My heart hurts from teh gullible of my Indianapolis FB friends...

[pnwest]

Indianapolis is my hometown, I'm living in WA now. Most of my FB friends are in Indy. There was an explosion on Indy's southeast side Saturday night, destroying homes, killing two, and injuring 8 others. Here's the DU story - http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021788735

So, this morning, I'm cruising FB with my morning coffee, and see THIS from one of my FB friends back home: "Just try typing in "Drones Target Indianapolis" in your Google........this is not just conspiracy "theory" !!!!!!!!!"

So I did, just to educate myself on what she's talking about. Here's my response:

"So, ok, I googled it. According to an article written by an anonymous blogger on a conspiracy nutter website, who’s supposed to be a Russian female scientist, who has access to top-secret Russian satellite imagery, within 24 hours of an event – I’m supposed to believe that the US’s own CIA fired hellfire missiles from it’s own drone, over US soil, on two military installations of SUCH importance that they are stationed in the backwoods of the Midwest, and were BOTH shot down over a residential neighborhood. All because President Obama wants to take over the world and force everyone to have healthcare?

How does that possibly make sense?

If I were trying to be King of the United States, I’d probably start by blowing up the Pentagon, not two backwoods bullshit papershuffling stations in Indianapolis.

{Friend's name deleted}, tell me honestly, do really believe the CIA fired hellfire missiles at two military installations in Indianapolis?"

I'm just so saddened and distressed by people's willingness to believe this stuff. I'm utterly gobsmacked that I know an actual real human being who buys into this. I'm just slack-jawed. I cannot fathom how people can be this gullible. I can't say "teh stupid" runs deep, because this is not a stupid person. That's what makes this friend's post so shocking to me. I just can't express how distressed and saddened and heartsick I am over this. I want to shake her by the shoulders and ask her WTF!!!!????!!!!ARE YOU THINKING!!???!!!

[Warpy]

1. I know just how you feel

but in the absence of hard information from the ATF and the fire department investigators, the conspiracy nuts find fertile ground in which to sow their wacky theories.

This one really takes the cake, though.

While I doubt it was a gas explosion, I think it could have been a combination of gas and stockpiled illegal items by either a militia nutcase or some guy who preferred the illegal method of midwestern fishing using sticks of dynamite in a pond. In any case, the people in the two houses that exploded are going to have a lot of 'splaining to do as the investigation proceeds.

It's just amazing there weren't more injuries and deaths.

[NutmegYankee]

2. Do we know if it was two houses that exploded?

It's entirely possible that one of the two houses was just obliterated by the blast.

[Warpy]

5. I don't know, that's one thing the investigation

will have to determine, whether the blast was directional enough to level the second house or whether they blew up in tandem.

I'm willing to wait but they really need to put something out soon to discourage the conspiracy crazies.

[progressivebydesign]

19. actually, they're saying now that it may have been a furnace.

One of the homes had their furnace go out, then just fixed again that day. All it would take is a wire in the wrong place to have an explosion. I know this because my furnace went out a few years ago and the repair person was freaking out because the last person reversed something and could have blown up the house.

[NutmegYankee]

3. It's sounding more and more like a gas explosion.

The house that blew up was unoccupied because the furnace had malfunctioned. It could have filled with gas and no one would have known.

[pnwest]

4. oh! I hadn't seen that detail, where'd you find that?

[NutmegYankee]

6. Here

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121112/DA2GJJK00.html

[pnwest]

14. Thx!

[Warpy]

7. I don't think so

Mercaptan is incredibly foul stuff and people next door would have gotten a whiff of it. The houses were built very close together.

[NutmegYankee]

8. Newer homes can be impressively sealed. nt

[Warpy]

9. Not that sealed

There have to be so many air exchanges per hour by law. Were they that well sealed, the occupants would use up all the oxygen and die in their sleep.

[NutmegYankee]

11. I still think sealed enough to contain a gas smell.

There was a house that was obliterated here in Conn from a gas explosion. http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/08/31/gas-leak-blows-up-home-in-connecticut-killing-anthony-fratino/

[NutmegYankee]

12. I realize there are air exchanges and vents.

After all, the air lost through the flue must be replaced. But they also don't bleed out everywhere anywhere near as bad as a 50-150 year-old house. I should know.

[Myrina]

17. Was not unoccupied - owners were just out of town

Weekend at the casino.

Its all over the local news: the former owner ( ex husb of the wife who owns it now) got a txt from his daughter a couple weeks ago claiming thd furnace wasnt working so they were staying at a hotel.

Wthr.com
Wrtv.com
Wishtv.com
Indystar.com

[NutmegYankee]

20. That's what I meant - no one was home for awhile.

[tanyev]

10. I knew somebody would be blaming Obama for it.

[GeorgeGist]

15. No thinking is the key ...

To know the answer.

[anneboleyn]

16. I know exactly what you mean about Indy. This is just sad. Initially "bomb" theories

were also circulating wildly, even though Homeland Security apparently ruled out bombs (or a meth lab) according to the local news last night. I am sure we will learn more -- it is so sad that people jump to the wildest conspiracy theories (because [sarcasm alert] rationally we all know that our leaders would want to draw attention to the drone program by causing a large, fatal explosion in the midst of a residential area in a major U.S. city!).

[Myrina]

18. Hey, we just elected Mike Pence governor

And an assclown like Mourdock actually had a fighting chance ... And drone-nutters surprise you?

[agtcovert]

22. He would've won...

Until he did us all a favor and opened up his mouth. Gotta thank him for that one.

[agtcovert]

21. There with you.

I moved here over 10 years ago. I've met a lot of great people here...and after this election, have at least 3 less friends (both real life and FB) than I did at the outset.

Sad thing is, it's over stuff like this. I can't take the migraine inducing stupidity anymore.