independent

    1h 23m
  7. The Mountain Mafia

    02/21/2022

    The Mountain Mafia

    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 American Crime Family by Dick Kreck

    47 min
  8. The Death of Seymour Cray

    02/07/2022

    The Death of Seymour Cray

    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 commercial product" - Colorado Springs Gazette "Assassination on X-Mas Eve" by Archers of Loaf

    37 min
See All (15)

4.5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Western Fringe is a podcast about the weird history of Colorado. westernfringe@protonmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Heidi Beedle
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2023
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Heidi Beedle
  • Show Website
    Western Fringe

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