The birth of a new Internet rumor.

**Rain Man** · 03-28-2004, 11:32 PM

I would like to be listed on snopes, so would you copy and paste the following and e-mail it to no fewer than three of your more gullible friends?

Dear friends,

I just wanted to pass this along to you because I don't want to see anyone get hurt.

The sister of a good friend of mine is in the hospital tonight, and for a reason that might surprise you.

She decided to make some microwave popcorn last night, and stuck the bag of popcorn in the microwave. While she was waiting, she was leaning against the countertop where the microwave was, facing away from the microwave.

Now, this girl has a big tattoo on her lower back. It's one of those with twirling rose vines and flowers and some Chinese lettering. She was wearing a midriff top so it was exposed, and it was pretty close to the front of the microwave.

I'm not a physicist, but apparently the inks used in tattoos have some phosphorus in them, which is the same phosphorus that the Navy uses for those really nasty bombs. Something about the proximity to the microwave ignited that phosphorus - which was imbedded in her skin!

Her back caught on fire, and it was one of those chemical fires that can't be put out with water and is invisible to the naked eye. She had to call 911 and then couldn't put out the flames until the paramedics got there and used one of those special chemical fire extinguishers on her. Tonight she's in the hospital awaiting skin grafts, with third degree burns over 20 percent of her body. The doctor said that this is not the first case that he's seen of this, and that it's getting more common as tattoo sizes increase. Women with lower back tattoos are particularly vulnerable given the size and height of many of those tattoos.

I'm writing because I want to warn people of this, and please pass it along to other people you know. Do NOT stand in front of the microwave if you have one of those big tattoos. If you do, be sure that you either wrap the tattoo in Saran Wrap, or that you spray the tattoo with one of those vegetable cooking sprays that will lubricate it and keep it from igniting.

Thanks for listening, and be careful!

03-28-2004, 11:32 PM	Topic Starter
Rain Man Seize life. Be an ermine. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $-532449 VARSITY	The birth of a new Internet rumor. I would like to be listed on snopes, so would you copy and paste the following and e-mail it to no fewer than three of your more gullible friends? Dear friends, I just wanted to pass this along to you because I don't want to see anyone get hurt. The sister of a good friend of mine is in the hospital tonight, and for a reason that might surprise you. She decided to make some microwave popcorn last night, and stuck the bag of popcorn in the microwave. While she was waiting, she was leaning against the countertop where the microwave was, facing away from the microwave. Now, this girl has a big tattoo on her lower back. It's one of those with twirling rose vines and flowers and some Chinese lettering. She was wearing a midriff top so it was exposed, and it was pretty close to the front of the microwave. I'm not a physicist, but apparently the inks used in tattoos have some phosphorus in them, which is the same phosphorus that the Navy uses for those really nasty bombs. Something about the proximity to the microwave ignited that phosphorus - which was imbedded in her skin! Her back caught on fire, and it was one of those chemical fires that can't be put out with water and is invisible to the naked eye. She had to call 911 and then couldn't put out the flames until the paramedics got there and used one of those special chemical fire extinguishers on her. Tonight she's in the hospital awaiting skin grafts, with third degree burns over 20 percent of her body. The doctor said that this is not the first case that he's seen of this, and that it's getting more common as tattoo sizes increase. Women with lower back tattoos are particularly vulnerable given the size and height of many of those tattoos. I'm writing because I want to warn people of this, and please pass it along to other people you know. Do NOT stand in front of the microwave if you have one of those big tattoos. If you do, be sure that you either wrap the tattoo in Saran Wrap, or that you spray the tattoo with one of those vegetable cooking sprays that will lubricate it and keep it from igniting. Thanks for listening, and be careful!
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