Maddox destroys conspiracy theory

[Admiral]

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=911_morons

Maddox might not be a great authority on much besides pirates and beef jerky, but this is pretty hilarious...

[MarkyX]

Someone needs to post this on the Loose Change boards.

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

Heh, the last sentence of the first paragraph is one of the best summaries of their movement I think I may have ever read.

[Dragonrock]

This is the greatest statement ever in the history of Loose Change

Watching this video is like being bukakked with stupid.

[gfunkusarelius]

haha, very funny. it would do no good on LS boards tho. they would just say he was a patriotic republican american idiot or in on the conspiracy

[Stitch]

What I want to know is why the CT crew have to make thinks so damn complex. Why all this stuff about missles and controlled explosions? It's so full of holes that a 5 year old could pull it apart. Keep it simple, claim a couple of people from the CIA trained up some nutballs on terrorist methods and bank rolled the job - the rest is then just as we all saw it.

[Regnad Kcin]

Maddox is the best there is.

[Admiral]

haha, very funny. it would do no good on LS boards tho. they would just say he was a patriotic republican american idiot or in on the conspiracy

Maddox... a patriotic Republican American idiot...

Yeah, I think even the Loose Changers would have a hard time believing that.

[MarkyX]

Maddox... a patriotic Republican American idiot...

Yeah, I think even the Loose Changers would have a hard time believing that.

Do you want to bet?

[Forty-Two]

I love Maddox. I've seen him in person twice (once for The Alphabet of Manliness, once at Comic-Con), and he's really just some nerd. I was overjoyed to see that he'd updated today, even moreso when I saw the topic. He supplies my RDA of "irate."

[Pardalis]

This is the greatest statement ever in the history of Loose Change

Yeah, that whole bit is hillarious:

Area 51? Hell yes. Roswell? Pass me the Kool-Aid. But "Loose Change" elevates BS to an artform. Watching this video is like being bukakked with stupid.

[senorpogo]

haha, very funny. it would do no good on LS boards tho. they would just say he was a patriotic republican american idiot or in on the conspiracy

Even if it doesn't change the mind of the hardcore LCs, it's definately good that someone who is popular amongst the young males demographic (LC's bread-n-butter) is making the 9/11 CT movement look stupid. Hopefully this will start a trend that makes it not cool to be into LC and 9/11 CTs. Again, it may not effect the diehards, but it may make the less obsessive members think twice. Nobody wants to be the subject of a Maddox rant.

[gfunkusarelius]

Maddox... a patriotic Republican American idiot...

Yeah, I think even the Loose Changers would have a hard time believing that.

well, that would put him in the "in on the conspiracy" contingent.
:)

[aggle-rithm]

What I want to know is why the CT crew have to make thinks so damn complex. Why all this stuff about missles and controlled explosions? It's so full of holes that a 5 year old could pull it apart. Keep it simple, claim a couple of people from the CIA trained up some nutballs on terrorist methods and bank rolled the job - the rest is then just as we all saw it.

The complexity of the theories is intentional -- or, at least, it unintentionally serve a purpose in keeping the conspiracy theories alive. If they have an endless collection of small "questions" or "inconsistencies" to argue about, they can keep everyone off the fact that the central premise is so breathtakingly flawed that a retarded monkey would have trouble swallowing it.

[Meffy]

"Don't look too hard at our house of cards -- one strong eyebeam and it'll all come down! But look how complicated we were able to make it..."

[Donks]

Of course they are already discussing (http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showtopic=8905) it.

[grayman]

Haha, to summerise:

'Loose change is false because I SAID SO!'

Conversely, Loose Change is true because they say so?

[Admiral]

Do you want to bet?

Wow, you're right:

If they successfully de-bunked the good evidence they could demand some respect, but instead some, like Maddox, rely on purpetuating the myth that all people in government, elected and appointed, are actually pure of purpose.

MADDOX? Claiming that everyone in the government was pure of purpose?

This is the guy who compared Bush unfavorably to a box of Tic-Tacs and suggested we win the war through "Operation: Penny Drop," since dropping millions of pennies would be cheaper than bombs. (After the war ends, he notes, the citizens could rebuild their country by taking pennies out of the skulls of the dead.)

It's true that an idea is not made stronger or weaker by those who believe in it. But their assumption that Maddox is supporting the government by attacking "Loose Change" is absurd.

[fuelair]

Of course they are already discussing (http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showtopic=8905) it.
Thanks for that one. To use their own phrase, "What a bunch of F*@ktards!!":rolleyes:

[fuelair]

Conversely, Loose Change is true because they say so?

