Saturday, October 31, 2009

Conspiracy Theories

So - man never walked on the moon, the CIA assassinated JFK, a Jewish cabal controls international banking - do any of these or similar theories have merit, or are they merely beliefs of the uninformed?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

It depends on the conspiracy. In regard to the JKF assassination, I'm not going to comment because, well, my right not to incriminate myself is protected by the 5th amendment to the constitution. I have no more to say on that matter.

Was the moon-landing a hoax? No, men actually walked on the moon. You could send a naysayer to the moon, have him or her walk around, look at the artifacts of prior missions, the descent stages, the lunar rover vehicles, the footprints left by previous astronauts and that wouldn't be enough to convince the naysayer or the other hoaxers back on earth. In fact, when the naysayer came back from the moon, the earth-bound hoaxers would say the trip never happened. Here are some cool photos taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently. It shows the Apollo 17 landing site.

Then there is BigFoot. I used to laugh at people that thought BigFoot was real. After reading this website, I'm not laughing anymore.

Anonymous said...

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Photos

Big Nasty said...

Everyone knows that the mob killed JFK for shutting down the casino business in Cuba. The gov't just won't admit it because it's an embarrassment. Everyone knows that man walked on the moon, but who gives a *$&#? There's nothing up there. Not even air! If the Jews control banking, so what else is new? As far as Bigfoot, everyone knows he hangs with Kious at Goods every night. This better put this conspiracy crap to rest for once and for all.

Diamond Dave said...

Big criminal plots are by nature conspiratorial. If the planners are convicted, they may be called co-conspirators by the prosecution, but thereafter are B799542131 at the state pen or ex-cons when they get out. If undiscovered they say, "I love it when a plan comes together."

The Mafia was 1 big conspiracy that went largely uninvestigated by the FBI bcz they had indiscreet photos of J. Edgar Hoover who was FBI chief from 1925-71. 1957's Algonquin conference in up-state NY blew the lid off J. Edgar's seeming disinterest.

Read "The Creature from Jekyll Island" about the Federal Reserve's planning, rationale and the deleterious effect it's had on the US. We were the only power not gutted by WWII. How do we lose such preeminence in just 2 generations?

JFK- Mark Lane's book and movie, "Executive Action" talks of key witnesses in their 20's and 30's dying from karate chops. How many martial arts friends do you have that say,"Dadgummit, I lost my best buddy. I inadvertently chopped him in the larynx. I knew I should have registered these things(as he looks regretfully at his hands) with the FBI when I had a chance."

Marty Bryant said...

I have no idea what Diamond Dave is talking about or what his point is. I'm not getting down on him at all but I can't understand what he's talking about. Can you help me out, Dave?

Rick Bland said...

Marty, I'm not really sure but I think he's saying that the JFK assassination was a conspiracy. He also seems to be implying that there is some sort of conspiracy afoot linking the Federal Reserve to something or other.

This is the classic problem I run into when dealing with alleged conspiracies. I can't seem to pin anyone down anywhere. Dave refers to a couple books that apparently lend credence to these theories, but that really doesn't mean much. We've read all sorts of these books over the years. Most of them are ignited by a slim thread of truth, and extrapolated into major conspiracies.

There are books you can read suggesting conspiracies in everything from Miss Universe pagaents to the 2000 election. The simple truth is just that. Simple truth. JFK's assassination was only a conspiracy in the fact that several people conspired to do it. The international banking industry and/or the fed is a conspiracy only in the sense that several appointed parties combine to reach decisions.

Cospiracy theories sell well in book stores and at theaters. I mean, think about it. I could start a conspiracy theory of my own based on the premise that Jefferson's population is shrinking as the result of a conspiracy. I could then procede to cite numerous instances of questionable decisions made by members of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce or other local powers-that-be causing this to occur (loss of DMACC, Pella Windows, Lake Panorama, etc.). These are all historically documented events. Then I dig a little and find out that most of these city leaders were in the Rotary Club. Therefore I conclude that the Jefferson Rotary Club was at the heart of this conspiracy. Most of these people have taken their savings and left town.

You can work backwards to create a conspiracy in virtually any situation. That is what most all of these books do. It is easier to read something and accept it as fact than to analyze its content thoughtfully and questioningly.

Now, I am not disparaging Diamond Dave. He may not even have meant what I thought he did. It's kind of hard to decipher his point. Let's just say that cospiracy books as a general rule do not impress me and I no longer waste my time with them.

Marty Bryant said...

I have no idea what Rick is talking about or what his point is. I really don't think it was the Rotary but rather the Kiwanas. They have better shirts. They say "Kiwanas" on the chest and right shoulder at the sleeve.

Anonymous said...

That's a common form of deception. Someone from the Rotary tries to shift blame to the Kiwanis. To the untrained observer, the Kiwanis' "better shirts" would point to them as being the culprits in the downfall of Jefferson. I almost fell for it.

Though Marty Bryant probably isn't on the official roster for Rotarians in Jefferson, I strongly suspect he is one. He probably was sipping coffee from his Jefferson Rotary coffee mug when he typed his deception.

Diamond Dave said...

I appreciate the way I was told my post was not understandable.

The definition of conspiracy talks of 2 or more people planning something illegal.

My Mafia reference was to the 1957strategic meeting depicted in "The Godfather" in upstate New York of an actual Mafia "corporate board meeting," where about 75 mob bigwigs from all over the U.S. scattered from their meeting into the woods when they found out the police or state patrol was breaking up their big get together.
This was the first confirmation of a national organization and of planning of that magnitude. The Mafia had pictures of J.Edgar either in a dress or in gay encounter, so he did not pursue indictments bcz of blackmail.

