Cool News
Re: The Whole ACADEMY AWARD Pre-List Deal And What Really Happened
Ahhhh... It's amazing how a story like this can get as out of control as it seems to
have gotten. I've sat back and watched article after article get the story completely
wrong... even after talking with me.
First off, I never hacked into anything. I wouldn't even begin to know how to do
any hacking. Not only that. But the source that provided me with the alleged list... Well
that person also never hacked into anything. In fact... Well, let me start at the
beginning.
Sunday Afternoon-Evening I received my first email from my source. This email
was sent to not only me, but Matt Drudge as well. And this is what it said:
"*** INSIDER INFORMATION! ***
As of February 12, 2000, the Academy Awards nominations have been narrowed
down to the attached list.
(Please note that there are slightly more nominations in each category,
because the vote counts are very close in those categories, and recounts are
being finalized right now.)
An updated list will be sent as soon as possible, if available before the
5:38am announcement on Tuesday morning."
This email had that big mass of text that I printed after the nominations on Tuesday:
CLICK HERE TO
READ THAT BIG MASS OF TEXT.
Having read that gigantic ton of text, it seemed as though it might possibly be some
sort of preliminary press material created by the Academy, So I wrote the source back
with the following: "What can you tell me about the source of this info? How did you
come by this? Please answer asap."
To which, the source responded with:
"I happen to have access to one of the computers at the Academy of Motion
Pictures Arts & Sciences, where they are keeping tabs of all of this stuff
in an UNPROTECTED, MULTI-USER FileMaker Pro database. Totally open to the
world, if you know the IP address of the computer! (It's currently offline
as I type.) The text file is in pretty shabby shape, I know, but it was the
best I could do -- I had to export the information very quickly.
I only wish that:
1. I would have gotten it sooner, instead of just the day before the
"official announcement."
2. I already had the "finalized list" of 5 nominees per category, instead
of this preliminary list.
Hope this helps you out somehow!
See ya,"
At this point, I contacted some folks to begin to help me to research the information
in that giant hunk of text. We went over every name... checking their credits to make
sure that they indeed did belong in the possible nomination lists. Then I pulled some
Reuters/Variety/Hollywood Reporter stories about the nomination process, and found the
press release stories about how the nominations in SPECIAL EFFECTS and SOUND
EFFECTS EDITING had been narrowed down to... well, the names and films that were
listed in that big text.
I had a friend that claims to know the tech side of things pretty well take a look at
the I.P. Address that this stuff allegedly came from. I wanted to be assured that it did
come from an Academy Server or Computer. And this person assured me that it did.
HOWEVER, IT DID NOT! And this was the key mistake that allowed the material to be
printed.
I then had one more additional correspondence with my original source. And this is
what it had to say...
"Hey Harry!
The database is back up and running!
You'll need FileMaker Pro to see it for yourself. Go into FileMaker Pro 3.0
or 4.0 or 4.1 (not 5.0), and change the network preferences to TCP/IP.
Then, quit out of FileMaker Pro and re-launch FileMaker Pro. Then, pull
down from "File" to "Open..." Click on "HOSTS"... specify that IP
address... choose oscar_nominations.
(Sorry I couldn't export the titles of all the films at the time, and you
had to subsequently go through all of that research!! Great job, BTW! The
system was shutting down, and I had to do a very quick export of the fields
that I could get a hold of within just a few seconds!)
It turns out that this is the database earmarked for the Oscar.com webmaster
-- she's getting ready to export this info and upload it to the oscar.com
web site tomorrow morning. I certainly hope they haven't been feeding her
database red herrings, or else I'm gonna be pretty damn embarrassed for
snooping around their machines!"
By this time the story was up. After spending about 7 or 8 hours researching the
list, confirming every name on it to make sure it was correct, the confirmation of the
server, and with that, I felt quite confident that what I had was some sort of advance
promotional material for the Academy that they prepared with preliminary
information.
Then of course on TUESDAY morning the Oscar Nominations were released, and I
looked like a complete moron. Exhausted and a bit angry, I hastily posted the real
nominations and went to sleep, completely confused and tired, and suddenly uncertain as
to what exactly the original list was or from whence it had came.
SO what really happened?
Apparently what happened was this. It turns out that the I.P. address was not a
computer within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, though it had been
represented as such to me. Turns out that the computer was a home unit of someone
working on ABC.Com's team preparing for Oscar Coverage that next morning who was
completely unaware (just as I was) that a cable modem creates a two way street from your
computer into the internet.
The original source completely believed (it seems) that he had found an Academy
computer, but in reality it was just some poor guy or gal’s home computer with a cable
modem. When I posted the list, both myself... this original source (who was a first timer)
believed the material was valid. It was not. The source wasn't someone within the
Academy or a guy with ABC's team... he was just some guy out there that thought he
found something really cool, got excited, overstated his material, and sent it to me and
Matt Drudge hoping to share his discovery.
I then went about to confirm the information. Spent hours doing research on the
names, and then had someone with tech experience try to identify the 'alleged Academy
computer' and this is where the ball was dropped... as it was wrongfully identified as being
an ACADEMY COMPUTER, when it was not.
So, as it stands today, there was never an attempt on an Academy computer. The
nominations were never in any danger. And both Price Waterhouse and the Academy can
sleep well at night knowing that at no point was there any failure in their security.
Meanwhile, at my end I have to find someone who can correctly identify the location of an
I.P. Address so something like this never happens again, and so stories based upon the
identity of a computer will no longer run on my site, as it seems... I don't have the
adequate resources to correctly identify and validate them, though I thought I did.
And yesterday I talked with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences,
and told them my side of the story and it seems that until the story is correctly told in the
media, we both kind of have pie on our faces. Contrary to Roger Ebert's belief that there
was 'hacking'... there was none. Contrary to the belief that I was my own source on this
story... I was not. What happened here was faulty research... plain and simple.
And personally, I'd like to offer an apology to the Academy for getting them all tied
up in this nonsense. Overall, the most frightening aspect of all of this is not that someone
claimed to have the nominations early... or that I believed that they were truthful... BUT
RATHER... That if you have a cable modem... You need to have some sort of
FIREWALL or other type of Security software so someone on the web can't just have
access to your computer. And that's the scary part of all of this. If you know where to
get this software, I'd be very interested in it for myself. This is pretty scary to me.
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Hi Harry dont get all worked up mate who really cares you do a great job there and we all love the stuff you do, no sweat nobody is going to kick your arse your still number 1
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Feb 18, 2000 6:25:31 AM CST
I have a cable modem and i'm now scared too, somebody hold me
by mckenziefrenzy
tell me more, if someone out there knows a few numbers that relate to this computer can the potentialy fuck with it??
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Shit Happens Harry. Don't sweat it.
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It was a simple mistake. Please keep your head up.
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Harrry I really think that it's no biggie. And if my assumption is right then the only problem for You is as follows. Harry it seems to me that You no longer "just" want's to be the "internet geek" no, now you crawe for acknolegement from the rest of the movie and critic society. It is litterally pouring out of your site- "PLEASE accept me as a serious and subseqently(not always) boring/analysing movie geek". "No No not geek- I want to be like Ebert or Maslin". Well my friend, we as your visitours build You. Dont run down that friggin road- stay where you are!!!!.
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Any of us who have any sense don't depend on this site for hard news. We know that some of the stuff here is just rumour and won't turn out in the end. We know that you get enthusiastic about the scoops you come across and they don't always pan out. When you first printed this list you said yourself that you weren't 100% sure of its validity, only that it seemed real to you. It's unfortunate that you ended up with egg on your face but I've read other places that the Academy doesn't put their preliminary choices on computer at all so they needn't have worried that they'd been hacked. Hell, the list you had seemed logical and wasn't even that far off the mark. If it had come across the monitor of just about any of us we would've thought we really had a big scoop. Since you only had one day to check it out or lose the scoop it is understandable that you would've been a little less thorough than normal. Don't let it get you down. It'll all blow over in a few days. I think more of us were bothered by the retraction where you shrugged it off with a que sara than by the actual mistake. I'm glad you clarified things further instead of just ignoring the criticism. Don't let this one goof keep you from posting unsubstantiated posts. We wanna hear all the rumours. Even the ones that don't pan out.
