I am writing about Munchausen by Internet. And the Penlind timeline has melted from my brain, so it's all jumbled. Was that four years ago?

Oooh, Munchausen by Internet. Allyson, there should be an article out there somewhere about the syndrome by a woman named Jean Helms (I think). Maybe in the Atlanta Constitution?

She was/is a regular on the X-Files board "Haven For the FBI's Most Unwanted", where a really elaborate death-hoax was performed a few years back. "Evie Whiting" was the pseud of the woman who was said to have died, and a few months later Jean Helms got an article out of the whole thing.

The "death" and revelation of the fraud was a really fascinating community meltdown there for a while.

We had "Penlind" whose infant son was dying. But had no children, actually.

The hoax itself wasnt as interesting as the group of woman who were quietly investigating her claims at a private board, under lock and key, and uncovered her real name, similiar scams, and the reaction of the community who had rallied around her upon the discovery that none of it was true.

Fascinating! Just sayin'

I thought the OB was dysfunctional.

Every board is disfunctional, if there are people posting on it.

My love for Clay Shirky grows. He's supposed to be in LA, soon. I'm hoping to meet him.

Coool, Allyson. I like his stuff.

Village Voice had an article on it, Consuela. I'm trying to balance axe-murderer pieces with the better things. Have Buffistas had a Munchausen by Internet? I feel like I was only at TableTalk a year before we moved to WorldCrossing, and I didn't really latch onto this community until the Bronze was really most sincerely dead.

The "death" and revelation of the fraud was a really fascinating community meltdown there for a while.

btw, I am dead.

Have Buffistas had a Munchausen by Internet?

I also have terminal cancer. Or else my cat does.

And the Penlind timeline has melted from my brain, so it's all jumbled. Was that four years ago?

it was right around the time i showed up and was starting my site for DeKnight. sometime around April/May of 2001, i think. it's too bad people didn't keep her posts. though now that i think about it, maybe some of the people on the investigation team did. if you want, i can ask janni. i still keep in contact with her.

There was a story on This American Life a while back about this group of kids who got to know the cast of Rent. One of them made up cancer for herself and a few other things. Most of the communication was via Internet.