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The Chevy Nova is a myth. To cite Snopes, Nova and No va are very different things in Spanish, (as different as No Table and Notable) and they wouldn't say No va anyway.

Bite the wax tadpole is pretty close though.

No

On my forum we had a fight about this. Someone posted a state highschool graduation test from the eairly 1900s and noted that few highschool students today could pass it. Well I looked at it and I can tell you why right off the bat, it was a bunch of route memorization. Knowing lots of little facts was what was needed. No logic, no critical thinking, no higher reasoning. Knowing geogrphic and historical facts, and simple arithmatic was what you needed.

That exam story is BS, and Snopes.com explains it.

We HAVE devices with perfect memories, computers.

Tell that to anybody who has lost data despite following a backup plan.

IF you need the precise information, you log in to JStor and look it up.

I didn't see any local public libraries in the list of participating libraries; I saw only university libraries open only to current university students. How does somebody who has already graduated from one of the institutions on the list become an "Authorized User of the JSTOR archive" as the TOS puts it? As good as computers and computer networks are at storing and spreading information, they're pretty darn good at hiding information from the general public (apart from the black market).

I'm starting to get really disturbed by the politics going on right now.

There's nothing wrong with questioning your government. When you start blindly protesting every single action of the government, I think it's time to take a step back and get a little perspective on things.

I'm starting to think twice about going to HOPE next month. Last time I went (2002) it was *incredibly* political. Jello Biafra gave a talk, and said a bunch of things about the "Bush conspiracy"--stuff that was easily debunked as bullshit on snopes.com--but everyone there just ate it up like it was hard fact. Random people would yell out "Bush sucks!" and everyone would laugh like it was the funniest shit in the world.

I've never seen a better example of herd mentality in my life. This is free thinking?

This was before the war, and before I gave a shit one way or the other about Bush and his policies, and I was probably more than likely to say "fuck Bush" based on what I knew about him at the time... and I still remember looking around and thinking these were a bunch of anarchist-wannabe children (many of whom were well past childhood.)

This was supposed to be a gathering of free-thinking people... individuals. Instead, it was a bunch of scene whores trying to act cool in front of "all the other hackers"... spouting ill-informed mass-media opinions without any actual information to back it up. And then they have the nerve to talk about how fucked up the media is. Hah. I'd feel different if I had seen anything but eagerly nodding heads slack-jawed idiots drinking up the bullshit like it was gospel.

I donno, I'd like to go to HOPE, it'd be fun in some ways... but I just cringe every time I think of the immature shit that Emannuel used to spout on his radio show, and I can only imagine how much more political HOPE will be with the current assault on Bush. Something tells me I won't really enjoy myself too much there.

I bet money that they show Fahrenheit 911 in the screening room and spend endless hours spouting mindless propaganda. And no, I'm not trolling. I'm not even a republican. I just hate people who don't think things through for themselves.

for helping create this intarweb thingey in the first place. Thankfully, we have insightful people like Senator Hatch to watch out for the needs of the American corp ^H^H^H^H people.

Something to tell the next kid you find singing "ring around the rosey," a nursery rhyme about the Plague. :-)

actually not true at all.

check it out

Read this article and you will see that a very successful business can be built on a customer focus (the urban legend is a peripheral point): link.

URBAN LEGEND

Urban legends. About the only thing coke is good for besides drinking is cleaning chrome. Some places do clean their floors with seltzer water from a tap in the back of the soda fountain, but no syrup, that'd get everything all sticky. Link. Also try to find episode 5 of Discovery Channels Mythbusters. Probably avalible on p2p, or check the listings.

Sony (whose name comes from a combination of the words - 'Sound Nippon')

That's not where I understood it was derived from:-
Here it says that it (basically) comes from the latin Sonus and 'Sonny boy'

Many complaints. Litigation. Suspicion of product tampering. Worst case was when one was opened on an aircraft, a bomb was suspected, and an emergency landing was made. The annoyed airline switched from Coke to Pepsi.

They say you can steal cars using the VIN number.

There is exactly one thing to do in this situation, and it's something I just love to do. Just reply/all with a link to an appropriate snopes.com page and explain to EVERYONE they sent it to that it's a hoax and that they should research such things before forwarding them on.

The result is typicaly a huge amount of embarassment for the sender.

Of course I did this to my sister and she was none too pleased with me (in fact I'd say that she was downright pissed off that I'd embarassed her in front of all of her friends and family). It worked though. She doesn't send them anymore without checking first.

-S

The idea is to make people feel stupid for being a part of the chain letter, not to insult them.

This works for me as well. I usually refer them to the following hoax busting sites:

Snopes
Urban Legends
Symantec Hoax Warnings ("$800 from Microsoft" is listed first on this page!
Hoaxbusters
VMyths

If more gullible journalists and people would think a little and do some simple, quick research before hitting the SEND button then we'd all be a lot better off.

