Urban Legends Sitemap - Page 9 2013-05-19
Two Sniffs and You're Out! - Urban Legends
This week's hot email rumor, a warning to women about a robbery scam involving a remarkably potent 'knock-out' cologne, arrives just in time to strike fear into the hearts of holiday shoppers...
Wal-Mart Check Copying Scam - Netlore Archive
Emailed alert written on Louisiana Dept. of Public Safety stationary warns of a 'multi-city' check copying scam run by a ring of Wal-Mart employees
'Binary Explosives' Video - Urban Legends
Online video purports to show the manufacture of a binary explosive small enough to be hidden in a pen and powerful enough to 'vaporize' a watermelon.
National Gang Week Alert [p. 2]
National Gang Week activities purportedly include the use of abandoned baby car seats to trick women into stopping their vehicles and exposing themselves to attack.
Wasp Spray for Self-Defense - Urban Legends
Forwarded email recommends using wasp spray instead of pepper spray for self defense because, allegedly, it's more effective and works at a greater distance.
Va. Beach Woman Injected with Knockout Drug - Urban Legends
Forwarded email claims a woman in Virginia Beach, VA was approached at a gas station by a man with a suspiciously large ring who 'injected her with something like a date rape drug' by squeezing her hand.
Email: Al Gore's Energy Usage Exceeds U.S. Average - Urban Legends
Forwarded email claims global warming crusader Al Gore's personal energy consumption far exceeds that of the average American household.
Al Gore's Energy Usage Exceeds U.S. Average [p. 2]
Forwarded email, cont.
Don't Wear Campaign Garb at Polling Places - Urban Legends
Email rumor warns Barack Obama supporters not to wear Obama shirts, pins, hats, or other paraphernalia to polling places because it is considered campaigning (electioneering) under the law and grounds for officials to turn voters away.
Don't Wear Campaign Garb at Polling Places [p. 2]
Email rumor, cont.
Bill Makes Anti-Gay Speech a Crime - Netlore Archive
Email alert circulated by conservative Christian group claims a new bill in Congress would make it a crime for pastors and churches to speak out against homosexuality.
Harvey Milk Day (AB 2567) - Urban Legends
Forwarded email urges California residents to call the governor and voice their objections to AB 2567, a legislative bill designating May 22 as Harvey Milk Day to commemorate the San Francisco city supervisor slain in 1978.
Cleveland's Innerbelt Bridge on Verge of Collapse - Urban Legends
Email rumor claims structural engineers have declared the I-90 Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland on the verge of collapse and recommends detouring around it.
Nancy Pelosi Windfall Tax on Retirement Income - Urban Legends
Circulating via email, purported statements by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi condemning stock market profit-taking and advocating redistribution of wealth via a 100% windfall tax on retirement income.
Notice of Revocation of Independence - Urban Legends
Popular Net satire poking fun at the 2000 U.S. presidential election grew in the online telling...
Notice of Revocation of Independence - Commentary
Sarah Hartwell outlines the genesis of the 'Notice of Revocation of Independence,' a satirical response to the 2000 U.S. election propagated via the Internet
Sonia Sotomayor Advocates Castrating White Males - Urban Legends
Emailed 'news story' claims U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor delivered a speech in 2004 in which she advocated the 'castration of all white males,' and that her comments have been defended by President Obama as 'taken out of context' by political opponents.
Election Day Switch - Urban Legends
Fraudulent emails and paper fliers sent out before Election Day tell Democrats or Republicans to vote on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.
Ft. Calhoun Nuclear Plant Meltdown, News Blackout - Urban Legends
Online rumors claim U.S. authorities have instituted a 'news blackout' regarding what is described as a 'near catastrophic meltdown' due to flooding at the Ft. Calhoun Nuclear Plant in Nebraska.
Congress Stops Social Security Cost-of-Living Increase [p. 2]
Forwarded email claims $24 million saved by skipping Social Security cost-of-living increases for two years will be spent on electronic medical records processing for members of Congress.
HR 615 - Congress and Health Care - Urban Legends
Forwarded email trumpets an online petition favoring a House resolution urging all members of Congress to enroll in any new 'government-run' or 'public option' health care plan created by Congress.
War and Pizza
Does an upswing in pizza deliveries to the White House and Pentagon indicate a major military operation is about to take place?
Citizens Against Breastfeeding - Urban Legends
Email claims over 200,000 American citizens have signed a petition urging Congress to declare breastfeeding unlawful.
Cap and Trade - License Required to Sell Your Home? - Urban Legends
Forwarded email claims that H.R. 2454, also known as the 'Cap and Trade' bill, will require homeowners to retrofit their homes to comply with new energy efficiency standards before being allowed to sell them.
Cap and Trade - License Required to Sell Your Home? [p. 2]
Forwarded email claims H.R. 2454, also known as the 'Cap and Trade bill,' will require homeowners to retrofit their homes to comply with new efficiency standards before selling them.
Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen on New Immigration Law - Urban Legends
Viral email attributed to Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen defends the state's new immigration law, SB 1070.
Congress Stops Social Security Cost-of-Living Increase - Urban Legends
Forwarded email claims $24 million saved by skipping Social Security cost-of-living increases for two years will be spent on electronic medical records processing for members of Congress.
Cards for Jacob Hadcock - Urban Legends
Email chain letter solicits Christmas cards for Jacob Hadcock, allegedly a 4-year-old with terminal cancer in Mexico, New York.
Christmas Cards for Nathan Elfrink - Urban Legends
Email chain letter and Internet postings solicit Christmas cards for Nathan Elfrink, a 7-year-old Ohio boy diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2005
It's time to look back on 2005, an eventful twelve months by any measure, and revisit the Top 10 Net Hoaxes and Urban Legends of the year.
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2005 [p. 2]
Our Top 10 of 2005, cont.
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2006
Our annual look back at the top-circulating Net hoaxes, rumors, and urban legends of the year
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2006 [p. 2]
Our annual look back at the top-circulating Net hoaxes, rumors, and urban legends of the year, cont.
Avi Ben Stella Prayer Request - Urban Legends
A viral prayer request circulating on Facebook and Twitter asks for prayers on behalf of a 12-year-old boy named Avi Ben Stella, who is allegedly in a coma after a serious car crash.
Matt Dawson Chain Letter - Netlore Archive
Circulating via email and on MySpace.com, this hoax claims 23-year-old Matt Dawson is suffering from lung cancer and a brain tumor, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7 cents toward paying his medical bills every time the message is forwarded or reposted
Sam Bish Prayer Request - Urban Legends
Chain email solicits prayers for 8-year-old Sam Bish (Samuel Gordon Bish) of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer known as Osteosarcoma.
