A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-15-03....Junk Mail Blues

dansangel | 10-15-03 | dansangel

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear, Aquamarine ~

~<>~<>~Junk Mail Blues~<>~<>~

We're all victims. We even may at some time have been the unwitting perpetrators. What am I talking about? Internet chain mail born of hoaxes and urban legends.

You know, the poem that tugs at your heartstrings, with an urgent message at the end to forward it to "everyone in your mailbox" so that some benevolent corporation will donate money towards a much-needed operation for a sweet little child. Or, the email that arrives ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS SHOUTING THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING KILLED BY THE BOATLOAD BY VICIOUS, TOILET-DWELLING SPIDERS!!!!! Or the one that has a lukewarm joke or silly story that demands forwarding to "10 or more people because then you will see the most wonderful pop-up window - I swear, I've never seen anything like it!" Ever fall for that one? I did - about 7 years ago…once.

It seems that there is something about all of these sympathy or urban legend based emails that appeals to our curious nature. To be more blunt, we want to believe them. Otherwise, with Websites such as Urban Legends and Folklore and Urban Legends Reference Pages (Snopes) wouldn't have thrived as much as they have over the past few years. Each of these Websites does nothing more than to research and ultimately debunk the scores of rumor, hoax and urban legend-based emails floating around and wasting bandwidth.

~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

This is a recent email hoax circulating with fervor:

  "IS THIS A COINCIDENCE OR SOMETHING   ELSE? Bin Laden and Saddam should have   read up on The Muslim passages... The   following verse is from the Quran, (the Islamic   Bible) Quran ( 9:11) -- For it is written that a   son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle.   The wrath of the Eagle would be felt   throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while   some of the people trembled in despair still   more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle   cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was   peace. (Note the verse number!!!!!)"

Did it get your attention? Make you stand up and take notice? Or, more importantly, did it make you even more angrier about a horrible event that changed the life of every American? Sure. Those are the components of a junk email that will never die. I wish I had a dollar for every time that the one above has hit my mailbox. It has never once left mine for anyone else's. Why? Whenever I receive something that has been forwarded so many times there are more "<<<<<<<<"s in it than whiskers on Santa's chin, I immediately check one, if not both of the two Websites listed above. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the very same email that I am checking up comes up as a hoax, rumor or urban legend.



~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

Remember this one?

"You won't believe this photo of an 87 lb. cat in Ontario Canada!!!!!"

That's right. I *didn't* believe it. So, I looked it up and found it on the above-mentioned sites as a huge (pardon the pun) hoax. It's not hard to figure out, anyway, if you look closely. How many of you can hold 87 lbs. without the sign of the least bit of effort? More importantly, how many cats would stay that rigid while being held in that manner?

~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

That photo definitely belongs in the same "Hall of Shame" as this one:

I was *almost* fooled by this one. The shock and horror of September 11 was still raw. On closer inspection, what gave it away was the way the sun was hitting the airplane. The angle is not anywhere near that of how the sun is lighting the man in the foreground. Also, coupled with the fact that he is dressed for a temperature of freezing or less when it was quite warm the day of the attack, something really begins to stink in Denmark.

By the way, not all forwarded, sensationalized mail is phony. I was caught quite by surprise last week when I was the recipient of the following:

"Fwd: Good News !!!!!! SHOP AT SEARS IT IS ALL ABOUT HOW YOU TREAT THE PROTECTORS OF OUR LAND.

"I assume you have all seen the reports about how Sears is treating its reservist employees who are called up? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up...

"Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution.

"I suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

"Pass it on."

I was so certain that this was another junk chain mail that I smugly went to the Urban Legends Website to debunk it and admonish its sender. Much to my surprise, I found out, by checking both sites, that this is true. I also found a list of many other companies practicing the same good deed. It warmed my heart to read that and also to pass the information on to others.

~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

Do yourselves and your email buddies a favor. Whenever you are the recipient of an email that makes a sensational claim, a "secret the government doesn't want you to know," something that should be forwarded to "everyone you know," something that if you forward it some deep-pockets entity will pay you for your efforts, or better yet, pay someone else, please hit the "Delete" button and send it to eternal rest in cyberspace. If you're not sure that it's a phony claim, look it up on the Snopes or Urban Legends and Folklore Websites.

We are all victims of spam. Let's not unwittingly propagate its ugly first cousin - junk chain letters.

~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-13-03 Military Monday 10-14-03 Relax. You're in Georgia Now

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45MAN at danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

God Bless Our Military

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dansangel; Dutchess; Mama_Bear; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty StarCMC......................brother TexKat...................son and stepson Atomic Conspiracy..half-brother, neice, nephew

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........2 nephews gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son kimmie7...............brother Tiffee4Bob.............boyfriend Explorer89............brother ODC_Girl............active duty

[dansangel]

((((((JH2)))))))

Long time no see! Sorry I was AWOL last week for your thread. I was having a rough one at work. :-(

Have a great humpday! :-)

[dansangel]

((((((APD)))))) - long time no see, neighbor!

