Have you heard a news story or rumor from friends or family that may or may not be true? Have you received an e-mail that makes a claim you find hard to believe? Let us know and we’ll investigate. All topics are welcome. Any submissions may be used on the air during 10News at 7pm.

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Stories We have investigated:

3/3 - Gas Mileage/Air Conditioners

3/4 - Soy Products/Breast Cancer

3/5 - Patrick Swayze's Health

3/6 - Redneck Mansion

3/7 - Daylight Saving Time

3/10 - Geisel Library

3/11 - Geisel Library #2

3/12 - Coronado Bridge detaches?

3/13 - Blue Ice

3/14 - Disneyland Rumors

3/17 - Baby Carrots

3/18 - Silver Strand Explosives

3/19 - Disneyland

3/20 - UCSD Underground Tunnels

3/21 - TV Commercial Volume

3/24 - WGASA Railway

3/25 - Ocean Beach Parrots

3/27 - Dogs' Mouths

3/28 - Military Deaths

4/1 - "The Finger"

4/2 - "Coronado" Spelled Out In Sand Dunes

4/3 - Starbucks Refuses Coffee For The Troops?

4/17 - Swallowing Your Gum

4/18 - Does the Pope wear Prada?

4/22 - Homeless Law

4/23 - Do Our Dogs Recognize Our Voices On The Phone?

4/24 - Hair Grows Back Thicker?

4/25 - Dog Starved In Art Exhibit?

4/28 - Hidden Message at Petco Park?

4/29 - Barefoot Driving

4/30 - Mr. Rogers

5/1 - Yawns Contagious?

5/2 - Gift Cards Expire?

5/5 - Cinco de Mayo

5/7 - Jeremiah Wright - Military Veteran?

5/8 - Hands-Free Cell Phone Law

5/12 - Ticket Quotas?

5/13 - Curb Colors

5/14- Mattress Tags

5/15 - Mexican Coca-Cola

5/16 - Texting While Driving

5/21 - Donkey Jailed For Assault and Battery?

5/22 - Green Eggs and Ham

5/23 - Caesar Salad

5/26 - Clock Hands

5/27 - TV Shows Running Long

5/29 - Saudi Prince Drives Diamond Car?

6/2 - Pringles Can Burial?

6/3 - Square Watermelons

6/4 - Why No TV Channel 1?

6/6 - John McCain’s Sons

6/11 - Fortune Cookies

6/13 - Friday The Thirteenth

6/16 - Gas Tip

6/18 - Amazing Tornado Photo

6/19 - Rev. Moon Supplies Sushi

6/24 - Snake Swarm

6/25 - Amazing Ball Girl Catch

6/26 - Gold Windshield Drops

6/30 - Cell Phone Law Quirks

7/1 - 110 Yard Field Goal

7/2 - Gas Pumping Speed

7/3 - "America’s Finest City"

7/4 - Declaration of Independence

7/7 - Chess-Boxing

7/8 - Lion Hugs Woman

7/9 - Keyless Remote Theft

7/10 - iPhone Costs

7/11 - Pitcher No-Hits Padres While High?

7/14 - Chef Boyardee

7/15 - Betty Crocker

7/16 - Horse Racing Weights

7/17 - Oscar Mayer

7/18 - Duncan Hines

7/21 - Giant Spiders In Iraq?

7/22 - Dog vs Porcupine

7/23 - Hands Of God?

7/24 - Julian Beever Creations

7/25 - All-Glass Restroom

7/28 - Congress Health Care

7/29 - Triangle Of Life

7/31 - Tatoos & Blood Donation

8/1 - Two-Person Toilet

8/4 - Starbucks Coupon

8/5 - Garbage Island

8/6 - Microsoft-AOL Email

8/7 - Granite Countertops

8/8 - 8-8-08

8/11 - Amazing Storm Photo

8/12 - Milk Expiration

8/13 - Double Dipping

8/14 - Christian The Lion

8/15 - American Airlines Olives

8/18 - World's Largest Pool

8/19 - Swimming After Eating

8/20 - Cola And Kidney Problems

8/21 - The 5 Second Rule

8/22 - Knuckle Cracking Causes Arthritis?

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8/22/08 -- Knuckle Cracking Causes Arthritis?

You've probably heard that constantly cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis. According to researchers in Detroit, that is fiction. Scientists compared people who cracked their knuckles for decades with people who always left their hands alone. They found no difference in the incidences of Osteoarthritis between the two groups. But doctors say there are other reasons to kick the habit. The same study found knuckle crackers are far more likely to have weaker grip strength and greater hand swelling.

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8/21/08 -- The 5 Second Rule

You've no doubt heard it's okay to eat food off the floor as long as you pick it up before it's been there five seconds. According to researchers at Clemson University, that is fiction. They say it's not even safe to follow a one second rule because the transfer of bacteria from a contaminated surface is almost instantaneous. After five seconds, your food has already picked up as many as 1,800 bacteria. Scientists say you can't forget what comes in contact with floors. People bring animal feces on their shoes into their homes. You also can't assume your countertops are safe either. Researchers found salmonella can survive for up to four weeks on some surfaces.

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8/20/08 -- Cola And Kidney Problems

Despite their popularity, you've probably heard that cola type soft drinks can damage your kidneys. According to a study done by the National Institutes of Health, it's true. Researchers found that while any type of soft drink can cause health issues, there was a spike when it comes to colas. Experts think the phosphoric acid used in the soft drink may be the culprit. They say it has been repeatedly linked to urinary changes that can cause kidney stones. The study concluded that non-cola drinks did not have that same effect. Researchers also say cola consumption is associated with lower bone density in women. The average American adult guzzles 59 gallons of soft drinks a year.