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Harry, don't feel too bad. After all it was a lesson learned. Besides, The Academy chose the safe and boring route as usual with the nominations. Frankly, they have more egg on their faces than you ever will.
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Plenty of other sites wouldn't, so don't worry.
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I mean, Harry screwed up. So what? You've got some asshole at Rough Cut calling it the end of journalistic integrity as we know it or some shit. Here's some truth for you, smart guy...Places like Salon, Rough Cut, and The Drudge Report - all have this in common - THEY SUCK. Wanna know why? Because NONE of their people know how to write worth a damn. Harry's a damn better writer than most that I've come across in the Internet. If Matt Drudge had access to the Academy lists, don't you think he'd post it in a New York minute? This is the guy who regarded the Monica Lewinsky stories as divine dogma. Fuck those people. And fuck Ebert, too, if he has a problem with it. Jesus, you'd think Harry printed the nuclear codes, or something. It's just the Oscars. The day the nominations came out, I couldn't find any people at all (except for my movie geek friends) who actually gave a shit. So, in the end, who gives a fuck? Harry, I'm still here, and I suspect most everyone else will be. They just don't have the balls to back you up, that's all.
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After Roughcut printed some hate-news about AICN, I traded some letters with the guy and he doesn't see too bad, just has the same problem with Harry some of the other Talkbackers have AND he had a story. Except for this apology, most of the Internet world had already moved on as Internet news DOES NOT hang around that long. So, oh, well. If this has led to the high number of stories being posted this week, great, if not, we're all still here, not elsewhere. A lot of people read other sites, but everybody comes here first.
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It had a kinda condescending tone towards you. They seemed a bit smug that your attempt to scoop everyone with the noms had failed so spectacularly. I would have expected that from a paper journalist but not from another website, with whom I thought you had a good relationship with. (Both sites have linked to each other on many occasions in the past)
I hope this whole situation doesn't change your methods too much for getting stories. I'd hate to think you avoided printing a massive scoop just because you weren't completely 100% on it. IMHO you've been on top form scoop-wise recently, and the X-Men pics will probably turn out to be the scoop of the year. Keep the faith, you're bound to come a cropper every now and then cause you cannot fully verify every story or you suddenly become the imdb news page (with stories I've always heard ages ago, usually here!)
As regards the noms themselves, I'm delighted with the South Park nom for best original song, but still a little angry at the academy for dropping the score category that BL&U had a seriously real chance of winning if the voting was unbiased. -
Hairy, loser, what up?? I think this was all just a clever publicity stunt to get you noticed. Being a movie rumor mongerer is just not enough. So, create some Academy Award nomination announcement snafu! Wow. Good one. So CIA-like.
You'll be but a memory, and a bad one at that, come March.
Now, go steal some more info from IMBD or Dark Horizons or something.... -
WHO GIVES A RAT'S ASS! Look you nutsacs - and I know some of you are reading this. The "Academy" is a fucking joke! You run such a snooty greased-palm popularity contest fiasco that you should be on your knees giving Harry a reacharound for even mentioning your annual monkey-suit farce. I say piss on them Harry! In fact, in 2001 we should give the world the "AICN Awards." We have the most kick-ass academy of experts here: Pisso, Fat Baldwin, the Darths - the list goes on and on. I am tired of three hours of the White Man's fashion show every year. [BTW - sure mighty nice of you's nominatin' Denzel dis year, massa. Guess the NAACP will lay off you's dis year!] Come on Harry. We can do it! The power of the internet can far surpass network programming. IF WE HOST IT, THEY WILL COME! AICN AWARDS IN 2001!!!
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And even though you didn't have the knowledge to accomplish it, you still had someone walk you through the process of accessing someone else's machine without permission.
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Anyone who complains to Harry about this whole fiasco is wasting their time. Harry screwed up; he knows it, everyone else knows it, let it die. And besides, the people who are calling for his head need to keep their egos in check. They should remember that all this discussion is about the MOVIES--not world peace or an end to hunger, but entertainment.
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No, it's not cracking. And the
permission of the computer's ower
was implicit in the fact that this
information was not secured in any
way. No laws were broken here. -
Feb 18, 2000 9:12:09 AM CST
Let them shove their golden barbie right up thier own arse( hop
by atreides
Harry chill out, take a step back man this is the BEST thing that could have happened. The publicity for your site was massive. When I read your news I thought cool, when I saw it being quoted on other news sites - I thought cool. Then when it turned out to be untrue I thought it was hilarious!!. You aren't owned by a large corporation, YOU are not the establishment! You can write what you want, dammit! So Harry if you feel attacked, you know fuck 'em, We are still fans and that is what really matters...so chin up old boy!
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:) I guess you'll be watching the oscars at home just like the rest of us now...aw well :)
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Why did you print them in the first place? so you could spoil/distort the anticipation of everyone around the world who was trying to pre-guess them? Whatever you're excuses above, which I'm sure no-one can be bothered to read, you are stuck in your own shit so stop trying to climb out of it. I'm sure like many others I wasn't the only one to be very disappointed that you printed them....so...
1) you lose credibility
2) you lose readers
3)you lose respect
4)stop selling out -
Dude, it's okay, man, really. This site is for gossip and rumors. It's okay to get a little off on one. This just shows that the Warrior is a little off. If you truly were a bloated sell-out you woulda had the 100% correct inside scoop. C'mere big-guy...give me a big sweaty ole hug!
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Torrance5 did Harry really spoil/distort the anticipation of everyone around the world? Were YOU trying to pre-guess them? Did you stamp your feet in annoyance, Did you throw your toys out of your pram
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I'm more than willing to accept that Harry's mistake was an honest one. But no matter how honest, it is this type of irresponsible reporting that brings down the credibility of the entire internet. I run a movie review webpage and get to attend advance screenings for movies. But within the last few days -- because of various events including this one -- the studio publicists are having second thoughts about anybody who is internet based. I'm getting phone calls that are hammering me and I haven't even done anything. It's guilty by association and they're afraid that we'll all be as irresponsible as Harry. Again, I'm sure the mistake was honest and I can forgive the guy, but Harry, you've hurt not only your credibility, but now there are a lot of internet based sites that are finding they have to defend themselves for absolutely no reason.
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Go to the web site www.grc.com and see what they have to say about cable modems being two-way, they are not. They will even test your security over the web for free. Your source must have hacked into someones machine over a network or intranet, or just fabricated that list (the latter being the most likely). But who really cares, stop trying to explain yourself, this is a gossip and rumour site as are most of these sites, the Oscar selection process is done via a multi-choice questionaire anyway to all the movie/studio heads, and we all know what they know!! ...sweet FA.
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So? The whole reason I read this site is for rumors. It's all about the excitement of hearing cool possibilities. There's nothing more fun than hearing things like "Danny Boyle to make a Manchester movie" or Leo to play Anakin". Who cares if it's wrong as long as Harry comes back and says "Oh by the way, I found out that such and such was wrong." Then I think, oh that's too bad. That would have been really cool. Then I move on. Who cares. If anything I think Harry maybe holds back too much. Back in the old days it seems like there was alot more rapid fire rumors and retractions going on. I think Harry needs to not hold back at all. This IS a RUMOR site! That's the whole point. If you want safe, boring official news read Entertainment Weekly or it's counterpart on TV ET. That's exciting, yeah. Or read the movie's official site. And as far as the "real media" criticising this. Fuck that. The world is way too uptight. And the bigger this site gets, the more contact it's going to have with that world. So it's bound to get some friction. But let's face it, the media in general usually tells about 1/4 of the whole story. At least Harry tells it all, even if it's after the fact. The Oscars are so highly cherished by the mainstream. To most of us it's boring bullshit. Pomp and Circumstance. Like I get my opinion from the "Academy" on whether a movie is great or not. It's pointless. But since it's so cherished people are very protective of it. Either that or other sites, etc... are just jealous of Harry and making a big deal of this is their way of making themselves look better. "Nothing feels better than pointing out the shortcomings of others." If you can smash someone else it makes you look alot bigger. It's a sign of how big Harry is getting. It's unavoidable.
