72 Episodes
Song For Matt
This song was inspired by a rather one-sided conversation I had on my birthday with Matt Gibson, the destroyer of the Missoula Independent. What a wonderful birthday gift.
Road Trip Song
This is a song version of the first phase of my long, strange trip.
Week in Review: August 14-18
Because of legal problems, this will be the last review of weekly headlines for awhile. I'm hitting the road to continue an investigation and to write the book about all this. Thank you for all the support along the way, I will still be updating my blog as regularly as possible, so stay tuned for new adventures!
White Guy Poem
I'm a white guy, and I wrote a poem. Do I need to say more? I'm a white guy, so the answer to that question is yes.
The Poet And The Journalist
I had planned on reading this at City Council on the evening of August 14th, 2023, but my current legal restraints enacted by a person who has become unrelentingly vengeful toward me prevented me from entering chambers.
Week in Review: August 7-11
Boy, what a week, and what an ending to the week. You can hear all about it, at least the parts I can share without getting myself arrested, in this week's review of the drama. Yes, things have gotten to a very serious point here in Zoom Town, which is why I'm making plans to leave. But not without recording a dead man post in case something happens. Ya feel me?
Insect Town
Please enjoy my attempt to better understand the insect world.
Week in Review: July 31-August 4
This week my own personal struggles have collided with my ability to continue doing my work the way I'm currently doing it, so a geographical move might be in order to further an inquiry that began on one-three-twenty. Also, lots of links and looks at drugs, security, and Nick Checota's BIG DEAL with Live Nation Entertainment.
Week in Review: July 24-28
The review of the week covers a whopping 8 posts and the theme of the week? STABBINGS! Don't worry, one of the stabbings was all female and allegedly in self-defense. The week's reading comes from Jon Krakauer's book about Missoula, starting on page 44. Come get to know Detective Baker's questioning techniques when it comes to a gang-rape victim just 48 hours from the alleged assaults.
Week in Review: July 17-21
This week's review includes articles about possible Fentanyl-related ODs amongst urban campers in the Kim Williams area, local political drama, some 1987 data points regarding the CIA, John Talbot and the International Choral Festival, and my thoughts on re-watching True Detective. For the book excerpts I chose TWO books, Keeping The Peace; Police Reform In Montana 1889-1918, and Programmed To Kill by Dave McGowan.
Week in Review: July 10-14
This week's reading is from Alphabet Vs. The Goddess, by Leonard Shlain. I made this selection to compliment several gender/sex related posts, from a City Council public comment to The Matrix franchise. The ukulele cherry on top (at the end of the episode) is ALSO worth listening to.
Week in Review: July 3-7
This week has culture analysis, original music, stuff on local issues (of course) like coroner's inquests, and something that might sound strange: law enforcement needs some help!
Week in Review: June 26-30
Lots of posts this week, so make sure to get all the details at zoomchron dot com. The reading is an excerpt from the book, Strange, Angel, a biography about JPL founder and occultist, Jack Parsons, written by George Pendle. Then this week's review concludes with an original poem, read my yours truly, titled Jack And Jim Ode. It has a lot of bad words, so proceed with caution!
Week in Review: June 19-23
After a short review of the week's articles, I read the first chapter of In Retrospect: A History of Mineral County, by Margie E. Hahn.
Father's Day Song
To all the fathers out there still asleep, it's time to wake the fuck up.
Week In Review: June 12-16
This week's review is a new format I'm trying out where quickly go through the week's posts at zoomchron dot com, then read a chapter in a book. The chapter I chose for this week is from the book Keeping The Peace: Police Reform in Montana, 1889 to 1918. I read chapter 6, titled Maintaining Order: Regulating Transients. It's pretty damn applicable to today's conversation on "urban camping".
Week in Review: June 5-9
The conversation on urban camping continues with Mayor Hess' declaration of emergency. Also, selling sex in Zoom Town, along with commentary on other local headlines.
Week in Review: May 29-June 2
This week's review focuses primarily on "urban camping" in Missoula, including a look at the 9th circuit court implications, the zone in Phoenix, and other aspects in preparation for Monday's City Council meeting on the emergency ordinance.
Final Snooze Song for Harley
Glen Harley Stephens died on the sidewalk in from of the Missoula County administrative building on May 20th, 2023. This song is for him.
Week in Review: May 15-19
It's been a rough week for me, so I put myself in figurative quarantine for this solo show that took me two sessions to finish. In between recording I saw Glen Harley Stephens pass away on the street. I knew Harley well, and the end of this episode is my conversation with Harley I recorded two days before Christmas a few years ago. This week's review also includes perspective on the death of Joey Thompson, and my challenges with local media and City Council, who SOMETIMES appreciate civic engagement, and sometimes very much DO NOT.
