Drones have been causing panics these days. They spy on people in their homes, fall out of the sky without warning, and could be used for terrorist acts. Terrorists aren’t yet strapping bombs to drones, but they certainly could someday. And almost every government is not prepared.

Within the last few years, hobbyists and mischief-makers have freely flown their drones into airports, blocking runways and stopping airplanes from landing or taking off. Airplanes trying to land are usually left circling. Some even get diverted to other airports before they run out of fuel.

Nevertheless, the drones will continue hovering over the airports for hours or even days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and governments confused.

10 Heathrow Airport

In May 2017, flights were diverted from Heathrow Airport in London after two drones flew into its airspace. However, there seems to be some disagreement over what the drones looked like and whether they were truly drones or something else.

The drones (or do we call them UFOs?) were reported by several pilots, although most were unsure of what they actually saw. Most said they thought they saw a drone or “something.” An Airbus A320 pilot said he saw “two white, orb shaped objects, with no lights or visible markings.”

The objects remained immobile in the air and were not affected by the wind, even though it was windy. One of the drones was 1,680 meters (5,500 ft) in the air, while the other was at about 1,370 meters (4,500 ft.) An airplane could have collided with one of the two UFOs, which was between 500 and 800 meters (1,600–2,600 ft) away, since it was too small to activate the collision avoidance systems on the aircraft.

Another pilot said the drones were 1.5 meters (5 ft) long, while yet another said they were 2 meters (6.6 ft). Some pilots doubted if the objects were UFOs or even drones. They suspected they were actually balloons, although they noted that the objects were too big to be typical children’s helium balloons.^[1]

9 Lisbon Airport

On September 19, 2018, Lisbon Airport was shut down (as in all flight operations were suspended) for 11 minutes after a drone was spotted hovering above its runway at around 11:00 PM. Ten airplanes circled above the airport throughout the shutdown.

Two other airplanes were diverted to Faro Airport because they were low on fuel. Both airplanes carried roughly 300 passengers. The passengers diverted to Faro were lodged in hotels for the night and driven from there to Lisbon the next day. Police unsuccessfully searched for the drone and its controllers.

The September 2018 incident is one of a series of drone incursions that have plagued Lisbon Airport since 2014. Its airspace was shut down for 26 minutes less than a month beforehand. Two other drone incursions had also been noted weeks earlier.^[2]

In 2014, a drone came within 3 meters (10 ft) of a landing Portuguese Air Force aircraft. It only just managed to avoid a collision with the landing gear of the airplane. In another incident, a drone directed a laser beam at the cockpit of a landing airplane, injuring one of the pilots in the left eye. There were 150 passengers on board.

8 Gatwick Airport

Between December 19 and 21, 2018, over 100,000 passengers were left stranded at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex after at least two drones prevented airplanes from landing or taking off. The drones were first spotted around the airport at 9:03 PM on December 19. And they continued appearing and disappearing until December 21.

Civilian drones generally have limited flight times since they have smaller batteries. However, this incursion seems to have been a deliberate attempt to ground the airport, since the drones kept returning. The drones appeared bulkier than regular ones, making authorities believe they were modified with bigger batteries. Authorities also believe there could have been more than two drones.

Some 120,000 passengers remained stranded at the airport during the shutdown. Several incoming flights were diverted to other airports, including ones in Amsterdam and Paris. Most airlines did not provide hotels for their stranded passengers and discouraged them from leaving the airport, since they could not determine when flights would resume.

The rogue drones left the airport on December 21, when the military arrived with specialized jamming equipment. The airport was shut down for 36 hours. During that time, 837 flights were billed to take off. 160 were canceled, and the rest finally departed with most of the stranded passengers. Police later arrested two people in connection with the incident.^[3]

Interestingly, this was not the first time Gatwick was shut down by drones. In July 2017, the airport was shut down twice on the same day. The first shutdown lasted for nine minutes after a drone was spotted around the airport. Flights resumed and were stopped again for five minutes. At least five flights were diverted to other airports, and several other airplanes continued circling while awaiting clearance to land.

7 Ben Gurion Airport

In January 2018, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main airport, was shut down for ten minutes after a drone was spotted hovering above it. The drone was sighted at 7:20 PM one night. Curiously, US vice president Mike Pence had landed at the airport several hours earlier on a state visit.

Drone incursion has remained a recurring problem for authorities at Ben Gurion Airport. A month earlier, the airport was shut down for 15 minutes after a drone was spotted hovering in the area. Similar incidents happened in November 2016 and sometime in 2015. The drone involved in the 2015 incident maneuvered close to an airplane, causing the pilots to turn away.

The increased use of drones has exposed lapses in Israel’s national security. For a time, security agencies did not even know which of them were responsible for dealing with the drones. The army thought it should be the police, since it involved civilians. The police thought it was the army, which had the task of securing Israel’s airspace. The government later set up an anti-drone task force headed by the air force.^[4]

6 Indira Gandhi International Airport

In August 2017, Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, was shut down for a total of almost two hours. Runways were closed from 11:20 AM to 12:20 PM when the pilots of an international flight informed authorities that they’d spotted a drone as they prepared to land.

