Indispensable Internet tool
Here's a bookmark I want you to add into your browser right now, while you're thinking of it. And when you're done, send the link to everyone on your e-mail list:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/

The next time you get a mass-forwarded electromail message, with the exhortation to "send it to everyone you know," and you're inclined to actually do that, go there first. Check it out. It's either complete bullshit, a "fact-based" prevarication, deliberate misinformation from some organization with an agenda, or creative fiction.

Or it might even be completely true, but even then it's likely to be so out of date that the "call to action" is unnecessary.

There's a lot of chlorine in my spam filter, but even so I get at least two of these each day, usually from smart and well-intentioned people. Lately, it's been various versions of the "FCC approves use of the F-word" theme. In case you missed it, during the Golden Globe Awards telecast last spring, Bono, presumably watching a performance that didn't involve him, said "that was fucking awesome." Lots of people complained to the Friendly Candy Company, claiming obscenity. The FCC rejected the claims. Hand's off the throttle now, you can say "fuck" anytime you want on TV and radio, we're coasting straight into hell, and the Sopranos can finally be broadcast in syndication.

And I almost fell for this one, too. It's entirely plausible. But I "Snopsed" it first. Snopes has the scoop. I've found they do, time and time and time again. They do good work over there. Use them often. 11:30:16 AM    comment []trackback []