Wonder how your quotee would winterize it?

[gfunkusarelius]

i think the complexity is what makes it so entertaining for a lot of people. if it was simple it would be boring. i still contend that, besides the mistrust of authority, the main reason people are into CTs is for entertainment. they just think it is cool that this "could happen" thru such an elaborate set of circumstances.
occams razor=the boring way out

[Regnad Kcin]

If they successfully de-bunked the good evidence they could demand some respect, but instead some, like Maddox, rely on purpetuating the myth that all people in government, elected and appointed, are actually pure of purpose.I must've missed where Maddox "purpetuat[ed]" that particular "myth."

Oh, wait, I actually read what Maddox wrote, not what I think he wrote.

[Admiral]

In the CTers' defense (four words you don't hear too often on this forum), consider how evolution must seem to people who aren't familiar with the evidence for it.

Imagine phrases that we use to ridicule Loose Change being used to ridicule evolution:

What I want to know is why the Darwinists have to make things so damn complex. Why all this stuff about punctuated equilibrium and natural selection? It's so full of holes that a 5 year old could pull it apart.

"Don't look too hard at our house of cards -- one strong eyebeam and it'll all come down! But look how complicated we were able to make it..."

If they have an endless collection of small "questions" or "inconsistencies" to argue about, they can keep everyone off the fact that the central premise is so breathtakingly flawed that a retarded monkey would have trouble swallowing it. Monkeys turn into humans? Who would believe THAT?

In response to skeptics saying "So creationism is true only because the Bible says so?" they could respond, "As opposed to evolution being true because the scientists say so?"

If you look at it skeptically- Maddox is dismissing the CTers without looking at their arguments. If Maddox posted "There is no such thing as evolution, you idiots!" and talks about how stupid the idea of evolution is, including ad hominem attacks on Richard Dawkins, we'd respond to his rant with comments very similar to the Loose Changers.

[Ashles]

If they have an endless collection of small "questions" or "inconsistencies" to argue about, they can keep everyone off the fact that the central premise is so breathtakingly flawed that a retarded monkey would have trouble swallowing it. Monkeys turn into humans? Who would believe THAT?
Well no-one claims that.

Also evidence can be demonstrated for evolution - it can't for CTs.

So the analogy doesn't really work.

[Admiral]

Well no-one claims that.

Also evidence can be demonstrated for evolution - it can't for CTs.

So the analogy doesn't really work.

In no way am I saying that if evolution is true, that the conspiracy theory is also true.

I'm saying that the arguments the CTers are using- "he didn't address the evidence," "he's using ad hominem attacks," were valid.

This in no way means they're right.

[Dark Jaguar]

True, good point, but the difference is we did actually go over it, and apparently Maddox is at least somewhat familiar with actual debunkings (he makes it clear he won't bother with actual facts in his, because he's a comedian).

One thing though, what the heck is "bukakked"? I looked it up in dictionary.com as it was typed, then shortened to "bukakk", then assuming a mistype, I typed "bukak", but it wasn't available at all. Sounds german.

[Forty-Two]

The arguments that he "isn't addressing the evidence" are valid, but they miss the point. Maddox isn't outlining an argument; he's stating his opinion. His articles have never been about convincing other people he's right.

Whether you agree with Maddox or not, if you start examining his work for examples of enlightened debate, you're taking it waaaaay too seriously.

[Regnad Kcin]

One thing though, what the heck is "bukakked"? I looked it up in dictionary.com as it was typed, then shortened to "bukakk", then assuming a mistype, I typed "bukak", but it wasn't available at all. Sounds german.More Greek, ho-ho.

[Forty-Two]

bukkake (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bukkake) (Urban Dictionary)

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

True, good point, but the difference is we did actually go over it, and apparently Maddox is at least somewhat familiar with actual debunkings (he makes it clear he won't bother with actual facts in his, because he's a comedian).

One thing though, what the heck is "bukakked"? I looked it up in dictionary.com as it was typed, then shortened to "bukakk", then assuming a mistype, I typed "bukak", but it wasn't available at all. Sounds german.

The present tense form is bukakke. Don't look it up unless Japanese... err... subcultures do not offend you (think BDSM, or other similar broad category items).

[Admiral]

The arguments that he "isn't addressing the evidence" are valid, but they miss the point. Maddox isn't outlining an argument; he's stating his opinion. His articles have never been about convincing other people he's right.

Whether you agree with Maddox or not, if you start examining his work for examples of enlightened debate, you're taking it waaaaay too seriously.

Damn straight- and if Maddox started making entries like Randi's, I'd stop reading...