Flight operations were also suspended for 40 minutes that evening, once again after pilots spotted a drone hovering around the airport as they prepared to land. The pilots said the drone flew toward their airplane. The airport was reopened at 7:55 PM, when police determined that the airspace was clear. At least four passenger flights were diverted to other airports during the shutdowns.^[5]

5 Dubai International Airport

In June 2018, Dubai International Airport was shut down for over an hour after a rogue civilian drone was spotted hovering overhead. At least 21 flights were diverted to other airports while the shutdown lasted. Exactly two years earlier, the airspace was closed for 69 minutes when a rogue drone was spotted in the vicinity. Twenty-two flights were diverted during the shutdown, and that wasn’t the only time a drone disrupted operations at the airport that year.

Considering that Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest for international travel, shutdowns are logistical nightmares and cost a lot of money. The airport loses 350,000 dirhams ($95,368) for every minute it is shut down because of a drone. The drone-related shutdowns experienced throughout 2016 cost the airport a total of 61 million dirhams ($16.62 million).^[6]

Drones are such a problem that the General Civil Aviation Authority declared the airport one of the four areas of the country where drones are not allowed. The ban was the result of a shutdown in 2017 and was passed just two months before the June 2018 shutdown.

4 Stockholm Arlanda Airport And Stockholm Bromma Airport

In August 2017, Sweden’s Stockholm Arlanda Airport was shut down for an hour after a drone was spotted hovering in its airspace. Airplanes continued to circle while they awaited clearance to land. However, two aircraft were cleared to land when they ran low on fuel.

Drone incursions are such a problem at Stockholm Arlanda Airport that a Swedish pilots’ union advised members to always fly to the airport with extra fuel, just in case a drone was spotted before they landed. Swedish law demands that an airport be shut down when a drone enters its control zone. The shutdown will last for at least 30 minutes or until the drone lands.

In August 2017 alone, the airport was shut down four times because of drones. Two, including the one we already mentioned, happened in the same week. The same month, Stockholm Bromma Airport was shut down thrice for the same reason.^[7]

3 Cork Airport

On April 20, 2017, Ireland’s Cork Airport was shut down for between ten and 15 minutes after a drone was spotted flying in its airspace at 9:45 AM. Two airplanes circled above the airport until the drone disappeared from view.

Air traffic controllers later cleared the airplanes to land but, suspecting the drone could still be around, advised pilots to approach “with caution.”^[8] Police searched the vicinity of the airport after the incident but could not find the rogue drone or its operator.

2 Wellington International Airport

In November 2018, the airspace over Wellington International Airport in New Zealand was closed after a drone was spotted hovering less than 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) from its runway. The drone was just 200 meters (656 ft) from the ground at the time and was spotted by an airplane as it landed at 6:32 PM that evening.

Pilots on airplanes preparing to take off reported seeing the drone and even watched it hover around the airport for 23 minutes before leaving. However, the airport wasn’t reopened until 7:10 PM. Several airplanes circled above throughout the shutdown, and ten more aircraft on the ground were delayed from taking off.^[9]

1 Auckland Airport

In March 2018, several flights were delayed from landing and taking off at New Zealand’s Auckland Airport after a drone was spotted hovering in the area. It was reopened 30 minutes after the shutdown, when it was determined that the drone had left. A helicopter deployed to find the drone was unsuccessful. Twenty airplanes circled above the airport during the shutdown. A flight from Tokyo was diverted to an Air Force base 500 kilometers (800 mi) away, where it refueled before returning to Auckland.^[10]

Another shutdown occurred in April 2018, when another drone was spotted. It was reopened six minutes later when authorities discovered that the drone was actually a balloon. The airport was partially shut down yet again in August 2018 when a drone was spotted flying 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) away. However, it was quickly reopened when it was determined that the drone was no longer a threat.

There are times when all of us open our mouths before we have engaged our brains. Unintentionally, we can hurt other people’s feelings or show ourselves and our employers in a bad light.

It may be because we are caught off guard or we are having a bad day. In most cases, a timely apology is all that is required to put things right. The worst thing we can do when we are in a hole is to keep on digging. But some people, it seems, just don’t know when to put the shovel down.

Here are 10 people who would have done well to remember that silence is a virtue.

10 Keith Cochrane

Keith Cochrane, the former group chief executive of Stagecoach, must have been pretty pleased with himself the day he was interviewed by Forbes Global in 2002. And why not? After all, Stagecoach was a prestigious company, and he was doing well for himself.

The day after, he wasn’t doing quite so well. During the interview, Cochrane had allegedly referred to his US customers as “riffraff,” a term that they didn’t approve of.^[1] Cochrane denied making the comment and threatened to sue. The magazine, however, did not retract the story, and no lawsuit was forthcoming.

Revenue from Coach sales in the US fell—and continued to decline. In July 2002, Cochrane resigned. For completely different reasons.

9 Andrew Mitchell

In 2012, Andrew Mitchell was a senior member of the British government and a chief whip when he tried to ride his bicycle through the gates of Downing Street. The gate was guarded by a policeman, who told Mitchell that he needed to dismount and walk the bike through the gate according to standard procedure.

Mitchell must have been in a hurry. He took exception to being told to get off his bike and walk. The following morning, a national newspaper reported the incident, quoting Mitchell’s response to the officer’s request as follows: “Best you learn your f—king place—you don’t run this f—king government—you’re f—king plebs.”

The country was outraged, not so much by the swearing but by the word “pleb.” It was felt that this expressed class snobbery and disrespect to a police officer.

At that point, Mitchell was faced with three options. He could have apologized, suggested he couldn’t remember what he had said but apologized “in case he had caused offense,” or called the policeman a liar. Mitchell went for the final option.

For good measure, he sued the newspaper for libel.

