Hoax Watch

[everso]

Aug 4, 2011 21:23:35 GMT trubble said:

Virginia Tech Lockdown - False Alarm, Media Frenzy or Hoax?

The lockdown at Virginia Tech has been lifted after the police officers searched all of the campus buildings and came up empty. The report came from three children that saw a man with what looked like a gun, but now that is being called into question. There are consistent rumors that the police are considering the claim by the children as a possible hoax.

The gunman was described as white, 6 feet tall, wearing a striped blue shirt, gray shorts and sandals.

The investigation is ongoing and the incident is officially over, but there are plenty of questions remaining.

Tweets from students include:

@kevin_eike: I saw a guy carrying what looked like a sandwich. He's gone now. Everybody watch out for the sandwichman.
Hoax Verdict: At least we got to see what great security exists at the Tech and what fun the students are.

Is he anything like Candyman? (I still can't pluck up enough courage to look into a mirror and say 'Candyman' three times)

[trubble]

;D

Mini-trubs was scared stiff about the sandman when she was a kid.

[trubble]

Today's hoax gives me no pleasure.

Greyfriars Bobby story was scam to lure tourists, historian says

Story of dog keeping 14-year vigil by master's grave 'was concocted by cemetery curator and restaurant owner'





The story of how the "most faithful dog in the world" kept a 14-year vigil at his master's grave in Edinburgh was nothing but a Victorian business stunt, a historian has claimed.

The 140-year-old tale of Greyfriars Bobby continues to draw tourists to the graveyard where the Skye terrier – commemorated by a bronze fountain and immortalised by Walt Disney in a 1961 film – sat by the grave.

But Jan Bondeson, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, says the story was a fabrication, created by the cemetery curator, James Brown, and John Traill, a restaurant owner, to drum up custom for local businesses. As for Bobby, he claims the dog was a stray that was bribed with food to remain in the graveyard.

"The entire story is wrong – the account of the dog on the drinking fountain who supposedly kept vigil at his master's grave in all kinds of weather is not accurate," he added. "Bobby would go out hunting rats in the church and was kept well fed by the locals. He was not a mourning dog at all – he was a happy little dog."

The story says the terrier kept watch over the grave of his master, Edinburgh policeman John Gray, from Gray's death in 1858 until the dog died in 1872. However, after studying drawings and contemporary accounts of Bobby while researching a book, Bondeson realised he was looking at two different dogs.

"I noticed that the two dogs looked quite different. The first Bobby was quite an ugly dog, but in later paintings he looks just like the statue on the drinking fountain," he said.

The first Bobby, a mongrel, died in 1867, leaving Brown and Traill with a problem, Bondeson said. "A dead Bobby was no good for business, so they replaced him with a pure-bred Skye terrier who lived for a further five years, until 1872, after which it time did not take long for the fountain to be erected," he added.

Hoax Verdict: least said soonest mended - sigh

[Weyland]

Aug 5, 2011 13:27:40 GMT trubble said:

Today's hoax gives me no pleasure.

Greyfriars Bobby story was scam to lure tourists, historian says

Worry not, dear lady — the Land of the Rising Sun rises to the occasion! In the shape of none other than . . .

Chūken Hachikō. *




_______
* Greyfriar's Bobby

[riotgrrl]

"Scam to lure tourists" is probably going it a bit . .

It was a mild elaboration of a local truth. Hardly the fault of the Edinburgers if it's now some mad tourist attraction. The statue of Bobby at Greyfriars was erected in 1873, a year after the dog had died.

There definitely was a dog called Bobby that lived in Greyfriars. (It's not like the Loch Ness monster, a complete fabrication.)

That sentimental Victorian animal-lovers put up a statue, that the local story was embellished over time . . . these things are natural. It's not like 2011 and someone's put up a completely fictional web-page in order to steal your bank details.

[aubrey]

The dogs who stay with their master's body when he dies in the mountains are just staying by a ready source of meat. This explanation is usually given in dismissal of the idea that dogs feel anything for their humans, though I don't see why it should. I'd want my dog to eat me if that happened: why should she not?