I was more defending the CTer's arguments against him, while opposing both their position and defending Maddox. (It's not easy to play the devil's advocate...)

[ElWampa]

Of course they are already discussing (http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showtopic=8905) it.


And it starts.


Hishighness (http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showuser=3512)Posted: (http://forums.randi.org/) Jul 27 2006, 10:11 PM


Actually, I’ve been looking in to Maddox a little more since I posted the original article and what I’ve found troubles me. I’m beginning to think Maddox may be a part of the “establishment”

[senorpogo]

And it starts.

Maddox depicts himself as a pirate. Everyone knows about Skull and Bones, the Yale Secret society that Dubya and Kerry were a part of. A pirate? Skull and bones? Jolly Roger? You do the math.

Ugh.

[JLam]

Maddox depicts himself as a pirate. Everyone knows about Skull and Bones, the Yale Secret society that Dubya and Kerry were a part of. A pirate? Skull and bones? Jolly Roger? You do the math. (http://s15.invisionfree.com/Loose_Change_Forum/index.php?showtopic=8905)
:dl:

Oh sweet Jeebus that was good for a laugh.

[MarkyX]

Dylan Avery SPEAAAKS


shame.

i was maddox's fan for the longest time...as long as I remember...I actually e-mailed him about the movie a while back, even gave him the link...

oh well.


Pwned.

[Johnny C.]

Definitely not a formal debunk, but the comedic touch has a large influence to younger people who really dont care about the conspiracy enough to research it. I know so many young people who see loose change and eat it up like candy. This will definitely help prevent uninformed people from being swallowed hole by the 'truth movement'.

Formal argument is nice, but sometimes people just need to step back and say "this is ****ing stupid" and leave it at that.

[Gravy]

I didn't know Maddox before. Now he's my favorite. I emailed him with thanks for speaking like I wish I could. BTW, he's aware of detailed debunkings: he linked to the Pop. Mechanics article and my LC critique.

[gumboot]

That was great. I have to say, his first point (about Dylan et al still being alive) is a fairly solid piece of evidence IMHO.

Perhaps the CTers will realise and take steps to make their doco "air tight".

-Andrew

[Dark Jaguar]

That's right morons, this guy who's spent the better part of a few years promoting a book about being macho and signning said books bought by losers with nothing better to do than wait for a comedian to show up and honor them with bad penmanship has been paid off by the government and his entire existance, his very pirate persona, was orchastrated by the CURRENT ADMINISTRATION since back in 1998. Good one! You nailed it retards! I just have one question. Which way does time, at a macroscopic scale at which Maddox seems to operate, tend to flow?

Note, I actually love that guy's site, but I wanted to emulate his comedic style as best I could.

[Abbyas]

Now he's my favorite. I emailed him with thanks for speaking like I wish I could. BTW, he's aware of detailed debunkings: he linked to the Pop. Mechanics article and my LC critique.

Now that Maddox has posted your guide, you are officially famous.

Look out for Gravy The Movie! It'll be the first movie based on a message board.

[MarkyX]

Now that Maddox has posted your guide, you are officially famous.

Look out for Gravy The Movie! It'll be the first movie based on a message board.

I sent him an email linking to other sites and my new teaser video :)

A good year for truth indeed

[MarkyX]

I didn't know Maddox before. Now he's my favorite. I emailed him with thanks for speaking like I wish I could. BTW, he's aware of detailed debunkings: he linked to the Pop. Mechanics article and my LC critique.

Short history with Maddox: He never spent a cent on advertising when he started his site in 1998. Now he is one of the most visited sites on the web and made a business with his humor. I heard good things from his book "The Alphabet of Manliness"

From what I hear though, the guy is a huge nerd, but whatever.

[Admiral]

Maddox depicts himself as a pirate. Everyone knows about Skull and Bones, the Yale Secret society that Dubya and Kerry were a part of. A pirate? Skull and bones? Jolly Roger? You do the math.

Whenever I hear things like this, I always wonder... what math?

Saying "you do the math" makes sense when you say something like "We're going to need a bigger conference room. 3 floors, 15 employees on each floor, you do the math." Or, "We need more cupcakes. 20 people, only two trays of 8 cupcakes each, you do the math."

But what kind of math is this guy talking about?

Skull + Crossbones = Maddox?

Dubya + Kerry + Maddox = Conspiracy?

Something = Not Right With This Country?

[Dark Jaguar]

Short history with Maddox: He never spent a cent on advertising when he started his site in 1998. Now he is one of the most visited sites on the web and made a business with his humor. I heard good things from his book "The Alphabet of Manliness"

From what I hear though, the guy is a huge nerd, but whatever.

