Robert Sacchi's Legendary Page Robert Sacchi's Legendary Page

Legendary Legends

They get started, often as a prank, sometimes as a joke, perhaps even by a typo. They evolve into rumor. The best of the worst become legends. People are most familiar with Urban Legends. However every venue has its own legends. The purpose of this page is to keep a record of these legends.

  • Aviation Legends
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  • Military Legends
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  • Science Legends
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  • Disaster Legends
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  • Legendary Predictions
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  • Political Legends
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  • History Legends
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  • Entertainment Legends
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  • Corona Virus Legends
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    Techno Legends

    The story: Since Facebook is now a publicly traded company you can get yourself privacy/copywright protection by posting this notice on your facebook site:
    PRIVACY NOTICE: Warning - any person and / or institution and / or Agent and / or Agency of any governmental structure including but not limited to the United States Federal Government also using or monitoring this website or any of its associated sites DO NOT have my permission to use any of my profile information nor any of the content contained herein including, but not limited to my photos, and / or the comments made about my photos or any other "picture" of art posted on my profile. You are hereby notified that it is strictly prohibited to disclose, copy, distribute, disclose or take any other action against me with regard to this profile and the contents herein. The previous prohibitions also apply to your employee, agent, student, or any personnel under your direction or control. The contents of this profile are private and confidential information and sensitive. The violation of my personal privacy is punishable by law. UCC 1-103 1-308

    A legend that dates back at least to the mid-1970s is the microwave story.
    The story: An old lady wanted to dry off her pet. I heard it was a cat. I heard someone repeat it as a French Poodle. The old woman put this unfortunate pet into a microwave. Exactly what happened next depends on how sadistic a mood the story teller is in.

    This legend also dates back at least to the late-1970s. Its origin probably had something to do with the high price of gasoline.
    The story: A Saudi Arabian buys a fully equiped van. One of the van's features is cruise control. The Saudi thinks it is the ground equivalent of automatic pilot. While driving on the road he puts on the cruise control steps to the rear to fix himself a drink. The van crashes.

    This legend makes the rounds in the computer field. It probably started the day after they started selling PCs with CD ROMs.
    The story: Somebody called up tech support and said his computer's coffee holder was broken. The tech support person eventually figured out the person thought their CD ROM drive was a coffee holder.

    The Web has been a spawning ground for numerous hoaxes. They are hydra headed.
    The story: You can do something wonderful with a couple of mouse clicks and you should encourage everyone you know to do the same.
    Interestingly enough there is one case where this wasn't a hoax. There is a site called The Hunger Site by going to this site and clicking a button a corporate sponsor would make contribution to feed the world's hungry. There are also 8 other causes you can support within this site.

    These hoaxes include:
    An email from edwardcole2@blumail.org stating your resume has been received and you should fill out the attached applicaiton
    MADD IS HOPING TO GET 5,000 SIGNATURES ON THIS, THEN PASS IT ON TO
    MADD did not generate this online petition which appeared on the web in 2000.

    Forward an email to help Liz Cohen and Little Jada.

    Please forward this to help this little girl. All forwarded: Emails are tracked to obtain the count. The email includes a sad story and a touching poem.

    Then there is the appeal to pure greed.
    The story: A representative of Mrs. Mariam Abacha, the spouse of the late Nigerian dictator, General Sanni Abacha, needs someone to help launder her money. The person who cooperates will get 30% and 10% more for expenses. The letter also asks for confidentiality.

    Then there is the appeal to greed and the assurance it isn't a hoax.
    The story: My name is Junior Johnson, founder of Cracker Barrel. In an attempt to get our name out to more people in the rural communities where we are not currently located, we are offering a $50 Gift Certificate to anyone who forwards this e-mail tto 9 of their friends. Just send this e-mail to them and you will receive an e-mail back with a confirmation number to claim your gift certificate. Sincerely Junior Johnson Founder of Cracker Barrell
    Hey guys, DONT DELETE THIS E-MAIL It really works, I tried it and got my Gift Certificate confirmation number in 3 minutes.

    The story: The government is going to do something nasty with your internet access. They have kept it so secret that you wouldn't have known about it if you didn't get this email. So pass this on to everyone you know. Example:
    • CNN has reported within the next two weeks Congress is going to vote on allowing telephone companies to CHARGE A TOLL FEE for internet access...
    • I guess the warnings were true. Federal Bill 602P 5-cents per E-mail Sent. It figuress! No more free E-mail! We knew it was coming! ...

    There was much talk about what will happen when the computer clocks turn to 01/01/00.
    The story: You should change the display setting to show a four digit year instead of a two digit year. The emails on this have ranged from "why take a chance" to "your computer will stop."
    In fact: It is just a display setting that has nothing to do with what the computer will do on January 1, 2000.

    The story: If you own a microwave or have contact with them - please take 5 misn to read this and find out why the nazis called them "radiation ovens" when they invented them - and why the former USSR totally banned them for any domestic use in 1985 yet they are still availabel world over:(
    "min" and "available" were mispelled in the original message which was circulating in June 2001.

    Then there is the ever popular watch out for an email virus.
    The story: If you receive an email titled (WHATEVER) don't open it. Delete it immediately! If you open this email it will delete everything on your hard drive.

    The story: PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW I received a telephone call last evening from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T Service technician who was conducting a test on telephone lines...

    Most hoaxes about computer viruses are harmless however one actually behaves like a computer virus.
    The story: I may have mailed you an email with a computer virus. It copies a file sulfnbk.exe onto computers. This program is set to activate on 1 June. If you have this on your computer delete it. The email comes with instructions on how to find and delete the file.
    In Fact:sulfnbk.exe is a useful file that is part of the MS Windows software. A variation on this concerns the file jdbgmgr.exe. That file is also part of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

    The story: "Use this patch immediately!" is the subject line of a message from Microsoft.
    In Fact: The message didn't come from Microsoft and the "patch" is a computer virus.

    BestBuy hoax.
    The story: An email claims it's from BestBuy and claims someone tried to fraudulently use your account and asks you to go to a customer service web site to verify BestBuy has the correct information on you.
    In fact: BestBuy learned of the hoax on June 18, 2003 and is currently investigating its origin.

    PayPal hoax.
    The story: PayPal official notice. Says your account has been restricted because of a problem with your credit card.
    In Fact: This is both a scam and a worm. The attachment shouldn't be opened.

    eBay hoax.
    The story: During our regular update and verification of the accounts, we could not verify your current information. Either your information has changed or it is incomplete...
    U.S. Bank hoax.
    The story: U.S. Bank is upgrading its security because of Microsoft Internet Exporer vulnerabilities so it wants you to enter your personal information to update their records.
    A Microsoft hoax.
    The story: Microsoft will pay you for forwarding this email.

    Then there are the Safety Messages.
    The story: IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR SAFETY-PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ. A friend stopped at a pay-at-the-pump gas station to get gas. Once she filled her gas tank after paying at the pump started to leave the attendand inside came over the speaker. He told her that something happened with her card and that she needed to come inside to pay. The lady was confused because the transaction showed complete and approved. She told him that and was getting ready to leaave but the attendant once again urged her to come in to pay or else. She proceeded to go inside and started arguinng with the attendant about his threat. He told her to calm down and listen carefully: He told her that while she was pumping gas, a guy slipped into the back seat of her car on the other side and he had called the police. She immediately became scared and looked out there in time to see her car door open and the guy slip out. The report is that the new gang initiation thing is to bring back a woman's body part. One way they are doing this is crawling under girls/women's cars while they're pumping gas or at grocery stores in the right time. They are cutting the lady's ankles to disable them in order to kidnap them, kill and dismember them. The other way is slipping into unattended cars and kidnapping the women to kill and dismember them.
    It goes on with warning about what women should do to avoid being a victim.

    The story: Very Important.. It's called "Spunkball".. Heard anything about this? Please keep all windows rolled up when stopped at traffic lights, as only cars with windows down are being targeted. Groups of teenagers have been caught, in alarming numbers, playing a new and dangerous game called Spunkball. Spunkball consists of a group of teens in a car pulling up to a stoplight, and looking around for a car stopped near by with an open window. When one is spotted, the teens shout, "Spunkball", and throw a gasoline soaked rag that has been wrapped in aluminum foil through the open window. On the outside of the foil attached a small firecracker, with the fuse lit. When the firecracker explodes, it shreds the foil, and the rag is ignited, causing a large flame that may catch the interior of the car on fire. Spunkball playing has already claimed two lives, caused uncountable injuries due to burns, and caused thousands of dollars in damage to automobiles. The best defense, say authorities, is to keep all windows rolled up when stopped at traffic lights, as only cars with windows down are being targeted. If you are at a red light and hear a shout of "Spunkball", and notice something come flying in your window, the best thing to do is to have all passengers immediately exit the vehicle. DO NOT try to retrieve the object, as it will ignite once the firecracker explodes. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT.

    The story: IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSCREEN, DO NOT STOP TO CHECK THE CAR , DO NOT OPERATE THE WIPER AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER, BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOME MILKY AND BLOCK YOUR VISION UP TO 92.5%, AND YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THESE CRIMINALS. THIS IS A NEW TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS, SO PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.

    There is the it happened to me variation.
    The story: This happened to me I don't know what would have happened if I didn't read the original email a couple of weeks ago.
    This version cropped up with the "perfume sniffing" hoax.

    The story: Someone sat down in a movie theater or stuck their hand in a cash machine and got poked with an HIV infected needle.

    In July, 2001 this message started.
    The story: A good friend of mine just sent this to me. Her best friend, Wendy, has been missing since June 12th.

    Then there is an email message warning about snail mail.
    The story: This is from Schwab corporate headquarters-so it's no joke. Then it goes on to talk about 23 confirmed cases of people getting packages in the mail that are infected with the Klingerman Virus.

    The story: an e-mails claim to be from the U.S. Postal Service and contain fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package delivery.
    In Fact: The email contains a link to malicious software.

    Then there is the "What have you got to lose?" appeal.
    The story: To all my friends, I do not usually forward messages, but this is from my good friend Pearlas Sandborn and she really is an attorney. If she says that this will work - it WILL work. After all, what have you got to loose?
    The story claims you will get paid for passing this message on. It claims Intel will track your forwarding, if you are a Microsoft Windows user. In fact no such technology exists as of December 1, 2001.

    Get Rich Quick Legends
    The Story: We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 12th of septmeber 2003. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20511465897-6291 with serial number 472-971103 drew lucky numbers 8-66-97-22-71-64 which consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$ 500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) CONGRATULATIONS!!!
    A name used in this scam:
    Mrs. Julie Van Hans (UK) † JANNIE MORGAN (UK) † MELISSA TORUN (UK) † Mrs. Susan Becker † MRS.ROSEWISA KATS (The Netherlands) † MR. DAVID KABILA (South Africa)
    morris@angelhaven.com (Ireland)
    The Story: You can help yourself and others out too by becoming a Third Party Tracer for The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). You find people who HUD owes refunds. You get them their money and you get a percentage of it.
    In fact "Tracers" is a made up name. HUD doesn't pay anyone to find people they owe a refund. People who don't have to pay anyone to get money the U.S. Government owes them.
    The Story: If you are descendants of slaves you can get a tax credit or refunds.
    In fact as of April 14, 2002 there was no such provision in the US Tax code. Ocassionally, as with any bad tax claim, the IRS doesn't catch the error and accepts the credit. The IRS erronously gave $30 million to taxpayers who made this claim. As of April 15, 2002 will leavy $500 fine on taxpayers who don't withdraw their claim.

