State Department Once Thought Auto Parts Were 'Spaceballs,' 1970s Cables Show

USNews ^ | April 18, 2013 | Elizabeth Flock

[BenLurkin]

Newly released diplomatic cables from the 1970s reveal that the State Department once believed that old automobile parts were actually fragments that fell from space

Officials excitedly relayed the discovery of space debris found in New Zealand to the Secretary of State, NASA and the Department of Defense, according to the cables, which were acquired by transparency group MuckRock in a Freedom of Information Request shared with Whispers.

"Two apparent space fragments have been located in New Zealand... both are spherical, perhaps pressure vessels, bear no identifying marks, and caused no physical or personal damage upon impact," an unnamed official from the U.S. Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand wrote in a cable marked "secret" and "immediate," and addressed to the Secretary of State. The official also reported that the "space balls" had been initially picked up by local farmers.

[American Constitutionalist]

And the @$$holes who voted for them.
My theory is ? @$$holes, and arrogant SOBS are attracked to other @$$holes and arrogant SOBS.
@$$hole and arrogant SOBS voters vote for @$$holes and arrogant SOBS.

[golux]

(and please forgive me for hijacking this perfectly good thread with my inane and useless movie comments.)

[IMR 4350]

Fluid clutch. They thought it was a land mine.

The guy that put on the big head bomb suite that made him look like a green Pillsbury Dough Boy wasn’t too happy.

Navy boys really do cuss like a sailor.

[The KG9 Kid]

'Blazing Saddles' isn't just one of Mel Brooks' best comedies -- if not *the* best -- I regard it as one of the top five best Westerns ever made.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Didn’t like The 12 Chairs all that much, but Frank Langella was a handsome dude back in the day. (I say handsome because I’m a guy, but with his looks I could have done very well indeed)

[cyclotic]

Driving down the road one day, I passed a 5 gallon bucket in the roadway. It was a bucket of asphalt sealer, clearly marked “Asphalt Sealer.” Returning home from my errand a few minutes later, the HAZMAT truck had the road shut down to clean up a bucket of asphalt sealer. Yup, it was an asphalt road.

[Vaquero]

I love 12 chairs. Ron Moody was phenominal. Dom Deluise hysterical. And langella made it all work. Loved brooks as the former servant.
Ron Moody’s straight faced comedy was truly Incredible as the duke who lost everything.

And The real vlllain was communism.

[polymuser]

"Mmm mmm aliens!"