Freethought & Rationalism Archive

karthik · 07-01-2003, 01:20 PM

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Jun2003_news07.html

Jesse · 07-01-2003, 01:40 PM

Sounds made-up to me. A google search using the terms "Hira Ratan Manek" and "NASA" didn't turn up any results from NASA itself, or from any other sites I recognized as trustworthy.

News sources on the internet often don't check their sources very carefully, just recycling stories reported somewhere else...look up "Andrew Carlssin" for a good example of this.

braces_for_impact · 07-01-2003, 01:41 PM

couch...cough...Bullsh*t....cough...cough

MortalWombat · 07-01-2003, 01:57 PM

Isn't it pretty much a given that if a story involves NASA scientists, it's an urban legend?

NZAmoeba · 07-02-2003, 09:50 PM

what was it about? its 404 now.....

Jesse · 07-02-2003, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NZAmoeba
what was it about? its 404 now.....

Here's another version of the story:

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...E13762,00.html

Do a google search using "Hira Ratan Manek" and "NASA" and you'll find some others.

Gawdawful · 07-02-2003, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by braces_for_impact
couch...cough...Bullsh*t....cough...cough

cough...cough...what braces said...cough...cough

Warren is OK

Jesse · 07-05-2003, 05:17 PM

Looks like the part of this story where NASA scientists were investigating Manek was indeed made-up:

NASA: We have no record of Manek

Quote:

San Francisco: After a thorough check with all its scientific officers and regional offices throughout the US over two days, a NASA spokesperson has denied it had invited Hira Ratan Manek in any official capacity, or that it has anything to do with him.

Recent news reports had stated that Manek, a 64-year-old mechanical engineer, who claims he has not eaten in eight years and lives on water and solar energy, had been invited by NASA to New York to show them how it was done.

The report stated that he had left for NASA on June 27.

However, NASA spokesperson Dolores Beasley said she had no idea why press reports had claimed that NASA had invited Manek. �No one checked with us,� said Dolores, public affairs officer for biological and physical research.

�We have no record of him being involved with us. We have checked with all offices doing related research at centers such as Johnson, Marshall and Ames.�

07-01-2003, 01:20 PM	#1
karthik Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 277	Surviving on solar energy http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Jun2003_news07.html

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07-01-2003, 01:40 PM	#2
Jesse Moderator - Science Discussions Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Providence, RI, USA Posts: 9,908	Sounds made-up to me. A google search using the terms "Hira Ratan Manek" and "NASA" didn't turn up any results from NASA itself, or from any other sites I recognized as trustworthy. News sources on the internet often don't check their sources very carefully, just recycling stories reported somewhere else...look up "Andrew Carlssin" for a good example of this.

07-01-2003, 01:41 PM	#3
braces_for_impact Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In a nondescript, black helicopter. Posts: 6,637	couch...cough...Bullsh*t....cough...cough

07-01-2003, 01:57 PM	#4
MortalWombat Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: St Louis area Posts: 3,458	Isn't it pretty much a given that if a story involves NASA scientists, it's an urban legend?

07-02-2003, 09:50 PM	#5
NZAmoeba Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 478	what was it about? its 404 now.....

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