I don't remember that one. Is there really a file with a bear icon? What happened when all those people deleted it? Or, did they just spend unnecessary time looking for something that wasn't there?

These con artists obviously have nothing better to do with their time and "talent."

Happy Humpday to you!

[JohnHuang2]

Sorry I was AWOL last week for your thread.

No need to apologize. Just don't do it again! Just kidding! hehe ;-)

[JohnHuang2]

And (((((((((dansangel))))))))))) backatya!

[lonestar]

Before I went to the Rainbow Bridge I looked forward to the daily delivery of my junk mail. I liked to bark and it gave me good reason to bark at the top of my lungs.

The woman who brought my junk mail drove a funny little truck, with the steering wheel on the wrong side, the right side. (figure that one out you English as a second language people!) I drove on the left side.

She put stuff in my mailbox and lonestar would gripe and throw most of it away. I enjoyed the whole thing--everyday.

The woman who drove that funny little truck came when lonestar was out in the yard last week. She asked about me and when lonestar told her where I'd gone, she got teary eyed.

If she felt that way about me, why didn't she give me a ride in her funny little truck? That's all I wanted.

Weinie

[dansangel]

She put stuff in my mailbox and lonestar would gripe and throw most of it away. I enjoyed the whole thing--everyday.

The lady in the funny truck isn't the only one that got teary-eyed. Wow, I need to take a deep breath.

Lonestar, I don't know if you ever watch Animal Planet, but on their show about America's Funniest Pets, they do a segment on "Ani-Mail Call." The accompanying video is precious with dogs grabbing mail out of mailslots and mailboxes - really cute. Wienie's story made me think of that.

((((((lonestar))))))))) and ((((((Wienie)))))))

[lonestar]

Bump to # 25 and me!

Weinie

[Temple Owl]

Good morning Angel and all. Sears will open in about an hour. I'm sure we can find something to buy.

[dansangel]

(((((((Temple Owl)))))))

Isn't that cool about Sears? Follow the link and check out all of the other Military Supporters as well. It'll do your heart good!

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Wednesday !

[dansangel]

Mornin' ((((Meekie)))))

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

Hidy Ho Neighbor, to you too.

Yes, the file really does exist and with a teddy bear icon... that image is a real screen capture of files. I guess the programmer in charge of that file in the windows operating system had a "thing" for teddy bears. Of course it was the fact that the icon was a teddy bear that made people think this hoax was real... they thought the teddy bear icon would be just the thing an immature hacker would use in a virus. My thoughts are that virus hackers go more for scull and crossbones and such for icons.

As for the deleting of the file.... it's purpose to is run some obscure java functions, so deleting it does little actual harm. All the virus-protection people like Norton have uploads of the file so you can replace it after deleting. The lesson here is that you should NEVER be deleting files out of "windows system folder" on the word of an email without researching fully! Next time it could be an important file they have us deleting.

[Aquamarine]

Hi (((Dansy))), haven't read your opening post yet but it looks like alot of fun! Be back later this evening, have to run.

[dansangel]

The lesson here is that you should NEVER be deleting files out of "windows system folder" on the word of an email without researching fully! Next time it could be an important file they have us deleting.

Oh, absolutely! I have heard of such hoax-emails going around, but never received one.

.45MAN keeps getting that one that is presumably from Microsoft telling him to download an executable file to "protect" his computer. That one is a dangerous virus hoax, as well.

What dorks!

[dansangel]

((((((Aqua)))))

Thanks again for your beautiful thread on GA. Enjoy your day - it is magnificent out there today! :-)

[dutchess]

Hi Dansy. What a great idea! (and beautiful as always) Out the door...hate when work interferes with freeping...will try to stop back at lunch!

((((((dansy)))))))

[carlo3b]

Junk mail HORROR.. I had my 3 year old pixy granddaughter on my knee waiting for my son-in-law sitting with my grandson to email a picture of his new puppy... We logged on to our mailbox and after seeing no mail in the regular mail I saw a subject line that said, "UNBELIEVABLE PICTURES" in my BULK Mail!

Without thinking I hit the link ..and, and, YIKES!!! ....er ..UNBELIEVABLE ... delete.. GULP!... <8|

[FreeTheHostages]

[FreeTheHostages]

Good post!

Fact is, once you know one person dumb enough to fall for these things, they get your email name out their on chain email lists and then you're stuck receiving these things.

[dansangel]

Fact is, once you know one person dumb enough to fall for these things, they get your email name out their on chain email lists and then you're stuck receiving these things.

I love your no-holds-barred commentary (((((Freezie)))))

What you say is so true! :-)

And then you've got to figure out a way to gently ask them to stop sending you the garbage. Then they get all hurt and huffy....jeez!