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:

3/3/08 - 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?

8/29 - Storm Names

9/1 - Storm Destroys Turbine?

9/8 - Toll Of Plastic Bottles

9/9 - Sarah Palin Library Censorship?

9/10 - Thomas Crapper's Inventions

9/11 - Throwing Away Paint

9/12 - Is Sarah Lee Real?

9/15 - Toilet-Themed Restaurant

9/16 - The Green Flash

9/17 - Negative Calories In Celery?

9/18 - Coronado Bridge Shape

9/19 - Cass Elliot's Death

9/23 - Phony UPS Email

9/24 - Cell Numbers To Telemarketers

9/26 - $26,000 A Night Hotel

9/29 - Dow Loss In Perspective

9/30 - The Truth About Jell-O

10/1 - Biden Out, Hillary In?

10/3 - Speed Enforced By Aircraft

10/6 - Rib Removal

10/7 - Ear Wax Removal

10/8 - B of A Closing?

10/9 - Color Coded Bread Tabs

10/10 - Electricity Drain

10/14 - Axolotl

10/16 - Bugs In Our Food

10/17 - Dolphin Rings

10/20 - Coppertone Girl

10/22 - Dow Jones Facts

10/24 - Red Cars

10/28 - Halloween Spending

10/29 - Amazing Video

10/30 - Dog Years

10/31 - Candy Recall

11/3 - Election Day

11/6 - Amazing Plane Landing

11/7 - Gideon Bibles

11/10 - Testicular Cancer & Cell Phones

11/11 - Miracle Berries

11/12 - Flash Mountain

11/13 - Eye Strain

11/14 - Amero Coin

11/17 - Naming Brush Fires

11/18 - SigAlerts

11/19 - Mice Hate Cheese?

11/20 - McDonald's Spoons

11/21 - Free Dr. Pepper

11/24 - Mind Your P's & Q's

11/25 - Hillary Ineligible?

11/26 - Tryptophan and Turkey

11/27 - Thanksgiving Meal

11/28 - Black Friday

12/1 - Black Pepper

12/2 - Haunkkah Card Goof

12/3 - Most Dangerous Road

12/4 - Mailing Money

12/5 - Barcodes

12/8 - Daily Hair Washing

12/9 - Disneyland Characters

12/10 - I Love Lucy

12/11 - Meaning of A.D.

12/12 - Chop Suey

12/15 - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

12/17 - Rain Headlights

12/19 - Candy Canes

12/22 - Santa's Reindeer

12/24 - Santa's Zip Code

12/25 - Poinsettias Poisonous?

12/26 - Boxing Day

12/29 - Texting & Driving

12/31 - New Year's Driving

1/2/09 - Cell Phones In Hospitals

1/5 - Super Chargers Song

1/6 - Pet Illnesses

1/7 - 8 Glasses of Water a Day?

1/8 - Batteries in the Freezer

1/9 - John Denver Sniper?

1/13 - Statue of Liberty's Color

1/14 - Damaged Plane Engine

1/15 - Washington Padres

1/16 - Http vs Https

1/19 - MLK Day Mistake

1/20 - Inauguration Lore

1/22 - Cars on the Chopping Block

1/23 - Cal Worthington

1/26 - Backwards PIN

1/28 - Holding Back A Sneeze

1/29 - Pole Dance Drawing

1/30 - Super Bowl Disneyland

2/2 - Swiffer Wetjets

2/3 - Girl Scout Coookies

2/4 - 809 Area Code

2/5 - Free Pancakes

2/6 - Great Wall of China

2/9 - Acorns In The Transmitter

2/10 - Stock Market Clapping

2/11 - Stamp Prices

2/12 - Lincoln and Kennedy

2/16 - Presidents Day

2/17 - Google Searches

2/18 - Uncle Ben

2/19 - Left-Handed Presidents

2/20 - The Oscar

2/24 - State of the Union

2/26 - DTV Box Hoax

2/27 - Teflon Coating

3/2 - Obama Book Display

3/3 - AIG Bailout

3/4 - Stingray Photos

3/5 - 24 Hours of Flights

3/6 - Ear Predicts Heart Disease?

3/9 - Airplane Contrails

3/10 - Oceanside Starbucks

3/11 - Dolphin Stampede

3/12 - Linda Panetta

3/13 - Friday The 13th

3/16 - Cats Predict Death?

3/17 - Corned Beef And Cabbage

3/18 - Hand Sanitizer

3/19 - Gang Initiation At Walmart

3/20 - Eggs On The Equinox

3/23 - Code Grabbers

3/24 - Cocaine On Money

3/26 - Bees

3/27 - Oil Changes

3/31 - Banning Black Cars?

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3/31/09 -- Banning Black Cars?

An email making the rounds claims California is planning to ban black cars in order to curb global warming. This is a gross exaggeration based on a kernel of truth. The California Air Resources Board is looking for ways to help reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions. One way to do that is to reduce the use of air conditioning in cars. So the Board proposed requiring cars be painted with solar-reflective paint. It was mentioned that jet black paint would be an issue, because darker colors absorb more heat. But it was never suggested black be banned as a car color. The Board has now dropped the paint issue entirely, at least for now.

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3/27/09 -- Oil Changes

It has long been an accepted fact that you need to change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles. This is no longer true. Most cars today can go longer without an oil change. Many automakers are now recommending oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, or even 10,000 miles. One big reason is the oil itself. It's made better now and doesn't build up as much in the engine. The other big factor is how you drive. You might need to get your oil changed more often if you drive in a lot of stop and go traffic, drive in very cold or hot weather, or repeatedly make short trips less than 5 miles. Be sure to check the manual for the specifics on your car.

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3/26/09 -- Bees

Following a bee attack in La Mesa, we thought we'd clear up some misinformation about the creatures and how you should react to them. First of all, Africanized honey bees are not called killer bees because a single sting can kill you. They actually have slightly less venom than domestic honey bees. Secondly, you may have been told never to swat at a bee that's going after you. That's true. When a bee's body is crushed, it produces an odor that incites other bees to attack. The best thing to do is run away from a bee or seek cover. Thirdly, you should remove the stinger quickly if you're stung. Remove it in a sideways motion with a fingernail, knife blade, or credit card. Of course, if you're allergic, seek medical attention immediately.

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3/24/09 -- Cocaine On Money

You may have heard that a large percentage of U.S. currency contains traces of cocaine. It's actually true. There are trace amounts of cocaine on approximately 4 out of every 5 bills in circulation in the U.S. However, that doesn't mean all those bills were used to snort coke. Cocaine in powdered form is extremely fine and easily transfers to other surfaces. So when a cocaine-contaminated bill is processed through a sorting or counting machine, traces of the drug usually pass to other bills in the same batch. ATMs also help spread tiny amounts of cocaine to all the currency they distribute. So a single bill that comes in direct contact with cocaine can contaminate thousands of others.

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3/23/09 -- Code Grabbers

According to an email, car thieves now have a device in which they can grab the code when you use your keyless entry device. The email says the thieves then use that stolen code to get into your car. While we can't say with 100% certainty this is fiction, the basic premise is faulty. Since the mid 1990's, keyless entry devices have not had a fixed code. It changes every time you use it. So even if a thief managed to steal it with some sort of code grabber, it wouldn't open your car.

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3/20/09 -- Eggs On The Equinox

Today is the Vernal Equinox, which marks the beginning of Spring. The Equinox happens twice a year when the Sun is directly above the equator. Many people claim a special property of the Equinox allows you to balance an egg on its end. This is fiction. The theory is, since the Earth's axis is directly aligned with the Sun on the Equinox, it's more in balance. In reality, you can balance an egg on its end any day of the year, if you have the patience.

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3/19/09 -- Gang Initiation At Walmart

A text message and email making the rounds claims there's going to be a gang initiation at a local Walmart in which 3 women will be killed. This is fiction. This warning is believed to be an old 2005 rumor that has resurfaced for some reason. It has popped up across the U.S. this month with basically the same information. Police and the sheriff's department assure the public this is a hoax.