    The Story(s): Paying income tax is voluntary. You don't have to file tax returns. You don't have to withhold taxes from your employees. etc.
    In fact: Not filing taxes is a felony.

    The Story(s): According to the Constitution you don't have to have an Operator's License to drive. According to International Law all you need to drive in any country is an international driver's license.

    The Story: If you were born in one of the States of the United States you are a citizen of that state not a citizen of the United States, hence you don't have to pay taxes
    The Story: Position in West Direct Cargo Logistics Company. The message with this subject line comes with a .zip file.
    In Fact: Opening this file is asking for trouble.

    A number of these get rich quick emails revolve around somebody in Africa who wants to get a large amount of ill gotten gains out of the contenant but needs a foreigner's help to do it.
    The Story: Graham Anderson is a white farmer in Zimbabwe who needs help holding onto his wealth.
    The Story: Bro. Idris Yusuf with the Seed Harvest Ministry needs some advice on what to do with an enormous amount of money he came upon in Liberia. He has no interest in material things because he believes the world will end soon.
    The Story: Mr. Mark Eweka, son of the late Mr. Halid Eweka needs a foreign go between to help him launder $16,000,000 dollars.

    The Story: Mr.Patrick Anyaso represents a client who is the spouse of an ex-Nigerian officer who want's a foreigner's help to get "$67.3 million in USA dollars" out of the country.

    The Story: Miriam Savimbi, wife of the late Jonas Savimbi, needs to launder some precious gems.
    Rose Savimbi, wife of the late Jonas Savimbi, needs to launder some money.
    In fact Jonas Savimbi's wife is named Catarina.

    The Story: Peter Oni, want to get his inheritance out of Benin.

    The Story: Rotimi Adebayo, representing a former millitary Governor.
    The Story: DR. RAYMOND UZOR, has $20,500,000 left over from a contract and doesn't know what to do with it.

    The Story: Dear Mr. Koffi,

    I have emailed you three times already, but it seems that there may be some problem with your email as I have not yet received a reply and now your old mailbox no longer seems to work. I found another letter in my inbox which I am sure was from you so I am trying this email address also.

    I have withdrawn the $9,250 payment, and I am ready to send it to you by Western Union Money Transfer as before. Before I send it to you, of course we need to follow our agreed procedure:

    1. Again you will need to send TO Mr CHRISTOPHER JOHN PARKER in cash the amount of �350 as a "guarantee fee". to support the project.
    2. I need the name and details of the person you want me to transfer the $9,250 payment to.which will be done immediately,mr Parker confirms your payment via western union as well.

    One receipt of the 350 guarantee /Support fee (by western union as before), I will then transfer the full amount of nine thousand two hundred and fifty dollars to your designated representative.

    I very much look forward to hearing from you very soon.

    Take care my partner,

    Willie Stroker
    Managing Director
    Creature Heaven Butchers
    www.creatureheaven.com
    In Fact: This makes it look as if the mark received the mail by mistake.

    Click here for more names associated with the Nigerian Scam

    (On May 24, 2002 South African police arrested six people they believed were running this so called "Nigerian" scam.)

    The Story: RE: AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION. This is to inform you on the release of the EL- GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA LOTTERY
    Other names include: DR. ROY HANS

    The Story: The official card deck of wanted Iraqis is available for a price.
    In Fact: When these ads first hit the internet the US Government had only printed about 200 decks.

    Penny Brown Email.
    The Story: An email asks for anyone who has any information about their missing nine year old daughter. It comes complete with a picture of the missing girl. There have been numerous variations on this story.

    NJ state troopers will be going on a ticket writting frenzy.
    The Story: STATE POLICE - NJ TICKETING Here's the latest NJ State Police Initiative (Radio Station 101.5 FM confirmed this info). Starting today, New Jersey will launch a 30-day speeding ticket frenzy. The state estimates that 9 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets. One million dollars will go to pay state troopers over-time.

    The Story: The Israelies, or the French, or the Americans, were behind the assassination of Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafile Al-Hariri.

    The Story: The Israelies kill Palestians and harvest their organs. An article claiming this was in the August 17, 2009 edition of the Swedish Daily Aftonbladet

    The Story: Half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce.

    Disaster Legends

    Hurricane Katrina (Summer 2005) struck the gulf coast. Resulting leavy breaches flooded most of New Orleans. Initial casualty estimates were between 10,000 and 15,000 dead. This was between 10 and 15 times the actual number of dead.
    The Story: The U.S. government intentionally caused the leavy breaches.

    After the Terrorist Attacks against the US on September 11, 2001 a number of stories made the rounds.
    The Story: Seven women have died after inhaling a free perfume sample that was mailed to them.

    The Story: Gordon Sinclair made a broadcast from Toronto that didn't get much air play. The story quotes the broadcast which tells why "one proud Canadian is tired of seeing the United States being kicked around."
    In fact Gordon Sinclair made that record in the 1970s during the Watergate Crisis. The net story gives the impression it was made after the 9/11/1 incidents.

    The Story: The CNN film clip that showed Palestinians celebrating in the streets upon hearing the news of the terrorist strikes was in fact a clip taken in 1991.
    In fact the clip was taken on September 11, 2001 by a Reuters news team.

    The Story: 4,000 Jews who worked in the World Trade Center took September 11 off.

    The Story: The flght number of one of the suicide planes was Q33 add NY. In MS Word Q33 NY in the wingdings font is this Q33 NY
    In fact: None of the doomed flights was numbered Q33. The numbers were, AA11(AA11), AA77 (AA77), UA93 (UA93), and UA175 (UA175).

    The Story: No airplane parts were found at the Pentagon on 9/11/1.
    In Fact: There were large parts of the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon at the scene.

    The Story: There has been a huge purchase, $32,000 worth, of United Parcel Service (UPS) uniforms on eBay of the last 30 days. This could represent a serious threat as bogus drivers can drop off anything to anyone with deadly consequences!
    The Story: I think you all know that I don't send out hoaxes and don't do the reactionary thing and send out anything that crosses my path. This one, however, is a friend of a friend and I've given it enough credibility in my mind that I'm writing it up and sending it out to all of you. My friend's friend was dating a guy from Afghanistan up until a month ago. She had a date with him around 9/6 and was stood up. She was understandably upset and went to his home to find it completely emptied. On 9/10, she received a letter from her boyfriend explaining that he wished he could tell her why he had left and that he was sorry it had to be like that. The part worth mentioning is that he BEGGED her not to get on any commercial airlines on 9/11 and to not to go any malls on
    Halloween. As soon as everything happened on the 11th, she called the FBI and has since turned over the letter.
    This is not an email that I've received and decided to pass on.
    This came from a phone conversation with a long-time friend of mine last
    night. I may be wrong, and I hope I am. However, with one of his warnings
    being correct and devastating, I'm not willing to take the chance on
    the second and wanted to make sure that people I cared about had the
    same information that I did.
     Notice: This net hoax denies that it was started on the net. Also none of the hijackers were Afghans, had the hoaxer said the boyfriend was "Saudi Arabian", 14 of the terrorists were, that would have showed a bit of sophistication.
    The Story: The 9/11 hijackers came into the U.S. from Canada
    In Fact: None of the hijackers came into the U.S. from Canada. They came into the U.S. from vaious countries including, Germany, France, Belgium, The Czech Republic, UAE, & Saudi Arabia. Many entered and exited the U.S. several times.
    The Story: A plane didn't actually crash into the Pentagon
    In Fact: The plane did. The witnesses included people who worked in the Pentagon, people driving on the highway, and at least one news reporter. There were large pieces of the jetliner at the scene. A video was released in 2006 that showed a plane crashing into the Pentagon.
    The Story: Flight 93 didn't crash during a struggle between the passengers. A U.S. jet fighter shot down flight 93.
    In Fact: A jetliner that was shot down would would leave pieces of its wreckage far from the impact area.
    The Story: There is an e-mail virus with the subject line "WTC Survivor".
    The Story: Al Qaeda have a nuclear weapon in the United States. They are waiting for August 6, 2005 to set it off.
    In Fact: No bomb went off on August 6 or August 9, 2005.
    The Story: There will be a terrorist attack within the United States within 90 days of the U.K. 7/7/2005 bombings.
    In Fact: he U.S. went much longer than 90 days after the 7/7/5 before there was terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
    The Story: There will be a WMD terrorist attack on the United States to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (2005).
    In Fact: Ramadan, 2005 ended without a terrorist attack in the U.S.
    The Story: Israel had Advanced warning of the 7/7 London Bombings.
    The Story: The U.S. or Israel will attack Iran in April 2006
    In Fact: April 2006 has come and gone.

    Science Legends

    The Story: The COVID-19 pandemic is over. This according to President Joe Biden in an interview shown on 60 minutes on 9/18/22.
    In Fact: In the United States -     On the week ending 9/18/22 there were 436,694 cases and 2,991 deaths. Weekly cases have been lower from 5/25/21 - 7/25/21 & 3/6/22 - 5/1/22.
    The Story: Ivermectin is a livestock dewormer and should not be taken by humans.
    In Fact: Ivermectin is used for livestock, it is also a perscription medication for humans.
    The story: The Amazon rainforest provides 20% of the world's oxygen.
    The story: British scientists at John Moore University College of Veterinary Medicine clones a dinosaur they named "Spot".
    In Fact:     No such animal.
    The story: Circumcision has no health benefit
    In Fact: Circumcision lowers the risk of getting or spreading HPVs.
    The story: A good way to tell the harmless scarlet kingsnake from the venomous coral snake is the Rhyme: "Red on black, friend of Jack, red on yellow will kill a fellow."
    In Fact: This is generally true but it is not something you should bet your life on.
    The story: Dropping a penny of the Empire State Building, and obviously a taller building, would kill anyone the penny lands on.
    The story: George Washington died from bleeding.
    In Fact: The bleeding didn't help his condition, but it didn't kill him either. He died of a bacterial infection.
    The story: Ancient World History: Patterns of Interaction, by McDougal Littell, © 2003, Page 8 states: The Opposable thumb was crucial for tasks such as picking up small objects and making tools. (To see its importance, try picking up a coin with just the index and middle fingers. Imagine all the other things that cannot be done without the opposable thumb.)
    In Fact: Picking up a coin without using a thumb is not difficult.
    Continued: Biology Prentice Hall by Kenneth R. Miller, PhD. & Joseph Levine, PhD. © 2002, Page 835 states: Meanwhile, the hominid hand evolved an opposable thumb that enabled grasping objects and using tools.
    In Fact: Objects can be grasped without and opposable thumb and it is reasonable to expect if there were no such thing as an opposable thumb tools would be made for hominids that didn't have opposable thumbs, similar to tools being made for left handed hominids.
    The story: Cell phones cause brain tumors.
    The story: If a woman carries a baby high, it's going to be a girl.
    The story: An operation can cause cancer to spread because it exposes the cancer cells to the air.
    The story: Sugar is the major cause of ADHD.
    The story: Studies have proven there is no connection between the MMR vaccination and Autism.
    In Fact: Dr. William Thompson, and other doctors working for the CDC, omitted and in some cases destroyed significant statistical information in their 2004 article published in the 'Pediatrics'.
    The story: FDA Announced That Vaccines Are Causing Autism"
    In Fact: FDA Did Not Issue New Statement on Vaccines and Autism.

