Dear Cousins (everyone from PC is related if you go back far enough! <G>), Normally, I do not encourage non-genealogy posts. However, I thought this would cause you to smile and be a gentle reminder to those who are relatively new to the world of e-mail. If you wish to discuss this further, feel free to respond to me PRIVATELY. Nedra, Pendleton List Moderator >Subject: FYI- A Must Read For All (and your mother wants you to read it!!) > >Whoever decided to create this note and forward it on should receive some >type of humanitarian award. It says it all! > >1. Big companies don't do business via chain letters. Bill Gates is not >giving you $1000, and Disney is not giving you a free vacation. There is no >baby food company issuing class-action checks. Procter and Gamble is not >part of a satanic cult or scheme, and its logo is not satanic. MTV will >not give >you backstage passes if you forward something to the most people. You can >relax; there is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true". >Furthermore, just because someone said in a message, four generations >back, that "we checked it out and it's legit", does not actually make it true. > >2. There is no kidney theft ring in New Orleans. No one is waking up in a >bathtub full of ice, even if a friend of a friend swears it happened to >their cousin. If you are hell-bent on believing the kidney-theft ring stories, >please see: > ><http://urbanlegends.tqn.com/library/weekly/aa062997.htm>http://urbanlegend >s.tqn.com/library/weekly/aa062997.htm > >And I quote: "The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests >for actual victims of organ thieves to come forward and tell their stories. >None have." That's "none" as in "zero". Not even your friend's cousin. > >3. Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. And even if >they do, we all have it. And even if you don't, you can get a copy at: > ><http://www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html>http://www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html > >Then, if you make the recipe, decide the cookies are that awesome, feel >free to pass the recipe on. > >4. If the latest NASA rocket disaster(s) DID contain plutonium that went >to particulate over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information >would reach the public via an AOL chainletter? > >5. There is no "Good Times" virus. In fact, you should never, ever, ever >forward any email containing any virus warning unless you first confirm >that an actual site of an actual company that actually deals with viruses. >Try: ><http://www.norton.com>http://www.norton.com >And even then, don't forward it. We don't care. And you cannot get a virus >from a flashing IM or email, you have to download....ya know, like, a FILE! > >6. There is no gang initiation plot to murder any motorist who flashes >headlights at another car driving at night without lights. > >7. If you're using Outlook, IE, or Netscape to write email, turn off the >"HTML encoding." Those of us on Unix shells can't read it, and don't care >enough to save the attachment and then view it with a web browser, since >you're probably forwarding us a copy of the Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe >anyway. > >8. If you still absolutely MUST forward that 10th-generation message from >a friend, at least have the decency to trim the eight miles of headers >showing everyone else who's received it over the last 6 months. It sure >wouldn't >hurt to get rid of all the ">" that begin each line either. Besides, if >it has gone around that many times we've probably already seen it. > >9. Craig Shergold (or Sherwood, or Sherman, etc.) in England is not dying >of cancer or anything else at this time and would like everyone to stop >sending him their business cards. He apparently is no longer a "little >boy" either. > >10. The "Make a Wish" foundation is a real organization doing fine work, >but they have had to establish a special toll free hot line in response to the >large number of Internet hoaxes using their good name and reputation. It is >distracting them from the important work they do. > >11. If you are one of those insufferable idiots who forwards anything that >"promises" something bad will happen if you "don't," then something bad >will happen to you if I ever meet you in a dark alley. > >12. Women really are suffering in Afghanistan, and PBS and NEA funding are >still vulnerable to attack (although not at the present time) but forwarding >an e-mail won't help either cause in the least. If you want to help, contact >your local legislative representative, or get in touch with Amnesty >International or the Red Cross. >As a general rule, e-mail "signatures" are easily faked and mean nothing to >anyone with any power to do anything about whatever the competition is >complaining about. > >(P.S.: There is no bill pending before Congress that will allow long-distance >companies to charge you for using the Internet.) > >Bottom Line... composing e-mail or posting something on the Net is as easy >as writing on the walls of a public restroom. Don't automatically believe it >until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's >true. > >Now, forward this message to ten friends, and you will win the Publishers >Clearing House sweepstakes.