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3/18/09 -- Hand Sanitizer

North County resident Kim Bess wants to know about an email she received, which claims a 4-year old girl got severe alcohol poisoning from licking hand sanitizer off her hands. While we can't say whether all the details in this story are true, the danger is very real. Hand sanitizer gels and wipes contain very high levels of alcohol, and ingesting even just a couple ounces of it could be very dangerous to small children. So make sure you never allow a toddler to use hand sanitizer unsupervised.

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3/17/09 -- Corned Beef And Cabbage

Corned beef and cabbage has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, but you might have heard that this is an American creation. It's true. While cabbage is a traditional food item in Ireland, corned beef is not. It was originally used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants in the late 1800's. Irish immigrants living in New York actually learned about corned beef from their Jewish neighbors. They found the meat was cheaper and had a similar taste and texture to bacon, so a tradition was born. In case you’re wondering, there really isn’t a signature St. Patrick’s Day dish in Ireland.

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3/16/09 -- Cats Predict Death?

Dave Doyle from Escondido wants to know if cats run away from home right before they’re going to die. There does appear to be a natural instinct at play here. When animals are in pain or sick, their instinct is often to hide so predators won't sense their weakness and hurt them. So while a cat doesn't know it's going to die, it does know that something is wrong, and instinct takes over. Some pet owners have reported similar behavior in dogs as well.

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3/13/09 -- Friday The 13th

Friday the 13th has become notorious for bad luck. But do you know why? We did some research and there is no clear cut answer. The fear of Friday the 13th wasn't noted in writing until 1869 when Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini declared that Friday was an unlucky day and 13 was an unlucky number. Theologians believe Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, the crucifixion of Jesus, and the Great Flood all happened on Fridays. As for how 13 became associated with bad things, it may also date back to biblical times. There were 13 attendees at the Last Supper. Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the last and 13th guest.

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3/12/09 -- Linda Panetta

A picture being email around shows a woman who appears to be socializing with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega. The accompanying email claims the woman is Linda Panetta, the daughter of new C.I.A. director Leon Panetta. Both Chavez and Ortega are known for their hostility toward the United States, so the email claims Linda Panetta's association with them is cause for concern. This email contains one major flaw. While there's no reason to think the photo is fake, Linda Panetta is not Leon Panetta's daughter. All three of his children are sons. Although it's possible Leon and Linda Panetta are distantly related, they have never met. See The Picture

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3/11/09 -- Dolphin Stampede

A video posted online shows what appears to be hundreds of dolphins seemingly stampeding through the water next to a boat. The video is real. It was shot by a group of fishermen on an expedition in Mexico's Sea of Cortez. The men were out cruising when they came across a pod of dolphins. This was actually more likely what is known as a super pod, in which pods join together in areas where there’s a lot of food. Watch The Video

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3/10/09 -- Oceanside Starbucks

Elizabeth from Oceanside says she has noticed there are no Starbucks located close to the Oceanside Pier or downtown Oceanside area. She says someone told her it was because the founder of Starbucks is anti-military, and since Oceanside is home to a large marine base, he refused to serve this area. This rumor is based on misinformation that has been around for years. A widely circulated email claimed Starbucks refused a request to send coffee to the troops in Iraq because the company does not support the war. In truth, while Starbucks as a corporation only gives to charities, many Starbucks employees have sent their allotment of free coffee overseas to the troops and are encouraged to do so. The marine sergeant who sent the original email has since recanted it.

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3/9/09 -- Airplane Contrails

Alexandra Riordan from Ocean Beach wants to know if those airplane contrails that linger in the sky are harmless or contain dangerous chemicals. This conspiracy theory has been around for more than a decade. Contrails are the streaks produced by the condensed water vapor from the exhaust of aircraft engines. Weather conditions can cause them to linger in the sky long after the plane is gone, and federal agencies and scientists have consistently denied so-called "chemtrails" exist. Example of Chemtrail Email

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3/6/09 -- Ear Predicts Heart Disease?

You may have heard that having a certain crease on your ear may indicate an increased risk of heart disease. This is true. Studies have shown that people with a transverse crease on their ear are much more likely to contract heart disease. A transverse crease is one that goes horizontally across the ear. The crease may indicate your body is short on elastin, a protein that affects blood vessel functioning. If you don't have enough elastin, you could be at greater risk of heart disease. Still, the presence of the crease alone does not mean you'll get heart disease. But it could provide a warning to pay closer attention to your overall risk.

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3/5/09 -- 24 Hours of Flights

A video being passed around online shows what claims to be a representation of every commercial flight in the world over a 24 hour period. The video is legitimate. The animation was produced by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. It was put together based on the regular daily departure and arrival times of all civil flight airports in the world. Each yellow dot represents an aircraft in flight. Watch The Video

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3/4/09 -- Stingray Photos

Pictures posted on the internet claim to show a mass migration of stingrays which look more like giant leaves floating in the sea. These photos are real. They show thousands of Golden Rays gathering in the Gulf of Mexico for their migration to the Yucatan Peninsula. Golden Rays, which are also known as Cow Nose Rays, measure up to 7 feet from wing-tip to wing-tip. Although they have poisonous stingers, they're known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools. See The Pictures

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3/3/09 -- AIG Bailout

The government has pledged another $30 billion to bail out insurance giant AIG on top of the $150 billion it has already received. According to an email being sent around, Congress supported the bailout because AIG insures the Congressional pension trust. This is fiction. Federal pensions aren't insured by any company. Plus, it was the Federal Reserve that bailed out AIG, not Congress. AIG isn't just an ordinary insurance company. It actually insures the debt of other financial institutions worldwide. The government fears that if AIG fails, it would have a catastrophic impact on the U.S and global financial industries.

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3/2/09 -- Obama Book Display

A picture being emailed around shows a display window featuring books about President Barack Obama with a book about monkeys in the middle. The email claims it was the window display at a Barnes & Noble in Florida. This is true. It's from a store in Coral Gables. A spokesperson for Barnes & Noble apologized and said the monkey book was put in the window by a customer playing a prank. See The Picture

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2/27/09 -- Teflon Coating

Wil Cortez from Oceanside wants to know if eating food cooked in sauce pans coated with non-stick teflon that's peeling can cause stomach cancer. The jury is still out on that one. The main issue with teflon is a processing aid called PFOA, which may be a carcinogen. In 2006, non-stick pan manufacturers agreed to phase it out by 2015. Many companies now tout "PFOA-free" cookware. That aside, teflon itself has been shown to release fumes that are toxic to birds when its heated above 500 degrees. Opening a window will help reduce your exposure when using teflon over a high flame. As for teflon that's peeling, you're best off throwing the item away if you don't want to take any chances.

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2/26/09 -- DTV Box Hoax

In a video being passed around the internet, a man opens his DTV converter box and reveals a tiny video camera and microphone inside. The accompanying email claims the government placed these devices in the converter boxes to spy on citizens. This video is a hoax. The DTV boxes are only being used by people using rabbit ear and rooftop antennas which are designed soley for the reception of tv signals. Even if there were a camera and microphone in the converter box, the sound and images have nowhere to go. According to wired.com, it would take someone about five minutes with a hot glue gun and parts from an old cell phone to create this phony converter box. See The Video

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2/24/09 -- State of the Union

Even though President Obama's speech tonight looked like a "State of the Union" address, it wasn't called one. This has become the norm for presidents just after taking office. JFK was the last president to call the speech a "State of the Union" in his first year. There is actually nothing in the Constitution that requires an annual State of the Union address. In fact, it wasn't until Franklin Roosevelt that it became an annual speech. Most of the presidents before him gave their yearly report on the country in written form. It didn't become the prime time speech we're used to until Lyndon Johnson in 1965. Before that, the speech was delivered in the early afternoon.