    The story: The Water Dog makes a sound similar to a barking dog.
    In Fact: Water dogs are voiceless.
    The story: You can get warts from handling toads.

    The story: The female black widow spider invariably kills the male after mating. Its bite is deadly.
    In Fact: A black widow's bite can be fatal but that is rare. Most of the observed cases where the female black widow killed its mate were in laboratory settings, which is different from natural conditions. In the wild mated male black widows tend to live longer than bachelor male black widows.

    The story: Sharks don't get cancer.
    In Fact: While cancer in sharks is rare sharks do get cancer.

    The story: The Great Wall of China is the only human made structure visible from space.
    In Fact: The Great Wall of China is a long but relatively thin and winding so it tends to blend in with its surroundings. A World War II military training film mentions the Great Wall of China is the only human built structure that can be seen from the moon.

    In 1999 there was a full moon on the winter solstice.

    The story: Because the Earth is also several million miles closer to the sun at this time of the year than in the summer, sunlight striking the moon is about 7% stronger making it brighter. Also, this will be the closest perigee of the Moon of the year since the moon's orbit is constantly deforming. If the weather is clear and there is a snow cover where you live, it is believed that even car headlights will be superfluous.
    A Washington Times story explained while the moon appeared brighter the difference was not noticable.

    Sometimes putting two authoritative statements together end up with one statement that defies logic.
    Premise: When a non-native species is introduced into an ecosystem there are dire results since the new species has no natural predators in the new ecosystem hence its population grows unchecked.
    Premise: Introducing a natural predator into the ecosystem doesn't work because predators are opportunistic and will eat far more of the native species than its natural prey.
    Question: If predators are opportunistic wouldn't the native predators opportunistically eat the non-native prey?

    Sometimes one authoritative statement defies logic by itself.
    Premise: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.
    Question: If there is extraordinary proof how can it be an extraordinary claim?

    Occam's razor - "We are to admit no more causes of natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their appearances. Therefore, to the same natural effects we must, so far as possible, assign the causes." - Sir Isaac Newton
    Question: With all due respect to Sir Isaac Newton and Father William of Ockham, doesn't this mean people should assume simplicity until they are faced with enough evidence to prove the simpler explanation is wrong? Doing so would seem to be intentionally accepting a premise that is probably false as fact. Isn't a theory that holds for 300 years before it's proven false just as wrong as the theory that's disredited within a year?

    Empirical evidence should be taken over testimonial evidence - A college biology homework assignment gave this premise: A gardener treated her flower bed with a substance and was amazed at how much her plants grew. Laboratory tests showed plants in soil treated with the substance grew less than the control plant. The more substance applied the less the plants grew. The empirical evidence indicates the substance doesn't work and the testimonial evidence is wrong.
    Not so fast: The premise is the gardener honestly believed the treated plants were growing fast. "Gardener" could just be a term for someone who decided to put plants in a flower bed. In which case the gardener's testomony can be ignored. However if the woman is an experienced gardener it's unlikely she would have made such an error. It would seem more likely there was a flaw in the laboratory experiment.

    Military Legends

    The Story: The United States Space Force (USSF) logo is a rip of of Star Trek's Star Fleet Command logo.
    In Fact: It's the other way around the Star Fleet Command logo is a derivation of the red chevron in the original NASA logo adapted in 1959.
    The Story: More Americans died in the Civil War than any other conflict.
    In Fact: That depends on how you want to count. The total Civil War military death toll was 415,000. The total American military death toll in World War II was 418,500. The total Civil War combat death toll was 140,414. The U.S. combat death toll in World War II was 291,557. About 1,700 American civilians died in World War II.
    The Story: Have you seen these photo's? Subject: Photos stored in an old Brownie Camera.
    In Fact: While the pictures were from the attack on Pearl Harbor the sailor would have been on a ship, USS QUAPAW ATF 110 ( Auxiliary Tug Fleet), that didn't have its keel laid until a year later.
    The story: Joseph Rosenthal's picture of 5 US Marines and one US Sailor raising the flag on Iwo Jima was posed.
    In Fact: The picture was not posed. When Joseph Rosenthal said the picture was posed he thought the other reporters were asking about another picture he took that day. The other picture was of a group of Marines brandishing their weapons standing in front of the flag.
    The story: The Iwo Jima Memorial statue has 13 hands on the flag pole.
    The story: UK Troops in Iraq are planting snake eggs in rivers, rabid dogs to search for bombs, and have let loose cattle eating badgers..
    The story: Eating poppy seeds can cause you to have a false positive on drug tests.
    In Fact: A clinical study found a subject had to eat two cups of concentrated poppy seed paste before showing a false positive.
    The story: During the 2003 war with Iraq a Royal Marine was shot four times in the head but his helmet blocked all four bullets.
    In Fact: Commando Eric Walderman RM, wasn't wearing the helmet when other Royal Marines fired four rounds into it.
    The story: Camel spiders eat people's flesh in the middle of the night without them noticing until they wake up. They even chase after people.
    The Air Force web site debunked this legend. Camel spiders like staying in the shadows so if it's in a person's shadow and the person runs away from it the camel spider will chase after the shadow.
    The story: In Korea "Number 10" means very bad.
    This story apparently came out of Vietnam where "Number 10" means the worst. GIs apparently got the idea the connotation also applied to Korea. Some Koreans copy the expression from the GIs and so started a self-sustaining legend.
    The story: When a military member approaches someone wearing the Medal of Honor that member must render the hand salute first, regardless of their respective ranks.
    The story: The palm up salute is the sign of a defeated nation.
    USAF MTI's repeated this one in the '70s.
    US Military dog tags come in sets of two. Older dog tag sets contain a dog tag with a notch on it. Ask an older veteran what the notch is for. About 10% will tell you the notch was to keep the tags in place while the tags got stamped. The other 90% will tell you the legend.1
    The story: The notch is so if you got killed the notch would be placed between your two front teeth. Then someone would bang you on the chin to keep the tags in place while your body is transported.
    1 The percentage probably wasn't scientifically derived. The source for this is an old article in SSAM a defunct military magazine.
    The story: Military members authorized to wear the Army of Occupation Medal wore the black band on the right if they served in occupied Germany and wore the black band on the left if they served in occupied Japan.
    In Fact: The medal is worn the same way, black on right, for both.

    Here is a story that was the lead story on the Air Force web site on 7/7/99. Jim Garamone wrote the article.
    The story: "(O)n one of the first deployments after the end of the Cold War, an Air Force unit arrived at a 'bare-bones' base with a runway, water and some rudimentary facilities. 'There were pallets full of GP-Medium tents,' he (MSgt. Steven R. Batson) said. 'No one knew how to set them up. Legend has it, they had to ask a nearby Army unit for help.'"
    This site contacted MSgt Batson he wrote back:
    "(M)y actual statement was quoted from an officer on base here, who stated 'last time he was deployed, he had junior and senior NCO's who didn't know how to sett up temper tents'. The only reference I make about any GP (large or medium) tents is that, when this site was set up, all the GP large tents we have came from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) at Kelly AFB."

    Here is another "The Air Force isn't the real military story". It dates back at least to the mid-70s.
    The story: An Air Force unit got wiped out during the Korean War because they didn't know how to reload their rifles.

    The story: A Marine in a Reconnaissance unit wrote a letter and signed it "Saucy Jack". He talked about the conditions in Afghanistan. He praised the Marine Corps and disparaged The Taliban, The Koran, and CNN.
    In Fact: If the Marine letter were true it would mean a member of a Marine Reconnaissance Unit would be so bad at reading a map he didn't even know where in Afghanistan he was.

    The story: An email with the subject line "A Marine in Bosnia" claims to be a US Marine officer who had an incident where a French officer called Americans 'Cowboys'. The Marine officer then gave the French officer a History lesson and then promised to give the French officer a lesson in unarmed combat. The French officer called he American officer a "Barbarian Cowboy". The email is signed "Mary Beth Johnson LtCol, USMC.
    This story was big in the 70s. It was popular in the military intelligence circles. It may be the precursor of the old, "If I tell you I'd have to kill you line."
    The story: Some people have clearances so high they are KBC (Kill Before Capture).
    The story: TDY stands for Temporary Duty Yonder
    In Fact: TDY stands for Temporary DutY.
    A legend that came out of the Vietnam Conflict.
    The story: There was an incurable venerial disease that was indigenous to Vietnam. It is called "Black Syphilis" whenever a G.I. contracted the disease he was sent to an island where he would spend the rest of his life. His family would be informed that he was killed in actions.
    Here is another legend from the Vietnam Conflict.
    The story: There was this GI who got into an argument with a Vietnamese woman over the price of her services. She injured him. The investigation revealed she was a Viet Cong. So the GI got the Purple Heart.
    This one is from the Kosovo Conflict.
    The story: Most of the Yugoslavian armor destroyed were in fact decoys.
    In fact "(O)ut of 1,102 validated strikes, only 25 decoys were struck." Air Force Magazine, April 2000, Balkan Myths--and Mythmakers

    Here are ones that can be called an anti-military legends.
    The story: "The Sphinx is missing a nose. Someone shot it off in a moment of idle desecration--some say it was Mameluke Turks, others, Napoleonic soldiers." COSMOS, by Carl Sagan, Copywright 1980 by Carl Sagan Productions, Inc., p99
    Others have been accused of doing the deed including the British and the Germans.

    The story: US and Israeli casualties are much higher than reported.
    A web site called Jihan Unspun gives these figures for US & Allied casualties from October 21, 2001 - June 21, 2002.
    U.S. Dead 867
    U.S. Wounded 537
    Allied Dead 968
    Allied Wounded 676
    This has been said of the US and Israel in every recent conflict. The US and Israel are very specific about their casualties. They have reported losses they could have easily conceiled. While they could attribute some of their aircraft losses to causes other than enemy fire their aircraft losses in recent combat, from all causes, have been so small it doesn't change the overall picture of the conflict. The figures sited above are poor fabrications. It would have been more credible had the number of wounded been three or four times the number of dead.

    The story: Investigative reporters "broke" the story about the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal.
    In Fact: The U.S. military "broke" the story
    The story: The Israelis committed a Massacre at Jenin on the West Bank in April, 2002.
    The Israelis fought a battle at Jenin. The IDF lost 23 soldiers in the battle. On April 30, 2002 the Palestinian Authority admitted only 56 were found. Almost all of the bodies were of armed combatants. Many of them still had their guns and ammunition with them.
    The story: The U.S. Military attacked a wedding party in Iraq and killed many people, including children, on May 19, 2004.

    The story: U.S. was shamelessly destroying Iraqi cities and killing hundreds of innocent Iraqis every day.
    The story: The U.S. and its allies killed 100,000 Iraqi civilians.
    The story: 650,000 Iraqi civilians have died since the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003 until 2006. 1.03 million Iraqis have died From 2003 - 2007.
    Opinion Research Business (ORB) came up with the 1.03 million number.
    The story: According to Venezulean President Hugo Chavez; U.S. forces "use arms with chemical weapons like they used in Fallujah."

