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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2006 > April > 10 > Entry
When e-mail takes on life of its own
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
E-mail is a great thing. It allows us to instantly distort anything and everything that once upon a time was a resemblance of truth. Please do not misunderstand me, (let the e-mail do that) I am a great proponent of utilizing e-mail for crime prevention purposes.
It has been the greatest tool for disseminating police information. It has been a godsend to me. You know what they say: No godsend comes without little bumps in the road. I have, as in everything else in my life, gotten on the information highway by way of the slow-learning curve that leads to the entrance ramp of uh … life, whatever.
Distribution of e-mail comes with great responsibility. Between 2001 and 2006, I sent out hundreds of e-mail reports that contained police activity as well as lookouts and crime prevention tips and warnings. The list of recipients grew from about 30 to more than 1,200 residents in north Fulton County and as far away as Australia. (It became obvious that the Australians just like the sarcasm and tacky humor — a good trait.)
As the list of recipients grew, so did the popularity of the reports. Soon the Atlanta Journa-Constitution offered to set up a blog. Not knowing what a blog was, I said “sure.” Until then, just about all of my e-mail from readers was positive, with the exception of the occasional death threat.
Soon after the blog was underway I realized that there are a lot of people out there who have opinions on just about everything and not necessarily things they know anything about.
At first I was amused, then angry, then amused again. (Currently amused still.) I also realized that Yanni lives in the hearts of many people and a mere bit of alleged domestic violence on his girlfriend and arrest did not take away the fact that his music is love and tranquility and fabulous hair. (I got your point.)
What we do know is that e-mail takes on a life of its own and therefore has to be watched like my dog, who despite my wife’s assurance that the poop detail has been concluded, poops in the one yard where everyone is standing around talking to the neighbors. (Referring to last week’s reading, my dog has not been blessed.)
E-mail is a great tool in crime prevention, but those who receive it need to realize that as it grows, it becomes embellished until it reaches a point of total fiction, or urban legend. Good information begins a slow, but consistent meltdown. They way I figure it, accurate information starts a process of embellishment based on several factors, mainly tabloid mentality. It has only hours to live an accurate life.
For example: If I sent an e-mail of a grisly murder, with all the stuff murders are composed of, after several generations of e-mail rounds, it will still remains much the same because it really can’t get much worse. People don’t embellish backwards. Robberies and burglaries and suspicious people are another matter. The intent of such information is to give accurate descriptions of events and those involved. If the e-mail starts from the police department, it has a decent chance of going 2-3 generations around the loop before it starts coming apart. If however, the e-mail originates in or around the Metro Atlanta Hysterical E-mail Network, it becomes a work of fiction within 1-2 loops around the block.
Here is dramatic proof:
8:30 a.m.
Beth e-mails Chad, her neighbor, from her office:
Chad:
FYI
Last evening, a man was seen walking in the neighborhood, selling magazine subscriptions for his college golf team. He was asked what college he attended and who the coach of the golf team was but he couldn’t give a good answer. I think that he may be trying to scam people for money. Would you please pass this on to the others in the neighborhood?
Thanks,
Beth
9 a.m.
Chad e-mails Bob, who lives in a nearby subdivision:
Bob:
Beth sent me an e-mail about a guy selling golf magazines to college kids in the neighborhood. She believes that he is the coach or something. She thinks that he may be trying to scam golfers in the area. None of the residents were ripped off. Please pass this along. Thanks,
Chad
10 a.m.
Bob e-mails Angela, whose husband Richard likes to play golf:
Angela:
Chad sent me an e-mail about something to do with a guy who stole some golf clubs and then tried to steal some magazines and then tried to kill his coach because he couldn’t get into college. Apparently he has taken some nuns hostage.
Noon
Richard gets the e-mail from Angela and sends it on:
To: Entire company e-mail list and Bob.
Good afternoon:
Apparently several nuns who worked as college coaches were murdered today in my wife’s friend’s tennis partner’s neighborhood. From what we know, they were murdered with her husband’s golf clubs. The clubs were stolen, too. The bag was autographed by Arnold Palmer. Please send along.
6 p.m.
Frank, who is Richard’s tax accountant, sends the following e-mail to the police department:
Dear Madam and Sirs:
I heard that Arnold Palmer was killed today by a deranged college student, posing as a nun, who was trying to get an autograph on his golf clubs that, incidentally, were stolen from someone at a magazine store. Several college kids witnessed the incident.
On the downside, the accuracy needs a bit of maintenance. On the upside, it’s great entertainment.
Remember: Just the facts.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Nicole
April 10, 2006 2:16 PM | Link to this
WOW! I totally agree with this! I can’t begin to count the number of times I have gotten e-mails that have been generated and re-generated around the WEB. The sad thing is so many of my adult friends believe this junk without doing some type of research into to the matter. Good article!!
By Donnie Evans
April 10, 2006 2:22 PM | Link to this
That reminds me of the old game when we were kids where everyone sat in a big circle while one started a rumor in the ear of the person to their left or right. From there it goes around and by the time it gets back to the original person, the story has totally changed.