About JFK's killing- In Mark Lane's book it talks of dozens of key witnesses who died from very odd circumstances like karate chops, their car's brakes failing, etc. All the people were between 20 & 45 and died before 1968. The odds against this happening were 1 with a lot of zeros behind it ( probably 15-18 0's). This to my mind makes a lone assasin a near impossibility. Why/how could so many people die after LH Oswald's death. Who killed them and why?

Marty Bryant said...

Thanks Dave. That was much better.

Diamond Dave said...

I was drawn to conspiracy theories while in Jefferson during the farm crisis around 1985. LeRoy Armstrong of Grand Junction (he has since died) and his friends were argumentative, bull-headed sorts who owed a lot on land, which was down from $3000 going to $1000 an acre. I thought they were blowhards at 1st.

Their focus was on the Federal Reserve, the Council on Foreign Relations and Skull & Bones. Anthony Sutton, a professor from Stanford wrote on the Fed & S& B.

I love history. There were enough names I knew to draw me in. I felt smart & "in the know." Other subjects I'm not very strong in. Many times c. nuts, like most of us, focus entirely on things we agree wholeheartedly with and do not challenge the theories or presuppositions proposed. As Rick B. states, critical thinking is often lacking.

Government operates through individuals. They can thwart justice and bury evidence of their own choosing and for their own reasons. Case in point "TWA Flight 800" by Jack Cashill. Close to the 1996 election, it looks like the US Navy shot down Flight 800. The authorities stalled and only paid attention to 14 eyewitnesses who agreed with them out of 300 to 800 witnesses. The journalist who went forward was brought up on charges and none of our press corps defended his 1st Amendment rights.

The government has the right to subpoena and has greater powers for getting investigation and gathering evidence. They also have prosecutorial power to hinder and intimidate others. The bigger the gov't is, the greater these powers and the more likely they be used. Scientists, journalists, investigators and gadflies do not have these advantages. Time erodes evidence and memories. People do not tend to gore their own ox and promote their enemies/opponents case.

The reason I cite books is bcz they are more thorough, do the subject justice, and I tend to not fully explain things in an organized manner. Also, I write long-winded blogs. 5 or more paragraphs and it feels like you wrote "War & Peace." I'm sure it reads that way, too.


Jane Wyman divorced Ronald Reagan around 1947 bcz she tired of his political talk and strong opinions.
If you want to shut a party down, let people discuss a conspiracy and then you come in with both guns blazing and a "take no prisoners" attitude.

Diamond Dave said...

I apologize. Disregard anything I may have posted on JFK's assassination. I missed post #1 "Anonymous" and his near confession. The mere presence of JIN and knowledge of their crack reporting team has broken another big story. Hats off to you!

larry d. said...

Once again JIN unearths another cospiracy story - "Michael Jackson Faked His Own Death". Unbelievable.

Anonymous said...

JIN reports that Michael Jackson faked his death then moved to Jefferson. How bad had things gotten with Michael that he took such drastic measures (not faking his death, but moving to Jefferson)?

The bible says "And if your eye offends you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire."

It's obvious that Michael should have plucked an eye out but instead he cast himself into everlasting Hell (choosing to move to Jefferson). Very sad.

Anonymous said...

The MJ story is completely true. He's in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber located beneath the Mahaney Mausoleum in the Jefferson Cemetery. Word is that emerges at night for midnight dinners catered by the Peony and served at the boarded-up A&W site.

No coincidence that his grave has close proximity to the airport. It facilitates many a late night rendezvous with Macaulay Culkin who flies in from New York on a semi-monthly basis.

Diamond Dave said...

It's 10pm. Parents, do you know where your boys are?

Diamond Dave said...

I just noticed "Rich Dad's Conspiracy of the Rich- The 8 New Rules of Money" by Robert T. Kiyosaki at the library. It's 250 pages, not a long, involved book.

It is a look at the big government, public schools and Federal Reserve power-grabbing conspiracies that matter of factly states, "OK this stuff is true, so what do we do about it now." Kiyosaki is the author of the "Rich Dad" business and investment series, and would be recognized as in the mainstream, not a doom and gloomer.

Rick Bland said...

You know, I usually let these things go, but I just have to comment on Diamond Dave's referring to Robert Kiyosaki as a "mainstream business and investment author". I would rather we call him a "self-help author and motivational speaker".

I can also state without any doubt that I consider most of the contents of his book(s) meaningless, unusable pablum.

Mr. Kiyoski spent the 1970' and early 80's going bankrupt. He then sold t-shirts for heavy metal rock bands. Lately, he has launched Cashflow Technologies, Inc., a vehicle through which he markets himself.

Basically, his teachings focus on generating passive income through investments with the ultimate goal of supporting yourself solely by them alone. He considers things such as houses and cars to be
liabilities. He has compared investing in mutual funds to "playing the lottery" and discourages 401Ks.

His "books", while best-sellers, are filled with anecdotes and contain little in the way of concrete advice. Mr. Kiyosaki merely markets himself and his latest thoughts.

ABC ran a 20/20 segment in 2006 in which Kiyosaki was to advise three people on how to make money. They were given seed money and a period of time in which to work. All had mediocre results. Kiyosaki responded by stating that "failure was an important thing to learn".

Does anyone really need eighteen books to learn failure?

Anonymous said...

So, Rick:

If you had to give some credence to one particular conspiracy theory, what would it be?