    The story: US military personnel are not as well educated as their civilian counterparts.
    In Fact: 90% of US military personnel had High School diplomas compared to 75% of the civilian population.
    The story: The U.S. Military has a disproportionate number of underprivileged people.
    In Fact: U.S. Military personnel are largely from middle class families.
    The story: A disproportionate number of military recruits come from urban areas..
    The story: African-Americans suffer a disproportionate number of casualties.
    In Fact: From November 2005 - July 2006 African-Americans had suffered 11% of the casuaties. Hispanic casualties were also 11%.
    The story: Some juvenile offenders have the choice of enlisting or going to prison.
    In Fact: While it was true at one time the U.S. military no longer accepts youth offenders.
    The story: Only enlisted people were called to account for the prisoner abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
    In Fact:
    Rank Accountability
    Brig. Gen 1 demoted to colonel
    Major 1 Article 15, 2 Letters of Reprimand
    Captain 3 Court Martialed, 1 Other than Honorable Discharge, 1 Article 15, 5 Letters of Reprimand
    First Lt. 2 Court Martialed, 1 Article 15, 1 Letter of Reprimand
    Second Lt. 1 Other than Honorable Discharge, 1 Letter of Reprimand
    Chief Warrant Officer 2 Court Martialed
    By January 2006 the U.S. had disciplined 251 personnel for their involvement in prisoner abuse.

    The story: The Army and Marine Corps are having recruiting problems.
    In fact: The Military services have consistently been near or above their recruiting quotas.
    The story: military interrogators at the Guantanamo prison facility had flushed a Koran, the Muslim holy book, down a toilet.
    The story: The chief of the British Army, Gen. Richard Dannatt, said the UK must "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates security problems,"
    In fact: That is a part of what he said but doesn't give the full meaning of his statement.

    The story: Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld gave an order to shoot down a Cessna 150 that strayed into the restricted airspace around Washington, DC on May 11, 2005.
    In fact: Secretary Rumsfeld gave no such order.
    This story started as a joke.
    The story: The captain of a US Navy Aircraft Carrier ordered a ship it was on a collision course to move out of the way. The story ends when the person on the other 'ship' identifies himself not as a ship's captain but as a lighthouse keeper.
    The story: Ironclads were first used in the American Civil War. Wording here is important. If the definition of an ironclad is a ship that uses iron armor then the ironclads were deployed by the Korean Navy in the 15th century.

    Aviation Legends

    The story: Then Second Lieutenant Everett W. Holstrom sank a Japanese submarine on December 25, 1941.
    In fact: No Japanese sub was lost on that day.
    The story: The 332nd Fighter Group sank an enemy destroyer.
    In fact: The TA 22, formerly the Giuseppe Missori, was not sunk but it was put out of action and never returned to combat.
    The story: No bombers were lost to enemy fighters when the bombers were escorted by the 332nd Fighter Group.
    In fact: 25 were lost.
    The story: Never in the history of modern warfare has one side won in combat without air superiority.
    In fact: While it may have been true when the statment was originally made it is no longer fact. North Vietnam won in 1975 without air superiority. South Vietnam's air superiority in the south was unable to stem the North Vietnamese offensive. There have also been successful insurgencies, such as Afghanistan, where the insurgent forced defeated government forces without the benefit of air superiority.
    The story: The Japanese Zero was a copy of a Howard Hughes design, minus the armor protection.
    The story: Two Israeli Air Force F-15s shot down two Syrian MiG-29s on September 14, 2001. Two Israeli Air Force F-16s shot down two Syrian MiG-29s on September 14, 2004.
    In fact: An organization called Reform Party of Syria floated these stories. If the stories were to be taken as fact not only were two Syrian planes shot down on the third Anniversary of two other Syrian planes being shot down but these planes were flown by the same two luckless Syrian pilots.
    The story: In World War II some aircraft broke the sound barrier.

    The story: Airplanes made their combat debut in World War I.
    In fact: Airplanes made their combat debut in the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912). They were also used in the Balkans (1912-1913) and Mexico (April 1914).

    The story: JG26 aka "The Abbeville Boys" was a Wing of Luftwaffe aces who had at least 20 victories to their credit and were hand picked by Herman Goering.
    In fact: JG26 was arguably the best German fighter wing on the Western front. However their ranks included aces (experten) and novices.

    Fans of a specific military aircraft love to point out how the enemy gave their favorite aircraft a fearful nickname.
    The story: The Japanese nicknamed the Bristol Beaufighter, the 'Whispering Death'.
    In Fact: An Allied journalist came up with that nick name. It is also said the North Vietnamese nick named the F-111 'Whispering Death'.

    The story: The Norden bomb site was a highly classified secret during World War II.
    In Fact: The Norden bomb site was downgraded from SECRET to CONFIDENTIAL in 1935. It was downgraded to RESTRICTED in 1942.

    Harrier fans love this one.
    The story: A Harrier can Vector in Forward Flight (ViFF). This is an excellent air combat tactic. If an opposing pilot gets behind them Harrier pilots can vector their thrust so they fly straight up. The opposing pilot then blows right by the Harrier pilot and is a sitting duck. Harrier pilots used this tactic against Argentine aircraft in the Falklands.
    In Fact: Retired Air Vice Marshal J.E. Johnson asked Sea Harrier pilot Lt. Cmdr. Nigel Ward about this. The response is in The Story of Air Fighting by Air Vice Marshall J. E. Johnson. "No. Although the Harrier is capable of 'viffing' it is not a good combat tactic because you lose a lot of energy."

    This story probably started as a joke that someone took seriously.
    The story: A German air traffic controller at Frankfurt had a difficult time with a BOAC Boeing 747 pilot. The conversation ended when the German controller asked the BOAC pilot if he ever flew to Frankfurt before. The BOAC pilot answered, "Yes, in 1944. In another type of Boeing. I didn't stop."

    Official sources can also start legends.
    The story: During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, 120 F-15C/D's deployed to the Persian Gulf and flew more than 5,900 sorties. Every Iraqi fixed-wing aircraft destroyed in air-to-air combat, including five Soviet-made MiG-29 Fulcrums, were downed by F-15C's. No coalition aircraft were lost to Iraqi fighters.
    Source: The Air Force Web site's fact sheet on Operation Desert Storm
    In fact U.S. Navy F/A-18s shot down two MiG-21s (fixed wing aircraft) during Operation Desert Storm. An Iraqi fighter did shoot down a U.S. Navy F/A-18 and an EF-111. The EF-111 was an Air Combat Manouvering (ACM) victory.
    Theory: McDonnel-Douglas advertised McDonnel-Douglas aircraft scored all the air victories against fixed wing Iraqi aircraft. Since the F/A-18 was also a McDonnel-Douglas aircraft that statement was accurate. This may have confused whoever made up this Air Force fact sheet.

    Sometimes official sources can give accurate information that can easily spawn legends.
    The story: The F/A-18 demonstrated its capabilities and versatility during Operation Desert Storm, shooting down enemy fighters and subsequently bombing enemy targets with the same aircraft on the same mission.
    This is a quote from the US Navy's fact file on the F/A-18 Hornet.
    This is true the two F/A-18 kills during Operation Desert Storm happened this way. The two Hornet pilots scored their kills on the same mission. Their targets were MiG-21s, Vietnam War vintage aircraft. While the text is accurate a reader can get the impression a one time occurance was routine for F/A-18s during Operation Desert Storm.

    "Ace" legend
    The Story: Captain Richard S. Ritchie,USAF, was the first American Ace of the Vietnam conflict.
    In Fact: Lt Randolph "Duke" Cunningham and Lt(jg) William Dricoll (USN) were the first American aces of the Vietnam Conflict. They shot down their third, fourth, and fifth enemy aircraft on May 10, 1972. Captain Richie shot down his first enemy aircraft on that day. He shot down his fifth aircraftt on August 28, 1972.

    Retired Colonel David H. Hackworth, a hero of the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts, wrote an article; Will They Ever Get It Right? The article was about the recently concluded Operation Anaconda. Here is an excerpt.
    "Now we've just finished the first big U.S. conventional fight of the Afghanistan War. Sadly, our fine troops trained in the flatlands of New York and Kentucky weren't conditioned for mountain warfare at elevations of 9,000 feet, where their cruel and crafty enemy knew every fold in the ground. Our Joes were sent into battle loaded down like pack mules, insufficiently prepared for the freezing conditions and far from physically up for the game. The guerrillas also outranged our grunts both with a superior .30-caliber rifle, as opposed to our little popgun 5.56 M-16, and by the use of reverse slope mortars.
    The crying shame is that our soldiers - bunched up like beetles at a bugfest - weren't ready to face some of the toughest fighters in the world employing the same timeworn tactics they used to defeat the Soviets and the Brits.
    And when our brave Apache gunship pilots came to the rescue, they lost all their ships to enemy fire. The guerrillas cleverly recycled the same techniques with which they destroyed fleets of Soviet aircraft in Afghanistan and again in Somalia during Black Hawk Down.
    The generals, from jovial Tommy Franks down to the two-star on the ground, didn't get much right until they shrewdly declared victory and hauled butt away from the bomb craters and their plan that went awry."
    The US casualies for Operation Anaconda were eight dead, 49 wounded. (Most of the wounds were minor.) Enemy dead were 500. All of the nine Apache gunships received battle damage. Four of the gunships received damage sufficient enough that they had to withdraw from the fight. None were "shot down". The firefight described lasted nine hours. USAF A-10s and AC-130s also supported the ground troops.

    The Story: I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it, President Barack Hussein Obama Jr. speaking on February 24, 2009.
    In Fact: Assuming he was refering to the United States, he was wrong. Germany, thanks to Karl Friedrich Benz, invented the automobile. France and Great Britain could make a claim for the credit, but the U.S. is out of the running.

    Which legend to believe. In 1999 there was a military exercise that pitted the Israeli Air Force against the US Navy. There are two differerent versions of what happened.
    One Version: The Israeli Air Force "shot down" 220 US Navy aircraft for the "loss" of only 20 of their own.
    Another Version: The Naval Aviatiors had been at sea and they had very little support. The combats were set so the Israelis had the advantage. At first the Israeli pilots had a "5-6:2" (2.5-3:1) kill to loss ratio. The Naval Aviators learned quickly and by the end of the exercise the ratio was about 1:1.

    Nautical Legends

    The story: While this may look like a gag shot, it is actually a "transport of a transport" necessity. The B-52 was in Beirut, Lebanon undergoing routine fuel tank cleaning. Workmen accidentally damaged the bladder system and had to install the bladders from smaller C-130s temporarily. The plane was flown to nearby McCollough air base where it was lifted upon a barge bound for Tyre on the Mediterranean. Once there it was off-loaded onto the carrier deck for transport to Crete where the appropriate tank bladders were installed. It was then flown back to Beirut. Military cooperation in action.
    In Fact: It is a gag. The paragraph mentions places where the military doesn't have bases and bases that don't exist. There are also geometry problems with the picture.
    The story: The Ship in Distress signal SOS stands for SAVE OUR SHIP.
    In Fact: SOS isn't an acronym.