CCTV was examined, which clearly showed a short-tempered Mitchell berating the officer before finally dismounting and flouncing through the gate in a huff. In turn, the policeman sued Mitchell for defamation of character.

The result of “Plebgate,” as it became known, was that the police officer won his suit, Mitchell lost his, and the scandal forced him to resign from the cabinet.^[2]

8 Gerald Ratner

Gerald Ratner built an incredibly successful chain of jewelry stores with a unique business model and annual sales of over £1 billion. So, it was certain that other business executives would want to know the secret of his success.

And he told them.

In 1991, he made a speech at the Royal Albert Hall in London to 6,000 business executives, dignitaries, and, unfortunately for him, journalists. He began in conventional terms, talking about quality, choice, and aspiration, which seemed to be fairly standard stuff. Then he decided to “throw in a joke.”

“People say, ‘How can you sell this for such a low price?’ I say, ‘Because it’s total crap.’ ”^[3]

And another one.

“We even sell a pair of [gold] earrings for under £1,” he said. “Some people say, ‘That’s cheaper than a prawn sandwich!’ [ . . . ] I have to say, the sandwich will probably last longer than the earrings.”

The next morning, he woke to a barrage of front-page stories about his speech and his company. The Sunday Times nicknamed him “Gerald Crapner.”

He tried to downplay the remarks. But by the time his stock had dropped by £500 million in just a few days, he knew he was in trouble. No one wanted to buy jewelry from “Crapners.”

He was forced to close hundreds of stores and make 25,000 employees redundant. He sold his shares for a pittance to pay off the £1 billion he now owed the bank and walked away with nothing.

7 David Shepherd

In 2001, David Shepherd was a senior director of Topman, one of Britain’s biggest menswear stores, when he described his customers as “hooligans.” Topman had 329 stores across the country. Their target audience was single, twentysomething males with large disposable incomes and few responsibilities. Or, as Shepherd put it, “beer-swilling lads.”^[4]

Explaining why Topman didn’t do a big line in suits, he said, “Very few of our customers have to wear suits to work. They’ll be for his first interview or first court appearance.”

Shepherd tried to say that he had made the comments in jest, and the chairman of the company claimed that Shepherd was “exaggerating to make a point.” Quite what point he was making isn’t clear.

Shepherd was not fired from his post, even though the company saw an immediate drop in its share price. It seems that the “beer-swilling lads” also took exception to his remarks because Topman sales fell—and continued to decline over time. In January 2019, hundreds of stores were closed, though it wasn’t all about Shepherd’s remark by then.

6 Allen Roses

Allen Roses was the worldwide vice president of genetics at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of the biggest drug companies in the world. In 2003, at a meeting of scientists in London, Roses was speaking at a meeting about the efficacy of drugs when he dropped a bombshell: “The vast majority of drugs—more than 90 percent—only work in 30 or 50 percent of the people.”

Put another way, nearly all drugs only work on less than half the people taking them. Which is a bit startling—to the public anyway. Apparently, this was widely known within the drug industry when Roses gave his speech. He went on to say that fewer than half the patients who were prescribed some of the most expensive drugs derived any benefit at all.

It was a bit unfortunate that his comments came a few days after the NHS had announced that their drug bill had gone up by 50 percent in three years to £7.2 billion. Also, it was only a week after GSK had announced to great fanfare that it had 20 new drugs under development that were predicted to earn it around $1 billion annually.^[5]

However, Roses was a smart man. His work in genetics was focused on identifying “responders,” those who would benefit from a specific drug. This would avoid waste, save money, and reduce the sales of drugs.

This would be great for someone who did not work for a giant pharmaceutical company whose profit comes from the sales of drugs.

5 Ivan Seidenberg

Ivan Seidenberg was a big deal at Verizon, the largest telecommunications company in the US. He was made the company’s only chief executive in 2002 after his co-chief exec retired.

In 2005, however, Seidenberg seemed to feel that the consumer was getting a little too demanding. “Why in the world would you think your (cell) phone would work in your house?” he asked. “The customer has come to expect so much. They want it to work in the elevator; they want it to work in the basement.”^[6]

He also felt that it was unreasonable of the US public to want to be told about coverage areas and dead zones. “It’s not Verizon’s responsibility to correct the misconception by giving out statistics on how often Verizon’s service works.”

He finished up the interview by defending the high fees that he charged when consumers canceled their contracts.

In 2007, Seidenberg acknowledged that he had a tendency to underestimate the impact of new technologies on the market. He said, “It’s a spectacular adjustment that we’ve had to make to make sure we stay up with consumer demand.”

Seidenberg retired as CEO of Verizon in 2011.

4 Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren was the “face of L’Oreal” in 2017 when she put her foot in her face cream. Sitting alongside a bunch of L’Oreal executives during a panel interview, she went “off-script” when she said, “I’m not setting standards for others. All I can do is be who I am. I’ve always loved makeup.”

Fair enough. That’s why they hired her. Mirren is known to be the sort of feisty independent older woman that they wanted to promote their products. Then she added, “I’m an eternal optimist. I know that when I put my moisturizer on, it probably does f–k all, but it just makes me feel better.^[7]

The other panel members gave tight-lipped smiles and moved swiftly on. L’Oreal did not refer directly to her comments but said they had hired her because she “challenged perceptions of old age.”