You say nerd like that's a bad thing. Give in to your inner nerd.

[gumboot]

But what kind of math is this guy talking about?


Maybe it's a very complicated form of algebra?

-Andrew

[CurtC]

Formal argument is nice, but sometimes people just need to step back and say "this is ****ing stupid" and leave it at that.
One horselaugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. (http://sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=00072032-3B02-1052-BB0283414B7F0212&colID=13)

[steve s]

One horselaugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms.

I love the line, "Nature abhors a moron." I'll have to adopt that as my signature.

Steve S.

[R.Mackey]

From what I hear though, [Maddox] is a huge nerd, but whatever.

Ain't nothing wrong with being a nerd. Especially if he can make it pay.

Maddox depicts himself as a pirate. Everyone knows about Skull and Bones, the Yale Secret society that Dubya and Kerry were a part of. A pirate? Skull and bones? Jolly Roger? You do the math.

But... but... Pirates are the FSM's chosen people! What blasphemy!!

[Forty-Two]

...to show up and honor them with bad penmanship...
Actually, his signature is really neat. And yes, he's a huge nerd.

[Soapy Sam]

Maddox is the Man.

[Kaarjuus]

Maddox depicts himself as a pirate. Everyone knows about Skull and Bones, the Yale Secret society that Dubya and Kerry were a part of. A pirate? Skull and bones? Jolly Roger? You do the math.

I'm pretty sure Hishighness is, as one poster there said, taking the piss. Funny thing is, his theory is not less credible than theirs :)

[Yahzi]

I've been making this same point. But not nearly as eloquently as Maddox.

[CptColumbo]

Actually I had never heard of this guy prior to reading this thread. I e-mailed him "thanks for the blog."

I see he answers some of his "hate-mail" I can't wait til he answers the Loosers.

[Sword_Of_Truth]

Actually I had never heard of this guy prior to reading this thread. I e-mailed him "thanks for the blog."

I see he answers some of his "hate-mail" I can't wait til he answers the Loosers.

Did anyone notice the lack of death threats in the hate-mail he quoted.

No mention of raping children, cutting off fingers or ripping eyes from thier sockets like what MarkyX recieved.

I'm assuming that if Dylan Al-Avery did recieve threats, that he wouldn't hesitate to print them in an effort to portray himself to his fans as someone who's risking his life for "the truth".

Are we as a whole, simply that much better behaved than Averys minions?

[XXX]

I had never heard of this guy either before this. I started reading some of the other stuff, I loved his take on "I, Robot".

Also found this there, one other place on his site where he mentions the 9/11 conspiracy stuff, under "If these words were people, I would embrace their genocide."

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=banish

Warblog: A blog that primarily deals with war. Filled with whiny blow hards who are fixated on their stubborn ideas and conspiracy theories. For example, there are countless hours pissed away by conspiracy theorists who think the WTC towers were demolished by bombs planted by the government. These armchair engineers write endlessly about how the physics of the collapse was impossible, how the temperature wasn't hot enough to melt steel, and how the planes were carrying missiles. Of course, the one thing they don't postulate is a REASON.

My personal favorite warblog was one that had a flash animation with people who were quoted as saying "it didn't sound like a plane to me... it sounded like a missile." Thank you Joe Nobody for giving me your expert opinion on what missile sounds like, because gas station superintendents are usually the best people to ask about the sonic signature of ballistic missile thrust.

[Johnny C.]

My personal favorite warblog was one that had a flash animation with people who were quoted as saying "it didn't sound like a plane to me... it sounded like a missile." Thank you Joe Nobody for giving me your expert opinion on what missile sounds like, because gas station superintendents are usually the best people to ask about the sonic signature of ballistic missile thrust. [/I]
I saw that flash. Thats all it was, about 20 quotes from people saying it sounded like a missile. It was my first exposure to the 911 conspiracy; the first time I myself had been bukaked with stupid.

[defaultdotxbe]

"it didn't sound like a plane to me... it sounded like a missile."
no only are they not qualified to say what a missile sounds like, i would venture to say they have no idea what a 757 at full thrust should sound like from 50 feet away

[Class]

no only are they not qualified to say what a missile sounds like, i would venture to say they have no idea what a 757 at full thrust should sound like from 50 feet away
You wouldn't really be hearing much after a 757 flies over you.

Except maybe a loud ringing.

[valis]

Let's see Maddox refute this, scientific proof in action! (my apologise if this has been posted. I cannot keep up with the 9/11 threads volume so I gave up on them).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=56836&mesg_id=56836

[gumboot]

Yus, I am always astounded by the "expert opinion" that the eye witnesses are allocated with, by Loosers...

