The Swerve Podcast: Obscure Topics | Conspiracy Theories

Richard Doty is a former special agent of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) that worked as a counterintelligence and disinformation agent to discredit UFO researchers, among whom was Paul Bennewitz. 

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Before his death, Paul Bennewitz was a talented scientist who had developed equipment for space shuttles and other Fortune 500 companies. Bennewitz believed he had established communication with occupants of UFOs, which caught attention of AFOSI.  

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AFOSI believed Bennewitz may had actually witnessed classified drone technology. Due to this, special agent Richard Doty of AFOSI is believed to have concocted a disinformation campaign to discredit Paul Bennewitz’ claims of UFOs. 

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Conspiracy theories seeded during this campaign of disinformation are believed to have driven Paul Bennewitz to suffer from psychological trauma, which later resulted in Bennewitz’ institutionalization, where he subsequently died. 

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Herein, we discuss the complex story of Richard Doty and Paul Bennewitz, outline Paul Bennewitz’ theories and alleged communications with UFOS, and discuss Richard Doty and counterintelligence campaigns in general. 

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What say you?

Trepanation is an ancient surgical procedure in which an opening is fashioned through the human skull, exposing the outer dura mater of the brain to the direct environment.

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Trepanation dates back to the Neolithic era (pre-historic period) and is the oldest surgical procedure that archaeological evidence exists for.

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It is believed that ancient cultures used this surgical intervention to ward off or release evil spirits. However, some evidence suggests that trepanation was also a primitive emergency surgery to treat head wounds.

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Shockingly, trepanation was used cross-culturally throughout ancient history. Evidence of trepanation has been discovered in areas associated with ancient China, pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, pre-modern Europe, and medieval East Africa (among others).

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In modern times, certain bizarre subcultures and pseudo-scientific movements believe trepanation can result in more alertness, heightened perceptions, increased drive, and feelings of peace. These individuals believe drilling a hole in their own skull has psychological benefits and choose to “self-trepanate” themselves.

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Herein, we discuss the history associated with trepanation, the archaeological evidence, as well as the modern usage of trepanation by fringe subcultures in modern times.

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What say you?

“Wojtek” (pronounced Voy-tek) was a Syrian brown bear that fought along side the Polish II Corps during World War II.

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Wojtek would support the troops by helping move crates of ammunition in battles such as the Battle of Monte Cassino. MOST IMPORTANTLY, this soldier bear played a central role in maintaining morale and humanity amongst the soldiers during this dark time.

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Wojtek was a symbol of sanity, friendship, and comfort in the middle of a terrible historical moment. The Polish soldiers would drink coffee with Wojtek (who literally drank from a mug), wrestle and lay with him, or simply speak to the bear about their worries.

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The Polish II Corps loved Wojtek, and the battle bear was deeply apart of the troops. Soldiers would drink beer with the bear and feed him tobacco, which on occasion the bear would even smoke! Wojtek ate meals off plates with the soldiers and once allegedly “stole” an entire clothesline of ladies’ underwear belonging to female personnel stationed in the area.

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Herein, we discuss the historical events leading up to the adoption of Wojtek and his involvement in WWII, the context of the politics and wars at the time, and Wojtek’s heart0warming characteristics that left a legacy forever from this difficult period.

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What say you?

#WWII #bear #war

“The Roof Koreans” refers to a community of Koreans that defended Koreatown from gangs of looters and rioters during the 1992 LA riots. This community represents a historical story, within a broader historical event.  

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Amidst the LA riots of 1992, police forces were spread thin throughout the city. This meant the limited police force was unavailable to aid Korean business owners in protecting their property from destruction. In order to evade incoming destruction from rampant rioters, Koreans took up arms and positioned themselves across rooftops.

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"The Roof Koreans” wielded pistols, shotguns, batons, and other defensive objects. In some instances, communication networks via walkie-talkies were established. Furthermore, in some cases giant barricades composed of cars with headlights illuminating the night were positioned as protection and to ward off looters and rioters.  

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The LA riots of 1992 resulted in greater than 50 deaths, more than 2000 injuries, 3600 fires set, and ~ 1 BILLION dollars in damages. Some reports indicate that between 40-50% of the damages were sustained by Koreans.

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Herein, we attempt to better understand this historical event and discuss the nuances associated with it. We present the events leading up to the riots and discuss several case studies of Koreans who were involved at the time and defended their property.  

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What say you?   

#history #riots #losangeles

“The Battle of Los Angeles” was a massive anti-aircraft barrage that lit the skies of Los Angeles, California with artillery fire from late February 24 to early February 25, 1942. 

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At the time, tensions were high in the United States due to a recent Japanese Navy's attack on Pearl Harbor and “the bombardment of Ellwood” one day prior near Santa Barbara. The city was prepared to defend against anything. 

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To date, no threat has been officially determined and the event has largely been classified as a “false alarm” or due to a loose frolicking weather balloon. Some have speculated that a UFO was actually what initiated the barrage. A number of eye-witness accounts and photographic evidence may support the UFO claim. 

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Over 1400 anti-aircraft rounds were fired, thousands of witnesses were involved, and yet we still have no clue what was up there that night. 

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Herein, we discuss the sequence of events that occurred during “The Battle of Los Angeles” and attempt to better understand what occurred. 

