Urban Legends of the fall.

[Steven Glover]

Ok guys. I have a new game to play.

I think it would be fun if we posted urban legends that we have heard and then make up stories that could become urban legends. We can focus the theme on the internet.

[mikmik]

Fantastic topic! We should be wary of using 'real' ads etc, or that would be to much fun?!
I'm in a hurry (off to visit family in Alberta in an hour) so I can't look for the story right now, but not long ago wasn't there something out of Japan about certain trendy animation sites causing siezures?

[mikmik]

One of my earliest recollections of 'urban myth' was at the age of 16. I didn't know there was a name for it, but some are too obvious to 'swallow'.

I was a very shy and inhibited young lad and lacking 'dating experience' so it was a dilemna over what to say but not risk insulting the 14 year sophisticate that had me completely intimidated.

We were at a local hamburger joint (at least I was original lol) and I was munching away on my "Happy Burger Deluxe" when I began to notice her bemused stares as I chewed and swallowed my burger. It dawned on me that she had only gotten fries, so I asked her "What's so interesting?"
"She replied, "I don't know how you can enjoy that, but I guess you don't know" .
Even then, I thought 'Oh boy! Here we go', so I asked her to please tell me, but she wouldn't, preffering to spare my feelings (what ever happened to that idea? lol).
So I said it. "Is this not real beef?"

"No", she shook her head sadly, "It's horse meat."
Not being a master logician, I was only able to come up with 47.8 million obvious loophole in her assertation, but I had to save face, give an honest - or at least plausible - reply, AND keep the door open for some kissing back at her place!
So I said, "Oh, that's okay. I like horse meat."

It's been all downhill ever since!
---------------------------
So I'm flying back to Edmonton today, and the pilot announces our descent to Kelowna Airport has begun and that we'll be arriving shortly.
I hade been fighting my anxiety for half an hour already due to my neighbor using his laptop to play online games at some internet emporium, but he showed no signs of letting up. My concern was due to the 'knowledge' I had of the potential signal jamming effect of personal electronic devices on "Fly by wire" navigational systems.(That is why you are not allowed to talk on your cel phone when you are having neurosurgery!)
So shortly after, my neighbor starts cursing that something is wrong. Seems he is playing "Flight simulator 200", by Microsaft TM and is trying to land at Kelowna, in the game!!!!

I did not notice this at first because the airship I was on kept going first, into a climb, then, a steep descent, repeating the same pattern over and over.(Question: what is the point of wearing clean underware 'in case you're in an accident'?[I heard this elsewhere])

Quickly coming to his senses, a friend of a friend realized at once what was happening. He renderred the protesting gameplayer deeply unconcious (he wouldn't stop-It's a new record BLAH BLAH BLAH!!) lung-ing to the rear hatch with the confiscated "laptop of death".

"hold your breath, everybody!" he yelled, as he fought off the vivacious, blond, Swedish flight attendant, whereupon he fearlessly and stupidly openened the hatch and was sucked out as he threw the laptop out ahead of himself.

The plane immediately went into a 360 degree loop-tail-nosedive-thingy and two (of four)engines fell off of the wings.

"Don't panic! My god save us now, Don't panic!!" the captain suggested over the intercom. "I suddenly have rudder control back. We will begin our descent again. This plane is designed to fly on two engines in an emergency and we will arrive safe but slightly behind schedule, about 10 mminutes, due to our 50% reduction in power. Please enjoy the flight"

Suddenly the third engine ex[ploded and fell!
"Don't panic" said captain Kirk, (Bill, I think)
"this plane is designed to fly on one engine in emergencies, and we will arrive safely, only now we'll be about 20 minutes late due to further power reduction."

My neighbor, having come to in time for the turmoil, turned to me and said, "I sure hope that last engine doesn't fall of."
Just as I was blacking out I heard him finish, "or we'll be up here for ever."

Fact? Or not quite?......You decide!

[mikmik]

Here is one of my favourite sites, full of modern myths as well as true reports and stories. It has well researched findings about the origins of the stories, how you can spot hoaxes and myths, and it is fun. We've all heard about the guy who runs of to a tropical country with his secretary, and needing mony fast, contacts his wife and tells her to sell his $100,000 car, whatever she can get for it, and send him the. So she sells it for $10 and sends it!
Is this based on fact?

Here is the link, an example of an 'internet myth' and the link to that page. Next time someone sends me an e-mail about a missing child, I'll be able to find out if it is real!
Enjoy, and maybe we can help Steven with some of our own?
- urban legends
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