S.N.U.F.F. List Actually, I prefer calling this the SNUFF List (without periods), but that would have prevented its being seen by thousands of readers who have since used their kill files to relegate any postings containing the word "snuff" in their titles to the bit bucket. This is a preliminary version of Snopes' Unusual Fact & Fiction (SNUFF) List. It is an attempt to provide some kind of reference to printed materials that document (or at least discuss) many of the stories and factoids that regularly appear in this newsgroup. It is _not_ designed to indicate the truth or falsity of anything (Terry Chan is already doing a fine job of that), but merely to provide a listing of commonly available published sources where background material relating to this newsgroup's discussions can be found. Many of the sources listed are of dubious validity (especially the "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" series), and some sources tend to borrow quite heavily from the other sources on the list. I still have a lot of work to do on the list; I expect it to at least triple in size in the near future. Perhaps some loyal AFUer will volunteer to be an FTP repository so that I need not post the undoubtedly huge file this will become. Each topic is followed by a list of one or more sources (and the page numbers) where information on the topic can be found. A key to the abbreviations of source material titles (and publishing information) can be found at the end of the list. I realize that some of the entry names are a bit stilted or awkward -- some things just don't lend themselves to being indexed. I welcome any suggestions for improvements in format, pointers to source material, submissions of newspaper clippings, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SNUFF List V0.1 03/25/92 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- airplanes cans affected by pressure: [SD1 245] looping commercial airliners: [SD1 262] alligators living in sewers: [RMR 149], [SD2 339 alphabet ordering of: [IMP 193] antipodes explanation of: [MI 176] aphrodisiacs green M&Ms as: see "M&Ms" rhino horns as: [MI 204] saltpeter as: [DOM 221] validity of: [MI 15], [SD2 206] appendix function of in humans: [DMWM 62] appetite suppresants worms in: see "worms" arthritis cracking knuckles as cause of: [SD2 304] asparagus: causing smell in urine: [SD2 384] asteroids passing close to Earth: [UJ3 148] automobiles pill increasing gas mileage of: [RMR 123] Baby Ruth (candy bar) origin of name: [DOM 219], [MI 21] backwards masking see "records, phonograph" banana peels smoking: [RMR 59] barcodes see "Universal Product Code" Big John (brand name) mistranslation into French: [UJ3 19] blindness LSD/staring at sun as cause of: [RMR 139] Bogart, Humphrey Gerber baby model: see "Gerber baby" brand names misleadingness of: [SD1 147] Buffy (TV character) see "Jones, Annissa" buttons on men's coat sleeves: [SD1 108] cannibalism efficacy of: [DMWM 11] carrots turning skin orange: [SD1 275] Carson, Johnny telephone calling card number given out by: see "telephones" Catherine the Great death of: [RMR 81], [UJ4 161], [SD1 109] catsup see "ketchup" century first day of: [DOM 82], [MI 173], [SD1 130] Chambers, Marilyn Ivory Snow model: see "Ivory Snow" chastity belts use of: [SD1 72] checks (bank) requirements of: [DOM 16], [MI 25], [SD2 352] Chevrolet Nova sales in Latin America: [UJ3 19] chickens drowning during rain: [SD1 10] hypnosis of: [SD1 12] chicken, fried rat found in: [RMR 52] China every person in jumping simultaneously: [SD1 155] Chipmunks (Alvin and the) voices of: [SD2 19] Christ birthday of: [MI 59], [MI 139], [SD1 34] first name of: [SD1 35] middle name of: [SD1 33] proof of existence: [SD2 275] CIA Monroe, Marilyn killed by: [RMR 107] citizen's arrest legality of: [DMWM 59] Cleopatra nationality of: [MI 62] clocks Roman numerals on: [SD2 153] time set on display models: [DOM 261], [SD2 330] Coca-Cola ingredients used in: [RMR 65], [BS 28], [SD2 33] mistranslation of slogan in Chinese: [UJ3 19] origins of: [BS 28], [DOM 48], [UJ4 207] spermicidal qualities of: [UJ3 85], [SD2 218] switch to "New Coke": [DMWM 91] cocaine Coca-Cola's use of: see "Coca-Cola, ingredients used in" coins as legal tender: [MI 64], [SD1 330] demise of Susan B. Anthony dollar: [DMWM 181] "The Conquerer" (movie) cancer afflicting crew and cast of: [SD 16] copyrights (and trademarks) cover versions, permission required for: [SD1 324] explanation