Man Says Christmas Light Web Site Was A Scam

[matcom]

<snip>

DENVER -- A man who boasted to reporters around the world that his Web site allowed strangers to turn his outdoor Christmas lights off and on admitted Monday it was an elaborate hoax designed, he said, to spread holiday cheer.

Alek Komarnitsky holds a remote control for the Christmas lights on his home.

Alek Komarnitsky, a computer specialist, said he started the site two years ago to see if he could use computer tricks to make it look as if the thousands of lights adorning his house in Lafayette were blinking on command.

This year, he went even further: At one point, with a TV station helicopter hovering overhead, his wife was inside, turning the lights off and on herself.

The Web site was featured in numerous holiday stories, including one by The Associated Press, and Komarnitsky said he decided to announce his scam to The Wall Street Journal because it had gotten "a little out of hand."

"For the overwhelming majority of people who read about this, it will continue to provide a little Christmas chuckle," Komarnitsky said after the Journal posted a story on its Web site Monday.

On his site, Komarnitsky explained how he used a series of still photographs of his house from three angles -- with the lights either on or off, and with varying amounts of snow on the ground.

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/4028404/detail.html

[displacedtexan]

1. Continuity Error strikes again!

But for the varying amounts of snow on the ground pics, this guy might have fooled people a lot longer.

[mark11727]

2. I heard about this story this morning... where's this guy's website...?

[arwalden]

3. http://www.komar.org/

http://www.komar.org/

[radwriter0555]

4. "There's a sucker born....

every minute..."

Think of the folks who really DID vote for bush... right?