You are here:
- Home
- Science
- Urban Legends and Folklore
- Urban Legends
Urban Legends/Questions Answered by Expert Cassandra
| Subject | Date Asked |
| forwarding urban legends | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: How can I convince my friends not to forward or send urban legends? Doesn't it also slow down ... A: An excellent question indeed! If you find a good solution let me know too! Seriously, I've seen ... | |
| Austrailian presedent speech | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation ... A: There's no question here, so I'll just provide you with some links to sites that have done research ... | |
| 57 cent donation | 9/16/2010 |
| Q: I recently received an e-mail from a friend about a poor young girl in the States who was befriended ... A: Well, this sort of thing often circulates in many, many forms, some of which stretch the truth. But ... | |
| Horse Urban Legends | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: Hi do you know any Urban Legends about horses and could you tell me them? A: I couldn't think of any off the top of my head so I did a Google search for you using "urban legend ... | |
| chain letter | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: So after mixed reviews from the chain letter. Some saying it works and others disagreeing. What are ... A: I answered similar questions a few times before: ... | |
| Final Response on Accidental Deaths Doctors vs Guns | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: " Accidental deaths caused by physicians" vs Guns was previous question. You never responded with ... A: Well, no, because I don't know what the original sources used were, and have no way to know as I've ... | |
| redskins, Indians | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: Would you please tell me about some well-known Indian traditions. I am writing a short story about a ... A: According to IMDB (www.imdb.com) the tribe in Dances With Wolves was the Sioux tribe. (Remember, ... | |
| redskins, Indians | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: Would you please tell me about some well-known Indian traditions. I am writing a short story about a ... A: This is far outside my area. But as luck would have it, you happen to have asked an American ... | |
| In the water | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: Would you please tell me what the origin is of the saying "there must be something in the water"? ... A: Spyder, Sorry, that's outside my expertise. (The original question was, but I figured I'd help ... | |
| "Something In the Water" | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Would you please tell me what the origin is of the saying "there must be something in the water"? A: Not really an urban legend, rather just a folk saying. When a group of people that live or work ... | |
| bloody mary | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: is it true that mary and candyman stick together A: I'm not sure what you're referring to, but yes, the legend of Bloody Mary is similar to, and was ... | |
| 2012 | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: What r u saying? I am not going to forward any of this to anyone or watever u call it...i have no ... A: I'm not sure what the message sent to you said, it's the auto response I can choose from AllExperts ... | |
| Marthy Kone? | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: Hey there, Cassandra! I recently recieved this email into my personal school email address about ... A: Ray, You were quite right not to reply. This letter/email is a very old type of scam, commonly ... | |
| Doctors vs Guns | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: Rec'd an email with interesting statistics about accidental death by gun vs medical error. Decided ... A: I haven't researched it fully, but I did reply to a questioner on this subject a few years ago. ... | |
| Baby Orajel | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: There is a rumor going around about baby orajel numbing the throat and causing babies to choke or ... A: Sheila, I hadn't seen this one before, so I did a bit of looking. The site http://www.snopes.com ... | |
| lucky coins | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: To sell our home in 2004, I buried a lucky coin in the ground. It seemed to work. We are now selling ... A: I have to confess, I have no idea. Given the sites I found below, I wouldn't be a bit surprised ... | |
