A public service announcement about chain emails

Just in case my readers didn’t know this, I would like to state plainly and clearly so that there can be no misunderstanding: Passing along chain letters will not make you any money. Not now, not ever.

An interesting fact about October 2010:

This OCT. has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays, all in 1 month. It happens once in 823 years. These are considered money bags months. Pass them to 8 good people and money will appear. Based on Chinese fengshui.

Whoever stops this will experience none

I stopped it, bad grammar and all. I will experience none.

I did not pass the chain letter along to 8 good people. Or 8 bad ones. Or even 8 indifferent ones. The only way I ever pass along chain letters is when I respond to someone who has sent them to me. There are generally insults about the sender’s intelligence involved. And maybe a swear or three.

And what do you know: This chain letter has made the rounds before.

This message is just a revamped version of another “interesting fact” that circulated earlier in the year that informed recipients that August 2010 was special because it boasted 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Tuesdays. The August version also falsely claimed that the “event” only took place once every 823 years.

In fact, any month that has 31 days will have three consecutive days that occur five times in the month. Such combinations are commonplace and occur each and every year. For example, October 2011 will have 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays and 5 Mondays.

Huh. Imagine that. A chain email with wrong information. Who’da thunk it?

Oh. Wait. I would.

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4 Responses to A public service announcement about chain emails

  1. Eric Jablow says:

    I pass them to my postmaster. I suggest you do the same.

  2. Miss Capri says:

    Yes, really, it’s mind-boggling how chain letters seem to have such incredible power over people that their rationalizing gets switched on, their emotions get hyper-reactive, and in this hypnotised state, they do exactly what the doofuses who originate chain letters in the first place, want – pass it along, far and wide. I’ll reply with debunkings and cautions and requests for people to stop spreading these nonsense virals. Other times, I’ll just sound off, dissect, smash and ridicule chain letters on a site for that purpose. Don’t people realize every month with 31 days will have 5 of a certain 3 days, and that even these same particular 3 will show up 5 times in the same month in another several years? But gosh, some chain letter comes along, saying “This is amazing, a never before, never again marvel!” and people stp thinking and start forwarding! Argh! I liked your article and will link to it somewhere on my chain-smashing site.

  3. Rahel says:

    If you forward this comment to five people, you will receive 100 cat pictures in your in-box.

    (ducking and running)

  4. Rahel says:

    I have friends who are late to the whole email scene and occasionally forward me emails like this. Since they’re friends, I send them back a polite note with a link to Snopes and the words, “I’m afraid this is a hoax.” After a few times, they’ve gotten the hint. I don’t know whether they’ve stopped sending these emails in general or simply stopped sending them to me, but I’m OK with it either way.

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