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2/20/09 -- The Oscar

Why is the Academy Award called Oscar? No one knows for sure. There are two popular stories. The first is that, in the show's early years, an Academy librarian said the little golden man looked like her Uncle Oscar and the name stuck. The other story claims actress Bette Davis named the award after her first husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson. Whatever the true story may be, the award was first called Oscar in print in the early 1930's, and was officially dubbed Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1939.

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2/19/09 -- Left-Handed Presidents

You may have heard that an abnormally high number of presidents have been left-handed. In recent history, that's true. About 10% of the general population is left-handed. Yet, 4 out of the last 7 presidents have been left-handed and that doesn't include Ronald Reagan who was ambidextrous. President Obama is a lefty, as was his election opponent John McCain. In 1992, all three of the major candidates were left-handed. It's difficult to evaluate all the presidents in history because prior to the 20th century, left handedness was considered a disability and teachers would force students to learn to use their right hand.

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2/18/09 -- Uncle Ben

Gustavo from Oceanside wants to know if Uncle Ben was a real person. The answer is probably. According to the official Uncle Ben website, Ben was an african-american rice farmer in the Houston area at the turn of the century who became famous for the quality of his crop. He reportedly died in the 1940's, after which the president of the Converted Rice company decided to name his product "Uncle Ben's Converted Rice." The person used to represent Uncle Ben on the packaging was Frank Brown, a maitre d' in a Chicago restaurant back in the 1940's.

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2/17/09 -- Google Searches

An article being passed around the internet claims that performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea. That claim is misleading. Boiling a kettle generates about 15 grams of CO2. A one-hit Google search generates about 2/10 of a gram. It's only Google searches that last for several minutes that produce that much energy. Google searches often involve multiple servers thousands of miles apart, so the nature of your search matters as well. One website many people have started using is "Blackle." It's the Google search engine on a black screen, which in theory uses less energy because a monitor requires less power to display a dark screen than a light one.

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2/16/09 -- Presidents Day

Many of you had today off for what you probably thought was a federal holiday called Presidents Day. It turns out, there is no such federal holiday. Officially, the national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February is Washington's birthday. Some states have Presidents Day, including here in California. But other states celebrate Washington and Lincoln's birthdays as separate holidays. Others just celebrate Washington's birthday.

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2/12/09 -- Lincoln and Kennedy

A list has been circulating for years detailing amazing coincidences between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Among them, that they were elected to Congress and the Presidency exactly 100 years apart, that their assassins were born exactly 100 years apart, and that Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, while Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln. First the election year claims. They are true. Secondly, the assassin claim. That is fiction. John Wilkes Booth was born in 1838, while Lee Harvey Oswald was born in 1939. Finally, the secretary claim. That is also false. While Kennedy did have a secretary named Evelyn Lincoln, there is no record of Lincoln ever having a secretary named Kennedy.

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2/11/09 -- Stamp Prices

The price of a first class stamp is going up 2-cents starting May 11th. Under current law, the Postal Service is allowed to raise prices each year in May, with the new prices announced in February. The amount of the hike is tied to the rate of inflation the year before. The Postal Service can declare "extraordinary circumstances" and ask for a larger increase. But, despite losing nearly $3 billion last year, the Postal Service declined to do so out of fear it would cause a severe drop in mail volume.

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2/10/09 -- Stock Market Clapping

Sharma Haase from Spring Valley wants to know why you always see people standing around clapping as the stock market is closing for the day. Since the opening and closing bell gets a great deal of media coverage, the New York Stock Exchange invites special guests to do the honor. The bell ringing itself is an event for these folks, so their excitement is completely divorced from the performance of the market that day.

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2/09/09 -- Acorns In The Transmitter

A video being passed around the internet shows 300 pounds of nuts being removed from a microwave antenna. This video is legit. A telephone company's microwave receiver stopped working, so a worker came out and discovered the nuts inside. Woodpeckers had punched little holes in the transmitter and used it to store their acorns. The antenna did start working again once it was cleaned out. Link To Video

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2/06/09 -- Great Wall of China

It has been wildly reported that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from space. This is false. If we take space to mean a low earth orbit such as the one traveled by the space shuttle, there are many things visible including roads, airports, bridges, dams and the pyramids in Egypt. The Great Wall of China, on the other hand, is barely visible.

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2/05/09 -- Free Pancakes

There's a rumor floating around that IHOP is about to give away free food. It's true. On February 24th, IHOP restaurants will offer a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7am to 10pm. For every stack served, guests will be invited to make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

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2/04/09 -- 809 Area Code

An email making the rounds warns you about scam phone messages that trick you into calling a number in the 809 area code by saying you've won a prize or a loved one has passed away. The email claims the area code is in Dominican Republic and will cost you $2,400 a minute to call it. While the basics of this email are true, some of the details are exaggerated. First of all, it does not cost nearly that much to call the 809 area code which is indeed the Dominican Republic. The scam has also been used with other area codes, so a good rule is just to never call a number you're not sure about.

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2/03/09 -- Girl Scout Cookies

Brigitte Tribble from San Marcos wants to know if the peanut butter used in Girl Scout cookies is involved in the salmonella outbreak. It is not. The Girl Scouts have gone to great lengths to assure the public their cookies are safe. They've put "Peanut Butter Safe" labels on their cookies containing peanut butter. They've also put out a press release saying that neither of the two licensed bakers affiliated with the Girl Scouts get their peanut butter from the supplier involved in the outbreak.

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2/02/09 -- Swiffer Wetjets

Candace from Sunshine Summit wants to know if Swiffer Wetjets pose a danger to pets. They do not. Proctor and Gamble addresses this rumor on its website. It says your pet would not be killed even if it drank a lot of Swiffer solution. The A.S.P.C.A.'s animal poison control center also confirms the ingredients in the Swiffer Wetjet system do not pose a danger to pets.

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1/30/09 -- Super Bowl Disneyland

You may have heard that Super Bowl Sunday is a great day to visit Disneyland because the park is virtually deserted. Unfortunately that's not true. While it may have been the case years ago, the Disneyland crowds on Super Bowl Sunday are now comparable to any other Sunday in January or February. If you want to hit Disneyland with smaller crowds, avoid weekends altogether. Your best bet is to go in the off season on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Just keep in mind the hours will likely be shorter and there's a greater chance some of the rides will be down for maintenance. One other good time to go is just after Labor Day when children are back in school.

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1/29/09 -- Pole Dance Drawing

You may have seen the story of a drawing done by a 1st grade student for a class assignment on what she wants to be when she grows up. The girl drew this picture with the words "When I grow up I want to be like mommy." As you can see, mom appears to be dancing on a pole with people offering her money. It turns out, mom works at Home Depot. There had been a blizzard and all the shovels sold out. The woman found one last shovel in the back room and a group of customers fought over who would get to buy it. The woman told her girl this story and that is what's depicted in this picture.

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1/28/09 -- Holding Back A Sneeze

You've probably been told since you were a child that it's dangerous to hold back a sneeze. It's true. The blast of air from a sneeze can reach 100 miles an hour. Researchers have found trying to hold that back can burst your ear drum, tear blood vessels in the head, and in extreme cases even cause a sinus hemorrhage. Sneezing is one of the main tools your body uses to get rid of germs and dust.

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1/26/09 -- Backwards PIN

Stacy from Carmel Valley wants to know if an email making the rounds regarding a backwards pin number could possibly be true. The email claims if you're ever forced by a robber to withdraw money from an atm, you can secretly notify police by entering your pin backwards. This email is fiction. Although such technology exists, banks have shown little interest in using it. There are many potential problems with the concept including pin numbers that are palindromes, and are therefore the same forward and backwards. Also, imagine how difficult it would be to quickly figure out your pin in reverse with a gun pointed at you.

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1/23/09 -- Cal Worthington

Patti Hartman from Rancho Bernardo wants to know if used car dealer Cal Worthington is still alive. He certainly is. The 88-year old continues to advertise heavily in San Diego and other cities where he owns dealerships. You can still see him in some of those ads although his son, who sounds much like him, sometimes does the voice overs now. Worthington's commercials, which for years featured his "Dog Spot," have been running since the 1960's.