| I tried it... | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: I am responding to your comments about "legal" chain letters. I received many of the forementioned ... A: I have no idea what you're referring to, as none of my responses would EVER indicate that chain ... | |
| Chain mail: VERY IMPORTANT: The danger of Microwaved water | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: Can you pl. tell me if this is true.. -regards ----------------------------- THIS INFORMATION NEEDS ... A: Yes, it's true that this can happen, but it's a fairly rare occurrence. For more info you can ... | |
| plastic water bottle | 3/1/2008 |
| Q: is it safe to drink out of a plastic bottol left in a car A: That's a rather vague question. It depends quite a lot, I expect, whether the bottle is still ... | |
| are you 2% or 98%? "red hammer" email | 2/23/2008 |
| Q: Couldn't find a good category to really find an appropriate expert for this. so let's see if you can ... A: Lorraine, I can see why you'd have a hard time finding a category :-) I hadn't seen this one ... | |
| chain letter | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: Rcvd a chain letter that gaurentees that is perfectly legal that when I respond with a dollar in ... A: Whether it's legal depends on the laws of the country you live in, but I'm going to guess that you ... | |
| Criss Angel | 12/31/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you know anything about this magician "Criss Angel" He seems to read minds, ... A: Not really my area, but I did a bit of research. 1) Apparently he himself has stated on Penn and ... | |
| New Years Day Superstition | 12/29/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if it is "good" luck or "Bad" luck to take the Christmas tree down before or after ... A: Well, this is slightly outside my area, but I'll take a stab anyway. First, let me say that whether ... | |
| folk lore | 12/20/2007 |
| Q: Besides owning everything, What is meant by the term -lock,stock and barrel? A: Not really my area of expertise, but I'll point you to the answer anyway. It's one of the phrases ... | |
| Pope | 8/20/2007 |
| Q: Is it true that there is a family in Italy who have been preserving the hearts of Popes for like a ... A: This is outside my expertise, you will probably do better asking an expert in Catholicism. A quick ... | |
| How do I get rid of those MORONS?! | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: I keep receiving these mails from people from Africa or Asia, saying that they want my bank account ... A: First, congrats on seeing them for what they are, morons. The reason they keep sending them is that ... | |
| Common Sense Plus | 8/6/2007 |
| Q: I received a two-page letter from Dr. John Polanski saying that mailing programs and gifting plans ... A: First, let me say this is outside my expertise, but I'll try to answer anyway. In addition, I can't ... | |
| doctor vs gun deaths | 7/13/2007 |
| Q: What is the ratio? Are doctors responsible for 900 times more accidental deaths than guns? A: The first thing to spring into my mind was the quote by Benjamin Disraeli, 'There are three kinds of ... | |
| Microwave Ovens | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: I am hoping that you can help me out. I have read so much information about the dangers of microwave ... A: A difficult, but well asked question. First, let me begin by saying that this is really outside my ... | |
| Worms in Wendy's Hamburgers?? | 4/2/2007 |
| Q: I heard from my father-in-law that the Wendy's restaurant puts worms in their hamburgers. Is that ... A: No, it's not. This legend is historically told about McDonalds, but like most Urban Legends, the ... | |
| bloody mary | 3/3/2007 |
| Q: good day!i would just like to ask you about bloody mary!if how that story started?or anything else ... A: Here is a good page with some of the history of the legend: ... | |
| anarchist cookbook william powell | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: in reading on wikipedia some say that it could have been edited by the government so certain things ... A: (Corrected Minor Error. Sorry!) This is outside my area of expertise, but I'll try to point you in ... | |
| email about 9-11 | 12/27/2006 |
| Q: i got this email is there any truth to this? here is a copy of it pasted on here: 1) New York City ... A: This page has answers to each of the claims in that chain e-mail. For the most part, the claims are ... | |
| exorcism | 12/22/2006 |
