One of the IMC readers sent the above photo to us. Apparently, it's circulating around the internet among the right-wingers and anti-immigration people. Worse, they think it's a real protest sign.

The photo is a photoshopped hoax. Someone superimposed lettering onto the sign.

If you look at other handmade signs, you see a specific difference: the lines on the lettering of real handmade signs are not uniform. Also, the letters look more like block letters than handwriting. See the image below for examples.

In the image being circulated, the lines are more uniform, and, more notably, they are thick. People generally do not own pens thick enough to make those lines, and use regular chisel-point permanent markers instead. These markers are so thin that you have to go over the lines to make them visible.

The image below is the same sign, but with the rest of the photo removed. By removing the context, it's easier to examine the sign. Your mind is not adding its own biases to the image. Just look at it a few minutes, and it'll be obvious how they make their "sign". Just for fun, I won't say what they did. You can figure it out yourself and add a comment.

So if you see anyone falling for this prank or hoax, tell them it's a fake.

(Incidentally, the way to make one of these thick markers is probably described on graffiti websites. You fill a small bottle with ink or diluted paint, and then stuff cloth into the neck to make a "brush". It's a lot of trouble, and most people should use a cheap foam brush and some dark paint if they want more visible signs.)

This is the portion of the image that's been isolated from the photo.

probably is hand writing as most of the letters share similar hand/finger habits, than larger hand lettering as this would show more variation.
looks very much like a stylus touch pad.
I remember when the same kind of fakery used small point, 'air brush' Photo Shop applications.
But then again it could be done with a previously described home made fabric tip, it's hard to tell. IMOHO
:>)

There are two suspect items revealed by analysis of the image file in question.

First is the pixel resolution of the file: 100 px per inch. This is a non-standard resolution. No digital camera records files at 100 px. So this is an indication that the file has been processed, but not proof that the image has been altered.

The second item shows signs of the use of the burn and smudge tool in photoshop. See the attached cropped and enlarged portion of the image. Compare the area circled in yellow to the lettering.

The forger would have needed match to correct lighting on the existing sign with the lighting for the replaced sign. The enlargement shows a marked difference in the pixels of the lettering and the background. They do not match. This is the strongest evidence to believe that the sign is a fake.

it's smudged in and around "owe us"

the bogus pic was deleted w/o an apology


http://www.dailypaul.com/node/133480

No doubt created by the same people who Photoshopped Obama wearing a Muslim outfit and beard.

I adjusted the Levels and Gammas in Photoshop...you can totally see the smudgery (as stated by the previous Commenter).

the visual artifacts surrounding the lettering is suspicious
Infowars
as a staunch defender of the propertied class and rabid enemy of that dreaded 'socialism' which they waive like a juju stick, Infowars and Alex Jones have their own agenda.
Although his information is causing great consternation, most urgently needed to pull this nation out of its narcosis.
The middle management class is very worried and needs the working class to pull their suddenly threatened life styles out of the feed hopper like the rest of us.
We could have used their assistance when they were doing fine and the working class was getting screwed, but no, that's socialistic to spread the surplus...
oh hell, I'm sick of the chicanery and stupidity on all sides.

The lettering was dry erase marker on a whiteboard. You can tell in the second picture. That's what whiteboard writing looks like.

The link below goes to a Ron Paul fake sign.