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I have added info about the Lake Bodom murders and their assumed connection with for instance the Friday 13th horror movies. I am writing this without any source but my own conjecture. If anyone thinks this is unwarranted speculation I expect the assertion to be removed. __ meco 09:36, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
I checked throught the article and under "Structure" there is some text, probably from a certain "travis" which has no relavence to the article, however, the text does not show up on the edit page, could someone work to try and fix this -Felix Pandora 2:56 PM, (EST), Febuary 14, 2007
The second or third line states: "Urban legends are not necessarily untrue, but they are often false". Can someone please describe the difference between false and untrue? I thought they were the same thing. Unless there is an actual difference between the two word, I think this contradiction should be removed. Gregsinclair 00:34, 13 March 2007 (UTC)
I believe that some of these examples are not as well known as others. The main addition I would make would be to insert the legend of the Underground Kidney Thieves. It seems to be the most well know legend, in which a person is seduced in a bar, slipped a sleeping pill, and wakes up in a bathtub of ice missing a kidney. It is rediculous, but really should be added. 75.26.164.84 03:28, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
An episode of Law and Order had a similar storyline. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.5.84.175 ( talk) 17:16, 23 September 2016 (UTC)
I found this one hard to believe, but it has been widely dispersed. Not by me, as I find it ludicrous.
A convicted burglar was being treated in a hospital for the loss of two fingers. Meanwhile, the owner of a Doberman pinscher who had just found that returned to his home found that his pet was choking. The dog was induced to cough up the offending material, and the material was found to be two human fingers. The fingers were matched to the burglar being treated for the loss of two fingers, and were later used as evidence to tie him to a burglary, whereof he was later convicted. The fingers had lodged in the dog's throat. Black fingers -- of course suggesting a racist element in the story.
First, it's hard to imagine a dog biting off fingers. Dogs could slice off flesh with their teeth, but I can't imagine them slicing off bone and swallowing a severed digit. Not even tigers do that.
Second, a dog has a swallowing reflex. The fingers would go down the esophagus -- not the trachea. Dogs are ravenous eaters, eating food in large chunks if necessary... and human fingers, if a dog ever swallowed them, would go easily down a dog's esophagus.
Third, if the fingers had gone into the lungs, then it is likely that the dog would have coughed them up quickly -- or died.
Fourth, it's a racist tale. Note the "black fingers".
Fifth, no time or place is mentioned. That's the big one. No town, no hospital, and no court is specified.
In contrast, a story that I once read -- it had an AP heading -- stated that an eighteen-year-old cat badly mauled a burglar in San Diego, California. I forget the date; such behavior is not what I would expect from a house cat, but instead something that I would have to accept as true...but I am satisfied that the story was possible, and that the wire service rarely prints whoppers.
It had a date and a time, and some news organization took responsibility for the story. Unlike the "choking Doberman" story which is inconsistent with known facts about dogs (except that they maul burglars badly), the one involving the cat is possible. It might be unusual behavior for a cat, but not impossible.-- Paul from Michigan ( talk) 06:13, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
Dogs don't maul burglars (or only in the movies): as a doctor for 30 years, I have seen a lot of children and old ladies badly mauled but not a single burglar. Dogs are only useful when barking, and burglars know how to proctect themselves from dogs' attacks. But that's another story. Jsoufron ( talk) 09:05, 30 December 2007 (UTC)
Rather than listing it here, you can find the story here at Snopes.com. Reywas92 Talk 14:46, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
Dog bit burgler http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179887/Burglar-snared-dog-bite-Criminal-attacked-Rottweiler-caught-police-DNA-evidence-teeth.html
http://article.wn.com/view/2014/11/27/Burglar_flees_after_being_bitten_by_householders_dog/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.102.58.221 ( talk) 13:26, 6 April 2015 (UTC)
Just wondering why this link was removed? Any particular reason? (www.urbanbee.webs.com)
Also, should there be a category on wikipedia of various urban legends because i looked and there aren't many now, just a few like the NYC sewer gators. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fugabutacus ( talk • contribs) 12:05, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
== Links to Alien Abduction and Conspiracy theory? Linking to these articles could detract from their credability. From the layout it almost appears to paint these two as urban legends themselves —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.19.241.83 ( talk) 21:36, 28 July 2008 (UTC)
The link to the URL (www.urbanlegends.com) that is included in the external links section appears to connect to an advertisement site, perhaps it should be removed? -- Allanrob22 ( talk) 15:50, 7 September 2008 (UTC)
Excluding the urban legends that are advisory messages, shaggy dog stories, back-formation explanations, and otherwise accounted for, how many urban legends been found to have a basis in truth, however tenuous? Thus some of the explanations of the Pied Piper of Hamlin story - but other such are likely to be lost in the mists of history. Jackiespeel ( talk) 18:57, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
Are there not more, and with some history? Jackiespeel ( talk) 21:59, 28 March 2009 (UTC)
Agree with previous editors who did not want to see a potentially endless list of legends. However, this seems a reasonable place to have a list of those ULs which have their own Wikipedia articles. Today there was a deletion of a couple, on the grounds that only the most prominent should be listed -- but then, how to determine? This article seems to me like a good place for someone seeking reference to be able to jump off from. I will not revert, but await response. DavidOaks ( talk) 20:32, 28 July 2009 (UTC)
To editor
DavidOaks: Regarding your reverting of the image of Bigfoot I placed in the lede, why would you say that Bigfoot is not a narrative? and why would you use this as a reason to rv? The story of Bigfoot is a well-known narrative and urban legend in the US. It is, in fact, right up there with the Loch Ness Monster and the Yeti. And why would you want the TOC in a non-standard position per the
manual of style?