3 Chip Wilson

Chip Wilson was the founder of Lululemon Athletica, a company with just the kind of name that you would expect for a company that sold yoga gear. In an interview in 2013, he explained that the reason the company’s yoga pants “pilled” was not due to inferior materials but because some of his customers were too fat for them.

Yes, he said that. On television.^[8]

The company was already in trouble because of increased competition in the women’s sportswear market, and his comments did not improve sales. For some reason, women took offense.

In 2013, Chip Wilson resigned from the chairmanship of the company. He doesn’t quite seem to have understood what he did wrong, however. He subsequently wrote a memoir of the debacle and decided to call it Little Black Stretchy Pants, with a cover photograph of a butt and thighs (with an obvious thigh gap) encased in his trademark yoga pants.

2 Mike Jeffries

In 2006, Mike Jeffries, then CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, gave an interview to Salon which went largely unremarked at the time. Times change, however, and about six years later, someone apparently read the article.

And all hell broke loose. Jeffries had said that he only wanted good-looking people in his shops “because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that.”

So, no ugly people allowed. Just in case we hadn’t got the message, Jeffries provided more detail. He didn’t want any “uncool kids” or “fat women.”

These overweight women just can’t catch a break.

Jeffries had a plan for the global domination of Abercrombie and Fitch and didn’t intend to let anyone get in his way, including ” ‘girlcotting’ high school feminists, humorless Asians, angry shareholders, thong-hating parents, lawsuit-happy minorities, nosy journalists, copycat competitors, or uptight moralists.”^[9]

The company was forced to issue an apology for the interview but only in 2013 when it found its way onto social media. Sales fell, and Jeffries resigned in late 2014 due to declining company revenues.

1 Russell Brand

In 2009, the TV presenter Jonathan Ross was a guest on Russell Brand’s radio show when Brand thought it would be a good idea to call the actor, Andrew Sachs. Sachs wasn’t at home, so they decided to leave a voicemail.

The message began pleasantly enough. Brand expressed admiration for Sachs’s work and disappointment that he had not made it onto Brand’s radio show. And then Ross shouted from the background, “He f—ked your granddaughter!”^[10]

Russell Brand hung up.

At this point, they would probably have gotten away with it, but Brand decided to call Sachs back. Brand got the machine again. He apologized, explained it was a joke, and apologized again. Then Brand asked for permission to marry the granddaughter, reassured Sachs that he had worn a condom, and put the phone down.

Then the two men called again. This time, Russell Brand did what he is famous for doing, making up surreal rhymes on the spot with very little actual thought given to what he was saying. The song mentioned the words “consensual” and “menstrual” (because it rhymes), and then he hung up.

Then the men called again.

The media, largely orchestrated by a newspaper with whom Brand was having a feud, was offended on Mr. Sachs’s behalf and encouraged people to complain. Which they did.

Both presenters were suspended from the BBC and given large fines despite the fact that a rather bemused Andrew Sachs said he really wasn’t that bothered. And the granddaughter was fine about it, too.

Although it is just over 20 years old, the Stanley Kubrick film, Eyes Wide Shut remains one of the most controversial movies ever made. And not so much for any particular scene, but rather due to the overriding plot which, at least to some, makes some rather heavy hints of the reality of The Illuminati and the secret rituals they are involved with. And while most have dismissed most of the claims of what the film is “really saying” as conspiracy nonsense, in light of the recent Jeffrey Epstein case, some are starting to look again at what Kubrick might have been trying to tell us in his final movie.

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10 Stanley Kubrick’s Sudden Death

Perhaps the conspiracies surrounding Eyes Wide Shut began when the maker of the film, Stanley Kubrick, died only days after the first viewing of it. The official cause of death was from a heart attack. However, as we might imagine, there were many who believed his death was far from natural.

Given the subject matter, a popular conspiracy theory soon took hold that elite members of Hollywood had arranged to have the world-famous director killed. And of course, in true conspiracy style, this murder would have to look like anything but. In this case, the most popular claim is that a heart attack was intentionally induced in Kubrick. There is, however, no evidence to support these claims. And as easy as they might be to subscribe to, we must treat them for what they are.

So why would someone wish to bump off Kubrick? Well that is subject of our next point.^[1]

9 Allegations Of Cut Scenes From The Finished Film

The main conspiracy as to why some people believe Kubrick was murdered revolves around a “damage limitation” mission ordered by elite financial backers in Hollywood. It is the belief of some that upon seeing Kubrick’s film at the first viewing they decided much of the content had to be cut away. Not confident that Kubrick would agree (he was known very much for his determination in such matters) and consequently fearing a surge of publicity from any fallout, a decision was taken to remove Kubrick from the picture permanently.

Once this had happened, the movie could be trimmed down and tempered somewhat. Once more, we should mention that there is no evidence for this. And while the movie was completed in terms of editing and such after Kubrick’s death, it is maintained that nothing significant was removed. Although, if there was a cover-up over such a matter, then that is exactly what the powers that be would say.^[2]

8 Hints Of Illuminati Activity

OK, so why exactly is the content of the film so controversial. Ultimately it is because it appears to lean heavily on many of the Illuminati and secret society conspiracies that have been around for decades. Perhaps the main drive of these is that such secret societies use “mind-controlled sex slaves” for their rituals. In some cases, with “high class sex slaves”, they are also used to pass top-secret information between world leaders and high-ranking members. We will come back to some of the alleged specific symbols used to convey this message a little later.

