BS: Class Project

Subject: Class Project
From: john c
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 01:26 AM

Just been mailed this - maybe all you far-flung ´catters could help out. Sounds like an interesting idea.

Subject: Class Project > > > >Hi! We are fifty 6th grade students at > Taylorsville > >Elementary School in Taylorsville, North Carolina > the > >county seat of Alexander County. We are located in > >the foothills of the Brushy Mountains and are often > >called "Apple City". We have decided, after seeing > >this done at another school, to map an e-mail > project. > > We are curious to see where in the world our > e-mail > >will travel via the Internet, between the period of > >December 13, 2000 and April 1, 2001. This is not a > >pen-pal project, so we will not write you back > (unless > >you request a verification). We would like your > help. > > > >If you receive this e-mail, we ask that you: > > > >1. E-mail us back at [e-mail] and tell us > your > >city/state/location so we can plot it on our map. > > > >2. Forward this e-mail to everyone you know so that > >they can send it on to everyone they know (and so > on) > >to help us reach even more people. (We don't mind > >receiving repeats, so sent it on to everyone. > We're > >tracking the number of responses we receive as > well, > >and will be making a graph in our computer lab > classes > >using the numbers received by state.) > > > >We will post our results on our school's web site > >after our deadline so that you can see how we did. > >Our site can be accessed through > > > >www.alexander.k12.nc.us. > > > >With your help we can make this a very fun and > >exciting learning experience. PLEASE help us. > > > >Thank you for any help you can give. > > > >Your friends, > > > >Taylorsville Elementary's 6th grade students > >(Mrs. Janet Forrest's Social Studies Classes) > >121 7th St SW > >Taylorsville, NC 28681 > >

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: paddymac
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 01:36 AM

This one has a certain sense of authenticity about it, but, generally, these "send it to everybody" kind of requests are very dangerous as they are often a devise or avenue for innocent dispersion of viruses and the like. I hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but, once stung and all that.

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: john c
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 01:43 AM

Aha - didnt think about that. Tend to be a bit blue-eyed about such things. But it does have a sort of serious ring to it, somehow......

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:06 AM

Just checked out their site....it was real, but the project is over:

Taylorsville's 6th Grade E-Mail Project

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Due to overwhelming response from around the United States and the World, Taylorsville Elementary's 6th Grade Class asks that you refrain from sending more e-mail. At the present time the class is 24,000 e-mails behind in checking responses.

The class had no idea that the response to their project would be so positive. As of this time the class has received over 45,000 responses from all 50 states and all seven continents. Thanks to all who have participated and made this project a success.

You may check out the results of the e-mail project at click here

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: SeanM
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:13 AM

Be VERY leery about sending anything to this. As you can see here, 'twave.net' is a free ISP service, prime for a spammer or just plain prankster to use as a dummy account (if the email address in fact exists at all).

Also, if'n you're interested, a really good place to check for this sort of thing is www.snopes.com, where they have archives of hundreds of various urban legends and email hoaxes that get circulated.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: SeanM
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:14 AM

Whoops... my bad. I stand by the snopes site though.

M

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:26 AM

I love the snopes site....I really like that one about the guy who got his buddy stuck in the pool deal....(really happened)

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 02:41 AM

I must be a miserable git. Legitimate or not, that is a lot of junk. Wonder what happens if other schools do the same.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Haruo
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 03:48 AM

I just wish they'd spelled (or spelt) more of the country names right. Training little kids to use Google without teaching them to spell is a crime against humanity, God, the Queen's native language and the taxpayer.

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Burke
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 08:32 PM

Other schools have done it and they get the same results. Thousands and thousands. Email responses that take whole servers down, etc. It's a disaster. I used to see a lot more messages like this several years ago & they've dropped off considerably. You'd think the teachers would realize what a bad idea it is, even if the kids don't.

If I get a message like this from a friend I send a reply telling them what a bad idea it is. When I got virtually this same request some time back, I did track down the school site. There was "please don't send messages to Mr. X's class" right on the home page.

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Haruo
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 10:43 PM

Still and all, somebody probably ought to send Mrs. Janet Forrest, c/o the school's email address, a link to this thread if not a copy of it. In fact, in a spirit of public-mindedness, maybe I'll do it.

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Haruo
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 11:05 PM

Done. Here's what I sent c/o the Principal:

I know the last thing you probably want to see is another mention of your Class Project, but I thought it would be well to forward you a link to a recent discussion it has engendered at the Mudcat Café, a website devoted to blues and folk music. The URL for the thread is

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=29482

and I am also sending the current state of the thread as an attachment in html format. I think it is important for you and other teachers to be informed of the serious concerns and irritation this sort of irresponsible educational behavior engenders in the public at large.

Sincerely yours,

Liland Brajant Ros’

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 01:24 AM

Well,now THAT was an intelligent idea, Liland! Good on ya, guy! I would not have thought of that. And a well worded message, too. Polite, but firm. (In other words, THINK before you put your foot in your mouth......)

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 01:38 AM

Thanks, Sorcha. Aside from the overuse of "engender" (is there some sort of hidden Freudian subtext?) I think I did a good job.

And I should turn right around and remind all of us that while this sort of thing is a good idea where the offending party is a responsible real-world institution like an elementary school, it is not an equally good idea, or even a good idea at all, to respond in like manner to any and all spam. This is especially true when there may be hidden lists of potential recipients, all of whom will get your reply as metaspam. (The effect is similar to shotgun crossposting on Usenet newsgroups.) Not nice, not fun, let us all be solicitous of the state of our karma etc.

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 01:47 AM

Absolutely!! (did I spell that right?) My dear beloved is an Operation Lifesaver Presenter (they give presentations that try to decrease train crossing accidents) and his Mentor is constantly sending e mail that to me has no purpose......I consider it spam, but once in a while he sends something that Mr. needs to know, so I can't just create a Rule and block him......If I set up a seperate account for Mr. he would just NEVER look at it. (ooops, CREEP ALERT!!!) I wish all e mail senders would just think of my karma before they hit send!!

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Bernard
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 05:33 AM

The 'threatmail' chain letter is the type I really hate! Y'know, the ones that promise you all sorts of wonderful changes in your life if you send copies to at least ten people on your address list?!

They always have the 'sting in the tail' where you must do it within 48 hours (or whatever) of receiving the original, or dire prognostications will befall you...

Oh yes, and you have to delete it from your system, too, or it won't work to your advantage.

I often wonder about the people who originate these things. How has society let them down, or are they really so naive?

I suppose that also applies to virus hoaxes...

Anyway, when you've read this posting, please email it to everyone on your address list, and randomly delete a few files from your system. You have just been hit by a Manual Virus!

(No, it's not a Spanish bullfighter!)

Subject: RE: BS: Class Project
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 01:47 PM

That's a variant of the devastating "Kentucky Virus" (no offense to the Kentuckians, though it was a piece of anti-Appalachian pseudohumor) I was sent a few months back. It asked that you delete all of the files on your hard drive. No room to wiggle.

Liland