Conspiracy Theory Debunker on Cspan this morning.

[Philosoraptor]

I didn't catch the guy's name, but he's coming up.

[Philosoraptor]

1. Michael Shermer, Skeptics Magazine

[babylonsister]

2. Michael Shermer is the name.

:popcorn:

[Philosoraptor]

4. Thanks!

[tabatha]

50. Michael Shermer

writes a "Skeptic" column for Scientific American. Some of his points are valid, some not. He wrote an article about vitamins based on his own experience, and debunked their effectiveness. I think he should have done a little more research - they have been very effective for some people.

[jimshoes]

3. That title just struck me

as a new theme for Bud Light's "Real Men Of Genius" commercials.

[The2ndWheel]

5. Conspiracy doesn't mean crazy

20 guys plus bin Laden and Zawahiri in a cave is a conspiracy. Hell, some business models could be considered to be a conspiracy.

[JohnyCanuck]

6. The main problem with the 9/11 debate is

that there has not really been a debate, according to Paul Craig Roberts, former Reagan administration Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

Where is the evidence?

By Paul Craig Roberts

SNIP

There are many problems with the 9/11 debate. Many different interests are using 9/11 to advance their agendas. Security interests use fear generated by 9/11 to erode civil liberties and establish the foundations of a police state. Federalist Society members in pursuit of a stronger executive use 9/11 to justify concentrating power in the White House, power that violates the separation of powers in the US Constitution. Anti-immigration groups use 9/11 as evidence for closing US borders and deporting Muslims who currently reside in the US. Foreign policy experts use 9/11 as an example of “blowback” from misguided and ill-considered US foreign policy. Discussion blogs are crowded with people who want to demonstrate that they are too sophisticated to fall for a conspiracy theory or too patriotic to believe that their government could be complicit. On the other side are those who are convinced that the US government has long been the epitome of evil and that 9/11 is just the latest example in a long history of US government false flag operations.

But the main problem with the 9/11 debate is that there has not really been a debate. Instead, we have had a report from a political commission run by a Bush administration insider, Philip Zelikow. In place of a real independent investigation, we have a collection of Washington players reassuring the public by defending the government’s story line.

Studies, such as those referred to by the Popular Mechanics editors, are in fact not forensic studies of evidence but what the editor-in- chief of “Fire Engineering” called “paper- and computer-generated hypotheticals.”

The explanation that the three WTC buildings collapsed as a result of damage and fire is a mere assertion. The assertion is not backed up with scientific calculation to demonstrate that the energy from the airliners, fire, and gravity were sufficient to collapse the buildings. A number of independent authorities believe that there is a very large energy deficit in the official account of the collapse of the buildings. Until this issue is resolved, the official explanation is merely an assertion no matter who believes it.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article14963.htm

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

7. he says conspiracy theorists think george bush

masterminded 9/11. give me a break.

[Clark2008]

29. No we don't. We're intelligent enough to know Bush isn't

smart enough to mastermind shaving, much less an event of epic proportion.

What we DO believe is that the official conspiracy theory is full of holes and that physics tells us buildings don't just free fall when they have weight-resistance beneath them. We also know that other steel buildings have burned and burned and burned, but never fallen in their footprints.

This guy must be crazy or stupid if he thinks those of us who question the official conspiracy theory believe that Bush masterminded anything.

[DemonFighterLives]

8. The guy sounds like a loon

He takes the most far flung theories and offers a half baked explanation.
He just sorta explained building 7= everyone knew it would come down from the fires, etc. :rofl:

[acmejack]

9. He is a dismissive, contemptuous asshole!

What a sneering jerk. He isn't respectful in the least he treats callers like fools.

[Philosoraptor]

10. He's laughed at every caller so far

how baronial

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Yes he is an ass

He is leading me to believe the 9/11 conspiracy theorists.

Oh my god, he just called BBC stories "urban legends". :wtf:

[greyl]

30. That BBC article is a bit of an urban legend.

I was waiting for Shermer to ask what the date of the article is. If he had, the caller could have told him the article was written in 2001, 10 days after 9/11. Even the caller read the part of the article that saying that the FBI would have a clearer idea of the true identities of the hijackers at a later date.

Fact is, the BBC and other news orgs all over the planet have published stories in the past 5 years which show that the original article was about people who had the same name as some of the hijackers. Anyone claiming that the BBC says that hijackers are still alive is being dishonest with themselves

[Nozebro]

34. They probably killed/jailed all of the 9/11 Arab "patsies". EOM

n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. I have read this other places as well

I recently read an article where family members of the hijackers were interviewed, and claimed they were still alive.

[greyl]

39. You probably read it on a conspiracy site.

Gotta link?

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. No I don't remember

Sorry, it's been awhile.

Just wanted to point out that it is not just the BBC making this claim.

