Comments on: at least it's not another ad

at least it's not another ad

jonson — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:28:42 -0800

Occasionally the folks at Snopes get asked to debunk some very unusual potential urban legends; questions so ridiculous you can only marvel at the motivation behind the asker's particular situation. Fortunately, they have collected and published the best of these questions online. found via

By: Balisong

Balisong — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:52:00 -0800

My friend swears that you can't be prosecuted for stealing a dead body because it has no intrinsic value. Is this true? Heh! Most of them still seem like real people asking real, if not outrageous but real questions.

By: Balisong

Balisong — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:54:31 -0800

Like this one: I've heard that it is impossible to take a lightbulb out of your mouth once one puts it in, without either breaking the bulb or dislocating the jaw. Do you know if this is true? I'm counting on you - my husband is really curious, and I don't want to have to drive him to the hospital... Comedy gold!! I hope Fox Networks doesn't see this list. That'll be next season.

By: jonson

jonson — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:55:12 -0800

A friend of mine asked me if I've ever hear of invisible witches or ghosts that suck the blood out of a person's arm while they are sleeping. Apparently, she saw "marks" on her boyfriend's arm and this was the story that he told her. And some are just deliciously useful alibis.

By: Jairus

Jairus — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 23:59:48 -0800

IS IT TRUE PEARLS BRING SADNESS

By: drezdn

drezdn — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 00:35:15 -0800

Metafilter: because this town lies a lot. thanks.

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 00:36:28 -0800

Wow, hilarious and terrifying at the same time.

By: ob

ob — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 00:40:08 -0800

I just lost it! These are hilarious, but a little scary...

By: dabitch

dabitch — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 00:40:13 -0800

....Apparently, she saw "marks" on her boyfriend's arm and this was the story that he told her. "I'm with stupid."

By: deafmute

deafmute — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 00:48:58 -0800

I sometimes forget just how little some people know about how things work, particularly the human body. Amazing.

By: mokey

mokey — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 01:00:18 -0800

My cat often looks me in the face. I used to think he was just being friendly. Now I know he's just sizing me up, like a chef at a butcher shop, waiting for "the big day". Hilarious.

By: papakwanz

papakwanz — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 01:01:57 -0800

for some reason, I find this to be the oddest: can you tell me how i would analyze the effect each statistic has on the world.

By: alphanerd

alphanerd — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 01:32:57 -0800

Thank God AskMe is for members only.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 02:14:33 -0800

Someone needs to ask one of these on AskMe..

By: mono blanco

mono blanco — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 02:40:13 -0800

By masturbating it helps the chance by not getting cancer? Is that true? Yes, true.

By: melt away

melt away — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 04:52:22 -0800

HOW CAN I GET THE SUCTION BROKE WHEN THE CONTACT IS STUCK TO EYE I really didn't need to see that one after accidently sleeping in my contacts.

By: purtek

purtek — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 04:56:22 -0800

I've been told that if you snort powdered glass as you would cocaine, you will die. Is this just a rumor, or would it actually happen? Now what would possess someone to do something like this?

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:32:02 -0800

Can people see into your house if it's darker in your house than it is outside? When I look around at other houses that don't have lights on, I see darkness, a reflection or only what is immediately in front of the window (curtains, plants, etc.). As a result, I tend to act as though no one can see what I'm doing inside as long as the lights are off and there is no other source of light illuminating me. My wife, however, is often appalled by this behavior. Should she be appalled, or am I correct? That would actually be a pretty good one for The Straight Dope.

By: Bugbread

Bugbread — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:35:56 -0800

By: tfmm

tfmm — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:43:57 -0800

I just read a blurb that pre-packaged foods can cause people to turn gay because of too much estrogen. Brilliant question. Brilliant in the sense that a silly legend like this may do more to convince some people to eat healthier than government outreach programs.

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:51:34 -0800

Except that in the version I've heard the pre-packaged foods are specifically soy based ones (possibly because of phytoestrogens).

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 06:02:50 -0800

Have you heard anything about a palm rub done when someone is shaking or holding hands that indicates they want to have sex with you? yes ... the girl rubbed my palm with her middle finger ... much fun followed

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 06:18:08 -0800

..is there really a god? ..who made god? seriously please answer back at me God is an urban legend.

By: Aknaton

Aknaton — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 06:46:01 -0800

I just read a blurb that pre-packaged foods can cause people to turn gay because of too much estrogen. I figured this one had to do with the apparently real feminizing effects of phthalates, used to soften plastics. Avoiding phthalates (as my pregnant wife is doing) is really difficult!

By: uncanny hengeman

uncanny hengeman — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 06:58:11 -0800

Does urinating on a lemon tree make it grow quicker/better? What's wrong with that question? I've certainly heard that "myth" many times. I've always assumed it to be true, but is it? Confession time. Er, I actually looked this up on Google once. I found many links to gardening forums where this was asked, and on every occasion the thread got very quickly derailed by the "eeeeeww, that's gross!" brigade. I bet those dirty birdies from MythBusters would love to have a crack at this one.

