Urban legends people think are true

[Crono]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Crono
It's debatable depending on circumstances. In some cases, it costs too much in terms of resources to recycle products rather than to produce new ones.

The other two "R's" (Reducing and Reusing) are better options that aren't as questionable in terms of environmental benefit.

Recycling PROPERLY is better for the planet. An easy way to tell is that recycling PROPERLY is better for your pocketbook. If you can get paid for an item, then recycle it. If not, then don't recycle it as at the moment it isn't good for the planet. It may be good for the planet later when we have the proper technology, but at the moment leave it be. It is such a simple concept, yet few people ever understand it. Instead, they tend to fall into two groups: people who never recycle (bad for the earth and their pocketbook) and people who try to recycle everything (bad for the earth and their pocketbook). So few people understand that the opimum lies in between the extremes and that it is a moving optimum as technology and needs change.

Note: economical recycling goes far beyond the easy aluminum and paper examples, especially for industry.

Note 2: reuse is the dictionary definition of recycle. It is hard to say that reusing is a better option than recycling since recycling's definition is to reuse it. Bring a paper or plastic grocery bag back to the store and you recycled it by reusing it.

Recycling, at least by how I understand it, means to take used products and separate them (mechanically or chemically) into useable, constituent parts.
Reusing, on the other hand, simply means to take the product, with little to no modification, and using it for its given purpose or for something else.

The problem with recycling is that it requires processing. Like you said, if it is done properly, and on an economic scale that would reduce costs and optimize efficiency, it would be beneficial. As it is, recycling isn't handled well enough or done in enough areas that it is making a marked difference. I'm all for recycling, but I think reducing and reusing should be the first line options in conservation of material resources.

 

[Babbles]

Cow tipping.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Babbles
Cow tipping.

What makes cow tipping an urban legend? It is a very simple concept. You take city-folk into the country. You get them drunk. You convince them in their drunken state that they can tip a 1000+ pound animal. You laugh as they try it and slip into a pile of manure. It is a very real activity, just the outcome isn't what the city-slicker thought.

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Babbles
Cow tipping.

What makes cow tipping an urban legend? It is a very simple concept. You take city-folk into the country. You get them drunk. You convince them in their drunken state that they can tip a 1000+ pound animal. You laugh as they try it and slip into a pile of manure. It is a very real activity, just the outcome isn't what the city-slicker thought.

Haha, okay yeah fair enough. :beer:

I suppose, though, I am still correct in citing this as an urban legend.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Babbles
I suppose, though, I am still correct in citing this as an urban legend.

Touche.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: Pheran
Of course there a lots of false urban legends out there, but I've run into a few that people commonly seem to believe in. I'd say my top two are:

Tapping a Soda Can

and

Rice Bad for Birds

What other urban legends have you encountered as "facts"?

Glass is a liquid. My teacher tried telling this to the class.

It's not truly a liquid, but it has an amorphous crystal structure just like a liquid. Most solids have very rigid and defined structures but liquids don't. Glass (while still acting like a solid) has the amorphous structure of a liquid.

So, your teacher just did a bad job explaing what she/he meant... but it's not an urban legend.

 

[nocash]

Fiberglass in snuff

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Babbles
Cow tipping.

What makes cow tipping an urban legend? It is a very simple concept. You take city-folk into the country. You get them drunk. You convince them in their drunken state that they can tip a 1000+ pound animal. You laugh as they try it and slip into a pile of manure. It is a very real activity, just the outcome isn't what the city-slicker thought.

If you go to Australia, make sure you watch out for those wild drop bears. Those little MFers will eat your face off!

 

[MoPHo]

I ate poprocks and drank soda. I died and no one ever heard from me again.

 

[Crono]

<insert name of soda> kills your sperm.
I was guilty of spreading that urban legend in middle school about Tropical Fantasy sodas.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: EGGO
Recycling is better for the planet.

I fail to see how "not recycling" is better for the planet.

Most recycling actually uses more energy than making a new item.

Of course, thats simply an issue of efficiency, so after 20+ years of working at it, theres no reason you cant make it better.

 

[jonks]

I still get sent that "Bill Gates and Microsoft are conducting a test. Help them and forward this email and they will track your email and pay you $6,092 when 10 million people have been contacted." It's 2009 people. Christ.

 

[OCGuy]

Some dude died and came back to life, and is going to return to save you if you close your eyes and talk to yourself at night.

 

[Gibsons]

A cure for won't be found because 'they' couldn't make money selling it.

 

[lifeobry]

Originally posted by: coldmeat
You don't tap the side of the can, you tap the top.

And it does work.

 

[imported_six]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
- Whether you go bald or not depends on the men from your mother's side of the family.
- The Great Wall of China can be seen from space (Apparently this one originated before anyone had even been in space!)
- You only use 10% of your brain

hehheh...people were going to beat me up when I told them that the "using 10% of the brain" is only a myth. I backed it up with scientific data...from professors with P-h-D's in neuroscience. But these people labeled those scientists as quacks. Crazy I tell you...especially when their proof comes from unsolved mysteries and dateline.

But anyhow, another Urban Legend that everyone believes is true is: Dead Baby Stuffed with Drugs at US-Mexico Border
or the other variation "Kidnapped U.S. Citizen Stuffed Gutted and Stuff with Drugs at the Border."

 

[CallMeJoe]

Our director of HR regularly spams the company with Urban Legends - she even believed the old Flashing headlight / Gang initiation myth.

I hope she never gets an email from Nigeria offering to transfer money to our company's bank account...

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
- Whether you go bald or not depends on the men from your mother's side of the family.

Any link for that one? I've always been curious- everyone tells me that, and my mom's dad was bald...

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

If you throw a penny off the Empire State Building, it will bury itself in the pavement (or kill someone).

 

[Red Squirrel]

I honestly thought the rice thing was true.

Same with the penny off a tall building. I figured because of the gravitational acceleration it would be moving at such a high speed it could cause lot of damage when it hits the ground, or somebody.


Guess I'm gullible.

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: Kyle

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
- Whether you go bald or not depends on the men from your mother's side of the family.

Any link for that one? I've always been curious- everyone tells me that, and my mom's dad was bald...

There's a correlation, but it's not great, so you really can't tell.

Text Read the part about genetics of male pattern baldness.

 

[Modelworks]

cell phone antenna booster, just put the sticker on your phone and it will reach for miles and miles !

And of course. Microwave ovens are giving off radiation and radiating your food !

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

The direction that water drains in a basin (clockwise or counterclockwise) depends on what hemisphere you're in

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
The direction that water drains in a basin (clockwise or counterclockwise) depends on what hemisphere you're in

Uhhhh.

 

[Kaervak]

Originally posted by: Gibsons

Originally posted by: Kyle

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
- Whether you go bald or not depends on the men from your mother's side of the family.

Any link for that one? I've always been curious- everyone tells me that, and my mom's dad was bald...

There's a correlation, but it's not great, so you really can't tell.

Text Read the part about genetics of male pattern baldness.

It's rather true in my family. My grandfather was bald, my great uncle has alopecia and is completely bald (my other great uncles I never saw much of and they've been dead for years so I can't say on them), three of my male cousins are bald/balding, one female cousin has thinning hair and the other female cousin has alopecia and wears a wig, my mom has very thin hair, both my uncles are bald and my hair is thinning.