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1/22/09 -- Cars on the Chopping Block

You may have heard some well known cars including the PT Cruiser, Hummer and the entire Saturn line are being cut. For the most part it's true. 2009 will be the last year for the PT Cruiser The car was a hit when it was introduced in 2000. But Chrysler announced plans to discontinue it earlier this month. The Hummer H3 is also on its way out. General Motors promised to sell or cancel the brand when it asked Congress for federal aid last year. It's widely expected to be eliminated in 2009. As for the Saturn line, this one isn't official yet. But GM told congress it plans to concentrate its resources on four core brands and Saturn isn't one of them. Also on the chopping block this year are the Dodge Viper and the Lexus SC.

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1/20/09 -- Inauguration Lore

You may have heard that one president's death was blamed on the inauguration ceremony. It's true. On March 4, 1841, William Henry Harrison gave an inaugural address in the cold and rain that lasted almost two hours. The 68-year old Harrison wanted to prove he wasn't a frail old man so he decided not to wear his overcoat. After the speech, he rode through the streets in the inaugural parade again without his coat. Not surprisingly, Harrison caught a cold which eventually developed into pneumonia. William Henry Harrison died after just 30 days in office, the shortest presidency in American history.

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1/19/09 -- MLK Day Mistake

As the story goes, a plaque made for a 2002 Martin Luther King Day celebration in Florida gave thanks to Dr. King's assassin James Earl Ray. Amazingly, it's true. For their annual MLK Day celebration, the people of Lauderhill, Florida invited actor James Earl Jones to be their featured speaker. In appreciation, they ordered a plaque and were horrified when it came with an inscription thanking James Earl Ray for "keeping the dream alive." AdPro, the company that made the plaque, claimed the error was an innocent, albeit stupid mistake. The plaque was corrected in time for the celebration.

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1/16/09 -- Http vs Https

An email being sent around claims there's a simple way to tell if a website is a safe place to enter your personal information. According to the email, if a web address starts with http:// the website is not secure and the information you type in can be easily viewed. On the other hand, a web address starting with https:// is much more secure. It encrypts the information you input, making it nearly impossible to access. The claims of this email are fact. While https:// is not a guarantee of safety, it goes a long way to keep your sensitive information safe. You also need to make sure you're dealing with a reputable company and not a phony site set up by crooks.

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1/15/09 -- Washington Padres

You may have heard that a set of baseball cards were printed with the Padres' city listed as Washington. It's true! After the 1973 season, the Padres were rumored to be moving to Washington, D.C. The Topps baseball card company obviously felt confident it was going to happen. So it printed a number of cards of Padres players with Washington at the top. Once the move fell through, Topps reprinted the cards with the the correct "San Diego" heading. But the Washington cards are still floating around out there and are now considered collectors items.

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1/14/09 -- Damaged Plane Engine

Photos being sent around the internet show a damaged jet engine with seat belts apparently being used to hold it together. The accompanying email claims it's from an Air China plane that took back off after this patched-together repair job was performed. This is complete fiction. While the pictures are legitimate, they are of a cargo plane that was hit by a missle over Iraq in 2003. The seat belts were used to help secure the engine's fan blades while it was removed from the aircraft. The plane never took back off in this damaged and obviously unsafe condition.

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1/13/09 -- Statue of LIberty's Color

You may have heard the Statue of Liberty's color has changed dramatically over the years. It's true. The statue is made out of copper and the curren greenish-blue color is the result of exposure to the elements over the years. Lady Liberty's original color was similar to what we see on pennies.

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1/9/09 -- John Denver Sniper?

There's a rumor singer John Denver served as an Army sniper in Vietnam. That rumor is fiction. John Denver's father was one of the first officers in the Air Force when it reformed after World War II. John himself had hopes of joining the Air Force, but his substandard eyesight prevented him from becoming a military pilot. In 1964, Denver received a draft notice for the Army. But because of injuries he suffered in a lawnmower accident, he never served in any branch of the military.

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1/8/09 -- Batteries in the Freezer

Susan Leach from Mira Mesa wants to know if you should put batteries in the freezer to help them stay fresh longer. The answer is basically no. Alkaline batteries stored at room temperature self-discharge at a rate of less than 2% per year. So freezing them will only help maintain their charge a tiny amount. In addition, if you don't allow the battery to warm up after removing it from the refridgerator, it won't send out the proper electrical charge, making it less effective.

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1/7/09 -- 8 Glasses of Water a Day?

You've probably heard the claim that you need to drink 8 glasses of water each day to avoid being dehydrated. That is fiction. You need to take in enough water to replace the amount you lose each day through activity and bodily functions. But that amount varies from person to person based on factors including age, activity level, and climate. The rule of thumb is you need 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. But remember you can get that water from all sorts of beverages and food. So you can count the coffee, soda, and juice you drink each day as part of your fluid intake. A good general rule is to drink when you feel thirsty.

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1/6/09 -- Pet Illnesses

Jessica Branson from Mission Hills wants to know if you can catch a cold or flu from your pet. The answer is no. The virus that causes the common cold in humans is species-specific, which means you can't spread it to your dog or cat and they can't spread it to you. The same is true for the influenza virus.

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1/5/09 -- Super Chargers Song

We’re hearing the “San Diego Super Chargers” song a lot these days. It has been the team’s musical theme for decades. You may think you’ve heard the same singer in television commercials, and it’s true. “San Diego Super Chargers” is sung by Leonard Tucker. He was hired to record an updated version of the song back in 1984. His voice can also be heard in the “Mossey Nissan” and “Sid’s Carpet Barn” commercial jingles. Tucker also sings the jingle for “Smooth Jazz 98.1.”

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1/2/09 -- Cell Phones In Hospitals

Some say cell phone signals can disrupt hospital equipment and can even lead to the death of patients. A study by the Mayo Clinic says otherwise. 300 tests using two cell phones, four carriers, and almost 200 medical devices were conducted over five months. The results showed not one problem occurred with the medical equipment.

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12/31/08 -- New Year's Driving

Many people think New Year’s Day is the most dangerous day of the year to drive. That is actually fiction. The Insurance Institue For Highway Safety analyzed data over a 17 year span from 1986 to 2002. It calculated the average number of people who died in car crashes every day of the year. July 3rd and 4th were actually the days that were the most dangerous. They were followed by December 23rd, August 3rd, and then January 1st.

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12/29/08 -- Texting & Driving

As of January 1st, it is illegal to text-message while you drive. But many people think it’s still okay to text when you're stopped at a red light. This is not true. You're still considered driving when you stop at a traffic signal. You can text if you're parked on the side of a road and passengers in a car can text any time. You're still allowed to dial your phone to place a call as long as you're using a hands-free headset. Under the new law, first time violators face a $20 fine. It goes up to $50 for subsequent offenses.

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12/26/08 -- Boxing Day

Boxing Day is observed the first weekday after Christmas in countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. Some people in the U.S think the holiday comes from the need to get rid of empty boxes the day after Christmas. This is wrong. It also has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. Boxing Day started in Britain as a day to give gifts to the less fortunate. Gifts among equals were exchanged on or before Christmas, while the less fortunate were given gifts the day after. As for why it's called Boxing Day, no one knows for sure. But one popular theory is those gifts were put in boxes.

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12/25/08 -- Poinsettias Poisonous?

Poinsettias have long been believed to be toxic to anyone or anything that eats their leaves. But this is false. According to Ecke Poinsettia Growers, the origin of this toxic tale first got started in 1919, when a two year old child died of poisoning. The death was incorrectly assumed to be from a poinsettia leaf. Poinsettias can cause an upset stomach, if their leaves are ingested by small children or animals. But a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 poinsettia leaves to be poisoned by the plant.

