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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| 'Meteorite' Crash Breeds Mass Hysteria |
| 2007-09-27 |
| Initial suspicions of an airplane crash quickly spiraled into widespread reports that a meteorite had plummeted to Earth and left a smoking, boiling crater whose supposedly noxious fumes were reported to have sickened curious locals who went to peer at the hole. Geologists doubted that the crater was actually caused by a meteorite, and firm explanations were offered that a meteorite would not even emit fumes and that the "sickness" was likely a case of mass hysteria. Run away, run away! Nevertheless, onlookers far and wide were fascinated by the idea that this event could be a real-life "Andromeda Strain," after the 1969 novel by Michael Crichton in which a mysterious rock from outer space carries a lethal microbe that kills nearly everyone infected by it. Media reports of the number of locals afflicted by a "mysterious disease" — with symptoms such as nausea, headaches and sore throats — after visiting the crater figured in every news article about the Aug. 15 event, with some reporting that as many as 600 people had fallen ill. But doctors who visited the site told the Associated Press they found no evidence that the crater had actually sickened such a large number of people. No, really? If noxious fumes did emanate from the crater, they were most likely the result of a hydrothermal explosion that could have actually formed the crater, or were released from the ground if and when the meteorite struck, according to many geologists. Hmmm - noxious fumes emitted from a crack... Arsenic is found in the subsoil in that area of Peru and often contaminates the drinking water there, according to Peruvian geologists quoted on Sept. 21 by National Geographic News. Arsenic fumes released from the crater could have sickened locals who went to look, said one geologist who examined the site. Some health officials suggest instead that the symptoms described by the locals, the large number of people reporting those symptoms and the apparently rapid spread have all the hallmarks of a case of mass hysteria. When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout. |
| Posted by:Spot |
| #13 What matters to good Madonna fans is notsomuch the crater or the meteorite or the subterranean vents, etc. but whom was present amongst the crowds watching the incident, physically or psychically. SONG LYRIC "WATCHING ME IS WATCHING YOU, HUH-HUH"...! CLEARLY PYWAR-INTEL IS NOT WATCHING GWEN STEFANI'S BOOB RACK AGAIN - SHE'S GONNA BE PISSED. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-09-27 19:39 |
| #12 Formerly Dan - ya just got to be prepared. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2007-09-27 18:50 |
| #11 Pravda claimed it was a satellite and the people had radiation poisoning! |
| Posted by: Danielle 2007-09-27 17:42 |
| #10 Kill the crew! Take the ship! |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-09-27 16:45 |
| #9 I'm thinking that there will be zombies. But I've bet on zombies before and been disappointed. |
| Posted by: Formerly Dan 2007-09-27 14:37 |
| #8 Since the first thing People do is take their Spaceship and try to kill the occupants, why in the hell would any intelligence ever come here twice? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-09-27 13:53 |
| #7 smn Indeed One thing that really amazes me is that these folk, having mastered the arcain art of intersteller travel, can devise no better way to communicate with us on arrival other than hacking up a wheat field. |
| Posted by: kelly 2007-09-27 12:56 |
| #6 Israel has something to do with this. /moonbat |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2007-09-27 10:46 |
| #5 C'mon. Sorcha Faal gave us the real scoop the other day... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-09-27 10:04 |
| #4 Nice, Kelly..."Invasion Of The Body Snatchers",LOL! Makes you wonder why visitors from outer space only land in the underdeveloped ignorant backwater countries of the world, instead of the oceans, the polar caps or best...the front lawn of CNN! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-09-27 09:59 |
| #3 A Caterpillar® backhoe would do nicely also! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-09-27 09:50 |
| #2 Just don't go to sleep |
| Posted by: kelly 2007-09-27 09:49 |
| #1 Damn...does anybody in Peru have and dang shovel to get down to the 'bottom of the situation'? Instead of hopeless despair, crying and moping,, the Peruvian military should have all 100(sic) of their troops in white suits and masks flinging mud over their shoulders to bring up the culprit; rock, satellite or spaceship☺! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-09-27 09:47 |