Re: Very OT: Zeitgeist, The Movie... WAS... Semi-OT: Int'l Travellers'Laptops Confiscated...

[Jeff Shirkey <jcshirke@midway.uchicago.edu>]

> I suppose this kind of comment is meant to be funny, right?

I suppose.

>
> Sort of an elbow in the ribs for all the heads-on-straight skeptics  
> to chuckle knowingly over while gazing down upon all the credulous  
> ignoramuses...?

There's some of that involved, yes.

>
> Or is it more of a "Let's all just have a good giggle and admit  
> this is silly!" kind of thing, meant to stem a growing discord?

But more of this.

>
> Whatever the motive, it seems like either the most insulting kind  
> of argumentative dishonesty

I don't see how it's dishonest. I believe Elvis is dead, the earth is  
round, that no one has been abducted by aliens, and that Jesus and  
the Virgin Mary have never appeared in the clouds, or on the sides of  
interstate overpasses, let alone in grilled cheese sandwiches. I also  
believe that extremist Islamic religious groups who are very, very  
angry about US imperialist policies in the area of the world in which  
they live flew two airplanes into the WTC--and another one into the  
Pentagon. The full "truth" about what (or perhaps how it) happened  
may be a bit hazy, but it's not completely opaque. In short, apply  
Occam's razor, folks.

> or the most simplistic possible refusal to question any Official  
> Story.

Questioning official stories is one thing. Crackpot left wing (or  
right wing, for that matter) conspiracy theories are quite another.

> Care to take it back, Jeff? Otherwise, what WAS the point?

No, it's out there, so I can't take it back. Let's just say I fully  
support and agree with Harry, and I chose to express that point of  
view in a different fashion.

Sorry if it ruffled your feathers too much.

Jeff