Osama And Bert – What Happens When You Use The Web For Image Searches

from the very-very-weird dept

Someone sent me an email last night to check out a bunch of news stories that show people protesting while holding up signs of Osama bin Laden. It seems that a fairly common poster being used in the protests includes a picture of Osama bin Laden sitting next to Bert from Sesame Street. That picture is from a “joke” page comparing “Evil Bert” to other famous “evil” figures from history. It seems that the protestors are simply using the internet and something like Google’s image search to get their pictures for the poster. Apparently, in the picture above the Bert image, they also show Osama holding a bottle of Jack Daniels (though, that is probably not true). It seems the protestors were just grabbing any picture they could find without realizing exactly what they were doing. This is the biggest version of the photo I could find. But, you can also see the poster here, here and here. All of which are different shots of protestors who have the same poster – suggesting (as some have suggested) that it’s not a fake poster. Just demonstrators who didn’t realize what they were doing. Of course, this could still be a massive hoax, but if it is, it would be pretty impressive.


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Comments on “Osama And Bert – What Happens When You Use The Web For Image Searches”

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9 Comments
Scott says:

Fake?

I would guess it was a fake. If you look at the photo’s found on the pages by Tubantia and Excite you will notice the there is another sign written in red white and blue saying “DONT ATTACK AFGANISTAN”. I doubt these would show up at the same time even if by different photogrophers. The yellow signs don’t look real in one photo and in the photo where they are all sitting with their signs rolled up (most likely for more brain washing prayer) the only 2 signs shown are the fake? one and the red white and blue one.

bob says:

Re: I'll bet it's for real.

I bet not. For starters, these are news photographs on news sites, so if the photos have been doctored, it’s been doctored by a number of very professional and very talented graphic artists. I can’t find one photo that looked even remotely cooked. It would have to have been a hoax perpetrated by a higher-up news agency, like rueters, which, if it were uncovered, would call into question the said photojournalist’s integrity.

Why assume these people don’t have the printing technology? Their moral system may harken back to the middle ages, but they do have printers. And obviously they are organized. Just because all the other signs are hand writen does not preclude the existence of better posters.

Great fodder for comedy, though. SNL?

todd says:

missing the point

Guys, you are missing the point: Osama is just a puppet to that evil scoundrel Bert. Sure, he acts semi-friendly on Sesame Street, but how do you think Osama got all the intel on airline security? Bert! How to hijack a plane? Bert! Hell, years of losing royalties to Ernie over “rubber ducky” has motivated Bert to extremes — rumor has it that Oscar and Elmo also have their shadow factions and will strike at any time.

Now for the picture: as you know, Mr. Snuffalupagus (sp?) has used cloaking technology for the better part of 3 decades to hide from adult view. Fact, simple fact. Bert stole that technology to mask his involvement with Osama (and others). Thus, no picture to date had shown him associating with his evil clan. Apparently, though, a power outage in that unstable land led to a failure in the cloaking device. Bert was exposed for all to see. Moral of the story: get a big UPS next time, Bert; clean power is a bitch in a 3rd world country.

So, let’s put this whole thing to rest, OK?

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