Birthday Cards for Shane (Hoax) - Netlore Archive
Email chain letter requesting birthday cards for a young leukemia sufferer in Crystal Lake, Illinois (or Schuylerville, New York) named Shane so he can win a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records is a hoax
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2004
The year is at an end and it's time to unveil About's partly-scientific, partly-subjective roundup of the Top 10 Net Hoaxes and Urban Legends of 2004
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2004 (p. 2)
Top 10 of 2004, cont.
Audrin King Prayer Request - Urban Legends
Circulating on Facebook and Twitter, a prayer request for 2-year-old 'Audrin' King (actually Audri Kate King), who has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Missing Teen: Jackie Buyher - Urban Legends
Viral Facebook posting asks members to help find missing teen Jackie Buyher, who was last seen at school in Evansville, Indiana on Nov. 3, 2010.
Urban Legends FAQ: What is a chain letter?
Urban Legends FAQ: What is a chain letter?
SULFNBK.EXE - Hoax, Virus or WHAT?
Frequently asked questions about the so-called 'SULFNBK.EXE Virus'
A Tiger, a Worm, a Snail - Vietnamese Folktales
The various peoples of Vietnam value faithfulness, virtue and intelligence, and this is reflected in the folktales of the land.
Not About Q
Speaking only for ourselves, we would not touch the subject of Quetzalcoatl with a ten-foot pole. But here is an interesting legend from ancient Mexico.
What Could Be More Natural? - The Penis in Mythology and Folklore
Penises make constant appearances in myths and legends from all over the map. Peter Kohler measures in with a retelling of a Hopi folktale explaining a peculiarity of the male anatomy.
Jeboo and Jeboo
People sure will be people, and they'll tell stories about it too ... as in these folktales from Liberia.
Book Review: The Choking Doberman and Other 'New' Urban Legends, by Jan Harold Brunvand
Brunvand dutifully debunks falsehoods but also makes it palpably clear that there's plenty more to learn from studying urban legends than whether or not they deserve to be believed.
Book Review: Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends, by Jan Harold Brunvand
As we've come to expect, Brunvand supplies a running commentary informed by his vast experience as a folklorist and a keen appreciation for the entertainment value of the material.
Jay's Journal of Anomalies
Brief review: Jay's Journal of Anomalies: farrar straus and giroux human levitation complementary disciplines ricky jay sleight of hand
Top Picks: Introductory Books on Urban Legends
Of the many available books on those contemporary tall tales known as urban legends, not all are suitable for introducing new readers to the topic. The selections herein have been chosen for their broad range, attention to basics and entertainment value.
Top Picks: Books for Urban Legends Aficionados
What do you get for the urban legends fan who knows everything? Here's a selection of books notable for their authoritative and in-depth coverage of urban folklore, written by world-renowned folklorists.
Top Picks: Books on Shams, Scams and Oddities
Selected books on fictitious beasts, legerdemain, human oddities, tabloid tales and other specimens of the odd and unbelievable in history and popular culture.
Budweiser Frogs - Screensaver or Virus?
Anheuser-Busch retired its amphibious animatronic mascots, the Budweiser Frogs, some time ago, but they live on in Internet folklore
'Crybaby Serial Killer' - Australian Variants - Urban Legends
Email rumor claims that a serial killer may be using recordings of a crying baby to coax unsuspecting women into inviting him into their homes in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Urban Legends Slide Show - Tow Truck Comedy of Errors (#8)
A gallery of odd and arresting images - some real, some fake, some persistently enigmatic - as circulated via email
JDBGMGR.EXE Virus Warning (Teddy Bear Virus) - Netlore Archive
jdbgmgr.exe ('teddy bear' virus) - forwarded virus warning claims that a standard Windows file is a security threat
Towboat Mishap #18
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #19
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #11
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #12
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #13
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #14
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #15
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #16
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #17
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #4
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #5
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #6
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #7
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #8
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #9
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap - Netlore Archive
Remarkable photo vignette shows a river towboat colliding sideways with a bridge, rolling underneath it, and emerging intact on the other side.
Towboat Mishap - Netlore Archive
Remarkable photo vignette shows a river towboat colliding sideways with a bridge, rolling underneath it, and emerging intact on the other side.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #2
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #3
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #4
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #5
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #6
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Image #7
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Hurricane Lili Waterspouts
Emailed photo purportedly shows three waterspouts threatening a supply vessel at sea as Hurrican Lili approaches, October 2002
Towboat Mishap #10
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap - Netlore Archive
Remarkable photo vignette shows a river towboat colliding sideways with a bridge, rolling underneath it, and emerging intact on the other side.
Towboat Mishap $2
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Towboat Mishap #3
Emailed photos show a towboat colliding with a bridge.
Polar Bear and Huskies at Play - Netlore Archive
Emailed images show a 1,200-pound polar bear playing with husky sled dogs in the sub-arctic wilderness of northern Canada.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #11
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #12
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
'It Takes Guts to Say Jesus' Virus - Netlore Archive
False email alert warns Internet users to beware of a virus-bearing email entitled 'It Takes Guts to Say Jesus'
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #3
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #1
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #10
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #2
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #4
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #5
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #6
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #7
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #8
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors #9
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors (Photos) - Netlore Archive
Photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that had already met the same fate while attempting to salvage a wrecked car.
Hurricane Katrina Approaches
Emailed image purports to show Hurricane Katrina approaching the Gulf Coast in August 2005.
Iraq Sandstorm
Emailed photos evidently snapped by a U.S. soldier document a 'sandstorm from hell' at Al Asad airbase in Iraq on April 26, 2005.
Niagara Falls Frozen Over
Emailed photo purportedly taken in 1911 offer postcard views of Niagara Falls completely frozen over.
North Pole Sunset
Emailed image purportedly snapped at the North Pole in which the crescent moon appears to be many times larger than the setting sun.
Satellite Photo of 2003 Blackout
Emailed photo purports to show GeoStar satellite view of the 2003 east coast blackout.
The Hands of God
Emailed image purports to show the 'hands of God' in a cloud formation associated with 2004's Hurricane Charley.
Eye of God in Outer Space
Emailed NASA photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope has been labeled the 'Eye of God' by frequent forwarders.
Hurricane Isabel Approaches, 2003
Emailed photo purports to show the approach of Hurricane Isabel at sea, September 2003.
Montana Fires, 2000
Praying Rock Formation
In this emailed image, a rock formation and its reflection in a body of water resemble a mother and child praying.
