Boston Marathon

[orestes]

Since when do we cite congressmen who have well known and public ties to the IRA as a reputable source?

"I'm leaning toward thinking this an Al Qaeda affiliate but wouldn't be surprised if it was a white supremacist." - Peter King. Al Qaeda, white supremacy- same difference.

[Deepvoid]

For the world's sake I hope the guy's name is fucking Jack Smith and that he goes to church every freaking Sunday.

[Deepvoid]

I've got a serious question for you guys.

I'm going through some youtube videos and I'm seeing a lot of videos with the usual words like conspiracy theory, Illuminati and hearing Alex Jones regurgitating insanities.
My question is ... what's the percentage of people who actually believe those conspiracy theories? Does it represent a significant portion of the American people? By significant, I mean, big enough that it is somewhat worrying.

I understand that it is important to ask questions and seek the truth but according to those people every act of violence or domestic terrorism is the work of the government, which would mean that the actual population consists of angels and unicorns incapable of violence.
So are those people a really tiny minority or not?

[marodi]

I've got a serious question for you guys.

I'm going through some youtube videos and I'm seeing a lot of videos with the usual words like conspiracy theory, Illuminati and hearing Alex Jones regurgitating insanities.
My question is ... what's the percentage of people who actually believe those conspiracy theories? Does it represent a significant portion of the American people? By significant, I mean, big enough that it is somewhat worrying.

I understand that it is important to ask questions and seek the truth but according to those people every act of violence or domestic terrorism is the work of the government, which would mean that the actual population consists of angels and unicorns incapable of violence.
So are those people a really tiny minority or not?

Strangely enough a nin.com user posted this a few days ago (so credit to RhettButler)

Conspiracy Theory Poll Results


On our national poll this week we took the opportunity to poll 20 widespread and/or infamous conspiracy theories. Many of these theories are well known to the public, others perhaps to just the darker corners of the internet. Here’s what we found:


- 37% of voters believe global warming is a hoax, 51% do not. Republicans say global warming is a hoax by a 58-25 margin, Democrats disagree 11-77, and Independents are more split at 41-51. 61% of Romney voters believe global warming is a hoax


- 6% of voters believe Osama bin Laden is still alive


- 21% of voters say a UFO crashed in Roswell, NM in 1947 and the US government covered it up. More Romney voters (27%) than Obama voters (16%) believe in a UFO coverup


- 28% of voters believe secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government, or New World Order. A plurality of Romney voters (38%) believe in the New World Order compared to 35% who don’t


- 28% of voters believe Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attacks. 36% of Romney voters believe Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11, 41% do not


- 20% of voters believe there is a link between childhood vaccines and autism, 51% do not


- 7% of voters think the moon landing was faked


- 13% of voters think Barack Obama is the anti-Christ, including 22% of Romney voters


- Voters are split 44%-45% on whether Bush intentionally misled about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. 72% of Democrats think Bush lied about WMDs, Independents agree 48-45, just 13% of Republicans think so


- 29% of voters believe aliens exist


- 14% of voters say the CIA was instrumental in creating the crack cocaine epidemic in America’s inner cities in the 1980’s


- 9% of voters think the government adds fluoride to our water supply for sinister reasons (not just dental health)


- 4% of voters say they believe “lizard people” control our societies by gaining political power


- 51% of voters say a larger conspiracy was at work in the JFK assassination, just 25% say Oswald acted alone


- 14% of voters believe in Bigfoot


- 15% of voters say the government or the media adds mind-controlling technology to TV broadcast signals (the so-called Tinfoil Hat crowd)


- 5% believe exhaust seen in the sky behind airplanes is actually chemicals sprayed by the government for sinister reasons


- 15% of voters think the medical industry and the pharmaceutical industry “invent” new diseases to make money


- Just 5% of voters believe that Paul McCartney actually died in 1966


- 11% of voters believe the US government allowed 9/11 to happen, 78% do not agree


Full results

[Jinsai]

My question is ... what's the percentage of people who actually believe those conspiracy theories?

It's a small but very vocal group. Every time something awful happens, they show up to imply that it's some part of a grand conspiracy. For the most part, there's no point in engaging them in a debate.

[DigitalChaos]

Since when do we cite congressmen who have well known and public ties to the IRA as a reputable source?

"I'm leaning toward thinking this an Al Qaeda affiliate but wouldn't be surprised if it was a white supremacist." - Peter King. Al Qaeda, white supremacy- same difference.

Who said anything about reputable? When trying to anticipate media rhetoric you sample whatever is being spewed out. That seems to be a skill completely lost on everyone above, you included.

It's funny... we all seem to agree that the few people listed are a minority right now. Somehow that means we need to argue about it. Agreeing with a phrase remotely attached to "limited government" would be too enraging.

[Deepvoid]

Thanks for the numbers.
Some of them are quite interesting .. and disturbing at the same time.

I guess it's inevitable that a portion of the population will always contest the evidence that's being brought in front of them.
Anything under 10%, I would consider normal. When you get 20% and above with regard to some theories, it's starting to be worrisome.

[DigitalChaos]

Thanks for the numbers.
Some of them are quite interesting .. and disturbing at the same time.

I guess it's inevitable that a portion of the population will always contest the evidence that's being brought in front of them.
Anything under 10%, I would consider normal. When you get 20% and above with regard to some theories, it's starting to be worrisome.

