* * * * *

            … I woke in a tub of ice and had two kidneys missing!

> No one would have made the connection between his job and his death, had it
> not been for a doctor who specifically asked if he had been in a warehouse
> or exposed to dried rat or mouse droppings at any time. They said there is
> a virus (much like the Hanta virus) that lives in dried rat and mouse
> droppings. Once dried, these droppings are like dust and can easily be
> breathed in or ingested if a person does not wear protective gear or fails
> to wash face and hands thoroughly. An autopsy was performed on the clerk to
> verify the doctor's suspicions.
>

> Never underestimate the magnitude of human ignorance. America seems to be
> about ensuring that the stupidest survive, and in the case of the hot
> McDonalds coffee on the lap lawsuit, the dumbest often get awarded millions
> of dollars. How did it ever come to this.
>
> Snippits of two (2) email messages I received today.
>

Obligatory Sidebar Links

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/raturine.htm [1]
It's the Lethal Thing [2]
Lethal Rat Droppings / Urine [3]
Rat Urine [4]
The McDonald's Coffee Lawsuit [5]
Crying Over Spilled Coffee [6]
The Economics of Tort Law [7] (scroll down)



Sigh.

I'm on this mailing list and occasionally (okay, rather frequently) items
such as these are forwarded as gospel; as truth that we shall hold dear to
ourselves. They're nice people, don't get me wrong. But the whole lot of them
use Windows email clients and think nothing of forwarding the silliest little
thing to the list (including 39MB atachments) and then get all defensive if
called to the carpet on such silliness.

I sent replies to the list about both of these, sending in links to debunk
the email, and what do I get back? “Yadda‥yadda‥ I just forward 'em, I don't
research 'em. My view is, better safe than sorry.” and “Mr. Wellspring of
knowledge, If only you could use your powers for good.”

You might ask me why I'm still on such a list. Good question. I think I like
rattling their cages from time to time. Like now.

[1] http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/raturine.htm
[2] http://urbanlegends.about.com/science/urbanlegends/library/blrats.htm
[3] http://www.urbanlegends.about.com/science/urbanlegends/library/blrats2.htm
[4] http://www.snopes2.com/toxins/raturine.htm
[5] http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A429950
[6] http://www.fair.org/extra/9505/legal.html
[7] http://www.cooter-ulen.com/tort_liability.htm

Email author at [email protected]