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8/19/08 -- Swimming After Eating

You may have heard it from your parents - don't go swimming up to an hour after you eat. The reasoning is you could get severe cramps and possibly drown. According to the Red Cross, although it's recommended you use common sense about swimming and eating, there is no set time you must wait before heading back into the water. From what we can tell, there have been no drownings or even near-drownings attributed to swimming right after eating

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8/18/08 -- World's Largest Pool

Pictures on the internet show a massive body of water in Chile said to be the world's largest swimming pool. It's more than a thousand yards long, covers 20 acres and holds 66-million gallons of water. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is true. The man-made salt water lagoon cost about $1.5 billion to build. It has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso Del Mar resort on Chile's southern coast since it opened in 2006.

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8/15/08 -- American Airlines Olives

An urban legend claims American Airlines was able to save thousands of dollars by making one tiny change. As the legend goes, back in 1987 American decided to eliminate one olive from each salad it served in first class. By doing so, the airline saved about $40,000. This is true. The idea was reportedly the brainchild of American's then CEO Bob Crandall, who figured a tiny garnish would never be missed and would amount to huge savings.

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8/14/08 -- Christian The Lion

Watch Video

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8/13/08 -- Double Dipping

You may remember this from a classic "Seinfeld" episode. George is accused of spreading germs by swiping his chip into a bowl of dip, taking a bite, and then dipping the same chip again. There was reason to get mad. A Clemson University food scientist found a "double dip" deposits thousands of saliva bacteria into the dip. Dr. Paul Dawson says eating dip after someone has dipped twice is basically the same as kissing that person. Dawson says be especially wary of thin dips. His study found the lower the dip's viscosity, the higher the rate of germ transfer from a double dip.

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8/12/08 -- Milk Expiration

All milk containers have a date on the side, but is that when it really goes bad? Not necessarily. The date on milk containers is the "Best If Used By" date, which means the store must take it off the shelf at that time. But experts say, if properly refrigerated, the milk should still be good for about five days after that date. On any food product it's important to note whether the date is an "Expiration" date. If it is, don't use it after that day. But if it says "Best If Used By" or "Sell By," give it a smell or a small taste. Chances are you have a little more time to eat or drink it.

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8/11/08 -- Tornado Lightning

A stunning photo has been making the rounds on the internet in the last month. It shows an oil rig next to a tornado next to a lightning strike. The accompanying email says it was taken last month in west Texas. Incredibly this picture, for the most part, is real but quite old. According to the National Weather Service, it was taken in Florida back in 1991 and has been sold in poster form for years. The image pops up from time to time after big storms. In this case, the oil rig was added to the real photo of the tornado and lightning bolt.

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8/8/08 -- 8-8-08

There were a flurry of weddings on 8/8/08, not only because it's a cool anniversary date, but because the numbers are considered lucky. But why? It has to do with Chinese numerology. In Chinese culture, lucky numbers are based on words that sound similar to other words. In Mandarin, the word for "eight" sounds similar to the word which means prosper or wealth. That's why China chose to open the Olympics on this date. In fact, they took it one step further. The opening ceremonies were scheduled to start at eight minutes and eight seconds past eight o' clock .. or at 8:8:08 on 8/8/08.

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8/7/08 -- Granite Countertops

There's a rumor afloat that some granite countertops may emit Radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. It's true. The big question though is whether the amount of Radon emitted by the granite poses a health hazard. Most of the countertops tested by the E.P.A registered little to no radon. However, the New York Times found a family whose countertop was off the charts in Radon emission. The countertop industry and the government insist granite poses no health risk. There is no proven safe level of Radon or radiation, so you'll have to make the decision for yourself. Kits are available to help you test your countertop for radon at most hardware stores.

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8/6/08 -- Microsoft-AOL Email

An email making the rounds claims to quote a story from USA Today that says Microsoft and AOL are running an email beta test. It says Microsoft will pay you $245 each time you forward the email to a friend who then forwards it to someone else. This is a long-running hoax that has been circulating in one form or another for years. This story was never in USA Today and these type of emails are always phony. No company will send you money just for forwarding an email. So the next time a friend sends you an email making such a claim, dump it right in the trash.

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8/5/08 -- Garbage Island

Kathryn Hall from Carlsbad wants to know if Garbage Island is fact or fiction. It's fact. Garbage Island, also known as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," is an area of debris in the central north Pacific Ocean. The trash stew is 80% plastic and weighs more than three and a half million tons. The garbage is trapped by the currents in an area where few people ever travel between San Francisco and Hawaii. But don't go looking for it on Google Earth or other satellite pictures. The so-called island is more like a soup with the garbage lying just below the water's surface. It's been growing since the 1950's and is approximately twice the size of Texas.

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8/4/08 -- Starbucks Coupon

A coupon being passed around online from Starbucks offers a free iced coffee until August 30th. The coupon says "My favorite way to cool down this Summer" at the top. But we're sorry to say it's not legit. This was an in-store coupon that someone scanned and put on the internet without authorization. If you try to print it out and redeem it there's a good chance it will get rejected at your local store. Starbucks says it does not offer coupons via the internet or email.

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8/1/08 -- Two-Person Toilet

You may remember the old Saturday Night Live sketch about a toilet built for two. Well there is now a product being pitched online that's strikingly similar. It's called the TwoDaLoo, a two-person toilet. Believe it or not, it's real. It's actually billed as a water saver because you can empty both sides with one flush. It has a "privacy wall" separating the two seats. Upgraded versions include an LCD television and an I-pod docking station. The suggested retail price is $1,400.

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7/31/08 -- Tatoos & Blood Donation

Blood is always desperately needed, so it may seem strange to ban certain healthy groups of people from donating. But if you get a tattoo you can't give blood for a year. That's because of concerns about hepatitis, which can be easily transmitted by dirty or shared needles. The one year tattoo waiting period is enforced by both the San Diego Blood Bank and Red Cross. By the way, you are allowed to donate blood if you've recently gotten a piercing as long as it was done with sterile, single use equipment.