Tsunami in Action
Emailed image purports to show the devastating tsunami of December 26, 2004 washing ashore on the Thai island of Phuket (or Indonesia, depending on version).
Alice Cooper and the Dismembered Chicken
The original shock rocker and role model to the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Marilyn Manson comes clean on an infamous animal abuse rumor during an interview
Close Encounter with Mars on August 27 - Urban Legends
2006 variant of years-old email hoax repeats outdated claim that during the month of August the orbits of Mars and Earth will bring the two planets closer together than ever before in recorded history.
Alexandra (Ola) Kuczma Chain Letter - Urban Legends
Email hoax claims that 3 cents will be donated toward the medical care of 14-month-old burn victim Alexandra ('Ola' or 'Olenka') Kuczma each time the message is forwarded.
Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day - Urban Legends
TRUE! Ben & Jerry's gives away free ice cream cones once a year on Free Cone Day, scheduled to take place April 3, 2012.
Possibly a First: Actor Russell Crowe Confirms Own 'Death' via Twitter
As tweeted very early this morning by Mr. Crowe himself: Unable to answer tweets fell off a mountain in Austria, all over red rover. Don't know how i got
The Urban Legends Slide Show
A gallery of over 100 odd and arresting viral images - some real, some fake, some persistently enigmatic prepare to be shocked and amused! Start
Both Spring and Fall - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Folklore has it that you can stand raw eggs on end during the vernal equinox (first day of spring). Science has it that it can be done any day of the year if you're patient and persistent. Share your own egg balancing successes and failures here.
Every Single Day of the Year - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Folklore has it that you can stand raw eggs on end during the vernal equinox (first day of spring). Science has it that it can be done any day of the year if you're patient and persistent. Share your own egg balancing successes and failures here.
Balancing Eggs and Brooms - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Folklore has it that you can stand raw eggs on end during the vernal equinox (first day of spring). Science has it that it can be done any day of the year if you're patient and persistent. Share your own egg balancing successes and failures here.
Louisville, Kentucky - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Readers share their equinox egg balancing experiences.
Balancing on the Small End - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Folklore has it that you can stand raw eggs on end during the vernal equinox (first day of spring). Science has it that it can be done any day of the year if you're patient and persistent. Share your own egg balancing successes and failures here.
Attack of the Camel Spiders!
This picture is a perfect example of why you don't want to go to the desert. These are two of the biggest I've ever seen. With a vertical leap that would make
The Not-Quite-Longest Snake in the World
In a spate of international wire storiesfiled towards the end of December, it was reported that villagers on the Indonesian island of Java had found the largest
'Gas Buying Tips' Go Viral
With gasoline prices on the rises again, some folks are resorting to money-saving tips they find in forwarded emails.
Who Said It?
Circulating via email, a viral quiz consisting of 10 embarrassing verbal gaffes committed by one or more U.S. politicians.
Painted Cats? It's a Spoof!
Some folks are irate, others are perplexed, and many are downright incredulous after viewing a widely forwarded email containing dozens of photographs of
The Venerable, Versatile Gourd
Peter Kohler greets the arrival of autumn with a meditation on the thousand-and-one uses of the venerable gourd.
Old Wives' Tale Says Onions Absorb Germs, Prevent Flu
Five hundred years ago it was popularly believed that placing raw, sliced onions around the household was an effective way of warding off the bubonic plague.
Did Denzel Washington Fund a Fisher House for Military Families? [p. 3]
Email rumor, cont.: denzel washington military families fisher images
Did Denzel Washington Fund a Fisher House for Military Families? [p. 2]
Email rumor, cont.: denzel washington page nbsp military families fisher images
Spring and Summer - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Readers share their equinox egg balancing experiences.
Gas Boycott (Saudi / Middle Eastern Oil) [Analysis]
Email chain letter, cont.: middle eastern oil gas boycott enemies and allies international media attention mergers acquisitions
Are Cell Phone Numbers 'Going Public'?
Are cell phone numbers about to be released to telemarketers? The answer is still no, despite rumors to the contrary.
Just How Tired Is Bill Cosby?
Leap Year
Think calculating leap years is simple? Think again.
Do Cell Phones Pose Fire Hazard at Gas Pump? - Netlore Archive
Hoax email warns that cell phone (mobile phone) use near gasoline pumps while refueling can cause fires or explosions.
Obama's Flagless Press Conference
Is it true, per the latest forwarded email attack on President Obama, that there were no American flags present at his May 27 press conference, making him the
Lindsay Lohan, the Media, and Fallen Marines
Reader Chuck Anastasia alerted me to a new viral message circulating like crazy on Facebook for the past few days: Lindsay Lohan, 24, is all over the news
John Cleese Letter to America (Notice of Revocation of Independence) - Urban Legends
Dec. 2004 variant of 'Notice of Revocation of Independence' purportedly authored by John Cleese.
Military Casualties Under Bush vs. Clinton
A new forwarded email uses falsified data to claim that there were more U.S. military fatalities during the Bill Clinton administration than there have been to
Cook County Correctional Center [Analysis]
Emailed photos, cont.: cook county correctional center prison architecture urban legends article sources modern architecture
Marzipan Babies [Analysis]
Emailed images, cont.: camille allen marzipan babies artist camille bull images urban legends
Marzipan Babies [p. 4]
Emailed images, cont.: marzipan babies images
Marzipan Babies [p. 3]
Emailed images, cont.: marzipan babies images
Marzipan Babies [p. 2]
Emailed images, cont.: marzipan babies images
The Physics of Cow Tipping
They still haven't found a cure for the common cold, mind you, but I'm happy to report that scientists have been hard at work analyzing the dynamics of cow
'Slow Dance' Chain Letter - Urban Legends
Slow Dance - Can saving a dying child's life really be as simple as forwarding a treacly chain letter to everyone you know?
Moose on a Wire - Urban Legends
Emailed image shows an unfortunate moose accidentally strung up on power cables by a utility crew near Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Exploding Brassiere
Ever wonder what would happen if you wore an inflatable bra at 50,000 feet?
Famous Author Stumbles on Urban Myth
No Hoax: Free Rice Website Feeds the Hungry
In case you were wondering, FreeRice.com is neither a hoax nor a scam, despite its seemingly too-good-to-be-true premise. Visitors to the nonprofit website are
The Fish of Fertility
What Exactly ARE Urban Legends?
Urban legends are popular stories alleged to be true and passed from individual to individual via oral or written (e.g., via forwarded email) communication.
