Famous internet hoaxes
In 1994 a press release began circulating around the internet claiming that Microsoft had bought the Catholic Church. The release quoted Bill Gates saying that he considered religion to be a growth market and that, "The combined resources of Microsoft and the Catholic Church will allow us to make religion easier and more fun for a broader range of people." Under the terms of the deal, Microsoft would acquire exclusive electronic rights to the Bible. Microsoft had to issue a formal denial of the release on December 16, 1994. The authors of the hoax remain unknown.
Another early internet hoax involving the Microsoft founder emerged in 1997 when a letter claiming that Bill Gates Wants to Give you Money started landing in email inboxes around the world. Sadly, it was a hoax – forwarding the chain letter as part of the beta test for a new Microsoft-powered email tracking program won't result in a nice fat cheque landing on your doorstep.
In 2006 thousands of internet users fell for an elaborate April Fools Day prank by Briton Dan Baines who claimed to have happened upon the corpse of a "fairy". His website received more than 20,000 hits in one day and even after Mr Baines, a professional prop-maker, revealed that the story was a hoax, some conspiracy theorists refused to believe him and accused him of a cover up. "I've had all sorts of comments including people who say they've seen exactly the same things and one person who told me to return the remains to the grave site as soon as possible or face the consequences," he told the BBC.
Giant camel spiders
Slightly more believable was the 2004 hoax involving "giant camel spiders" in Iraq. The prank originated in an email asking the public to be sympathetic to troops in Iraq, not because they have to be away from their families or because war zones are dangerous, but because they have to deal with absolutely prehistoric spiders. The email repeated claims from the first Gulf War in 1993, that the spiders could run 25 miles per hour, could jump several feet in the air, and could grow 8-10 inches in length and were accompanied by a photograph showing the oversized arachnids. However, even though camel spiders are fairly large and fast, they're nowhere near as big as the photo makes it seem nor as fast as the email claims. The photo itself was just taken from an angle that makes the spider seem bigger than it really is.
A ban on drunk surfing
Another April Fool's Day-related hoax was sparked by PC Computing magazine by columnist John Dvorak in 1994. Dvorak claimed that the US Congress was considering a bill that would make it illegal to surf the internet while drunk, or to discuss sexual matters over a public network. Of course the bill would be passed, wrote Dvorak, because, "Who wants to come out and support drunkenness and computer sex?" The hoax was so convincing that it generated a slew of angry calls to congress, resulting in Senator Ted Kennedy issuing a statement denying rumours of the supposed bill.
Spiders In Iraq - News
By November of 2002, they had a jammer called Acorn that was hard-wired to stop Spiders. It wasn't much. As a so-called "active jammer," the Acorn put out a relatively-indiscriminate "barrage signal" that ate up power and generated all kinds of
Slightly more believable was the 2004 hoax involving "giant camel spiders" in Iraq. The prank originated in an email asking the public to be sympathetic to troops in Iraq, not because they have to be away from their families or because war zones are
An ongoing Pentagon project known as “smart power infrastructure demonstration for energy reliability and security,” or SPIDERS, is seeking industry ideas for how to build smart grids in partnership with the departments of Homeland Security and Energy.
The only welcome discovery was that there were fewer scorpions, spiders and deadly snakes than expected. The Canadians had to try to understand Afghanistan's tribal culture, so different from anything at home. Nothing perplexed them more than the place
and the camel spiders are out...It's officially summer in Iraq
It looks similar to the pics of the 'camel spiders' Frank told us about in Iraq. 
If I was in the military I would refuse to go to Iraq until they exterminate all Camel Spiders...them bitches is Too Big!!!Spiders In Iraq - Bookshelf
Every Other Four, The Journal of Cpl. Matthew D. Wojtecki, Weapons Company 3rd Battalion 25th Marines, Mobile Assault Team Eight
... spiders in the Iraq area. It was quite interesting to a point, such as the seven types of scorpions and five kinds of venomous vipers, including the ...The Spiders of Allah, Travels of an Unbeliever on the Frontline of Holy War
FALLEN IDOLS, RISEN ANGELS Into Iraq When I first arrived in Baghdad, the crowds were still felling statues like trees. It was a sticky evening at the end ...The earwig's tail, a modern bestiary of multi-legged legends
Like spiders, sun-scorpions can't digest solid food and inject enzymes that liquefy the ... Known as camel spiders in Iraq, they are called matevenados, ...Punkzilla
... I keep waiting for some big hairy spider to come out like a tarantula or a black widow or one of those giant camel spiders from the Iraq war like one of ...Bulletin
The Dysderidae are one of the few spider families which are not distributed world-wide ... a few are known from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel and Jordan; ...Day-by-day News Directory
Fishing Owl
Spiders in Iraq ( the story) They run 10 mph, jump three feet, are a nocturnal spider, so only come out at night unless they are in shade. ...
Camel Spiders in Iraq Hoax Email
Email with attached photographs of two large camel spiders being held up by a soldier claim that the creatures are a danger to troops stationed in Iraq.
Iraq Spiders
I have been receiving a lot of e-mails about Iraq spiders, namely camel spiders. ... I was born and raised in Texas and never even heard the name until I got to Iraq. ...
Sand Spiders Desert Iraq
Sand spiders desert creatures can become large and intimidating. Sand spiders Iraq are also known as camel spiders.
How to Identify Spiders in Iraq | eHow.com
Most spiders in Iraq travel for food during the evenings due to the hot daytime temperatures. This often makes them hard to see and identify, but...