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7/29/08 -- Triangle Of Life

According to an e-rumor, the "Triangle of Life" theory should replace the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" method recommended by the American Red Cross during an earthquake. According to an article from disaster rescuer Doug Copp, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what Copp calls the "Triangle Of Life." Copp says people who use those triangles will likely be safe, while almost everyone who "ducks and covers" will be crushed to death. The Red Cross says "triangles of life" do exist. But the organization says Copp's recommendations are "inconsistent with information developed through earthquake research." It also says its "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" method is based on building codes here in the U.S. and has saved lives.

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7/28/08 -- Congress Health Care

Robbin McCubbin from North Park wants to know if members of Congress receive medical and dental care for free? The answer is no. All federal workers, including those who are elected, are offered a basic health care plan called the "Federal Employees Health Benefits Program." But like most employee healthcare plans, members of Congress have to pay-in to the program. The government picks up about 72% of the premium, while the individual picks up the rest. House and Senate members also have access to attending physicians at the Capitol, as well as the army and navy hospitals while in Washington, DC. However, they must pay an annual fee for that as well.

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7/25/08 -- All-Glass Restroom

A widely circulated picture shows a public bathroom made entirely out of glass. It seems highly unlikely this could be real, but amazingly it is! But there is one big catch. The bathroom is made out of one-way glass, so no one on the outside can see you. But from the inside, it's quite a strange sensation as you appear to be on display. This restroom is located in Switzerland.

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7/24/08 -- Julian Beever Creations

The work of street artist Julian Beever seems hard to believe. But it is very real. Beever creates amazing 3-D images out of nothing but chalk. His chalk drawings are designed to dazzle the eye from a specific angle. The is a link to a series of pictures of his creations here.

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7/23/08 -- Hands Of God?

This picture shows what appear to be two hands in the clouds above a highway. The accompanying email claims it's the hands of God. This photo is a hoax. It has been circulating for years, often times after natural disasters. It was digitally created.

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7/22/08 -- Dog vs Porcupine

This picture claims to be a pit bull after it got into a fight with a porcupine. Painful looking to say the least, and it is real. This happened in 2005 to a dog named Inca. She had thousands of quills embedded in her face and body. We're told it was a long and expensive procedure to remove them and some of the quills had to be cut rather than pulled out. But Inca survived the ordeal and hopefully learned a lesson.

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7/21/08 -- Giant Spiders In Iraq?

A picture being passed around the internet shows two enormous looking spiders with a caption saying they bit a serviceman in his sleeping bag, in Baghdad. This picture is real. These are Camel Spiders which are common in the deserts of the Middle East. There is however no evidence the story about them biting the serviceman is true. Camel Spiders are non-venomous and are about 6 inches long. They look larger in this picture because they're very close to the camera. They can also run up to 10 miles an hour.

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7/18/08 -- Duncan Hines

Duncan Hines is a name that has become synonymous with cake mixes. Yes he was a real person, but he was not a baker. Duncan Hines was a traveling salesman who ate at so many restaurants across the country he published a book rating them. The book was very popular and Hines became the first modern food critic. In the 1950's, Hines sold the rights to his name which was used in a variety of food products. One of those was cake mixes, which Proctor and Gamble bought in 1956 and took nationwide. Duncan Hines passed away in 1959.

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7/17/08 -- Oscar Mayer

Oscar Mayer was a real person. He was a popular German butcher in Chicago in the 1880's. His operation grew in popularity and he started distributing his meat products nationally. In 1963, the classic jingle about being an Oscar Mayer Weiner was written. In the mid 1970's, the famous Oscar Mayer bologna jingle became a tv commercial classic. Of course there's also the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile which has been rolling around the U.S. since 1936. Sadly Oscar Mayer himself never saw how much of a cultural icon his company became. He died in 1955.

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7/16/08 -- Horse Racing Weights

Since all jockeys don't weigh the same, it would seem a horse with a lighter jockey would have an advantage. To counteract that, all the horses in a given race are assigned a fixed weight. If the jockey weighs less than that, he must actually carry weights or use a heavier saddle to make up the difference. At the end of the race, the jockey has to weigh out to make sure he's still carrying the assigned weight. There is one exception called a handicap race. In that, a horse that has run really well is assigned extra weight to give its lesser opponents a chance.

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7/15/08 -- Betty Crocker

We're sorry to say Betty Crocker is not a real person. In the early 1900's, the Washburn Crosby milling company decided to give a personalized response to the thousands of baking questions it got each year. So it created "Betty Crocker," the last name of whom came from company executive William Crocker. The Washburn company eventually merged into General Mills and Betty Crocker came along. In 1936, she was given a face which has changed more than a half dozen times over the last 70 years. She is currently a composite of 75 women.

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7/14/08 -- Chef Boyardee

Chef Boyardee has been gracing cans of pasta for generations. Yes, he was a real person. Hector Boiardi was born in Italy in 1897 and came to the U.S. in 1914. He opened his first restaurant in 1926 and his sauce was so popular he decided to market it nationally. The operation eventually expanded to include a variety of pasta products. Although his name was spelled Boiardi, he marketed his products under a different spelling so American customers would pronounce it correctly

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7/11/08 -- Pitcher No-Hits Padres While High?

On June 12th, 1970, Pirates pitcher Doc Ellis pitched a no hitter against the Padres at what is now Qualcomm Stadium. Rumors surfaced Ellis was high during the game. It's true. About 15 years later, Ellis admitted he pitched while high on LSD. Ellis says he didn't know until six hours before the game that he was going to pitch. He says he took LSD at noon. An hour later, his girlfriend read in the paper that he was scheduled to pitch that night. Ellis says he only remembers bits and pieces of that game in which he walked eight batters but didn't give up a hit. Ellis went on to become an anti-drug counselor.

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7/10/08 -- iPhone Costs

One of the big selling points of the new Apple iPhone 3G is the price. Apple is making a big deal that the 8 gig model costs just $199. But that is a misnomer. You must also sign up for an AT&T smart phone plan which costs anywhere from $40 to $100 a month. Plus, you must pay an additional $30 a month for data. And if you go for the 16 gig iPhone you could pay as much as $700 a month when all is said and done. Bottom line, make sure you buy the phone because you really like it.

