Any conspiracy theorists out there?

[tommy]

I've recently been looking at all these crazy arguments regarding that traditional question as to whether or not the moon-landing was real. Lots of you guys probably have opinions on this, right? There's lots of hubbub about the Van Allen Belt having too much radiation to pass through, lots of conflicting info and opinions on the spacesuits' reaction to the vacuum on the moon, and lots of issues with the lighting on the moon, and obviously many other issues. What do you guys think?

(Sorry, I just had to ask... I'm kind of an astronomy geek as you may have noticed by some occaisional posts of mine.)

[Shell]

In general, I tend to be a conspirist theorist, and I have always heard things about the moon landing being false but I have never seen the evidence that points to it.. I'd like to hear the theories behind why it couldn't have happened.

[tommy]

Shell, here are a few of the theories:

1) The lunar module weighed 17 tons (not nearly as much in space, but still almost 3 tons)... so why didn't it leave a crater when it used its thrusters to land? (see picture, and many others)

http://www.apfn.org/apfn/mlh1.jpg

2) Also, how can the flag be waving, if there is no atmosphere? It does in every picture from NASA.

3) The Van Allen belt, 20 miles above the earth, emits so much radiation, that it requires 2 feet of lead to protect humans from death, yet the lunar lander had, at some points, aluminum-thin shielding.

4) There are pictures where Aldrin's arm casts a faint shadow on his suit. But since the sun is the only source of light for the moon, the shadow would have been much darker.

5) THere are also questions as to why there aren't any stars in any of NASA's pictures of the Apollo 11 landing.

I'm not arguing the case, I'm just presenting some of the arguments. THere are also some very technical arguments about spacesuits that you could probably find online.

There are others, too, that I will try and remember.

oh, and folgers has told me that he has an interest in the subject and actually wrote a report on it a few years back... lets hear it, folgers! :D

[talkingcanes]

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/02/19/nasa.moon/

here's a NASA response.

I don't usually pay much attention to conspiracy theories, but I am a huge fan of NASA and the space program so this one pushes my buttons. I find it VERY hard to believe that with all the astronauts, Mission Control employees, builders of all those rockets, and all the employees of NASA from janitors to clerical staff, that not one has ever backed up these claims. In these days of tell all programs and books, no one has come forward. That is one tight conspiracy.

[AbNormal27]

Now, I listen to Art Bell's radio show, and I do buy into some theories. This is an actual email, as it was sent to me last week.....................

From: <dang@arcor.de>

Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 6:14 AM

Subject: Need Dimensional Warp Generator j i


Hello,

I'm a time traveler stuck here in 2003. Since nobody here seems to be able
to get me what I need (safely here to me), I will have to build a simple
time travel circut to get where I need myself. I am going to need an easy to
follow picture diagram for a simple time travel circut, which can be built
out of (readily available) parts here in 2003. Please email me any
schematics you have. I will pay good money for anything you send me I can
use Or if you have the rechargeable AMD dimensional warp generator wrist
watch unit available, and are 100% certain you have a (secure) means of
delivering it to me please also reply. Send a separate email to me at:
info@federalfundingprogram.com

Do not reply back directly to this email as it will only be bounced back to
you.

Thank You

I know this is slightly OT of where you were all going, but I believe that there will always be theories about everything, and all you need is ONE person to buy the theory to add validity to it.

Just my 2¢,
Aaryn

[HockeyPat]

Conspiracy theories are actually a conspiracy to keep people paranoid. If you hear two or three crazy as hell theories about something, you tend to assume the same thing about the truth if and when if finally comes out. Hey, it worked for Bill Clinton.

[Turbulence]

I searched Google for "Conspiracy Theory" and this little gem (http://cyphertext.net/~gfish/gfish/gang.html) came up.
idiot[/i]]http://cyphertext.net/~gfish/gfish/gang.gif
Have the relations between the United States and Canada ever seemed to be to good to be true? They are. Because of some perceived insults against Carter urban assault troops were sent into Toronto in late May of 1979. There has been a constant state of war ever since.

It started as minor skirmishes, small scale terrorism and economic espionage, but it has grown into something far more than that. Because of their position in world affairs neither nation could afford to admit to the hostilities, so the warfare was covert. When it first began both governments invented ways of hiding the truth, but the media for the most part ignored it. Unfortunately the aggressions slowly grew into all-out warfare in some areas.

Most of it is in US cities where the fighting has been for most of the war, and eventualy reached a point where it became obvious. The truth of the hand-to-hand combat was undeniable, yet the governments could not reveal their involvement. So the US invented a much needed scapegoat: gang warfare. The Canadian government being just as eager to maintain the semblance of peace cooperated. For years troops battled openly in the streets of our largest cities and the press remained quiet, blaming it on inner city decay. Not only did the media use the government line, they believed it. In fact, the only reporter to even discover the truth was Geraldo, but no one would listen to him.

The war has come to a standoff in the last few months. What neither of the two governments expected was for their example of gang warfare to catch on. More and more of their energies have been going to defend themselves against other, better gangs.

Now, no one is sure what the outcome will be. Rumor has it that some of the drug lords have discovered what is going on and want in on the action, and they have the financing... At this point neither government is quite sure of their standings or how long the current balance can last. Both want out of the war before they lose to non-combatants but are afraid to back down to the other. And all sides are afraid Geraldo will blow their cover.

So let me get this right...Canada and the US are really enemys, and the Bloods and Crypts are the ones fighting the 'war' in the inner cities of Toronto and New York? And Geraldo is the only one who knows about it? :laugh:

[Stormbringer]

Here's another gem regarding U.S./Canadian relations...

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcanadawar.html

[StormShaman]

Here's another gem regarding U.S./Canadian relations...

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcanadawar.html

The absolute best-passage from that whole article:

Canada had hoped to receive reparations from the U.S. for the Fenian attacks, but it was not to be. It evens out in the end, anyway. I still think we Americans deserve reparations for Celine Dion.

:D

[Stormbringer]

Heh heh heh...ah yes, I love Cecil Adams and The Straight Dope. Best newspaper column ever, if not, then only second to Dave Barry's column. I wholeheartedly recommend the entire Straight Dope series books, great bathroom and rainy day reading material that actually teaches you cool stuff and has you ROTFLYAO in the process. :)