Someone just hacked into the New York Post and UPI Twitter feeds, claiming that China attacked the American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington. It isn't true (so far as we know), but by and large one of the better hacks we've seen.
But the best part of the hack was this beautiful kicker:
LITTLE KNOWN FACT. The Pope declares wars, but only World Wars. He declares them on everybody.
One of the reason's it's one of the better hacks we've seen is because it's remotely plausible. But only very, very remotely plausible. They got the nitty-gritty details right for people who are only vaguely aware of the territory issues in the South China Sea, so it's great for no one doing any fact-checking. But on the other hand, it's not remotely plausible at all because this isn't the kind of scoop the Post (sorry, Post) or UPI (when was the last time you read anything from the UPI?) would get.
I mean, if someone goes and hacks the Post and makes it something totally up the paper's alley, something along the lines of Sheldon Silver Arrested for Everything In The World, well damn. I might buy that. On the other hand, I do like the Pope declaring war on everyone.
But maybe this is all REALLY REAL, who knows. After all, how did we get that sweet, sweet GIF up top?
Mysteries abound.
UPDATE: The Daily Beast's Nancy Youssef just happened to be with the Pentagon's Joint Staff when WW3 didn't start. The officers in the room reacted, well, just how you'd expect them to react:
"Oh really? We are?"