    Religious Legends

    The Story: Pope Francis said: "It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way, the traditional notion of God is outdated. One can be spiritual but not religious. It is not necessary to go to church and give money ? for many, nature can be a church. Some of the best people in history do not believe in God, while some of the worst deeds were done in His name."
    In Fact: Pope Francis said: "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class. We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all. And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: We need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: We will meet one another there.".
    The Story: The Amish can't use electricity.
    In Fact: The Amish can, and do, use electricity. However they can't connect to the electrical grid.
    The Story: The health care law known as Obamacare requires everyone to have a chip installed in the back of their hand, aka The Mark of the Beast.
    The Story: "Well, I believe the phrase from the Bible* is, 'The Lord helps those who help themselves.'" Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, November 2011.
    In Fact: The phrase "The Lord helps those who help themselves" does not appear in The Bible.
    The Story: If an Islamic terrorist is shot with a pork coated bullet according to their religion the terrorist can't get into paradise.
    In Fact: According to their religion paradise is guaranteed and their enemies have no control over where they will spend eternity.
    The Story: "...one of the points I want to make is, is that if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we'd be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world." President Barack Hussein Obama..
    In Fact: At the time President Obama said this in 2009 the U.S. was #48 on the list, if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans.
    The Story: FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY - ... an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passssover holy days. ... The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' ...
    In Fact: No such ruling.
    The Story: In the first century Jews put to death any non-Jew who passed beyond the first courtyard of the ancient Temple
    In Fact: While there was a warning in Leviticus of serious consequences it didn't call for summary execution. Leviticus wasn't shy about saying if a crime warranted the death penalty.
    The Story: Allah or Jesus? by Rick Mathes Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of their belief systems. I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say. The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video. After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers. When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: "Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world. And, that by killing an infidel, which is a command to all Muslims, they are assured of a place in heaven. If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?" There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he replied, "Non-believers!" I responded, "So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can go to Heaven. Is that correct?" The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He sheepishly replied, "Yes." I then stated, "Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr. Stanley ordering Protestants to do the same in order to go to Heaven!" The Imam was speechless. I continued, "I also have problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me Let me ask you a question. Would you rather have your Allah who tells you to kill me in order to go to Heaven or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to Heaven and He wants you to be with me?" You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame. Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the 'Diversification' training seminar were not happy with Rick's way of dealing with the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the Muslim's beliefs. I think everyone in the US should be required to read this, but with the liberal justice system, liberal media, and the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized. Please pass this on to all your e-mail contacts. This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well known leader in prison ministry.
    In Fact: Many ficticious stories concern someone who takes on an expert who is speaking about something and points out some "facts" that leave the expert speechless.
    The Story: Some Mathematician computed the odds of a few Biblical prophecies, which were fulfilled, as 1 in [A very large number].
    The Story: Held to a mirror the Coke-a-Cola logo reads, 'No Mecca, No Mohammeed'.
    The Story: Dr. Benjamin Spock's son committed suicide.
    In Fact: Dr. Benjamin Spock's grandson, not his son committed suicide.

    The story: The Song "The 12 Days of Christmas" has religious origins. Since Roman Catholics couldn't openly practice their faith in England from 1558-1829 they developed this song to help teach young Roman Catholics their faith.

    The Bible says Noah's Arc landed on Mt. Ararat. There's a mountain in Turkey that is named Ararat. It's near the the border of the former Soviet Union.
    A story: Soviet pilots saw Noah's Arc but the Athiest government of The Soviet Union supressed these reports.
    The Bible mentions many fantastic events. Some say these events shouldn't be taken literally, some take it as an article of faith for a believer to accept the Bible at its word. This story dates back to before 1960.
    The story: Astronomers needed to know the position of the earth for the distant past. They were 24 hours off in their calculations. One Christian Astronomer pointed out in the Bible where it mentions the sun stood still for most of the day. That brought the astronomers closer to their solution. However most of the day still doesn't cover 24 hours. Then the Christian Astronomer pointed to another passage in the Bible that mentions the sun moving backwards. This satisfied the Astronomers.

    Throughout the centuries there have been many claims Christ's Mother Mary (The Blessed Mother) made an appearance. One such claim was in 1984.
    The story: The Blessed Mother appeared in Yugoslavia and predicted the conflict(s) that happened after Yugoslavia broke up.

    Mark 10:25 says, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
    The story: In those days there was a narrow city gate that was called the eye of the needle which was difficult, but not impossible, for a camel to pass through.
    There is a practice called "Speaking in Tongues." It is where the believer speaks in a language unknown to the speaker. Some believe the languages are foreign languages others believe it isn't an earthly language. As with any belief there are unbelievers who don't believe it is any language at all. There are believers who translate tounges.

    The story: An unbeliever decided to have some irreverent fun. He went into a church where people "spoke in tongues." He spoke in a foreign language he understood. He spoke blasphemy while a church member "translated." The translator said he was saying wonderful spiritually uplifting things.
    Many believe the Book of Revelation is a prophesy about the end of the world. This has spawned many theories about the identity of "The Beast"

    The story: The Common Market is developing a super computer, nicknamed "The Beast", which will be capable of containing information on everyone in the world.
    Since the story started in the 1970s any computer under development then would be a museum piece now.
    Many Christians cringe at the mention of Madeline Murray O'Hare.

    The story: CBS will be forced to discontinue "Touched by an Angel!" for using the word "God" in every program, Madeline Murray O'Hare an atheist, successfully eliminated the use of Bible reading and prayer from school fifteen years ago. Her organization has now been granted a Federal Hearing on the same subject by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, DC. Their petition, #2493 would ultimately pave the way to stop the reading of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, on the airwaves of America.
    Note: This email was floating around in 2000. Subtract 15 years and that would make it 1985. The 15 year date is probably a better indicator the age of this hoax. The "Touched by an Angel" part is a new twist on an old hoax.

    The story: There are many Christians who claim they were heavily into drugs and the occult and their life was a total mess. Then they found Jesus Christ and their life turned around.
    While there may be cases like this the stories seem too familiar for them all to be factual.

    The story: The University of Kentucky removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offended' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred.
    There is a similar email circulating with the same false claim about UK schools. To its credit the Anti-Defamation League exposed this hoax on its web site (http://www.adl.org/Internet_Rumors/Kentucky_Holocaust_110607.htm).

    Hidden Legends
    Sometimes legends start by leaving out certain information.
    The story: The Scopes Monkey trial revealed Fundamentalists as ingorant, narrow minded, bigots. The defense was fighting against this and for teaching enlightenment.
    What isn't told is the book which was used to teach evolution, which violated The Bulter Act, was Hunter's Civic Biology (1914). The book devoted only a few pages to evolution. It ended the chapter on evolution by stating "...the highest type of all, the caucasians, represented by the civilized white inhabitants of Europe and America." (Page 196).

    Entertainment Legends

    This section uses the term "Entertainment" loosly.

    This story started around 1974. They started just before the release of the film Snuff. That is where the Snuff Film legend got its name.
    The story: There is a film that actually shows a woman being murdered.

    This story started almost from the day the Movie Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace opened in Theatres.
    The story: The character Jar Jar Binks, speaks with a Jamacian accent and so perpetuates racial steriotypes.
    The story continued: In the next Star Wars film there will be a Native American, an Asian, and a Latino character.

    The story: The studio wanted Ronald Reagan for the part of Rick in Casablanca.
    In Fact: Humphrey Bogart was the only actor seriously considered for the part.

    The story: Frank Sinatra got a part in From Here to Eternity thanks to his mafia connections. This reignited his waning career.
    In Fact: Frank Sinatra's performance as Private Angelo Maggio did reignite his waning career. He had his wife, Ava Gardner, to thank for the part.

    Political Legends

    There are some gag media web sites. These web sites create false news stories. These sites are sometimes the sources of political legends.

    Examples are:
    Associated Media Coverage
    There is news
    The Story: Vice President Kamala Devi Harris was never the "border czar".
    In Fact: "It's not her full responsibility and job, but she's leading the effort, becauce I think the best thing to do is put someone who, when he or she speaks, they don't have to wonder about - is that where the president is? As she speaks, she speaks for me, doesn't have to check with me, she knows whas she's doing - and I hope we can move this along." President Joe Biden March 21, 2012.
    The Story: The government isn't trying to ban gas stoves.
    In Fact: The US Consumer Product Safety Commission will move to regulate gas stoves. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. called gas stoves a "hidden hazard".
    The Story: "Today, the most common price of gas in America is $3.39, down from over $5 when I took office." - President Joe Biden.
    In Fact: The most common gas price when President Biden took office was less than half what he claimed. The average gas price was over $5 a gallon less than 5 months before President Biden made this claim.
    The Story: President Biden's support is crumbling.
    In Fact: President Biden's popularity varies from day to day. On September 15, 2022, according to a Rasmussen track poll, President Biden's approval rating was 45%. By comparison at this point in his presidency President Trump's approval rating was 47%.
    The Story: "He (Gov. Terry MczAuliffe) got 600,000 more votes than any Democrat ever has gotten" - President Biden about the 2021 Virginia Governor's Race.
    In Fact: Gov. Terry McAuliffe got 1,588,501 votes. Gov. Ralph Northam got 1,409,175 votes in 2017. There were approximately 600,000 more votes cast in 2021 than 2017. However, Gov. Terry McAuliffe got less than half the additional and overall votes.
    The Story: "What's happened is, that there never been, if you wanted, you think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons" - President Joe Biden.
    In Fact: The Taliban won against the U.S. and its allies without combat aircraft or nuclear weapons. There are other cases in history where forces prevailed against nuclear powers without airpower or nuclear weapons.
    The Story: "The 2nd Amendment from the day it was passed limited the type of people who could own a gun, and what type of weapon you could own. You couldn't buy a cannon," - President Joe Biden
    In Fact: There was no such restriction. Some states did restrict who could have weapons, usually based on race. In America today there are privately owned tanks and combat aircraft.
    The Story: The Capitol Hill riot of January 6, 2021 left 5 people dead including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick who was killed by being struck with a fire extinguisher.
    In Fact: Yes, 5 people died. Capitol Police shot and killed Ashli Babbitt. The other 4 fatalities, 3 protestors and Officer Brian Sicknick died of medical emergencies. Officer Sicknick's autopsy shows no blunt force trama.
    The Story: "We've never had a situation where there's been a situation like this, attempting to stop a proceeding with violence. So, I am not sure what lack of history proves" - Supreme Court Justics Jonia Sotomayor about the January 6, 2021 riot.
    In Fact: There have been many attempts to stop official proceedings with violence:
    The Story: The Taliban endorsed President Trump for reelection, according to CBS news.
    In Fact: CBS attributed the claim to a statement made by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. Muhahid said he made no such statement.
    The Story: "Dresden was bombed there were 250 people, 2,500 people that were killed..." Then President Elect Joe Biden, January 8, 2021.
    In Fact: Estimates vary, postwar estimates from different countries ranged from 8,000 to over 200,000, but the city of Dresden puts the estimate between 22,700 - 25,000 people killed in the Dresden firebombing.
    The Story: "For the Last 4 years we werern't having riots, racial riots. When they occurred, we didn't have to call in the National Guard." Vice President Joe Biden said during an interview with MSNBC, August 2020.
    In Fact: The second sentence contradits the first. Both sentences are incorrect.
  • July 2013, rioting, Los Angeles.
  • August & November 2014, August 2015, rioting, Ferguson, MO. National Guard called out during the August 2014 riots.
  • November 2014, November 2016, rioting, Oakland, CA.
  • April 2015, rioting, Baltimore, National Guard called out.
  • August 13, 2016, Milwaukee.
  • September 2016, Charlotte, NC & El Cajon, CA.
  • November 2016, Portland.
    The Story: A drunk driver kiled Vice-President Joe Biden's spouse, Neilia Biden, and 13-month-old daughter.
    In Fact: The driver of the tractor-trailor that struck Neilia Biden's vehicle had not been drinking and was not charged in the crash.
    The Story: "They had to amend the Constitution of the United States to make sure Roosevelt did not get re-elected.� Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
    In Fact: President Franklin D. Roosevelt got elected to a forth term and died in office. The 22nd Amendment, which limited the time a president can serve, came into effect in 1951.
    The Story: During the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Kavanaugh Senator Dianne Feinstein asked: �How do you reconcile what you just said with the hundreds of school shootings using 'assault weapons' that have taken place in recent history?� In Fact: The numbers Senator Feinstein claimed aren't even close to reality. The Education Department's, Office for Civil Rights, generated a figure of almost 240 school-related shootings in 2015-2016. National Public Radio researched the numbers and could only confirm 11 school-related shootings. The Office of Civil Rights admitted the error. Their explanation of a data entry error may in itself be an urban legend.
    The Story: Before abortion became legal in the U.S. 5,000 to 10,000 women died annually from illegal abortions. The Story: President Trump colluded with Russia to win the presidential election.
    In Fact: The House Intelligene Committee Report on FISA Abuses
    The Story: 17 U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russia interfered in the U.S. election.
    The Story: Federal agencies investigated the Trump Campaign for possible collusion with Russia to manipulate the elections.
    The Story: Federal agencies did not monitor the activities of the Trump Campaign.
    In Fact: The above 2 stories seem a case of which lie to believe.
    The Story: Secretary Hillary Clinton got more votes than any other presidential candidate.
    In Fact: President Obama received 69 million votes in 2008 & 65.9 million votes in 2012. Secretary Clinton received 65.7 million votes.
    The Story: Donald Trump won the popular vote in the 2016 election.
    In Fact: Secretary Clinton had over 65,746,544 votes to President Trump's 62,904,682 votes.
    The Story: George H. W. Bush was involved in the J.F.Kennedy assassination.
    $400 million in ransom
    The Story: The $400 million given to Iran at the same time Iran released 4 hostages was not a ransom payment.
    The Story: Sweden is moving to a 6 hour work day.
    In Fact: No, Sweden is not moving to a six hour work day
    The Story: President Obama kept us safe and secure
    In Fact: Then Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton said this in a speech on July 5, 2016. These terrorist incidents happened on President Obama's Watch, the list does not include those killed overseas: The Story: There is a picture of Condeleezza Rice and Osama Bin Laden together.
    In Fact: The picture was an April Fool joke