[trubble]

Yeah, well, I am over the littlest hobo or Billy-Bob or whatever his name is now.

Today I am crushed by crazy accusations that these pictures are hoaxes.











Hoax Verdict: The hoax is that these are real but no one's letting on.

[Weyland]

Alleged to be Heinrich Himmler. It is, of course, Mouse.


Alleged to be Colonel Riotova. It is, of course, Greta Garbo.

[Weyland]

Talking of hoaxes, I watched a Harry Potter film this evening, for reasons of keeping abreast of popular culture.

Summary: No discernable plot to speak of. A lorralorra effects. Norralorra acting going on. A lorralorra famous names making some easy pocket money by showing up.

Reminded me strongly of It's a Knockout, only without the central horror element (Stewart Hall).

[everso]

I've never managed a Harry Potter film all the way through. Similarly, a Lord of the Rings film. In fact, just thinking about LOTR brings on an involuntary yawn.

[everso]

Aug 6, 2011 19:30:19 GMT trubble said:

Yeah, well, I am over the littlest hobo or Billy-Bob or whatever his name is now.

Today I am crushed by crazy accusations that these pictures are hoaxes.








Hoax Verdict: The hoax is that these are real but no one's letting on.

I can't understand how anyone actually thought these photos were real. I seem to remember reading that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was roped into believing it too. Tsk!

[Weyland]

Aug 6, 2011 23:25:04 GMT everso said:

I've never managed a Harry Potter film all the way through. Similarly, a Lord of the Rings film. In fact, just thinking about LOTR brings on an involuntary yawn.

At least tLotR has a consistent plot, some strong characters, and Liv Tyler.

[housesparrow]

Aug 6, 2011 12:18:45 GMT aubrey said:

The dogs who stay with their master's body when he dies in the mountains are just staying by a ready source of meat. This explanation is usually given in dismissal of the idea that dogs feel anything for their humans, though I don't see why it should. I'd want my dog to eat me if that happened: why should she not?

Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave? by Thomas Hardy


"Ah, are you digging on my grave,
My loved one? -- planting rue?"
-- "No: yesterday he went to wed
One of the brightest wealth has bred.
'It cannot hurt her now,' he said,
'That I should not be true.'"

"Then who is digging on my grave,
My nearest dearest kin?"
-- "Ah, no: they sit and think, 'What use!
What good will planting flowers produce?
No tendance of her mound can loose
Her spirit from Death's gin.'"

"But someone digs upon my grave?
My enemy? -- prodding sly?"
-- "Nay: when she heard you had passed the Gate
That shuts on all flesh soon or late,
She thought you no more worth her hate,
And cares not where you lie.

"Then, who is digging on my grave?
Say -- since I have not guessed!"
-- "O it is I, my mistress dear,
Your little dog , who still lives near,
And much I hope my movements here
Have not disturbed your rest?"

"Ah yes! You dig upon my grave...
Why flashed it not to me
That one true heart was left behind!
What feeling do we ever find
To equal among human kind
A dog's fidelity!"

"Mistress, I dug upon your grave
To bury a bone, in case
I should be hungry near this spot
When passing on my daily trot.
I am sorry, but I quite forgot
It was your resting place."

[Weyland]

Aug 6, 2011 23:28:24 GMT everso said:

I can't understand how anyone actually thought these photos were real. I seem to remember reading that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was roped into believing it too. Tsk!

That's true. One can only assume that he was either doolally, had very bad eyesight, or was making money out of it.

LINK

[trubble]

Do you believe in fairies?...If you believe, clap your hands!

from the pen of J.M. Barrie:

You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.


"There ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl."
"Ought to be? Isn't there?"
"No. You see children know such a lot now, they soon don't believe in fairies, and every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead."


When a new baby laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are always new babies there are always new fairies. They live in nests on the tops of trees; and the mauve ones are boys and the white ones are girls, and the blue ones are just little sillies who are not sure what they are.

"If you believe," he shouted to them, "clap your hands; don't let Tink die."

Many clapped.

Some didn't.

A few beasts hissed.

