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Loose Change is too loose

I finally watched Loose Change on Google Video. Several people had asked me to watch this, and I finally found the time to sit down and take it in.

I love citizen documentaries like this (the power of technology), but was fairly appalled by the lack of professional documentary ethics - not naming sources in key moments with a profound or provocative quote, asking questions to experts selectively, making judgments based on limited input, using one eyewitness interview to be representative of the truth, asking leading questions and putting words into the mouths of interviewees during moments of silence, judging the authenticity of crisis by the ‘calm mood’ of the passengers on United 93 who called from AirPhones (which the filmmaker claims to be have been faked) etc. I watched this with an open mind but about five minutes into the film, I could tell these guys were sloppy storytellers.

After watching the film, I looked around for anyone that might have written about the laspses in this film and found a useful site - 9-11 Loose Change Second Edition Viewer Guide. I have to agree with a lot of the errors this site corrects in Loose Change. More than I have time to remember. The site’s author is somewhat rude and snarky, but he at least tracks down facts and refutes a number of confusing moments in the film.

As many of you know, I worked at the Los Alamos National Lab for two years. One of the lessons from my time there was how people liked to talk openly about secrets. The lab had a public cafeteria and there were numerous times when scientists would discuss classified weapons projects or energy research while eating. I would be a few tables away and could hear most of the conversation. Anyone from the public could have walked into this cafeteria and sat next to these chatty scientists to gather intelligence.

Executing a conspiracy is difficult. Executing a profound conspiracy to defraud an entire nation is insanely difficult. And for what, gold bars, as this film seems to imply? I just don’t buy it.