Essentially, the movie suggests that those on the inside of these secret societies control anything from the police to the media. And because of this, anyone who presents problems or becomes of no further use, can be made to disappear with no questions asked. Almost any of the conspiracies that surround the Illuminati can be found in Eyes Wide Shut leading many to question just how real these claims might be. And when we move on to our next point, that blurring of fiction and reality increases.^[3]

7 The Depiction Of The Rothschild Party

One of the main parts of the film revolves around a secret party at a lavish mansion. And it looks almost exactly like the mansion owned by Baron Guy and Baroness Marie-Helene de Rothschild, the Chateau de Ferrieres. What’s more, the mansion was subject to a mysterious masked party hosted by the owners in 1972, photographs of which have since been leaked online.

It certainly appears a morose affair. Aside from the very strange masks people are wearing – ranging from animal heads to pretend cages – there are dismembered dolls and other broken children’s toys purposely scattered around on the tables. Some tables even feature naked mannequins as if laid in a coffin with food served on top of it.

It is even claimed that invites to this “surrealist ball” were sent with coded wording. Furthermore, the wording was written backwards so it could only be read in a mirror. Even stranger, as the guests arrived at the mansion, it was bathed in a deep red glow. This was to give it the appearance of being on fire.^[4]

6 Suggestions Of Mind Control

We mentioned mind control in an earlier point, and how the film appears to drop discreet messages of this throughout. Perhaps one of the main ways this is done is by the constant references to rainbows throughout the movie. It is claimed by some conspiracy researchers that rainbows are a reference to the MKUltra mind control techniques used by high-ranking elite members. And this is particularly the case when this is done to create sex slaves.

For example, a costume rental shop named Rainbow plays host to several scenes. Perhaps the best example, though, is when the main protagonist, Dr. Bill (played by Tom Cruise) finds his way inside the secret party. He lies to get inside (he is eventually found out) but is greeted upon his arrival by two “Monarch Presidential” models. They begin to lead Dr. Bill away from the hall, so he asks them where they are going.

To this, one of the girls replies they are going “where they rainbow ends”. Before Dr. Bill can respond, the second girl says to Dr. Bill “don’t you want to see where the rainbow ends?”^[5]

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5 Masonic Symbols Are Everywhere

As we might imagine, there are also numerous Masonic symbols and references within Eyes Wide Shut. And this happens right from the off. At the beginning of the film, for example, when we see Alice (played by Nicole Kidman) undressing ready for bed, she does so while standing in between two large pillars. It is claimed that these represent the Masonic pillars, Boaz and Jachin. There is also discreet appearances of the Star of Ishtar in the film, another strong Masonic symbol.

Perhaps one of the most obvious Masonic symbols can be seen in the scene where Dr. Bill has been discovered at the party and is standing in the main hall in front of the cult leader. This leader sits on a throne that contains a two-headed eagle on the back of it. The two-headed eagle is a primary emblem to the 33-degree Scottish Rite Freemasons, one of the most powerful Masonic organizations in the world.^[6]

4 Sex Slave Rituals

A great part of the film revolves around the idea that woman from all backgrounds of life have been somehow subjected to mind control programs. And the reason for this is mainly so they can be used as sex slaves at the society’s secret gatherings. We have already mentioned the rainbow aspect relating to mind control.

However, another clue can be found in the term often used in such scenarios – a scarlet woman. Several of the main characters that surround Dr. Bill all have scarlet hair. And this might be pure coincidence. However, even the most skeptical person should at least raise an eyebrow at this. Furthermore, and much more harrowing, Dr. Bill’s own daughter has scarlet hair. This is an apparent reflection of the claims that many of the woman who find themselves trapped in these situations – if we believe the claims to be anywhere near true – are often programed and groomed from being young children.^[7]

3 Hints At Murders Disguised As “Overdoses” Or Suicides

Toward the end of the film, one of the prostitutes who was at the party (seemingly as a mind-controlled sex slave) is discovered dead. It is reported in the media that she died of a drugs overdose. However, in a later scene, it is revealed to Dr. Bill that the high-ranking members of the secret society control all of the media, and even the police. Anybody at all, in fact, who might cause a problem with their activities.

Furthermore, while it is not said outright, it is heavily implied that she was murdered, and her death made to look like an overdose.

As outlandish as the above might sound, it is a scenario that has been discussed in conspiracy circles for decades. And not exclusively for unfortunate woman who might find themselves mixed up with such organizations. Many researchers – even (relatively) serious minded ones – have made various claims of politicians dying in strange and suspicious circumstances, for example.^[8]

2 What Is It Called Eyes Wide Shut?

The reason the film is called Eyes Wide Shut, at least according to some researchers, is a blatant reference to Hollywood and the number of people who (allegedly) know this kind of activity is taking place yet do not say anything about it. And, like the conspiracies of the alleged Illuminati, such talk has been rife in Hollywood for years. And while some people have spoken out, they are usually left as lone wolfs with no one willing to corroborate their accounts.

While most dismiss such rumors as exactly that, it appears that in recent years there certainly appears to be certain parts of the film and television industry that appear a little suspect. That is not to say that activities are taking place as some conspiracy theorists say they are. It does appear, though, that there might be more to uncover than most of us would like to admit.

When we consider our final point, that likelihood increases even more.^[9]

1 In Light Of The Epstein Allegations, What Should We Think?

Although the rumors were rampant for years when the revelations about the secret sex parties hosted by Jeffrey Epstein on his private island came to light recently, it caused many people to look again at such claims of secret societies made of high-ranking people. And that, at least for some, included another look at Eyes Wide Shut.

