# Conspiracy Theories **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031 "2007-09-21T20:41:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/21 "2007-09-22T03:40:11Z")
[QUOTE=Jayrot] > **[List of conspiracy theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories)** > > This is a list of notable conspiracy theories. Many conspiracy theories relate to supposed clandestine government plans and elaborate murder plots. They usually deny consensus opinion and cannot be proven using historical or scientific methods, and are not to be confused with research concerning verified conspiracies, such as Germany's pretense for invading Poland in World War II. In principle, conspiracy theories might not always be false, and their validity depends on evidence as for any the... [/QUOTE] A few I hadn’t heard before: > [@](#): > > A ubiquitous and persistent rumour in Cameroon has it that the Lake Nyos disaster of 1986 was caused by the US or French (depending on the version) military testing a secret bomb in the lake. Nice that they think it, but what’s scarier to me is the brilliant idea to sequester vast amounts of CO2 in sediments at the bottom of the ocean. > [@](#): > > New Coke— That The Coca-Cola Company intentionally changed to an inferior formula with the intent of driving up demand for their classic product, later reintroducing it for their financial gain. Um, no, they just fucked up. Never attribute to malice… > [@](#): > > Termination of rocket experiments at Cuxhaven. C’mon, guys! I was frickin’ TEN and I thought “rocket mail” was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard! > [@](#): > > Harold Wilson conspiracy theories. Ah-ah, Mr Wilson; ah-ah, Mr Heath. > [@](#): > > Ngo Dinh Diem was involved in John F. Kennedy assassination. No, they have that one backwards. Evidence? Diem died first. (lost in reverie) November '63 was a fucked up month. _sigh_ Nothin’ too new or feasable, huh? BTW, **jimmmy** , that is one of the ones that cause a fella to say, “There might be something going on…” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/22 "2007-09-22T03:50:11Z")
I think my favorite is “Paul is Dead.” It lacks the substance of international government-controlling conspiracies, but it became a wonderful collaboration: some DJ made it up, fans began creatively interpreting Beatles songs and artwork to support and elaborate on the theory, and then the Beatles began playing around with the idea and referring to it in subtle ways, which spurred on the fans… For obvious reasons I’m also partial to Illuminati theories. And David Ickes amuses me, just because you can’t honestly tell if he really thinks the world is being controlled by lizard people, or if the thinks “lizard people” is a more sane and clever way to say the world is controlled by Jews. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/23 "2007-09-22T04:11:33Z")
I, too, am an admitted sucker for the Illuminati conspiracies ever since, shortly after I read _Illuminatus!_, the then-government of Italy fell because of the exposure of the [P2 Masonic Lodge.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_Due) Sure, a collapse of Italian government was, by 1981, barely news, but this was one of the major “WTF? You mean they’re REAL?” moments. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/24 "2007-09-22T04:51:25Z")
I personally believe, admittedly without any evidence whatsoever, that Dan Rather and CBS were set up. Pro-Bush people set up the whole thing to discredit Rather and CBS while blowing smoke over Bush’s less than spectacular military record (meanwhile others shat upon Kerry’s much more impressive history). I just can’t see any other reason why anyone would fake or care about evidence for events that all parties already conceded to be true. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/25 "2007-09-22T13:20:33Z")
Compared to a lot of these, the old Birchite conspiracy theories are pretty humdrum. Robert Welch was off his rocker in calling Ike a Commie, but the whole idea of European, British & American establishments supporting various state socialist regimes (the USSR & the Third Reich) and global governmental bodies through groups such as the CFR, the Trilateral Commission, and the Bildeberg Conferences are not incredible, and somewhat documented (Antony Sutton’s 1970s WALL STREET trilogy did an excellent job on this). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/26 "2007-09-22T15:44:15Z")
A small reminder. This thread is for listing your favorite conspiracy theories, _not_ for debating the theories of others. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/27 "2007-09-22T15:50:20Z")
From\*\* Jayrot\*\*'s link: “_Theories concerning the assassination of prime minister Olof Palme; where he was found with his ears cut off and stuffed in his rectum_.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/28 "2007-09-22T15:53:43Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t fight the hypothetical] “_Theories concerning the assassination of prime minister Olof Palme; where he was found with his ears cut off and stuffed in his rectum_.” [/QUOTE] That still doesn’t rule out suicide! :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gretchen\_Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@Gretchen\_Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchen_Ross)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/29 "2007-09-24T18:48:29Z")
