A silly and superficial article. Yes, there are some unfounded conspiracy theories that can easily be disproven beyond reasonable doubt. But there are also serious dysfunctions in governance, crimes against humanity committed and protected by states, that need to be brought to account on a basis of sober factual analysis. Is the writer suggesting that nothing ever happens that should not have happened and that is being covered up afterwards? This kind of smart-alec commentary makes it harder for people trying to uncover real shameful things that governments have done to defenceless people - things like the sinking of SIEV X, the Tampa, the "children overboard" fraud, the abuses of Rau, Solon, the Bakhtiari family, Shayan Badraie, David HIcks, Mamdouh Habib, and Jack Thomas ... if we lose our preparedness to criticise and scrutinise state conduct, we will have lost our right to our democracy. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

In answer to your question, Tony, no, the writer does not think that there aren't things that happen that shouldn't have. Nor does the writer accept that articles such as this in any way hamper people from uncovering facts about real issues, injustices, scandals or cover-ups. He was simply offering an explanation, in lighter vein, for the seemingly high correlation between the last half-century's most memorable moments and its most famous conspiracy theories. The price of democracy may be eternal vigilance, but over-seriousness may also come at a price.

Actually, Richard, I consider your article to have been most thought-provoking. Yes; there is something a bit, well, strange about those co-incidences, is'nt there? So much so that I read the previous post with newly awaked suspicion: do you think it could have been penned by one who slipped under the net, so to speak?

See, I've heard there is a plot by ABC to replace the threatened "Values Test" on immigrants by showing them instead re-runs of Glass House. Those who don't crack a grin at either Will, Hughsie or Corrine are out on their little immigrant behinds immediately, thus preserving our great country from the ills of mass produced garlic, eating with the left hand and being unable to reply to the grafitti on toilet doors.

Knowing that the average Aussie character has perfected the art of being able both to eat and talk with tongue firmly implanted in cheek it has been decided that a grin is at least the first step in performing this difficult physical feat: so those who can't manage one are surely lefty-terrorist-feminazi-ethnics. And mate, I think you've uncovered one in the very first post!

Now, are you gonna call Amanda or shall I?

I also enjoyed Castles article but I was annoyed by the knee-jerk response by Tony. If the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, then surely satire has been one of the more effective tools for protecting it? Did Tony miss this? Orwell and Swift certainly subscribed to the view the view that human folly might be best exposed through humour and satire.

Perhaps, he also missed the writer's not insignificant reference to Kubler Ross and the stages of grieving, which eventually lead to acceptance. By concocting implausible conspiracy theories, aren't we really choosing to remain in a state of disbelief? What are the potential dangers in that? Terrible and unfair things can and do happen to people. We might do better to accept this and take action rather than revel in pointless paranoia.

Liked the article Richard and agreed with the other two comments. All I can say to Tony is..........get a life. if you knew Richard's work you would know his style including his delightful satirical comments

Thank you Working Granny and Katier. I am touched by your comments. I don't normally like to respond to my own pieces, but I now see that I am the most prolific commentator on my own work - not a good sign.

Superb.

I particularly liked, re 9/11:

"It looks to me like it was filmed in miniature with a couple of modified milk crates, and aeroplanes made from toilet rolls."

I'd suggest a different headline though, to squeeze the maximum possible attention for the article.

Perhaps:

"Conspiracy Shocker: Molly Jones alive, living with Cookie in Burrigan!"

Anyway, that's the headline I used when I put a link to this article on reddit:

http://freeculture.reddit.com/info/l65w/comments

More, please....

David Jackmanson
http://www.letstakeover.blogspot.com

Couldn't We Live perfectly well without money?
http://www.lastsuperpower.net/docs/document.2005-01-21.2592308437

Onya Tony, deeply superficial and seriously silly article – only a truly laser-like intellect could have spotted it.

The conspirators have now added humour to their arsenal, and are using it to pervert our minds and destroy our ability to sheepishly swallow what’s presented to us in the media. Next, in order to really confuse us, they’ll be serving up leaders who invade countries for entirely unstated reasons, holy-roller politicians who cheat on their wives, and national marketing boards that under the guise of flogging their goods, are actually financing terrorism.

Thank heavens we’ve got you around to point out that all these things are mere deceptions, and the stories we’re told on telly are always right.

Thank you David. In a shameless bid to make my article appear more important than it is, I would like to add some, hopefully less silly and superficial, comments.

Firstly, none of the affairs Tony listed happened to be in the top 20 TV moments, the subject of my piece.

Secondly, though they may all possibly involve uncertainty, deception, lies, even cover-ups, as far as I'm aware no one is seriously suggesting that the Cornelia Rau incident, for instance, was deliberately orchestrated by a cult of lizard-people in order to bring down Amanda Vanstone.

Finally, I believe a conspiratorial bias can be as dangerous, and blind to the truth, as the apathy Tony so fears. Lindy Chamberlain, for instance, was analysed and scrutinised right up to the point of her imprisonment, still one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our country's history. I recall a murder case, where everything the accused did seemed to point to guilt, until the real killer was caught, and suddenly all his actions made perfect sense as those of an innocent man. Even Lindy's seeming coldness in the aftermath of Azaria's death, that played so much into the witch-hunters' hands, can be seen as the perfectly understandable behaviour of a woman in shock and denial herself.

GK Chesterton, along with many others, saw madness not as the loss of reason, but an excess of reason, in defence of a fundamental falsehood. Try arguing with a man who is convinced that he is Jesus, and you will lose; he will run rings around you because everything you say will fit his view. It's just that his fundamental belief is factually wrong.

I believe Tony is right about the analysis of facts. Thus, I have little time for the big conspiracy theories; they get far more air time than they deserve for the miniscule minority who subscribe to them. Now that this silly, superficial piece is out of my system, I would like to move on to more important topics.

Like my relentless campaign to uncover the truth about Molly Jones.