Good friends who e-mail me, do me a favor

Get to know these websites:
Urban Legends and Folklore pages
Hoaxbusters
Snopes.

One of the things that bothers me, in addition to receiving the e-mail that's been FWD: FW: FW, is that when I receive these things and write back to my friends telling them to go to these websites, they make me feel bad about it. They can clog up my inbox with these hyperbolic screeds on things that aren't real, but when I point this out, they pout at me and make me feel like I'm this terrible person for ruining their buzz.

In fact, I feel guilty about what I'm writing right now b/c I might offend someone. Not that anyone here e-mails me regularly, nor has anyone sent me an internet hoax/rumor, but (a) you may have done something like that, or (b) you might think I'm overreacting and being crabby.

I'm not feeling particularly crabby (although my back's been hurting like hell lately and I'm sick), and I may be overreacting just a wee bit. I could, after all, just delete any e-mail w/an e-mail rumor that comes from friends instead of going to the 3 websites and searching it out, and copying the URL to send back to the friend. But I always figure that I should try to help my friends in an effort to slow the corrosive effects of these bits of information flaoting on the cyberverse, if only a little.

Andrew Sullivan point this out

Among other Pxian-themed themes, The Passion, by Mel Gibson, is being developed into a video game. While this makes total sense, I'm trying to figure out what this video particular game would entail. Pick the number of times Christ is whipped? Participate in the division of Christ's robe? I'm dumbfounded.

This guy? Asshole.

5 Dead, 3 Injured In Hunter Rampage
TV Station: Shootings Were Over Tree Stand

POSTED: 8:25 pm EST November 21, 2004
UPDATED: 8:56 pm EST November 21, 2004
HAYWARD, Wis. -- A reported dispute between hunters in northwestern Wisconsin erupted into a shooting that left five people dead and three injured.

A St. Paul, Minn., TV station reported the alleged gunman was arrested.

The station quoted authorities as saying the shooting began after a hunting party saw a hunter they didn't know occupying their tree stand. That led to a confrontation.

It happened near Birchwood around noon Sunday.

The station said one victim used a walkie-talkie to call for help, but when other hunting partners came to the scene they also were shot.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press.

And just a big D'oh on those poor hunters who showed up trying to help.