New Urban Legends - Recent additions to the Urban Legends Reference Pages
Urban legends perpetrate a type of folklore, endlessly circulated by word of mouth, repeated in news stories and distributed by email. People frequently recount such tales as having happened to a "friend of a friend".
Some of the stories have survived for a very long time, having evolved only slightly over the years, as in the case of the story of a woman killed by spiders nesting in her elaborate hairdo. Other, new stories reflect modern circumstances, like the story of the man on a business trip being seduced by a woman and waking up the next morning minus a kidney surgically removed for transplant. One of the most famous is of alligators living in the sewer after being flushed down toilets when they grow too big to be kept as pets.
Some urban legends actually have a basis in true events, such as the case of the young man shooting bullets into a large saguaro cactus and being killed when his gunfire severed the trunk, resulting in the falling plant crushing him. Even when essentially true, however, the stories often become distorted by many retellings after the original event.
Barack Obama in Afghanistan
by snopes@snopes.com
25 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
E-mail claims presidential candidate Barack Obama "blew off" U.S. soldiers during his recent visit to Afghanistan.
Cheerleader Sniper
by snopes@snopes.com
25 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
"Motivational poster" shows a former cheerleader turned Air Force sniper.
Cheesecake Factory
by snopes@snopes.com
24 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Cheap cheesecake during The Cheesecake Factory's 30th anniversary celebration.
The Natural
by snopes@snopes.com
23 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Does John McCain not qualify as a natural-born citizen of the U.S. because he was born in Panama?
Vanilla Iced
by snopes@snopes.com
22 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Reasons to be wary of purchasing bargain-priced vanilla in Mexico.
A Dog Called Faith
by snopes@snopes.com
21 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
The story of Faith, a two-legged dog.
Tony Snow
by snopes@snopes.com
20 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow's essay about the "unexpected blessings" of cancer.
Proposed Tax Changes
by snopes@snopes.com
18 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
E-mail compares proposed changes in taxes after the 2008 presidential election.
Medal of Honor - Mike Monsoor
by snopes@snopes.com
17 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Account describes Navy SEALs' funereal tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Mike Monsoor.
Bringing Down the House
by snopes@snopes.com
16 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Video shows a truck destroying the canopy over a bank's drive-through lane.
UPS Delivery Failure
by snopes@snopes.com
15 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Messages carrying viruses masquerade as UPS delivery failure notifications.
And the Band Plait On
by snopes@snopes.com
14 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
About some Chinese-made hair bands that were fashioned from recycled condoms.
Palatial Prison
by snopes@snopes.com
13 Jul 2008 at 10:00am
Photographs purportedly show a new prison facility in Chicago, Illinois.
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