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defrogFor those of you wondering, “Where is dEFROG’s April Fool’s post?”, the answer is: I don’t have one.
At least, I don’t think I do.
To explain: we don’t have AFD here in Hong Kong, or really anywhere outside of the US and the UK. And while I appreciate a practical joke as much as the next person, the fact is most AFD hoax stories aren’t funny, and have lost their impact ever since The Onion went online. I mean, what’s the point?
(Although The Telegraph’s story about how govt scientists have discovered how to convert swimming fish into electricity is pretty good.)
The other problem is that in the 21st Century, where real life is getting weirder every day, it’s getting harder to know when a story is a prank or not.
Here, I’ll show you.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STORIES IS FAKE?
1. From New Scientist: Two studies of hormonal changes associated with BDSM play find that spanking, bondage and flogging helps bring consenting couples closer together.
2. From Reuters: Reigning Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza visits Guantanamo Bay and blogs: "It was a loooot of fun!”
3. From Car And Driver: President Obama bans Chevrolet and Dodge from sponsoring NASCAR events as part of his auto industry bailout plan.
Officially, the answer is (3), although an awful lot of NASCAR fans didn’t realize it. They were pissed at Obama for meddling with NASCAR, and now they’re pissed at Car And Driver for running such an "irresponsible" story. I guess it’s hard to have a sense of humor about NASCAR when Kyle Busch wins every year. (I wrote that for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bluesgirly .)
On the other hand, I’m still not convinced that the Miss Universe “I heart Gitmo” story is for real. The official MissU site has removed the post and explained that she was talking about the part of Gitmo that isn’t the torture camp detention facility. Whether it's real or not, it probably won't stop Rush Limbaugh from saying, "See? I told you people years ago that Gitmo was practically Club Med!"
And while we’re at it, I’m not 100% sure the New Scientist BDSM study is on the level either – though it wouldn’t surprise me if it is. Personal experience and all.
Honorable mention to the Conficker virus, which was real, but the way the non-tech media cheerfully milked the story for all it was worth as the new Y2K that will destroy the motherf***ing Internet and take yr bank account with it, it might as well have been a hoax. Threat Level’s hilarious coverage of the Interweb Conficker meltdown speaks volumes.
Won’t get fooled again,
This is dF
At least, I don’t think I do.
To explain: we don’t have AFD here in Hong Kong, or really anywhere outside of the US and the UK. And while I appreciate a practical joke as much as the next person, the fact is most AFD hoax stories aren’t funny, and have lost their impact ever since The Onion went online. I mean, what’s the point?
(Although The Telegraph’s story about how govt scientists have discovered how to convert swimming fish into electricity is pretty good.)
The other problem is that in the 21st Century, where real life is getting weirder every day, it’s getting harder to know when a story is a prank or not.
Here, I’ll show you.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STORIES IS FAKE?
1. From New Scientist: Two studies of hormonal changes associated with BDSM play find that spanking, bondage and flogging helps bring consenting couples closer together.
2. From Reuters: Reigning Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza visits Guantanamo Bay and blogs: "It was a loooot of fun!”
3. From Car And Driver: President Obama bans Chevrolet and Dodge from sponsoring NASCAR events as part of his auto industry bailout plan.
Officially, the answer is (3), although an awful lot of NASCAR fans didn’t realize it. They were pissed at Obama for meddling with NASCAR, and now they’re pissed at Car And Driver for running such an "irresponsible" story. I guess it’s hard to have a sense of humor about NASCAR when Kyle Busch wins every year. (I wrote that for
bluesgirly .)On the other hand, I’m still not convinced that the Miss Universe “I heart Gitmo” story is for real. The official MissU site has removed the post and explained that she was talking about the part of Gitmo that isn’t the torture camp detention facility. Whether it's real or not, it probably won't stop Rush Limbaugh from saying, "See? I told you people years ago that Gitmo was practically Club Med!"
And while we’re at it, I’m not 100% sure the New Scientist BDSM study is on the level either – though it wouldn’t surprise me if it is. Personal experience and all.
Honorable mention to the Conficker virus, which was real, but the way the non-tech media cheerfully milked the story for all it was worth as the new Y2K that will destroy the motherf***ing Internet and take yr bank account with it, it might as well have been a hoax. Threat Level’s hilarious coverage of the Interweb Conficker meltdown speaks volumes.
Won’t get fooled again,
This is dF
