Tag: conspiracy theories

The Washington Post Makes Last Plea to Keep the Laptop “Conspiracy Theory” Alive

Across the media, journalists have recognized that the Hunter Biden laptop is authentic and, as established early by American intelligence agencies, not “Russian disinformation.” With the authentication of the laptop in the Delaware trial as “real” and untampered, most media has chosen to walk away with a slightly embarrassed shrug. Not the Washington Post. Its columnist, Philip Bump, was one of the most prominent purveyors of what the U.S. government now calls a “conspiracy theory.” This week, Bump ran another column to assure liberals that they were right all along about the laptop story.

In 2021, when media organizations were finally admitting that the laptop was authentic, Bump was still declaring that it was a “conspiracy theory.” Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Bump continued to suggest that “the laptop was seeded by Russian intelligence.”

After Bump had a meltdown in an interview when confronted over past false claims, I wrote a column about the litany of such false claims, including the laptop conspiracy theory.

The Post surprised many of us by issuing a statement that they stood by all of Bump’s reporting, including the laptop conspiracy theory. That was in August 2023.

Well, Bump is back.

In his column, Bump takes after various people calling the media to account for burying this story before and after the election, including myself.

In hitting Sean Hannity for a recent segment, Bump makes a common evasion among laptop deniers:

“One is that he is conflating the laptop presented as evidence at the trial, the one obtained by the FBI in 2019, with the ‘laptop’ that was the source of the New York Post story.”

For those of us who have covered the laptop since the story ran at the New York Post, it is as maddening as it is mendacious.

At the time of the story, some of us noted that the contents of the laptop could be confirmed since these emails and messages involved third parties. Some quickly confirmed the contents as authentic. The Bidens had long been accused of influence peddling and special dealing off of Joe Biden’s positions as senator, vice president, and president.

Moreover, as the media was referencing the debunked letter of former intelligence officials on this possible likely Russian disinformation, American intelligence quickly confirmed that there was no such evidence to support that claim.

The media ignored the actual intelligence agencies in favor of former intelligence officials who were organized by Biden campaign operatives to release the letter. Biden then cited the letter to refuse to answer questions about his son’s influence peddling and unlawful conduct.

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Attorney General Garland Targets “Conspiracy Theories” After Launching “Election Threats Task Force” with FBI, Sparking Censorship Concerns

Some might see US Attorney General Merrick Garland getting quite involved in campaigning ahead of the November election – albeit indirectly so, as a public servant whose primary concern is supposedly how to keep Department of Justice (DoJ) staff “safe.”

And, in the process, he brings up “conspiracy theorists” branding them as undermining the judicial process in the US – because they dare question the validity of a particular judicial process that aimed at former President Trump.

In an opinion piece published by the Washington Post, Garland used one instance that saw a man convicted for threatening a local FBI office to draw blanket and dramatic conclusions that DoJ staff have never operated in a more dangerous environment, where “threats of violence have become routine.”

It all circles back to the election, and Garland makes little effort to present himself as neutral. Other than “conspiracy theories,” his definition of a threat are calls to defund the department that was responsible for going after the former president.

Ironically, while the tone of his op-ed and the topics and examples he chooses to demonstrate his own bias, Garland goes after those who claim that DoJ is politicized with the goal of influencing the election.

The attorney general goes on to quote “media reports” – he doesn’t say which, but one can assume those following the same political line – which are essentially (not his words) hyping up their audiences to expect more “threats.”

“Media reports indicate there is an ongoing effort to ramp up these attacks against the Justice Department, its work and its employees,” is how Garland put it.

And he pledged that, “we will not be intimidated” by these by-and-large nebulous “threats,” with the rhetoric at that point in the article ramped up to refer to this as, “attacks.”

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Why Did 56 Countries Sign a Treaty to Stay Out of Antarctica?