Python Tangles with Electric Fence; Fence Wins
You own a sheep ranch and you have lost several animals over time to snakes. So you install an electric fence, and you are hoping that it will work. On this
'Naked Chef' Email Book Is a Fake
'How cool is this,' begins the fast-spreading email. 'It's the new Jamie Oliver cookbook, it was sent out over email by mistake and is now circling the U.K., no
Rumor: Sarah Palin Faked Pregnancy to Protect Teenage Daughter
On Saturday I was emailed a copy of a rumor making the rounds since John McCain's announcement of Sarah Palin as his running mate, to wit: Palin's faked
Update: Palin Announces Daughter's Pregnancy to Rebut Rumors
Sarah Palin announced today that her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol Palin, is now about five months pregnant, effectively rebutting Internet rumors speculating
Obama / Kagan / Snopes
A forwarded email making the right-wing rounds not only repeats the false allegation that Justice Elena Kagan represented President Obama in court cases
Superglue Revenge 2009
Buck Wolf over at Weird News just blogged about a sticky situation in Wisconsin involving an unfaithful husband, his jilted wife, three different women he
Frog in Pepsi Can: FDA Report
FDA investigators had some good news and bad news for Fred DeNegri of Ormand Beach, Florida earlier this week. The good news is that the elongated pink blob
Prayers for Sam Bish
Dead Mermaid Washed Up by Tsunami
As if enough bizarre creatures hadn't allegedly been found washed up on Indian Ocean beaches in the wake of the December 26 tsunami already, now there are
Mobile Phone Virus
Just as we can no longer say, as we once did, that you can't catch a computer virus simply by reading your email (remember those good old days?), we can now no
Miracle at Meulaboh
According to this rampant email tale, 400 Christians living in the predominantly Muslim city of Meulaboh, Indonesia were miraculously saved from death in the
'The Half-Time Flush' and Other Super Bowl Myths Debunked
The larger-than-life folklore of Super Bowl Sunday
How NOT to Address Christmas Cards to Wounded Soldiers
FYI, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center has issued a statement debunking a widely circulated email which recommends addressing holiday cards care of the Center
Feb. 2 Is Groundhog Day
The historical roots of Groundhog Day stretch back through the medieval Christian feast of Candlemas to ancient pagan midwinter celebrations.
Iraqi Sculptor Kalat: Paying Tribute or Paid for Tribute?
A pair of photos circulating since last year show a touching sculpture memorializing U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq. As the caption correctly states, the statue
Glass Skywalk Over the Grand Canyon
Bad, Bad Jelly Bracelets!
In my day I'm talking late '60s, early '70s the rumor was you could trade beer bottle labels for sex. The brand was Olympia. If you peeled the
Bill Gates is the Antichrist [Analysis]
Email rumor, cont.: mea culpa malt ale william gates bill gates hagstrom
Navy SEAL Team 6
Viral photo purports to show Navy SEAL Team 6 ready for action.
FALSE RUMOR: Anthrax or Poison in Tide Detergent Samples
Saturday Is World Toilet Day
Contrary to popular belief, the flush toilet was not invented by a man named Crapper.
Please Ignore 'Vodka Tampon' Hype
Are teens everywhere really using vodka-soaked tampons to get drunk?
Taco Bell Meat: Grade 'D'?
A class-action lawsuit has been filed accusing Taco Bell of false advertising because it describes the meat used in some of its products as
Chinese New Year Begins Today
Happy Chinese New Year! In Chinese astrology 2012 is known as the year of the dragon.
Misspelled Prayer Request: 'Mike LaBlue'
Currently circulating: CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STOP PLAYING GAMES FOR 2 MINUTES AND REPOST THIS? PLEASE LIFT UP THE MIKE LABLUE FAMILY.
FBI Investigates Apparent Hoax Claiming 160 Nuclear Bombs Planted Around U.S.
The FBI says it has received at least 20 copies of a letter purporting to have been signed by Osama bin Laden and claiming that 160 remote-controlled nuclear
FACEBOOK SCAM: Switch Profile Color to Gold, Black, Pink, or Red
Facebook scam purports to offer users a chance to switch profile color to gold, black, pink, or red.
Why Friday the 13th Is Unlucky
The sixth day of the week and the number 13 have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times.
Who Killed Princess Diana?
Ten years ago on August 31, 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a traffic accident when the limousine she was riding in with her lover, Dodi Al Fayed, crashed
HIV+ Pepsi
Rumor claims Pepsi products are contaminated with HIV-positive blood.
The 'Truth' About Martin Luther King - Urban Legends
Anonymous forwarded email purports to reveal 'Four Things You Didn't Know About Martin Luther King, Jr.'
Mel Gibson Movie 'The Passion' [p. 2]
Rumors precede release of 'The Passion,' cont.: hanoi jane fonda real life man media pundits speculative article mel gibson movie
Mel Gibson Movie 'The Passion' Blames Jews for the Death of Jesus Christ - Urban Legends
Rumor has it that Mel Gibson secretly harbors anti-Semitic sentiments and that his upcoming film 'The Passion' blames Jews for the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
Pep Boys Firing All Military Employees - Urban Legends
False email rumor alleges that Pep Boys, the national auto parts chain based in Philadelphia, is firing all reservist and National Guard employees called up for active duty in the Iraq war
folkloristics - definition of folkloristics
Definition of folkloristics - The academic study of folklore.
myth - definition of myth
Definition of myth - A traditional sacred story, typically revolving around the activities of gods and heroes, which purports to explain a natural phenomenon or cultural practice.
legend - definition of legend
Definition of legend - A traditional historical tale (or collection of related tales) popularly regarded as true but usually containing a mixture of fact and fiction.
narrative - definition of narrative
Definition of narrative - An account of a series of events or incidents, whether true or fictitious; a story.
ostension - definition of ostension
Definition of ostension - Instance of an urban legend being unwittingly acted out in real life. (Knowingly acting out an urban legend is called 'pseudo-ostension.')
proverb - definition of proverb
Definition of proverb - A short, popular saying that expresses some practical truth or illuminating thought about everyday life.
rumor - definition of rumor
Definition of rumor - A statement or opinion widely disseminated and alleged to be true though its veracity is unconfirmed.
paraskevidekatriaphobia - definition of paraskevidekatriaphobia
Definition of paraskevidekatriaphobia - A morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.
superstition - definition of superstition
Definition of superstition - An irrational belief - i.e., one held in spite of evidence to the contrary - usually involving supernatural forces and associated with rituals.
tradition - definition of tradition
Definition of tradition - A belief, custom, story, or practice (etc.) handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth or demonstration.