"Yes, I actually live just across the road from the Pentagon, and I have personally witnessed SEVERAL airliners fly into it at high speed. I can assure you this particular event did not sound like a commercial airliner."

"Well, just last week, the last time WTC1 and WTC2 completely collapsed, they of course, fell over sideways, and the collapse took several minutes. So certainly, something is fishy with this."

Yeesh.

-Andrew

[Cuddles]

Let's see Maddox refute this, scientific proof in action! (my apologise if this has been posted. I cannot keep up with the 9/11 threads volume so I gave up on them).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=56836&mesg_id=56836

So if the towers had been built out of rabbit fence, everything would have been OK. I blame the government.

[Dragonrock]

Let's see Maddox refute this, scientific proof in action! (my apologise if this has been posted. I cannot keep up with the 9/11 threads volume so I gave up on them).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=56836&mesg_id=56836

First problem is that the exposed mesh would act like a nice heat sink. To make this more acurate he would need to insulate the mesh perhaps by closely surrounding it with cynder blocks but still leave a few small hole near the bottom for air.

[CptColumbo]

Let's see Maddox refute this, scientific proof in action! (my apologise if this has been posted. I cannot keep up with the 9/11 threads volume so I gave up on them).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=56836&mesg_id=56836
I have dial-up, so I can't watch it right now. If it is the one I saw before however, they fail to take into account the structural damage done to the towers, the forces working on the towers other than gravity(i.e. wind),and the numerous other heat sources that might have contributed to the collapse.

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

I have dial-up, so I can't watch it right now. If it is the one I saw before however, they fail to take into account the structural damage done to the towers, the forces working on the towers other than gravity(i.e. wind),and the numerous other heat sources that might have contributed to the collapse.

IANACE, but isn't it true that the forces do not scale linearly? Example: a 10 lb concrete block sitting atop a 1"x1"x1' (1 inch wide, 1 inch wide, 1 foot tall) steel beam does not linearly scall to a 100 lb block atop a 10"x10"x10' beam, yeah?

[Meffy]

Wonder how your quotee would winterize it?
A bit late, but... (*innocent*) wouldn't a little, neatly trimmed beard help keep the chin warm when the cold winds do blow?

[rwguinn]

IANACE, but isn't it true that the forces do not scale linearly? Example: a 10 lb concrete block sitting atop a 1"x1"x1' (1 inch wide, 1 inch wide, 1 foot tall) steel beam does not linearly scall to a 100 lb block atop a 10"x10"x10' beam, yeah?

you are absolutely right.
Collumn strength is an area term--A*e/L, so no, it doesn't scale linearly...and the bending portion is a 4th order--(b*h^3)/12.
And you cannot do it strictly with compression. You need the bending term.

[Darth Rotor]

I heard good things from his book "The Alphabet of Manliness"

From what I hear though, the guy is a huge nerd, but whatever.
The book is profane, puerile, sophomoric and crude. I got a few laughs out of it. :D His style of hyperbole and rant, which I love on his web site presentations, does not come across as well in the book. His medium, as an artist of satire, is the web.

Now that I have read it, I must dispose of it before my teenage son gets his mitts on it. My wife finds Maddox infer dig.

DR

[Kaarjuus]

My wife finds Maddox infer dig.

DR

Infer dig?

[simakperrce]

Great read. But I thought the chupacabra was Puerto Rican!? There goes another CT

[Regnad Kcin]

Infer dig?Infra dig (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infra%20dig).

[shuize]

Now that Maddox has posted your guide, you are officially famous.

No joke. Maddox is huge. As noted above, I can't imagine a bigger blow to Loose Change's target audience.

[Brainache]

I'm pretty sure Hishighness is, as one poster there said, taking the piss. Funny thing is, his theory is not less credible than theirs :)

His highness was definitely not serious. He was definitely extracting urine from the nutters.
I've seen his work elsewhere. He can be a bit too subtle for many to even notice they are being ridiculed.

[Darth Rotor]

Infer dig?
Whoops, I gooned that up, didn't I? :o :o :blush: :blush: :blush:

I did indeed mean to say "infra dig."

*sheepish look*

DR

[Lonewulf]

Y'know, it's articles like this that boosts maddox's popularity rating... and everyone else's. Let's hear it for information sharing.

[Yllanes]

No joke. Maddox is huge. As noted above, I can't imagine a bigger blow to Loose Change's target audience.


600 000+ hits to Maddox's article and counting.