| Toilet Paper Shortage Predicted Due to California Fires | |||
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| Netlore Archive: 'News story' circulated via email claims a major toilet paper factory burned down in the recent southern California wildfires, causing a paper shortage and predicted 'run' on TP | |||
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Email example contributed by S. Allan, 29 Oct 2003:
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Feature Story October 28, 2003
I know that toilet paper isn't the most popular subject to discuss. However, we know by comparing disease rates in civilized countries versus countries with no flush toilets and toilet paper that your health and life depends on good hygene. Much of the reason we are so healthy in the USA is because of running water, washing hands, and of course, toilet paper. But what if we ran out? Here's some info for you to get ahead of the crowds. You know those wildfires in southen California now? Well, I bet you didn't know that the Clappington Paper Products factory is one of the many business that burned down. Have you ever noticed that regardless of the brand of toilet paper you purchase, that there are only five or six different types of toilet paper on the market. But there are a lot of brands and a lot of different names. Have you noticed that there are only a couple different types of packaging for toilet paper? Well, the secret is out. About 97 1/2 percent of the toilet paper in the US, Canada, and Mexico is manufactured in one facility. That would be the Clappington Factory, in southern CA. You see, the finished product is so light weight, it is easy to transport by truck. Nearly no weight at all. And the factory is so close to the border, they use a lot of illegal immigrant labor. This is an open secret -- because INS knows what would happen to the nation if the one TP factory closed. Well, it did close. The wildfires in southern CA have burned down the one factory which makes 97 1/2 percent of the TP in the US, Mexico, and Canada. It is expected to be 6 to 8 weeks before any other manufacturing facility can make adequate supplies of TP. Governor Grey Davis has enough troubles with the fire, and with his recall eletion. He can't afford to be known as the governor who deprived the nation of toilet paper. So, he's ordered a news blackout of the story. You havn't seen it on the news, right? But the email and internet allow us to know things that aren't on the news. Stores have only about a 2 to 3 day supply of TP on the shelves. Wait till the word gets out, you'll see a run on toilet paper like never before. And it's going to be 6 weeks at the very minimum till the stores have any more. If you havn't stocked up, now is the time. And forward this message to everyone in your adress book. You wouldn't want your close friends to be out of something so important. I wouldn't joke about something this serious. |
Comments: Talk about a story that stinks to high heaven! I could find no evidence of the existence of a toilet paper manufacturer named "Clappington Paper Products," nor of a mediocre reporter named "Jerry Simonreid," nor any serious predictions of a toilet paper shortage resulting from the southern California wildfires of October 2003. This "news story" was not published in any legitimate venue. It all adds up to one big, flushworthy Internet spoof.
In reality, the three top toilet paper manufacturers in the United States are Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark and Georgia-Pacific. Although both Canada and Mexico import some toilet paper from the U.S., both countries also boast disposable paper factories on their own soil, so it's not even remotely accurate to say that 97.5 percent of the toilet paper used in all three countries is manufactured by one company, let alone at a single facility. In any case, no paper factories I'm aware of burned down in the recent California fires.
Interestingly enough, there has been one actual "run" on toilet paper in American history, and it was the result not of a real paper shortage, but of a joke made by Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" in December 1973. Fortunately, history shows no signs of repeating itself in this instance.
Sources and further reading:
Bath Tissue Maker Is on a Roll
Associated Press, 18 October 2003ToiletPaperWorld.com
Indispensable disposable paper products resourceDisposable Paper Products in Mexico
Euromonitor InternationalAmerica's First Toilet Paper Shortage
Useless Information
Last updated: 11/07/03