Is Bill Cosby Dead? Nope.
'Election Day Switch' Hoax at GMU
The Washington Post reports that hackers commandeered a George Mason University mailing list and sent a message to some 35,000 students, faculty, and staff
809 Area Code Scam - Urban Legends
809 Area Code Scam - Email alerts circulating since 1996 warn consumers not to comply with telephone, pager, or email requests to dial phone numbers beginning with the area codes 809, 284, or 876.
Starving Dog as Art? [Analysis]
Forwarded email, cont.: bull images property in costa rica incense burner dog biscuits online petitions
The Columbus Method - : Balancing Eggs on the Equinox
Readers share their equinox egg balancing experiences.
Tooth Fairy Economics
Prayers for Diego Mendez?
Viral prayer request on behalf of 5-year-old Diego Mendez
U.S. Marines / Puppy Throwing Video
A viral video (beware, disturbing content) showing a pair of U.S. Marines callously joking as they throw what appears to be a live puppy off a cliff
Leap Year Lore
One of the convenient fictions we live by holds that there are exactly 365 days in a year. In point of fact, the earth turns roughly 365 and a quarter times on
U.S. Marines / Puppy Throwing Video
The Snakes in the Flower Pot - Urban Legends
Viral images purport to show a nest of baby copperhead snakes found in the bottom of a plastic flower pot purchased at a grocery store.
Pearl Harbor Photos Found in Old Brownie Camera [Analysis]
Emailed photos, cont.: kodak brownie camera president franklin d roosevelt timeline of world war ii pearl harbor photos pearl harbor december 7 1941
Flesh-Eating Bananas Hoax (South Africa) - Urban Legends
South African variants of an online hoax warning that shipments of bananas are infected with bacteria that cause necrotizing fasciitis ('flesh-eating disease').
Authorities Deny Alien Baby Found in Wyoming
The FBI said last weekend it was unaware of any extraterrestrial infants found in its jurisdiction lately, despite a report to the contrary in the Weekly World
Urban Legends Focus of Newfoundland Conference
The 21st annual Perspectives on Contemporary Legend International Conference got underway today at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Baby Ink: Tattoos for Toddlers?
No, Virginia, there is no Baby Ink. The Website promoting a tattoo parlor catering to infants and children is a hoax an April Fools joke, actually
Angry Red Planet
[NASA photo] Mars is perturbed or its orbit is, at any rate meaning that during the month of August the angry red planet will swoop closer
Tempus Fugitive
Via Alex Boese, word of another infamous time travel poseur (see earlier story). This one, calling himself John Titor, created a buzz in 2000 by claiming he had
A Hotbed of Anti-Triclavianism
Objective: Christian Ministries is on the radar again due to its new campaign against the heresy of triclavianism (the belief that only three nails were
Wal-Mart Shopper Says He Was Bitten by Rattlesnake
Authorities in Brownwood, Texas are investigating the claims of a man who says he was bitten by a rattlesnake as he reached for a pair of shoes in Wal-Mart.
The Curse of the Hope Diamond
Many diamonds are phosphorescent, glowing faintly blue in a darkened room after exposure to ultraviolent light. By contrast, the famed Hope Diamond glows a
What's Visible from Outer Space
You may have heard it said that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible to the naked eye from outer space. Not true. As a matter of fact,
Hoaxes, Myths & Manias
Hosted by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), the Hoaxes, Myths & Manias Conference got underway today in
'Naked Chef' Jamie Oliver 'Bares All' in 2004 Calendar
A photograph purporting to show the cover of a new Jamie Oliver calendar generated a fair amount of Internet chatter this past week because, in the words of Sun
A Ghost for All Seasons
The guy in the photo went to the Sundarbans with his friends and he asked one of them to take his picture in that very place. While his friend was taking the
Where's My Gnome?
Some folks were instantly suspicious when fliers began popping up around New York City just before Christmas seeking information on the whereabouts of a stolen
Credit Card Fraud Warning
Currently circulating via email, this first-person narrative tells a harrowing tale of credit card identity theft. While we have no way of ascertaining whether
Florida to Consider Ban on 'Cow Tipping'
UPDATE: It was brought to my attention long after the item below was posted that contrary to how it was presented at the time by a certain Tallahassee
Was Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Boob-Boo Really an Accident?
Super Bowl XXXVIII may be history, but on Monday it remained the subject of boisterous day-after chatter the whole day long. If there is a lesson to be gleaned,
The 'Hanoi Jane' Letters
A little over four years ago, I undertook the debunking of a forwarded email accusing actress and sometime peace activist Jane Fonda of materially betraying
California Town Swallows 'DHMO' Hoax
News reports say flummoxed officials in Aliso Viejo, California came close to banning styrofoam cups after reading on the Internet that they are manufactured
With Friends Like These...
Can you decipher the hidden, insulting message in this actual epitaph carved into a tombstone in a Montreal Cemetery?
The Hands of God?
FWD: The Hands of God - Awesome pictureA friend of mine sent this photo of a cloud formation in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley. I think it is awesome and
California Bans Necrophilia
Speaking of Arnold, hot off the presses comes news that the Governator has signed legislation that would prevent this sort of thing from ever happening in
The Pen Is Mightier than the Kryptonite Lock
Folks have been writing in to inquire whether the various videos available on the Internet showing Kryptonite brand bicycle locks being opened with ordinary
The Vanishing Hitchhiker of Mount St. Helens
A chilling variant of The Vanishing Hitchhiker turned up in the Tacoma News Tribune this week. It seems that for months after Mount St. Helens first erupted in
A 'Do Not Call' Registry for Cell Phone Users?
A new email flier warns that a national directory of cell phone numbers will soon be published and urges cell phone users to enter their numbers on a federal
Are the Blue States Smarter than the Red States?
Shades of the aftermath of Election 2000, we are entreated once again to believe that the states whose electoral votes went to the Democratic candidate
Bad Luck Asteroid
NASA scientists have discovered a new Near-Earth Asteroid expected to swoop precariously close to earth on Friday the 13th, 2029. The odds against an impact
Strange Creatures Found After Tsunami
Set of 25 images circulating via forwarded email allegedly shows an awesome variety of bizarre deep-sea life recovered from the beaches of Phuket, Thailand
Is SaveToby.com Out of Business?