    The Story: "At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries." - President Barack Hussein Obama - June 18, 2015
    In Fact:
    Country Casualties* Date Country Casualties* Date Country Casualties* Date Country Casualties* Date
    Denmark 2 killed 2 wounded Feb 14-15, 2015 France 17 killed 17 wounded Jan 7-9, 2015 France 84 killed, 202 wounded July 14, 2016 France 4 killed October 3, 2019
    Australia 2 killed 17 taken hostage December 14, 2014 France 4 killed Mar 19, 2012 Germany 9 killed July 22, 2016 Canada 23 killed April 18-19, 2020
    India 195 killed 200 wounded Nov 26, 2008 Norway 77 killed 209 wounded Jul 22, 2011 Canada 2 killed 13 wounded July 23, 2018 Austria 4 killed 15 wounded November 2, 2020
    England 12 killed 11 wounded Jun 2, 2010 Canada 1 killed 19 wounded Sep 13, 2006 New Zealand 49 killed, 48 wounded March 15, 2019 Norway 2 killed 21 wounded June 25, 2022
    Canada 7 killed Dec 29, 2014 France 126 killed 352 wounded November 13, 2015 The Netherlands 3 killed 9 wounded March 18, 2019 Russia 15 killed, 24 wounded September 28, 2022
    Germany 6 killed Mar 9, 2023 Czech Republic December 21, 2023 14 killed, 20 wounded Australia 6 killed April 13, 2024
    * Does not include shooters
    The Story: The 2014 election results showed the voters wanted to stop the gridlock in Washington
    In Fact: If the voters wanted to stop the gridlock why would they vote to make gridlock more likely?
    The Story: The murder rate in Australia has gone up since the government enacted strict gun control laws in 1997.
    In Fact: The number of murders in 1996-1998 were lower than in the years before or after. The number of murders in Australia peaked in the 2001-2002 year. Then the number dipped and in 2003-2004 through 2006-2007 were below the 1997 levels.
    The Story: The Boston Marathon Bombing was the fist terrorist attack on U.S. soil since President Obama became president.
    In Fact: The Fort Hood, Texas, November 5, 2009, shooting attack killed 13 and left 31 wounded.
    The Story: The Benghazi Mission had inadequate security because of the sequester. It is because of this that 4 Americans were killed.
    In Fact: The attack on the mission happened months before the sequester.
    The Story: 40% of gun sales in the U.S. involve no background check.
    The Story: Gun registration is a good crime fighting tool.
    The Story: The UK has a lower crime rate than the U.S.
    The U.S. has 466 violent crimes per 100,000 people vs 2,036 per 100,000 for the UK.
    The Story: In 2011 there were 11,000 people murdered with firearms compared to 35 in Great Britain. According to CNN Host Piers Morgan.
    In Fact: There were 59 firearms murders in the UK in 2011. In the U.S. in 2011 there were 7,923 non-justified homicides.
    The Story: "When Gov. Romney says that we should eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, there are millions of women all across the country who rely on Planned Parenthood for not just contraceptive care, they rely on it for mammograms." - President Barack Hussein Obama during the second presidential debate.
    In Fact: Planned Parenthood doesn't provide mammograms, it refers patients to facilities that provide mammograms.

    The Story: "With regard to the assault on the Catholic church, let me make it absolutely clear, no religious institution, Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic Social Services, Georgetown Hospital, Mercy Hospital, any hospital, none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact." - Vice President Joe Biden during the 2012 vice presidential debate.
    In Fact: Vice President Joe Biden's statement was so factually inaccurate Catholic Churches read letters from their Bishop stating Vice President Joe Biden's statement was "inacurate".

    The Story: President George W. Bush enlisted in the Texas Air National Guard and trained as an F-102 pilot to avoid service in Vietnam because the F-102 was the one fighter aircraft not used in Vietnam.
    In Fact: F-102s were deployed to Vietnam until the end of 1969.
    The Story: Governor Mitt Romney hasn't paid taxes in 10 years.

    The Story: The Bust of Winston Churchill that was displayed in the Oval Office during the George W. Bush presidency wasn't returned to the British Embassy.
    In Fact: White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer made this claim on the White House web site, later recanted. In fact the bust is in the British Embassy.
    The Story: President Obama was wrong to say "soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf."
    In Fact: The oath of enlistment states: "I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me." While military members may claim they are fighting for the American people in reality they are following the orders of the President of the United States. The wishes of the American people are irrelevant.
    The Story: Our children and grandchildren will have to pay for the debt we are accumulating
    In Fact: Our children and grandchildren can move to another country and get out of paying for the debt we are accumulating.
    The Story: In 2008, when Flint had 265 sworn officers on their police force, there were 35 murders and 91 rapes in this city. In 2010, when Flint had only 144 police officers, the murder rate climbed to 65 and rapes, just to pick two categories, climbed to 229. - Vice President Joe Biden
    In Fact: 2010 City of Flint: 53 murders, 92 rapes

    The Story: Our news outlet has received complaints from the right and left therefore we are fair and balanced.
    In Fact: No matter how conservative or liberal a news outlet is there will always be individuals who are more liberal and conservative than the news outlet. Some of the individuals who are more conservative and more liberal than the news outlet will complain about the news outlet's bias. To use this argument as a defense against the charge of bias is either delusional or deceptive.

    The Story: Families with an autistic child have a much higher than average divorce rate.

    The Story: In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died—an entire town destroyed, Then Sen. Barack Obama speaking about a Kansas town struck by tornados.
    In Fact: 12 people died.

    The story: Tea Party activists shouted racial slurs at Georgia Rep. John Lewis.
    The story: April Fool's joke: a report on Car and Driver magazine's Web site that President Barack Obama had ordered Chevrolet and Dodge out of NASCAR as a condition for receiving federal bailout funds.
    In Fact: It was an April Fools joke by Car and Driver in its webzine. A number of President Obama's political opponents took the story as fact.
    The story: Vice-President Dick Cheney instigated the Georgia-Russian War in 2008 to stop Sen. Barack Obama from becoming president..
    The story: Sen. Hillary Clinton tried to join the Army but the recruiter told her no one would take her because her vision is too bad.
    Sen. Clinton has made a similar claim about trying to join the Marines. In the Marine claim she said the recruiter said it was because she was a woman.
    The story: HUD sent down a letter dated October 29, 2007 stating it's against HUD policy to have religious decorations in common areas of subsidized public housing.
    In Fact: An employee of a housing management company, dated October 29, 2007, indicating under the advice of a former attorney in HUD's fair housing division, their properties should not permit religious decorations in common areas. This was not HUD policy
    The story: No Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were found in Iraq
    In Fact: These items were found:
    Nuclear Chemical Biological Missiles
    1.77 metric tons low-enriched Uranium 500 shells, some with mustard some with sarin gas 97 vials 16 (2 found, 14 fired at the coalition)
    1,000 radioactive samples 2,400 nerve-agent rockets strains of biological organisms 20 rocket engines
    550 metric tons of "yellowcake"      
    The story: We should get out of Iraq because according to the National Intelligence Estimate, "The Iraq conflict has become the 'cause celebre' for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement."
    In Fact: The bullet quoted reads:
    "The Iraq conflict has become the 'cause celebre' for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight."
    One story: Senator John F. Kerry filed false reports when he was a swift boat captain in Vietnam to get his medals.
    Another story: Military records prove the other swift boat officers are lying when they claim Senator Kerry made false reports.
    NOTE: If maintenance records exist on the swift boats involved in the incident it would give convincing evidence to one side or the other.

