People who send those unsubstantiated chain type e-mails

[nytemare]

Does everybody have one of those at work? You know, the one who sends every e-mail that snopes has ever debunked to you? The gas boycott, razor blade in the gas pump handle, man getting in the back of your car at the gas station, if you get carjacked crash into a tree, every time you forward this microsoft will give you $5 or some poor child with cancer will get $5, or if you don't send this to 15 people in 5 minutes, you will have bad luck for your entire life, don't drink anything with aspartame because it turns your brain to formaldehyde(it does cause migraines, though), cough to stop a heart attack, boycott Citgo, Exxon, and Mobil for 10 different reasons, perfume bandits may try to rob you....Those e-mails.

First off, I don't understand who could ever have enough time to make up these BS e-mails, that microsoft one has been around since 97 or so. Some of them give some advice that would be dangerous to follow, like these.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/coughcpr.asp

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/ninetips.asp

I have tried to inform said e-mailer that snopes is her friend a few times to no avail. Now I just accept there are people with decent intentions, who will forward all e-mails no matter how ridiculous the claim.



I just go by what the late Carl Sagan had to say, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

[Sequoia]

1. and no matter how many times I tell her to stop with the

dopey angel teddy bears and how God is testing me if I don't forward the bloody email to 10 people RIGHT NOW I'll like, burn in hell or something. Futhermore, I delete emails from co-workers without reading them if I know that might be trying to yank my chain. You don't HAVE to read them, you are not obligated. Ignore jerks at work.

[nytemare]

8. I delete them now, most of the time.

Sometimes, I will read them just to see what kind of bunk is being pushed.

[lizerdbits]

2. I used to work with a repuke who sent all the repuke standard ones

I "accidentally" replied to all each time debunking it. But as we know, facts won't stop repukes.

Many companies have a policy that you can't use work email for non work things. Most people do anyway and it's not a big deal, they're emailing friends and if there's nothing graphic it's not usually an issue. I guess that depends on how much monitoring your company does. Maybe you could go to HR/that person's boss/etc and get them to stop if your place has that type of rule. It might be easier to just delete them, action may only be needed if it's really excessive.

[nytemare]

9. I got one of those once.

Saying how Bush was a cowboy. I went line by line and refuted everything on it, saying how Bush was really a coward using our troops as a shield, he never had the courage to even finish his National Guard service. I didn't get anymore pro-bush bunk from her.

[Initech]

3. I always send them snopes.com right back.

:evilgrin:

[skygazer]

4. I've got a bunch of law students who recently sent me the Microsoft one

:eyes:

Nice work at research and logical analysis, guys. :banghead:

[nytemare]

12. No kidding!

:D

[triguy46]

5. Or forwarded long lists of 'jokes.' like this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x7717488

[nytemare]

13. Yep!

With all the little animated angels and kitty cats.

[CreekDog]

6. that reminds me

did you know that you can stop a heart attack by coughing? :hide:

[nytemare]

10. Good luck with that!

Just make sure you don't cough at the wrong time.

:D

[stuntcat]

7. just this morning

It's been a while but I got one this morning from the same person who always sends them. Since she's the only one who does it I've learned to deal x( They do worry me a little every time though.. I'm all "is it for real this time? oh no.."

A high-school friend sent me some Republican bullshit once and I wrote her right back.. I haven't heard from her again :headbang:

[nytemare]

11. It has become a personality cliche.

Every office has a e-mail lady. And, it is usually a lady. I can't remember getting a chain e-mail from a guy.

It is sort of odd.

[CBHagman]

18. Oh, the guys do it too...

...as I found out to my sorrow.

I've found people respond in one of three ways. Most of them (These are generally your true friends) will admit they goofed when they forwarded an urban legend. Some will ignore any responses. And the third group simply gets mad (In my case, a total stranger got her knickers in a twist when I gave her the Snopes material).

That said, I don't bother pulling out the debunking tools unless it is a biggie, such as telling people that coughing a certain way will help them survive a heart attack. :eyes: For some unknown reason, at least three people have sent me that heart attack e-mail, and every time I've sent them the link to the American Heart Association website. I figure they can't take it personally if I invoke such a well-known association.

However, I'm beginning to think the best course of action is simply to put a video of my cardiologist up on YouTube. I have a script in mind, something really scientific and professional, like "Stop forwarding that @#$%! stupid e-mail already!"

In case you're wondering what I'm talking about, the e-mail:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/coughcpr.asp

And the American Heart Association response:

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4535

The American Heart Association does not endorse "cough CPR," a coughing procedure widely publicized on the Internet. As noted in the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, the American Heart Association DOES NOT TEACH THIS AS PART OF THE CORE CURRICULUM IN ANY COURSE.

[RebelOne]

14. Yes, I have relatives and friends who send me that junk mail.

No matter how many times I tell them to check with snopes.com first, they never do.

[trof]

15. I have a 'friend' who sends them to me.

I used to send him the snopes link debunking.
Then he would send them with the note: "Could you check this out on snopes?"
I said "What am I? Your personal assistant? Check it out yourself."
Now I just delete them.
stupid

[hobbit709]

16. I always do a "Reply All" with a link to snopes.com

That has reduced the frequency of me getting them about 80%.

[mikeytherat]

17. "Reply All," a string of nasty curse words, insert this .gif, and hit "Send."

Works like a champ.

[meegbear]

19. Do what *I* do ...

Click ReplyAll, type

STOP SENDING ME THIS RIGHT-WING SHIT ASSHOLE

and click 'Send'

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. I liked the warning about accepting a drink from a stranger

then waking up in the hotel room, naked in a bathtub full of ice, with a tube sticking out, and a note saying "Dial 911, we removed your kidney, you need medical attention".

It was also not true, but it was creative.