Debunked! : Conspiracy Theories, Urban Legends, and Evil Plots of the 21st Century

You know what's really going on, don't you? Flight 93 secretly landed in Cleveland, where the passengers were whisked off to a NASA facility. Nostradamus predicted JFK Jr.'s plane crash, which was engineered by the One World Government. Online poker sites are rigged to knock out the short stacks. Donald Rumsfeld was behind the bird flu panic. That's what it's like to live inside the mind of the 21st-century conspiracy theorist, who believes that all you have to do is look at the signs and you'll see what's really going on. And thousands if not millions of people actually believe this is the way the world works. Debunked! is a breezy but fact-filled dissection of more than two dozen of the most popular urban legends and conspiracy theories of the 21st century. As he did in Urban Legends and Hollywood Urban Legends , and as he has done in dozens of columns for the Chicago Sun-Times over the last decade and a half, Richard Roeper lays out the basics of each conspiracy theory, quotes some of the true believers—and then tears the theory apart with his bare hands. This book will provide you with invaluable ammunition for the next time you communicate with someone from that other, shadow world—that place where secret tribunals pull the strings and influence the outcome of everything from terrorist attacks to professional sporting events. blogcritics.org A very entertaining book.

As he did in Urban Legends and Hollywood Urban Legends, and as he has done in dozens of columns for the Chicago Sun-Times over the last decade and a half, Richard Roeper lays out the basics of the conspiracy theory, quotes some of the true believers—and then tears the theory apart with his bare hands. 9/11 was an inside job. Lady Di and JFK Jr. were murdered. Heathens are winning the war on Christmas. American Idol is rigged. Barack Obama is a radical Muslim. The Secret will make you thin. The Virgin Mary is in the grilled cheese. That’s what it’s like to live inside the mind of the 21st-century conspiracy theorist, who believes that all you have to do is look at the signs and you’ll see what’s really going on. This book will appeal to the vast majority of readers who possess the common sense gene, as well as the vocal minority who believe they’re living in a world in which secret tribunals pull the strings and influence the outcome of everything from terrorist attacks to professional sporting events.

"A breezy but fact-filled dissection of more than two dozen of the most popular urban legends and conspiracy theories of the 21st century, Debunked! will provide you with invaluable ammunition for the next time you communicate with someone from that other, shadow world-that place where secret tribunals pull the strings and influence the outcome of everything from terrorist attacks to professional sporting events. As he did in Urban Legends and Hollywood Urban Legends, and as he has done in dozens of columns for the Chicago Sun-Times over the last decade and a half, Richard Roeper lays out the basics of each conspiracy theory, quotes some of the true believers-and then tears the theory apart with his bare hands. The result is an enlightening and hilarious read."-- Provided by publisher Looks at more than two dozen of the most popular conspiracy theories of the twenty-first century, including the American government's role in the September 11th tragedies, the rigging of the popular television show "American Idol," and Barack Obama's secret life as a radical Muslim Evil plots -- The media -- Sports and gaming -- Entertainment -- Business -- Miracles -- The culture -- Politics -- Movies.;A breezy but fact-filled dissection of more than two dozen of the most popular urban legends and conspiracy theories of the 21st century.