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Do you remember the series of MasterCard advertisments which listed the cost of a few items related to the activity shown and then summarized the value of the experience as priceless? Do you remember that photo which made its rounds into your email in-box several dozen times in 1999, the one of four women sitting together, drinking? One of the women's pubic hair is visible, presumably accidently?

Short black dress: $200 Round of drinks: $40 Disposable camers: $20 Your beaver on the internet: Priceless

Well, it turns out that it was a fake. I don't know why this is important, but I do know that it was widely believed that it was an authentic photograph of an embarassing incident. It seemed important that it be so, rather than a silly hoax. Hoax it is, though. The original, shown at right, is from a series of nightlife pictures presented on the ChicagoScene web site, at URL

   http://www.chicago-scene.com/99photohtm/813richie-a.htm

Someone had to tell you. I'm sorry that it was me.