Urban legends. Everyone loves an urban legend.
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3MENGHST.ZIP
Is there a ghost in _Three Men and a Baby_? Info from Brunvand's latest book gets to the bottom of this story.
AFI-INF.ZIP
Info on Usenet's moderated newsgroup: Alt.Folklore.Info
AFU-XMAS.ZIP
'The Night Before Christmas' -- Alt.Folklore.Urban style
AFUCLUE.ZIP
'Standard' Alt.Folklore.Urban 'Get a clue' notice, apparently used when VERY familiar urban legend is brought up as 'truth'
AFUREAD.ZIP
Alt.Folklore.Urban Reading List
AFUREPLY.ZIP
'Standard' Alt.Folklore.Urban reply form (can be used on other echos too!) -- funny!
AFUSCALE.ZIP
Scale for 'urban legend-ness' of a story
AFUSURV.ZIP
Alt.Folklore.Urban Survival Guide
AIDSMARY.ZIP
A variation on the 'AIDS Mary' urban legend
ALKA-SEA.ZIP
Official response from makers of Alka-Seltzer to question asking what happens if you feed it to seagulls.
ALLIGATO.ZIP
Possible origin of the 'alligators in the sewers' urban legend
APRIL1.ZIP
Origin of April Fools Day
ARIZONA.ZIP
Are Arizona hotels pre-wired for casinos, just in case gambling is legalized there?
BBSHOAX.ZIP
FidoNews article on what author calls 'hoaxes', but more appropriately described as urban legends. Either way, good reading on stuff passed around BBSes.
BLNDNUKE.ZIP
Did a blind woman see a nuclear bomb test? Review of this urban legend.
BLUESTAR.ZIP
You've probably seen the notices: Parents Warning! But, no, LSD is NOT being given to your kids on lick & stick blue star or Mickey Mouse tattoos
BODYPNT.ZIP
What happens if you totally cover somebody with paint? (A la 'Goldfinger')
BOZOKID.ZIP
Did a kid tell Bozo (or other kids' show host) to 'shove it' on national TV?
CALENDAR.ZIP
British Government's Calendar Act (of many many years ago)
CAPTAINS.ZIP
Can ship captains perform weddings?
CHEVNOVA.ZIP
Chevrolet's answer to question about sale of the Nova in Spanish-speaking countries (Nova = doesn't go in Spanish)
CHOCOLAT.ZIP
Love and Chocolate: Are they related?
CHRSTNRD.ZIP
The truth behind the rumor that atheists have tried to get religious broadcasting banned
COCACOLA.ZIP
Info on Coca-Cola -- Problems translating name and jingles into foreign languages; what about restaurants which don't serve Coke, but don't correct customers who ask for it?
COLDS.ZIP
Can one catch a cold by going out in the cold with wet hair, or by just being cold in general?
COLLGFAQ.ZIP
Alt.Folklore.College Frequently Asked Questions (Frequently posted legends -- True/False)
COPORG.ZIP
Origin of the term 'cop'
CORIOLIS.ZIP
The scoop on whether or not Coriolis force changes the direction of water flow down your bathtub drain depending on whether you're north or south of the equator
CPTPUG.ZIP
There really was a show called Captain Pugwash (GIF of character included here), but were there other, ahem, oddly named characters too?
CRAIGCRD.ZIP
Don't send more postcards to Craig Shergold in UK! Yes, it's still passed around, but this explains the situation.
CRAIGOOP.ZIP
School hears Craig Shergold story-- collects a LOT of business cards--THEN finds out about the above^^^
CRAPPER.ZIP
Did Thomas Crapper invent the flush toilet? Did Otto Titzling invent the bra?
DISDEATH.ZIP
Claims of death at Disney
DISTATOO.ZIP
BBSer wants to get Tatoo of Disney character -- letters back and forth to Disney
DISTILL.ZIP
Norway's version of the Blue Star Acid legend: tainted home alcohol distillations
DIXORG.ZIP
Origin of the term 'Dixie' (as used in describing the South)
ELECTRIC.ZIP
How was Thomas Edison involved in developing the electric chair?
ERNIEDIE.ZIP
Is Sesame Street's Ernie dying on the show?
FACTFICT.ZIP
Unusual Fact & Fiction list of references
FIREPLAC.ZIP
Does lighting a fire in your house's fireplace make it warmer or colder in the house?
FLUORESC.ZIP
Is it better to leave a fluorescent light on if you're going to use it again within 1/2 hour? How much energy does it use to turn on?
FOLKFAQ.ZIP
Usenet Urban Folklore Frequently Asked Questions (true and false 'legends') List (as of 10/93)
FREEPET.ZIP
Author fell for urban legend about pets and here is the article
GERMAN.ZIP
Is it true that German was almost voted as the official language of the US?
GLASSFLO.ZIP
Does glass flow like a liquid? Can this effect be seen in old windows?
HAMBURGR.ZIP
Origins of 'hamburger' and 'hot dog'
HOAXBOWL.ZIP
Are more women beaten during the Superbowl? 4 articles discuss this legend and its origin.
HONEYMOO.ZIP
Urban Legend: Couple 'practices' for their honeymoon, receives surprise party. Whoops!
HOTWATER.ZIP
Does hot water really freeze faster than cold water?
INFLYNN.ZIP
Origin of term 'in like Flynn'
IRONPLR.ZIP
Is there really an iron pillar in India which is incredibly resistant to corrosion? Is it an alien artifact?