Imagine a land of icy silence where the snow stretches blank like the pages of an untouched diary. This is Antarctica, the coldest, windiest, and perhaps most mysterious continent on Earth. But behind its icy facade lies a story not fully told to the public—one that involves a treaty signed by 56 nations, promising never to venture into certain parts of this icy wilderness for military uses. What could possibly be so important, so hidden, that makes Antarctica a ‘no-go’ area for these powerful countries? Let’s delve into the depths of this chilly mystery.

The Antarctic Treaty Explained

In 1959, a group of countries came together to sign a remarkable agreement now known as the Antarctic Treaty. Principal among its provisions is that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. Military activity, including weapons testing and nuclear explosions, is forbidden. Furthermore, the treaty encourages scientific research, and aims to protect the continent’s eco-zone.

But why the need for such an accord? The unanimous decision to keep military claws retracted seems guided not only by a spirit of international scientific cooperation but perhaps by deeper, unspoken reasons. Could there be something under the ice—resources, ancient artifacts, or even alien bases—that everyone wants but no one can have?

The Conspiracy Theory: What Lies Beneath?

This is where things get interesting — and where mainstream explanations might not satisfy a curious mind. Why would such an array of powerful nations all agree to limit their rights and opportunities unless there was something incredibly valuable and perhaps dangerous concealed by the Antarctic ice?

Conspiracy theorists argue that there might be ancient technology or alien life forms buried under the ice. Some even claim these could be remnants of ancient civilizations far advanced beyond our current understanding. Such discoveries could potentially offer new forms of energy, unknown minerals, or even new medical breakthroughs.

Secret Bases and Forbidden Zones

Despite the treaty’s stipulation for openness and scientific freedom, certain areas of Antarctica are shrouded in secrecy, with restricted access even for international scientists. This fuels belief in secret bases operating under a cloak of research—bases that could be hiding activities not sanctioned by the treaty.

Could these facilities be testing experimental tech or coordinating with extraterrestrial entities? The idea isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds when you consider the inexplicable resignation from norms that the continent forces upon global powers.

The Environment or The Cover-Up?

Another angle often discussed is the environmental protection clause in the Antarctic Treaty. At face value, this is a commitment to preserve one of the last unspoiled places on earth. However, under a lens of skepticism, could environmental concern be a convenient pretense for keeping prying eyes away from a more sinister agenda?

Why emphasize ecological stability in a region with no indigenous human population unless disclosing the true nature of the continent would lead to irreversible environmental damage—or perhaps the disclosure of top-secret information that could cause mass chaos?

The Silence and Isolation of Antarctica

The sheer isolation of Antarctica also works perfectly for anyone needing privacy on a grand scale. With no permanent residents and an environment that is harsh and life-threatening, few people question the happenings on this icy land. The few who visit—scientists, researchers, and the occasional tourist—are often monitored closely, kept on guided paths far from any so-called “sensitive” areas.

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Mock-Up Patriot System Sparks China-Ukraine Conspiracy Theories

An image has emerged on social media that some widely followed Twitter accounts claim to be a U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile launcher that Ukraine sold to China. One expert, however, tells The War Zone that the undated photograph instead shows a mock-up.

The picture depicts what some have claimed is a Patriot launcher on the back of a flatbed truck being moved in China. This sparked the spread of conspiracy theories on social media.

However, what the undated photograph actually shows is a mock-up a former commander of the Army’s Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill tells The War Zone.

“Those are what we call dummy canisters on that launcher,” retired Army Col. David Shank told The War Zone. “The umbilical cables coming from the back end of the launchers clearly show it’s either a training launcher or a decoy. Plus, it is so green. Ukrainian launchers, like other nations, get dirty as you maneuver them on hardball roads and/or dirt roads.”

He also noted that the launcher in question is marked “inert” on the side. The image, he said, shows a mock-up of a Patriot PAC-3 system, evident by the four canisters each holding four interceptors a piece.

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TikTok Announces Crack Down on “Conspiracy Theories”

As of May 17, TikTok will start implementing new rules affecting content appearing on the app’s For You feed (FYF), and the changes are prompted by concerns about so-called “harmful speech” and “misinformation.”