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7/9/08 -- Keyless Remote Theft

An email claims that thieves armed with code grabbers are getting into cars by recording the signals sent by keyless entry devices. Unless you're driving an old car, this is nothing to worry about. Car remote keyless entry systems were introduced in the 1980's, and the earliest versions sent codes that could be picked off by code grabbing devices. But the technology was improved in the mid 1990's. So if your car is newer than that, have no fear.

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7/8/08 -- Lion Hugs Woman

A video widely seen online shows a woman going up to a cage and being embraced by a fully-grown lion. The lion appears to be genuinely hugging and kissing the woman. This is no trick. The video was taken in Colombia. The woman, Ana Julia Torres, had nursed the lion back to health years ago after it was found abused and emaciated in a traveling circus. That lion weighs about 400 pounds. View Video

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7/7/08 -- Chess-Boxing

You'd be hard pressed to find two activities more different than boxing and chess. But would believe they've now been combined into one activity? It's true. It's called Chess-Boxing. Two men face off against each other for four minutes of chess followed by a three-minute round of boxing. This goes on for 11 rounds or until there's either a knock out or a check mate. Right now Chess-Boxing is played mostly in Germany. It was created by a Dutch artist who hopes to eventually make it an Olympic sport.

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7/4/08 -- Declaration of Independence

Most of us have a grand image about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But did you know John Hancock was the only person to actually sign the document on July 4th, 1776. Most of the other delegates didn't sign it until August 2nd. But even that wasn't the end. When copies were printed with what was believed to be all the signatures in 1777, somehow Thomas McKean's name was left off. It wasn't added to the document until sometime around 1781, five years after the date with which we're all familiar.

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7/3/08 -- "America's Finest City"

Rick green from Carlsbad wants to know who designated San Diego as "America's Finest City" and when. The nickname was coined by then-Mayor Pete Wilson after San Diego lost the 1972 Republican National Convention to Florida. To heal wounded civic pride, Wilson called for a week of "America's Finest City" festivals and the slogan stuck. At the peak of the city scandals earlier in this decade the city removed the nickname from it's official website. But it was restored by Mayor Jerry Sanders in 2005.

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7/2/08 -- Gas Pumping Speed

A popular email contains tips on how to get the most for your money at the gas station. One of those tips is, when filling up, don't squeeze the trigger all the way to the fast mode. The email says you should pump on low to minimize the vapors which prevent you from getting a truly full tank of gas. While there's no consensus on this, the majority opinion is that the amount of vapors produced during the pumping process is so small the money you might save is insignificant. And you have to take into account the value of the time you'll lose by using only the slowest delivery setting at every fill-up.

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7/1/08 -- 110 Yard Field Goal

In a video being spread online, Washington Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham kicks a 110 yard field goal. This would be a super-human feat considering the longest field goal in NFL history is just 63 yards. But we can confirm that this video is fiction. It was created by the marketing department of WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. as a way to promote their preseason football coverage. Watch the video here.

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6/30/08 -- Cell Phone Law Quirks

Adults over 18 must now use a hands-free device while driving, and drivers under 18 can't use any device while driving. But there are some quirks in the law. For example, while drivers 18 and over can be pulled over for holding the phone to their ear, drivers under 18 can not. For them, this is a secondary violation, meaning an officer can't pull you over for that alone. Two other notes about the law. While you can be fined if caught, you won't get a point on your driving record. Also, while it's discouraged, it's still legal for adult drivers to text and dial. Basically, you're not breaking the law until the phone hits your ear.

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6/26/08 -- Gold Windshield Drops

Sharma Haase from Spring Valley asks if the gold colored drops that get on your windshield are jet fuel or from an insect. It's actually bee pollen. To be more specific, it's digested bee pollen. Bees follow certain regular flight lines, so you'll see the drops more often if you park in an area they frequent. Also, bees drop their waste more often at certain times of the year, particularly in the spring.

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6/25/08 -- Amazing Ball Girl Catch

A video being spread on the internet appears to show a ball girl making an unbelievable catch during a minor league baseball game. Unfortunately, it never happened. It’s a Gatorade commercial. The ball girl was a stunt woman who was lifted with wires. The clip uses digital trickery to combine footage taken during and after a game. You can see the Gatorade bottle at the woman's feet at the end of the clip here.

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6/24/08 -- Snake Swarm

An email making the rounds contains a series of pictures of a swarm of rattlesnakes which, according to the email, came from Rancho Santa Fe. The email warns about this being a particularly bad snake season in the county. While these photos are real, they were not taken here. They were shot near Riverton, Wyoming last month. The snakes in these photos are Prarie Rattlesnakes which are not native to California. These pictures, with the same dire warning, have been sent to people all across the southwest.

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6/19/08 -- Rev. Moon Supplies Sushi

Rumor has it most of the sushi- quality fish in this country is supplied by a company owned by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. It's true. Moon is the leader of the Unification Church and a self- proclaimed messiah. He claims to be the second coming of Christ and is well known for holding mass weddings. In 1975, Moon and his followers founded "True World Foods," a seafood company which now provides much of the raw fish served in sushi restaurants in the U.S. A 2006 Chicago Tribune article found 14 of 17 prominent sushi restaurants in the windy city were supplied by Reverend Moon's company.

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6/18/08 -- Amazing Tornado Photo

A stunning photo is being spread through email. It's an up close picture of a tornado.

The email claims it's the tornado that ripped through Little Sioux, Iowa last week, killing 4 Boy Scouts. That's not true. Although this amazing picture is legitimate, it was taken on a different day in a different part of Iowa. There is also debate over whether the photo really shows a tornado or some other weather phenomenon such as a funnel cloud.

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6/16/08 -- Gas Tip

An email making the rounds contains tips on how you can maximize your value every time you fill up. One of those tips is to never fill up at a station while a gas supply tanker is on hand pumping fuel into the storage tanks. The email claims dirt and sludge from the storage tanks is being stirred up, which gets mixed in with the fuel. In reality, this is of little concern. Gas stations are required to have filters to trap dirt and sludge, and modern cars also have fuel filters.

