Rattle wrote:

To investigate 16 of the most prevalent claims made by conspiracy theorists, POPULAR MECHANICS assembled a team of nine researchers and reporters who, together with PM editors, consulted more than 70 professionals in fields that form the core content of this magazine, including aviation, engineering and the military.

In the end, we were able to debunk each of these assertions with hard evidence and a healthy dose of common sense. We learned that a few theories are based on something as innocent as a reporting error on that chaotic day. Others are the byproducts of cynical imaginations that aim to inject suspicion and animosity into public debate. Only by confronting such poisonous claims with irrefutable facts can we understand what really happened on a day that is forever seared into world history.

Good reference for debunking the popular 911 conspiracy theories.

i hate conspiracy theories
neil armstrong did walk on the moon
marilyn monroe died of an overdose
jfk was assinated by a lone crazed gunman called lee harvey oswald
princess diana died in a car crash because the driver was stoned and driving too fast

smell the coffee and wake up you weak minded fools
random bad things happen
take off the tin foil hats and get a life or take some medication (the latter is certainly how i deal with my paranoia)
the people who propagate these delusions and spread these quasi-religious memes which are based on faith and argued with creationism level evidence make me furious

ps i did not read the de vinci code on principle and will not go to see the movie

adam wrote:

ps i did not read the de vinci code on principle and will not go to see the movie

You didn't read a work of fiction because it dealt with conspiracy on the principle of never engaging with conspiracies? Even if they admit to being fictional? Huh?

One good point of the Da Vinci code- and I'm not saying its a super great book, just a fun thriller along the lines of "The Hot Zone"- is that history is written by the winners. Conspiracy theories pop up because not everybody accepts things on authority. I think its fantastic that this debate has come up about 9/11 and that pop mechanics produced this article debunking some of the mysteries and myths. I'm sure that won't settle things, but since when is debate a bad thing? People continue to deconstruct 9/11 b/c it was the basis for a huge shift in foreign and domestic policy. I think its great that people question the validity of that on all levels.

Meanwhile, I can think of a lot worse books for the public to be enthralled with then the Da Vinci code. A book that questions organized religion and history and encourages people to be interested in great works of art and architecture is a hell of lot better than, say, the latest Ann Coulter book.

Be sure to check out the book “Debunking 9/11 Debunking: An Answer to Popular Mechanics and Other Defenders of the Official Conspiracy Theory” due out in March by Dr. David Ray Griffin.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781566566865&itm=2

http://www.amazon.com/Debunking-11-Mechanics-Defenders-Conspiracy/dp/156656686X/sr=1-4/qid=1168895874/ref=sr_1_4/102-3028549-2492937?ie=UTF8&s=books