| Q: the story of the exorcist is it true i heard it was but it was a boy it happened to can you tell me ... A: Well, this would be better asked of a film expert, but I did some quick internet research and here's ... | |
| Have you see Matrix the movie? | 12/18/2006 |
| Q: "Hi!I have some questions I wanted to ask to you. 1.Do you believe in Matrix?Is it just a fiction or ... A: This is really outside my area of expertise, but since you're only asking for my opinion, I'm happy ... | |
| Lights Out Hoax | 6/8/2006 |
| Q: Is this real, before I pass it on? Thank you DON'T FLASH HEADLIGHTS AT CAR WITH LIGHTS NOT ON!! ... A: Nope. This story/warning has been around in various forms since the 1980s. A lady even got ... | |
| Loch Ness Monster | 12/11/2005 |
| Q: I am currently writing a paper on the Loch Ness Monster and would like to ask an expert on Urban ... A: While I'm flattered by the request, I'm not in any way an expert in the Loch Ness monster. The ... | |
| Rambo | 12/1/2005 |
| Q: A rumor is going around that Sylvester Stallone fled to Canada during the Vietnam War in order to ... A: Sorry about the delay. I typed up a response, and *thought* I'd sent it, but I must not have ... | |
| candy man | 10/23/2005 |
| Q: Is the Candy Man movie based on a true story. A: Wow. So many levels to answer. The basic answer is no. There was no series of murders by a man ... | |
| single resident mayor | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: I heard once of a city that had exactly one resident left living. I believe it was in texas, but ... A: Here's *a* city with exactly one resident. I'd not heard of any such legends but a websearch turned ... | |
| KFC | 3/12/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could clear up the myth of the name change from Kentucy Fried Chicken to KFC. ... A: Actually, it was solved. The answer is very boring. In an increasingly health conscious society, ... | |
| DRACUL | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: THIS IS A QUESTION THAT I CAN NOT EVER GET A ANSWER TO. I WANT TO KNOW, IF THERE WERE ANYTHING OF ... A: Well, That depends on which "real" Dracul you're going to use. In order to answer the question, ... | |
| Gerber Baby | 2/25/2005 |
| Q: Did Jane Seymour ever appear on the Gerber Baby Food label? A: I believe the answer to the question your asking is no. But let me be more specific. 1) Jane ... | |
| urban legends | 11/30/2004 |
| Q: Do you know anything at all about a person called "Hugging Molly"? Please send me any references you ... A: Did an internet search and turned up a few references. But, of course, as with any Urban Legend ... | |
| Sources | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: Can you tell me where I can go to learn more about Urban Legends? I want to learn a lot but I'm not ... A: You came to the right place! My favourite resource is http://www.snopes.com You can spend HOURS ... | |
| Starbuck Coffee | 10/19/2004 |
| Q: I just received this email and do not believe it to be true. If you confirm it one way or the other ... A: You're right to be skeptical. It isn't true. It is true that Howard Wright wrote the piece above, ... | |
| Research | 9/7/2004 |
| Q: Respected Sir I am going to write a science fiction / fantasy story about a man who can ... A: Unfortunately, this is outside my realm of expertise. As there is no known instance of a creature ... | |
| sites | 7/14/2004 |
| Q: What are some good sites to find urban legends on? A: First, let me apologize for taking so long to answer. I've been very busy and stressed in real life ... | |
| chain letter | 6/10/2004 |
| Q: Cassandra, I received a 3 page letter, stating that it's not a chain letter and is perfectly legal. ... A: Short answers: 1) Yep, it's a scam. 2) No, it isn't legal. Long answer: Pyramid schemes like this ... | |
| psychology tale | 5/8/2004 |
| Q: Hey Cassandra, Psychology students often describe a class that was able to amusingly influence ... A: Yep, I know that one. ;-) Supposedly, the students paid more attention during class whenever the ... | |
| Urban legends about coins | 2/17/2004 |
| Q: writing a story about legends associated with money and coins. Would you be interested in helping me ... A: Unfortunately, I'm not really a good source for that type of info. One of the best websites for ... | |
| email validity | 3/16/2003 |
| Q: I got this email, is it legit, should I pass it on? If you are concerned about a possible terrorist ... A: It is "legit" in that it was written by someone who should know most of the information in the ... | |
| Man-eating flies | 3/13/2003 |
