Well, it all started with e-mail. Specifically an e-mail hoax that has been making the internet rounds for several years.
Which one?!? you may be asking yourself. Well, keep on the lookout for the subject line that goes something like this:
SCIENCE PROJECT-NORTH LAUDERDALE FLORIDA, USA
In the body of the mail it CLEARLY states:
Hi:
I am a science teacher at an elementary school in
Los Angeles, California....
OK, let's put 2 and 2 together. Are North Lauderdale Florida and Los Angeles California located close to each other? That would be a resounding NO. How then, can a elementary school class from LA enter a science fair all the way across the country? In addition, WHY would any child or group of children enter a science fair with the subject of e-mail?
There are of course variations, but that is the one that seems to be making the rounds this week. Why do I say that? It is only Wednesday and I have received this mail from 7 different people since Sunday. My DELETE key is wearing out. Today I had enough and actually replied to the mail (OK, it was sent by my aunt and I wanted her to know she had been duped).
My reply?
OK folks, let's go through this once more, HOW TO RECOGNIZE A HOAX IN 3
EASY STEPS:
1. Look at the subject line:
SCIENCE PROJECT-NORTH LAUDERDALE FLORIDA, USA
2. Look at key points in the body of the message:
Hi:
I am a science teacher at an elementary school in
Los Angeles, California.
Now, before going to step 3, look at the first two, do they match? If no,
then....
3. Go to www.snopes2.com and in the search line type in Science Fair.
HOAX!
OK, let's now apply common sense. A science fair, what on earth would
sending an e-mail around do for any student or groups of students entered
in a science fair? Nothing.
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In a perfect world people would research these types of mails and they would stop. Of course, in that same perfect world I would not get junk-e-mail either.