With what we know now of Epstein Island – and there is surely more to come to light – should we take some of the claims of the “real” messages of Eyes Wide Shut a little more seriously? Might, as some researchers will tell you, the Epstein case simply be the tip of the iceberg? Might the happenings in Eyes Wide Shut be going on behind closed doors in real life? Right under our collective noses? And if they are, will we ever truly discover anything about them? To end on a cliché, only time will tell.^[10]

8 Conspiracy Theories That Refuse To Die

The internet is a vital part of modern life. Without web access, all kinds of businesses and jobs would be unable to function. So, as you can imagine, there are plenty of people who would love to see the internet crumble.

Since Tim Berners-Lee launched the World Wide Web in the late 1980s, there have been numerous attempts to shut down the internet. Some of these attacks were carried out by coordinated military groups and governments in a bid for political control. Others consisted of one irate man ripping the wires out of a service box. From accidental cyber attacks to foiled terrorist plots, here are ten times people had a go – and in some cases succeeded – at shutting down the internet.

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10 Texas Man Attempts To Blow Up The Web

In 2021, a man from Texas was arrested for plotting to blow up the internet. Seth Aaron Pendley allegedly planned to take out 70% of the web by destroying a data center in Virginia with a C-4 explosive. The US Department of Justice told reporters that Pendley planned to target the servers of the FBI and CIA. It is said that he wanted to tear down ‘the oligarchy’ that currently rules the United States.

Authorities were tipped off to Pendley’s plot by one of his friends. According to reporters, he was an active member of extremist websites where he went by the name of Dionysus – the Greek god of wine and ritual madness. He wrote on the forum MyMilitia about his desire to “conduct a little experiment.” He also boasted about taking a sawed-off AR rifle to the storming of the Capitol building but claims he left it in the car.

Had Pendley carried out his attack, it would not have destroyed 70% of the internet. The physical infrastructure is distributed across the world and backed up multiple times. Pendley now faces up to 20 years in federal prison if he is found guilty.

9 Man Tries To Destroy Internet To Hide Embarrassing Footage

Nobody likes to be humiliated online. But one man took his quest to hide embarrassing videos to the extreme. In 2016, a Chinese man known as Liu worried that someone would upload footage of him dancing to the web. So Liu decided to take matters into his own hands and set out to destroy the internet.

That summer, having recently moved to the city of Weifang, he had decided to join in with a public fitness dance. In China, it is common for middle-aged women to gather in the streets and take part in “granny dances.” Liu chose to join one of these granny dances, to the amusement of some of the locals. He told police that passers-by were giggling and recording him on their phones.

Liu thought little of it at the time, but a few months later he began to worry that the footage might be shared online. This was when he decided to take action. One night in August, Liu broke into four China Telecom service boxes and ripped out the insides. In total, he caused 10,000 Yuan ($15,000) worth of damage. But Liu was spotted multiple times on CCTV and subsequently arrested by local police.

8 Chad’s Year-Long Social Media Outage

For sixteen months, starting in March 2018, Chad faced the longest social media blackout in African history. Only 6.5% of people had regular internet access. People were unable to interact with their loved ones. Local businesses struggled to advertise online. Journalists had to fight to get their voices heard.

The government imposed the ban in response to growing dissent. Critics have described President Idriss Déby as a “democratically bankrupt” leader and accused him of mass censorship. They claim he is clinging to power, and that the social media ban was a desperate attempt to quell anti-government activists.

As IT experts CIPESA explained in a recent report: “African governments with democracy deficits, regardless of the number of their citizens that use the internet, recognise – and fear – the power of the internet in…empowering ordinary people to speak truth to power.”

7 Disruption As Mirai Botnet Attacks Dyn Servers

The web is rife with hackers and malware, but few caused as much damage as the Mirai botnet. The attack devastated US systems when it brought down much of the country’s internet in October 2016. It targeted the IT company Dyn, which controlled a large amount of online infrastructure at the time. The digital assault caused a major internet outage. It affected major websites like Twitter, Netflix, and CNN.

The Mirai botnet was a sophisticated kind of cyber attack, known as a distributed denial of service (DDoS). Computer servers are inundated with traffic until they become overwhelmed and the system shuts down. Experts estimate that Mirai was the largest DDoS attack in history. Hackers infiltrated a vast array of devices, including digital cameras and video players, then forced them to attack Dyn’s servers.

6 Houthi Rebels Sever Yemen’s Main Cable

Yemen is in the grip of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today. Since 2015, Houthi rebels have been locked in a devastating battle with Saudi-led coalition forces. The Houthis are known to use the internet as a weapon, plunging the country into a web blackout.

In July 2018, 80% of internet users were left stranded after rebel forces severed the country’s main fiber optic cable. The rebel forces slashed the cable while strengthening their defenses in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah.

“The rebels impose bans on social media networks and slow down the speed of the already weakened internet service,” explained telecommunications minister Lutfi Bashreef, “and this comes amid reports they intend to soon cut off the internet completely to cover their crimes.”

5 Myanmar Coup Government Introduce Internet Shutdown

As is the case with most modern political conflicts, in Myanmar the internet is a key battlefield. When the military junta seized power in February 2021, they were keen to suppress online dissent. The coup leaders quickly shut off all mobile data in the country, and wireless broadband soon followed. At least 535 have been killed since the military takeover.

