Ookii
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 2676
is actually Trippy
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Found this off of Digg: Fan death is an urban legend that originated in South Korea, but has since spread to other countries in the Far East. The belief is that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can result in the death (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia) of those inside. This belief also extends to air conditioners and the fans in cars. When the air conditioner or fan is on in a car, some people are apt to leave their car windows open a crack to avoid "fan death." Fans manufactured and sold in Korea are equipped with a timer switch that turns them off after a set number of minutes, which users are frequently urged to set when going to sleep with a fan on. Not only does this sound totally unbelievable, but I couldn't believe I haven't heard about it before. Apparently: According to urban legend study and reporter Cecil Adams, when informed that the phenomenon is virtually unheard of outside of their country, Koreans have suggested that their unique physiology renders them susceptible to fan death. I mean hell this was printed in the Korean Herald: On Friday in eastern Seoul, a 16-year-old girl died from suffocation after she fell asleep in her room with an electric fan in motion. The death toll from fan-related incidents reached 10 during the past week. Am I alone in my ignorance of this urban myth? It's utterly fascinating to me. Linkie |
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schild
Administrator
Posts: 60350
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 I believe it. |
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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I'm thinking Mythbusters could probably prove "fan-death" doesn't exist. Moron.
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CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Xerapis
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Well, that explains why both of the fans I've bought in Korea have stupid timers on them.
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..I want to see gamma rays. I want to hear x-rays. I want to...smell dark matter...and feel the solar wind of a supernova flowing over me...
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Nebu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 17613
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Schild has demonstrated what I had wondered for years: That pac man does believe in god.
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"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."
- Mark Twain
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Oban
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4662
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I am in an enclosed office in Korea at the moment. Just realised why there is an oxygen generating machine in the office.
Ha. Never seen it anywhere else.
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Palin 2012 : Let's go out with a bang!
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Righ
Terracotta Army
Posts: 6542
Teaching the world Google-fu one broken dream at a time.
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Do you think that cats could be sneaking into rooms at night and using the fans to suck the breath out of people bigger than infants?
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The camera adds a thousand barrels. - Steven Colbert
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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I don't believe in all that urban myth nonsense either. I'm sure it must have been cats.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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schild
Administrator
Posts: 60350
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I'm thinking Mythbusters could probably prove "fan-death" doesn't exist. Moron.
Some should fill a room with electric fans and just video tape himself sleeping for like 12 hours. Maybe video cameras negate this. |
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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Exactly what is the thinking here? Fans consume oxygen? Fans create noxious gasses? Movement of air in confined areas creates violent urges to kill?
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CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Trippy
Administrator
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MrHat
Terracotta Army
Posts: 7432
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
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Schild has demonstrated what I had wondered for years: That pac man does believe in god.
I think it's more like God is Pacman. Those who believe in Him become part of Him. Those who don't get chewed up. Edit: Why is this stickied? |
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23657
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Cause Ookii has the power to do that?
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Selby
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2963
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I've slept with fans on all night since I was 3 years old. As a matter of fact I can't sleep without one. This must mean I am immortal, people should start to fear me. Look out world, no fan can stop me now!
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bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817
No lie.
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My friend has just spent 30 minutes trying to justify her belief to us.
It's pretty much an irrational fear at this point. We tried to nail it down. It alternates between "very hot days people just pass out maybe it's evaporation caused from the fan" to "well when I'm in a breeze for a while even if it's 90 degrees I get chilled to the bone". She had it instilled in her growing up, had ac in every room so she wasn't affected directly, but the fear is still there.
We all think she's loony. Well, more loony than before. Krazy Koreans.
Now she's all pissy.
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« Last Edit: August 31, 2007, 07:26:05 AM by bhodi »
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JWIV
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2392
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My friend has just spent 30 minutes trying to justify her belief to us.
It's pretty much an irrational fear at this point. We tried to nail it down. It alternates between "very hot days people just pass out maybe it's evaporation caused from the fan" to "well when I'm in a breeze for a while even if it's 90 degrees I get chilled to the bone". She had it instilled in her growing up, had ac in every room so she wasn't affected directly, but the fear is still there.
We all think she's loony. Well, more loony than before. Krazy Koreans.
I just realized that all it would take is a single CSI episode where someone died this way and 60% of the US would become converts to the Fan Death theory. |
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Merusk
Terracotta Army
Posts: 27449
Badge Whore
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Exactly what is the thinking here? Fans consume oxygen? Fans create noxious gasses? Yep, just like plants! Damned if I can remember who, but I came across someone a few months ago who still believed that plants had to be placed outside of sleeping rooms lest they suck-up all the oxygen. Fuck, plenty of people in the US still believe you can't get pregnant her first time having sex, or that a woman on top eliminates the chance "cuz of gravity!" We've got bucketloads of stupid to go around, too. |
The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Fuck, plenty of people in the US still believe you can't get pregnant her first time having sex, or that a woman on top eliminates the chance "cuz of gravity!" We've got bucketloads of stupid to go around, too.
