Red Mercury

Saudi police are investigating the origins of a hoax that had hundreds of people believing that old sewing machines may bring fortune because they contained an elusive, and probably mythical, substance known as red mercury.

Talk about stitched up.

(That's basically all I had on this story, a weak pun. So now I have to read on to see if there's any more insight I can add.)

Saudi published pictures of Saudis proudly posing next to old sewing machines awaiting prospective buyers at traditional markets.

Heck, with the way the stock markets have been performing, they're actually a good investment.

Some buyers were willing to pay up to 200,000 riyals ($50,000, that's about £3.50... probably) for an old Singer sewing machine proven to contain red mercury. They used mobile phones to prove the existence of the red mercury.

They say, if the line cuts off when the telephone is placed close to the needle that proves the existence of the substance.

Or you're on the 3 network, when it would just cut off anyway.

Popular belief in the Middle East has it that it can help uncover hidden gold treasures, though there are other theories which say it can be used to create a nuclear bomb.

The only problem is mercury is an element, so you don't get different types. It's just silver and runny, and that's it.

So those who tried to buy a sewing machine to cash in on the red mercury now find they have nothing but an old sewing machine.

It's the most useless singer since Will Young.

[Read more on the source story]