# And Here Come The Conspiracy Theories - Columbia Related **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565 "2003-02-03T19:22:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/1 "2003-02-03T19:22:19Z")
Well, we knew they would be coming sooner or later. Here is the first in what I believe to be many conspiracy theories about the Columbia Space Shuttle. > **[Photos show odd images near shuttle](https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Photos-show-odd-images-near-shuttle-2675562.php)** > > A San Francisco amateur astronomer who photographs the space shuttles whenever their... ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/2 "2003-02-03T19:25:52Z")
_Already??_ Dang, they work fast! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/3 "2003-02-03T19:40:50Z")
That story doesn’t really spell out any conspiracy (yet), but since we all know the crackpot theories are coming let’s preemptively throw some out. Aliens shot the shuttle down because they don’t want us in space. The White House is covering this up. The military shot the shuttle down while testing a new weapons system. The White House is covering this up. The U.S. intentionally crashed the shuttle to stymie development of the International Space Station. The White House is covering this up. The White House sabotaged the Space Shuttle to divert attention from the faltering economy. The White House is covering this up. The U.S. intentionally crashed the shuttle to win sympathy from the world which will translate into support for war on Iraq. The White House is covering this up. NASA knew the shuttle was doomed, but let it proceed anyway because it would be too much effort to try and rescue the the crew. The White House is covering this up. Same as above but NASA made sure the craft would disintegrate over Texas so it would be on TV and earn NASA the sympathy of the American taxpayers, thereby sparing NASA from budget cuts. The White House blah, blah, blah. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/4 "2003-02-03T20:12:28Z")
The shuttle had it’s kidneys removed shortly before take off without it’s knowledge, woke up in outerspace with a note on the windshield, " Welcome to Area 51" The White House is covering it up. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/5 "2003-02-03T22:21:39Z")
Wait a sec. > [@](#): > > The pictures, taken with a Nikon-880 digital camera on a tripod, > > \ > “I couldn’t see the discharge with own eyes, but it showed up clear and bright on the film when I developed it,” the photographer said. A digital camera that uses film? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/6 "2003-02-03T22:23:34Z")
Also > [@](#): > > The photographer invited The Chronicle to view the photos on his computer screen Saturday night, and they are indeed puzzling. Why didn’t he just email them to the paper and why didn’t the paper put them online if they are already in a digital format? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/7 "2003-02-03T22:40:48Z")
You forgot that Bin Laden himself shot it down with a stinger, but the White House is covering that up. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/8 "2003-02-03T23:08:24Z")
I’m working on a consipracy theory involving SUVs. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/9 "2003-02-04T03:21:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Robb \* > \*\*I’m working on a consipracy theory involving SUVs. \*\* Well, maybe Firestone made the shuttle tires… ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/10 "2003-02-04T03:31:23Z")
aaah, I love the smell of nutjob conspiracy theories in the morning… ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/11 "2003-02-04T03:41:45Z")
There’s a Al Qaeda operative secretly working on the tile installation crew at the OPF at KSC in Flroida. During Columbia’s processing, he replaced several normal tiles with tiles made of C-4 plastic explosive. The White House is, of course, covering this up. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/12 "2003-02-04T07:15:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*Wait a sec. > A digital camera that uses film? \*\* The Nikon Coolpix 880 does not use film. Images are stored on a CompactFlash card. > **[Nikon Coolpix 880 Review](https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikoncp880/)** > > This time last year Nikon were readying the Nikon Coolpix 800, a quick progression from the Coolpix 700, which in turn had taken the guts of the 950, made the body smaller, removed the swivel and added a fixed (in the case of the 700) and a 2x zoom... I’ve a hard time believing that such a dinky camera - with no telephoto lens - recorded anything of note, even if it _was_ mounted on a tripod. At its maximum zoom, the Coolpix 880 is equivalent to a 95mm lens on a 35mm camera. (And forget about “digital zoom”. That would add no detail to the image beyond the camera’s maximum optical zoom.) What he saw on screen was likely image noise or something. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/13 "2003-02-04T07:39:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rogzilla \* > \*\* > > The military shot the shuttle down while testing a new weapons system. The White House is covering this up. > \*\* This would be the vaunted Missle Defense System that can’t hit things going slower and lower? Mine: The Real Shuttle is in Area 51. The A decoy blew up Saturday. The White House is covering this up. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/14 "2003-02-04T10:17:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kamandi \* > \*\*What he saw on screen was likely image noise or something. \*\* No, it must have been _rods_ (and that the Whitehouse is covering this up, of course) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/15 "2003-02-04T12:39:28Z")
Lee Harvey Oswald shot it from the Book Depository with a rifle. Strange smoke and a booming noise was reputed to be heard from the Grassy Knoll. The White House denies any information on this. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/16 "2003-02-04T12:42:27Z")
The Earth isn’t round, she’sa flat. Everything was filmed in a large studio in California with help from George Lucas in order to gain world wide sympathy for the US during these trying times. The astronauts will be put into the witness protection program where they can all grow fat and teach science to junior high kids. This statement, released by the Flat Earth Society was officially denied by the White House. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/17 "2003-02-04T12:50:01Z")
Then there’s this: [http://www.biblenews1.com/history3/20030105STS107.htm](http://www.biblenews1.com/history3/20030105STS107.htm) F\*ing amazing… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/18 "2003-02-04T12:53:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*Why didn’t he just email them to the paper and why didn’t the paper put them online if they are already in a digital format? \*\* Because he hasn’t finished Photoshopping the “scraggly” lines on yet. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/19 "2003-02-04T12:58:34Z")
Please tell me that’s a parody. > [@](#): > > The next day, January 31st, the eye of the Sun appeared to be covered by a cloud at Sunset. This is a sign of God’s covering, which solves all problems. However, the eye of the Sun appears to be emerging from the covering into an electrical power pole. This is the sign of an electrical problem. However, standing three feet to the left, the sun appears to be emerging from tree, indicating… ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565/20 "2003-02-04T12:59:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRDelirious \* > \*\*Then there’s this: > [http://www.biblenews1.com/history3/20030105STS107.htm](http://www.biblenews1.com/history3/20030105STS107.htm) > > F\*ing amazing… \*\* Holy crap! I wish I had an imagination like that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-here-come-the-conspiracy-theories-columbia-related/152565.md?page=2)