# Fucking scaremongering US news web sites **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420 "2002-10-01T16:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/1 "2002-10-01T16:11:10Z")
That “uranium” they found in Turkey turned out be not uranium at all. Where do I hear this first? [CNN.com](http://CNN.com)? [ABCnews.com](http://ABCnews.com)? [FOXnews.com](http://FOXnews.com)? No, at [www.fark.com](http://www.fark.com). I do a Google news search for “turkey uranium” and I see it’s been known for at least 15 hours that the stuff was harmless. CNN, ABCNews, and FOXnews still have no followup about this that I could find. Why the fuck did I hear this first on Fark? OK, I’ll grant the possibility that it was reported on network news, which I generally don’t watch. Did anyone see this on a network news show? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/2 "2002-10-02T03:24:14Z")
Turkey uranium? Maybe I should get some for Thanksgiving…keep the meat from going off before we’ve finished it… All kidding aside, the false report was the lead story on [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) for a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/3 "2002-10-02T03:31:05Z")
It was the lead story everywhere. Now that it’s been shown to be false, why no followups? Because it’s not scary anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/4 "2002-10-02T03:58:14Z")
Well, yeah. The media doesn’t make money by NOT scaring people. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/5 "2002-10-02T04:52:25Z")
The function of the media, especially TV “newsertainment,” is to terrorize and titillate. Don’t expect reliable information from a source that depends on selling herbs that enhance your memory and sexual powers for its income. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/6 "2002-10-02T04:57:12Z")
Strange how those who were using the discovery of “large quantities of uranium” in Turkey to justify military action against Iraq have fallen suddenly silent. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/7 "2002-10-02T05:20:58Z")
Wasn’t it also\* not \*reported that yesterday the Muslim guy - with, if memory serves, all manner of a-Q connections - who tried to “hijack” a plane out of Sweden a couple of weeks ago had all charges dropped ? - as was told to me. I can’t verify the tale from my regular sources. ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/8 "2002-10-02T06:12:49Z")
Check most newspapers and I’ll bet you find something in Monday’s editions. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/9 "2002-10-02T06:25:31Z")
Here you go **L\_C**. [Sweden releases hijack suspect](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2287980.stm) [Muslim on Stansted flight charge is set free](http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/10/01/wchat01.xml&sSheet=/news/2002/10/01/ixworld.html) ---
**Author:** ![Henry\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d78d45/32.png) [@Henry\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henry_B)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/10 "2002-10-02T15:56:00Z")
The news above are both from England. Where do we have the US-news on this? The non-propagandistic, always thruthful US-news? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/11 "2002-10-02T16:36:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*OK, I’ll grant the possibility that it was reported on network news, which I generally don’t watch. Did anyone see this on a network news show? \*\* Is there some reason you’re avoiding print media? Washington Post links: [hijacker](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25146-2002Sep30.html) [uranium](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20656-2002Sep29.html) ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/12 "2002-10-02T17:11:14Z")
Thanks **reprise** – BTW, someone suggested today that the war has already begun and that George’s **weapons of mass _deception_** are winning hands down – seemed an interesting notion. Or at least an appropriate re-working of ye olde; ‘Truth is the first victim of war’. Finally, I haven’t had the opportunity to wheel out terminology like ‘Agitprop’ since a student, but you never know !..ahhh, those were the days… ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/13 "2002-10-02T19:26:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*Is there some reason you’re avoiding print media? > > Washington Post links: > [hijacker](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25146-2002Sep30.html) > [uranium](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20656-2002Sep29.html) \*\* The article still does not state that the stuff was found to not be uranium, only that some people are skeptical. Not quite the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/14 "2002-10-03T01:42:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Scientists at Turkey’s Nuclear Research and Training Center on the outskirts of Istanbul said on Tuesday the substance was not uranium and was not radioactive. > > “It is a powder of zinc, manganese, iron and zirconium,” Guler Koksal, director of the research facility told Reuters. “It is not radioactive, it is not chemical and it is not explosive.” from [this ABC report](http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20021001_131.html) Incidentally, the composition of the substance was widely reported on the web yesterday by media, so I don’t know why some media organisations aren’t reporting it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/15 "2002-10-03T02:57:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*The article still does not state that the stuff was found to not be uranium, only that some people are skeptical. Not quite the same thing. \*\* Perhaps the[AP wire](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24679-2002Sep30.html) is to blame. The story didn’t hit their wires until a couple hours ago. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/16 "2002-10-03T02:59:34Z")
Argh, don’t mind me, it’s late. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/17 "2002-10-03T04:09:23Z")
Can I ask a potentially ignorance-revealing (on my part) question? What would one do with five ounces of “zinc, iron, zirconium and manganese?” I guess, from the AP report carried by the Post above (thanks, **Jeff**! the perps here were trying to _claim_ it was uranium. And I guess it fooled the Turk officials for a while. But a) might this particular mixture have fooled a potential buyer (which is to say, does it look/taste/feel/weigh like uranium, or what?)? Would it fool a cheap geiger counter? and b) is there some use for this mixture _besides_ trying to fool people into believing it was uranium? Did they pick up a bunch of stuff destined for a composite bicycle kickstand and try to pass it off, or did they mix the stuff themselves? And how come the perps here were released? If you try to sell fake cocaine as coke, you’re busted. Wouldn’t the same standards apply for weapons-grade uranium? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but this smells like some goofy counter-intelligence thing gone wrong or something. Apologies to the Pitizens, but any factual help on any of this stuff is welcome. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-scaremongering-us-news-web-sites/130420/18 "2002-10-03T04:25:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Suspicions had been aroused by the words “primarily youranuom” (eds, correct) written on the outside of the metal tube in which the sandy powder was stored in a glass vial. From the [Reuters](http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=topnews&StoryID=1518767). I can’t find anything about this substance being offered for sale, but I’ll keep searching.