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It seemed like quite a big thing for Harry to get a mention on the cover of the main British national paper but hey, that was then, it's another day. What I want to know is how was that 'wrong' list so accurate. If it wasn't an academy list then how come in the acting noms, from the 8 names in each category ALL 5 nominees were included?
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Devolver just about hit the nail on the head... couldn't agree more.
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Yet another generation of sad sacks who come to the talkbacks solely to proclaim that "this site is finished, all it's credidibility has vanished." People have been saying that since the talkbacks were introduced, it's an easy substitute for having anything interesting or insightful to say. Eventually these people get bored, because no matter how many times they repeat it, Harry's star only seems to rise. Shit, after the Godzilla fiasco people were saying "You're History big boy!", next thing Harry's got cameos in Rodriguez films and is appearing on Ebert's show! Now it's the same. Money G, you no doubt think you're the first person ever to to predict doom for this site, but you're about three years too late for that honour. The only remotely unprofessional behavior on Harry's part in this situation was printing the explanation an apology. Since when do mainstream media outlets ever apologise for screwing up unless there's litigation pending?
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Harry
Two websites that you might want to check out
http://www.zonelabs.com/
Here you will find ZoneAlarm which is the free firewall program. Supports all connections...
The second is
http://www.neoworx.com/neotrace/
neotrace is a shareware tracing/whois program. you can also tie in with location databases
Been after your site since you appeared on the BBC.
Hope this helps you and others
Cannon -
Harry, checking an IP is the most easiest thing to do. You just need a freeware program like Cyberkit. If you want something more complex that get VisualRoute. That IP is from someone in Boston using Mediaone Cable service, how could it be from AMPAS.org net? Checking a scoop's validity based on an IP will never be a 100% thing because as it is extremely easy to chack one's IP ist's similarly easy to conceal it under a fake one.
Anyway, if you need someting checked in the future just drop me a mail. But as I said it won't really prove anything because it all depends on the Net expertise of the person who sent you the "scoop". -
All part of the fun of using the Internet to gather information is that most of it is dubious. This still sounds like a purposeful prank to me; why else would someone make up a big phony list and put it online to be 'discovered'? Though getting burned over Oscar nominations still isn't as bad as the Spider-man Incident.
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Hey,
If you are looking to block access to your cable modem, Deerfield.com provides a solid proxy/firewall/internet sharing solution called WinGate. For information on this product visit
http://wingate.deerfield.com
- Geoff B -
C'mon, guys. Can't you see that Harry's bawling his eyes out up at the top of the page? The playful, chameleon-like dart of Harry's tongue is gone; only Sad Tearful Harry remains. Actually, Harry, you did fuck this one up big time. But as someone who's really learned to loathe the Oscars, I have no problem with that at all.
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Feb 18, 2000 11:01:07 AM CST
If true there's a possible lawsuit - Harry talk to a lawyer befo
by funny ha ha
Artaud is right - this is the third story - right or wrong. Harry, while I doubt they will, the MPAA sharks could try to make an example of you, or get back at you for other perceived transgressions. Talk to a lawyer pal here in Austin before you say much more - I've got a few lawyer friends in town if you need some names. I know this seems gross, but that's the way of the real world - the man wants to stick it to the indie flies that bug them, and this may present an opening... just trying to be helpful, not chicken little.
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Harry, I love your site, and I really love what you bring to the table, but I'm a troubled by this apology. Harry.... you are not a reporter. You can't offer up rumors of the goings on of Hollywood, and worry about whether you're right or not. That's what Variety is for. Man, you're a guy with a web site. You don't owe us anything, you don't owe the establishment anything. Stop worrying about those guys. Do what you do best. Spread the (insert excrement here) around. Listen, I have been coming to your site every day since I read about in Inc. MAgazine a couple of years ago. Since that time, I've noticed a gradual decline in the quality of the content. It seems to me you're trying to make a go at it in the industry. You can't do it, and maintain the rumormongering quality I loved in the old days. If you become a respect journalist, that's the end of the site. What ever happened to the guy who would use a so-called rewiew to tell us his inner most desires and fears? The worst thing that happened to you was getting on Ebert. You are the anti-Ebert! Don't try and win his or the industries approval. Make them fear you, respect you, cater to you. Not the other way around. The path you are on is going nowhere but down. It's got to stop. Please Harry, this is heart-felt, you need to get back to your roots. Do I not want you to grow? Do I not want you to succeed? Of course I do. But I can see the future. Those industry guys don't like you, and they don't care about you. They hate you and alway will. You are playing into they're hands. They've been waiting for something like this to attack you. Where's your buddy, Ebert, now? I don't know you, I've never met you and I probably never will, but I (and the vast majority of the people who come to this site) care about you. Hell, I know you probably won't even read this, but since I care, I felt compelled to vent. Sure, there are those out there who will flame me for this, but I don't care. This post is for you.
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Check out Ebert's website, www.suntimes.com/ebert, and you'll see why. He gave 'The Whole Nine Yards' three stars, and 'Pitch Black' two stars! And, to add insult to injury, he says in his review of 'Pitch Black' that 'The Arrival' was a superior film!
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I'm right with you, well said
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To learn all about the subject, learn from the MASTER - Steve Gibson (in the ShieldsUP! section) at www.grc.com ....He has an excellent analysis of Evil Port Monitors vs. Personal Firewalls...and he's got a port probe running which will tell you exactly how vulnerable your machine is right now. To make a quick summary, his favorite FREE! software is ZoneAlarm from ZoneLabs at www.zonelabs.com - I am running it and it is FANTASTIC.
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...impressed. Harry here got himself all over the place with this little "list." It even made the BBC. Oh, well...let me be the first to welcome you to the Schmucks Club. I'm Emmit Devay, Rush chair. Damn glad to meet you.
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So you were wrong...
It sounds like you made a good attempt to prove or disprove your info, which certainly sounded legit. As the whole idea of this site is that this is ephremial, insider, iffy stuff, your apology is unnecessary. But appreciated. -
As I mentioned in a previous Talkback post, I firmly believe that this was an innocent mistake, but I also firmly believe that this is a serious matter with serious issues involved that need to be discussed rather than ignored. Thank you, Harry, for finally explaining what happened in detail. I don't blame the Academy either for being concerned and even investigating legal pursuits if indeed any laws were broken. It's one thing to trade rumors and gossip and inside sources, etc. -- but it's another thing when people use questionable means to obtain property that isn't rightfully theirs. Harry, I think you've done nothing wrong, but please continue to be forthright in discussing this matter. As you said, it's a scary topic with frightening implications, but it needs to be addressed. -- Nick
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If you received the oscar WINNERS a day early, I dunno someone a Price Waterhouse sends you his E-Mail by mistake, would you post it?? And who of the talkbackers wouldn't wanna see it? I know I would! What exactly should an Internet site's ethics be? If you had Episode2 1st draft would you post it? No i guess.If you knew that a new James Bond has been chosen you probably would......I'm not on the attack here just wondering what should and should be said on a Web site.
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I used to enjoy AICN, now it frustrates me to no end. Sorry, Harry, I love you to death, but this is another example of the fact that this site is WAAAAAAY over its head.