Cartel Song and Sorry Folks Song
Music is definitely a form of therapy for me, I hope the cartel and Gomer appreciate it!
Week in Review: May 8-12
Things are heating up in Zoom Town. This week we look at the mysterious death of Joey Thompson and how it may or may not fit into the smiley face death pattern, the broken criminal justice system, the deplorable state of local media, and my FANTASTIC urination experience in a Portland Loo!
Animal Testing Song
I don't think Missoula understand the nature of the crisis we are in. Maybe this song will help.
Week in Review: May 1-5
This week's review includes more discussion of the Zooey Zephyr show, a critical look at local media coverage, and how narrative control is exerted in a famous case, like that of George Floyd, and the efforts to break that narrative control. In the case of George Floyd, I watched a documentary and had my co-host, Allie, watch it as well. Enjoy!
Zoom Chron Week in Review: April 24-28
This week one topic has skyrocketed to national prominence, so we discuss that, and the other stories of the week, including homeless trash clean-ups and cannabis munching cows. This is an episode NOT to miss.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: April 17-21
This week Allie rejoins me to discuss matters of Tax Increment Financing and Mineral County updates, including what we learned about a certain Deputy County Attorney and his procurement of marijuana to feed his herd of Highlander Cows. You can't make this shit up.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: April 10-14
This week's episode is a solo show review of what went down in Zoom Town (Missoula) this past week, beginning with a bonus movie "review" of Southland Tales. There are posts on competing TIFs, their Tax Increment Financing vs. Travis' Impact Fund, and the coming legislative showdown in Helena on Tuesday. Oh, I also talked to a NYT journalist about Sean Stevenson's case, so that's positive. I know I'm leaving stuff out, I'm doing my best...stay tuned for more!
Zoom Chron Week in Review: April 3-7
This week's review of local headlines looks at a business uprising against local transportation policies, the compounding of tragedies when families have to hire their own investigators, a threat to local school kids and the continued efforts to control narratives around development and homelessness.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: March 27-31
This week's episode covers Tax Increment Financing legislation in Helena, the first two reports from the fund I'm operating with the same letters (Travis' Impact Fund), an anecdotal look at a mentally man back in jail, and examples of fucking around and finding out. Also, there are TWO songs at the end of this week's review, so enjoy!
Zoom Chron Week in Review: March 20-24
This week's review is full of breaking down the St. Regis Travel Center shootout, how this event impacts Mineral County Mandamus dynamics, Cognizant gentrification and artist sell-out opportunities, water priorities, two kinds of TIF, and a fascinating conversation about AI and the movie Ex Machina with additional material coming from Ray Kurzweil and his book on the Singularity.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: March 13-17
This week's review is packed with a decoded movie review, multi-modal snow insanity, Paris Hilton and private boarding schools, Ryan P. Cooney and public schools, the Christian Savior Complex and the imminent banking collapse possibly making this the last weekend ever. Also, a song for Jesus!
BONUS Jesus Song
I hope the Christians who speak and read those Bible words but fail miserably with their actions get some inspiration from this song, because it's for them.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: March 6-10
This week's review has highlander cows, shade at local Republicans, evidence the LifeGuard Group hasn't served a victim of human trafficking yet, and much more, including an analysis of the analysis of the 10 year plan to end homelessness and some questions for Mayoral candidate Sean McCoy.
Got A Dollar Savior Story
In this special episode of narrative analysis, Lowell and Tami provide a RESPONSE to a woman in need. We take a critical look at this RESPONSE and what it says about a couple who claim to be taking their fight against human traffickers across the state of Montana.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: Feb 27- Mar 3
The first 37 minutes is my solo review of the week's Zoom Chron articles. Am I a butt-hurt podcaster in need of some narrative attention? Yes, but I'll get over it. Allie joins me for the final wrap-up where we discuss cars, kids and Farmer Josh, NOT Josh Farmer, who is a musician in Missoula, unlike Farmer Josh, who is a County Commissioner. Also discussed: fifth generation war, social media filters, a departing police chief, an interview with an MKUltra survivor, and SO MUCH MORE!
Zoom Chron Interview with Elisa E
This interview with Elise E may have triggers due to the discussion of sexual abuse and other matters of trauma as it relates to their book, Our Live Beyond MKUltra. We recorded on the morning of March 2nd, 2023. I greatly appreciate the time and perspective on a topic everyone should be interested in, since we're all being conditioned by the traumas inflicted upon humanity. For a purpose? Listen and find out.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: February 20-24
This week's review is packed with posts on property taxes, law enforcement training, commentary on the implosion of Project Veritas, a post-analysis of our William Ramsey interview, the significance of February 24th, Rabies, Mineral County updates, and our County Commissioner's poetry to pigs. Seriously.