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6/13/08 -- Friday The Thirteenth

Friday the 13th has a reputation for being unlucky and dangerous. But there is no truth to the superstition. In fact, a new Dutch study shows Friday the 13th is actually safer than the average Friday. Researchers found there were fewer traffic accidents and fewer reports of fire and theft when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday compared to other Fridays. It's not exactly clear why, but perhaps people are simply more cautious on Friday the 13th because of it's reputation.

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6/11/08 -- Fortune Cookies

A Chinese meal wouldn't seem complete without fortune cookies. But rumor has it they weren't even invented in China. It's true. Most agree the original version of the fortune cookie was created in Japan back in the 1800's The American version of the fortune cookie originated right here in California. However there is dispute about whether they were first served in San francisco or Los Angeles. Nevertheless, they definitely did not come from China and most people there are not familiar with them.

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6/6/08 -- John McCain's Sons

According to an email making the rounds, presidential candidate John McCain has sons in the military, including one who has served in Iraq. It's true. Although McCain is a strong supporter of the war, he rarely mentions his sons' service there. McCain has 7 children, including a 19-year old son named Jimmy who is in the marines and returned from an Iraq deployment in February. McCain also has a son Jack who attends the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. So it's quite possible that, if elected, McCain could become the first president since Dwight Eisenhower with a son at war. That would present a serious security concern similar to the situation with Britain's Prince Harry.

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6/4/08 -- Why No TV Channel 1?

You've no doubt noticed that there are no TV stations that broadcast on Channel One. Many believe that's because the military uses that frequency. Not true. During the infancy of television, it shared frequencies with radio stations. But in 1948, a deal was made to separate the two and channel one became exclusively a radio frequency. That left the tv dial with the familiar 2 through 13.

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6/3/08 -- Square Watermelons

An email making the rounds contains pictures of square watermelons allegedly made by Japanese farmers. The email claims the farmers force the melons to grow this way by putting them into square boxes while the fruit is still on the vine. This whole story is true. Square watermelons actually serve a practical purpose. They take up a lot less space in the fridge. But they don't come cheap. Each square watermelon costs the equivalent of about $82. Regular watermelons in Japan cost $15 to $25 each.

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6/2/08 -- Pringles Can Burial?

According to a story making the rounds, the man who designed the Pringles can was buried in one. This is true. Fredric J. Baur died last month in cincinnati at the age of 89. At his request, his family buried some of his remains in a Pringles container. The rest of his remains were placed in an urn which was buried with the can. Baur's son says his father chose this unusual burial because the pringles can was his proudest career achievement. Fredric Baur worked for Proctor & Gamble for 40 years and patented the Pringles can in 1970. He was also based out of San Diego while serving in the Navy during WWII.

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5/29/08 -- Saudi Prince Drives Diamond Car?

An email making the rounds contains pictures of what it says is a diamond encrusted Mercedes owned by Prince Al Waleed of Saudi Arabia. According to the email, the car costs $4.8 million dollars and you have to pay a thousand dollars just to touch it. With Saudi Arabia getting richer from our high gas prices, such a car would be appalling to many people. But this is a lie. While these pictures are real, they are of a crystal encrusted Mercedes making the rounds on the auto show circuit. It's worth about a million dollars and is made by Garson USA. It's not owned by a Saudi prince. You can see the car for yourself here.

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5/27/08 -- TV Shows Running Long

Kirt Salisbury from Carlsbad wants to know the marketing strategy of networks like ABC which air programs like American Idol and Dancing With The Stars and let the program run over the end of the hour into the next program? The answer is ratings. Nielsen gives a network credit for a viewer if that person watches for just 5 out a 15 minute time period. So, by having popular shows run past the hour, a network increases its chances of having viewers stick around just long enough to boost ratings in the next time period. Of course, that doesn't always work and it angers people whose DVRs stop recording at the top of the hour.

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5/26/08 -- Clock Hands

You may have noticed that almost all clocks and watches featured in ads display the time of 10:10. According to legend, this is in commemoration of the time John F. Kennedy died. The truth is much more mundane. The hands of clocks and watches are most commonly set to 10:10 because the hands nicely frame the manufacturer's logo or emblem. By the way, JFK did not die at 10:10. His tragic assassination was in the early afternoon.

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5/23/08 -- Caesar Salad

The Caesar Salad is a restaurant staple. But if you thought it was named after Julius Caesar, think again. It was named after the man who invented it, restauranteur Caesar Cardini. He actually lived here in San Diego and reportedly invented the salad in Tijuana. An interesting foot note, the Cardini family ran a "Caesar's" restaurant on the corner of 6th and University for 50 years at the location now occupied by "The City Deli."

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5/22/08 -- Green Eggs and Ham

"Green Eggs and Ham" is perhaps the most famous book of the late La Jolla resident Theodore Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss. According to a long time rumor, Geisel wrote it after being dared by his editor to write a book using just 50 different words. It's true. "Green Eggs and Ham" does indeed contain only 50 different words, 49 of which are one syllable. The only exception - the word "anywhere." Publisher Bennett Cerf reportedly bet Geisel $50 that he couldn't write a book in so few words. It's not known if he ever paid up.

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5/21/08 -- Donkey Jailed For Assault and Battery?

Yes, this story is true. A donkey was jailed after it bit and kicked two men near a ranch in Chiapas, Mexico. The animal was put in a jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness. A police officer in the region said: "Around here, if someone commits a crime they're jailed, no matter who they are." The donkey was released after a few days when his owner paid the victims. Chiapas police have thrown animals in the slammer before, including a bull and a dog.

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5/16/08 -- Texting While Driving

Ferguson from Oceanside wants to know if the new "hands free" cell phone law taking effect in July includes text messaging. The new law does not specifically prohibit texting while driving, but an officer can pull over and ticket any driver who is distracted and not operating the vehicle safely. Sending text messages while driving is unsafe and strongly discouraged. The rules are different for drivers under 18. The new law bans them from using the phone for calling or texting period, hands free or not.

