nonoise wrote:
[snip]
There are, sad to say, cases where ad hominem attacks are warranted, and
this is one of them. The original post is off-topic, but that's a minor
offense on Usenet. However, the claims _ARE_ laughable, and anyone who
champions such nonsense deserves to be offered a discount on a bridge:
if nothing else, it's a chastening reminder that, in the future, those
who were disposed to believe them should drop a gold brick on the ground
before negotiating a purchase.

William

William, I was with you until this paragraph. Even the most laughable
claims, in my opinion, warrant one of two reactions online: Ignore
them, or explain, using facts and not just assertions, why you believe
them to be nonsensel. I disagree that ad hominem attacks are EVER
appropriate in response to a claim concerning UFOs, fuel line magnets,
political conspiracies--you name it. My usual response is to roll my
eyes and move on. The only reason I posted this time was because the
issue has been researched by responsible parties and I thought it might
be worthwhile to make that known.

Why bother with personal attacks? The faceless, no-consequences
Internet makes that too easy as it is. No way do I believe that some of
the meanspirited garbage that stains too many NGs (spend 15 minutes on
antiques radio/phono or shortwave) would come from somebody's mouth in
a real conversation, even one conducted over the phone and not in
person.