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What say you? 

#UFO #mystery #ww2

The S.S. Cotopaxi was associated with a mysterious disappearance near the Bermuda Triangle on route to Havana, Cuba in 1925. The Cotopaxi is also associated with an ALLEGED ghost ship reappearance near Cuba in 2015… 

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The S.S. Cotopaxi gained further popular attention due to the 1977 film, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, in which the ship was featured in the Gobi Desert, set there by extraterrestrials. 

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Due to the aforementioned mythos, the Cotopaxi has been categorized as being involved in paranormal or supernatural events.  HOWEVER, the mystery may have been solved in 2020. 

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Marine biologist Michael Barnette believes he and his team have discovered the S.S. Cotopaxi wreck. Barnette spent 15-years studying the wreck sight and has compiled a detailed history and amassed a series of evidence that point to the S.S. Cotopaxi. 

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Herein, we discuss the mythos associated with the S.S. Cotopaxi, the history of the ship, the ghost ship allegations, and detail the identification of the shipwreck. 

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What say you?

#shipwreck #bermudatriangle #paranormal

“Charlie Zelenoff” is the self-proclaimed greatest boxer of all time. He gained notoriety through viral internet“boxing” videos, in which Zelenoff would challenge random individuals in gyms or aerobics rooms to spar, then unexpectedly assault them with a series of swift sucker-punches. 

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In a nutshell, Charlie Zelenoff has basically been assaulting individuals at Planet Fitness for over a decade. 

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To date, Charlie Zelenoff claims he has a 331-0 boxing record, is the undefeated and undisputed UBF/BMF/WBC champion, is the #1 pound-4-pound boxer, is more powerful than Mike Tyson, is the world’s highest paid fight (note: he lives with his parents in an apartment) and has the fastest KO in history at a 0.1 seconds. 

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Shockingly, Charlie Zelenoff has “fought” some big names in boxing, including Deontay Wilder and Floyd Mayweather Sr., both of which ran a clinic on him. - Herein, we attempt to figure out who the hell Charlie Zelenoff is, uncover his motivations for assaulting random gym-goers, discuss his past and notable internet moments, and try deriving a better understanding into the human condition. 

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What say you?

#boxing #joke #best

Poltergeists are a type of paranormal event, usually associated with a feeling of mayhem or malevolence, a degree of anarchy, or mischievous in nature. 

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Typical occurrences during poltergeists can include (but are not limited to) events such as: 

(1) Physical disturbances, such as the movement of objects or destruction of items. 

(2) Electric disturbances, such as lights flickering, turning on and off of appliances, etc. 

(3) Attacks or acts of mischief towards individuals, such as sensations of being pinched, bit, or rough-housed! 

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Herein we discuss poltergeists by outlining the following documented and popular cases-studies: 

(1) “The Bell Witch of Tennessee” 

(2) “Borley Rectory” 

(3) “The Great Amherst Mystery" 

(4) “Gef the Talking Mongoose” 

(5) “The Baldoon Mystery” 

(6) "The Black Monk of Pontefract" 

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Are poltergeists real? Is there more to our physical reality than we think? Is a ghost a poltergeist? Are some poltergeists simply hoaxes crafted for clout or financial gain? Do some people claim a poltergeist had sex with them to cover-up their affair? What can we learn from poltergeists?

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What say you?

#poltergiest #paranormal #ghosts

The “Denver Airport” opened in 1995, sixteen-months behind schedule and approximately $2 billion dollars over budget. 

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Featuring unique architecture resembling the Rocky Mountains, the Denver airport has emerged at the heart of a variety of obscure claims and conspiracy theories. 

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The airport has been alleged to function as a secret underground military bunker or safe-house for global elites. It is also associated with several “secret societies”, including the Illuminati and the Free Masons. 

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Furthermore, the Denver airport sports a variety of bizarre artwork – including murals depicting murderous soldiers, dead bodies, and children in coffins, as well as a massive blue horse with glowing red eyes that LITERALLY killed the artist that made it (the horse’s head fell off during construction, landed on the artist, and severed a major artery). 

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Peculiar alien langue is etched into artwork featured at the airport, and employees speak of strange paranormal occurrences and doors that lead to no where. 

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Herein we attempt to figure out exactly what the hell is going on at the Denver airport. 

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What say you?

#paranormal #conspiracy #globalists

“Pine Gap” is a jointly operated Australian and American satellite surveillance base located in central Australia, near the town of Alice Springs. 

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The facility is crucial for the collection of signals intelligence, ballistic missile launch warnings, targeting nuclear weapons, and battlefield intelligence. Pine Gap can only be accessed through special clearance protocols and can only be viewed with via air (without clearance). 

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The base originated in 1966 and provided a solid location to monitor the Soviet Union. Since its inception, the facility has grown, now being composed of 38 radomes (each of which houses massive antennas), and other buildings and structures over a 20,000 square meter region. 

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The base has been associated with multiple UFO sightings and other strange phenomena… including time-travel, teleportation, and the creation of super soldiers on Mars. 

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Furthermore, Pine Gap has been dramatized and a season of episodes can be currently viewed on Netflix. Apparently, it is not terrible. Not relevant, but hey, decided to mention. 

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What say you?   

#Australia #Spying #UFO