[greyl]

41. Anybody can make a claim. Some people like to investigate claims

to see if they're true or not.
I asked you for a link other than the 5 year old BBC article, because I don't think you'll be able to offer one unless it's from a conspiracy theory site that is misrepresenting the original BBC article.

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. I would remember if it was a conspiracy theory site

Well actually I would not since I don't frequent those sites.

[greyl]

44. It wasn't from any reputable source, that's for sure. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. I wouldn't have repeated it

if it hadn't been a reputable source.

[greyl]

47. If it's a reputable source, I'm sure it hasn't vanished.

I don't think it ever existed.

[mhatrw]

42. The FBI's positive identification of the 19 hijackers

is an urban legend.

[greyl]

45. The hijacker's families and "co-workers" have

confirmed their identities, and DNA evidence also exists.

[mhatrw]

49. Which hijackers have been confirmed using DNA? How?

Which hijackers' families have confirmed their identities? How?

Just like the FBI, you have provided no evidence for your claims.

[DemonFighterLives]

11. Eh, eh eh- dubya laugh

Everything is coming from Loose Change. Hell, I never even seen it and know this guy is a dubby shill.
Showing clips now from Paul Thompson from Monday. :woohoo:

Shermer clueless....

[Ganja Ninja]

12. Someone please ask him who mailed the anthrax.

Lets see if he has an answer for that.

[DemonFighterLives]

13. 911 mystery solved

Osama and others admitted it- eh, eh, eh.

Bodies disintegrate into millions of pieces of meat and the debris field of 93 was not that wide.

Caller calling him out now.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Yes if Osama admitted it then argument is over

:sarcasm:

[acmejack]

14. He hasn't used a single fact yet!

Lots of buildings of collapsed due to fire. Failed to name one-there isn't one. He is a joke. A suitable comedy act prior to Novakula, I suppose.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

16. that's what i said to myself... name one building

name one building that size which came down because of fire.

[DemonFighterLives]

18. Fascist Friday back on track

:rofl:
Shermer and Novak do Laurel and Hardy - all this guy needs to do is scratch his head and whimper.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. I just said the same thing

He is expecting us to bow down and worship him. No facts, no support, just laughing at callers who disagree with him. Some expert. :eyes:

[DemonFighterLives]

15. Oswald killed Kennedy- shermer just showed his hand

Simpler is better. :rofl:
Doofus isn't reading the right stuff obviously. :silly:

[Philosoraptor]

17. THE ANTHRAX CALLER... thank you sir!

[mmonk]

19. How can anyone call themself a skeptic while accepting

the official account of the most dishonest administration in US history?

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. I want to know who this fool voted for

[greyl]

31. He voted for Kerry. nt

[DemonFighterLives]

25. No lie

The official word is just fine with this idiot, nothing to be skeptical about dubco.
We're in the dungeon now= anything goes.
My computer was thrown offline just getting to the dungeon :tinfoilhat:
Hi Agent Mike! Tell dubby and the boys that they will have to find a more believable shill to debunk everything.

Shermer claims to be Libertarian- eh, eh, Fiscally conservative,

[acmejack]

23. We've been thrown into the dungeon!

Can't have a C-span conversation were anyone might see it. Lunatics to the 9/11 hole please...

[DemonFighterLives]

27. That was some quick shuffling, the show isn't even over yet.

Down the memory hole.

[Philosoraptor]

28. nobody knows, the trouble i've seeeeen, (cue harmonica)

[acmejack]

26. He is coming up with the most ridiculous shit he can!

He wants to make everyone to look everyone to look crazy. He is ignoring any of the reasonable theories.

[snappyturtle]

32. Move along folks...nothing to see here!

:sarcasm: I was open to hearing Shermer's debunking........and there wasn't any! I think there are zillions of unanswered questions. This didn't help at all. I urge everyone to see 9/11 Press for Truth! Something isn't right. Just stating that conspiracy theories aren't true isn't an answer. IMHO

What's with Brian Lamb? First half hour all repuke callers. Last twenty minutes he worked in a few Democrats laced with more repukes and a couple independents. He read a bunch of headlines from major newspapers............but the Chi town Trib (which had a HUGE title saying electric rates will soar) he instead read the title of an article above the fold. Definitely not balanced in caller party affiliation ratio. I think I'll e-mail Washington Journal to let them know this bias didn't go unnoticed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. Yes, Press For Truth is one of the better 9/11 films

I just saw it this week - on 9/11. It is great and I also am encouraging everyone to see it.

[serryjw]

48. Wasn't his fault

He said that the last 20 calls were from the thug line, dems weren't calling in????

[greyl]

33. Can you give a couple examples? nt

[acmejack]

35. I would have two hours ago when the show was on.

I suggest you catch it on C-span, you can stream the WJ it would be the 90 minute mark.

[greyl]

38. I've been watching the archived show.

Shermer comes on at 61 minutes. Are you saying that what you're talking about happened at 90 minutes?

Link