Zoom Chron Interview with William Ramsey
Travis and Allie interview author and occult researcher, William Ramsey, about a range of topics dealing with the occult and our human response to the spread of evil.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: February 13-17
This week's episode looks at some personal strife, along with transportation developments with Missoula's bus service and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: February 6-10
This week's review includes the public comment that got me point-of-ordered, bridges, the curious story behind the empty Taco Johns, and the literary ambitions of Missoula's Lead County Attorney, Kirsten Pabst.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: Jan 30-Feb 3
This week we discuss a new documentary, Murder In Big Horn, but not after examining local development updates, Mineral County Mandamus updates, and one man's tireless search for race-based funding, but who is watching the criminal justice system grinding people down? We do, and it's discussed in this episode!
Zoom Chron Week in Review: January 23-27
Visit the blog www.zoomchron.com for the articles discussed in this podcast episode.
Zoom Chron Week in Review: Jan 16-20
This week's episode mostly focuses on the conclusion of Lee Nelson's murder trial, but the week's blog posts at Zoom Chron dot com are also briefly discussed. The original music concluding the episode features a clip from a podcast called Tip of the Spear where Sergeant Prather (representing the Sheriff's Office) discusses his opinion that law enforcement is the voice of victims of human trafficking paired with the Chaplain of the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, Lowell Hochhalter, asking God to kill his enemies from the pulpit of Engaging Heaven here in Missoula.
Zoom Chron Week In Review: Jan 9-13
This week the entire episode is dedicated to the murder trial of Lee Nelson. I'm joined by author and victim's advocate, Allie Harrison, who knows the criminal justice system better than I, and gives her perspective on the week of action in Courtroom 3 inside the Missoula County Courthouse.
Zoom Chron 26-Road Tripping
Here's a link to some info on the John Lewis Barkley exhibit at the WWI Museum in Kansas City. And here is a link to a very accurate assessment of the Oread Hotel on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
Zoom Chron 25-Talking Synchronicity with Mystic Mark
If you liked this conversation, check out this interview Mystic Mark did with me last year. And if you REALLY like Mark's mystical approach, support him at his Patreon page.
Zoom Chron 24-Talking Film Making with Greg Sestero (and introducing "Journo-Tuning")
The post that first shows me flirting with this idea of "journo-tuning" is titled On The Ground Reporting And Song Making: Reaching Where? and an example of the cartoon clown world reporting that inspired the song SHERIFF MAN GUY (featured at the end this podcast episode) is titled If Mineral County Sheriff, Mike Toth, Went Missing, Would Anyone Notice?
Zoom Chron 23-Talking School Board Meeting and Tax Schemes
Here are some link: CDC Gives School Board Coward Cover; An Open Letter To Daniel Carlino; Missoula County Joke Of A School Board Meeting; Missoula School Board Member Alarmed over Proposed MCPS Policies; New Pedestrian Bridge Emerges As Top Priority for Missoula
Zoom Chron 22-Missoula School Board Update And Other 2-22-2022 Quick Hits
Here's a link detailing Grace Decker's conflict of interest, and here's one about making art for GREAT LEADER.
Zoom Chron 21-Talking Crypto-Space Feuding with Doug McKenty
Doug's work can be found at The Shift Now and his writing is at The Populist Papers (Substack) where I found his 3-part essay on the feud. Since Doug interviewed Alison McDowell AND Derrick Broze, he was the perfect person to discuss the dynamics at play, and, more importantly, how to get BEYOND them.
Zoom Chron 20-Talking with Dean Reiner of the Up Is Down Podcast
You can find Dean's art and other stuff here. The episodes that we discuss in the interview is are episode 11, episode 35, episode 36, episode 37 and episode 38. Also, a little disclaimer: if you contact me claiming to be a TI and looking for help, I'm sorry, but I won't be responding. Due to the nature of this topic, that seems pretty reasonable to me, so thank you for understanding.
Zoom Chron 19-Talking with Adam Alamano and Chud X
I will update this with links at a later date. Right now technology is not my friend.
Zoom Chron 18-Talking with Patrick Duganz
Here are some relevant links: The Seduction of New Missoula: Andy Hotel vs. Homeless Camp (1-18-2022); What You're Not Being Told About Missoula's 10 Year Plan To End Homelessness (2-1-2019); My Update Before The Community Update On The 10 Year Plan To End Homelessness In Missoula (5-11-2021).
