# Since 9 was foiled by us humans ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2011, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107 "2011-12-05T05:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Geekboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/51bf81/32.png) [@Geekboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geekboy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/1 "2011-12-05T05:35:37Z")
… what were the other 8 plans from outer space? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/2 "2011-12-05T06:17:48Z")
This should be in Cafe Society; I’ve reported it for a move. But anyway, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the movie, and I’ve tried to forget most of it, but I had the impression that they had a sort of standard playbook of plans, and that they chose whichever one seemed most appropriate for the situation. So the fact that they were on Plan 9 does not imply that they tried 8 others first. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/3 "2011-12-05T06:34:21Z")
On a related note, what do you think was wrong with Preparations A though G? Did they just not work? Or did they totally wreck your poor bunghole? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/4 "2011-12-05T06:43:39Z")
When your spaceship looks like a normal bedroom with nothing but a wooden table and an old fashioned radio set in it, I gotta think you’re not all that sophisticated. Clearly they grew up on a planet next door to a much brighter race and were given the technology out of sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/5 "2011-12-05T06:49:00Z")
Vats 1 thru 68 were totally undrinkable, I know that much. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/6 "2011-12-05T07:03:01Z")
And Chanel No.4 smells like badgers ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/7 "2011-12-05T08:29:42Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Clearly they grew up on a planet next door to a much brighter race and were given the technology out of sympathy. They are smart. They are nothing if not persistent. They are strong. … Teeth are for chewing. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/8 "2011-12-05T08:36:00Z")
[They were looking for things to make them go!](http://blip.tv/sf-debris-opinionated-reviews/tng-samaritan-snare-review-5174219) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/9 "2011-12-05T12:26:31Z")
Moved from GQ to Cafe Society. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/10 "2011-12-05T12:53:57Z")
There was a musical version of Plan Nine from Outer Space that was written and put on in Salt Lake City by University of Utah students in the early 1980s. As usual, I just missed getting there to see it. The musical later resurfaced in the Midwest.\* One of the songs in the musical outlined the other eight plans. But since I never saw the show, I can’t tell you what they are. \*There’s a musical version of Plan Nine that I’ve found on YouTube, but I suspect it’s a completely different version. In any event, I haven’t found the song with the other eight plans. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/11 "2011-12-05T12:59:26Z")
Love Potion Number Eight only ever got me a moderate fondness. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/12 "2011-12-05T14:17:02Z")
The first fifteen versions of Grecian Formula turned the users hair various shades of puce. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/13 "2011-12-05T14:22:52Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > On a related note, what do you think was wrong with Preparations A though G? Did they just not work? Or did they totally wreck your poor bunghole? Similarly, pity the poor souls on whom Compounds A through V were tested. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/14 "2011-12-05T14:30:04Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > And Chanel No.4 smells like badgers If it’s _wet_ badgers, I’ll take a barrel, please. Fortunately they hit on the right formula for A-1 steak sauce right off the bat, and took the rest of the day off. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/15 "2011-12-05T14:35:08Z")
Few people refer to conception by its proper name, Plan A. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/16 "2011-12-05T14:49:38Z")
[Here’s a song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55sRcXOD59M) about the first 8 plans by the Rifftrax guys. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/17 "2011-12-05T14:55:59Z")
I never post…Nine. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/18 "2011-12-05T17:01:16Z")
WD-1 through WD-39 weren’t quite right. [Really.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wd-40) > [@](#): > > WD-40 stands for “Water Displacement – 40th Attempt”. Larsen was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion in nuclear missiles, by displacing the standing water that causes it. He claims he arrived at a successful formula on his 40th attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/19 "2011-12-05T17:45:27Z")
And clouds 1 through 8 are OK, but not that great. Sort of like 6th heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107/20 "2011-12-05T18:54:23Z")
Remember Product 19 breakfast cereal? Products 1-18 were attempts to find a fire-retardant packing material. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-9-was-foiled-by-us-humans/605107.md?page=2)