Wow, that Wikipedia list is amazing…I just checked back on this so give me a while to read it! The assassination ones interest me a lot, I’m probably going to check those out first. Just read the first sentence under the 9/11 category, which makes me feel ill… ---
**Author:** ![AHoosierMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@AHoosierMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHoosierMama)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/30 "2007-09-24T19:41:27Z")
The peanut butter people are conspiring to sell us all just one more jar over the course of a lifetime by putting those stupid grooves at the bottom such that one can never completely extract all of the goodness from said jar. As if those grooves placed way down there at the bottom are actually gonna help my grip! Sheesh. Then there are the shampoo people doing the same thing by switching to those caps that you can’t unscrew so as to add some water to aid in the extraction of the last bit. Herbal Essence had the nerve to pre-empt the new packaging by putting marketing verbiage on the old saying “if you love us now, you’ll love our new packaging”. Poop. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/31 "2007-09-24T19:51:19Z")
I’m also in love with the ‘Paul is dead’ theory, but my heart will always be with [the Shag Harbour incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shag_Harbor_incident). ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/32 "2007-09-24T20:54:00Z")
There’s a bunch about the Denver airport. Something like the grounds will be holding pens for the population when the black helicopter thing gets going. As I recall, the evidence is a swastika pattern runway layout and a creepy looking gargoyle in the baggage claim area; which is indeed there, but looks to me like a normal art installation they tend to have in airports. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/33 "2007-09-24T21:02:45Z")
[QUOTE=Lust4Life] So if it wasn’t a very unlikely accident then who if anyone was responsible? [/QUOTE] Never underestimate the cockup theory of history. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/34 "2007-09-24T21:17:25Z")
[QUOTE=Jayrot] Can’t go wrong with a nice cocktail, a roaring fire, and a couple Estonian conspiracy theories. [/QUOTE] \*\*Estonian Conspiracy Theories \*\* sounds like the name of an off-off-off broadway production. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/35 "2007-09-24T21:20:05Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t fight the hypothetical] From\*\* Jayrot\*\*'s link: “_Theories concerning the assassination of prime minister Olof Palme; where he was found with his ears cut off and stuffed in his rectum_.” [/QUOTE] Rectum? Damn near killed him. What? ---
**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:** [September 24, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/36 "2007-09-24T21:24:57Z")
I don’t have a link, but one of my personal favorites over the years is how McDonald’s is really plotting to take over the world. I really wish I had ripped out that article in Maxim when I read it while waiting somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/37 "2007-09-24T22:33:38Z")
These are real! The CIA engineered plots that overhtrew the Arbentz government in Central America, the Mossadegh Gov. in Iran, and tried to overthrow Castro. For that reason, I don’t trust anything they do or say. How can you have a branch of the US government operating outside the law? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/38 "2007-09-24T22:37:16Z")
We SubGenii know there is only One True Conspiracy. Unfortunately, it owns your ass. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/39 "2007-09-24T22:48:16Z")
[QUOTE=T\_SQUARE] There’s a bunch about the Denver airport. Something like the grounds will be holding pens for the population when the black helicopter thing gets going. As I recall, the evidence is a swastika pattern runway layout and a creepy looking gargoyle in the baggage claim area; which is indeed there, but looks to me like a normal art installation they tend to have in airports. [/QUOTE] The one I heard says the Denver International Airport is supposed to become the home of the New World Order. There are some murals somewhere in the airport that are supposed to explain the whole thing. Plus, there are several instances of Masonic symbols hidden in the tilework. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031/40 "2007-09-24T23:25:47Z")
Googling for pics of the swastika runways at the Denver airport, I came across [this messageboard,](http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/21/pg1/srtpages) and thought I’d share. Posted with permission from TPTB. No board wars, please [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conspiracy-theories/420031.md?page=3)