How can seemingly intelligent people dismiss the eyewitness accounts of hearing explosives?

Originally posted by HowardRoark

NIST found no corroborating evidence for alternative
hypotheses suggesting that the WTC towers were brought
down by controlled demolition using explosives planted
prior to September 11, 2001. NIST also did not find any
evidence that missiles were fired at or hit the towers.
Instead, photos and videos from several angles clearly
showed that the collapse initiated at the fire and impact
floors and that the collapse progressed from the initiating
floors downward, until the dust clouds obscured the view.

Where is that quote from precisely?

It was from one of the presentations on September 13- 15.

Specifically, this one, page 12.

Originally posted by HowardRoark
It was from one of the presentations on September 13- 15.

Specifically, this one, page 12.

So, I wonder what extensive tests and research they did in order to produce this huge, three-sentence footnote regarding controlled demolition. And where's the token footnote for the squibs?

I find it very encouraging that NIST has been forced to actually address the issue, token as the mention may be. It means that enough noise is still being made that they are now having to scramble and actively deny it, in public. This can only be a good thing, and may well be the first small step in the eventual forcing of real, independent investigations into the events of the day, rather than government whitewashes like NIST's and the 9-11 Omission Report.

[edit on 2005-9-30 by wecomeinpeace]

I clicked on this thread because I thought you were talking about Hurricane Katrina. There were eyewitness accounts of people who heard explosions at all the levees just before they burst in New Orleans also. Hal Turner was presented with evidence from one of FEMA's divers that there were high-powered explosive residue on the main levee. He was told to keep quiet but he snuck a piece of the concrete containing the explosive on it according to the story put out by Hal Turner.