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Technology Spontaneously Combusts In Sicily

Zacronos writes "According to MSNBC, ever since mid-January, various electronic devices have been spontaneously combusting in the now evacuated town of Canneto di Caronia, Sicily; at this point, the fires are almost daily. The town has been disconnected from the larger electrical grid and was hooked to a generator, but that, too, caught fire. Even unplugged items have succumbed. Nothing seems to have burst into flame except where there is someone present to witness it, but the police no longer suspect a prankster -- after witnessing wires catch fire without cause. Scientists have yet to explain the phenomenon (although unproven theories abound), leading many people to look to supernatural causes."

42 of 1,010 comments (clear)

  1. Virgin Mary by UID1000000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Many many people will soon flock to Sicily to see the virgin Mary.

    Sadly, in the news, a number of faithful Catholics have suddenly burst into flames today.

    --
    UID 1000000 is just around the corner.

    1. Re:Virgin Mary by xSauronx · · Score: 4, Funny

      sudden my ass, it took 3 hours to set that up!

      --
      By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth. -- George Carlin
    2. Re:Virgin Mary by gerddie · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sadly, in the news, a number of faithful Catholics have suddenly burst into flames today.
      Obviously, they where heretics ...

  2. well... by snub · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously, if they were running Linux this wouldn't be happening now would it?

    --
    "Shredded cabbage and mayo go good together." Cole's Law
    1. Re:well... by DarkHelmet · · Score: 5, Funny

      See what happens when you don't pay your $699?

      --
      /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
    2. Re:well... by phaxkolumbo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well mine said a while ago:

      kernel: lp0 on fire

      Are you sure that Linux is really safe? I'm scared.

  3. Best quote: "We're working in the dark..." by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the article: "We're working in the dark. We don't have a single lead so far," said Pedro Spinnato, mayor of the trio of Caronia towns.

  4. I don't meant to be blasphemous, but... by Vandil+X · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Jesus!"

    I feel sorry for any IT professionals walking around with a pager, NEXtel, and a PDA in their pockets/belts. Ouch!

    --
    Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, START
  5. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  6. Re:Confirmation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bah - I'm from Sicily and this story is a complete load of **BZZZZZZZZTT*

    NO CARRIER

  7. No way! by Walkiry · · Score: 4, Funny

    It was posted today! The fact that this news piece appears backdated in other websites proves there is something supernatural involved!!

    *Jumps into Holy Water pool*

    --
    ---- Take the Space Quiz!
  8. Volcano Experts? by imag0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Colored markings on the street indicate the presence of volcano experts...

    Sweet jumpin' Jesus! The volcano 'experts' must have burned up and left little *poof* marks where they stood.

    1. Re:Volcano Experts? by seanmeister · · Score: 5, Funny

      Best. Volcano expert joke. Ever. :)

    2. Re:Volcano Experts? by sunbeam60 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Only. Volcano expert joke. Ever.

  9. Re:Confirmation? by mirko · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nope : They won't switch their computer on to discuss about this since it might catch fire :)

    --
    Trolling using another account since 2005.
  10. Re:Hmm. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You mean if any kind of EMP is the cause of you thinking?

  11. This will happen in the US soon too... by syntap · · Score: 4, Funny

    if the RIAA and Microsoft get all of their DRM technology in order.

    Wow, the new Janet Jackson single... gimmee gimmee gimmee playing WOOOOOOOOOF! FLAMES!

  12. Re:Confirmation? by CdBee · · Score: 5, Funny

    OK, Can any sicilian slashdotter with a carrier pigeon or a battery powered CB radio confirm this?

    --
    I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU
  13. Aurora Borealis? by re-Verse · · Score: 4, Funny

    And strangely fitting:

    " "....My God! Is that your kitchen on fire?"
    "Err, no. It's Aurora Borealus."
    "An Aurora Borealus?"
    "Yes."
    "At this time of the day, at this time of year, in this part of the country, localized entirely in your kitchen?!"
    ".....Yes."
    "....Can I see it?"
    ".....No."

  14. Yay! by Zebedeu · · Score: 4, Funny
    Spinnato, the mayor, sounds just as desperate.

    "Someone wrote to us saying the solution was to sacrifice a black goat and collect its blood. At some point, that's going to start looking like a good idea."

    Wohoo! They took my advice!

  15. Re:Confirmation? by Malc · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have an unladen European Swallow...

  16. Re:Confirmation? by AllUsernamesAreGone · · Score: 4, Funny

    Finally a practical use for IP over avian carriers! :)

  17. Re:The Score by jamesh · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can do that.
    Fires are appearing randomly, what are the possible causes:
    1. fire bugs
    2. higher than normal voltage
    3. emp devices being tested nearby
    4. act of God 1 (natural causes)
    5. act of God 2 (God's pissed - it is Easter, afterall)
    6. aliens

    we can rule out #1 due to witnesses. Ditto for #2 as fires have been happening in unplugged equipment.

    We can also rule out #3 as the slashdot crowd says that can't be it.

