[HN Gopher] The Caltech Sweepstakes Caper
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       The Caltech Sweepstakes Caper
        
       Author : turtlegrids
       Score  : 47 points
       Date   : 2021-02-09 05:16 UTC (1 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (hoaxes.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (hoaxes.org)
        
       | Veserv wrote:
       | The article does not mention the fourth individual involved,
       | Glenn Hightower (one of the founders of APh Consulting), who from
       | what I've been told was one of the ringleaders of the operation.
       | Here is a third-party mention of Glenn Hightower being involved
       | [1].
       | 
       | [1] https://commonplacefacts.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/i-hope-
       | the...
        
       | anonu wrote:
       | > " He then denounced the Caltech stunt, calling it "in complete
       | contradiction of the American standards of fairplay and
       | sportsmanship."
       | 
       | Funny how I view this quite differently. You find a way to tilt
       | the odds in your favor by being astute and aware of your
       | surroundings + applying math and reasoning: that seems like
       | American ingenuity to me.
       | 
       | Also, we're talking about a massive corporation running a
       | sweepstakes - there's nobody really being harmed in all this.
        
         | skulk wrote:
         | It would be incredibly out of character for a big American
         | corporation, when found on its ass, to not clutch pearls.
        
           | CobrastanJorji wrote:
           | Indeed. "The original intent of the sweepstakes contest was
           | to provide all McDonald's customers with over 1,850 chances
           | to win prizes best suited to lessen effects of the current
           | economic slump" is exactly the kind of inane, obvious lie
           | that corporations seem required to make in response to things
           | like this.
        
         | jedimastert wrote:
         | > The Caltech students issued a press release of their own in
         | response to McDonald's statements, in which they said, "We feel
         | that by accepting the challenge to 'enter as often as you
         | wish,' we have acted in accordance with the best ideals of
         | American sportsmanship."
         | 
         | I think they would agree
        
       | tomcam wrote:
       | The basis of an incidental subplot in the classic movie "Real
       | Genius"
        
         | overcast wrote:
         | Lazlo Hollyfeld! My FAVORITE 80's movie :)
        
           | tomcam wrote:
           | Seriously, it may be the best portrait of smart people in the
           | movies I know of. Also you have fine taste.
        
             | overcast wrote:
             | My man. Definitely required viewing for anyone a fan of the
             | genre. Great cast, humor, morality, nerd stuff, amazing
             | soundtrack, has it all.
        
         | trynewideas wrote:
         | oblig.
         | https://web.archive.org/web/20080126061303/http://alumnus.ca...
        
         | xnx wrote:
         | I came to this thread exactly because I wondered if it could be
         | the frito lay contest from Real Genius. I've seen that movie
         | more than any other.
        
           | KingFelix wrote:
           | Its such a brilliant movie. My son and I have watched this
           | countless times as well. I only recently realized that Lazlo
           | is also Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite and Dr Roberts in
           | Dream Corp LLC. Check out Dream Corp if you haven't its
           | brilliant.
        
         | mandragon wrote:
         | GCHQ used to challenge applicants to disassemble a motor
         | vehicle, and reassemble it indoors. Perhaps this inspired Chris
         | and Mitch's revenge prank on Kent (for Kent's phone spying /
         | leaking stunt)?
        
         | underseacables wrote:
         | One do the greatest movies of the 80s. Should be required
         | viewing for technology students.
        
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       (page generated 2021-02-10 23:03 UTC)