    The Story: All presidents who start a war in their first term get reelected.
    In Fact: This statement, made by the character portraying the President of the United States in the movie Iron Skies, is inaccurate. President George H.W. Bush started conflicts in Panama and Iraq. He lost re-election to President William Jefferson Clinton. President Lyndon Johnson who presided over the "big buildup" in the Vietnam Conflict dropped out of the 1968 presidential race.
    The story: William Shakespeare wrote, "Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
    The story above feeds another legend.
    The story: Starting a war is a good way for a leader to divert the population's attention and keep in power." In Fact:
    M WAR PEACE A
    Despite a string of military victories culminating with the successful Operation Allied Force (1999) the Democrats lost the 2000 presidential election. In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson won by a landslide. He depicted his opponent, Barry Goldwater, as a war monger.
    The Democrats lost the presidency in 1952 even though the US was involved in the Korean Conflict President Lyndon Johnson withdrew from the 1968 presidential election. President Richard Nixon won the 1968 election. Part of President Nixon's campaign was claiming he had a secret plan to end the Vietnam War.
    Despite the military victory in 1991 that earned him unprecented popularity President George H.W. Bush lost the 1992 presidential election.
    		Chancellor Gerhard Schroder won the 2002 election by adopting an anti-war stance.
    In 1945 between VE and VJ Day Sir Winston Churchill lost his seat as Prime Minister. In 1972 President Richard Nixon announced there was a peace agreement just before the 1972 presidential election. He won by a landslide.
    Despite the United States fighting the Islamic State the Democrats lost the White House Woodrow Wilson won reelection in 1916. A campain slogan was, "He kept us out of War."
    Despite Britain's involvement in the Korean Conflict the ruling party lost the 1951 elections. Vladimir Lenin gained power in Russian promising to get Russia out of the war.
    The ruling party in Spain lost power in 2004 despite a good economy, its country's involvement in an armed conflict, and a terrorist attack days earlier that left 190 dead.  
    Despite France's involvement in the U.S. War for Independence the monarchy was overthrown.  
    Czar Nicholas II fell from power in the middle of Word War I.  
    Despite the victory in World War I the Democrats lost the presidency in the 1920 election.  
    Despite a big turnaround on the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom the Republicans lost the White House  
    British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli started the Zulu war and lost the next election.  

    President George W. Bush alienated America from its "allies".
    Elected government less friendly to the U.S. U.S. Friendly government stayed in power or the people elected a more U.S. friendly government
    Australia
    Spain
    Italy    		 Canada
    France
    Germany
    Japan
    Republic of Korea
    Mexico
    Peru
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    United Kingdom

    This is what has been said about every US military action since 1973.
    The story: The military action was really to protect the interests of big oil.

    Even though President George W. Bush did well on his SAT and has a Masters Degree from Harvard Business School there is a common belief that he is unintelligent.
    The story: Lovenstein Institute calculated President George W. Bush as having the lowest IQ (91) of any U.S. President in modern times. By contrast President William Jefferson Clinton had the highest IQ. President Bush didn't even write a book before becoming president.
    Cartoonist Gary Trudeau cited this study in his DOONESBURY cartoon strip. There is no Lovenstein Institute and President George W. Bush authored A Charge to Keep before becoming president.

    As election times grow near stories to show the importance of one vote make the rounds.
    One story: German missed becoming the official language of the United States by one vote.
    This is called the Muhlenberg Myth.

    The story: Vice-President Al Gore won the 2000 election but President George W. Bush stole the election.
    The story: Senator John F. Kerry won the 2004 election but President George W. Bush stole the election.
    The story: President Richard M. Nixon was seriously considering using the War Powers Act to stay in office.

    The story: President George W. Bush is planning to cancel the 2004 elections.
    In Fact: The 2004 elections took place.
    The Story: President Donald J. Trump is planning to delay the 2020 elections.
    This story concerns the idiom Rule of Thumb
    One story: The expression "Rule of Thumb" came from a time when it was legal to beat your wife with a stick as long as it was no thicker than your thumb.
    Another story: Wife beating was never legal in Anglo-American law.
    A theory: The term "Rule of Thumb" concerned measuring and did not come from Jurisprudence regarding wife beating. Apparently some judges have used a man's thumb as the "Rule of Thumb" concerning wife beating.

    This story concerns President William Jefferson Clinton.
    One story: Some 50 people who could have incriminated President Clinton have died under mysterious circumstances.
    Another story: That story is ridiculous he couldn't get away with an extramarital affair. He wouldn't be so stupid as to think he could get away with serial killing.
    A theory: Presidents know many people. People die. Any death can be termed "mysterious". Considering the amount of evidence required to convince many people the president was having an affair there is no reason to believe a president couldn't get away with murder. If stupidity was a defence the jails would be empty.

    The story: Andrew Breitbart was murdered. Michael Cormier, the Los Angeles County Coroner who may have been involved in the investigation into Andrew Breitbart's death was also murdered.

    The story: President William Jefferson Clinton's presidency was eight years of peace and prosperity.
    In Fact: The economy was good during William Jefferson Clinton's presidency. Peace is a relative term. There were these U.S. military actions from 1993 - 2000:
    Somalia Bosnia Kosovo
    Operations Northern & Southern Watch (Iraq) Missile strikes against Sudan & Afghanistan Operation Desert Fox (Iraq)
    There were also these actions against the U.S. interests:
    Word Trade Center Bombing (1993) Kobar Towers Bombing (Saudi Arabia) African Embassy Bombings USS Cole attack

    The story: Occupation never works.
    In Fact: Sometimes occupation doesn't work. Sometimes, for better or for worse, it works.
    Kosovo Since 1999 Greneda 1983
    Panama 1989 Eastern Europe 1945 - 1989
    Bosnia Since 1995 The Philippines Occupied by Spain then the US until Japan took over.
    Haiti 1990s Berlin 1945 - 1989
    Southwestern United States Since 1848 Iceland 1263 - 1944 By multiple occupiers
    Basque region of Spain Still belongs to Spain Gibraltar Still belongs to the UK
    Scotland, Wales, Belfast Still firmly under UK control. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia 1940 - 1990 Soviet Union & Germany
    Tibet 1950 - present Quebec Still a Canadian Province

    This story apparently started bouncing around the web in 1999. Unlike many political fables people from the same end of the political spectrum quickly debunked it.
    The story: When Jane Fonda went to North Vietnam she visited American POWs. The POWs each handed Ms Fonda a piece of paper with their SSNs on them as a way of sending word they were still alive. Ms. Fonda promptly turned over the papers to their North Vietnanese jailer. ...

    The story: Torture is an unreliable method of interrogation.
    True, but every method of Interrogatin is unreliable.

    The story: The NFL didn't make a political decision when they sold air time to a political group which aired a commercial accusing people who supported sending more troops to Iraq of not supporting the troops. A pro-buildup group could have bought air time and run their commercials.
    In Fact: The NFL refused to air a recruiting commercial for the Department of Homeland Security. NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said, "The borders, the immigration debate is a very controversial issue, and we were sensitive to any perception we were injecting ourselves into that."

    The story: The US Military Commissions gave unfair trials
    In Fact:
    The story: The winner of the 2008 presidential election could be decided by flawed, insecure, and hackable electronic voting machines.
    In Fact: People have been stuffing paper ballot boxes for over a century. With a paper trail a person can prove to someone who bought their vote that they kept their side of the bargan. Now someone who wants to buy a vote has to trust the person they are bribing is dishonest enough to sell their vote but honest enough to honor their illegal deal.

    The story: When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building' by George Bush.
    He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.

    Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?' A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'
    In Fact: Amusing, but not true. France does have aircraft carriers, albeit not as large as the U.S. super carriers.


    A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French? Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.

    A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 'You have been to France before, monsieur?' the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. 'Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.' The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it.' 'Impossible! Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!' The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained. 'Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find any Frenchmen to show it to.'

    The story: If you have proof of a political scandal the best protection from being harmed is by going public.

    Legends that start with a roll.
    The Story: "Folks, I'm excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 tons of infant formula and about to land in Indiana." President Biden @ POTUS United States government official
    In Fact: It was 70,000 pounds. No aircaft can carry 70,000 tons of anything. The C-5A can carry about 140 tons.
    The Story: "We have over 100,000 children, which we've never had before in serious condition and many on ventilators." Justice Sonia Sotomayor, January, 2022, conserning COVID-19.
    In Fact: There were about 5,000 persons under the age of 18 who were hospitalized because of COVID-19, not all of them were in serious condition.
    The Story: "By 2020, make sure our electricity is zero emissions." - President Joe Biden.
    In Fact: President Biden said this in September, 2021.
    The Story: Accoding to Governor Terry McAuliffe "you lose 93 million Americans a day to gun violence." In Fact: If Governor McAuliffe were right there would no longer be any Americans.
    The Story: The U.S. didn't have a COVID-19 vaccine when President Joe Biden came into office. According to President Joe Biden at a "Town Hall" meeting on February 16, 2021.
    In Fact: As of January 20, 2021 the U.S. produced 35,761,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Then President-elect Joe Biden had been administered 2 doses. He received the first dose on December 21, 2020 and the second does on January 11, 2021.
    The Story: Vice Presidential candidate Kamalla Harris stated "We're looking at over 220 million Americans who just in the last several month died" from COVID-19>
    In Fact: The correct number was 220 thousand..
     The Story: Vice President Joe Biden claimed in a September 20, 2020 speech that by the time he finished his speech 200 million people would have died from COVID-19.
    In Fact: As of September 27, 2020 the world COVID-19 death toll was 996,096. Vice President Biden was apparently refering to the US death toll which passed 200 thousand on September 20, 2020.
    The Story: Brian Williams and Mara Gay claimed on MSNBC that Mayor Mike Bloomberg could have given each American $1 million with plenty left over with the $500 million he spent on his unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign.
    In Fact: The v Gay and Williams used is reminiscent of an Abbot and Costello routine.
    The Story: "150 million people have been killed since 2007..." Vice-President Joe Biden. This was in reference to firearms in the United States.
    The Story: "Just like in my generation, when I got out of school, that when Bobby Kennedy and Dr. King had been assassinated in the '70s, late seventies" - Vice-President Joe Biden.
    In Fact: Senator Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated in 1968.
    The Story: "The one thing we are going to do during this work period, sooner rather than later, is to ensure that women's lives are not determined by virtue of five white men." Senator Harry Reid
    In Fact: He was referring to the Hobby Lobby case. Justice Clarence Thomas, who sided with the majority in the 5-4 decision, is not white.
    The Story: On May 21, 2014 Secretary of State John Kerry said in a speech temperatures in Europe and Vietnam broke "every record that's ever been seen."
    In Fact: The temperature in Ho Chi Mihn City was considerably cooler than the 1926 Hanoi record for May. The European records were also considerably less than European records.
    The Story: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee stated on the House floor, on March 12, 2014:
    Maybe I should offer a good thanks to the distinguished members of the majority, the Republicans, my chairman and others, for giving us an opportunity to have a deliberative constitutional discussion that reinforces the sanctity of this nation and how well it is that we have lasted some 400 years, operating under a constitution that clearly defines what is constitutional and what is not."
    In fact: That would mean the U.S. Constitution would have been written before the Pilgrims arrived.
    The Story: FBI Deputy Director, Sean Joyce testified before Congress on June 18, 2013 about a plot against the New York Stock Exchange: "I think the jury considered it serious since they were all convicted."
    In fact: There was no jury trial and they weren't charged with planning an attack against the Stock Exchange. They pleaded guilty to other charges.
    The Story: A Team Obama commercial claims President Obama didn't say; "If you've got a business you didn't build that somebody else made that happen." In fact: The commercial claims Governor Mitt Romney is misquoting President Barack Obama. A few seconds later the commercial shows a clip of President Obama saying; "If you've got a business you didn't build that somebody else made that happen."
    The Story: During an interview President Obama said, "I'm always worried about using the word 'victory,' because, you know, it invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur."
    In fact: Emperor Hirohito did not sign the instrument of surrender.
    The Story: "Ladies and gentlemen, where are we now? Where are we now? If you want to know where Al Qaeda lives, you want to know where Bin Laden is, come back to Afghanistan with me. Come back to the area where my helicopter was forced down, with a three-star general and three senators at 10,500 feet in the middle of those mountains. I can tell you where they are."
    Then Sen. Joe Biden, September 22, 2008
    While technically true it could give someone the impression terrorist fire had something to do with this helicopter being forced down in February 2008. In fact it was forced down by a snowstorm. The Senators and the three star general went to Bagram AB by motor convoy.
    Note: One American was killed by enemy action in Afghanistan in February 2008. Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2011.