American University journalism grad student John Marcario informs me that as of Feb. 28 the PayPal link on SaveToby.com the Website claiming that a cute
The Legend of the Gun-Totin' Granny
Well-traveled tabloid tale recounting the exploits of 81-year-old Ava Estelle of Melbourne, Australia, who took revenge on the two thugs who raped her
Woman Gets Paper Cut Licking Envelope; Tongue Gives Birth to Cockroach
A woman was working in a post office in California, one day she licked the envelopes and postage stamps instead of using a sponge. That very day the lady cut
Spoofed Web Greeting Cards Pose Real Threat to Users
PC World reports that some messages appearing to originate from legitimate sources and asking recipients to click on a link to retrieve a virtual greeting card
Photos of Cox Arquette Christening Weren't Sent by Aniston, Rep Says
Three things you should know about the photos currently circulating via email which show celebrities Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette
Dramatic Images of April 26 Sandstorm in Iraq
The image at right is but one of a series of striking photographs of a massive sandstorm engulfing the Al Asad air base in western Iraq last Tuesday. A Marine
Wacky 'Drunk Building' in Sopot, Poland
Though it looks like something out of a surrealist painting (or a Disney cartoon), this is a real building located in the Rezydent Shopping Center in Sopot,
Email Warns of Osama Bin Laden 'Suicide' Virus
The threat appears to have been contained, but antivirus software vendor Sophos confirms that messages circulating in 2004 which purported to offer photographic
Unlock Your Car Door with a Cell Phone?
Locked out of your automobile? According to this perennially popular forwarded email, you can have someone transmit a signal from your spare remote key via cell
Are Sharks Prowling the Streets of New Orleans?
Among the many rumors circulating in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is the claim that sharks have been seen prowling the flooded byways of New Orleans.
FBI: Beware Hurricane Katrina Charity Scams
Reuters reports that the FBI has issued a warning about fake Web sites soliciting donations for Hurricane Katrina relief. There are 4,000 such sites and the
Do They Really Use Puppies as Shark Bait?
Tabloid headlines accusing fishermen on the French-controlled Ile de la Rιunion of using live dogs and cats as shark bait have aroused the ire of animal
Beware the Jury Duty Scam
Finally, an email warning worth paying attention to: A new identity theft scam has emerged wherein potential victims are falsely notified that they have failed
The (True) Legend of the Exploding Whale
Saturday, November 12 marks the 35th anniversary of the infamous exploding whale incident near Florence, Oregon. It was on that day in 1970 that the Oregon
411 Calls for Free?
An email flier making the rounds this month touts a new cell phone service, 1-800-FREE-411, which allows users to make directory assistance calls free of
AP: One-Eyed Kitten Is No Hoax
Hush, skeptics. Associated Press photo editor Tom Stathis says he conducted a thorough investigation to authentic a widely circulated image currently #1
Dubai's Incredible Indoor Ski Resort
You can believe your eyes. Emailed images of a massive indoor ski resort constructed on desert sands in the United Arab Emirates state of Dubai are as authentic
Electrocuted by Cell Phone?
Citing a one-of-a-kind instance of a 31-year-old Indian man fatally electrocuted while answering his charging cell phone, this frequently forwarded email warns
Run! Hide! It's Monkeyman935!
If a person with the screen name of Monkeyman935 contacts you, do not reply. DO not talk to this person; do not answer any of his/her instant Messages or
Frozen Remains of One-Eyed Kitten Sold to Creationist Museum
The corpse of Cyclops, the one-eyed kitten, who lived only a day but came to be immortalized in Internet debates over its authenticity, has been sold by its
FW: Now That's an Easter Bunny!!
He may not be the biggest bunny in the world (that honor apparently belongs to a British cousin named Roberto), but at 3 feet in length from nose to tail and
Flag Wars
The occasion was a protest involving approximately 1,000 Hispanic students who walked out of their classes in the El Rancho Unified and Whittier Union High
About that Katrina Evacuee Job Fair in Austin...
An email circulating for the past several weeks claims that shuttle buses arranged by FEMA and the city of Austin to take unemployed Hurricane Katrina evacuees
The 'Date of the Beast' Approacheth
Some folks are girding their loins in anticipation of the sixth of June 6-6-06 a date they regard as the calendrical equivalent of 666, the
The Bird Flu Conspiracy
Did you know that governments worldwide are stockpiling the antiviral drug Tamiflu in preparation for a bird flu pandemic even though only about a hundred
'Body in Barrel' Update
So, it turns out that the story published a couple of weeks ago about Hungarian workers who drank from a rum barrel that was later found to contain a dead body
Cops to Gunman: 'Potato Silencer' Is an Urban Legend
The Miami Herald reports that 23-year-old Shane Thompson was arrested last month after threatening to shoot the mother of his child with a handgun equipped with
Amazing Whale Rescue
Forwarded email recounts the true story of the rescue of a 50-ton humpback whale entwined in hundreds of feet of crab trap lines off the coast of northern
Sour Spray Candy: Use as Directed!
Circulating via email, the frightening story of a child who suffered a laryngospasm (throat spasm cutting off air to the lungs) after drinking sour spray candy
Nostradamus Predicts World Cup Victory for Spain
Purported quote from 16th-century astrologer Nostradamus: At the end of the sixth month of 2006, The King of Spain will cross the Pyrenees with his army.
Australian Police Deny Rumors that Accused Child Killer Came from England
Dante Wyndham Arthurs, the man arrested in Perth, Australia last week for the murder of 8-year-old Sofia Rodriguez-Urritia-Shu, was born and raised in Western
Can You Cook an Egg with Your Cell Phone?
Contrary to all common sense, two journalists from the Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda claimed they successfully cooked an egg with two cell phones in
'Honey, What's that Funky Smell?'
A man and woman went to Las Vegas for their honeymoon, and checked into a suite at a hotel. When they got to their room they both detected a bad odor. The
Islamic Justice at Work?
A series of photos circulating since late last year via email shows a young Iranian boy whose arm is being deliberately run over by a truck. The caption reads:
FW: One Tough Camper!
Now this is a story. A man is attacked by a polar bear who slashed open his tent and proceeded to jump up and down on him, clawing at his back and gnawing on
S.D. School Tries to Stamp Out Bigfoot Rumors
In case you were wondering, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology does not have the dead body of Bigfoot laid out on a slab anywhere on its premises.
Amber Alert: Reachelle Marie Smith
True: Three-year-old Reachelle Marie Smith was last seen at her home in Minot, North Dakota on May 16, 2006. It is believed she was abducted by 22-year-old
It's No Urban Legend: 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin Dead at 44
Wildlife advocate and international TV personality Steve Irwin flirted with death for a living, so much so that premature reports of his demise have circulated
Take that, ACLU!