of: [DOM 54] parodies, permission required for: [DMWM 24] person's name and: [SD1 144] symbols of: [SD 41] Coriolis force effect on water draining: see "water" countries names for in other languages: [SD2 162] Crapper, Thomas inventor of toilet: [DOM 56] cryonics efficacy of: [SD2 331] currency denominations of: [MI 71] "dead man's hand" origin of: [SD1 307] decapitation brain function after: [SD1 221] diet aids: worms in: see "worms" Disney, Walt as animator of Mickey Mouse: [MI 78] frozen at death: [RMR 99], BS [219], [SD2 331] Disneyland sued over headless characters: [UJ3 113] sued over same-sex dancing: [UJ4 41] Dr. Pepper ingredients used in: [RMR 67], [BS 47] origin of: [UJ4 107] dogs age relative to humans: [SD2 10] color-blindness of: [SD2 4] Drew, Dr. Charles bleeding to death at "Whites Only" hospital: [DMWM 139] Earth displacement of poles: [SD2 117] Eddy, Mary Baker telephone buried with: [RMR 17] Edison, Thomas as inventor of light bulb: see "light bulbs" last breath preserved: [SD2 128] promoting use of DC vs. Westinghouse: [DMWM 151] eggs standing on end during equinox: [SD2 89] Einstein, Albert brain stored in box/bottle: [RMR 116], [SD2 127] elections Tuesday as day of (in USA): [IMP 52] elevators use of "Close Door" button: [SD2 406] Eliot, Mama Cass death of: [RMR 80] embezzlement rounding-down account balances: [DMWM 183] Empire Statue Building effects of coin dropped from: [SD 225] Eskimos number of words for "snow": see "snow" examinations philosophy exam asking "Why?": [SD2 463] Everest, Mount as world's highest mountain: see "mountains" farting on vaudeville (Le Petomane): [SD1 394] flags disposal of (U.S.): [MI 99] fruit definition of: [MI 104] gasoline pill turning water into: [SD2 399] Gerber baby Bogart, Humphrey as model for: [RMR 71] gerbils lodged in rectum: [SD2 216] Gere, Richard see "gerbils" gestures origins of: [UJ3 117], [SD2 450] Gilchrist, John ("Mikey") death caused by Pop Rocks: see "Pop Rocks" "Goldfinger" (movie) death of actress during: see "pores, skin" Goofy (Disney character) origin of: [UJ3 36] Grand Tetons origin of name: [MI 112] Great Wall of China purpose of: [DMWM 128] visibility from moon: [UJ4 10], [SD2 92] Greenjeans, Mr. as Frank Zappa's father: [RMR 95], [SD2 18] gum, chewing effects of swallowing: [SD2 59] hair growth after death: [DOM 104] growth rate of: [UJ4 65], [MI 36], [SD1 97] insects living in: [RMR 50] pubic, purpose of: [SD1 64] selling to wigmakers: [SD1 270] turning white overnight: [SD2 315] "Happy Birthday" (song) copyright to: [SD1 323] Heinz "57 Varieties" origin: [DOM 107], [MI 124], [SD1 195] Hitler, Adolph lack of testicle: [SD2 128] hypnotism of chickens: see "chickens" susceptibility to: [IMP 180], [SD2 287] Illuminati explanation of: [SD2 297] Ireland Spanish Armada survivors in: [SD1 111] Ivory Snow porn star as model for: [RMR 77] Jack the Ripper identity of: [RMR 111] Japan attack on California coast: [UJ3 203] USA as city in: [RMR 133] Jesus see "Christ" Jones, Annissa ("Buffy") death of: [UJ3 182] Kentucky Fried Chicken ingredients used in: [BS 13] rat found in: see "chicken" ketchup origin of: [UJ4 174] shape of bottle: [SD1 181] "Leave It To Beaver" (TV show) Beaver's death in VietNam: see "Mathers, Jerry" Lego origin of: [UJ4 198] lemmings suicidal tendencies of: [MI 149] libraries sinking due to weight of books: [SD2 463] Lie detectors efficacy of: [BS 128]; [DOM 139], [MI 151] Life Savers wintergreen sparkling when bitten: [IMP 157], [SD1 129] light bulbs Edison as inventor of: [DOM 140], [UJ4 11], [MI 87] Little Alf POW sends message under stamp: see "stamps" "Little Shop of Horrors" (movie) shot in two days: [UJ4 63] "Louie Louie" (song) lyrics to: [SD1 316] LSD birth defects caused by: [SD2 229] blindness caused by: see "blindness" marijuana tobacco companies choosing labels and brand names for: [RMR 125] M&Ms colors used in: [SD1 355] green ones as aphrodisiac: [RMR 61] manholes shape of covers: [SD1 247] Marx, Groucho "I love my cigar" quip: [SD2 24] Mathers, Jerry death in VietNam: [RMR 74] McCartney, Paul death of: [RMR 82] McDonald, Ronald origin of: [UJ4 19] Scott, Willard as: [UJ4 19] McDonald's (restaurant) McDharma's, suit against: [UJ3 113] origin of: [UJ3 15] menstruation coincidence of cycles in women: [SD2 306] Mikey death caused by Pop Rocks: see "Pop Rocks" Mr. Ed (horse) method of talking: [SD2 29] Monroe, Marilyn CIA killing: [RMR 107] moon as cause of strange behavior: [SD2 