# UL or true story? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390 "2000-03-08T17:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![A\_girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@A\_girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_girl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/1 "2000-03-08T17:57:00Z")
Does anyone know if this is true or not? Something like this: Math student walks in to class in the middle of a test and sees 3 problems on the board. Two are for the test, one is supposedly unsolvable. Not knowing that, he does all three problems… Thanks, A girl ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/2 "2000-03-09T06:00:00Z")
Yes, it’s an urban legend, and yes, it’s true! See [http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/unsolvab.htm](http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/unsolvab.htm) ---
**Author:** ![A\_girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@A\_girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_girl)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/3 "2000-03-09T06:26:00Z")
Thank you! I’ve always wondered about this story. 🙂 Long live the SDMB!!! A girl ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/4 "2000-03-08T19:43:00Z")
WOW- first time I have seen a Snopes thread that actually says the UL is true, and shows how !! Anyone know of any other Snopes threads with proof of truth? Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/5 "2000-03-08T22:35:00Z")
Several of the urban legends at Snopes have antecedents in actual fact. However, I couldn’t come up with a way to easily extract them. You’ll just have to go there, look at all the items, and keep your eye peeled for the green bullet. * * * He’s the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armor, shouting ‘All Gods are Bastards!’ ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/6 "2000-03-08T23:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyone know of any other Snopes threads with proof of truth? My sister’s best friend says that she knew someone who saw one once… * * * Heck is where you go when you don’t believe in Gosh. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/7 "2000-03-09T17:05:00Z")
Snopes is definitely fond of the red bullets, but many of the ULs have a true origen, or are plausable enough that they might have occured a some point. I personally think they should switch to the rating system used by [Urbanlegends.com](http://Urbanlegends.com). (Speaking of which, is anybody updating that sight anymore?) * * * –It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/8 "2000-03-09T20:41:00Z")
Diceman, haven’t been by snopes recently, have you? They revamped the web page and got rid of the dots. So there. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/9 "2000-03-10T22:18:00Z")
Good one, neuro! [http://www.elnet.com/~sburch/sjbgrin.gif](http://www.elnet.com/~sburch/sjbgrin.gif) * * * Enough of voting for the _lesser_ of evils - vote Cthulhu 2000! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/10 "2000-03-10T00:13:00Z")
ROFL Neuro, well said !!! Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![SoMoMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SoMoMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoMoMom)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/11 "2000-03-10T14:46:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Diceman: > \*\*[Urbanlegends.com](http://Urbanlegends.com). (Speaking of which, is anybody updating that sight anymore?) > > \*\* David Emery still posts stuff on the Urban Legends message board. And there is occasionally a newsletter with some new UL’s. It seems much slower than the past. Maybe there aren’t as many newbies out there passing around those annoying e-mails anymore. I know I try and embarrass my acquaintances into not sending them to me and others. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/12 "2000-03-11T06:10:00Z")
Diceman, Most Urban Legands \could\ have happened at some point, and that is the point. I really don’t like having a story labeled as ‘true’ not because someone can present documented evidence that it \has\ happened, but rather because it \could\ have happened. Not the same thing at all. Someone \could\ have attached JATO rockets to his car and smashed into a cliff face in Arizona, but no one actually did. Ford \could\ have blundered by offering a car in Mexico called the Nova (spanish for ‘doesn’t go’) but they didn’t. These are both good, even plausible stories, but that still doesn’t mean they actually happened. Irony and coincidence only carry value when they are rare. ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/13 "2000-03-11T06:21:00Z")
Once again, with feewing… * * * Diceman, Most Urban Legands _could_ have happened at some point, and that is the point. I really don’t like having a story labeled as ‘true’ not because someone can present documented evidence that it _has_ happened, but rather because it _could_ have happened. Not the same thing at all. Someone _could_ have attached JATO rockets to his car and smashed into a cliff face in Arizona, but no one actually did. Ford _could_ have blundered by offering a car in Mexico called the Nova (spanish for ‘doesn’t go’) but they didn’t. These are both good, even plausible stories, but that still doesn’t mean they actually happened. Irony and coincidence only carry value when they are rare. ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ul-or-true-story/8390/14 "2000-03-11T06:22:00Z")
Ahhh… Much better.