HP/ Spoiler alert - Nothing New Here

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 129500

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, theotokos <theotokos_8679 at s...>
wrote:
> [snip article about publishing leak]
>  
> Steve <booming at y...> wrote:
> I won't say who the character is, but let's face it, at one time or
> another, we have all predicted this particular characters death.
> 
> I suspect what happened is some random bloke was having his coffee
> at the local coffee shop and said, I think 'so-and-so' is going to 
> die,and the mere fact that this person was within 50 miles of the 
> printing factory set off a stampede to the local betting shop. 
> 
> Move along folks, nothing to see here.
> ***************************

> Theotokos:
>
> So you are saying a leak wasn't likely?  ...edited... My purpose for
> posting it was mainly curiosity about any additional news concerning
> the "leak" and the betting--not about what the prediction was.  

I don't think we can lend much credibility to an 'leak', remember
these companies are liable for a small fortune if their they leak
anything. Further, if I were one of these printing companies I would
make if very clear to any of my employees that if they leaked any
information, that the liability incurred by the company would be
passed on to them. In other words, if your big mouth cost me
$3,000,000, then you better get yourself a very good lawyer because
you are going to need it. A leak and a liablility like this could
completely distroy a company, both financially and by reputation. 

I'm more incline to think, as I illustrated, that it was a random
comment by someone in the general vicinity of that community, that has
taken off. 


> Theotokos continues:
>
> I also want to point out that this is not just a rag paper running 
> the story.  As for its predictions, I don't care and there is 
> definitelyly nothing to see.  It is the business and JKR's 
> precautions that I find of interest.
>  
> theotokos

bboyminn: 

Don't consider where you read the story, consider the original source.
The story originated in the Mirror, or the Sun, or the Globe or some
other sensationalistic tabloid paper that specializes in taking
non-news/non-stories and turning them into overblown headlines. Once
they printed it, the rest of the news media picked it up and spread it
around.

First, the whole thing is speculation. Someone speculated that because
betting we strong for a particular character in a particular vague and
general area that someone might have leaked something.

Further, it's possible that the logical trend was for a lot of people
to bet on this character, we've all done it. Then when people in that
area saw this natural and expected trend, the rushed to jump on the
band wagon and threw everything out of proportion. I think it is more
likely the blind following the blind than anyone with any real insight.

We could just as easily speculate that any poll found at the "Harry
Potter for Grownups" group, where people are deeply intellectual and
extremely knowledgable, and respresent the combined massive intellect
of the entire Harry Potter fan world, are 'in the know' and are
certainly correct in their prediction. As a matter of fact, that very
character always come in highly rated in our death predictions.
Perhaps tommorrow, The Mirror will indicate that we have 'leaked' the
secret.

My point is that this isn't a story about a 'leak', it is a story
about a vague and generally baseless speculation about the possibility
of a leak. 

Regardless of whether the leak was true or not, the employees of that
print shop have mostly now been severly warned of the dark and dire
consequence of actually leaking any information. Any employee who
doesn't fancy themselves buried in a mountain of lawyers had better
keep quiet.

Just trying to establish some perspective, that's all.

Steve/bboyminn