337] motorcycles purchased from US government as surplus: [RMR 42] mountains highest: [DOM 78], [MI 262] mummy in amusement park fun house: [SD1 203] Muzak origin of: [UJ4 50], [SD1 317], [SD2 464] neckties origin of: [SD2 156] Nova automobile: see "Chevrolet" outhouses: use of half-moons on: [SD2 382] ovens, microwave baby cooked in by babysitter: [SD1 213] poodle cooked in: [SD2 463] peace sign origin of: [UJ4 195], [SD2 149], [DMWM 75] Pepsi mistranslation of slogan into Chinese: [UJ3 19] Philadelphia Experiment explanation of: [SD2 293] phrases, origin of "hoist by his own petard": [SD1 295] "whole nine yards": [SD2 252] Pop Rocks death caused by: [RMR 68] population (of Earth) "doubling ancestors" conundrum: [SD2 83] number of people since beginning of time: [SD2 85] pores (skin) breathing through: [DOM 193], [UJ4 82], [SD1 221] pornography Vatican collection of: see "Vatican" Postal Service mailing letters without stamps: [BS 106] returning junk mail attached to bricks: [SD2 356] POWs message concealed underneath stamp: see "stamps" prepositions at end of sentences: [MI 195] President (U.S.) death before swearing-in: [SD1 133] prices ending in '9': [DMWM 77] Procter & Gamble owned by Church of Satan members: [SD2 283] rabies transmission and treatment of: [DMWM 193] radio government use of frequencies: [BS 185] rats in fried chicken: see "chicken, fried" in toilets: [SD1 29] records, phonograph backwards masking in: [BS 200] speeds of turntables: [IMP 58], [SD1 258] Red Cars (in Los Angeles) destroyed by GM: [SD2 336] Ritz crackers 'SEX' embossed on: [RMR 141], [BS 22] Rolling Rock Beer use of '33' on label: [SD2 44] Roman numerals movie copyright dates written in: [IMP 214] used on clock faces: see "clocks" Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer origin of: [UJ4 20] Scott, Willard as Ronald McDonald: see "McDonald, Ronald" sewers alligators living in: see "alligators" sex, oral causing embolism in women: [SD2 210] shampoo blood plasma used in: [SD2 333] Shroud of Turin authenticity of: [SD2 275] sneezing photic sneeze reflex: [SD2 303] snow Eskimo words for: [SD1 297] Social Security Numbers used for identification purposes: [SD1 154] spiders hairdo as home for: see "hair" spontaneous combustion possibility of: [SD1 205], [SD2 297] stamps mailing letters without: see "Postal Service" soaked off to reveal POW message: [RMR 17] Standard Oil breakup of: [SD1 340] Star-Spangled Banner, The (song) origins of: [MI 171], [DMWM 50] stars viewed in daylight from bottom of well: [DOM 243] subliminal advertising/messages efficacy of: [BS 214], [SD1 187], [SD2 324], [SD2 344] 'SEX' on Ritz Crackers: see "Ritz crackers" subsonic sounds causing anxiety: [SD1 280] swastika origins of: [DOM 251], [UJ4 195], [MI 234], [SD2 156] telephones buried with dead body: see "Eddy, Mary Baker" calling card number given out on TV: [RMR 90] lack of 'Q' and 'Z' on dial: [SD1 378] TV children's host fired for comment during commercial break: [RMR 92] drop in water pressure after popular show: [SD2 371] lack of channel 1 on: [SD1 372] use of "555-" phone numbers on: [SD1 374] time AM/PM boundaries: [SD1 130] tobacco companies marijuana sold by: see "marijuana" Tootsie Roll Pops wrapper with Indian redeemable for free candy: [RMR 63] trademarks see "copyrights" Trilateral Commission explanation of: [SD2 295] Truman, Harry middle name of: [DOM 267], [UJ4 190], [MI 246] typewriters configuration of keys on: [IMP 127], [SD1 249] UFOs government recovery of: [RMR 117] Universal Product Code (UPC) coding scheme: [BS 79] urine asparagus causing odor in: see "asparagus" Dalmatian's containing urea: [DMWM 133] vampirism causes of: [SD2 135] Vatican pornography collection: [SD1 74] vegetable definition of: [MI 104] video games high scorers recorded by government: [RMR 110] vowels 'w' as: [SD2 246] water direction of draining in hemispheres: [DOM 281], [SD1 161] hot freezing faster than cold: [DOM 112], [SD2 98] weddings performed by ship's captain: [MI 49], [SD2 329] words, origins of 86: [SD1 291] fuck: [SD2 268] IOU: [UJ4 10], [MI 136] kangaroo: [SD2 237] OK: [DOM 167], [SD2 250] posh: [DOM 193] sideburns: [DOM 229] sirloin: [DOM 231] SOS: [DOM 238], [UJ4 10], [MI 224] tip: [DOM 261] worms in diet aids: [RMR 65] Zappa, Frank Mr. Greenjeans as father of: see "Greenjeans, Mr." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources: BS DMWM Tindall, Bruce & Watson, Mark; 1991. DOM IMP MI RMR SD1 SD2 UJ3 UJ4