http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE53D48H20090414
QuoteRIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi police are investigating the origins of a hoax that had hundreds of people believing that old sewing machines may bring fortune because they contained an elusive, and probably mythical, substance known as red mercury.
Saudi newspapers on Tuesday published pictures of Saudis proudly posing next to old sewing machines awaiting prospective buyers at traditional markets.
The English-language Saudi Gazette newspaper said some buyers were willing to pay up to 200,000 riyals ($50,000) for an old Singer sewing machine proven to contain red mercury.
Mobile phones are supposedly employed as instruments to prove the existence of the phony substance. Popular belief in the Middle East has it that it can help uncover hidden gold treasures, though there are other theories which say it can be used to create a nuclear bomb.
"If the line cuts off when the telephone is placed close to the needle ... that proves the existence of the substance," Saudi Gazette said.
Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper said "poverty provided a fertile ground for the red mercury rumor to spread in Saudi society, especially the middle class."
"We have to find out who started this hoax. We cannot be 100 percent sure of getting in the short-term to the person or persons who started this," an interior ministry spokesman told Reuters.
"People hope to make profit. This is no different to cases of citizens who put their money in untrustworthy schemes," he added.
Thousands of Saudi citizens have lost their life savings to financial scams consisting mainly of operations to raise money for real estate projects.
:lol: WTF?
They are like children.
I seem to recall Bin Laden trying to buy "Red Mercury".
:Joos
:contract:
These people are still living in the 14th century, as I've stated numerous times. :lol:
I have an Idea.
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 21, 2009, 07:12:36 AM
I have an Idea.
I thought I smelled something burning.
That's even better than Korean Fan Death :lol:
Quote from: derspiess on April 21, 2009, 10:25:10 AM
That's even better than Korean Fan Death :lol:
I had to google that. Wierd. :lol:
Quote from: Syt on April 19, 2009, 09:01:41 AM
Thousands of Saudi citizens have lost their life savings to financial scams consisting mainly of operations to raise money for real estate projects.
[/quote]
That would *never* happen here in the West. ;)
Fan death isn't funny! My great grandfather died of fan death when he woke up to turn off the fan and fell over hitting his head. :mad:
Next time you really want to scare Yi just tell him you are going to turn a fan on in his house.
Quote from: Valmy on April 21, 2009, 10:41:00 AM
Next time you really want to scare Yi just tell him you are going to turn a fan on in his house.
Naw, all his fans have those handy Korean timer devices. No fan death for him. ;)
What idiots. They should be looking for pictures of Jesus in grilled cheese sandwiches.
Next thing you know they'll be too scared to drink from a hose.
Quote from: DisturbedPervert on April 21, 2009, 10:42:23 AM
What idiots. They should be looking for pictures of Jesus in grilled cheese sandwiches.
Those people are living in the 14th century as well. :)
Quote from: frunk on April 21, 2009, 10:49:30 AM
Next thing you know they'll be too scared to drink from a hose.
You never know where her mouth was.