FYF is vital for the visibility of content, since it opens and plays videos automatically when the app is launched, something TikTok refers to as its “personalized recommendation system.”

A post on the company’s site titled, “For You feed Eligibility Standards,” reveals that content that is deemed as health or news “misinformation” will be censored from this tab more stringently going forward.

On the health side, TikTok looks to clamp down on anything from videos promoting “unproven treatments,” dieting and weight loss, plastic surgery (unless related risks are included as well), videos allegedly misrepresenting scientific findings, to the very broadly defined content that is considered misleading, and “could potentially” cause harm to public health.

Clarity is not the announcement’s strong suit, and so the new rules will tackle even such things as “overgeneralized mental health information.” Also in the FYF “doghouse” will be content that’s found to be too focused on “sadness” (including “sharing sad quotes”).

Then there’s the blog post’s “explanation” that some types of content “may be fine if seen occasionally, but problematic if viewed in clusters.”

What this actually means is control of users’ exposure to content at its finest: “We will interrupt repetitive content patterns to ensure it is not viewed too often,” TikTok said.

When it comes to hate speech, “outlawed” is now even “some content” that is deemed to be making insinuations or indirect statements about protected groups – such that “may implicitly demean” them.

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Why Doomsayers Think the Eclipse Will Bring Disaster to Illinois

THE END OF THE WORLD will occur in Carbondale, Illinois. That is one of the latest conspiracy theories that’s been floating around the internet over the past year. Seven years ago, this small town experienced a total solar eclipse, the path of which spanned the United States diagonally from South Carolina to Oregon. This year on April 8, the U.S. is once again seeing a band of 100 percent totality, but this time stretching from Texas to Maine. If the paths from both the 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipses were laid on top of each other, the two trajectories would form an X over the country. Carbondale sits right at the center of that X, one of the very few lucky places to see a total eclipse twice in seven years.

“If you lived forever, and you never moved from where you are today, on average, you would have to wait 400 years for a total eclipse to come across where you are,” says Frank Close, Professor of Physics at Oxford University and a Fellow of Exeter College. The likelihood that you could experience two total solar eclipses in one place in the space of seven years is miniscule. The chances are so low, that some believe something special is going on in Carbondale. In particular, conspiracy theorists believe that a seismic event will be triggered when the eclipse arrives in this part of the state, known as Little Egypt, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

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Recommended reading…

Get it HERE.

“Is the traditional, accepted view of the life of Christ in some way incomplete?

• Is it possible Christ did not die on the cross?
• Is it possible Jesus was married, a father, and that his bloodline still exists?
• Is it possible that parchments found in the South of France a century ago reveal one of the best-kept secrets of Christendom?
• Is it possible that these parchments contain the very heart of the mystery of the Holy Grail?

According to the authors of this extraordinarily provocative, meticulously researched book, not only are these things possible — they are probably true! so revolutionary, so original, so convincing, that the most faithful Christians will be moved; here is the book that has sparked worldwide controversey.”

Moscow Detains 11 Terror Suspects, False Flag Theories Abound, Death Toll Rises To 115 And Will Likely Climb

Russian authorities point finger at Ukraine, as fugitives in car try to cross Ukrainian border.

“The terrorists involved in the attack on the concert building tried to escape to the Russia-Ukraine border,” the Central Investigation Department of the Russian Federal Security Service now reports. “The terrorists planned to cross the border and had contacts on the Ukrainian side. The terrorist attack was carefully planned.”

The death toll from yesterday’s terror attack in Moscow has risen to 93 and will likely climb.

Intelligence agencies have detained 11 people, including four terrorists, who were directly involved in an attack on the Crocus City Hall, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement.

“The activities of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in the detention of 11 people, including four terrorists, who directly participated in the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall,” the statement reads, reported Russian state media agency TASS.