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12/24/08 -- Santa's Zip Code

Some say in Canada, Santa Claus’ zip code is ho-ho-ho. That rumor is true. Every year, children write to Santa, with addresses such as the North Pole, clogging up the mail system. In Canada, the postal codes are six characters, alternating letters and numbers. So in 1982, Canadian postal officials made Santa's official code H0H0H0. Approximately one million pieces of mail are sent to that zip code each year. All of those letters are read, then answered in the language or form in which it was written, be it English, Japanese or even Braille.

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12/22/08 -- Santa's Reindeer

Two of Santa's reindeer are well known as Donner and Blitzen. But some say they originally had other names. That’s a fact. The names of the eight reindeer were originally doled out in the 1823 poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." In that poem, the two were named Dunder and Blixem for a popular Dutch phrase meaning "thunder and lightning." But somewhere along the way the names got changed. First Blixem to Blixen to rhyme with "vixen.” Then from Dunder to Donder, possibly to make it more in line with English pronunciation. How the final changes to Donner and Blitzen were made is not quite clear.

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12/19/08 -- Candy Canes

Some say candy canes were created by a candy maker in Indiana to symbolize Jesus with the shape of the letter “J” and colors representing the purity and blood of Christ. That is fiction. Candy canes were around long before there even was an Indiana, and they initially didn't have the red coloration or the stripes. Those didn't come until a couple hundred years after the candy cane was first invented. Pre-1900 Christmas cards show plain white canes.

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12/17/08 -- Rain Headlights

You may have heard the law requires you to turn on your headlights when you use your windshield wipers. It's true. According to a law passed in 2005, you must turn on your lights any time the weather is bad enough to require the use of your wipers. That includes rain, mist, snow, or fog. Failure to do so could get you a ticket.

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12/15/08 -- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" has become a part of Christmas folklore. But according to rumor, Rudloph was originally created as a promotional gimmick for Montgomery Ward department stores. It's true. Rudolph was created in 1939 when the company asked one of its copy writers to come up with a Christmas story it could give away to shoppers in a booklet. So 34-year old Robert L. May came up with the story of a reindeer ostracized because of his red nose. The story was a huge hit and was printed commercially in 1947. By the way, May considered the names Rollo and Reginald before settling on Rudolph for his title character.

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12/12/08 -- Chop Suey

Chop Suey is a staple in Chinese restaurants. But some people claim the dish is actually American. It's true. Chop Suey did not exist in old China. Although there is disagreement about its exact origins, Chop Suey was created in the mid to late 1800’s here in the United States. As for where the name came from, the Cantonese words for "odds and ends" are "shap sui" which was likely anglicized into "Chop Suey."

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12/11/08 -- Meaning of A.D.

Dwight Dengler from Ocean Beach wants to know if A.D. stands for "After Death of Christ." It does not. While B.C. does indeed stand for "Before Christ," A.D. stands for "Anno Domini" which is Latin for "In The Year Of Our Lord. If you think about it, A.D. could not mean "After Death." The year 1 A.D. comes directly after 1 B.C. If A.D. meant “After Death,” the 33 or so years in Jesus’ life would not be accounted for.

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12/10/08 -- I Love Lucy

The tv classic "I Love Lucy" is not usually associated with San Diego. But did you know the show's stars had strong ties to San Diego? It's true. In fact Vivian Vance, who played Ethel Mertz, was cast on the show after Desi Arnaz saw her performing at the La Jolla Playhouse. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz owned a home in Del Mar at 1920 Ocean Front Drive. They were frequent visitors to the race track and raced their own horses for a time. Desi eventually retired in Del Mar, taught at San Diego State, and was cremated at Cypress View Crematory on Imperial Ave.

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12/9/08 -- Disneyland Characters

You may have heard that women are usually chosen to play the male characters at Disneyland, such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. It’s true. Insiders tells us there are two reasons for this. First, cast members need to be short enough to fit into the costumes. Secondly, Disneyland doesn't want characters to have any gender-specific movements. So having women inside the costumes keeps the characters more androgynous. While this rule is not set in stone, we're told 9 out of 10 times the person inside the costume at Disneyland is a woman.

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12/8/08 -- Daily Hair Washing

Gloria Sanchez from La Jolla wants to know if washing your hair on a daily basis is bad for it. The general consensus seems to be yes. Unless your hair is extremely oily, washing it every day can dry it out and strip it of its natural oils. If you have oily hair and don't want to wash every day, many experts recommend a dry shampoo which you sprinkle on like a powder.

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12/5/08 -- Barcodes

With a lot of people worried about products from China, an email making the rounds claims you can tell what country a product comes from by the barcode. Unfortunately, it's not true. The UPC barcode, which is standard in this country, does not identify the country of origin of a product. Products from some other parts of the world contain a barcode in which the first three numbers represent the “Country Code.” But all that tells you is where that code was assigned, not where the product was made. So if you want to know where a product comes from, look for the "made in" label on the packaging. More Details

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12/4/08 -- Mailing Money

This time of year many people are slipping money into cards for their loved ones. But there's a widespread belief that sending cash or coins through the mail is illegal. It's not, but it's ill advised. Sending money through the mail is a bad idea because you're out of luck if it gets lost, stolen or destroyed. Sending coins is an especially bad idea because the weight could increase the cost of postage. There is a law against sending chain letters that involve sending money through the mail. It's possible that law has been misconstrued as an overall ban on mailing cash.

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12/3/08 -- Most Dangerous Road

William from Mira Mesa wrote us to ask if the so-called “World’s Most Dangerous Road” in Bolivia is real. It most definitely is. It's the North Yungas Road, but unofficially it's known as "El Camino De La Muerte" or "Death Road." According to some estimates, 200-300 travelers die each year on the road. It winds through a mountain, has the width of just one lane, has no guard rails, and has drop offs of at least 2,000 feet. To make matters worse, the road surface is muddy and there is constant rain and fog.

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12/4/08 -- Hanukkah Card Goof

You may have heard this year's invitation to the White House Hanukkah reception featured a Christmas tree. It's true. The cards, which were sent to jewish leaders nationwide, show the image of the White House Christmas Tree being pulled by a horse-drawn cart with a Christmas wreath tacked-on to the White House in the background. A spokesperson for the Bush Administration says the wrong image was used because of a mistake by the White House staff. The correct Hanukkah invitations featuring a menorah were later sent out.

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12/1/08 -- Black Pepper

Stephen Phelps from Banker's Hill wants to know if black pepper either lengthens your life or clogs your arteries. Although there's a little bit of chatter about it on the internet, there is no medical evidence that pepper clogs your arteries. Clogged arteries are caused by a buildup of fatty deposits called plaque. Pepper is not considered a risk factor in plaque build-up. In fact, many people claim black pepper has many health benefits including helping in digestion and congestion.

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11/28/08 -- Black Friday

It is popularly believed that Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year here in the U.S. Not true. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Saturday before Christmas is typically the biggest, as last-minute shoppers hit the stores. Black Friday ranks closer to 4th or 5th on the list.

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11/27/08 -- Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving has become synonymous with eating turkey, leading most people to think it was a tradition started by the Pilgrims. That’s not true. No one knows if the Pilgrims even ate turkey. But we know they didn’t have potatoes, stuffing, or even cranberries. We do know they had deer. So from where did the turkey on Thanksgiving tradition originate? It came from the Victorians who prepared Thanksgiving that way. They’re also the ones who made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, when Abe Lincoln issued his presidential Thanksgiving proclamations.

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11/26/08 -- Tryptophan and Turkey

Most people think eating turkey makes you sleepy because it contains a substance called Tryptophan. While turkey does indeed contain Tryptophan, the sleepy part is pure fiction. Tryptophan is a natural sedative, but it doesn't act on the brain unless it's taken on an empty stomach with no protein present. In addition, the amount eaten during Thanksgiving is generally too small to have a noticeable effect. The lazy, lethargic feeling you get at the end of the meal is most likely due to the combination of drinking alcohol and eating too many carbohydrates. Another thing to keep in mind, the average serving of chicken and ground beef contains as much Tryptophan as turkey, and you probably don't fall asleep after eating those foods.

