# One of those AP stories that just brightens one's day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935 "2002-11-08T21:13:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/1 "2002-11-08T21:13:11Z")
LANTANA, Fla. (AP) - A man who has written two books on stupidity was arrested for allegedly trying to arrange sex with a 15-year-old girl over the Internet. The girl turned out to be an undercover male detective. James F. Welles, the 61-year-old author of _The Story of Stupidity_ and _Understanding Stupidity,_ was taken into custody last week after arranging to meet the girl at a restaurant, investigators said. ---
**Author:** ![Jonno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jonno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonno)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/2 "2002-11-08T21:30:49Z")
They do say you should write about what you know. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/3 "2002-11-08T21:32:28Z")
Stupid is as Welles does. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/4 "2002-11-08T21:38:34Z")
I thought it might have been a hoax story, as Lantana, Florida, is where the _Weekly World News_ is headquartered—but I looked up James F. Welles on Amazon, and there he was! ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/5 "2002-11-08T22:59:33Z")
I wonder if anyone ever tries to arrange sex with a detective over the Internet and ends up with a 15 year old girl? ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/6 "2002-11-09T07:42:14Z")
This was on Fark today with the “Ironic” tag. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/7 "2002-11-09T08:03:57Z")
Quote from the version linked at Fark (from memory, but accurate, I think) Stupid guy to 40 year old detective: “We can’t be all lovey-dovey in public, because the bottom line is, I’m commiting a crime.” ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-those-ap-stories-that-just-brightens-ones-day/135935/8 "2002-11-09T13:16:03Z")
I actually own “Understanding Stupidity” and been meaning to get around to reading it. Now I wonder if I should even bother.