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Harry
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Knowing how Harry is on surprises, I find it highly unlikely that he would post the actual winners, if he were to somehow stumble upon them (which would take an act of God, Yahweh, and Jackie Vernon. BTW, I've heard those Price/Waterhouse guys are trained to kill with their bare hands, and are willing to take their own lives by way of cyanide capsules if necessary.) Remember, he had the Episode I script for months before the film was released, but, despite constant abuse posted on the talk backs, he refused to leak it to the 'net.
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Think about this next time you wanna post something, saying that its a sure thing. Thats why I dont believe most of what I read on here, cuz alot of it is bullshit, of course you get somethings right, but most of the time its crap. So let this be a lesson to you. Even though anyone who takes this site as anything other than a rumour site should be shot!
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Feb 18, 2000 12:56:07 PM CST
Maybe no hacking from Harry, but Harry's source admitted to it.
by kkrankk
You spent all day researching the veracity of a list you believed had been hacked even though said list was scheduled to be announced to the whole world less than 24 hours later just so you could scoop the press release. What a waste of valuable time. I could almost sympathize if it had been a list of winners but it was just a list of nominees. Who cares about getting the nominees a few hours early? Not me; I stopped watching the Oscars when I was twelve. *sniff* God, I was young once; where have the years gone. Okay, back to reality. The Oscars are just a Hollywood back-patting party. So-and-so's name is on a list and might be a WINNER! *yawn* AICN is a movie site, Harry's a movie fan and it's natural for him to pay attention to OFFICIAL Hollywood history even if we grownups know the Oscars are as meaningful as a high school prom court. On a related note: for $5ooo (current price may be more), a rather short list of fans' signatures and regular upkeep anybody in the entertainment field can get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. No joke. I think Rick Dees cleans his with 409 every other Sunday.
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Ok, just informing you that several news agencies are reporting that you'll be sued by the AMPAS. Hope you have a good defense attorney, sometimes saying I'm sorry isn't enough.
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I've been reading anything I come across concerning the pre-nominee situation and, point blank, it's REALLY fucked up how everyone has a different story. The opinions on the situation are bad enough, but it's kind of funny how all these reporters and critics of Harry get the story wrong. I can't believe Ebert didn't get the story from Harry himself before writing his article. I don't get it. I just don't get it. And there's been some points made, where is this site going? Are we going to see a change from our lovable, Denny's-resembling, spy and rumour site to some serioius piece of "journalism" or, worse, an Entertainment Tonight wannabe? Dear God, I hope not!
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What a chuckle-head! He's ruined the whole Talk Back and I can't read a damn thing. Please HARRY!
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Unauthorized accessing of someone else's computer is a Federal Crime. And to the genius who posted that it's not illegal if the computer is not secured, try using that excuse when the cops bust you for taking stuff out of somebody's unlocked car. Get a grip. The fact that network security is sometimes lax certainly did not give Kevin Mitnick a Get Out of Jail Free card. Harry's source illegally entered the private home PC of an ABC.com employee and copied private files. And Harry knew or should have known that this was illegal. AFAIK the Academy has no legal standing to either prosecute or sue, since the computer involved was owned by a private citizen. That person could sue or prosecute, and if the Academy helps out with free legal services and is serious about this, you may face the choice of either giving up the name of your source, or going to jail yourself.
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Yeah, sure, all this internet info moves around awfully fast and doesn't seem to last too long. Hell, even the most heated Talk Backs usually fizzle out after about two and a half days. Then it's on to the next hot topic. Maybe this Oscar thing is bigger. Will Harry get sued? This looks like a Mike Brady Magic Moment about Harry getting his "erupter" caveatted all right. Yeah, that source guilded the lilly pretty good. Poorer but wiser, as the saying goes. Actually, the biggest Harry issue facing me at the moment is that some of these Talk Backs are about eight feet wide. All this side-to-side scrolling is making me sea sick. Ugh. These are fast becoming the Talk Backs of Ipecac.
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I don't have a problem with rumors being printed over the internet but Harry made several disturbing errors: (1) trying to be a part of the establishment by going on television and being a media celebrity and not realizing that you now have public credibility to live up to. (2) printing information gotten from illegal (or at least immoral) means. (3) trying to harm an organization (although it was only the Academy) by posting vital information that you knew would get lawsuits dumped on you.
Personally, buzz about a film or casting news is fun but knowing the outcome of something before it is released (Oscar nominations, movie plots) is something I avoid. Who actually likes reading spoilers is something I can't understand. -
Harry, abcnews.com has a story posted about the Academy's lawsuit against you. I hope things turn out well. Also, all you people giving Harry shit need to lay off. Harry just posted something that proved to be wrong. The Academy needs to get over itself too - is this really that important?
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It's such a shame that in today's society, everyone feels they need to resort to a lawsuit to settle a dispute. After all, what damages can the Academy possibly feel they have suffered? The information was published as an inflated advance list of nominees. Was it any more damaging than any of the other innumerable "predictions" that we had been reading about for upteen weeks prior to the actual nominations being released? I don't think so. The Academy initiating a lawsuit against you is simply harassment. I just wish that these companies with bottomless pockets that sic their legal staff onto whatever hapless person they please would have to pay damages for filing these frivilous lawsuits in the first place.
Hopefully they'll back off and leave you in peace. Good luck, Harry. -
If this incident shows us AICN readers anything, its how little it takes to be a fan, and how much more, (lets say...self-control) is required to stay "cool":
http://mrshowbiz.go.com/news/Todays_Stories/218/oscarleak021800.html
http://www.variety.com/article.asp?articleID=1117776593
Good luck, Harry -
I read the Reuters article and the one posted on abcnews.com. They were practically the same article, except ABC quotes David Poland from Roughcut.com. Now, I understand the whole "if laws were broken, action will be taken" thing. That's understandable because you break the law, you pay. What I don't understand is what the real story is. I'm going with Harry's above post, but I'm still a little confused on the "whole" story. It isn't going to die, people, it's going to get worse and may jeapordize not only this site, but others on the Internet as well and how they conduct their business.
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uh, Harry, When everyone at my work ( I work for a internet company ) found out what you did, man did they roast you!!! I felt really bad! But really folks, this will be yesterdays news by tommorrow, I just hope the Academy decides not to sue your ass because deep down Harry, I am sure you and I both know, You have got some enemies!!!
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For news agencies to reprot pending lawsuits without them being filed is far more irresponsible than publishing something like a silly list without fact-checking it .. Oh, wait, he says he did that, at least as far as it was possible.. The true reason everyone is pretending moral outrage is simple jealousy.. While I like the site, I must admit chagrin when I saw him on TV with Ebert, and I am sure the also-rans from other sites were too .. Admit it Harry's foes and friends, it would be nice to get the "pop" from the industry that Harry has gotten, and for everyone out there who claims they are finished with this site, it seems interesting that you all claim that you have grown disinterested with this site, yet still persist in coming to the talkbacks and posting, as if fulfilling some need to proclaim your disdain even while keeping yourself up to date with every bit of ephemera someone posts on this site .. Even a vaunted critic of this site, who many fanboys are quoting and re-posting articles from here, feels the need to read the talkbacks on this site, witnessed by his emailing me with protestations of his intentions and motivations(cool that rhymed).
