September 11 conspiracy theorist offers prize

[dr. what]

100,000 reasons to click

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jimmy Walter has spent more than $3 million (1.5 million pounds) promoting a conspiracy theory the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States were "an inside job" and he is offering more cash to anyone who proves him wrong.

The millionaire activist is so convinced of a government cover-up he is offering a $100,000 reward to any engineering student who can prove the World Trade Centre buildings crashed the way the government says.

"Of course, we expect no winners," Walter, 57, heir to an $11 million fortune from his father's home building business, said in a telephone interview from California on Wednesday.

He said a panel of expert engineers would judge submissions from the students.

Next month, he also launches a nationwide contest seeking alternative theories from college and high school students about why New York's World Trade Centre collapsed. The contest offers $10,000 to the best alternative theory, with 100 runner-up awards of $1,000. Winners will be chosen next June.

The World Trade Centre's twin towers were destroyed after hijackers slammed two commercial airliners into them. The attack in New York killed 2,749 people.

Various official investigations give no credence to Walter's theory. A September 11 commission spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.

Walter insists there had to be explosives planted in the twin towers to cause them to fall as they did, and also rejects the official explanation for the damage done at the Pentagon (news - web sites).

"We have all the proof," said Walter, citing videotapes and testimony from witnesses.

"It wasn't 19 screw-ups from Saudi Arabia who couldn't pass flight school who defeated the United States with a set of box cutters," he said. He dismissed the official September 11 commission report, saying, "I don't trust any of these 'facts.'"

Walter has spent millions of dollars to bolster support for his case, running full-page ads in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker and Newsweek, as well as alternative newspapers and 30-second TV spots.

He points to a Zogby poll he commissioned last summer that showed 66 percent of New Yorkers wanted the 9/11 investigation reopened.

Walter has spent about 30 percent of his net worth on his efforts.

"I am a patriot fighting the real traitors who are destroying our democracy. I resent it when they call me delusional," he said.

[Master of Ossus]

Sweet. Proof of that is worth more than a third as much as proof of "evolution" as Kent Hovind defines it! It seems much more achievable. Of course, one wonders what kind of "expert engineering panel" is reviewing this, but that's beside the point.

[Superman]

This reminds of that 10,000 dollar challenge Kent Hovind has...

[Joe]

The World Trade Centre's twin towers were destroyed after hijackers slammed two commercial airliners into them. The attack in New York killed 2,749 people.

That's unusually blunt. I get the feeling the reporter who penned this piece was kind of pissed off by this.

[Rogue 9]

"I am a patriot fighting the real traitors who are destroying our democracy. I resent it when they call me delusional," he said.

If I were the interviewer, I would have responded with "Well get used to it, because you're fucking delusional." This guy is an idiot, to put it mildly.

[Dillon]

Walter, 57, heir to an $11 million fortune from his father's home building business

I'm sure his father would be very proud of what he's doing with his life, and how he's spending his father's hard earned fortune.

Good god, the guy needs a fucking life.

[wautd]

what a moron

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

Fuck him.

However, I doubt that a good refutation would actually earn you the 100,000. It seems unlikely that this guy would pay up.

[Stormbringer]

Of course, one wonders what kind of "expert engineering panel" is reviewing this, but that's beside the point.

Probably delusional flunkies of his own. I can't imagine any sane rational engineer or forensic architect disputing the straightforward and sensible explanation of what happened.

[Frank Hipper]

"It wasn't 19 screw-ups from Saudi Arabia who couldn't pass flight school who defeated the United States with a set of box cutters," he said. He dismissed the official September 11 commission report, saying, "I don't trust any of these 'facts.'"

"...deafeated the United States with a set of box cutters"?
What an amazing example of a strawman, I was unaware that the entire forces of the US were present on those flights.

[frigidmagi]

What an amazing example of a strawman, I was unaware that the entire forces of the US were present on those flights.

Didn't you know the entire Tank strength of the USMC was on those planes Hipper, Oh the humanity has they were defeated by boxcutters!

Seriously, has he said just who is on his panel of "experts" there?

[CJvR]

Big disasters seem to attract lunatics, we have a few Estonia paranoids doing their best to stirr up problems over here in Sweden with various idiot conspiracy theories.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

100,000 reasons to click

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jimmy Walter has spent more than $3 million (1.5 million pounds) promoting a conspiracy theory the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States were "an inside job" and he is offering more cash to anyone who proves him wrong.

The millionaire activist is so convinced of a government cover-up he is offering a $100,000 reward to any engineering student who can prove the World Trade Centre buildings crashed the way the government says.

"Of course, we expect no winners," Walter, 57, heir to an $11 million fortune from his father's home building business, said in a telephone interview from California on Wednesday.

Strike one! Of course, the charitable thing to do would be to assume that this man will gather an impartial panel of certified engineers. However, his statement already suggests that if someone were to get close, he'll move the goalposts.

He said a panel of expert engineers would judge submissions from the students.

A panel selected by him of course, and probably to be selected by how closely they subscribe to his conspiracy-theorist crackpot leanings. You hear that sound kids? That would be the sound of goalposts being moved in the night.

Walter insists there had to be explosives planted in the twin towers to cause them to fall as they did, and also rejects the official explanation for the damage done at the Pentagon (news - web sites).

"We have all the proof," said Walter, citing videotapes and testimony from witnesses.

This is subjective evidence. Eyewitnesses can be swayed into giving testimony that is directly contrary to reality due to the vagaries of human memory, and by pressure applied by the interviewer. Video doesn't help so much either.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the WTC was basically like a giant insect, with an enormous exoskeleton housing all the soft innards. Sure there were support columns keeping the floor above from sagging and/or falling onto the floor below, but the WTC was designed to have as much open interior space as possible. So if the floors fall, they're going to tend to pull the exoskeleton inward, limiting the number of possible ways the towers could've collapsed.

He points to a Zogby poll he commissioned last summer that showed 66 percent of New Yorkers wanted the 9/11 investigation reopened.

A lot of people also believe that the Christian God is real and is planning on sending you to Hell for masturbation. A majority of voters also voted for Bush. Just because a mob of people think something is right doesn't necessarily make it so.

Walter has spent about 30 percent of his net worth on his efforts.

And here's to him spending the rest of it as quickly as possible, sparing us this conspiracy-theorist nonsense.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Do you think I could get one of the 1000 dollar prizes if I submit the theory that Jimmy Walter was behind it?