# European Dopers, Coldfire, anyone, help me out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503 "2001-10-10T03:57:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/1 "2001-10-10T03:57:06Z")
[This](http://www.tctubantia.nl/CDA/regioportal/1,2078,1654__772741_,00.html) looks like a legit news site, but it’s in Dutch or German or some similar language. My question, if it IS a legit news site, just what is the deal with that picture? ( look CLOSELY at the picture, just over bin Laden’s shoulder ) Is this a joke site? If not, WTF?? ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/2 "2001-10-10T04:06:06Z")
I think it’s in Dutch because “nl” is in the URL. “nl” might be for the Netherlands. I didn’t see that particular periodical in [http://ajr.newslink.org/euneth.html](http://ajr.newslink.org/euneth.html) Didn’t see it here: [Dutch Newspapers : Nederlandse Kranten : Netherlands Newspapers : Newspapers from Netherlands : Netherlands News : Europe](http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/netherla.htm) You can try translating each word here: [We offer: Dutch - English On-line Dictionary - Discount Hotel rooms, cheap flights and car rental bookings searchs - plus Language Resources and more](http://dictionaries.travlang.com/DutchEnglish/) Must be a joke. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Xgemina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b5e925/32.png) [@Xgemina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xgemina)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/3 "2001-10-10T04:58:44Z")
I did notice that it has the usual AP photo ID… Here is what [http://www.foreignword.com/Tools/transnow.htm](http://www.foreignword.com/Tools/transnow.htm) came up with for the caption under the photo: original: > [@](#): > > Na het wekelijkse vrijdaggebed is er in Bagladesh tijd voor een gezamenlijk protest en steunbetuiging voor Bin Laden translated: > [@](#): > > Near the weekly [vrijdaggebed] is yonder within [Bagladesh] tense until one total protestation and [steunbetuiging] until [Bin] Ship apparently Laden is dutch for ship… But I gotta wonder if Sesame Street knows what one of its cast is supporting. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/4 "2001-10-10T05:52:33Z")
I always knew Bert was the evil one. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/5 "2001-10-10T06:53:03Z")
Dutchman checking in. This is not a joke but a serious article, in a serious newspaper. > [@](#): > > Na het wekelijkse vrijdaggebed is er in Bagladesh tijd voor een gezamenlijk protest en steunbetuiging voor Bin Laden “After the weekly Friday prayers, there is time in Bangladesh for a combined protest and show of support for Bin Laden.” I agree, that does not explain the picture… And Laden is certainly not Dutch for ship… ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/6 "2001-10-10T07:15:04Z")
I keep coming back to it…Bert…BERT??? What is going on here? I’m weird, but this…life is just…bizarre! Thx for the translation **D.P.**. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/7 "2001-10-10T07:23:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > \*\*I always knew Bert was the evil one. \*\* [http://www.fractalcow.com/index2.html](http://www.fractalcow.com/index2.html) and [http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert.htm](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/8 "2001-10-10T07:42:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dragon Phoenix \* > \*\*And Laden is certainly not Dutch for ship… \*\* Well, “laden” as a verb could be seen as synonymous to “to ship”, which probably explains the translation engine’s hickup. Yup, Tubantia is a serious newspaper from the east of the Netherlands. The article is genuine and implies nu humour whatsoever. It’ll be interesting to see if they’re gonna get called on this (answer: HELL yes!). I’ll keep an eye on the Dutch media for any developments. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/9 "2001-10-10T08:01:43Z")
“This Jihad against the infidels and the Jews and their corrupt lackeys who have allowed the sacred mosques of the Holy Land to be defiled by the presence of unbelievers was brought to you by the letters ‘O’ and ‘L’ and the number ‘7’.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/10 "2001-10-10T08:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > \*\*I always knew Bert was the evil one. \*\* How right you are! I’m surprised that more of you aren’t aware of the “Straight Dope” on 'da Street’s most notorious resident. Luckily, there is one website out there with the guts to expose this slimeball–[**BERT IS EVIL**](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert.htm). They’ve got an entire archive of [photographic evidence](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/evidence.htm) Bin Laden is just the tip of the iceberg–the photos of [him & Hitler](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert003.htm)are chilling…and the Warren Commission is strangely silent about his appearence in [Dealy Plaza!](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert000.htm) ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/11 "2001-10-10T09:13:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frinkboy \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > > \*\*I always knew Bert was the evil one. \*\* > > How right you are! I’m surprised that more of you aren’t aware of the “Straight Dope” on 'da Street’s most notorious resident. > Luckily, there is one website out there with the guts to expose this slimeball–[**BERT IS EVIL**](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert.htm). > They’ve got an entire archive of [photographic evidence](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/evidence.htm) > > Bin Laden is just the tip of the iceberg–the photos of [him & Hitler](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert003.htm)are chilling…and the Warren Commission is strangely silent about his appearence in [Dealy Plaza!](http://www.fractalcow.com/bert/bert000.htm) \*\* I beat you too it…I already posted the fractal cow links ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/12 "2001-10-10T09:50:15Z")
“BERT is evil” is old news…but quite funny. This was in the mainstreem press, folks! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Saitou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Saitou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saitou)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/13 "2001-10-10T11:01:51Z")
Same poster, different angle [here](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20011009/wl/imdf09102001085522a.html) Looks like it’s genuine ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/14 "2001-10-10T13:48:27Z")
And here’s yet ANOTHER picture, also on the yahoo news service: [http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20011005/wl/imdf05102001094431a.html](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20011005/wl/imdf05102001094431a.html) Somebody obviously took the photo from one of the Bert is evil web sites. This is REALLY freaking bizarre… ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/15 "2001-10-10T15:06:18Z")
Maybe a hacker on that Dutch site?? Or Bert’s a Muslim. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/16 "2001-10-10T15:33:30Z")
It’s not a hacker. Check out the two Reuters photos at the Yahoo site. Same bin Laden poster, different photographer, and everything corresponds. How many lemon-yellow Bert-shaped objects do you know? Anyhow, obviously somebody in Bangledesh happened upon a Bert is Evil site and found that pic of him and Osama. It matches perfectly with the “Bert and Osama” photos floating around on the web. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/17 "2001-10-10T15:49:26Z")
I’m speechless. This is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time. It all makes sense now. ---
**Author:** ![KevinLeeC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@KevinLeeC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KevinLeeC)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/18 "2001-10-10T18:51:03Z")
All is revealed on the [Snopes2.Com](http://Snopes2.Com) Rumors of war page. Check out the backstory at: [http://www.snopes.com/rumors/bert.htm](http://www.snopes.com/rumors/bert.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/19 "2001-10-11T01:48:03Z")
Oh, maaaaan. That is some surreal shit going on there. My poor head. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503/20 "2001-10-11T10:25:46Z")
I informed my friend Josh during the early part of this thread, and he wrote a story on [e-online](http://216.33.240.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=41d966a87c594100c9200b2b18ee4767&lat=1002795663&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eeonline%2ecom%2fNews%2fItems%2f0%2c1%2c8950%2c00%2ehtml) about it. So **Weirddave** , you’re indirectly responsible for this story hitting the mainstream press. Yay! Yep, it’s confirmed by the AP. (And I guess that snopes link helps, too.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-dopers-coldfire-anyone-help-me-out/86503.md?page=2)