The clapping stopped suddenly; as if countless mothers had rushed to their nurseries to see what on earth was happening; but already Tink was saved. First her voice grew strong, then she popped out of bed, then she was flashing through the room more merry and impudent than ever.

She never thought of thanking those who believed, but she would have like to get at the ones who had hissed.

[trubble]

Aug 5, 2011 18:21:01 GMT @riotgrrl said:

"Scam to lure tourists" is probably going it a bit . .

It was a mild elaboration of a local truth. Hardly the fault of the Edinburgers if it's now some mad tourist attraction. The statue of Bobby at Greyfriars was erected in 1873, a year after the dog had died.

There definitely was a dog called Bobby that lived in Greyfriars. (It's not like the Loch Ness monster, a complete fabrication.)

That sentimental Victorian animal-lovers put up a statue, that the local story was embellished over time . . . these things are natural. It's not like 2011 and someone's put up a completely fictional web-page in order to steal your bank details.

There are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make. - J.M. Barrie

[everso]

Aug 7, 2011 7:40:09 GMT housesparrow said:

Aug 6, 2011 12:18:45 GMT aubrey said:

The dogs who stay with their master's body when he dies in the mountains are just staying by a ready source of meat. This explanation is usually given in dismissal of the idea that dogs feel anything for their humans, though I don't see why it should. I'd want my dog to eat me if that happened: why should she not?

Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave? by Thomas Hardy


"Ah, are you digging on my grave,
My loved one? -- planting rue?"
-- "No: yesterday he went to wed
One of the brightest wealth has bred.
'It cannot hurt her now,' he said,
'That I should not be true.'"

"Then who is digging on my grave,
My nearest dearest kin?"
-- "Ah, no: they sit and think, 'What use!
What good will planting flowers produce?
No tendance of her mound can loose
Her spirit from Death's gin.'"

"But someone digs upon my grave?
My enemy? -- prodding sly?"
-- "Nay: when she heard you had passed the Gate
That shuts on all flesh soon or late,
She thought you no more worth her hate,
And cares not where you lie.

"Then, who is digging on my grave?
Say -- since I have not guessed!"
-- "O it is I, my mistress dear,
Your little dog , who still lives near,
And much I hope my movements here
Have not disturbed your rest?"

"Ah yes! You dig upon my grave...
Why flashed it not to me
That one true heart was left behind!
What feeling do we ever find
To equal among human kind
A dog's fidelity!"

"Mistress, I dug upon your grave
To bury a bone, in case
I should be hungry near this spot
When passing on my daily trot.
I am sorry, but I quite forgot
It was your resting place."

I loved this, Housey! Very sad, but at the same time quite funny.

[aubrey]

Aug 7, 2011 7:54:16 GMT Weyland said:

Aug 6, 2011 23:28:24 GMT everso said:

I can't understand how anyone actually thought these photos were real. I seem to remember reading that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was roped into believing it too. Tsk!

That's true. One can only assume that he was either doolally, had very bad eyesight, or was making money out of it.

LINK

I don't know if it says so in that piece, but Conan Doyle had a vested interest in believing Spiritualism was real as his son was killed in the war, and the Fairy thing fits in with that quite well.

What was weird about those pictures is that the fairies are a Victorian type of fairy: earlier ones were not like that, and were generally awkward little buggers and quite spiteful.

[trubble]

Pre-Victorian fairies at work? :



Zombie Alert Proves A Hacking Hoax

DUBLIN, Ohio --
Drivers on Rings Road in Dublin looked twice Saturday at one of those electronic signs that display traffic information.

The sign that normally alerts motorists to construction delays was warning of a "Zombie Outbreak."

The sign happened to be next to a cemetery, but Dublin officials say there was no need to worry about the walking dead.

The sign had been hacked by a jokester, and no zombies have been spotted in Dublin.

Hoax Verdict: Hahahahahahahahahahaha

And from the comments section:

Terry Roofe · Top Commenter · Columbus, Ohio
I have been to dublin and trust me there is some living dead there.

[jean]

Here's a famous hoax from Radio 3 I've just been reminded of::





Hoax verdict: You decide.