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At the beginning of biology class today, my teacher read aloud this email that she'd received, and was really concerned because we live in North Florida. She warned everyone not to always check under public toilet seats. One girl in our class works at Olive Garden and gasped when she heard the email. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who knew it was a hoax. Before I could open my mouth, two other people in class said to visit snopes for the real story. Yay! I was so proud, I just had to share that!
-------------------- "There is no constitutional right to sleep with endangered reptiles." -- Carl Hiaasen Won't somebody please think of the adults! Posts: 8254 | From: Florida | Registered: Oct 2002
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Way to go! I don't know if this is a hoax or not, but Dear Abby had a letter from a mailman warning people about black widows nesting in mailboxes. (the mailman lived in Nevada)
-------------------- Leashes?! We don't need no stinking leashes!! Posts: 4771 | From: The Berkeley of the East Coast: Montgomery County MD | Registered: Mar 2003
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M. Wise
The Red and the Green Stamps
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quote:Originally posted by Cervis-cera: At the beginning of biology class today, my teacher read aloud this email that she'd received, and was really concerned because we live in North Florida. She warned everyone not to always check under public toilet seats. One girl in our class works at Olive Garden and gasped when she heard the email. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who knew it was a hoax. Before I could open my mouth, two other people in class said to visit snopes for the real story. Yay! I was so proud, I just had to share that!
While I've never found a spider on a toilet, my roommate and I have a pretty good sized one that's decided to take up residence in our apartment's stove. I've only caught a few glimpses of it, but it doesn't remind me of any sort of poisonous spider.
Now to go out and warn people of the dangers of spiders hiding in your stove....
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KeithB
The Red and the Green Stamps
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According to my Medicine for Mountaineers a backpacking first aid/trauma guide, early in the last century, men were often spider-bit on the testicles while sitting in the outhouse.
I am guessing that this fact morphed into the current urban legend.
(Reference supplied upon request) KeithB
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DizzyGizzard
The Red and the Green Stamps
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quote:Originally posted by Cervis-cera: Before I could open my mouth, two other people in class said to visit snopes for the real story. Yay! I was so proud, I just had to share that!
After class, did you go up to those students and ask them if they were members of the message board?
quote:Originally posted by DizzyGizzard: After class, did you go up to those students and ask them if they were members of the message board?
~Diz
You know, I really really wanted to, but class ran late and I had to hoof it across campus so I wouldn't be late for English. But I'm going to ask tomorrow.
-------------------- "There is no constitutional right to sleep with endangered reptiles." -- Carl Hiaasen Won't somebody please think of the adults! Posts: 8254 | From: Florida | Registered: Oct 2002
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Pixxxie
The Red and the Green Stamps
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I've just thought of a whole other reason why this whole toilet spider myth is just an UL. They always mention the spiders frequenting toilet seats in airports. But, as most who've been to airports can confirm, most toilet seats at airports use those paper covers that revolve (So germs are less likely to be shared.) The spider would have to be pretty acrobatic/fast to not be squished by one of those.
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quote:Originally posted by Dawn: Way to go! I don't know if this is a hoax or not, but Dear Abby had a letter from a mailman warning people about black widows nesting in mailboxes. (the mailman lived in Nevada)
Doesn't surprise me that a mailman from Nevada would warn people about black widows in mailboxes, we've cleaned out more than our fair share of black widows from our mailbox here in California....you do have to be somewhat careful about spiders in the mailbox out here.
However, I found it very difficult to believe that there were spiders hiding under toilet seats even before I checked snopes.com. After all, I DO look before I sit down, especially in a public restroom, to see how CLEAN the toilet seat is. I don't just blindly sit down...that can result in feeling something wet on your tush, and having a moment of grossed out.
So, good for you all! I'm glad you all pointed out to your teacher that it's a UL.
-------------------- Beware corporate zombies! They will purchase your brain on E-Bay! Posts: 2310 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003
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Asynja
The Red and the Green Stamps
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When I was at Boy Scout camp a few years back...I was about to sit down on one of those non-plumbing type toilets (like you find at campgrounds, etc)...I looked down in it (thanksfully) and just where it dropped off into the "pit"...a Black Widow had made its web. I saw it, my dad saw it, and one of the older scouts put it to death with a nearby broom. It was plainly visible, but I shudder to think what would have happened had I done my business with it lurking below me.
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Garth
The Red and the Green Stamps
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Yes, indeed- Black Widows do like to make webs in outhouses.
That really should have been mentioned on the Snopes page. True, the UL is false- and even rather obviously made up, but there is a kernal of truth hiding there, under the seat.
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