Sewing machine frenzy in red mercury hoax

[muriel_volestrangler]

RIYADH (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.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE53D48H20090414

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former" - Albert Einstein.

[hobbit709]

1. If you bet on human greed and stupidity, you won't be wrong too often-Lazarus Long

[underpants]

3. Didn't Bear Sterns offer credit default swaps on sewing machine mercury speculation?

I wouldn't be surprised

[juno jones]

2. $50 G's!

I've got two 1900-era treadle-type singers I'll let go for say $20 G apiece. Any of you oil sheikhs interested?

IIRC, red mercury is an old 'alchemic' substance. It's probably 'symbolic' as opposed to real (as so much of alchemy is) but obviously that little nugget of fact isn't stopping anybody.

[cpompilo]

4. Isn't Red Mercury another name for Cinnabar?

People are gullible world wide

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Yeah, that's a normal definition

But it's been the stuff of conspiracy theories for years, eg

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=23813&mesg_id=23813 ("nuclear bomb to be set off in US before 2004 election?")
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1883022 ("British terrorists tried to obtain red mercury ")
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x561311 ("24 pounds of red mercury seized in Ukraine")
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1422998&mesg_id=1423059 ("Iraqis purchased red mercury to make neutron bombs")

As someone said in a thread, it's pretty much the Philosopher's Stone. Or Fools' Gold, of course.

[gratuitous]

7. My friends and I call it . . . corbomite

We have a small supply of it. But we couldn't possibly let it go for less than a hundred grand.

[bunnies]

5. Dammit! I'd have sold my old Singer for 50 grand!!

Gladly!