Don't Look Now

The conclusion of our two part episode on Jim Jones and the People's Temple.  The People's Temple moves to California and problems begin in earnest.  The cult eventually moves to Guyana and creates the settlement of Jonestown where is slowly decays into human rights abuses and ultimately the Jonestown Massacre.  Don't drink the Flavor Aid.

We discuss the early life of Jim Jones, the cult leader most infamous for the mass murder/suicide of his followers at Jonestown in Guyana.  From his start in life as part of a desperately poor and dysfunctional family, to his alternately being a preacher, atheist, communist, civil rights crusader, and cult leader, his life seems to be a constant contradiction full of shifting positions.  Take a listen and see what you think. 

Today's podcast deals with a couple of the lesser known cryptids of the United States: The Pukwudgies of the Massachusetts woods and the wand wielding frog people of Ohio.  Time for a little detour into the weird ;)

During and after World War I, a group of women living in Nagyrev, Hungary, used arsenic to poison up to 300 men.  The ringleader of the group was Zsuzanna Fazekas, a local midwife with a strangely missing husband.  The poisoning was initially aimed at abusive husbands, but eventually spread to parents of the women involved and thier own children.  

Our topic this week is the Marquise de Montespan, a noblewoman renowned for her beauty and with that became the mistress of King Louis XIV of France and one of the post powerful people in the country.  She was accused of being part of the "Affair of the Poisons" when it was revealed that a large chunk of the court of Louis XIV had been poisoning each other with the aid of Catherine Monvoisin, who was burned at the stake as a witch.  Take a listen to the of intrigue in the French Royal Court.

Today's topic is the Roman Emperor Nero, or Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to be more exact.  Most famous today for possibly enjoying the great fire of Rome a bit too much and for persecuting Christians afterwards, we take a look at the actual history.  What all did Nero get up to that has made him a villain to this day?  How much is true and how much is made up by political enemies?  Take as listen and see what we could find.

This week out subject is out of body experiences.  There are estimates that up to 1 in 10 people have an out of body experience at some point, seeing yourself disconnect from an outside viewpoint, or feeling like you are not co-located with your body.  They are most closely associated with lucid dreaming and near death experiences, but can occur in may difference situations.  Most people agree that it is indeed an experience that many people share, but there is wide disagreement as to the cause.  Is it just a lucid dream state or is it your soul wandering from your body?  Come take a listen and see what you think.

In the midst of WWII, conflict broke out in Los Angeles between members of the navy and Mexican American youth stemming from tensions from a naval base being built over a primarily Mexican community and the young people in the community flaunting zoot suits that defied rationing laws.  In 1943 these tensions spilled over into violence as thousands of navy sailors began to attack anyone the could find wearing a zoot suit or other clothing that made them appear related to the pachuco youth culture movement.  Take a listen and learn about the real Zoot Suit Riots.

The 369th Infantry Regiment, now known as the Harlem Hellfighers, or the Black Rattlers, was formed in the lead up to the US's entry into WWI as a regiment of black men predominantly from New York City and surrounding areas.  It ended up being the US unit that spent more time on the front lines of WWI then any other unit, being detached and assigned to French command, fighting with distinction in multiple battles.  We discuss how the regiment was founded, some famous members, and their legacy today.

This week we have a couple of early tall tales or urban legends from the 18th and 19th century.  First up is Tarrare, a French street performer and sometime soldier that was constantly hungry, eating literally anything organic he could get his hands on.  The second being Edward Mordrake, a supposed heir to a wealthy family that had a second face on the back of his head that whispered bad things to him at night.  Both fascinating, and both most likely tall tales, but certainly worth a listen.