.. I know this, when a friend tuned me on to this site a while back, I was pleasntly surprised that it wasn't popultated by sycophantic critics, the bulk of which are frustrated film school students enamored with films of 20 years ago, the likes of which wouldn't resonate now the way they did to a theater full of smacked-out polyester-clad fellows.. Rather, even the violently vulgar rants were in proportion to the thinly veiled patronizing tone of those wishing to appear better-informed and of a superior education to those of us whose schoolhouse was the video store and the arcade.. The dissection of Harry(would take almost as long for an actual one as one of me would) by the rivals and jealous would be better served for those outlets of the press who feel they are in a morally superior position to him somehow, being employed by a consortium or patronized by the executives of a studio.. I don't begrudge other websites run by independent people their chance to Harry-bash, as they seem to feel the need to bolster their site at his expense, but it seems fair to me that Harry tried to give everyone a chance to cork their bungholes about all this before finally giving in and telling the story he obviously had told the Academy, else they would be demanding a public Apolgy. A final comment, for those of you who did not catch it, in an earlier comment someone mentioned the MPAA, as if that institution was anything but a reason for promoting Director's cuts on DVD.. The AMPAS would need proof of tampering with their computers before filing any lawsuit, as unless the work is copyrighted, which a voted contest cannot be-even if it is for a private society-then there is no violation of intellectual property .. All said and done, kudos to those with time on their hands to write and maintain these sites and reports, but a puzzled look at those running film sites with too much time on their hands to write about other peole's sites .. Seems you aren't getting what you need to maintain the content of your site as well as you want .. -
You're gonna have legal problems if you start testing people's doorknobs to see if they're unlocked. If you find one that's unlocked and you go inside, even if you don't do any damage, you are without a doubt BREAKING THE LAW. Likewise, probing someone else's computer -- or in any way violating their implicit zone of privacy -- is illegal. Doesn't matter whether security measures are in place or not. Plain and simple.
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First of all, I know Harry meant no harm, and I support him, but this whole ISSUE itself is indeed VERY important. You and others have said something to the effect of "It's just the entertainment industry, it's just the Oscar nominations, what's the big deal?" The big deal is this guy who gave this news to Harry could very easily have broken into the ABC.com guy's home computer and picked up anything else he had there -- banking records, personal legal documents, etc. Sure, you can retort by saying, "The guy's stupid for not having better security," but think of the logic in that? If you're naive and leave your door unlocked, and somebody walks in and steals everything in your house, should we forgive the thief and blame the victim? Of course not. Finally, maybe this incident will make us discuss the need for ethics and common sense on the Internet. You have some anarchists who say "anything goes," but we live in a society with rules that are there to protect the innocent. Cyberreporters have to follow a set of standards just like realworld reporters. AICN is a "rumor site" -- an entertainment gossip and discussion site. But laws still apply -- whether it's "serious" journalism or "frivolous" celebrity news, copyright laws still apply, libel laws still apply, etc. So bottomline, I think this issue goes much deeper than some of you think -- it NEEDS to be discussed. The Internet is a relatively young mass medium, and questions have been raised that need to be addressed. I hope Harry and his advisors recognize that this might be a great pioneering opportunity to debate those issues and find some answers.
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Feb 18, 2000 4:15:32 PM CST
So let me get this straight, it's alright for one of your source
by caligari
Nuff said.
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Harry,
Did you ever stop to think about what this might do to the person who's server this information was taken from?
An open door does NOT equal an invitation to come in, take something and leave. Your actions are reprehensible. You may have completely ruined someone's life. How can you not make an apology for that? And what the hell good is that apology anyway?
You are thoughtless and greedy. If you get sued, at this point I have to say you deserve it.
BTW- Thought you could use this.
Hacker: A slang term for a computer enthusiast. Among professional
programmers, the term hacker implies an amateur or a programmer
who lacks formal training. Depending on how it used, the term can be
either complimentary or derogatory, although it is developing an
increasingly derogatory connotation. The pejorative sense of hacker
is becoming more prominent largely because the popular press has
coopted the term to refer to individuals who gain unauthorized access
to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data.
Hackers, themselves, maintain that the proper term for such individuals
is cracker.
I suppose you or your friend would be a "Cracker" then. Or most definitely "Hacker's" by the perjorative definition. You definitely gained unauthorized access and then stole data for your own benefit.
Accept the fact that you are now a Hacker or Cracker. If the shoe fits...
Additionally, having the information sent to you is akin to driving the getaway car. You are still guilty of reckless indifference for other people and I hope that justice for you will be swift.
With a complete lack of respect,
Sam Hill -
Harry Harry Harry,
First of all, I agree with a couple of previous posts. I don't know what you're thinking by making all sorts of admissions online for millions to read. You may have the best of intentions, but it comes off as you saying, "I didn't break that law, I only broke THIS law." Be quiet until to talk to a lawyer, although it looks like you may already have done some irreparable damage to yourself.
Next, for those of you who say the Oscars are no big deal, I beg to differ. The Oscars by themselves, suck to be sure, and many of the nominees this year are a joke, as we've come to expect from the Academy. But this is NOT merely entertainment, folks, its BIG BUSINESS. The Oscars can make or break studios, stars, etc... - they drive the entire industry. Just because we think they shouldn't do so doesn't alter the fact that they do.
Harry, I love your site for the news. I don't think your reviews are that impressive, though. Personally, I think that James Berardinelli can write circles around you. However, I like your attitude and enthusiasm. As much as I, and everyone else here for that matter, enjoy reading a hot scoop, you must learn, and indeed are learning that there are some lines that should not be crossed. And you did cross the line, Harry, perhaps with the best of intentions.
As for some people's legal discussions, I'm not sure the Academy is completely barred from filing suit here. They may be able to get Harry on attempt. He didn't actually break into the Academy's computers, but he tried to, with the help of his source/agent?. I'm also sure that ABC may not take this lying down, and of course there are criminal charges that may result as well.
So, Harry, for Pete's sake, be quiet, you're only hurting yourself more. Own up that this was a bigger mistake than you may yet have realized, privately, to yourself. I wish you well, and hope you exercise more common sense in the future. -
Harry, don't get concerned over
the posting of who and what movie is gonna get nominated for which award at the Oscars. Simply put,
who cares? We were going to find it out sooner or later and knowing how great the Academy's
past judgements in movies has been, I'd say it's not a big deal. Now if you had posted
who the Academy had nominated to win what award, then maybe there would be some concern, but since you didn't there isn't. Besides, power isn't the key in Hollywood, according to Movieline Magazine's recent issue with an intro by editor in chief Virginia Campell,
it's not power or money that runs
Hollywood, it's sex. But this does not apply to you. You are beyond, power and money and even sex, since you have something more powerful. RESPECT and ADMIRATION by people like me who love what you do and wish for you to continue to keep on doing it. So don't worry. I still consider your site to be high on my list of bookmarks and visit it daily for movie info and news. A final note, is it just me
or are other people, sad that
Toy Story 2 wasn't nominated for
Best Picture. While, I greatly liked other films in 1999, Toy Story 2 ranks Number 1 on my list of best movies of 1999. It was a wonderful film which exceeded my expectations and met them.
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I know using reason in talkback is frowned upon, but I want to make two things REALLY clear. First, the database in question contained hyperlinks to information at oscar.com which was not yet in use by a web page, CLEARLY indicating some sort of inside information or affiliation with the process. As Harry said, this was because it was preparatory information for a site covering the Oscar announcements. Second, for all of you who think this was cracking, well, you're talking about something you don't understand. Filemaker can act as a server- secure or not, or it can simply be inacessible to outsiders, and the person in question had their machine set up as a freely accessible server. What Harry did was equivalent to visiting someone's webpage or ftp site or hotline site or gopher site, whatever, without their permission. That's it. Anyone who knows Filemaker will tell you this. If you disagree, do some research, and keep reading this post until you see the error of your ways. Let me say it again...if you set up a web server on your machine with no security and someone browses the homepage you're hosting, is it cracking? Hell no. Same thing. Flame on...
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Harry, I'm ashamed of you for even accepting a "tip-off" from someone dumb enough to send the same hint to Matt Drudge. Drudge is a piece of shit, and so are the people that like his sensationalist crap. This man is a disreputable whore, and Harry has finally sunk to the same level. Good God, Harry, where is your respect for the business/artform you claim to love. You should be ashamed of yourself just for proving that Internet reporting/fanboy worship still has a long way to go before it gains any level of credibility. This stupid stunt has set the industry back by a year, at least, and should demonstrate that AICN needs to get its fucking priorities straight. Paging Mr. Knowles, Paging Mr. Knowles.........Clean up your act, you piece of shit.