But the people of Myanmar are refusing to bow down to the hostile forces. The night before the broadband blackout, there was a surge of people pointing to radio channels and communication apps that can be used without internet access. Protestors took to the streets for a defiant vigil, using candles to declare: “We will never surrender.”

4 Morris Worm, The Accidental Cyber Attack

In 1988, Cornell graduate student Robert Tappan Morris was working on a way to measure the size of the internet. Little did he know he would end up launching the world’s first cyber attack. Morris created a program that would jump from computer to computer, counting each one. Every time his program entered a new machine, it would send a brief signal back to a central server which kept count.

The trouble is his program, now known as the Morris worm, spread too quickly and ended up clogging up much of the web. The bug tore through the net, copying itself between each device and pinging back to the server. Morris had inadvertently invented the DDoS cyber attack – a type of digital assault that forces devices to overwhelm a server with traffic. His accidental offensive brought the internet to its knees.

3 Saboteurs Try To Cut Off Internet In Egypt

Three scuba divers were arrested off the port of Alexandria after attempting to slice through an undersea internet cable and bring down the Egyptian web. The Egyptian coastguard intercepted the team before they were able to cause any disruption.

In 2013, Egyptian naval forces published images online of three men tied up that they accused had tried to sabotage an internet cable. At the time of the attack, Egyptian online traffic was connected to Europe via eight cables. So cutting one of the cables would not have destroyed the web, but it would have caused a significant disturbance. The men refused to reveal the motive for their foiled attack, or if they were working for anyone.

2 India’s Long History Of Internet Shutdowns

In recent years, India has blocked internet access more than any other country. The blackouts began around the time that the government introduced a contentious citizenship law in 2019. Since then the country has seen a surge in protestors taking a stand against the Hindu nationalist regime. Authorities often respond by suspending the internet. They claim it is essential to “keep the peace.” But many Indians have accused officials of attacking their free speech.

The most prominent internet blackout occurred after Modi’s government shut down services in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Over 13 million people were left stranded for eighteen months, before the web was finally restored in February 2021.

1 Onslaught Against Internet’s Root Server System

In 2002, the internet was struck by what technology experts at the time called “the largest and most complex DDoS attack ever.” Cyber attackers orchestrated an onslaught of traffic against the thirteen root servers that, at the time, formed the heart of internet communications.

Fortunately, built-in safeguards prevented the web from being taken offline. But had the hour-long offensive lasted longer, it could have had severe repercussions for internet users across the globe.

Digital security expert Chris Morrow described the barrage as “probably the most concerted attack against the Internet infrastructure that we’ve seen.”

“The only way to stop such attacks is to fix the vulnerabilities on the machines that ultimately get taken over and used to launch them,” another security expert, Alan Paller, told reporters. “There’s no defense once the machines are under the attacker’s control.”

10 Overwrought Media Scare Campaigns About The Internet

Facebook’s motto is “Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” An admirable sentiment, but there are trolls in the undergrowth that seem hell-bent on dividing communities and forcing people further apart.

We tend to think of trolls as sad people who enjoy hurting others. They usually don’t personally know their prey and seem to delight in the damage that they cause. Others troll for political or commercial reasons, but a troll’s hallmark is self-centered arrogance. A troll is someone who doesn’t know the meaning of empathy and is unwilling or unable to keep their views to themself.

Unfortunately, we will never be able to completely shut trolls down because there is often a very fine line between abusive content and the right to free speech. We don’t want to close down comment sections, and moderating posts can often lead to arbitrary decisions about what is acceptable and what is not.

It’s a problem we must live with if we want a free exchange of views. Even with trolls inundating the internet, here are ten times when the internet shut down the trolls.

Related: 10 Of The Creepiest Corners Of The Internet

10 JK Rowling’s Wit

J. K. Rowling, the author of the popular Harry Potter series, is very private. Even so, she is not shy when giving her opinion. Many people think that the author’s views are not politically correct, but Rowling doesn’t care what other people think. She has her opinion and is happy to share it.

Rowling doesn’t personally attack people, nothing is insulting about her tweets, and she is more than ready to defend herself. As this example shows:

Troll: “Is it lonely up there on your high horse?”

Rowling: “Gosh, no, I’ve got several million women sitting beside me.”

Notice that the troll doesn’t insult Rowling; he is more subtle in suggesting that Rowling’s status somehow disqualifies her opinions. It doesn’t, as Rowling demonstrates in her response. Rowling’s replies to trolls show a quick wit and a knack for hitting the nail on the head. They would make for an amusing and interesting book in their own right.

Trolls often seem to have an inflated opinion of themselves. Usually, the best way to puncture them is with wit.

9 Swift Reply

A fan posted a harmless video on social media showing her reaction to what Taylor Swift had done. Someone anonymously commented about the fan:

“UR UGLY TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST…okay.”

Well, unnecessary, hurtful, and uncalled for. Adding “to be completely honest” is a trademark of trollers. It suggests that the poster is reluctantly being honest. He isn’t, of course; he is being nasty for the sake of being nasty.

It wasn’t the target fan who shot back a reply, but Swift herself. She replied:

“NO; ANONYMOUS; NO:”

Swift did the right thing here. She supported her fan and showed the anonymous poster that he was out of line. Swift’s reply showed that she found the comment unacceptable and helped strengthen a sense of community among her fans.

8 Gigi Answers Back

Gigi Hadid is a supermodel who received a message that said that she should:

“Practice how to walk properly instead of having a new boyfriend every two weeks.”