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11/25/08 -- Hillary Ineligible?

President-Elect Barack Obama is expected to nominate Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. But some people claim she's ineligible for the job. It has to do with something called the "Emoluments Clause" in the Constitution. It states that a person serving in elected office can't be appointed to another office in which the salary was increased during that same term. A pay raise was given to the Secretary of State during Senator Clinton's term, so some claim she can't take the job. This has actually come up in the past. When President Nixon wanted Senator William Saxbe to be his Attorney General he had Congress reduce the wage. If this became an issue again, President Obama would no doubt do the same thing.

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11/24/08 -- Mind Your P's & Q's

Rosemarie from Coronado wants to know the real meaning of minding your “P’s and Q’s.” Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure. But the most common story is that it comes from English pubs in the 17th century. Bartenders would keep a watch on the alcohol consumption of the patrons, keeping an eye on the pints and quarts consumed. As a reminder, the bartender would recommend they "mind their P's and Q's." The other story told most often is that it comes from early printing presses in which the letters were reversed in the typeset. P's and Q's were easy to mistake for each other, so workers were warned to watch out for them.

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11/21/08 -- Free Dr. Pepper

According to rumor, Dr. Pepper is offering a free soda to every person in America. It's actually true. In March, the soft drink maker said it would give a free soda to everyone in the country if the music group Guns N' Roses released it's album "Chinese Democracy" this year. The album has been delayed since recording began 14 years ago. It finally goes on sale Sunday, November 23. So on that one day you can download a coupon for a free 20-ounce soda from Dr. Pepper's website.

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11/20/08 -- McDonald's Spoons

According to an email still making the rounds, McDonald's stopped using tiny spoons as coffee stirrers because people were using them to snort cocaine. It's true. In the late 1970's it became apparent the small plastic coffee spoons were being used for more than their intended purpose. McDonald's reacted to the problem by redesigning the stirrer, replacing the spoon with a flat paddle. While it didn't put an end to cocaine use, it distanced the fast food chain from an undesirable connection to the world of illegal drugs.

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11/19/08 -- Mice Hate Cheese?

It has become an accepted fact that mice are drawn to cheese, but it’s simply not true. The cheese lobby and decades of cartoons have told us otherwise, but a mouse's diet is primarily made up of grains and fruit. They typically avoid something as strong in smell and rich in taste as cheese. Scientists say mice prefer a tender plum, Museli mix, or peanut butter, basically anything with a high sugar content.

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11/18/08 -- SigAlerts

When freeway congestion gets especially heavy the CHP may declare a SigAlert. Many people think it stands for "signal alert" but that's wrong. The SigAlert was named after Loyd Sigmon, a radio executive who ran Los Angeles station KMPC in the 1950's. He came up with the idea of having police call his station every time a major accident happened. The broadcast of those traffic advisories were coined “Sig Alerts", a term which sticks to this day. To make it official, the Oxford English Dictionary added SigAlert as a word in 1993.

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11/17/08 -- Naming Brush Fires

Noel Davidson from El Cajon wants to know how brush fires are named and who names them. It typically has to do with the location of the fire. For example, the fire in Montecito was named the "Tea Fire" because it started in an area known as "Tea Garden." As for who gets to name fires, it's simply a matter of timing. A spokesperson from Cal Fire tells us the first engine company that arrives at a fire gets to name it. It doesn't matter if that fire company is from a different jurisdiction. If it arrives first, it gets naming rights.

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11/14/08 -- Amero Coin

A video by a man named Hal Turner claims the U.S, Canada, and Mexico are switching to a single currency known as the Amero, which is already being used in trade agreements in China. This is not true. The Amero actually is a real coin but it's not legal currency. It's a collector coin marketed to coin enthusiasts. The Amero was designed to raise awareness about the North American Free Trade Agreement. But the marketing has spun into a conspiracy theory.

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11/13/08 -- Eye Strain

You were probably told as a kid that reading in low light was bad for your eyes. It's not true. Your eyes are not harmed by reading in dim light. They may get tired because of the extra effort it takes to see clearly but no damage will occur. There is also no scientific evidence that sitting too close to the tv, staring at a computer screen for a long time, or wearing someone else's glasses will hurt your eyes.

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11/12/08 -- Flash Mountain

Rumor has it that women sometimes expose themselves to the camera that takes pictures of Splash Mountain riders at Disneyland as they plunge down the final waterfall. It's true. Over the years it has happened many times. A cast member intercepts the photos so they don't appear on the monitors when you exit the ride. But, not surprisingly, many of the pictures have found their way onto the internet. Of course anyone caught flashing the camera is subject to removal from the park. If someone you happen to be riding with pulls this stunt you can usually go back to the front of the line and ride again so your souvenir photo won't be ruined.

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11/11/08 -- Miracle Berries

Legend has it there's a fruit that, when eaten, can cause sour foods to taste sweet. It's true. The fruit is Synsepalum dulcificum. Most people just call it Miracle Berry. The fruit contains a molecule which binds to your tongue's taste buds causing bitter food to taste sweet for up to two hours. The "miracle berry" is originally from West Ghana but it's now grown here in the United States. You can find it at nurseries that sell rare plants. But be warned, it can cost up to a few dollars per berry.

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11/10/08 -- Testicular Cancer & Cell Phones

Maggie M. from Oceanside asks if cell phones cause testicular cancer in men who keep them in their pockets. The jury is out. Cell phones do emit radiation which is known to damage tissue. But the medical community is not in agreement on whether cell phones cause cancer. Most of the research has been done on brain cancer. However studies do show a link between heavy cell phone use and lower sperm count and quality. An Ohio fertility clinic study found men who used their phone more than four hours a day had much lower sperm counts and higher amounts of poor quality semen.

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11/07/08 -- Gideon Bibles

Just about every hotel room in the country has a Gideon Bible, but why? The Gideons International formed in 1899, a year after two traveling businessmen shared a hotel room and found they had a common faith. In 1908, the organization decided to provide a bible to every hotel room in America. Typically when a new hotel opens a representative of the local Gideons chapter will make contact with the general manager and offer to donate bibles. The Gideons have distributed an estimated 1.4 billion bibles worldwide including 500 million in the last decade.

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11/06/08 -- Amazing Plane Landing

This stunning video is being sent around the internet. Link To Video The video supposedly shows an air race pilot successfully landing his plane after one of its wings snapped off in mid-air. This video is almost certainly fake. For one, the landing looks suspect and is likely some sort of remote controlled plane. Secondly, if this had really happened it would have been broadcast on newscasts all over the world. This appears to be a viral video for the clothing company which is prominantly written on the wing. A big thanks to viewer Kirt Salisbury for bringing the video to our attention.

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11/03/08 -- Election Day

We hold our Presidential elections every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. But why? For much of our history most Americans lived on farms. So lawmakers felt November was the easiest month for farmers to vote because the fall harvest would be over. Since most people in rural America had to travel far to vote, Monday was considered unreasonable since people would need to begin travel on Sunday which would conflict with church services. So in 1845, Congress selected the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as a national day for voting.

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10/31/08 -- Candy Recall

An email making the rounds warns parents about a recall of "Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate Coins" because they contain melamine, the chemical blamed for killing babies in China. While this recall is real, it only effects Pirate's Gold candy made in Canada. The candy in question was not sold in the United States.

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10/30/08 -- Dog Years

The common belief is you multiply your dog's age by seven to find it's equivalent in human years. But this is far from accurate. Although it varies depending on size and breed, a 1-year-old dog is the rough equivalent of a 15-year-old human. At 2, a dog is about 24 in human years. You can see the rest of the conversion on this chart by Antech Diagnostics. Link To Chart

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10/29/08 -- Amazing Video

Kristen Davis from Rancho Bernardo wants to know if this video is real. The video shows Laurence Moroney of the New England Patriots diving through a car via the windows. It's one of a series of eye-popping videos put out by the league called "NFL Fantasy File." While no one will officially say the videos are fake, they're very much in the spirit of the video of Kobe Bryant jumping over a moving car which he admitted was not real. Also keep in mind all professional athletes have clauses in their contracts banning them from doing risky physical activities.