    During a PBS interview retired Admiral Thomas Moorer gave a strong defense of Commander Robert Stumpf whom Admiral Moorer considered the Navy wronged.
    The story: Well, Commander Stump was absolutely if not the top aviator in the Navy, awful close to it. And he was head of the Blue Angels. His squadron was selected the best squadron in the Navy. He had a fantastic record in Desert Storm. Shot down I don't know how many Arab planes. He's been selected not once but twice. And so he was just a natural. He was going to be an aviation admiral. There wasn't any question about it. It's just criminal, in my opinion.
    While his statements may be technically accurate the fact is Commander Stumpf wasn't credited with shooting down a single aircraft.
    Continued: On July 31, 2002 the Washington times called Captain Stumpf an "ace". (Tailhook Scandal "injustice" righted, by Rowan Scarborough.)
    "Ace" implies someone shot down five aircraft in air-air combat.

    HISTORY LEGENDS

    The Story: It wasn't General Sherman who burned Atlanta, it was Confederate General Hood.
    In Fact:     On September 1, 1864 Confederate General had the supply depot destroyed. The retreating Confederates set fire to 81 train cars loaded with ammunition. The next day Atlanta Mayor James Calhoun led a delegation that surrendered the city to the Union forces. On November 15 Major General William Techumseh Sherman had Atlanta burned. The fire destroyed about 3,000 buildings. These buildings included homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. The Story: The Moon landings were fake and NASA enlisted director Stanley Kubrick to film a fraud.
    The Story: The John Brown raid failed because the raiders let the Baltimore & Ohio train proceed over the Potomac Bridge
    In Fact: The train passed over the Potomac Bridge at dawn. Also at dawn Dr. Starry sent messengers to Charlestown and other nearby towns and ordered the Lutheran Church bell to be rung. Dr. Starry rode to the armory. The train arrived at Monocracy, Maryland and sent out a telegram at 0705. Dr. Starry arrived at Charlestown at 1000 where the Jefferson County Guards were mobilized. There is no reason to believe a 3 hour delay would have dramatically changed the outcome.
    The Story: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana
    In Fact: Those who can remember the past are also condemned to repeat it. With 6,000 years of recorded history any misfortune, or fortune, a nation encounters has been encountered by some nation in the past.
    The Story: "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history." George Bernard Shaw
    In Fact: That is probably because there is nothing to learn from history. Should not decisions be based on current reality? Isn't trying to apply history like gambling with "a system"?
    The story: The winners write the History books
    In Fact: Winners, losers, and their sympathizers write history books. Winners are often vilanized and loosers are often lionized.
    The Story: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, without declaring war, enraged the Americans.
    In Fact: Would the Americans have been any less enraged if the Japanese declared war 30 minutes before they attacked Pearl Harbor?
    The Story: It was a contraversial decision.
    In Fact: Everything is contraversial in that there is always an opposing point of view. When someone points out a decision is contraversial that means it's a decision the person doesn't agree with.
    The Story: Private enterprise can learn much from watching how the U.S. military does things.
    In Fact: Irregular militaries that aren't part of any national government have fared very well against the U.S. military when the budgets of these irregular militaries are compared with the budgets the U.S. military applies against them.
    The Story: ��Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you��d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.�� ~ Steven Weinberg
    In Fact: For good people do bad things requires only an authority figure, religious or secular. This has been proven both historically and in laboratory conditions, specifically Stanley Milgram's experiment which is sometimes called the "Eichman Experiment". The Milgram experiment proved the authority figure didn't need any real authority.

    Corona Virus Legends

    The Story: Effective January 15, 2022, it will be illegal to go indoors without a vaccine QR code.

    LEGENDARY PREDICTIONS


    U - It didn't happen but that doesn't stop people from saying it. r - It didn't happen. 6 - It hasn't happend and time is running out. N - Keep watching it might just happen.
    a - It happened. J - It didn't look like it but guess who got the last laugh. s - It hasn't happened.

    s - Sean Hannity predicts he will be the subject of an IRS audit during the Obama presidentcy. He has been the subject of an IRS inquiry. The IRS admitted groups with "9/12 Project" in their name were given improper scrutiny. Glenn Beck, another conservative radio talk show host started 9/12 Project.
    Russell Train's statement posted at the National Museum in Baltimore.rThe statement on the picture, taken 20 years after Russell Train made it, is posted in the National Museum in Baltimore, MD.
    N - History will judge the presidency of George W. Bush better than it was judged when he left office.
    A 2013 Gallup poll found more people viewed President George W. Bush favorably (49%) than unfavorably (46%).
    rThe story: George W. Bush's re-election means many jobs will be lost.
    In Fact: From Jan 2005 - January 2008 a net of almost 5.8 million new jobs were created. From January - January 2009 a net of 3,033,000 jobs were lost. From his second inauguration to his leaving office a net of 2,767,000 jobs were gained.
    In February 2010 the Bureau of Labor Statistics readjuted the numbers, making the above figures an Urban Legend. According to the new statistics From Jan 2005 - Dec 2008 a net of 5,666,000 jobs were gained. From Jan 2008 - Jan 2009 4,420,000 jobs were lost, a net gain of 1,246,000 jobs.
    aThe story: Gold reaching $700 an ounce in the Spring of 2006 is only the beginning. Gold can easily double that price. Gold reached $1,400 an ounce in the fall of 2010.
    rThe story: There soon will be food shortages, hyperinflation, mass rioting, bank runs, the stock market will crash, gold will reach about $5,000/oz, silver will reach about $187/oz. Stansberry Research 2011.
    rThe story: Gas will be $4 a gallon or more by the end of 2006. - Note: Gas reached $4 a gallon then dropped down sharply.
    rThe story: Gas will reach $6 a gallon or more in 2008.
    aThe story: Gas will reach $4 a gallon in spring 2008. - Note: Gas reached $4 a gallon then dropped down.
    rThe story: With oil stuck above $70 bbl. ...
    Niall Ferguson, a History Professor at Harvard University wrote this in the article The Nation That Fell To Earth, © TIME September 11, 2006. It was a future history article set in 2031. By the time the issue of TIME hit the newsstands oil was below $70 bbl. and falling fast. The oil price has rebounded and in 2008 was well above $100 a barrell. Then the price of oil plunged to below $70 a barrel in November. The price of oil didn't cause the economic crisis of 2008 instead the economic crisis caused the price of oil to drop.

    r2007 - London-based forecaster Tropical Storm Risk predicted the 2007 Hurricane season would bring 17 tropical storms, 9 will be hurricanes.
    Forecaster sees active Atlantic hurricane season, Reuters, March 21, 2007
    As of October 21, 2007 there have been: 15 Atlantic cyclones these include 13 named storms, 2 unnamed tropical depressions, 4 hurricanes, and one subtropical storm.
    Other Niall Ferguson predictions from The Nation That Fell To Earth, © TIME September 11, 2006:
    rConservative David Cameron will be the United Kingdom's next Prime Minister.
    JIn Fact: Labor Gordon Brown suceeded Tony Blair as Prime Minister. Gordon Brown was suceeded by David Cameron in 2010.

    2008

    2010

    aIn February 2010 the Council of Economic Advisors predicted an average of 95,000 more jobs each month for 2010. This would mean a net gain of 1,140,000 jobs. In 2010 there was a job growth of
    rThe U.S. will break up according to Igor Panarin, a Russian professor.
    raThe U.S. unemployment rate will hover above 8% according to El-Erian, chief executive of giant bond manager Pimco.
    This is a sort of situation, throughout 2010 the unemployment rate ranged between 9.4% - 9.8% so it depends on the definition of "hover"

    2011

    rLondon-based Oil Depletion Analysis Centre predicts demand will outstrip discovery then discovery will sharply decline.
    World oil supplies are set to run out faster than expected, warn scientists, The Independent, by By Daniel Howden, June 14, 2007.
    U There will be a major economic meltdown.
    U Gas will be between $4 & $5 a gallon by Memorial Day. Gas went above $4 in May but the prices dropped before Memorial Day.
    rGas will reach $6 a gallon by Summer.
    raColorado State University predicted 16 named storms and 9 hurricanes.
    Yes & No, 19 named storms, 7 hurricanse.
    r2010 - 2015 - Gas will be between $12 - $15 at the pump. Robert Hirsch interview at Energytechstocks.com.

    2012

    2013

    2014

    According to the 24/7 Wall Street these 10 brand names will disappear.
    rJ.C. Penny rNook rMartha Stewart Living Magazine rLiving Social rVolvo
    rOlympus rWomen's National Basketball Association rLeap Wireless rMitsubishi Motors rRoad & Track
  • rDavid Nabhan predicts the next big earthquakes will be on July 12 & September 9. The earthquakes will occur within these windows, 0445 - 0755 & 1645 - 1955.
  • rVirgin Galactic will fly its first paying customer according to Richard Branson. It happened on August 10, 2023.
  • rTom Bewer predicts it will never happen.
  • rAccording to Marc Faber claimed there would be a stock market crash worse than the 1987 crash.
  • aBill Miller stated conditions for a bad market don't exist.
  • a CDC Director, Dr. Tom Frieden said of the first Ebola case in the U.S.; "there is no doubt in my mind we will stop it here."
  • aThe Republicans will gain control of the U.S. Senate.
  • rThere will be up to 130 Ebola cases in the U.S. There were fewer than 10 Ebola cases in the U.S.

    2015

    2016

    2017

    2018

    2019

    2020

    2021

    2022

  • rThe ESA will launch the Rosalind Franklin to Mars
  • rSpaceX CEO Elon Musk plans to launch space ships to Mars
  • rIndia plans to have a human mission to the Moon.
  • rWater will become a luxury according to Mariam Salzman.

    2023

    Nostradamus Predictions - According to Times Now Digital - September 15, 2022:*
    * These are interpretations of what Nortadamus wrote, not his actual words.
  • r Most of Virginia will have the worst of winter.

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    According to Sam Becker these jobs will be rare or no longer exist in America.
    Drivers Farmers Postal Workers Broadcasters Jewelers
    Fishermen Printers and Publishers Cashiers Delivery Travel Agents
    Dispatchers Telemarketers Social Media Professionals Manufacturing Workers Sports Officials and Referees

    2028

    The U.S. will have a permanent human presence on the moon according to 2018 NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

    2030

    2031

  • According to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the world would will end.
  • Ben Goertzel, CEO of SingularityNET, predicted AI will surpass the control of humans.

    2032

    China will overtake the U.S. economy.

    2033

    The U.S. FAA projects a steady and moderate growth in air traffic from 2013 - 2033.

    2040

    2045

    Josh Bocanegra claims his Humai company will be able to resurrect the dead.

    Please feel free to contact me at the following address: E-mail:rsacchi001@aol.com