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5/15/08 -- Mexican Coca-Cola

If you've ever ordered a Coca-Cola in Mexico, you've probably noticed it tastes sweeter than what you're used to. Coca-Cola from Mexico is made with sugar cane sweetener, as opposed to the high-fructose corn syrup used to make Coke here. American Coke bottlers switched from cane sugar in the 1980's as a way to save money. If you're looking for Mexican Coke on this side of the border, your best shot is in small grocery stores in neighborhoods with large Mexican populations.

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5/14/08 -- Mattress Tags

You've probably heard the warning all your life not to rip the tag off your mattress. Well rip away! As a consumer, it's perfectly legal to remove the tag from your own mattress. Back in the early 1900's, mattresses often contained a host of disease-carrying materials. So to protect consumers, mattress dealers were required to post tags listing the mattress contents. The "Do not remove under penalty of law" warning on the tag is meant for the dealer not the consumer.

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5/13/08 -- Curb Colors

Green: Short Term Parking, usually 15 or 30 minutes Enforced 8am-6pm, Monday-Saturday

Yellow: Commercial Loading Zone Also, 3 minute passenger loading or unloading for all cars Enforced 6am-6pm, Monday-Saturday

White: Passenger Loading Zone Enforced 24 hours a day unless otherwise posted

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5/12/08 -- Ticket Quotas?

Ardis from Lemon Grove wants to know if more traffic tickets are given out at the end of the month because of a ticket quota. We asked SDPD and the Highway Patrol and both say there is no quota. The police department says the state penal code bans quotas. Although officers are evaluated on their performance, the evaluation includes many activities besides writing tickets. We're also told there's no general increase in tickets at the end of the month, although more tickets are likely to be written on certain holidays.

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5/8/08 -- Hands-Free Cell Phone Law

Jim Meyer from San Diego wants to know if the new hands free cell phone law allows you to use your speaker phone feature. Yes it does. The new law only requires you not hold the phone while driving. Talking on speaker phone will be perfectly legal. Other notes about the law: Drivers under 18 won't be able to use a cell phone period, hands free or not. There is also an exception for emergency calls to law enforcement, the fire department, and hospitals. In those cases just pick up the phone and call. The law takes effect July first.

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5/7/08 -- Jeremiah Wright - Military Veteran?

According to an email making the rounds, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright enlisted in the military back in the 1960's and spent many years serving his country, even serving on the President's medical team. This is actually true. Wright left college and joined the marines in 1962. Two years later he joined the navy, was trained as a cardiopulmunary technician, and helped care for Lyndon Johnson after his 1966 surgery. Wright became a pastor in 1972.

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5/5/08 -- Cinco de Mayo

This is Cinco de Mayo, a day actually celebrated much more here in the U.S. then in Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That is September 16th. Cinco de Mayo commemorates an initial victory by mexican forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. So, while it is celebrated in the U.S. and other parts of the world as a day of mexican pride, Cinco de Mayo is really only celebrated in Mexico in the state of Puebla.

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5/2/08 -- Gift Cards Expire?

An email making the rounds is urging people to redeem gift cards as soon as possible from companies that have filed for bankruptcy. The email is not completely accurate. It lists Hollywood Video, Sharper Image, Levitz, Linens 'n Things, and Circuit City. First off, Circuit City has not filed for bankruptcy. Of the remaining four, only Levitz has begun liquidating its inventory, leaving gift card holders out of luck. Hollywood Video, Sharper Image and Linens 'n Things have indeed filed for Chapter 11, but that only means they're reorganizing financially. While they may be closing some stores, they're not necessarily shutting down.

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5/1/08 -- Yawns Contagious?

Are yawns contagious? » View Video

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04/30/08 -- Mr. Rogers

According to an email making the rounds, beloved children's tv star Fred Rogers was a Navy Seal as a young man with more than 25 confirmed kills to his name. The email also claims Rogers always wore a long-sleeved sweater on tv to cover the many tattoos on his arms. If this sounds far fetched, you're right. Mr. Rogers never served in the military and had no tattoos. He wore long-sleeved shirts and sweaters to maintain an air of formality. Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister who died in 2003.

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04/29/08 -- Barefoot Driving

Jeff Linden from North Park wrote to ask us if it's against the law to drive barefoot. It is not. Although it's not recommended, there is nothing illegal about driving barefoot in California. In fact, the California Vehicle Code doesn't even mention footwear. The laws do vary from state to state however, so be careful if you drive outside of California.

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04/28/08 -- Hidden Message at Petco Park?

Rumor has it that the animal activist group PETA placed a brick with a hidden message at Petco Park. It's true. PETA has been a longtime opponent of the Petco chain, which it claims mistreats animals. When the ballpark was being built, PETA urged the Padres to not award naming rights to Petco. When that effort failed, PETA decided to purchase a commemorative brick at the ballpark inscribed with the message "Break open your cold ones, toast the Padres, enjoy this champion organization." If you take the first letter of each word, it spells out "Boycott Petco." A Petco spokesman says the company is aware of the brick, but has no problem with it.

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04/25/08 -- Dog Starved In Art Exhibit?

There are pictures online of an art exhibit last year in Nicaragua in which an artist named Guillermo Vargas chained a dog to a wall and allegedly allowed it to starve to death. This has understandably caused a huge backlash. While it is fact that the exhibit happened, there is reason to doubt whether the dog actually starved. According to a news release by the gallery, the dog was given food and water when it wasn't on display and it eventually ran away. The president of the "Humanitarian Association for the Protection of Animals" in Costa Rica also confirms the dog ran away and did not die.

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04/24/08 --Hair Grows Back Thicker?

We've all been told that shaving off hair causes it to grow back darker and thicker.

This is not true.