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10/28/08 -- Halloween Spending

Urban legend has it that more money is spent on Halloween than on any other holiday, except Christmas. This is false. When it comes to consumer spending, Christmas is followed by Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Father's Day. Still, Halloween is big business. From costumes, to candy, to decorations, the National Retail Federation estimates Americans will spend more than $5.7 billion this Halloween. On average, that's about $24 apiece for costumes, $20 for candy, $18 for decorations and close to $4 for greeting cards.

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10/24/08 -- Red Cars

It's a popular belief that red cars are ticketed for speeding more often than other colored vehicles. But there is no conclusive evidence this is true. Police across the country have consistently denied any connection between vehicle color and tickets. As for actual research, The St. Petersburg Times did a small study on the matter and found red cars accounted for 16% of citations for speeding, nothing out of the ordinary. The Journal of Applied Social Psychology also did a study in which it looked at speeding tickets for 22 months. It found red, grey and brown cars were the most likely to get a citation.

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10/22/08 -- Dow Jones Facts

You hear about its rise and fall every day on the news and many people think the Dow Jones Industrial Average reflects the performance of the entire stock market. That is not true. The Dow is a measure of the combined stock values of just 30 big U.S. companies. It was created in 1896 by Charles Dow and originally had 12 companies. The only original company still a part of the Dow is General Electric. The other companies in the current Dow include American Express, Bank of America, Home Depot, McDonald's, Verizon, and Disney. Some Wall Street experts downplay the importance of the Dow, preferring instead the "Standard and Poors 500" which reflects the stock performance of 500 companies.

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10/20/08 -- Coppertone Girl

According to popular belief the famous Coppertone girl was based on actress Jodie Foster. That is fiction, but it's easy to understand how the rumor got started. The girl in pigtails we all know and love was drawn in 1959 and was based on the artist's 3-year-old daughter named Cheri Brand. While the drawing was not based on Jodie Foster, the actress did get her start in showbiz in 1965 in a Coppertone commercial. She was 3 and appeared in the ad on a boat.

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10/17/08 -- Dolphin Rings

An amazing video being passed around the internet shows dolphins creating and playing with bubble rings. The dolphin pushes the ring around, sometimes breaking it into a smaller ring. Amazingly this is a real pheonenom observed in Bottlenose dolphins. They produce the rings by expelling air from their blowhole. Breathing in dolphins, unlike other mammals, is completely under voluntary control. So the ability to produce stable bubble rings may actually require some practice, expertise, and forethought. View Video

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10/16/08 -- Bugs In Our Food

You may have heard the Food and Drug Administration allows a certain number of insect and rodent parts in our food. It's true. For example, the FDA allows a maximum of 30 insect fragments per 100 grams of peanut butter, 5 fly eggs or one maggot per 250 mililiters of canned, citrus fruit juice, and 60 insect fragments per 100 grams of chocolate. While this may sound gross, the FDA says eating traces of bugs won't hurt you. An Ohio University fact sheet estimates we eat one to two pounds of insects each year without even knowing it.

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10/14/08 -- Axolotl

Pictures online show a smiling sea creature that looks like it's made out of rubber. But it's real. This is called an axolotl. It's a type of salamander which is native to a lake in central Mexico. They are also kept as pets around the world including here in the U.S. Axolotls can regenerate most body parts and are used extensively in scientific research. They remain in their larval form throughout their life which means they don't develop the protruding eyes, eyelids and characteristics of other salamanders.

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10/10/08 -- Electricity Drain

Jerry Levinson from Escondido says his wife recently saw a woman on tv who said she saved $100 a month by unplugging all electrical appliances when they're not being used. He wants to know if billable electricity usage occurs whenever an appliance is merely plugged in. According to several studies, including one from UC Berkley, this is true. The students and scientists discovered that the average California household pays between $50 and $70 a year to keep small appliances humming even when they go unused. They're called energy vampires and the biggest culprits according to the study are computers and printers, vcrs, Tivos, cable boxes, kitchen appliances and phone chargers. The study suggests you simply unplug these items when they're not in use. You won't save $100 a month, but it will make a difference.

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10/9/08 -- Color Coded Bread Tabs

Squeezing is most people's method of determining which loaf of bread is freshest at the store. But according to rumor, you can actually tell which loaf is newest by the color of the tab or twist tie. It's true. Bread is delivered to the grocery store every day except Wednesday and Sunday and each day the tab is a different color. Typically, Monday is blue, Tuesday is green, Thursday is red, Friday is white, and Saturday is yellow. So the next time you buy bread make sure you look for the color of the day. It is possible that some brands are on a different color rotation, so if your favorite brand doesn't seem to correspond with our list, contact the manufacturer.

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10/8/08 -- B of A Closing?

An email going around claims all U.S. banks will be shut down for a week and that Bank of America branches have even received special signs explaining the closure. This is not true. The days when all banking transactions could be halted by simply locking customers out of banks are long gone. ATMs, web sites, and all forms of electronic transfers would have to be shut down. Needless to say, this undertaking would garner a lot of attention and you'd be hearing about it through sources other than just forwarded emails. As for the scenario of someone spotting a cache of ominous signs, we've heard that before. Leading up to Y2K, the internet was buzzing with a story of someone spotting "Martial Law" signs in an overturned truck. That wasn't true either.

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10/7/08 -- Ear Wax Removal

Many people say when it comes to ear wax, it's best to leave it alone. That is true. Earwax actually acts as a cleaning agent, which also protects and lubricates part of the sensitive ear canal. Some people use cotton-tipped swabs to clean their ears out. But using a swab can actually drive excess wax in farther and medical attention is needed to remove it.

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10/6/08 -- Rib Removal

Stories have circulated about women who had a rib removed to achieve an ultra small waist. But there is no evidence of this actually happening. Most of the rumors involve celebrities including Cher, Jane Fonda, Raquel Welch, Janet Jackson, and many others who allegedly had a rib removed to stay slim. None of it's true.

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10/3/08 -- Speed Enforced By Radar

Viewer Calvin Hill tells us he sees signs along the freeways here in San Diego mentioning speed enforced by aircraft. But he's never heard of anyone getting a speeding ticket from a Highway Patrol officer flying an aircraft. This is not a myth. The CHP does indeed conduct operations in which an airplane monitors drivers' speed and notifies a unit on the ground when it catches someone going too fast. The CHP tells us they give out hundreds if not thousands of tickets a month using this method. The Highway Patrol schedules these operations in different areas at different times of day, so watch your speed.

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10/1/08 -- Biden Out, Hillary In?

According to an internet rumor, Joe Biden will step down as Barack Obama's running mate around October 5th, citing health problems, and be replaced by Hillary Clinton. While we can't say for a fact this won't happen, there is nothing to substantiate this claim. No presidential candidate has switched running mates in the middle of a campaign since George McGovern in 1972. We checked a website Obama has set up to dispel internet rumors he says are untrue. But there was nothing about the Biden story.

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9/30/08 -- The Truth About Jell-O

According to popular belief, Jell-O is made from the hooves of horses and cows. That's fiction, but the facts may not make you feel any better. Jell-O is made from gelatin, an animal product which is rendered by boiling the bones, skins and hides of cows and pigs. That process releases collagen which is filtered, dried and ground into a powder. Kraft, the company that makes Jell-O, says hooves do not contain enough collagen and therefore is not used in the production of the dessert. By the way, the FDA does not categorize Jell-O as a meat or animal product, so only the strictest of vegetarians won't eat it.