In a short text, the troll criticized both her professionalism and made a snide remark about her romantic life. People in the public eye must accept criticism about their work, and such comments can be constructive. However, private life is private and shouldn’t be open to public debate.

Hadid’s response recognizes both points:

“My walk can always get better; I hope the unrelated bitterness in [your] heart can too.”

Short and to the point.

7 Henry Hates Trolls

When celebrities Henry Cavill and Natalie Viscuso began a relationship, it seemed that not everyone approved. Henry’s Instagram account soon received posts from people who didn’t approve and some who were downright abusive. Henry decided to take a stand; he posted:

“I know it can be fun to speculate, to gossip, and to dive into our own personal echo chambers on the internet, but your ‘passion’ is misplaced, and it causes harm to the people I care about most. Even your most conservative of negative assumptions about both my personal and professional life just aren’t true.”

His post was reasonable and seemed to have shamed many of the trolls into silence. But this isn’t always the best tactic, the trolls had provoked a response, and they got it. It breaks the cardinal rule of “Don’t feed the trolls.”

6 Ex Pest

Nicola Roberts was a singer with the Girls Aloud group; she had also had a relationship with an ex-soldier named Carl Davies.

After the affair ended, Davies sent her over 3,000 messages, some of which threatened to stab and burn the singer. Her tactic was often effective, one of not answering any of the messages. Often, a troll is just hoping for a reaction.

But Nicola made copies of all the messages and handed them to the police. The courts didn’t send Carl to prison but gave him a restraining order. This seemed to do the trick as far as Nicola was concerned. But Carl later did the same thing with another woman. Under an assumed name, he threatened the woman and said that her daughter would be the target of rape. This time, he went to jail.

5 Soccer Shame

The men of the England football team haven’t won anything on the international stage since they won the soccer World Cup in 1966. In 2020, it looked like they might have a chance at last. The European international finals were on home soil, and England had a skillful squad of players.

The team reached the final and met Italy. Many believed that Italy was past its best, but on the day, the Italians played a well-controlled match that saw the game end in a 1-1 draw. The final went to penalties, and Italy won.

The black players on the English squad immediately became the target of abuse on all social media platforms. Most fans expressed their disappointment with the entire team—and it’s true that no English player did himself justice on the day. But why did many people focus only on the black players? The British like to claim that racism is a thing of the past. It isn’t.

An ex-player and soccer commentator, Gary Lineker, said:

“We’ve all been shocked by the way racist trolls have been targeting footballers recently.”

The England team denounced the abuse, as did the media and the public. These naysayers went quiet, but unfortunately, they’ll be back.

4 An Artist Treads on Toes

This case raises many questions about the right to free speech. Gregory Alan Eliot is an artist who seems to have seen Twitter as an extension of his art. Eliot sometimes sent as many as 300 tweets daily on every subject under the sun. His tweets were often strongly opinionated and could often be crude. Needless to say, he made enemies.

A woman named Steph Guthrie reported Eliot to the authorities for harassing her. Guthrie had founded a political group, and she and Eliot had once been allies. They fell out, and Eliot took her to task over various issues on Twitter.

The police arrested Eliot, and he spent three days in jail. He was abused by Guthrie’s followers and spent all of his money clearing his name. Finally, the court dropped the charges, but too late to save his reputation.

Surely, he was just exercising his right to free speech. Injudicious sometimes, perhaps, but criminal?

3 Teen Targeted

A teenage girl was an avid user of an appl called LiveMe. Until an anonymous user (or users) mounted a campaign against her. A message appeared on the app telling her to kill herself; her home address appeared on Twitter, suggesting that someone might like to rob the house, and someone superimposed her face on pornographic messages.

The girl, not surprisingly, suffered from anxiety attacks and reported the matter to the police. In this case, there was little that the police could do.

It’s all very well to advise people to ignore trolls, but young people are especially vulnerable to trolling, and some are driven to suicide. In these cases, social media platforms should exercise more control over their content.

2 Parent Persecuted

A young mother parked her car next to a river and nipped into a building for a minute. Tragically, she had left her two-year-old daughter in the car. The car rolled into the water, and the child drowned. Of course, the mother was to blame. She shouldn’t have parked where she did and shouldn’t have left the child alone. She admitted as much on Facebook as she blamed her own stupidity.

Trolls were quickly on the attack. Circling like sharks that sense blood in the water. Other users came to her defense, and the sharks went looking for other prey.

The woman left herself open to abuse. She posted online about what should have been a purely personal matter. We are open to hateful trolls when we do this, even if we are trying to bring awareness to bigger issues.

1 On a Large Scale

This example shows how big trolling can get and how far it reaches. Digital Africa Research Lab and Buzzfeed News exposed an enormous trolling operation based in Nigeria.

A PR firm based in Nigeria and a British nonprofit organization paid small sums to Nigerian influencers to tweet support for a dodgy Colombian businessman, Alex Saab, with whom the United States authorities wanted to talk to about money laundering. Saab had close contacts with Venezuela and did an estimated $135 million worth of business with Maduro’s government.

The Colombian government also accused Saab of laundering an estimated $25 million. On a brief stopover in Cape Verde, the local police arrested Saab, and a court authorized his extradition to the States.

The Nigerian influencers lent their names to a campaign to free Saab when most didn’t know who he was and couldn’t have cared less. The campaign operated on a grand scale but was unsuccessful. Twitter suspended 15,000 accounts of people who had taken part. I have lost count of the number of countries involved.