Cutting or plucking the hair on your body does not stimulate new growth. The part of the hair we see is already dead, so whatever we do to it isn't going to have any impact on the part that's still alive. It appears newly cut hair is thicker because hair gets finer as it gets longer. So, if you compare the end of a long hair to one that's been freshly cut, the short one will indeed be thicker.

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04/23/08 -- Do Our Dogs Recognize Our Voices?
Matt Allen from Clairemont asks: "Do dogs recognize the sound of your voice over the phone?" Sometimes people call home and just have to say `Hi,' to their dog. But does the dog acttually know or think it's the owner?

Experts 10News consulted say it's true. Dogs do recognize our voices on the phone.

» View Video

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04/22/08 -- Homeless Law

Stephen Phelps from Normal Heights asked us if it's illegal for the homeless to live on public property.

The answer is yes.

According to the state penal code, it is illegal to live in any building, structure, vehicle or place, public or private, without the permission of the owner. Of course police use their discretion on how to enforce it.

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04/18/08 -- Does The Pope Wear Prada?

Does Pope Benedict XVI wear Prada shoes?

The Pope, who has preached against materialism, wouldn't say, and neither would Prada.

Eventually, the Vatican stepped in and put the issue to rest saying that the shoes were made by the Pope's personal cobbler.

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04/17/08 -- Swallowing Your Gum

As kids, most of us were warned not to swallow our chewing gum because it stays undigested in our bodies for seven years.

This is not true.

Although gum resists the body's efforts to break it down, it does not linger in the stomach.

Gum is eliminated as human waste in the same way, and at the same rate, as anything else you swallow.

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04/03/08 -- Starbucks Refuses Coffee For The Troops?
Renie Graham from Fallbrook wrote us wanting to know if an e-mail she received was true. It claims Starbucks refused a request to send coffee to the troops in Iraq because the company does not support the war.

This e-mail is inaccurate.

In fact the Marine sergeant who wrote the original e-mail has recanted it. Starbucks has an official policy limiting charitible donations to the communities in which it has stores.

On it's website, Starbucks says according to its guidelines currently in place, a request from soldiers serving overseas would be turned down.

But it says many of its employees show their support by donating the free coffee they receive as part of their compensation.

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04/02/08 -- "Coronado" Spelled Out In Sand Dunes
An aerial photo on Google Earth clearly shows the words "Coronado Beach" spelled out by the sand dunes near the Hotel Del Coronado.

We did some research and this is real.

As the story goes there's a man who tends to them daily, dragging up seaweed to help them retain their shape and give them their color.

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04/01/08 -- "The Finger"
Nestle made a surprising announcement. According to a press release, the company said it was changing the name of the candy "Butterfinger" to "The Finger."

The company said the change was made because too many people associated the name "Butterfinger" with being clumsy, awkward and uncoordinated.

This was just a big April Fools joke and Nestle decided to have some fun with the public.

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03/28/08 -- Military Deaths
Richard Hoppe from Carlsbad sent us a summary of a report which claims there were more military deaths during the Clinton administration than during the current Bush administration.

We went and looked at the report itself, which was compiled for the government by the Congressional Research Service, and the summary being spread on the Internet is wrong.

There were 7,500 military deaths during the Clinton years from 1993 to 2000.

From 2001-2006 there more than 8,700 military deaths and that doesn't even include last year's numbers.

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03/27/08 -- Dogs' Mouths
Caroline Sanfilippo from Rancho Penasquitos wants to know if dogs' mouths are really cleaner than humans'.

The answer is no, but it's nothing to worry about. The mouth of a typical dog is filled with bacteria, but for the most part it's "species specific." So when a dog licks you, most of the germs won't transfer.

Bottom line, you're more likely to get a serious illness from kissing a person than a dog.

So while that doggy lick may be gross, it's not dangerous.

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03/25/08 -- Ocean Beach Parrots
You may have seen the parrots which make their home in Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and Point Loma.

According to legend, the flock got started when a pet store burned down in Ocean Beach about 25 years ago. This appears to be fiction.

Although there may indeed have been a fire, the parrots come from a variety of places.

According to the San Diego Audobon Society, many of the parrots come from illegal breeders releasing them at the border. Others simply escape from people's homes.

There are also similar stories in other cities about parrot populations starting from pet store fires, so this is likely a common urban legend.

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03/24/08 -- WGASA Railway
The WGASA Bush Line railway opened at the Wild Animal Park in 1972. As the rumor goes, the zoo wanted to give it an African-sounding name.

Employees were asked to contribute their ideas and, as a joke, one of the workers scribbled down "WGASA."

At the time, it was a popular acronym for "Who Gives A (expletive) Anyway."

The name stuck, and so did the story behind it.

The railway has since been retired. But in early March, a new attraction opened in its place: the "Journey Into Africa" tour.

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03/21/08 -- TV Commercial Volume
It has been an age old question for TV viewers. You may have noticed the commercials often seem a lot louder than the program you're watching. Well, don't yell at us; it's the advertisers who are doing this.

TV stations are required to have equipment which limits the peak volume of all programming. Of course most tv shows have a mix of audio levels depending on what's happening on screen. But many commercials keep their audio at peak limits the entire time. So the average volume of commercials is indeed much louder than most programs.

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03/20/08 -- UCSD Underground Tunnels
Robert from Chula Vista wants to know if there's an underground tunnel system at UCSD.

According to the campus architect, UCSD does have a tunnel system but it's only used for the distribution of hot and cold water.

He says the tunnel is basically a loop that originates at the Central Utility Plant.

It's barely large enough for a person to squeeze through to do maintenance.

The tunnel system was built in the 1960's as part of the Revelle College construction.

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03/19/08 -- Disneyland
Two more urban legends involving Walt Disney and Disneyland.

It's commonly believed Walt Disney had his body cryogenically frozen and stored under the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride.

The whole thing is false.

Disney was cremated on December 17, 1966, two days after his death.

Another urban legend involves the "Space Mountain" ride.

Stories abound that someone was decapitated while standing up on the ride.

Again, not true.

