The "Other" Kennedy Conspiracy:

March 26, 2001 4:44 PM

The "Other" Kennedy Conspiracy: there was someone on that knoll. (but we did go to the moon)
posted by owillis (9 comments total)

D.B. Thomas, who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Weslaco, Texas. Thomas has a doctorate in entomology and focuses his research on fruit fly ecology, according to the USDA.

not to say that you can't be an expert in something you weren't educated in or anything...but Wah? why would those credentials validate audio-forensics research?
posted by th3ph17 at 6:46 PM on March 26, 2001

Well, it is a long standing principle of pseudo-science, pseudo-history, and conspiracy theory that a Ph.D entitles the bearer to an expert opinion on any subject.
posted by obfusciatrist at 7:44 PM on March 26, 2001

Amazing this stuff comes up every few years. Gerald Posner debunked this "audio tapes reveal second gunman" theory on the JFK assassination in his book "Case Closed" almost a decade ago. At least I'm pretty sure he did; I went to look for my copy and it's gone. Conspiracy? Hmm....
posted by mdeatherage at 8:56 PM on March 26, 2001

" Amazing this stuff comes up every few years."

The truth just won't go away , dammit !!

{ psst - - We never went to the moon - - the
GREATest hoax of the Century ! ! }
posted by ojsbuddy at 9:32 PM on March 26, 2001

You know, I'd laugh this off as typical MeFi sarcasm, but judging from ojsbuddy's previous output, I don't think he's joking. Yay for conspiracy theories.
posted by zempf at 9:35 PM on March 26, 2001

th3ph17: Actually, from what I recall from various episodes of American Justice and other A&E or TLC real crime type shows, fruit flies are often used by forensic scientists to determine how old a corpse is, what conditions the corpse has been subject to, that sort of stuff.

When and where fruit flies lay (or laid) eggs, for instance, can readily identify a corpse's age.

I would imagine that someone who's dedicated his life to figuring out how fruit flies work has received many a call from enforcement agencies and has testified at many trials.

True, it doesn't mean he's going to be an expert at matching up sounds, but he's probably worked with forensics aplenty, and it thereby lends him a modicum of credibility in a forensics environment.
posted by cCranium at 7:44 AM on March 27, 2001

well, from the little credentials blurb, its says he does fruit fly ecology for the USDA, so i would seriously doubt he does forensics consulting. Law enforcement types are specializing in that these days.

Has anybody ever seen that great old john travolta flick, Blowout? He is an audio/foley guy who accidently records a gunshot. Great movie.
posted by th3ph17 at 10:40 AM on March 27, 2001

O/T:

In grand De Palma fashion, th3ph17, Blow Out is a complete cop from an earlier, better film, Antonioni's Blowup.
posted by Skot at 10:59 AM on March 27, 2001

Skot, I disagree. The basic setup (guy inadvertently captures something in a recording medium) is the same, but in other respects they're completely different.

That film, by the way, has the worst last shot *ever*.

</off-topic>
posted by rodii at 11:28 AM on March 27, 2001