But how many ways can a rumor be stated? Say the rumor is someone got married: "did so-and-so just get married???". If you make a 100 sentence structures to look for could you reuse them for multiple rumors?
The problem is not how many different ways a rumor can be written, it's how many rumors can be written. Esp. considering the fact that you have websites which automate the process of rumor-manufacturing...
Thanks for your comments, I agree that something automated is more efficient and robust. However, I was also thinking doing something manual might be a quick way to build and launch a site, even if it has poor accuracy. If you want to discuss it further, send me an email. Its in my profile.