You need to keep in mind that a sizable portion corresponds to who the president is. Right now the majority of the conspiracy nuts are right wing. They were happy with how things were during the Bush years. During the Bush years it was a large chunk of left wing. Draw your own conclusions there.

[Deepvoid]

You need to keep in mind that a sizable portion corresponds to who the president is. Right now the majority of the conspiracy nuts are right wing. They were happy with how things were during the Bush years. During the Bush years it was a large chunk of left wing. Draw your own conclusions there.

I don't think it would influence most of those numbers.

The people who believe in Bigfoot will most likely remain the same whether it's a Democrat or Republican President.
Same things goes for Aliens/UFO, Chemtrails, Moon landing, Paul McCartney, Tinfoil hat etc...

[orestes]

Who said anything about reputable? When trying to anticipate media rhetoric you sample whatever is being spewed out. That seems to be a skill completely lost on everyone above, you included.

It's funny... we all seem to agree that the few people listed are a minority right now. Somehow that means we need to argue about it. Agreeing with a phrase remotely attached to "limited government" would be too enraging.

You're such a condescending prick.

Thanks, Neo!

[DigitalChaos]

Actually, I don't think he's trying to persuade anyone -- just the opposite; he's trying to incite. He just uses the In the Headlines forum as his playground. He's fully admitted to trolling for sport.

I prefer: playing devils advocate in an echo chamber.

My statement about media rhetoric was nothing but an observation that was surprisingly pleasant though.

[allegro]

Why does this thread have to be about anything other than the subject at hand?

[Magtig]

Why does this thread have to be about anything other than the subject at hand?

Because DigitalChaos. Seriously. This is what he does in every thread, and every thread turns into what this is turning into. Can we get some flood control or something?

[allegro]

I prefer: playing devils advocate in an echo chamber.

Dude, on a forum that still = troll. Really. Trust me. I've been online since the Pleistocene epoch.

[DigitalChaos]

I don't think it would influence most of those numbers.

The people who believe in Bigfoot will most likely remain the same whether it's a Democrat or Republican President.
Same things goes for Aliens/UFO, Chemtrails, Moon landing, Paul McCartney, Tinfoil hat etc...

Very true. The nonpolitical ones are very indicative of the true nuts. I want to give some credit to the UFO question though. It *was* a UFO. I am a heavy skeptic and would have agreed. They should have said UFO of alien origin or something.

[Deepvoid]

Alright, let's bring this back on track.

How much clues can one obtain from a pressure cooker lid?
Breaking news:

"Investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, a source who has been briefed on the investigation told CNN's John King exclusively. The breakthrough came from analysis of video from a department store near the site of the second explosion. Video from a Boston television station also contributed to the progress, said the source, who declined to be more specific but called it a significant development."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/bos...html?hpt=hp_t1

[DigitalChaos]

Alright, let's bring this back on track.

How much clues can one obtain from a pressure cooker lid?
Breaking news:

"Investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, a source who has been briefed on the investigation told CNN's John King exclusively. The breakthrough came from analysis of video from a department store near the site of the second explosion. Video from a Boston television station also contributed to the progress, said the source, who declined to be more specific but called it a significant development."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/bos...html?hpt=hp_t1

It's crazy how much damage can come from something only 6 liters in size that his "home made"

It's interesting to see all the leads but it seems like they are grasping at anything right now. The ricin stuff (tests that commonly have false positives), the pictures of people "fleeing the scene", etc. It's very early stage discovery.

[allegro]

Wow I hope this pans out!

[october_midnight]

Apparently an arrest has officially been made?

[Deepvoid]

Yes, every news outlet now reporting the arrest.
Not yet identified but should appear in Court later today so it's just a matter of time before we finally know the identity, race, religion, motives and penis size of the culprit.

[DigitalChaos]

Nobody said it was a man!

Spoiler: is he circumcised? we need a debate about circumcision.

[Deepvoid]

I'm gonna go slightly off topic again but by curiosity, when is the last time a woman was arrested for either mass shooting, serial killer, terrorist act? Aileen Wuornos in 1974?

[Deepvoid]

Ok so now the Boston PD is tweeting that NO arrest has been made.

Can we get it straight for once?!

[allegro]

when ABC news broke into regular programming a little while ago, they said that an arrest could be made "very soon" based on surveillance video from Lord & Taylor, but nothing yet.

[marodi]

Anonymous has taken over the WBC's Facebook page

In retaliation for them saying they were going to "attend" the funerals of the Boston attack victims.

Don't fuck with Anonymous.

[Nyx]

Anonymous has taken over the WBC's Facebook page

In retaliation for them saying they were going to "attend" the funerals of the Boston attack victims.

Don't fuck with Anonymous.

That page never belonged to WBC. It was created by Anon and has been run by them for months now.

[DigitalChaos]

The media is going to jump on any hint of news right now since there is a lack of anything to report on. Let them continue to chew on their own faces.

[Deepvoid]

Seen on twitter:
CNN confirms: Schrodinger's cat definitely alive... probably. Box still closed. But totally alive for sure. Or dead.

[DigitalChaos]

Seen on twitter:
CNN confirms: Schrodinger's cat definitely alive... probably. Box still closed. But totally alive for sure. Or dead.

"Maybe CNN can get that Dove Real Beauty campaign sketch artist to draw the suspect as others see him, but also as he sees himself."

edit: for those who haven't seen it yet:

[Deepvoid]

That was a pretty neat video.

Buzzfeed has been a good source for information
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/s...dly-in-custody