Re: Internet hoax sees China invade Japan

["Dr. Neal Krawetz" <hf () hackerfactor com>]

On Wed Oct 19 12:22:57 2005, Jason Geffner wrote:
> > But enough speculation...  Anyone have details?
>
> Could've been another one of these:
> http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/insider.htm
>
> Long story short, The Weekly World News (a tabloid) printed a bogus
> article that Yahoo then reprinted on Yahoo's website. Other legit news
> agencies saw the article on Yahoo's site, didn't realize that the story
> was bogus, and then reprinted the story as legit.
>
> - Jason
[snip]

Jason!  That's a good one!
Wow, while I jumpped right to technical implementations, you went for
something much more realistic!
(That story about the Aussie who was statically charged and burst things
into fire was another good urban legend that made it into the mass media.)

Ok, if it's a fake story that was picked up by the media, anyone know
the original source?

And now that I think about it...
(Neal switches into conspiracy theory mode...)
There has been a noticeable increase in mass media carrying urban legends
and obviously fake stories.
I wonder if someone is playing with the mass media.

Maybe we should start our own "almost believeable but definitely fake"
news stories and see who picks it up.

19-Oct-2005
Reuters AlertNet - 40 minutes ago
By Ima Haeker (Reuters)
Microsoft has announced plans to acquire Time Warner for $928 million
in stock options.  Microsoft plans to leverage the media giant's influence
in order to create a world-wide video network.  "Not only will they
run Windows, they will see Windows!" exclaimed CTO Bill Gates.  Microsoft
stock (MSFT) increase at the news announcement.  It is not known whether
the company will retain the Microsoft or Time Warner names, but Gates
did mention a fondness toward "MicroTime".  The merger is pending FTC
and FCC approval.  If approved, Microsoft will not only control the
only desktop operating system, but will also manage the world's largest
mass media outlet.

                                        -Neal
--
Neal Krawetz, Ph.D.
Hacker Factor Solutions
http://www.hackerfactor.com/

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