As everyone knows, the American Civil Liberties Union has long pressed for separation of church and state by, among other things, filing lawsuits to remove
A Perfect One-Point Landing
Some folks have questioned the authenticity of this photo, which shows a U.S. military helicopter executing a precarious pick-up from the roof of a tiny
Keith Urban Legend
Is it true that Australian country singer Keith Urban threw a group of Canadian fans out of a concert he played in Minot, North Dakota because their country
Hand-Feeding Hummingbirds
Judging by the skepticism with which many folks have responded to the image at right and others like it showing a woman feeding hummingbirds by hand, I might as
Christmas at Arlington
Since last December, folks have been sending around photos showing Christmas wreaths adorning every gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as the
Unidentified Floating Object
First spotted of the coast of northern Washington state, the mysterious, spider-like seagoing vessel depicted in this photo set was the subject of much
Cat Gives Birth to Puppies ... Not!
Like me, you probably read on the newswires today that a Brazilian woman, Cassia Aparecida de Souza, is claiming that her cat was, um, taken advantage of by a
Email Alert on Gift Card Fraud
Law enforcement sources have confirmed that a new kind of consumer fraud is on the rise. Criminals are copying down the account numbers of retail gift cards
Pilfered Penguin Tale Resurfaces in Boston
As reported by the Boston Herald:A man visits the New England Aquarium with his autistic brother, who wanders off and returns, inexplicably, sopping wet. The
Andy Rooney Decries Net Hoax Circulating in His Name
Sez the Associated Press...Rooney said on Tuesday that a racist commentary [sic] falsely attributed to him is circulating over the Internet and through emails.
New Netlore: A Black Bear's Rude Awakening
This happened down near Decatur/Taylorville this farming season. Just thought Id share with ya all.Troy got a bear with the combine. He was combining our corn
Christmas Quiz
How did a third-century monk named St. Nicholas come to be associated with Christmas? Are poinsettias really poisonous to pets and children? What do the red and
Top 10 Net Hoaxes / Urban Legends of 2006
Brown Recluse Spider Bite?The irony of the digital age is that despite the fact that we have more and better access to reliable information than at any time
Hunter Bags 412-Pound Deer
Circulating via email since December 2005, these images generated a good deal of skepticism among hunters, game wardens, and even sports columnists when they
Barack Obama a Muslim?
One of the things we have to look forward to as the race for the U.S. presidency gets underway is the inevitable proliferation of political smear campaigns via
U.S. Troops Spurned by Online Mattress Company
It was an innocent enough inquiry from U.S. Army Sgt. Jason Hess, stationed in Taji, Iraq, to Discount-Mats.com, an online mattress retailer:Do you ship to APO
Niagara Falls Frozen Over?
Submitted for your astonishment: a set of historical photographs circulating via email, showing parts of Niagara Falls completely blanketed with ice and snow.
Much Ado About Bumping
One of the more popular, not to mention disconcerting, videos on YouTube in recent weeks boasts a demonstration of a little-known method of breaking and
Shane Bernier
Following in the footsteps of Web legend Craig Shergold, 7-year-old leukemia patient Shane Bernier of Lancaster, Ontario is the subject of an email chain letter
WTC Remnants Live on in Battleship USS New York
Still circulating via forwarded email, true facts about the building of the USS New York, a Navy warship containing 24 tons of scrap metal salvaged from the
Did They Omit God from the New $1 Coins?
No sooner had the U.S. Mint issued its new one-dollar coin bearing the likeness of George Washington a few weeks ago than it came under attack for
Holocaust Lessons Banned in U.K.?
From the erroneous assertion that teaching the Holocaust has been banned in the U.K. due to Muslim political pressure to the rather bizarre suggestion that 10
Driveway Accident Compounds Virginia Tech Tragedy
A widely circulated prayer request relates the details of a tragic event that supposedly unfolded in San Antonio, Texas after news reached the parents of one of
The Queen, the President, and the Flatulent Horse
Queen Elizabeth II is visiting the United States this week and will attend a dinner at the White House hosted by President Bush. The last time these two heads
'Strawberry Quick' Flavored Methamphetamine Warning
Echoing a recent alert from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, a flurry of forwarded messages warns of a new form of methamphetamine that looks and
Oscar Mayer vs. U.S. Marines
Fellow patriots: Like me, you probably received an email saying that hot dog manufacturer Oscar Mayer is so dead-set against the war in Iraq that the company
Is Bottled Water Safe to Drink?
Are women who drink bottled water that has been exposed to heat for a prolonged period of time -- in a car parked in the sunshine all day, for example --
Man Sues Health Drink Manufacturer for Wrongful Erection
TRUE: Harlem resident Christopher Woods has filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis AG, claiming that its popular Boost Plus Nutritional
Dead Wife Under Glass
Jeff Green is a 32-year-old American, in Arizona, whose wife passed away. Due to the great pain he suffered after her death, he did something totally out of
The Mysterious Staircase of Loretto Chapel
City of Santa Fι, in New Mexico, USA. A mystery of over 130 years and attracting around 250 thousand visitors every year. Point of attention: Loretto Chapel.
The Lawn Chair Balloonist
I see by enthusiastic headlines posted in such far distant places as Hungary and South Africa that a Mr. Kent Couch of Bend, Oregon took flight last Saturday in
Oscar the Death Cat - Urban Legends
Just in time for a needed respite from 24/7 coverage of the woes of delinquent Hollywood ingenues comes the story of Oscar, the death-predicting cat of Rhode
Attack of the Flesh-Eating Brassiere
Graphic images accompanying this forwarded email purport to show what can happen if you wear new undergarments without laundering them first -- namely, you may
FW: Wal-Mart Warning Letter
Albeit circulating in the form of a PDF file scanned from a document composed on the letterhead of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
Poop Bandits
A pair of thieves on a motorcycle sped by a woman walking her dog in Laohekou City, China and snatched a newspaper-wrapped parcel from her hands, reports
Watermelon Squared
One of the items currently stuffing my inbox: a message containing photos circulating since 2001 which show Japanese workers sorting and square watermelons
The Killer in the Backseat - For Real!
I trust you are all familiar with the tale, dramatized in the 1998 film Urban Legend, of the young woman who stops at a gas station to refuel her car and beats
One VERY Lucky Driver...
Emailed pictures show the denouement of a pickup truck accident in which the truck apparently crashed through a barricade, struck a culvert, flipped end over
Email Urges Boycott of Hershey Co.
