Myths Debunked - The Post-A-Fact Thread

[Leeroy Atherton]

Myths Debunked
- Your Source For Info On Important Bits of Trivia -

Title is self-explanatory. Post a myth relating to WWII, grammar, etc. that a writer might make the mistake of using, and what happens in reality instead.


Myth: Blood turns pink when it is diluted with water or mixes with soap.

In reality, while blood is usually a red colour, it is only the red blood cells that give blood its distinctive colour. However, blood is mostly comprised of a substance called plasma, which is actually yellow in colour; thus, when blood is diluted, expect it to turn an orange-ish or yellowish colour.


Myth: Alright is a real word.

"Alright" is a mistakenly-made conjunction of the phrase "all right". The proper form should be "all right".


Myth: It is proper to refer to someone as "you" in third person.

"You" is commonly used to refer to oneself, such as in the sentence, "Many people you know like dogs. You might even like dogs yourself." However, "you" is actually better used in first person referring to another in dialogue, and in second person. The correct grammatical form instead, for third person, is "one," as in the phrase, "One may know of many people who like dogs. Oneself might even like dogs."


Myth: A shot to the shoulder is not a serious wound.

The shoulder contains several important bones and blood vessels, and a shot to the shoulder is likely to cause some to go into shock. It also pretty much paralyses the arm.

[∬: Rafael Z. Wolfram]

Interesting thread, like always Addie. Happy to jump on the band-wagon!

1. Don't go outside, you'll catch a cold!
~ De-Bunked, going outside in the bitter cold doesn't mean you'll catch a cold from the bitter atmosphere of winter or even just a cold night. In actual fact, the cold germ (rhinovirus) is simply caught from one person to another; unless you don't wash your hands after getting off the public transport once you get home.

Sure, these viruses excel in cold climates, but actually going out into the cold only wearing a t-shirt and pair of shorts doesn't mean you're anymore likely to catch a cold, than a wrapped up six-year-old-kid getting off the bus down the road. Infact, that kid is more likely to get the cold!

2. Fresh fruit is better than dried fruit.
- This may come in handy for someone later on in a role play, who's stuck with a can of dried fruit and attempts to portray the lesser effects of neutrients in the canned fruit... WRONG! Dried foot is just as good as ordinary fruit. Fresh fruit may have a slight increase in vitamin C, but overall, your five fruit a day can easily be solved in five tea-spoons of dried fruit. Rather than a whole orange, apple, bannana.... etc...

So before you start role playing your G.I Joe eating a whole basket of fruit for the vitamins, just carry a can of dried fruit, guzzle it like popeye and you're done for the day!

3. High ground is warmer for shelter.
- Alright, so there's a myth that higher ground is warmer for shelter, than a valley or low lying areas, because of cold settles there and may be several degrees lower. Although this is true, that lower ground (dank dark areas for instance) inhabit the cold and even proven that it's lower in temperature than higher ground, by a thermometer - it's WRONG.

Believe it or not, it's far more risky to take shelter on higher ground, than it is lower ground. For instance, does a thermometer record the chill factor of ten mile hour winds through-out the night? So although it's colder on low lying grounds, it's far more easier to keep warmth, than it is on higher ground (even though recorded to be less colder), but simply due to the breeze-factor in a majority of cases.

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I'll try adding more later on, I've added debunked myths to try and incorporate with the site/WWII origins that may help people in role plays.
- Raf

[Leeroy Atherton]

Myth: The Allies referred to themselves as such during WWII.[/i]

The group of nations known as the Allies was actually called the "United Nations Against the Axis" when the war was on. You can thank www.tvtropes.org for this tidbit.

[Joshua Kennedy]

Myth: The .50 Caliber bullet is the biggest bullet ever made

This is generally mistaken. The largest bullet ever made was actually the minie ball, an American Civil War bullet. Although it looks small, when fired the gases from the gun would cause the ball to expand (approx caliber would be .58). When hit by this on any part of the body, it usually was a casualty because anywhere it would hit had important organs or bones. Back then if a bone was broken they would just saw it off, ending your fighting days.

I'm assuming you are refering to shoulder fired weapons only?

-JT

[Nathan Whyte]

This here is a little bit rude, but for those willing to look past it, it's fairly interesting.

The 5 Most Widely Believed WWII Facts That Are Bull****