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When your right the world
will press at your feet to kiss and fondle your toes.
When your wrong syncophants will pull down there pants and with laden bowels explode.
The Hawk could be comin' for the twit who's defecating on his own gucci loafers cause the big wigs won't let him see his little movies. Pipe down you little rat penis. JeffDaddy is that a name or a plea for a sugar daddy that you pine for. Its because of balls to the walls trooper like Knowles that people are even sniffin' around a to bit piss sniffer like you. If your reviews, your site and your opinion had any credibility you wouldn't be posting like the rest of us "closet critics". You wouldn't bother.
You must realize Knowles, half the fun of this site is all the little gits who love to thrust and parry.
Don't be small minded you little second hand, masturbatory, pontificates. If you don't like the site go peddle your anemic,leprous ideas somwhere else.
JeffDaddy grow a pair will you. I'm the Hawk my pair are flaming. -
Who the hell in the world comes here expecting to get one hundred percent factual news? This is supposed to be an "underground" site, yo all the hordes of you who heard about this site off the news or the newspaper and expect some kind of "journalistic integrity" from it. It's a damn web site, for crying out loud! What's the point of trying to verify all the information that comes in here? Then there would be no "scoops" because Harry would have to wait until the studios announced all the news themselves! Its amazing how many of you jumped on the press bandwagon that just loves blowing things out of proportion. Tell me how many of you cried at the moral and litigious outrage when Harry gets some wrong info on the director of such-and-such property. Bunch of hypocrites. You make me truly sad. I'm going to cry at the humanity of it all now.
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Hmm, you have a problem when someone gets info from a computer, and yet you have no problem coming to a site whose sole existence is to become privy to information its not supposed to have. Ironic, isn't it.
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We're talking about public servers here, not people's houses. If you can't understand that incredibly simple concept, well, there's no point in my saying anything else. Flame on, as I'm sure you will.
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Leaving your door unlocked is a bad bad bad example. Doesn't anyone here work on a network for crying out loud? When you share a file and let remote users access it, its not leaving your door unlocked, its having a damned garage sale where everything's for free! Honestly, you guys REALLY need to get some more background info before you start spouting off your holier-than-thou moral outrage on here. But maybe you should stay ignorant of facts, it'll definitely save you a lot of embarassment.
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When I saw the list the other day, the first thing I thought was "Bullshit". As it turns out, I was right. Mr Knowles has fucked-up big time and will now have to face whatever discordant music the Academy and/or ABC decide to play for him. His first mistake was using methods that, if not illegal, were highly unethical. Second, he actually believed that what he had was the real deal. People, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Unforgivably, he gave out the IP address of this dude's computer - a situation that leaves Mr Knowles open to legal action from the ABC guy whose privacy was invaded. I find it funny that Mr Knowles has tried to justify his actions with a Woodward & Bernstein-type fact-checking chronology. The bottom line is, he was suckered & fell for it hook, line and sinker. If he so desperately needed to pre-empt the Academy, he could have put the list on-line and qualified it by saying it was "purported to be a preliminary list of nominees". No need to reveal where it came from, no need to go snooping around in other people's computers, no need to lose so much face and suffer legal action when it turned out to wrong - and worse, stolen.
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You know 80% of the scoops on this site is supposed to be obtained by highly "ethical"ly doubtful methods. Thats the whole damn point of this site. What about those times when he "broke in" to Fox studios to get inside looks at X-Men promo shots? No one fucking complained then, you whiny hypocrites. You need to take a damn good look at yourselves before you take the moral high ground.
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I've said it over and over again; I don't understand a good majority of this situation because of all the misinformation and the tossing around of the words "hacker" and "cracker". I am worried about the legal talk being thrown around here and if Harry got caught doing something he shouldn't. (He may have done stuff before, it's just that people either don't care or he never got caught.) I'm also scared that this site will go sterile "journalistic". I don't want to be negative -- I'm more than willing to be supportive and wish Harry the best outcome in this matter; we who come here and get this entertainment owe him that much, if not more -- I just think this whole incident is more than an incident and is going to affect AICN in a big way. It may not happen immediately and it will depend on if they can even try to get him for anything, which I hope they can't.
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Harry, I have all entertainment news for the next 20 years at my fingertips. With the aid of a dartboard, a deck of tarot cards, and a Magic 8-Ball, I know all that will ever occur. If you want a scoop, ask me. I'm at least as accurate as this site has been for the last year.
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Feb 18, 2000 11:20:58 PM CST
Give Harry a break, he screwed up but at least he told the truth
by tom27
Can we put some things in perspective? Harry is at least complicit in what appears to be a criminal offense (and doesn't realize it) but he deserves big points for coming out and telling his story in a straightforward and honest manner. Maybe for legal reasons he should have kept quiet, but aren't we all getting tired of slick legalisms and evasions.
Second, while it is true that nominations translate into big box office numbers, it is not clear to me that the MPAA has any legal standing in this case. No MPAA computers were compromised, no MPAA copyright documents were posted. No civil or criminal offense against the Academy occurred. (If posting guesses is illegal, then every entertainment reporter and news site is in trouble.) The documents were the original work of an ABC.com freelancer, and it is likely that only the individual in question, and possibly ABC.com, have standing to either request a criminal investigation or to file a civil lawsuit for damages. It is likely that Harry's liability would be limited (in the worst case scenario) to the civil offense of posting copyright material without permission of the author (the ABC.com freelancer). So let's at least applaud Harry's openness and honesty, and not crucify him for pulling a Clinton as soon as things started to turn sour. -
First of all, don't worry Harry. Sure, you fu**** up, it happens. Learn from it and you won't make the same mistake again. As for the mishapen piece of shit who has a problem with Drudge, take the chip of your fucking shoulder brotherman. Most wannabee internet entrapaneurs wish we had half the balls that Drudge has. As for calling him sensationalist, the man reports the news, he scoops people, and if someone doesn't like his methods, dont read him. Truth be told, most of his most bitter adversaries read his site. If you just don't like hearing the NEWS that he is delivering, back the fuck off and don't read it.
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Feb 19, 2000 12:16:06 AM CST
YOU MASTURBATING WUSSIE FANBOYS AND YOUR JADED HIGHSTEPPING HAVE
by booyotch
Just leave and pick apart your latent masculine urges to dominate anything that can't reach across the lunch table or the rental counter and slap you somewhere else, like your goth filled closets or wherever your mother sends you when she checks the history on your browser and finds all the porn sites... Nobody likes you, and wants you to leave...Why come here and flame a guy you come to every day for cool info you would NEVER find normally, and try your hand at deconstructing an unimportant subject? Just go away...
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Feb 19, 2000 12:19:47 AM CST
"Why come here and flame a guy you come to every day for cool in
by bono
It's the American way.
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Feb 19, 2000 12:49:00 AM CST
It's Not Like They Guy Set Off A Bomb At The Dorothy Chandler Pa
by bono
I'm amazed that there are still a few morons who take the Oscars seriously. Sure, the producers and actors do because it means more $$$$ for them. But, Christ, anyone who follows any of this shit knows that the voting is SO seriously fucked up that the Academy Awards have lost all meaning (if they ever had any). The annual show is a poor attempt to maintain the illusion of "Hollywood royalty" and all that crap that died years ago with Bob Hope's career. AND AS FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THIS SITE: It's a friggin' rumor mill!!! It always has been!!! Why is everyone suddenly concerned with HOW the rumors get here? You're all infants!
