Hey cats and kittens, check it out:
http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/gable2.htm
This is probably the most enjoyable article form Barbara and David I’ve ever read. Not only does it debunk a UL (par for the course), but it provides a wonderful insight into the nature of modern folklore. And it amounts to a treatise on critical thinking skills in action.
I think the Mikkelsons are among the most valuable researchers on the web today. Read, learn, enjoy.
I always enjoy a trip to Snopes, but I really wish Barbara Mikkelson could resist the urge to end her pieces with those stupid puns. Barbara “Top Hat and Tales” Mikkelson, or whatever. That stuff drives me up the wall. They’re seldom witty, funny, or even appropriate, and they (in my opinion) really undermine the work.
They(her stupid puns) “undermine” the work?:rolleyes:
If you also saw her in person and she didn’t fit your perception of what she should “look like” would that cause you to re-evaulate her information?
Shallow.
Andros Thanks for the heads up. Indeed, that was perhaps her finest hour(so far).
I just wish they would dump the music from the site.
That was the LONGEST article I’ve ever read from Snopes!
Is that anywhere near Deadman’s Curve?
Is that anywhere near Deadman’s Curve?
The puns are a convention from alt.folklore.urban, to which Barbara is (was? I don’t read it anymore) a longtime contributor.
The music does my head in - it should be opt-IN, not opt-OUT.
But other than that Snopes is brilliant and I love Barbara’s sigs.
To me they represent a humourous outlet for what must be her ongoing frustration at the stupidity and naiivety of those among us who actually believe and perpetuate ULs.
ruadh: AFU is still peopled by Mikkelson, yes, among others.
Yeah, I think the puns undermine the work. I admire the work as well-researched, well-documented information. I don’t admire the stupid puns, and it always jars me to read a good snopes article and then get the little ‘witticism’ at the end. If that’s shallow, than I’m shallow, but I don’t think it’s a good thing.
Perhaps it Is because of the link with a.f.u. I briefly read a.f.u. until I realized there was nothing there worth reading, as actual discussion about urban legends was off-topic and the newsgroup was chiefly devoted to a handful of people all admiring each other and insulting anyone outside of the clique who dared to post. I know it’s cliche to talk about newsgroups and forums as giant cliques, but a.f.u. was the absolute worst offender in that department I have ever seen. So yeah, perhaps I associat those puns with the obnoxiousness there. Either way, I don’t think they’re clever or witty, just silly.
I agree. I even wrote to her a few years ago about it. She wrote me back and very graciously defended her use of the things.
They drive me nuts, too.
But I love Snopes.
I really don’t understand the problem with the puns. :shrug: I just see 'em as so small and easy to ignore.
I do agree about the midis, though.