| Q: Received this email, urban legend? TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Tucked away in ... A: It certainly does not seem to be an urban legend. 1) cochliomyia hominivorax is a real insect. ... | |
| Dell Dude | 2/11/2003 |
| Q: I've heard a rumor that the Dell dude (the spokesman for Dell computers) has been arrested on ... A: Yep, unfortunately it's true. Here are some links to web-coverage by trustworthy news sites: MSNBC ... | |
| new 'Budweiser frogs' virus | 1/23/2003 |
| Q: I just got word this morning there is a new virus which appears to be a screensaver of the ... A: Nope, this is a hoax, which dates back about 4 years. It started in 1999, and as you show, it's ... | |
| al-azif??? | 10/19/2002 |
| Q: Do you know anything about the original "katib al azif" ala the supposed book of the dead (names of ... A: Pawar, First let me warn you that this is outside my expertise, but I'm going to try my best ... | |
| urban legends | 7/28/2002 |
| Q: where can i find an large encyclopedia or database of lots of urban legends? A: There are many online resources: http://urbanlegends.about.com/ http://www.urbanlegends.com/ But ... | |
| fakes sites? | 6/8/2002 |
| Q: i found this at ubranlegends.com, tell me what you think Dear Friend: Many of you have probably ... A: I think this is one of the most entertaining "letters" I've seen in a long time. Thank you for ... | |
| internet photo | 12/31/2001 |
| Q: Someone sent me a photo today of a sand castle in the shape of the World Trade Center with a plane ... A: You aren't far from where I used to live. I lived in Lafayette for 5 years before moving to Germany ... | |
| Alexander Fleming and Winston churchill | 8/13/2001 |
| Q: I've seen this story twice but can't verify or disprove it. Can you comment? His name was Fleming, ... A: For more info on this legend, visit: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/fleming.htm Thanks for writing! ... | |
| Paul Harvey quiz | 8/10/2001 |
| Q: Paul Harvey When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of ... A: You didnŽt really tell me what you wanted to know, so IŽll answer both possible questions 1) I ... | |
| Timothy McVeigh | 6/7/2001 |
| Q: There is an e-mail I received encouraging me to forward. It is from a "Donna Prather" who supposely ... A: Rob, I hunted down a copy of the letter on the web, and have no reason to believe that Donna ... | |
| Gel Candles Cause Fires? | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: I received the following email and was wondering if the contents were true before I forwarded it on ... A: Nichelle, Sigh. One has to wonder why ANYONE would leave a candle (of any type) burning ... | |
| chainletter that has gone too far | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: Below is the chainletter that I received today. What upsets me the most is the indication of "horrid ... A: Noami, You are right that if someone makes a specific threat against you, you can go to the police. ... | |
| Bonsai Kitty | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: I am receiving petitions from South Africa and South America opposing this website: ... A: Jennifer, This is sort of a hoax, but more a humor site than anything. You are correct in saying ... | |
| Tax Refunds | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: I have had 3 people send this to me already today. I know that the refund itself is not a hoax, but ... A: Bronwyn, Well, so far I have verified the following: 1) Yes, the refunds will be scheduled based ... | |
| Recall of Phenylpropanolamine | 6/6/2001 |
| Q: I was sent this email and asked to forward it to everyone I know. It sounds serious. Can't find ... A: KC, Yes, the FDA has put out a recommendation that everyone stop using PPA (I can't spell it). ... | |
| Petition to save Christianity on TV | 6/5/2001 |
| Q: I received this recently, and it is not on URBAN LEGENDS. By any chance, is it real? Paul ... A: Paul, Nice to know that they have at least updated this false information to include the (true) ... | |
| Flesh Eating Bacteria | 6/5/2001 |
| Q: Is this for real? By Don Shoopman A Lafayette outdoorsman never had a chance, really, to save the ... A: Matt, Well, impression number one was that this was a well written article, and I have no reason to ... | |
| deaths caused by physicians | 6/4/2001 |
| Q: I received the following and it has all the earmarks of being trumped up, but I can't find it ... A: Lizbeth, Ummm, ok, how about if we look at the statistics for accidental choking deaths. Are we ... | |