By NancyG
April 10, 2006 2:29 PM | Link to this
How do you think this stuff up? Surely you will be picked up by Jon Stewart soon to cover the crime scene on The Daily Show. And yes, Yanni’s hair is sacrosanct and never to be belittled or trifled with. Although personally I’d like to trifle with it…
By Nichole
April 10, 2006 2:32 PM | Link to this
lmao!!!!!! Thanks I needed that after the morning I have had!!
By Amy
April 10, 2006 2:46 PM | Link to this
Good ole FWD: will get rid of all that.
By Lewis
April 10, 2006 2:52 PM | Link to this
I’m confused. Didn’t one of the Nun’s and Mickelson have a sudden death playoff in Augusta yesterday? Only Mickelson could have killed the college guy and still shot 7 under. He’s unbelievble!
By jill
April 10, 2006 2:53 PM | Link to this
omg i’m rolling over here. i have 1 friend who is convinced every forward she gets is true and when i poo poo her about it she alwasy says no this is serious. thanks for the great laugh a good way to start the week
By Whitey Nichols
April 10, 2006 3:47 PM | Link to this
Omigosh…Arnold Palmer was killed by a college student ??? I just saw him on the Masters telecast yesterday !!!!
By Kat
April 10, 2006 4:07 PM | Link to this
I encourage all readers of this blog to check out www.snopes.com before forwarding (most) anything you receive. It dispels most Internet stories including donations, products, chain mail, and many more. I always look up the items that I receive. Then, I copy the link that dispels the myth and reply to everyone on the list. Sometimes, it makes people think twice when they are publicly outed on their idiocy.
By Woodie
April 10, 2006 4:29 PM | Link to this
I don’t believe a word of this story. I’m thinking maybe you passed it around the neighborhood before posting it.
By Jennifer
April 10, 2006 4:32 PM | Link to this
rofl! Thanks, Mr. Rose. You crack me up! I even print off some of your stuff and send it to my parents in Illinois because they love it, too. And I agree with the Daily Show comment. As for Yanni’s hair: I’d rather trifle with Jon Stewart’s ;)
By Mike
April 10, 2006 4:38 PM | Link to this
A good place to check if an email is fact or fiction is www.truthorfiction.com. This is where I get a chance to end a lot of e-rumors. It’s also good for those folks who like to send out the ‘You won’t believe this, it really happened. Oh and if you forward this to 20 people, Bill Gates will send you $50!’type emails.
By It's_Really_Me_Not_a_Rumor
April 10, 2006 5:40 PM | Link to this
Another great site is hoaxbusters.org. Whenever I get one of these so called nightmare-life-or-death emails, I always check with this site. I then usually hit the ‘reply to all,’ and give everyone a heads up about the veracity of the thing!
I agree with the other posters-check before sending it…
Did you hear the one about the choking doberman????? Or the one about the Swiffers killing animals?? LOLOL…
By Bill
April 10, 2006 6:39 PM | Link to this
You will realize this is “fact”, when you get one of your own e-mails back,after “some embellishment” has occured to it.
By Great Site
April 10, 2006 7:29 PM | Link to this
Check out www.snopes.com to check out all the weird email hoaxes going around.
By Elane
April 10, 2006 7:52 PM | Link to this
Thank you, thank you Detective Rose. Now if only the perpetrators would take note. I have several perps in my office, and no matter how many times you direct them to www.snopes.com, they insist on taking all these cockamamie stories as gospel. Not only does it seriously impair productivity (especially mine), but I can feel the brain cells dying by the hundreds every time I open one of these e-mails. It’s sad that I feel defensive about this, because heaven forbid one incident were to be verified first-hand, and then the hysteria would be bottomless. Sheesh!
By J.D.
April 11, 2006 7:57 AM | Link to this
I couldn’t agree more with your article. With the technology improving every day the one thing that isn’t getting better is the level-headedness of some of the people. “It must be true… I read it on the Internet”, or, “I’ve got the email right here” ring in my ears constantly. Until some new age of rationality takes hold though I’m afraid we’ll all be subjected to gullible and misinformed forwards. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got to get back online for that cookie recipe before they change their minds about giving it away for free.
By Dad and Mom
April 11, 2006 8:24 AM | Link to this
thought you’d enjoy this, Love rock
By Hilisha
April 11, 2006 4:08 PM | Link to this
THIS IS THE MOST HILLARIOUS THING I HAVE EVER READ! I REALLY NEEDED THIS LAUGH! I AM CRYING!
By GEY
April 11, 2006 9:43 PM | Link to this
I am laughing AND going “uh-huh” all at the same time. I get some emails from people that are NOTHING but these myths and “hatched up” plots… We even get them from our district manager! I looove the ones that tell you “send this to ten people in the next 10 mins and a MIRACLE will occur! ;)
Keep up the Good Work—Det. Rose!
By Steve Rose
April 12, 2006 3:30 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe this guy! Is this all he does? When does he fight crime?