“There are also reactions [to what happened at Crocus City Hall] that raise more questions. This certainly concerns comments from Washington, which said it saw no signs that Ukrainians might be involved in the terrorist attack,” Zakharova said on the Rossiya-24 television channel.

“If there is no such evidence, then neither the White House nor anyone else is in a position to postulate anyone’s innocence,” Maria Zakharova said

“What grounds Washington officials are using to draw any conclusions in the midst of the tragedy about someone’s noninvolvement is a big question,” Zakharova added. “If the US or any other countries had reliable information on that it should have been provided to the Russian side immediately. If there is no such information neither the White House nor anyone else has the right to indulge anyone,” she noted.

“To be honest, the reaction of the UN Secretary-General’s secretariat raises not simply questions, but big questions, as he stated, I mean the secretariat of his representative, that they are saddened by reports of shooting,” the spokeswoman said, adding that all adequate people, even considering various emotional level, had similar reaction: terror, shock, bewilderment, unconditional condemnation and compassion.

“What does sadness about shooting mean? Maybe no one else, but the United Nations and the secretariat of the UN in particular, and Secretary-General of this structure, and [UN] member-states should see what the rest of the world sees now, a bloody terrorist attack, and unconditionally condemn it,” she stressed.

Questions also have flooded the internet about a possible ‘false flag’ created by the Putin administration itself.

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Inside the £160-a-ticket UFO conference where thousands of alien hunters flocked to French city to ‘train humanity for the arrival of extraterrestrials’ – as councillor slams ‘eccentrics’ peddling ‘conspiracy theories’

Thousands of UFO fanatics flocked to a small city in central France in the hopes of finally meeting extra-terrestrial life. 

The event, organised by fringe group Alliances Célestes, reportedly drew around 2,200 people who each paid between €150 to €190 (£128 to £162) to attend the three day conference held in Zenith Limoges Metropole building in Limoges, a small city with a population of around 130,000. 

Organisers said they wanted to prepare people for the arrival of aliens or ‘new-style encounters.’

The event’s website reads: ‘The mission of this citizen delegation is to accompany humanity in this process, in order to properly inform and reduce the fear and stress that this type of encounter can generate.’

Though media was banned from the event, video of the conference was leaked to BFMTV, and showed thousands of people attentively listening to someone speaking on a set on the stage. 

The stage was decorated with white furniture, including several seats and what appeared to be a high table on the right. 

The background of the set was made up of ‘futuristic’ windows that portrayed stars rushing past the ‘alien room’ they were in. 

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MH370 – the mystery that stunned the world: Ten years on, we look at the theories about what happened, the fight for a new search and the clues that hint equally at tragic accident.. or murder

Friday marks ten years since Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished without a trace, tragically becoming one of the world’s great aviation mysteries.

The plane carrying 239 people bound for Beijing disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.

Despite the largest search in aviation history, which combed 46,332 square miles of the sea floor of the southern Indian Ocean, only a few fragments of the Boeing 777-200ER plane have been found, scattered on beaches thousands of miles apart.

The operation was suspended in January 2017.

The families of those who were lost to the abyss have long hoped that by finding the missing plane, authorities would finally be able to give them an answer to the question that has haunted them for a decade: What happened to their loved ones?

In the years since, the void left by the missing wreckage has been filled by speculation and outlandish conspiracy theories, when the fact is that still – after ten years – no one alive today truly knows beyond reasonable doubt what happened.

Hopes were once again raised this week that the question could be answered with the announcement that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would be ‘happy to reopen’ the search if ‘compelling’ evidence emerged.

This came after Texas robotics firm Ocean Infinity said it had proposed a new search for the missing jetliner to the Malaysian government while claiming to have new evidence – six years after carrying out an unsuccessful search in 2018.

While it remains to be seen whether a new search will unearth any new clues, the families of the victims remain in limbo. Today, as they mark 10 years since their loved ones were lost, MailOnline looks back at the MH370 tragedy.

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