By: thanotopsis

thanotopsis — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 06:59:02 -0800

Hi, I just wanted to ask if you could investigate this urban legend. 16 is the age of consent for having sex with someone over 18. People should learn to use Google. This is hardly a difficult question, and while it has its humor value, I sure hope someone at Snopes pointed them to some online resources for this information. Now, why I know this site exists...Uh, er, uh...

By: crunchland

crunchland — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 07:01:06 -0800

If I didn't know better, I could have sworn I just looked at proto-AskMefi.

By: thanotopsis

thanotopsis — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 07:01:29 -0800

What's wrong with that question? I've certainly heard that "myth" many times. I've always assumed it to be true, but is it? This was actually asked on AskMe as well, but in the context of dogs and yards. I found some relevant answers in a search by "dog" and "yard", but I don't recall the exact question that was asked.

By: ericb

ericb — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 08:47:53 -0800

Does the color pink really make a person feel weaker? Well, PinkStainlessTail , does it?

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 09:57:13 -0800

I AM A MOUNTAIN OF STRENGTH AND POWER.

By: RMALCOLM

RMALCOLM — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 10:02:02 -0800

Does the color pink really make a person feel weaker? Apparently it does

By: jaimystery

jaimystery — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 13:14:33 -0800

Has anyone had to cut off their tongue because it frozen to a flagpole? My great uncle lost the middle portion of his tongue after being dared to touch it to a water pump. Tongue got stuck, friends pulled him off and left part of his tongue behind.

By: John Shaft

John Shaft — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 14:16:38 -0800

My cat often looks me in the face. I used to think he was just being friendly. Now I know he's just sizing me up, like a chef at a butcher shop, waiting for "the big day". See: post-mortem predation

By: fvw

fvw — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 14:31:54 -0800

Speaking of which (I'd be shot down for asking this in AskMe), I've debated someone whether swallowing diamond dust would result in your innards being perforated all to hell, merely scoured, or relative unharmed. Anyone know? I'd guess relatively unharmed is closest to the mark: Yes, diamond dust is very hard, but seeing as your digestive tract is very soft (ignoring teeth) it really doesn't matter if the dust is as hard as diamond or only as hard as silicate particles: very fine ones can be found in clay for instance, which, though I wouldn't suggest basing any meals on it, is not particularly dangerous when ingested. I suspect breathing in the diamond dust would be a lot more harmful at a lot lower doses.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 15:29:06 -0800

Eating some types of clay is, in fact, quite healthy for you. Good mineral content. I forget the details, though.

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 18:54:48 -0800

The use of bentonite clay internally is an old home remedy that people have used since the early 1900's for various reasons. Whereas many places sell "internal" bentonite, there are no proven studies to indicate that internal bentonite clay is effective in curing any ailment. It is, however, a fantastic skin mask for people with skin too sensitive for dead sea masks, it's very helpful as a poultice for poison ivy or insect bites, and when added to the oils during soap making, helps create a kick ass shaving soap. :)

By: ijoshua

ijoshua — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 19:17:33 -0800

Kaolinite (Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide -- "white clay") has been used internally as a remedy for upset stomach for hundreds of years. It's also used in toothpaste and cosmetics. There are large deposits of this stuff near where I live.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 20:11:18 -0800

I was thinking of a starvation case where clay was forming a large part of the diet.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 08:57:45 -0800

Women Who Eat Dirt: Humans need forty or fifty nutrients to stay healthy, and sometimes we have to go outside the bounds of what is considered food to find them. Or, we have to add things to our diet, like clay, in order to turn toxic foods into nutritious ones. This was the first link I could find, but there are many more, about people, especially women, especially in the south, eating dirt and clay on a regular basis. Anyway, jonson, great link. You should've waited till today to post it! At first I thought "oh, this is just those 'Yalies' making up silly questions," but by the end I was converted, amazed and appalled. For some reason the apparent cluelessness tickled the same funny bone as in Thurber's The Pet Department, especially this one: I tend to act as though no one can see what I'm doing inside as long as the lights are off and there is no other source of light illuminating me. My wife, however, is often appalled by this behavior. Should she be appalled, or am I correct? I suspect they're both right - people can't see what he's doing, yet whatever it is gives his wife every right to be appalled. Thurber, of course, would have had a field day with this situation. Oh, and there's also the little mini-narrative thread of someone who very much wants to get rid of hickeys, including the vampire story he told his credulous girlfriend. Great stuff!

By: QIbHom

QIbHom — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 15:05:20 -0800

Always knew those folks at Snopes were amateurs. Reference librarians have to deal with those kinds of questions all the time, while keeping a straight face. Well, trying to keep a straight face...maybe there is a reason I don't fly a reference desk any more.