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This is the greatest idea i've ever heard...as long as todd can emcee. "and the aicn award for best actor in a major motion picture goes to...the iron giant!" Harry, i still love you! "fuck da haters"-tupac...or someone along those lines... =)-Alex
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Is that nobody really cared about the scoop. Who cares about a one day scoop about something that anybody with limited knowledge could have guessed 95% of them anyways. What were the surprises? Blame Canada for song? Yes Meryl Streep, No Jim Carrey. Not much else.
What you've gotta learn Harry, is not to post "rumors" about stuff that can be 100% disproved. Everything else on this site that turns out to be false, you can come back with a, "Well the reason that Leo isn't Anakin, is that he and Lucas agreed that it wouldn't work, yada yada", and you can come back saying that you were really right.
Also, what would be the point of the Academy, or it's counters coming back with a list of 8 nominations to be whittled down to 5 a bit later. If they knew what the top 8 were, wouldn't they also know the top 5. To tell you the truth, when all the ballots are back, it's really not that hard to pick the top 5. You count the ballots, hey top 5.
I also think Friday's a bit late to post about something that was debunked at at 7:30 am on Tuesday (that's Austin time!)
-smak- -
What kind of moron actually believes that Price Waterhouse is going to come up with a list of the top eight candidates and then "narrow those down" to five? What possible purpose could that serve? They simply count the votes and take the top five (or three depending on the category). And why would they then store that list on any computer connected to the internet? They wouldn't. They keep them physically under lock and key until they are delivered to the news conference. There is absolutely no reason whatever to risk a leak by putting the names on a computer, any computer. Apparently Harry got so caught up in his greedy crusade to post a big scoop that he failed to realize just how stupid the list was.
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Talk about instant karma! Boy, did you ever have this one coming, Harry.
There are many in Hollywood having a huge laugh at your personal expense over this and your credibility is basically, though not permanently, shot. Even if your "version" of what happened is 100% true, it still sounds like you are doing massive spin and damage control.
What happened is a lessons everyone should learn. As soon as the "source" claimed to have the advance academy nominee list you should have replied, "No thanks, I'll wait 'til 5:38." End of story. If it sounds to good to be true -- especially from a "first timer" -- IT IS!
The lack of security on cable modems is a nice side issue to try and turn this whole mess into a positive, but it doesn't in anyway change the fact that -- no matter how much "research" you did to verify the supposed facts -- you crossed the line big time and now must pay the price for your indiscretion.
Better tread carefully, apologize wherever possible or else the suits will be out for bloodmoney. In a time where everyone sues everyone else for the lamest reasons, Harry, you better get down on your hands and knees and pray they spare you.
I'll be praying for you because I enjoy your site. But having the nominations a day ahead of time? I could wait.
Don't you wish you knew last week what you know now? -
This scoop is now being picked up with a pooper scooper. But so what? Win few, lose a few in the rat race to get published first. But the attitudes I've seen that are in the negative remind me of the man who did nothing but good deeds. He helped the poor, volunteered at the hospital, gave more than his fair share of money to charity. But let him give one blow job, and what do the people remember?
-
It would have been a good scoop. I'm a tad worried that someone's home computer can be hacked into, though! I guess it proves the old saying: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
-editor
http://www.oscarwatch.com -
Tight Finster, I don't claim to know much about these newfangled computer dohickeys, but I'm willin to bet my RAM's left testacle that you were deleted because your HAHA's were about 200 letters in a row. My guess is, this is what caused the massage board to be stretched out wider than our monitors. So you see, it isn't always what you say, but how you say it. Next time you want a lot of HAHAs, break it up with some spaces. I don't know, maybe this is obvious to everyone, and you're just dickin around. Or maybe you're right and I'm wrong. Anyway, thank you for your patience.
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Take a look at Harry's animated .gif at the top of the page! LMAO!
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Harry, here's a nice little article concerning cable modem security:
http://www.speedguide.net/Cable_modems/cable_security.shtml
I would warn you to do two things as a minimum. 1. Make sure that your file and print sharing is turned off (easy to do in Win 95, a little tougher in Win NT). But if you don't feel up to messing around with this crap, have your technical guru do it for you. 2. Install a firewall like ConSeal or BlackICE (I personally prefer and use BlackICE). -
Hacking, or cracking if you prefer,
is an attempt to circumvent computer security measures.
If there were no security measures in
place, then by definition it cannot be hacking.
The situation here is analogous to someone
accidentally saving a private document to their
public web space. It's the idiot ABC.com
employee who is to blame. By connecting
to the internet with file sharing on,
he inwittingly placed the contents of his hard drive on the
net. He could very well have done
it on purpose, for all that Harry and the scooper knew. Now, there may be
other legal issues, such as intellectual property. But assuming that
Harry told us the truth, I don't believe this was a computer crime.
Your analogies about unlocked cars and doors are flawed. A better analogy would be someone
placing his valuables on the street without realizing that the box containing them was printed with the words "free -- take one." -
sorry, inwittingly = unwittingly
-
I like peanuts, yes I do. I like peanuts, toodle oodle oo.
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What happened here is that an ABC freelancer's computer was accessed and ABC got upset about this later, along with the Academy. Harry wasn't the one to break in on the computer, he was given a web address. Does it mean it's hacking to go to a web address and look at files that are there? The problem seems to be that the person didn't know that there was no firewall for his cable modem. Seems to me that if there's any lawsuits that should be filed, it should be against the ABC freelancer's cable service for not supplying a firewall or adequately warning their customers that their
system provides no security and they did not advise the customers to install a firewall.
I do have to wonder - is ABC really upset about this, or have they (or their Disney parent) been nurturing a grudge against this site for negative things said about Disney in the past (such as how their DVD subsidiary screws the public by issuing DVDs without any real bonus material, only to follow it later with 'special editions' to milk more money - similar to how they're trying to milk money for the recent DVD animation releases). This site hasn't been kind to them in the past - maybe they wanted to get a little revenge in. Not that I'm saying there's a conspiracy or anything :-), just that maybe some people at ABC or Disney who have a bug up their butt about some things said here might want to see Harry hurt. -
Feb 19, 2000 11:17:08 PM CST
this is a GOSSIP site, since when did people here start caring w
by niiiice
How many scoops here turn out to be wrong? 60%? 70?
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Look, one reason I like this site is that it just presents things for our consideration. We're smart enough to figure it all out, so don't worry about it. I'm not upset if something doesn't turn out to be correct. What's the harm in it?
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They mention almost in passing the situation and leave it as a panic attack that passed over. What the hell is a cybercineast?
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Harry's intended audience of professionals, film geeks and the like have been replaced by a bunch of commercial mainstream-loving whiny moral political activists.
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I can't believe what I'm reading in these talkbacks. Why is everyone jumping on Harry's case? If you don't like it, don't visit AICN. He posted a rumor, which is certainly no offense to anyone. The academy has no legal position anyway. They're just trying to get additional publicity. Everyone go outside and have a smoke. Relax.
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Is this: A collective culture of cynical accusation, backbiting and and spoiled brattiness has arisen out of the internet.
The guy has the balls to admit he made a mistake. As a matter of fact, he's taken steps to explain to people the situation.
As for stories changing: His understanding of the situation changed. He learned what the problem was.
As for all these people who talk about how Harry's sold out: It's all these people who think that people in the know about Hollywood have to be cynical rebels with a beef against the system.
The truth is that most of those cynical rebels become cynical conservatives as they age. Harry's held himself apart from that: He's honest. He doesn't express his opinion to win, but to say what he believes.
He hasn't become mainstream. The mainstream in the media now is the kind of cynical snobbery of whom Harry Knowles is now a target.
They think Harry has to be this aloof, hypercritical snob, who considers it his duty to educate people as to the reality of FILM.
They don't like that he is, instead, a rather gregarious wide-eyed, tolerant person, who prefers to SHARE his thoughts rather than cram them down the throats of those who come here.