— Paine (
Ellsworth's
Climax) 14:54, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
There is discussion at
Talk:List of common misconceptions#Merge_instead_to_Urban_Legends about a merge which seems more appropriate to here rather than there. Please discuss there. --
Lexein (
talk) 21:09, 2 January 2013 (UTC)
Why does Taured redirect here? Attys ( talk) 02:16, 8 March 2014 (UTC)
"Most urban legends will also include an element of something that is supernatural or paranormal." I disagree. In fact, not only do most urban legend not involve the supernatural (which is the same as the paranormal, isn't it?) but by definition an urban legend (besides some borderline cases perhaps) is believable by normal modern urban people, and therefore does not involve ghosts and the like. Otherwise what is the distinction between a legend and an urban legend? Are we to call legends about a haunted house in a city an urban legend, and one in the country a rural legend? And if the house is in the suburbs, is it a suburban legend? And if the house is in a green belt, is it a green belt legend? Of course not. So please let's not conflate urban legends with folklore, legends, myths and so on. To do so is the render the term urban legend useless or at least much less useful. We should say urban ghost story or urban folklore if that is what we mean. An 'urban legend' is a very useful term. Let's not damage it. The top definition at Urban Dictionary https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=urban%20legend gives makes no mention of ordinary folklore or the supernatural https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=urban%20legend and gives a thoroughly modern and secular example. No mention of the supernatural here: "An apocryphal story involving incidents of the recent past, often including elements of humor and horror, that spreads quickly and is popularly believed to be true." https://www.thefreedictionary.com/urban+legend. Note that it is 'apocryphal' which means believable (ghost stories are not, because there is no such thing as a ghost). Note that it is 'popularly believed to be true', that means the general population, not just the superstitious or gullible fraction believe it. It has to be plausible, or at least possible. Arctic Gazelle ( talk) 17:21, 9 May 2021 (UTC)
![]() | This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
Archive 1 | Archive 2 |
I have added info about the Lake Bodom murders and their assumed connection with for instance the Friday 13th horror movies. I am writing this without any source but my own conjecture. If anyone thinks this is unwarranted speculation I expect the assertion to be removed. __ meco 09:36, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
I checked throught the article and under "Structure" there is some text, probably from a certain "travis" which has no relavence to the article, however, the text does not show up on the edit page, could someone work to try and fix this -Felix Pandora 2:56 PM, (EST), Febuary 14, 2007
The second or third line states: "Urban legends are not necessarily untrue, but they are often false". Can someone please describe the difference between false and untrue? I thought they were the same thing. Unless there is an actual difference between the two word, I think this contradiction should be removed. Gregsinclair 00:34, 13 March 2007 (UTC)
I believe that some of these examples are not as well known as others. The main addition I would make would be to insert the legend of the Underground Kidney Thieves. It seems to be the most well know legend, in which a person is seduced in a bar, slipped a sleeping pill, and wakes up in a bathtub of ice missing a kidney. It is rediculous, but really should be added. 75.26.164.84 03:28, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
An episode of Law and Order had a similar storyline. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.5.84.175 ( talk) 17:16, 23 September 2016 (UTC)
I found this one hard to believe, but it has been widely dispersed. Not by me, as I find it ludicrous.
A convicted burglar was being treated in a hospital for the loss of two fingers. Meanwhile, the owner of a Doberman pinscher who had just found that returned to his home found that his pet was choking. The dog was induced to cough up the offending material, and the material was found to be two human fingers. The fingers were matched to the burglar being treated for the loss of two fingers, and were later used as evidence to tie him to a burglary, whereof he was later convicted. The fingers had lodged in the dog's throat. Black fingers -- of course suggesting a racist element in the story.
First, it's hard to imagine a dog biting off fingers. Dogs could slice off flesh with their teeth, but I can't imagine them slicing off bone and swallowing a severed digit. Not even tigers do that.
Second, a dog has a swallowing reflex. The fingers would go down the esophagus -- not the trachea. Dogs are ravenous eaters, eating food in large chunks if necessary... and human fingers, if a dog ever swallowed them, would go easily down a dog's esophagus.
Third, if the fingers had gone into the lungs, then it is likely that the dog would have coughed them up quickly -- or died.
Fourth, it's a racist tale. Note the "black fingers".
Fifth, no time or place is mentioned. That's the big one. No town, no hospital, and no court is specified.