Zoom Chron 17-Talking with TIF Expert David Merriman
Here are some of the media referenced, along with a description of Merriman's credentials: Hybrid Council Meetings, Lingering Covid, And A New Normal Poem By Gwen Jones; Engen's Missoula (documentary, trailer); As Covid lingers, Missoula City Council searching for new normal (Missoula Current).
Zoom Chron 16-Talking with Jejchelle and Angela Stevenson
Here are some (but not all) relevant posts about what's known: When Staying INSIDE The Homeless Shelter Gets You Killed (12-23-20); Update On The Killing Of Sean Stevenson At Missoula's Homeless Shelter (3-4-20); Nine Months Later, Questions Persist Around The Violent Deaths (Murders?) Of Sean Stevenson And Ben Mousso (9-22-20); On Podcasts, Local Media And The Value Of A Closer Look (5-24-20)
Zoom Chron 15-Talking with Mark Gibbons (and William Skink)
Can artists still have tangible impacts in their local communities when faced with the public/private powers of elected officials and their incestuous relationship with oligarch wannabes? This episode does really attempt to answer that question, just some poets talking poetry and what sometimes happens when the right people get offended.
Zoom Chron 14-Talking with Glen Harley Stephens
After recording my conversation with Harley I looked up the stabbing incident that put him in prison for five years. I provide a link and excerpt to that story in this blog post. The image for this episode is a pic I took of Harley before he went to prison in 2015. I went looking for some other articles about Harley's crew. Here's one from 2011 about Jimmy Lee Ferguson's death. The following year Joey Gonzalez died in Butte. Joey was involved in the beating death of Johnny Belmarez in 2010. This beating happened on the same night Missoula debuted its equality ordinance, about 50 feet from City Council chambers.
Zoom Chron 13-Talking Synchronicities with Noah
For more information on finding/setting up Higherside Chat meetups, click here.
Zoom Chron 12-Talking with Ed Opperman
Here are some blog posts regarding Johnny Lee Perry since his alleged assault of Sean Stevenson on January 3rd, 2020: Man Found Unresponsive After Fight At Poverello Center Passes Away; Johnny Lee Perry Spends Another Night In Jail, Still No Charges Filed For Killing Fellow Resident At The Poverello Center; Johnny Lee Perry Back In Jail While Brandon Bryant's Bond Remains Unchanged; Is Johnny Lee Perry Rolling Through The Safe Space Of Victimology, Demographic Aversion And Scare Budgets?; Johnny Lee Perry, The Homeless Man Allegedly Responsible For The Death Of Sean Stevenson in 2020, ID'd As Shooting Victim Of Missoula County Sheriff's Department.
Zoom Chron 11-Talking About Missing Person Rebekah Barsotti
Here are some relevant links: Missing In Montana And My Cynicism On The Narrative Framing; What The Hell Is Going On With The Rebekah Barsotti Case?; Citing lack of staffing, Mineral County jail closes for 2nd time in 2 years; If You Think Sex Trafficking Doesn't Touch Missoula, You Are Wrong; Above The Law (PDF of Missoula Indy article on notorious "coyote club"); The Aware Foundation of Virginia.
Zoom Chron 10-Talking About Gentrification
Here are some links of recent posts and other articles mentioned in the episode: City Council Member Daniel Carlino Is Hopping On The Citizen Anger Over Riverfront Development, But To What End?; Asset Stripping Lee Enterprises Is Being Sniffed By A Global Hedge Fund...; Another Vacuous Gomer Kidston Article About Government Spending; Northwestern Energy Poisoning Homes, Violating Montanan's Rights (Outerlimits post). And, for ways to support my work financially, there are some ideas at my About Page.
Zoom Chron 9-Talking About Crime And No Punishment
Here are some relevant links: Pabst Hides Behind Reasonable Person Standard To Explain Not Prosecuting Budding Psychopath Josh Paniagua; The Power Of The Prosecutor: Missoula's Amy Klobuchar; Is Missoula County Attorney Developing A Secondary Trauma Card For Prosecutors?; Missoula County Attorney's Office Reviews Drug Dealer's Right To Stab His Customer To Death; Violent Crime Is Not The Same As Criminal Case Filings; and, finally (but not exhaustively), here is jhwygirl's post from 4&20 Blackbirds: Former Chief Deputy Attorney Kirsten Pabst Lashes Out At Missoulian/Florio Rape Coverage.