I wrote it over 7 years ago for my web site, posted it to a couple of humor newsgroups to get some promo. Someone stripped my intro, sent it to a couple of humor lists with the claim it was real, and it exploded.

Sadly, my Shit Nickels Fast chain letter parody did not do as well.

- Greg

Snopes usually comes in handy when people are being difficult about believing hoaxes.

They have a few articles which may help you.

I tell everyone, before they forward any of that crap, or virtually anything they deem worthy of sharing, they should first check it against the Urban Legends Reference Pages.

Amazingly enough, the Indiana House Of Representatives voted pi=3... but it died in the Senate.

...but Snopes to the rescue as usual.

Around 80 years ago Nylon was invented. I live in Norway but my grandmother lived in New York in the 20ties / 30ties. She told me Nylon was short for "NOW, You Lousy Old Nip'" - a reference to Japan, and the new Nylons replacing the old silk stockins.
She was wrong.

>If Moore was really so anxious about telling the truth (as he wants us to believe), I would like to see his take on the military prowress of Kerry, especially as it relates to Iraq.

maybe he was constrained by the truth after all:

Service Mettle

seams to debunk your link.

Now, you tell me if that connection is "close and convoluted":

Here's background (including flight manifest) that clarifies "Flight of Fantacy" errors of "bitchslapped" & Moore.

Even Newspeak can be wrong

[The satellite's] onboard planner reschedules what to film in conjunction with what the scientific algorithms have detected. This software has already detected floods in Australia and will be adapted to also detect volcano eruptions and changes in ice fields.

John Ashcroft has directed engineers at the National Security Agency to design algorithms to follow, in increasing order of priority, the movements of terrorists, dissidents, persons engaged in the sin of dancing, and calico cats.

They can take care of it the old fashioned way.

The first google hit for "al gore created the internet debunked" is http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.htm

The snopes website has an excellent recap of this issue...Space pen. One really interesting addition is ... "Fisher pen was eventually used by both American and Soviet astronauts"

Mussolini made the trains run on time.

Just FYI: That was a myth.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's False

Hopefully, you're trolling, because this ain't true

The change in sweetener wasn't anything that diabolical. Corn syrup was cheaper than cane sugar; that's what it came down to. In 1980, five years before the introduction of New Coke, half the cane sugar in Coca-Cola had been replaced with high fructose corn syrup. By six months prior to New Coke's knocking the original Coca-Cola off the shelves, there was no cane sugar in American Coca-Cola. Whether they knew it or not, what consumers were drinking then was 100% sweetened by high fructose corn syrup.

Most people don't understand why hospitals would use this: every hospital I have worked in would be interested.

Cell phones, even by being on can affect drug infusion pumps: it is not good to have the infusion rate spontaneously jump from 1 mL/min to 100mL/min. What's worse is that some people don't know the difference between "standby" and "off" - they think just not using it will turn off the transceiver. (Yeah, yeah, Snopes says it's not a big problem. They're FOS on this one: it really does happen).

Some visitors argue it is a problem with the medical equipment and they should get to keep their phone on: 1) possibly a valid point, but the fact is that patient health is threatened by the phone, and 2) the historic FCC position is that RF shall not interfere with other equipment. (Incidenally, new medical equipment is better shielded (hinted at on the FDA website).

Finally, to the genius who wants to point out that many hospitals are using wireless for notebook computing and wireless monitoring: 1) those in use are on different frequencies than cell phones, and 2) they are very carefully tested before implementation, (Also, I'm not sure on this point, but I believe they are probably less powerful than cell phones; this is why repeaters are in every hallway rather than just one on the roof. If the wallpaper is just on the exterior of the building, I doubt it would not interfere with current use).

Teidou

Don't worry, be happy! - Bobby McFerrin

I was going to reply Bobby McFerrin commited suicide you insensitive clod! But I did a search to confirm it and I guess it isn't true, and as far as I can tell he is still alive. Goes to show you cannot assume the news you hear on the radio is true. That sure is a percistant rumor.

Being a jerk isn't always bad, like when he got fired from Disney :)

I'm posting anon because this is slightly OT.
The brothel bit is a myth.

Just like FUCK used to be a law that eventually got turned into a vulgar term...

Looks like you got taken in by yet another internet urban legend.

What the Fuck?

You're probably right about FSCK, though.

Jeez, the number is up to trillions of dollars now? Try this link to clear things up.

snopes.com is _so_ useful for clearing up many of the stupid memes floating around the net.

After all these years of filling out fake information in online forms, I'm not really very sure what my own name, address, or social security information is any more.

Maybe that's why the IRS is less than entertained by my tax returns.

Name: John Smith (note the resemblance)
SS#: 078-05-1120
Addr: 1 Main Street
Anytown, USA

Just kidding, I've been sending notes to the IRS for years reminding them I am from a galaxy far far away, and we don't believe in taxes. :)

It depends on the breed of dog I suspect. A friend of mine had many types of dog over the years and managed to enslave every one of them to his will. Recently however he acquired one of those silly chihuahuas and tried with all his might to bend its feeble mind into submission but he just couldn't do it. Naturally, he assumed that he was just unlucky and was stuck with a broken dog. So, he brutally disposed of this pathetic specimen and set out to find a chihuahua worthy of his attention. Alas, his search was fruitless.