In contrast, a story that I once read -- it had an AP heading -- stated that an eighteen-year-old cat badly mauled a burglar in San Diego, California. I forget the date; such behavior is not what I would expect from a house cat, but instead something that I would have to accept as true...but I am satisfied that the story was possible, and that the wire service rarely prints whoppers.
It had a date and a time, and some news organization took responsibility for the story. Unlike the "choking Doberman" story which is inconsistent with known facts about dogs (except that they maul burglars badly), the one involving the cat is possible. It might be unusual behavior for a cat, but not impossible.-- Paul from Michigan ( talk) 06:13, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
Dogs don't maul burglars (or only in the movies): as a doctor for 30 years, I have seen a lot of children and old ladies badly mauled but not a single burglar. Dogs are only useful when barking, and burglars know how to proctect themselves from dogs' attacks. But that's another story. Jsoufron ( talk) 09:05, 30 December 2007 (UTC)
Rather than listing it here, you can find the story here at Snopes.com. Reywas92 Talk 14:46, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
Dog bit burgler http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179887/Burglar-snared-dog-bite-Criminal-attacked-Rottweiler-caught-police-DNA-evidence-teeth.html
http://article.wn.com/view/2014/11/27/Burglar_flees_after_being_bitten_by_householders_dog/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.102.58.221 ( talk) 13:26, 6 April 2015 (UTC)
Just wondering why this link was removed? Any particular reason? (www.urbanbee.webs.com)
Also, should there be a category on wikipedia of various urban legends because i looked and there aren't many now, just a few like the NYC sewer gators. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fugabutacus ( talk • contribs) 12:05, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
== Links to Alien Abduction and Conspiracy theory? Linking to these articles could detract from their credability. From the layout it almost appears to paint these two as urban legends themselves —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.19.241.83 ( talk) 21:36, 28 July 2008 (UTC)
The link to the URL (www.urbanlegends.com) that is included in the external links section appears to connect to an advertisement site, perhaps it should be removed? -- Allanrob22 ( talk) 15:50, 7 September 2008 (UTC)
Excluding the urban legends that are advisory messages, shaggy dog stories, back-formation explanations, and otherwise accounted for, how many urban legends been found to have a basis in truth, however tenuous? Thus some of the explanations of the Pied Piper of Hamlin story - but other such are likely to be lost in the mists of history. Jackiespeel ( talk) 18:57, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
Are there not more, and with some history? Jackiespeel ( talk) 21:59, 28 March 2009 (UTC)
Agree with previous editors who did not want to see a potentially endless list of legends. However, this seems a reasonable place to have a list of those ULs which have their own Wikipedia articles. Today there was a deletion of a couple, on the grounds that only the most prominent should be listed -- but then, how to determine? This article seems to me like a good place for someone seeking reference to be able to jump off from. I will not revert, but await response. DavidOaks ( talk) 20:32, 28 July 2009 (UTC)
To editor
DavidOaks: Regarding your reverting of the image of Bigfoot I placed in the lede, why would you say that Bigfoot is not a narrative? and why would you use this as a reason to rv? The story of Bigfoot is a well-known narrative and urban legend in the US. It is, in fact, right up there with the Loch Ness Monster and the Yeti. And why would you want the TOC in a non-standard position per the
manual of style?
— Paine (
Ellsworth's
Climax) 14:54, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
There is discussion at
Talk:List of common misconceptions#Merge_instead_to_Urban_Legends about a merge which seems more appropriate to here rather than there. Please discuss there. --
Lexein (
talk) 21:09, 2 January 2013 (UTC)
Why does Taured redirect here? Attys ( talk) 02:16, 8 March 2014 (UTC)
"Most urban legends will also include an element of something that is supernatural or paranormal." I disagree. In fact, not only do most urban legend not involve the supernatural (which is the same as the paranormal, isn't it?) but by definition an urban legend (besides some borderline cases perhaps) is believable by normal modern urban people, and therefore does not involve ghosts and the like. Otherwise what is the distinction between a legend and an urban legend? Are we to call legends about a haunted house in a city an urban legend, and one in the country a rural legend? And if the house is in the suburbs, is it a suburban legend? And if the house is in a green belt, is it a green belt legend? Of course not. So please let's not conflate urban legends with folklore, legends, myths and so on. To do so is the render the term urban legend useless or at least much less useful. We should say urban ghost story or urban folklore if that is what we mean. An 'urban legend' is a very useful term. Let's not damage it. The top definition at Urban Dictionary https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=urban%20legend gives makes no mention of ordinary folklore or the supernatural https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=urban%20legend and gives a thoroughly modern and secular example. No mention of the supernatural here: "An apocryphal story involving incidents of the recent past, often including elements of humor and horror, that spreads quickly and is popularly believed to be true." https://www.thefreedictionary.com/urban+legend. Note that it is 'apocryphal' which means believable (ghost stories are not, because there is no such thing as a ghost). Note that it is 'popularly believed to be true', that means the general population, not just the superstitious or gullible fraction believe it. It has to be plausible, or at least possible. Arctic Gazelle ( talk) 17:21, 9 May 2021 (UTC)