Well, here you have some silly things that women believe. What are some silly things that men believe. Umm... that they're in charge?  |
My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Ookii
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 2676
is actually Trippy
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Schild has demonstrated what I had wondered for years: That pac man does believe in god.
I think it's more like God is Pacman. Those who believe in Him become part of Him. Those who don't get chewed up. Edit: Why is this stickied? Wasn't me, I mean it's not THAT good of a thread. Twas schild. |
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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Fuck, plenty of people in the US still believe you can't get pregnant her first time having sex, or that a woman on top eliminates the chance "cuz of gravity!" We've got bucketloads of stupid to go around, too.
Well, here you have some silly things that women believe. What are some silly things that men believe. Umm... that they're in charge? Let's see: that we can find our way around without directions, that we can accurately predict sports outcomes before they happen, that every woman would be into us if they spent enough time around us, that an all-you-can-eat buffet is a challenge to your manhood, and that it's not cheating if you're in different zip codes. |
CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Merusk
Terracotta Army
Posts: 27449
Badge Whore
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You forgot directions are for pussies, Paelos.
It's not just women I've heard spouting that other nonsense tho, Signe, but how about tacking "Men are all easily-lead morons" onto that side.
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The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
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bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817
No lie.
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I'm easily led by my nether regions.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Stop agreeing with me. I am trying to inspire controversy!
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19324
sentient yeast infection
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No you're not.
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Nonentity
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2301
2009 Demon's Souls Fantasy League Champion
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Signe, I am easily led by petite girls with cute haircuts.
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But that Captain's salami tray was tight, yo. You plump for the roast pork loin, dogg?
[20:42:41] You are halted on the way to the netherworld by a dark spirit, demanding knowledge.
[20:42:41] The spirit touches you and you feel drained.
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Oban
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4662
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So on the way to Inchon airport, in a van full of Korean engineers, I brought up this subject.
They all had heard of fan death but none of them could explain how it was possible...
Need to find new engineers.
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Palin 2012 : Let's go out with a bang!
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Megrim
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2512
Whenever an opponent discards a card, Megrim deals 2 damage to that player.
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Why, because the old ones all died mysteriously overnight?
Ha ha, oooh...
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One must bow to offer aid to a fallen man - The Tao of Shinsei.
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Raging Turtle
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1885
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Ah, I miss Korea...
I think. Maybe. Hmmm. Perhaps just the food and certain parts of Seoul.
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Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19324
sentient yeast infection
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I just now realized that schild's pacman chart is wrong. The yellow part of the pie is labelled as being half theistic, so that half of it should be part of the pacman.
SHENANIGANS!
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tazelbain
Terracotta Army
Posts: 6603
tazelbain
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It's a well known fact that Pac-man was nihilist.
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"Me am play gods"
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Ironwood
Terracotta Army
Posts: 28240
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I just now realized that schild's pacman chart is wrong. The yellow part of the pie is labelled as being half theistic, so that half of it should be part of the pacman.
SHENANIGANS!
Just the most awesome avatar. |
"Mr Soft Owl has Seen Some Shit." - Sun Tzu
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Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19324
sentient yeast infection
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I aims to please. :-D Sometimes I even succeed.
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Ceiling fans don't count, right? And the suction fan in the bathroom, right? God, I've left the master bath door open with it on and the ceiling fan in the bedroom while we sleep before. Am I dicing with death?
I still think these things are bollocks and it's much more likely that cats are sneaking in and sucking the life out of sleeping Koreans. It's really the only logical explanation.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Oban
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4662
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My guess is that a coroner in Seoul was trying to not dishonour a recently deceased person's family with the fact that they died choking on their own vomit after overdosing on soju... and from there, the myth began.
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Palin 2012 : Let's go out with a bang!
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Krakrok
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2190
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What, no one here has ever gotten a cold from sleeping in a draft before? I'm sure pretty much everyone has heard a version of 'don't sleep in a draft, you'll catch your death'. It could be the same thing except the Koreans have a fan woven into their version. There is all kinds of shit blowing around in the air. You don't think if you're sleeping where there is a draft that particles of dust and diseases like Valley Fever or TB have a chance of blowing into your mouth and nose? Raise your hand if you think sleeping in a draft with your mouth open during the plague in Europe was a good idea. Here's some old book I found that talks about preventing disease in factories by not having your workers work in a draft. |
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