Why else call the website "Ain't It cool News?" -
GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSES, YOU HYPOCRITICAL FUCKERS!
I was going to say something regarding internet and (lack of) security here, but after trudgning through wat seemed eons of complete and utter bullshit, all I could muster up energy for was the exlamation earlier.
Comparisons to burglary and GTA...Jesus H. fucking christ!
IT IS NOT THE SAME THING YOU FUCKING WANKERS!!
In closing, Harry Don't ever change! We might bitch and moan from time to time, but if we expected "official" movie news, we could pick up a copy of whatever piece of shit rag that runs the industries errands...We WANT rumors, if once in a while it doesn't pan out, who gives a flying fuck, it's besides the point! This is way more fun!! :-)
-Change is bad!
/Roger
BTW, Fuck being first, I aim at being last man standing!
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Feb 21, 2000 1:00:46 PM CST
How serious the Academy is about sueing "Jackballs" like Harry (
by titojackson
Oscar Gate Crasher's Lawsuits Crash
Beverly Hills, CA - With summary judgment granted in favor of the security services agency Pinkerton last week (9/21), all charges by would-be Oscar gate crasher Scott Kerman against the Academy, its vendors and employees have been resolved in the Academy's favor.
That's right, charges against the Academy.
Kerman, the author of a book on how to sneak into events of various kinds, had announced in a press release prior to the 1997 Academy Awards that he intended to gate-crash the event. When he was caught and arrested he sued the Academy and a number of its representatives, charging that the organization had humiliated him.
Two and a half years and a lot of legal fees later, the courts have ruled that the Academy's actions were thoroughly within its rights. On each of Kerman's charges the court found for the defendants, with the charges against Pinkerton and its employees resolved in Pinkerton's favor last Tuesday by Los Angeles Superior court judge Judith Ashmann.
"Kerman is now personally liable for everybody's court costs," said David Quinto of the Academy's legal firm, Quinn Emanuel Urguhart Oliver and Hedges. "That's $20,000 for the Academy alone." Quinto has personally filed a malicious prosecution lawsuit against Kerman, and that case is still pending.
In his 1997 book, "No Ticket? No Problem! How to Sneak into Sporting Events and Concerts," Kerman claimed to have "snuck into over 300 concerts and sporting events" as well as the 1996 Academy Awards. In testimony, however, he stated that the book was largely fiction and that he'd never snuck into any events apart from movies as a child, Quinto said.
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Mmm-mmm-mmm, yes they do, yes they do!
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Etc.
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For those who seem to think Harry was way out of line - remember the order of events. Someone found the list and EMAILED a copy to Harry. Harry did not go looking for it. Harry then attempted to check out the accuracy of this email and was given a URL that was accessible. He DID NOT go out of his way to evade security or break into a person's system.He went to an address that was ACCESSIBLE, which makes the owner of that system somewhat liable for his own naivete in not taking ANY measures to protect his system from a full time online connection. Harry was merely confirming the data, not taking it directly. Frankly, that should pretty much absolve him legally and from the article on Mr.Showbiz, ABC was considering suing if and only if measures were to taken to break security, which appears not to be the case. However I think ABC will have a talk with the freelancer involved about keeping their information on an unsecured server, especially if this is someone who is supposed to be designing web information for them.
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I have to admit I was pissed. But, mistakes can happen. Yes, Harry screwed up. It kinda dissappointed me that such a "Hollywood Guru" or whatever you wanna consider Harry would make such a faulty judgement that someone sends you something and SWEARS it's from an "Academy Computer" and that he would post it as such. But, the apology was posted, Harry knows he screwed up, and I appreciate at least that. Thanks, Harry, for at least standing up to your mistake!!
- Jean -
Who cares for the pre-scoop of Academy nominations. Who cares if they know who is nominated in advance? Big fuckin' whoop, how much money did you make off of it??? How much did you loose off of it?? So, who cares????
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so harry allegedly drove the get-away car from the site of an unauthorized entry into an unlocked vehicle with "FREE-TAKE ONE" painted on the side and a scantily-clad individual inside who did not want to be raped, and much ire is vented by those who feel wronged by the figurative affronts. Meanwhile our governments (if you live in the U$, UK, AUS, NZ, or Canada -- or someone else's government if you live anywhere else) are invading EVERYONE'S privacy on a massive scale by means of a shadowy, officially unacknowledged but factually unchallenged monitoring program perhaps called ECHELON which is purported to track all electronic communication for seditious or dangerous content. Many of the same talkbackers who are wailing about invasions of privacy and unethical or immoral conduct by "journalists" or webmasters had generally positive things to say about the govt's spy system, in a recent talkback about France suing over the ECHELON system. A majority seemed glad it was in "our" hands, feeling safer knowing the world is being watched by the professionals in the intelligence agencies, etc. People, get over your worry whether harry or someone accessed information on someone's server and shared the faulty data with the world (to my knowledge no lives were at risk when the academy's alleged information was dispersed) and be very aware of the massive invasion of privacy conducted by the folks who brought you the Waco debacle (and see RULES OF ENGAGEMENT) among other deadly "errors", or you may find yourself on a waiting list for Central Services to repair the hole in your floor (ceiling?) because you like to spout off in emails to friends or chat rooms or talkbacks about revolution or weapons or whatever dangerous subject the cyberspace hall monitors determine warrants placing you on a list for higher scrutiny. Oh, and lets start the petition for harry's star -- gather the fan signatures, pay the 5000 bucks or whatever (harry can cover the cost and write it off) and arrange a maintenance schedule, and lets see his star in front of the Chandler Pavilion, maybe.
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It's amazing how many times Harry's story has changed since this whole situation started. You can only interpret criminal activity so many ways. With all the research you did on verifying the source, perhaps you could have simply contacted someone at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (or the academy)and had them explain to you how that list was impossible. Your pathetic attempts to salvage what little of your reputation you have left through sordid excuses borders on the absurd.
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I've seen this shit before. When Harry posts a favorable review of a new movie, you brownosers are all panting and piddling and saying "Oh, yeah, this is SUCH a great flick!" As soon as enough Important Critics say they didn't like the movie, it's "Oh what a terrible flick! Harry is so dumb!" You losers have about as much spine as a jellyfish. You come trotting to AICN to get your regular fix of cool news/gossip, same as me, and as long as it's 100% right you sing Harry's praises. The moment he makes a mistake you flay him alive. Listen, fuckers, if you know so much about running an underground site, why aren't YOU in charge of AICN? When I heard about this lawsuit crap, I thought "Ha! They'd never dare. They know Harry has an army of geeks (aka us) ready to defend him from their pointless snipes." Boy, was I disgusted when I read these Talkbacks. You people make me sick. Harry's da man. We ought to be rallying round him in return for all the fun he's given us, not falling into line like the rest of the Movie Muggles. -
Like the kind sirs of the Rotten-tomatoes.com forum, you are all diseased with John Rocker syndrome! You can't stop with the insults! At least he had the brains to shut up after 1 month. YOU ASSHOLES HAVE BEEN BITCHING AND WHINING LIKE LITTLE GIRLS FOR 2-3 FUCKING YEARS!!! Everytime you don't like it, it wasn't only ok, it sucked some kind of dick. Rhino, floppy donkey, it don't matter. A movie just cant be good, it has to be the greatest movie of the year. Then someone disagrees with you and the dick insults start flying again! Are you guys fucking gay bestialites?! What the hell is wrong with you people!? SHUT UP! To each their own. I haven't always agreed with Harry, but at least I don't call him a tub of lard! Have some common decency! Oh, wait, you can't because you're whining babies who must get what they want.
He's an okay guy, but if you don't like the site GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! Cinescape, Dark Horizons and Coming Attractions are all there for you! All filled with good news just waiting to be read. But again, you post death threats or wishes that he would die. Shut up already!
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