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9/29/08 -- Dow Loss In Perspective

The Dow lost 777 points today, the biggest one day point loss in the history of the stock market. However, this isn't even close to the biggest one day percentage drop. Today's loss represented a 6.9% drop for the Dow. But the 508 point drop in 1987 on Black Tuesday was much bigger -- an all-time high 23%. The second biggest percentage drop in history was on October 28th, 1929. On that day the market fell 38 points, which at the time represented a 13% decline. Percentage wise, today's drop is the 17th worst of all time.

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9/26/08 -- $26,000 A Night Hotel

Stories on the internet claim to show a new hotel that costs up to $26,000 dollars a night and sits on an island shaped like a palm tree. It's all true. The Atlantis Hotel opened this week in Dubai. The 113-acre resort is indeed on an artificial island shaped like a giant palm tree. Some of the high-end rooms feature windows that look out on to a giant aquarium. You can also enjoy a relaxing bath in which the water cascades from high up in the ceiling. And this is just the beginning. Donald Trump plans to open a hotel in the center of the palm and the QE2 ocean liner will become a hotel and tourist attraction docked alongside the island's tree trunk.

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9/24/08 -- Cell Numbers To Telemarketers

Kathie Kimball wants to know if cell phone numbers are being made available to telemarketers as of September 24. The answer is no. These email hoaxes pop up from time to time. If your cell phone number is already on the "Do Not Call" list, your work is done. The list doesn't expire. Even if you haven't, the FCC prohibits telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. But if you're at all worried about it, just register your number online at Donotcall.gov

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9/23/08 -- Phony UPS Email

An email making the rounds appears to be a harmless delivery notice from either UPS or Federal Express. But it's fake and could do serious harm to your computer. The email says: "Dear sir or madam, Unfortunately we were not able to deliver postal package you sent because the recipient's address is not correct. Please print out the invoice copy attached and collect the package at our office." It's signed either "Your UPS" or "Your FEDEX." If you click on the invoice attachment it launches a virus on your computer. You should never open an attachment unless you're 100 % sure about who sent it.

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9/19/08 -- Cass Elliot's Death

This would have been the 67th birthday of Mama Cass Elliot of "The Mamas and the Papas." She died in 1974, and according to legend, she choked to death on a ham sandwich. This is pure fiction. According to the Coroner's official findings, Cass Elliot died from heart failure brought on by fatty degeneration of the heart muscle. Nothing was found to have been blocking her mouth or throat. The myth about the ham sandwich appears to have been started by the first doctor to examine Elliot after her death who saw the sandwich next to her bed. In reality, it was likely the effects of her obesity and severe dieting that did her in.

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9/18/08 -- Coronado Bridge Shape

Norman from Encinitas says he read online the original design for the Coronado Bridge was much shorter and almost a straight span to the island. But in order to qualify for federal funding, the city curved and lengthened the bridge to meet the minimum length standard. Here's the real scoop from Caltrans. In order to qualify for federal funding the bridge had to be high enough to allow battleships to pass underneath it, in order to get to Naval Station San Diego and Nassco. So to achieve a 200-foot clearance, the bridge was lengthened and arched. It opened in 1969.

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9/17/08 -- Negative Calories In Celery?

Many people say eating celery results in negative calories. It's basically true, but don't get too excited. Celery, like all foods, does contain calories. It's 95% water, but has about 6 calories per 8 inch stalk. That's slightly less than what your body burns in chewing and more importantly digestion. However the difference is miniscule and not enough to make any considerable difference in your weight. But if you're looking for a food to fill you up to keep you from eating something fatty, celery is a great option.

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9/16/08 -- The Green Flash

Mike from Scripps Ranch wants to know if the Green Flash during sunset is real. Indeed it is. It has been captured on many videos and photos. A quick flash of green is visible at the very end of a sunset. It's usually seen at an unobstructed horizon, such as over the ocean. The reason for it is basic science. Sunlight rays curve slightly in the same direction as the curvature of the earth. Higher frequency light, such as green, curves more than lower frequency light, such as orange. So the green remains visible longer than the red during a sunset.

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9/15/08 -- Toilet-Themed Restaurant

Pictures on the internet show a toilet themed restaurant in Taiwan. It's true. It's called "Modern Toilet." All one hundred seats in the restaurant are made from toilet bowls and all the tables are either bathtubs or sinks with a glass top. All the food is served in a bowl or plate in the shape of a tub or toilet. Amazingly, this restaurant is not a novelty. There are 12 "Modern Toliets" in Taiwan and others in Japan and Hong Kong. And yes, they do serve chocolate soft serve.

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9/12/08 -- Is Sarah Lee Real?

Sara Lee is a popular brand of desserts and frozen products. But is she a real person? Yes, but she's not the brains behind the operation. In 1949, bakery owner Charles Lubin named his wholesale operation after his 9-year old daughter Sara Lee. For much of her life, Sarah Lee Lubin concealed her connection with baked goods. But she eventually emerged as a spokeswoman for the corporation that bears her name. She is still alive today. One more note about the company. A lot of people get its slogan wrong. Many think it's "Nobody does it like Sara Lee." But it's actually "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee."

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9/11/08 -- Throwing Away Paint

Tim from San Diego writes "Is it true that it's legal to place old paint in the trashcan as long as it's hard or dry?" The answer is yes. According to the city's Environmental Services Department, latex paint used in the home that's naturally dried and hard can be disposed in a city trash container. But you shouldn't dry the paint with the lid off or with an accelerant because air drying pollutes the air and is illegal. As for disposing other types of paint such as oil or lead-based, contact your local household hazardous waste facility for instructions.

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9/10/08 -- Thomas Crapper's Inventions

As the story goes, the flush toilet was invented by a Mr. Thomas Crapper. That is fiction, although Crapper was a real person. Crapper was an accomplished plumber in the 1800's who did invent some toilet improvements and helped increase its popularity. But the flush toilet was actually invented by Alexander Cummings in the 1700's. Crapper's company's name still adorns some manhole covers in England's Westminster Abbey. As for why Mr. Crapper's name became synonymous with the toilet, no one seems to have a definitive answer.

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9/9/08 -- Sarah Palin Library Censorship?

According to an email making the rounds, Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin tried to ban a long list of library books when she was Mayor of the Alaskan town of Wasilla. Those books include The Catcher in the Rye, Huckleberry Finn, The Color Purple, Canterbury Tales, and all the Harry Potter books. This email is inaccurate. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin did inquire about removing what she called "objectionable" books from the library. But she never mentioned any specific titles. Palin later said her question was simply rhetorical and part of a policy discussion. There's no evidence any books were censored or removed from the Wasilla public library.

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9/8/08 -- Toll Of Plastic Bottles

Many people think plastic bottles are easy on the environment because they can be recycled. Not exactly. The U.S. produces about 70 million empty water bottles a day While it's true they can be recycled, more than 80% of them end up in the trash. Also, the environmental costs of making the bottles are heavy when you take into account manufacturing, trucking, shelving and marketing. According to the Earth Policy Institute, the annual U.S. demand for plastic bottles requires enough oil to keep 100,000 cars on the road. Something to keep in mind the next time you're thirsty.

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9/1/08 -- Storm Destorys Turbine?
Watch Video

A video being passed around the internet looks like Hollywood special effects. According to the attached e-mail, it shows a wind turbine being blown apart by high winds. Amazingly, this video is legit. It was confirmed by the "Copenhagen Post." The video was shot in Denmark back in February. Two turbines were destroyed, prompting calls for an investigation. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

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8/29/08 -- Storm Names

You may have heard the names of storms are already planned out years in advance. It's true. 6 years worth of names for Atlantic storms have been picked by the World Meteorological Organization. So every 6 years the lists start over again. Since 1979, the names have alternated between male and female. So after Gustav, the next storm is Hannah and then Ike and so on. Two other interesting notes. If a hurricane is especially damaging, such as Katrina and Andrew, the name is retired. And, in the event all the names are used up in a given year, storms take the names from the greek alphabet -- Alpha, Beta, etc.

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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.