KJVBIBLE.ZIP
How was the King James Version of the Bible prepared? Did Shakespeare play a role? How accurate is it?
LMERMAID.ZIP
The video cover of _The Little Mermaid_ seems to have a, er, phallus on it. Here is a gif containing that part and a letter from Disney.
LUCYSKY.ZIP
Well-researched discussion of the Beatles' 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and whether it relates to LSD
M-MFAQ.ZIP
M&M Frequently Asked Questions list (as put out by M&M/Mars!)
MALELACT.ZIP
Male lactation -- is it possible?
MAPTRAPS.ZIP
Info on 'map traps' (purposeful errors to catch copyright violaters) and other map-related bits
MATING.ZIP
Can animals of different species mate and produce offspring? Catrabbits?
MBEPHONE.ZIP
Was Mary Baker Eddy buried with a phone when she died, so she could call her religious followers and tell them what the 'other side' is like?
MENSTRUA.ZIP
Everything you ever wanted to know about menstrual syncronicity
MISSDAY.ZIP
Has NASA verified a 'missing day' which corresponds to the Earth standing still, as described in the Bible?
MODEMTAX.ZIP
No, the FCC isn't really considering taxing modems any more. This file puts that legend to rest.
MOLASSES.ZIP
Boston's great molasses flood
MONEYSYM.ZIP
List of what various symbols on US paper money stand for, and who's picture is on what bill
MOON.ZIP
Why does the moon appear larger on the horizon than in the sky?
MRSFIELD.ZIP
Cookie recipe that is often distributed, claiming to be that of Mrs. Fields, and claiming that person paid big $$ for it (urban legend)
NAPOLEON.ZIP
What happened to Napoleon's, er, member?
NYLON.ZIP
Origins of the word, 'nylon'
OK.ZIP
Origins of the term, 'Ok'
PATENT.ZIP
Did an official of the US Patent office resign because he thought there was nothing left to be invented?
PCOLLINS.ZIP
Story behind Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight'
PEPSISYR.ZIP
Humorous letters to Pepsi about the syringes 'found' in their cans, and Pepsi's response
PI-INDY.ZIP
Info about Indiana trying to legislate the value of pi
POINSETT.ZIP
Are poinsettias actually poisonous, as urban legend tells us?
POST-IT.ZIP
History of Post-Its
PULLTABS.ZIP
Have you heard about collecting pull tabs from cans to help dialysis patients? Guess what...
PULLTAB2.ZIP
Guy follows trail of pulltab-collecting legend to see if he can find out just WHO is collecting them.
ROLLBEER.ZIP
What does the '33' mean on Rolling Rock beer?
SALEM.ZIP
Did the government pay out damages to descendents of those killed in the Salem witchcraft trials 'til 1957? How long did it take to clear their names?
SATURNV.ZIP
What happened to the Saturn V plans? Did NASA lose them?
SCORPDIE.ZIP
Do scorpions commit suicide when surrouned by fire? Are they immune to their own poison? Etc.
SMOTHER.ZIP
Some info on the stories about mothers smothering their children to avoid detection by Nazis/Indians/Burglars/Whoever else is looking for them
SNAPPLE.ZIP
Rumors about Snapple's supposed donations to anti-abortion groups almost killed the product
SPACEBOD.ZIP
What REALLY happens to the human body if tossed into space?
SPANFLY.ZIP
Some facts about Spanish Fly -- supposed aphrodisiac
STALLONE.ZIP
Yes, Sly Stallone did star in an X-rated movie before Rocky -- here's some info on it
SUBLIMIN.ZIP
Some facts and history behind 'subliminal' advertising; also some references
TOMATOES.ZIP
Are tomatoes fruits, berries, veggies?
TOOTHBRS.ZIP
Several versions of a recent legend about vacationers and a toothbrush where it does NOT belong
TUNA.ZIP
Possible origin to the 'cat food sold as tuna' urban legend
URBANLEG.ZIP
Good column about urban legends -- if you're new to the subject, this is a GOOD file to read
URBANSNG.ZIP
Humorous song about urban legends
VENDING.ZIP
Reference stating that people can and have been hurt by rocking vending machines and having them fall over on them.
WALKMAN.ZIP
Did/Can a Walkman cause a plane to lose its electronic systems?
WALTZMAT.ZIP
Why isn't 'Waltzing Matilda' the national anthem of Australia? Does an American own the song rights?
WELDING.ZIP
Heard the one about the welder who accidentally got his contact lens stuck to his cornea? This is it, and it's an urban legend.
WHITEHAR.ZIP
Can somebody's hair turn white overnight from a good fright?
WIZARD.ZIP
Did somebody hang themselves during filming of 'The Wizard of Oz' and get caught in a shot? What about other 'Oz' lore?
ZAPPAGRN.ZIP
Is Frank Zappa the son of Mr. Greenjeans?
HOOKER.ZIP
Some thoughts on the origin of the term, 'hooker'
PAULDEAD.ZIP
Some info on the 'Paul (McCartney) is Dead' legends and why it still persists
PAULHRVY.ZIP
Is Paul Harvey a source for some urban legends?
PORTBOMB.ZIP
Did an atomic bomb explode at Port Chicago, California?
PULLTAB3.ZIP
More info on the pulltab urban legend, including a good rundown on how it compares to other such myths
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