Zoom Chron 8-Talking About the Information War
For context on this week's episode, check out some of the following blog posts: A Rant, A Song And A Fucking Promise; Are The Covidians Proud Of Austria's Move To Lockdown The Unvaxxed? HD 97 Candidate Michael Burks And The Missoula Media; On Good/Bad Information And Bad/Not-Bad Misinformers Like Justin (Bad) And Ellie (Not-Bad); If You Have Strong Opinions On Jabbing Kids, But No Kids Yourself, My Suggestion To You Is STFU; Engen's Missoula Is Now Live, Go Check It Out! How To Write An Article With Little To No Quality Information In It
Zoom Chron 7-Talking with Tim Adams
While local politics in Missoula, Montana, is the primary focus of this episode, drawing on my direct personal experience as related in posts with titles like Did State Rep. Danny Tenenbaum Break The Law By Secretly Recording Events At Crosspoint Church? and Woke As A Luxury Belief System and What Kind Of Judgments Will The Westridge Defenders Be Bringing To Municipal Court?. Thanks for listening!
Zoom Chron 6-Talking with Geoff Roach
Since this episode features a DRAMATIC reading of Susan Hay Patrick's op-ed in today's Missoulian, I thought I would include a bunch of links (though certainly not all) of my reporting on the former Temporary NOW Transitional Safe Outdoor Space and the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.Here they are: Bitter Cold, Homeless Camps And An Ugly Ass Dog Sculpture (3/4/2019); Gentrification, Homelessness And What Corporate Media In Missoula Is Not Telling You (10/20/2019); The PR Charade Of Claiming Homeless Numbers In Missoula Are Going Down Is Finally Over (12/14/2020); The Homeless Camp Damage Control Zoom Meeting (12/17/2020); Why Critics Of The Temporary Safe Outdoor Space Should Focus On Money, Process And Policy Instead Of People (12/18/2020); I Don't Like When People Manipulate The Good Will Of A Community To Benefit Themselves And Their Families And Neither Should You (12/29/2020); Will A Cowardly Rebuttal From Public Officials And Nonprofit Influencers (Sans Blue Line Development) Be Enough To Shut Up The Critics? (5/23/2021); Temporary Safe Outdoor Space No Longer Temporary? (4/5/20210);
Zoom Chron 5-Talking with Alison McDowell
For additional context, check out the following RD blog posts: The Conflicted Role Of Blockchain Technology For Those Fighting Against The Totalitarian Predator Class; Understanding The Manipulations Of Raul Diego And His Negative Impact On The Alternative News Community; Allison McDowell's Graphene World Order: The Research Vs. The Rift.It's unfortunate this rift persists, and McDowell's relationship with Raul Diego continues, as evidenced by the reference in this blog post. All one can do is take care of shit in your own backyard, and Philadelphia is a LONG way from Zoom Town.
Zoom Chron 4-Talking with Brandon Bryant
Brandon Bryant faced 10 years in prison for his role in bringing voice to a community's frustration over the us of Tax Increment Financing in Missoula, Montana. After being quickly acquitted by a jury of his peers in July, Brandon sits down with Travis Mateer to discuss the activism that nearly landed him in prison. This local eruption of outrage was covered by Travis on his blog Reptile Dysfunction. Here are a few examples: Why is Mayor Engen Fast-Tracking The Riverfront Triangle Development And Why Doesn't Local Media Care?; Who Is Brandon Bryant And Why Is He Banned From City Property?; Heather Harp's Letter To Brandon Bryant Has Yet To Be Reported By Missoula Current; Three More Missoula City Council Members Call For Compassion For Brandon Bryant; If Brandon Bryant Had Killed A Homeless Person Instead Of Using Threatening Language Would He Still Be Sitting In Jail?; and finally (but not conclusively) A Zoom Town Conversation With Brandon Bryant (Video)
Zoom Chron 3-Talking with Michael Wann
For more information on Michael Wann's work visit his website Susquehanna Alchemy. For some written context about the synchronicities swirling around the day of this interview (my b-day, September 19th, 2021), check out this post. And for an added bonus, check out this cultural mash-up analysis of Midnight Mass/Donnie Darko.
Zoom Chron 2-Talking with Jasun Horsley
For a little more context on my appreciation of Jasun Horsley's work, here are some blog posts I have written: A Summer Book Title Suggestion, A Much Different Perspective On The Alien Abduction Narrative, and my Intro post to my original publishing of our chat. I first ran across Horsley's work at the website Rigorous Intuition, and continue to follow and support his work however I can.
Zoom Chron 1
This first episode of Zoom Chron is a short introduction by Travis Mateer (aka William Skink) to get the ball rolling, the synchronicities synching, and the RSS feed feeding you the micro efforts of a meta-work being worked on by other synchromystics and modern luminaries of this upside down world we find ourselves trying to navigate.