Seven women died
Police say SMS about perfume poisoning is a hoax
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia, 08 May 2007
SINGAPORE: Police say an SMS that has been circulating, about seven women who died after inhaling free perfume samples, is a hoax.
Police remind the public to be responsible when disseminating information, and not to spread rumours.
If you receive such messages, you should contact the Police by dialling 999.
In other countries, it is the task of parents and nannies to "remind" their young charges to be responsible and not to spread rumours (about a perfume). But here, the police finds it appropriate to be our nanny!
So now you know why this country is called a "Nanny State"!
And in other countries, police emergency numbers are reserved for exactly that: emergencies. This means crimes such as an ongoing murder, rape, robbery, gang fight etc.
Here, on this wonderful Matrix Island, our Matrix Masters (MM), too, reserve 999 for emergencies. This means crime such as SMS messages disparaging the good name of a particular brand of perfume!
So, fellow human batteries, don't blame the police if you witness an unimportant crime such as a woman being raped, and cannot reach the 999 operator in time;
Those 999 operators have their hands full handling other emergencies of even greater proportion -- 7 women who do not exist and did not die!
So your rape victim jolly well have to wait in the phone queue while the case of the 7 virtual women is handled. First come, first serve - never mind virtual or real!
Oh, before I forget, how is the police going to "remind" us to be responsible (when it comes to a particular brand of perfume)? By inviting us to "drink tea" at the police station? Or is it at CID;s cold room? Or is it by charging us to court? (Obviously, they have to do one thing or the other, for otherwise, their "reminder" is not going to be effective).
This Matrix Island is not called a "Police State" for nothing!
So, if you are contemplating starting a family and having a baby, ask yourself: do you want just your 14 years old teenager to be hauled up to court or to the police station, for sending a SMS message about the false effects of a perfume?
If not, why do you want to have a baby on this Island? (That's not to say you should not reproduce. The hint is in the italics, to be talked about at another time :)
Human Battery: I want to let you guys know -- 7 women have died after inhaling free perfume samples that were offered to them at some shopping centres. So, beware, nothing is free in this world. Don't be kiasu when it comes to free stuff. Don't inhale perfumes. Don't breathe. Stay at home!
(So how? Have I created a pandemonia leading to a collapse of the economy due to nobody daring to buy a particular brand of perfume? Someone call the police quick! I need to be "reminded" that perfume X is manufactured by company T and any false claim that will affect company's T reputation is always an emergency!)
(Oops, Have I just started a rumour about company T which in fact did not manufacture perfume X? Someone quick call the police again! Another pandemonia has been created, this time leading to the stock market crashing due to everyone selling company T's stock!!!)
posted by The Human Battery @ 5/09/2007
2 comments
2 Comments:
(paragraphing and emphasis by me)
Don't send out hoax SMSes – get the message?
By Sheralyn Tay, TODAY, 10 May 2007
A harmless hoax? Hardly. Signalling that it is prepared to be tough on rumour-mongers who stir up public alarm, the Criminal Investigation Department is stepping in to track down the source of a hoax SMS message that has been making the rounds recently.
The SMS claims that seven women died after sniffing poisoned perfume samples. It purports, falsely, to originate from Gleneagles Hospital, and that the Government was covering up the news to avoid panic. Parkway Hospitals, which runs the hospital, on Wednesday confirmed that the issue is now a police matter. "We are cooperating with a police initiative to investigate the source and proliferation of the hoax SMS," said a spokesperson.
On Tuesday, the police issued an advisory debunking the SMS message as false. The advisory warned that "indiscriminate dissemination of false and alarming messages will only fuel the hoaxes and play into the hands of the hoaxer". Anyone who gets suspicious or alarming messages is urged to verify them with the authorities.
The SMS currently in circulation is similar to an email — also said to have originated from Gleneagles Hospital — circulated four years ago. Then, efforts to verify the source were unsuccessful. Indeed the hoax itself is not isolated to Singapore, having been debunked on several Internet sites.
Meanwhile, Parkway — which has fielded "a few calls" from the public on the matter — has alerted its security staff to be vigilant for unusual activity that may be related to the hoax. Parkway also clarified that, as with any healthcare facility here, their hospitals do not issue SMS health alerts or public safety announcements directly to the public or through their staff. Parkway has asked the public to stop forwarding the messages, and to contact the police if they have information on those responsible. "While we know the SMS to be a work of a prankster, the authorities do not look lightly upon such activities, especially where it concerns public safety and health," said the spokesperson.
Under the Telecommunications Act, anyone guilty of transmitting false messages can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed up to three years, or both. Penalties are harsher for messages referring to bombs or similar objects, and those guilty may be fined up to $50,000 or jailed up to seven years, or both. - TODAY/sh
We pay CID $$$ to investigate SMS hoax, instead of murder or rape or armed robbery?
Well done, Police State!
Good Bye, Police State!
Do you like to live in a police state?
"We are cooperating with a police initiative to investigate the source and proliferation of the hoax SMS," said a spokesperson.
I find the above a most interesting comment - police initiative!!! Parkway doesn't mind the hoax, but the police mind! Something like what the chinese said: "The emperor is not worried, but the eunuch is"! Police = Eunuch! lol!
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