| NAVDX.EXE | 6/2/2001 |
| Q: Do you know what the NAVDX.EXE is? On boot this is the error message that comes on the screen. The ... A: Linda, Well I found out what the file is. Navdx.exe is a Symantec Norton Anti-Virus program. Ummm ... | |
| Jamie Bulger e-mail | 6/2/2001 |
| Q: What is the deal with the Jamie Bulger e-mail? It says to post your name and then forward it to ... A: Kelly, The situation is real, but my firm position is that e-mail petitions aren't worth the paper ... | |
| Crowd Control Ray | 5/31/2001 |
| Q: One morning as I was awakening to my clock radio, I caught the tail of a news story about a new ... A: Robert, Seems it's legit, but as far as "the potential to be used against American citizens"... It ... | |
| Just received this email -- is it true or legend? | 5/30/2001 |
| Q: I just received this rather heart-warming story entitled "57 Cents", and can't find it listed on ... A: Peg, Well, yes and no. Some details are correct, but it has been "souped up". I agree with ... | |
| Virus hoax or not? | 5/29/2001 |
| Q: Cassandra, do you know anything about an e-mail titled "SULFNBK.EXE" that is suppose to be a virus ... A: Wow, I just got deluged with requests for information on this, so please accept my apology that ... | |
| email petitions | 5/29/2001 |
| Q: I keep getting the same petition about urging the U.S. president to reconsider his decision to ... A: Marianna, You've pretty much nailed it. The situation is true, as far as I have read, but the ... | |
| The attached question reeks of being a hoax. . . | 5/29/2001 |
| Q: > It has come to our attention that many of you may have a VIRUS on your > computer that has not ... A: Wow, I just got deluged with requests for information on this, so please accept my apology that ... | |
| Reknown Geneticist, Gary VonJesdanum | 5/25/2001 |
| Q: I recieved an e-mail about Reknown Geneticist, Gary VonJesdanum. Says he was doing testing on plants ... A: Sherri, Hmmmm. New story, still a hoax. Actually, the mystery of this picture has been solved. ... | |
| Poem by terminally ill child | 5/24/2001 |
| Q: (extraneous headers from forwards removed) Is this for real? ----- Original Message ----- From: ... A: Michael, The ACS raises money for cancer research etc, and if you wanted to get technical I guess ... | |
| Possible Hoax | 5/23/2001 |
| Q: Just recieved this as an email. Usually can find reference to them somewhere, but cant find this ... A: Pat, Ooooh, oooh, I know the answer to this one (waving hand wildly) Sorry, nice to get an easy ... | |
| new computer virus | 5/23/2001 |
| Q: I just got this e-mail from a friend. Is there anything to it? (see below) ======== John ... A: Stuart, Boy, this is a fun one to answer. Caught by their own lies. In FACT, McAfee, one of the ... | |
| Is this article true ? | 5/22/2001 |
| Q: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekend News Today ... A: Carl, Yes, ABCnews did have an article similar to the one described. You can find it at: ... | |
| bonsaikitten | 5/21/2001 |
| Q: I have received this email on english and spanish... It is about the bonsai kitten maker... I have ... A: Milagros, The website that was intended to be humorous. There are no cats actually being bonzaied ... | |
| tracking email | 5/20/2001 |
| Q: I rec'd a letter or poem that was supposedly written by a young girl who is dying of cancer. It was ... A: Ginger, I have seen this one so many times it makes my blood boil. You see, this hoax, rather than ... | |
| WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PURSE/WALLET IS LOST/STOLEN | 5/18/2001 |
| Q: I've received the following twice -- any validity to it? >WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PURSE/WALLET IS ... A: Mercedes, 1) The three mentioned are the three big credit reporting agencies 2) All of the phone ... | |
| RE: American Cancer Society | 5/18/2001 |
| Q: I received the following email from a friend. Would you check out the claim at the end of the poem ... A: Sherry, Don't need to check it out. I have seen this one so many times it makes my blood boil. ... | |
Cassandra
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am an expert in urban legends, faxlore, and related chain e-mails. Check with me before "FORWARDING THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!" to see if it has any validity.
Experience
I have been reading about and studying Urban Legends and folklore as a hobby for many years now.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.