ANST - ANST: My opinion

[Brandy Eads]

I don't like to foward things like this, but....

I just received this off the A&S page and found it very true of this 
list for the last couple of days.  I know it's long, but it's just so 
true...

Lady Marion
>********************************************************************
>>>WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE! Gullibility Virus Spreading 
>>>over the Internet!
>*******************************************************************
>WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular 
>Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are 
>becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe >without 
question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning >that shows up 
in their Inbox or on their browser. The Gullibility >Virus, as it is 
called, apparently makes people
>believe and forward copies of silly hoaxes relating to cookie
>recipes, E-Mail viruses, taxes on modems, and get-rich-quick >schemes 
[perhaps conspiracy theories should be included here]. 
>"These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery 
>tickets based on fortune cookie numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are 
>otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told 
>to them by a stranger on a street corner." However, once these same 
>people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe 
>anything they read on the Internet. 
>"My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported 
>one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child 
story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are 
>anonymous." 
>Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about 
>'Good Times,' I just accepted it without question. After all, there 
>were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the 
virus must be true."
>It was a long time, the victim said, before she could stand up at a 
>Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is Jane, and I've been 
>hoaxed." Now, however, she is spreading the word. "Challenge and >check 
whatever you read," she says. 
>Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptom of the 
>virus, which include the following: 
>*	the willingness to believe improbable stories without thinking 
>*	the urge to forward multiple copies of such stories to others 
>*	a lack of desire to take three minutes to check to see if a >story is 
true 
>
>T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one 
>reporter, "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all 
>shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo." 
>When told about the Gullibility Virus, T . C. said he would stop 
>reading e-mail, so that he would not become infected. 
>Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately. 
>Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet 
>users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item 
>tempting them to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall 
>tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet 
>community. Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, >and 
there is online help from many sources, including 
>*	Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at 
><http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html> 
>*	Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at 
><http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html> 
>*	McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at 
><http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html> 
>*	Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at 
><http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html> 
>*	The Urban Legends Web Site at 
><http://www.urbanlegends.com> 
>*	Urban Legends Reference Pages at 
><http://www.snopes.com> 
>*	Datafellows Hoax Warnings at 
><http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm> 
>
>Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves
>against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on 
>evaluating sources, such as: 
>*	Evaluating Internet Research Sources at 
><http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm> 
>*	Evaluation of Information Sources at 
>~http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
><http://www.vuw.ac.nz/agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm> 
>*	Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at 
><http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM> 
>Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the
>Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who 
>forwards them a hoax. 
>******************************************************************* 
>Forward this message to all your friends right away! Don't think >about 
it! This is not a chain letter! This story is true! Don't check >it out! 
This story is so timely, there is no date on it! This story >is so 
important, we're using lots of exclamation points!!! For every >message 
you forward to some unsuspecting person, the Home for the >Hopelessly 
Gullible will donate ten cents to itself. (If you wonder >how the Home 
will know you are forwarding these messages all over >creation, you're 
obviously thinking too much.) 
>******************************************************************* 


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