The answer to why all chihuahuas seem to be nought but worthless vermin sent to this planet to frustrate the noble slavemaster is actually surprising -- they really are worthless vermin.
To clarify, an organisation called snopes has conducted in depth and labour intensive research into the origins of the chihuahua and discovered that the little mexican pest is actually a breed of rat created no doubt, by the evil and twisted mind of Thomas Edison's evil twin.

We can only sit and wonder at what else in this world is not what it seems.

It depends on the breed of dog I suspect. A friend of mine had many types of dog over the years and managed to enslave every one of them to his will. Recently however he acquired one of those silly chihuahuas and tried with all his might to bend its feeble mind into submission but he just couldn't do it. Naturally, he assumed that he was just unlucky and was stuck with a broken dog. So, he brutally disposed of this pathetic specimen and set out to find a chihuahua worthy of his attention. Alas, his search was fruitless.

The answer to why all chihuahuas seem to be nought but worthless vermin sent to this planet to frustrate the noble slavemaster is actually surprising -- they really are worthless vermin.
To clarify, an organisation called snopes has conducted in depth and labour intensive research into the origins of the chihuahua and discovered that the little mexican pest is actually a breed of rat created no doubt, by the evil and twisted mind of Thomas Edison's evil twin.

We can only sit and wonder at what else in this world is not what it seems.

First of all, although many songs are covered by copyright (including, darn them, "Happy Birthday")

The good news: Sure, Snopes seems to think "Happy Birthday to You" is still copyrighted and owned by Time Warner. But it may not be different enough from an earlier song called "Good Morning to All", whose U.S. copyright has already expired, to be considered a distinct work worthy of a separate copyright.

That is why you don't have to pay a royalty when ... you sing while gathered around the campfire with friends.

The bad news: The definition of "publicly" in 17 USC 101 leaves room for better-paid lawyers to twist a judge's conception of the facts:

To perform or display a work ''publicly'' means - (1) to perform or display it at a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gathered

Unless you have a fence around your campfire site, then the place is conceivably "open to the public." The music publisher will also argue in court over who is a "social acquaintance" and who is not.

Tepples wrote (about singing around the campfire as jhines suggested): Then your problem will be with BMI and ASCAP and SESAC, when they bill you for singing copyrighted songs. The recording isn't the only thing copyrighted; the sheet music itself is subject to a monopoly.

I'm all for singing.

First of all, although many songs are covered by copyright (including, darn them, "Happy Birthday") many others are not. If I feel like singing a Handel aria while sitting around the campfire, guess what? It's in the public domain. BMI can kiss my behind if they want to collect royalties from me for singing "Verdi prati" from Alcina (first performed in 1735). Same goes for many folk songs and traditional tunes. Including Kumbaya, which you might or might not consider encouraging news.

Second of all, it is questionable whether the campfire scenario described even falls under one of the "exclusive rights" of copyright. I call your attention to 17 USC 106:

Subject to sections 107 through 121, the owner of copyright under this title has the exclusive rights to do and to authorize any of the following:
. . .
(4) in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works, to perform the copyrighted work publicly;

Note the word "publicly." The right to perform "publicly" is reserved to the rightsholder, but it says nothing about performing "privately." That is why you don't have to pay a royalty when you sing happy birthday to your 3-year-old nephew at a party at your brother's house. Or when you sing while gathered around the campfire with friends.

Kerry will stop this offshoring nonsense! oh wait, his wife's companies are offshoring as much as anyone else.

More info here

Since the parent post was modded "interesting" instead of "funny," here's the snopes.com page...

According to Snopes you're a damn liar.

Chief Iron Eyes Cody played in the ad which debuted on Earth Day in 1971:
snopes.com

If only people could stop believing and repeating stuff they heard somewhere without checking the sources, we'd stop hearing stuff like "Al Gore said he invented the Internet, what a loser".

Could you please tell me when and how he claimed that? I, on the other hand, can tell you when he didn't.

Uhh...the Internet? (rejected, Al Gore invented that)
I hate this false urban legend because I believe it cost Gore a few votes. He never said it, and this was spread as a rumor to make Gore sound like a pompous jerk. (His personality did leave something to be desired, but get a guy for stuff he's done, not made up shit).

Yeah, he said he "creat[ed] the internet", and that's a stretch (outside forces helped a lot), but the Invented thing makes him sound like he pretended he was at Berkeley, sharing missives with Postel and Stevens, looking at packet headers, which he never meant to imply. The people who pushed this quote out are smart enough to know the connotation, but then play dumb when people challenge this "oh it means the same" when the connotation is clearly different.

Rant mode off.

You left out Natalie Portman.