Subject: The Blue Star Tatoo Hoax
From: "by way of Albert Godinez" (ovrdrive@mozcom.com)
Date: 1996/07/16
Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino

Dear pinoy netizens,

I just got a chain e-mail on this so-called "Blue Star" memo spreading around Metro Manila via fax, letters from school and village organizations (some of them are quite reputable and you'd think they know better), internal corporate e-mail systems, and now the Internet. Please be informed this is a documented "urban legend" or hoax, in much the same way as the "Good Times" AOL virus scare was spread by unwitting folks trying to warn others. Folks, I know you are trying to do a good thing, but you've been had, so let's cut the chain letter NOW and tell everyone that it's a hoax.

The following is an advisory addressed last week to all employees of the Asian Development Bank debunking the rumor and posted on the Bank's internal e-mail system.... Lastly, there are some related documents on the hoax posted at http://www.danbury.lib.ct.us/org/hospital/bluestar.htm ... this is a site run by the Danbury Hospital.

There are probably other documents on the web... head on down to a search engine and look for "Blue Star".

jim ayson
jra@europa.com

    10 July 1996
     
     To         :       Bank Staff
     
     From       :       Francois Ausseil
                        Medical Doctor, BPCB
     
     Subject    :       Blue Star Tattoo - It is a Hoax 
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     1. A memo has been recently circulated in Metro Manila and 
     disseminated through municipalities and schools. 
     
     2. This memo concerns a tattoo called "Blue Star", supposed to be 
     soaked with LSD and distributed to school children to induce drug 
     addiction.
     This information is UNTRUE. It is a HOAX.
     
     3. The same information already circulated in 1992 in USA and Europe. 
     In this memo, reference is made to Danbury Hospital. In 1993, Danbury 
     Hospital published a press communique (see attached) to deny any 
     endorsement of this memo. J.O'Donnell, supposed author of the memo, is 
     unknown to Danbury Hospital.
     
     4. Government agencies investigated and concluded that it was a weird 
     and malicious joke. 
     
     5. Please note that LSD is an oral drug, and CANNOT be absorbed 
     through the skin. Furthermore, there is practically no physical 
     addiction to LSD, unlike with opium-derivated drugs. These two 
     medical evidences confirm that this memo is a fake.
     
     6. In the Philippines, this memo was received by St.Benedict College 
     by fax from the USA. The sender is still unknown. Incredibly, 
     St.Benedict College did not check the information and sent it to 
     different municipalities and schools.
     
     7. Attachments:    * Danbury:  Message from Danbury Hospital-June 96. 
                        * Danbury1: Danbury Press release-1993.
                        * Bluesta1: Frequently Asked Questions about Blue  
                                    Star-1994.
                        * Bluestar: L.A.Times article about Blue           
                                    Star-1992.