informational message

[Lawsonic Pianoforte Services]

Every now and then these things crop up.  As a public service, I will
post this informational message.  The contributor wishes to
remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the material.

 *******************************************************************       
                             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, email viruses, taxes on modems, and
 get-rich-quick schemes.

 "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 symptoms 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 email, 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 them-
 selves 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

     Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
        http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM

 It *is* possible to design responsible alerts for people to circulate
 on the Internet.  Here is a how-to that draws positive conclusions
 from long experience with the evils of badly designed alerts:

     Designing Effective Action Alerts for the Internet at
        http://weber.ucsd.edu/~pagre/alerts.html

 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.

 *********************************************************************
 This message is so important, we're sending it anonymously!  Forward
 it 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!  Lots!!  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.)
 *********************************************************************

  ACT NOW!  DON'T DELAY!  LIMITED TIME ONLY!  NOT SOLD IN ANY STORE!