Urban Legends Dispelled

Some stories floating around the internet seem too good to be true, like a new way to improve gas mileage. Others seem very plausible, like Paris Hilton being stabbed in jail. And others seem heartbreaking, like stories of abuse, but which are urban legends and which are true? Read on to find out.

Everyone, I think, would love the chance to save money on gas. You may have heard that adding acetone to gasoline increases gas mileage by 25-30%. That kind of increase would be fantastic, right? Unfortunately, you won't get this increase from adding acetone to your gasoline. It is just another pesky urban legend. First, controlled experiments have failed to uphold this claim. Second, acetone can harm your car. Acetone is corrosive - any rubber parts and even your paint can be damaged as a result.

Paris Hilton has been in jail, out of jail, and gone back in again. She may have had medical treatment, she appeared upset... We know the whole saga by now. A CNN article on the internet claimed Paris Hilton had been stabbed several times in jail, which somehow didn't seem surprising to most of us. However, this is an urban legend too. Paris Hilton was not stabbed in jail; the online CNN article was faked. Similarly, a counterfeit news article said the celebrity is dead - she is alive.

Those with loved ones in the military may want to take note of this one. The Red Cross has issued a warning that scammers are posing as Red Cross employees, calling people to notify that so-and-so is injured. They then ask you for personal info. This may or may not be an urban legend, as no documented cases of this have occurred, but the Red Cross is taking it seriously enough to issue a warning. In fact, the Red Cross does not contact families directly, so be cautious if you receive a phone call like this.

Let's say you're cruising around MySpace, and you come across a story about Kaleb Schwade. The six-month-old baby has been hospitalized since early May. Kaleb is suffering from hemorrhaging and a subdermal hematoma (bleeding on the brain) as a result of shaken baby syndrome. Rebecca Louis Sanders, 35, is the main suspect in an investigation. Donations may be requested, depending on where you look. Unfortunately, folks, this one is not an urban legend. Kaleb Schwade, the only son of Kristy and Josh Schwade, is a very sick boy and has been in the hospital for a month. If you would like to help Kaleb Schwade, visit the official MySpace page.

Sources:

Kaleb Schwade's MySpace page

http://www.snopes.com/info/whatsnew.asp