A rabble-rousing email urges recipients to boycott candy manufacturer Hershey Co. because it is laying off over a thousand employees in the U.S. and Canada over
It's Back: Ye Olde Petition to 'Save' Religious Broadcasting
Over thirty years old and still going strong, a petition urging Christians to oppose an alleged atheistic plan to ban religious broadcasting from the public
The Dead Rabbit in the Handbag
News sources in Europe reported today that an Austrian woman transporting her dead bunny to the countryside for burial had her handbag stolen at a train station
Man-Eating Catfish?
According to the text accompanying this set of forwarded images, a gigantic, man-eating catfish was recently caught in the Furong Reservoir in the Huadu
Donald Trump Says $10,000 Tip Story Was a Hoax
The story, first published on the celebrity gossip blog Derober.com, then picked up by Defamer.com and repeated in sundry other venues, went like this:
IBuyStrays.com - Hoax or Satire?
Animal lovers everywhere are up in arms about a new website purporting to offer cash for unwanted pets, which would in turn be resold to facilities engaged in
Obama's Church
The U.S. presidential primary season is in full swing, and so are the obligatory email smear campaigns. The hot forward of the moment is a weasely diatribe that
'Speeding Ticket Frenzy' Redux
Circulating online since 2005, this migratory rumor made its way to Michigan two years ago and has surfaced yet again in 2008. The email message claims state
Rumor: Gang Members Rear-Ending Cars and Shooting Drivers
(Updated) As of March 31 there have been zero -- I repeat, zero -- reported instances anywhere in the U.S. of carloads of MS-13 gang members rear-ending other
Weird Intercontinental Frog Salad Synchronicity
Bath, England (5 days ago): A British family got more than they bargained for when they opened a bag of prepackaged spinach and out jumped a tiny green tree
Aliza Shvarts 'Abortion Art' Project a 'Creative Fiction,' Yale Says
Yale art student Aliza Shvarts delivered a one-two punch to the media on Thursday, beginning with the announcement of her senior project: an exhibition
The Obama / Kenya Connection
My theory is that with so many ordinary citizens now having the means (and meanness) to launch homespun political smear campaigns via the Internet, paid
Paws for Reflection
Still circulating via email, a pair of photos taken in December 2007 showing an unusually large mountain lion allegedly hit by a vehicle on the back roads of
Gas Pump Rip-Off
Email tells the story of a vehicle owner in Cartersville, Georgia who says he was cheated by a service station whose gas pumps were rigged to deliver less fuel
Text Message Hoax Promises Cingular Credit
A text message promising a $60 credit to every Cingular customer who forwards the message to 10 more people is a hoax, AT&T announced on Friday. The message,
Update: Marines, Puppy Throwing Video
The Marine Corps Public Affairs Office in Hawaii released a statement on June 11 announcing that the two Marines responsible for the viral video showing one of
'Ball Girl Catch' Video Is a Fake
Ball Girl Catch - Turns out that amazing YouTube video of a ball girl kung-fu climbing the outfield wall to catch a high-flying foul was staged.
The Truth About Pringles
A British court just handed down a decision exempting Pringles, the popular potato-chip-like snack marketed in a can, from a value-added tax on potato products
Police: Cologne Sample Caused Man to Pass Out
A young woman named Patches Wegmann was arrested last week in Houma, Louisiana after two different men accused her of spraying them with cologne samples that
Bible Stops Bullet (with Assist from Watermelon)
Charlotte Thompson of Indianapolis believes the Bible she was carrying in the backseat of her car slowed a stray bullet that ripped through the vehicle, saving
Did Barack Obama Snub U.S. Troops in Afghanistan?
A fast-spreading viral email purportedly written by an Army captain in Bagram, Afghanistan says Obama snubbed rank-and-file soldiers during his visit there. Not
Updated: Bernie Mac Dies
UPDATED: Although rumors declaring comedian Bernie Mac dead last week proved to be false at the time -- he was in the hospital under treatment for pneumonia, a
Bigfoot Body Found? Let's Wait and See
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Bigfoot on Ice. According to a press release issued yesterday by Searching for Bigfoot Inc., the 7-foot, 7-inch-tall
Urban Legends: Sarah Palin Hot Pictures
Sarah Palin hot pictures circulating online are mostly bogus.
Not-So-Terminally Ill NY Boy Inundated with Christmas Cards
Thanks to an overblown chain email and a flurry of online notices, 4-year-old Jacob Hadcock of Mexico, New York has received upwards of 25,000 Christmas cards
Paying for Facebook (in More Ways Than One)
Contrary to rumors propapated mainly by Facebook users themselves, the popular social networking site has not announced plans to begin charging $4.99 a month
Haiti Relief Hoaxes Spread via Twitter, Facebook
A reader asks if this Facebook posting is true: UPS is shipping anything under 50lbs for free to Haiti. You can send food, clothes or shoes... and
Sarah Palin and the Lizards of Satan
Among other stupefyingly ridiculous utterances, we are asked to believe that Governor Sarah Palin said the following during an interview with the Anchorage
Note to Self: World Could End on Wednesday!
They say one of two things will happen on Wednesday when scientists switch on the state-of-the-art, multi-billion-dollar atom smasher in Switzerland known as
Burundanga Urban Legend
A cautionary tale making the email rounds these days advises never to accept a business card from a stranger. Why? Because it could contain a stupefying dose of
'Wall Street Suicides' Mostly Urban Myth
The current financial crisis reminds a lot of people of the catastrophic stock market crash of 1929, prompting this timely exercise in historical factchecking
What Not to Wear When You Vote
A new missive spreading rapidly on the Internet grapevine advises prospective voters to avoid wearing campaign buttons, hats, t-shirts, and other political garb
Jamie Lee Curtis: He? She? Both? What?
Celebrities are always telling us that fame has its downsides lurid gossip being one of them and few could make a better case for that than
'Black Album' Satanic Suicides
Query from a reader in the UL Forum: I am looking for any information anyone has on an urban legend called THE BLACK ALBUM. According to the story I heard, a
Aliens Over Alabama - October 14 UFO Prediction
Via UFO Digest: Blossom Goodchild, an Aussie actress and author, has the international Ufology community on its ear with channeled information concerning the
Colin Powell Opens His Hate Mail
When Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Barack Obama last Sunday he said one of the things that has disturbed him most about the tenor of the campaign is
Bogus Flier Tells Republicans and Democrats to Vote on Different Days
In a repeat of the Election Day Switch hoax circulated during previous election years, Virginia officials are reporting that a phony flier is being distributed
Michelle Obama's $447 Room Service Tab
Is it true that Michelle Obama racked up a $447.39 room service bill for steamed lobster and caviar at the Waldorf-Astoria earlier this month? No. Despite