    There is nothing in nature that we know of that would cause #4. God promised after Noah's flood he wouldn't do this sort of thing again so we can rule out #5.

    That just leaves #6. :p

  18. Re:The Score by cabraverde · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."--Arthur C. Clarke

    It really makes me sad when, if people don't understand something they assume it's advanced technology.

  19. Re:Confirmation? by CGP314 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ::Smiles at the idea of a carrier pigeon bursting into flame as soon as a message is attatched to its leg because it now falls under the 'technology' category::


    -Colin

  20. Re:The Score by Hell+O'World · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from terrorism."--Not Arthur C. Clarke

  21. Re:The Score by aliens · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, blame me!

    For the last time, it's the Illuminati!

    --
    -- taking over the world, we are.
  22. Re:Confirmation? by Dr.+GeneMachine · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's what you get for participating in flame-wars...

    --
    This comment does not exist.
  23. Re:It's Not Magic, It's God(TM) by torpor · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think religion is probably the greatest scam ever invented.

    Behind Health Insurance, you mean ...

    --
    ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
  24. Re:Confirmation? by ckaminski · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, great. Thanks. Leave my sockets in a TIME-WAIT state, thanks... You do know you're supposed to *ACK* that packet, right?

  25. Re:Hmm. by paganizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought this was a nerd site!
    It's obvious what this is; the barrier between the normal world and faerie is coming down; look for reports of weird creatures in the nearby hills, similar things happening in various spots around the world as the local rules of physics change.
    It's FULLY detailed in the Shadowrun or Dark Conspiracy sourcebooks.

    --
    Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
  26. Apple sales are going to take a hit now... by Llywelyn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Advertising with the name "firewire," this seems to give a whole new meaning to that.

    --
    Integrate Keynote and LaTeX
  27. Re:I'd mod you insightful... by kgarcia · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bah

    It's that giant subwoofer the one guy built...

  28. Mafia by BoomerSooner · · Score: 3, Funny

    They invent everything. It's just another protection scheme.

    There is a reason my grandparents left Sicily, it was a corrupt shithole.

    That being said I'm proud to be Italian (and English).

  29. Re:Confirmation? by happyfrogcow · · Score: 4, Funny

    Watch our for their dropped packets!

    splat.

  30. Re:You need to read the Bible a little closer... by Kent+Simon · · Score: 4, Funny

    For some reason, I would think God's wrath is much more impressive than lighting up a few telephone wires in a city who's population is 39.

    --
    Kent Simon Multitheft Auto
  31. USB Printer Status by prat393 · · Score: 4, Funny
    In linux kernels, drivers/usb/class/usblp.c declares an array of strings with the status of USB printers as:
    static char *usblp_messages[] = { "ok", "out of paper", "off-line", "on fire" };
  32. Re:Highest Stress Job: Advisor to Tyrant by DCowern · · Score: 4, Funny

    (Sort of like, "Why doesn't the Psychic Hotline lady call me?")

    That's how it works in Soviet Russia...

  33. Re:Confirmation? by autocracy · · Score: 5, Funny
    (#*@$#)@(&)DF%N
    I just wanted to note that your code doesn't seem to execute in my version of perl. Which version did you write that in? *smirk*
    --
    SIG: HUP
  34. Piezo Electrics? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't know if anyone posted this but could there be a relationship to Piezo Eletrical activity.

    I wonder if they have done any kind of surveying or tests for minerals (assaying). Is there any sign of tectonic movement? I have no idea what I am talking about.

  35. Re:The Score by The-Dalai-LLama · · Score: 5, Funny

    At this point in the discussion I doubt this will be read by anyone, but I'm going to tell the story anyway.

    At the tail end of a stint in the Marines (too short to deploy) I got shipped to a headquarters unit personnel office that had a bunch of computers networked to a couple of shared printers. Since I knew the most about computers (which isn't saying much) people often asked me to help them with small problems.

    One of the corporals came to me once and said that her computer wouldn't print. I walked over, fiddled with everything I knew to fiddle with, and when that didn't help I turned to religion.

    "Corporal," I said, "Papa Legba is the voodoo god of the crossroads; all communication falls into his domain and he is displeased. We must make a sacrifice. Do you have a floppy disk that you are not using?" She gave me a 3.5" disk, which I held in the air and then tore open. I used a ballpoint pen to mark some arcane-looking but utterly meaningless symbols on the disk's medium, then had her tape it to the side of her monitor. I told her to try it again.

    Of course, when she tried again it printed with no problem. I have no idea what changed, but as I walked back to my desk she told me that I was the weirdest man she had ever met.

    The "sacrifice" was still taped to the monitor when I rotated out three months later.

    The Dalai Llama
    ...probably reading "Count Zero" at the time...

  36. Re:Confirmation? by Carl+Sable · · Score: 5, Funny

    Knight 1: Maybe he spontaneously combusted before he could finish?

    Knight 2: He wouldn't say **BZZZZZZZZTT*, he'd just say it!

    Knight 1: Maybe he was dictating.