A test dummy had its head severed when the ride was being tested, but it never happened to a person.

There were however tragic deaths on the "Big Thunder Mountain" ride.

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03/18/08 -- Silver Strand Explosives
According to legend, there are bombs imbedded in the Silver Strand connecting Coronado to Imperial Beach.

If during wartime ships were unable to exit the harbor, the Strand could be blown up to allow the Pacific Fleet to get into the ocean and defend our country.

But this appears to be an urban legend.

We contacted the Navy and were told Naval Base Coronado does not have explosives buried in the Silver Strand.

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03/17/08 -- Baby Carrots
An email being spread around the Internet claims the baby carrots you buy at the grocery store are made from deformed, full-sized carrots that have been soaked in chlorine.

This email is full of misinformation.

The carrots used to make "baby-cuts" are not deformed.

They're actually specially bred to contain more sugar and have a brighter orange color in order to appeal to children.

As for the chlorine, there's conflicting information on this.

But if used, it's in trace amounts to get rid of bacteria and is no more than you'd find in tap water or other washed vegetables at the store.

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03/14/08 -- Disneyland Rumors
One of the most prominent Disneyland legends is the existence of a private club hidden in New Orleans Square.

This is true.

It's called "Club 33" and it's the only place at the park where alcohol is served.

The waiting list to become a member is years long and it costs thousands of dollars to join.

You enter through an inconspicuous door.

There is also the story of the basketball court hidden at the top of the Matterhorn.

This is also true.

A small area near the top does indeed contain a basketball rim, backboard, and floor markings.

It's used as a rest area by the costumed climbers who sometimes scale the mountain.

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03/13/08 -- Blue Ice
K. P Wilson from San Marcos wants to know if airplanes and trains actually dump human waste out during flights or train travel.

The answer is no, at least not intentionally.

Airlines are not allowed to dump their waste tanks in mid-flight, and pilots have no mechanism by which to do so.

However leaks do happen on rare occasions.

It typically occurs during landing because of the heat generated by the descent.

The same is true for trains.

An Amtrak spokesperson tells us all waste material from toilets gets stored in a tank and does not get dumped on the tracks.

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03/12/08 -- Coronado Bridge detaches?
According to a story circulated for years, the center portion of the Coronado Bay Bridge can detatch and float, allowing larger ships to sail south out of the harbor during wartime emergencies.

We checked with Caltrans and this story is fiction.

A spokesman says the sections of the bridge would sink if they fell into the water.

We're told the rumor may have started when the bridge was being built in the 1960's.

The sections were brought into the bay on barges and from afar it may have looked like they were actually floating on the surface of the water.

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03/11/08 -- Geisel Library #2
There is long standing rumor that the Geisel Library at UCSD is sinking because the original designer forgot to account for the weight of the books.

This is not true.

The library has been structurally sound from the beginning.

The Geisel Library also doesn't have a third floor which some say is because if books were put there, the building would topple over.

Again, not true.

The third level of the library is actually an outdoor mezzanine which is only accessible from the outside.

Hence, no third floor in the elevator.

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03/10/08 -- Geisel Library
The oddly shaped Geisel Library at UCSD looks like something from outer space.

Perhaps that's why stories have circulated about it appearing in many TV shows and movies.

The most popular story is that it appeared as a space craft in the cult classic "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes."

But it's not true.

It only appeared as a science lab in the third movie of the "Tomato" series.

As for TV appearances, the library never appeared in Star Trek.

However it did make a notable appearance in the opening of the show "Simon and Simon."

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03/07/08 -- Daylight Saving Time
Do you know exactly how Daylight Saving Time started?

Julie Gale from Carlsbad writes, "Most people have an incorrect belief as to the reason for Daylight Saving Time - that it's for farmers or schools."

Julie's right.

The idea had to do with the economy.

The hope was the extra hour of daylight in the evening would encourage people to do more shopping on their way home from work.

In more modern times, arguments were made about saving energy on the theory people wouldn't turn their lights on until later.

Bottom line, most people like Daylight Saving Time which is why it was expanded by four weeks starting last year.

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03/06/08 -- Redneck Mansion
A picture being spread on the internet shows more than a half dozen trailers linked together, which it claims to be some sort of "redneck mansion" or low rent apartment complex.

Many people have been wondering if this picture is real and where it was taken.

The photo is real, but it's not what it appears.

The trailers are actually an outdoor theater set used in Amsterdam for a 2005 production of the Chekhov play "Ivanov."

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03/05/08 -- Patrick Swayze's Health
According to the National Enquirer, Patrick Swayze is dying of pancreatic cancer and has been given just five weeks to live.

According to the article, the "Dirty Dancing" star was diagnosed in January and doctors are not optimistic chemotherapy will work.

A Swayze spokesperson confirms he had some sort of operation, but says the 55-year old is home and happy.

According to the "Perez Hilton" website, Swayze has been at rehearsals for a new movie and appears to be in good health.

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03/04/08 -- Soy Products/Breast Cancer
Maggie M. from Oceanside wants to know if soy products cause breast cancer.

The medical community is conflicted on this issue.

Soy can mimic the effect of estrogen in the body and some doctors warn breast cancer patients not to eat too much soy out of fear it could promote tumor growth.

But the research is far from conclusive.

Some studies show, under some conditions, soy can help prevent breast cancer.

So bottom line, talk to your doctor and check out the huge amount of information available online.

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03/03/08 -- Gas Mileage/Air Conditioners
Terry Smith from Pacific Beach wants to know if driving with your air conditioner on really does lower your gas mileage.

For the most part it's true.

Driving with the air conditioner on makes your engine work harder, which uses up more gasoline.

However according to the "Utah Geological Survey,” the air conditioner is a better option than open windows if you're traveling more than 40 miles an hour.

That's because open windows cause heavy wind resistance at high speeds, drastically reducing your gas mileage.

The best option, if you can stand it, is to keep the a-c off *and* the windows closed.

By the way, using your heater does not effect gas mileage because it just uses excess heat from the engine.