Just posting this as a reminder to stop email FWDs of emails by replying with education.
Snopes does a great job of covering almost every email with what's true, what's false in those widespread emails.
UrbanLegends.about.com Top 10
Here, in ascending order of popularity as measured by reader interest and overall Web traffic, are the Top 10 Urban Legends of 2008:
10. Burundanga Drug Warning1 "In Katy, Texas a man came over and offered his services as a painter to a female putting gas in her car and left his card," begins this overwrought message. "She said no, but accepted his card out of kindness and got in the car. The man then got into a car driven by another gentleman. As the lady left the service station she saw the men following her. Almost immediately, she started to feel dizzy and could not catch her breath. She tried to open the window and realized that the odor was on her hand; the same hand which accepted the card from the gentleman at the gas station." Read more...2
9. Free Laptop from Ericsson!3 "The Ericsson Company is distributing free computer laptops in an attempt to match Nokia that has already done so. Ericsson hopes to increase its popularity this way. For this reason, they are giving away the new WAP laptops. All you need to do to qualify is to send this mail to 8 people you know." Read more...4
8. Barack Obama Is the Antichrist5 Ignore at your own risk: "The Antichrist will be a man, in his 40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal.... the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy everything. Is it OBAMA??" Read more...6
World's Biggest Dog?(Circulating via email)
7. Bill Gates Is Sharing His Fortune!7 "Microsoft and AOL are running an email beta test. When you forward this email to friends, Microsoft can and will track it (if you are a Microsoft Windows user) for a two week time period. For every person that you forward this email to, Microsoft will pay you $5.00, for every person that you sent it to that forwards it on, Microsoft will pay you $3.00 and for every third person that receives it, you will be paid $1.00." Read more...8
6. Jamie Lee Curtis Is a Hermaphrodite9 "Dear Guide," begins one of several inquiries I've received on this subject, "I've heard from a few places that Jamie Lee Curtis is genetically male. I know it is genetically possible for something like this to happen — Ms. Curtis is the only famous person I've ever heard linked to this 'problem.' One of my best friends is convinced it's impossible." Not impossible, necessarily, but highly unlikely. Read more...10
5. Gun-Totin', Bikini-Wearin' Sarah Palin (Photo)11 This much-forwarded viral image purports to show Republican vice-presidential candidate (and gun rights advocate) Sarah Palin posing in an American-flag bikini with a rifle (actually it's a pellet gun, but nevermind that — she's a babe!). Read more...12
4. Quick, Add Your Cell Phone to the Do Not Call Registry!13 Circulating for the fourth year running, this urgent message claims a directory of cell phone numbers is about to be published and advises users to add their numbers to the Do Not Call Registry to prevent an influx of telemarketing calls. Read more...14
3. Hercules, World's Biggest Dog (Photo)15 "Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of Worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds. With 'paws the size of softballs' (reports the Boston Herald), the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb. limit." Read more...16
2. 'Postcard' Virus Warning17 "You should be alert during the next few days. Do not open any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK,' regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your email address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this email to all your contacts." Read more...18
1. Barack Obama Is a Muslim19 During the past 12 months well over a million people visited this site looking for information on this one rumor alone. Public opinion polls showed that the constant Internet chatter linking Barack Obama with Islam adversely affected people's perception of the candidate. Even so, Obama won; and so did the truth. "Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy," warned a common variant. "The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level — through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!!" Read more...20
Dishonorable Mentions:
• Barack Obama Isn't a Natural-Born Citizen21 • Mr. Rogers Was a Marine Sniper / Navy Seal22 • RIchard Gere and the Gerbil23
Snopes.com Top 15
TOP 15 LEGENDS:
Obama Acceptance Speech
Cell Phones and Telemarketers
Microsoft/AOL Giveaway
Applebee's Gift Certificates
#77 Emergency Call
http vs. https
Mail Server Report
Lee Iacocca
809 Area Code
Nancy Pelosi
#-9-0 Phone Scam
Joshua Bell
Jane Fonda
Life Is Beautiful
PPA Recall Alert
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