Fact Check: Science quotes attributed to Carson inaccurate, distorted
Times-Union readers want to know: Is it true that GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson said that he has “no idea how gravity works” and has said climate change is a “hoax.” Carson said neither of...
View ArticleFact Check: Fake news site leaving many in the dark
Posts on social media say that NASA confirmed that there will be 15 straight days of darkness in November. The facts: Don’t fret. No such astronomical event will happen. On July 14, the website...
View ArticleFact Check: Was raccoon used to bypass in-car breathalyzer?
Times-Union readers want to know: I saw a story circulated on social media that claims a Navy officer was arrested for “abuse of public animal” and “drunken or reckless driving” after he used a raccoon...
View ArticleFact Check: Flag-flying ban not behind painted lawn
A social media photograph shows a man who painted his lawn to look like an American flag because his homeowners’ association wouldn’t let him fly one. The facts: The photo was accompanied by text that...
View ArticleFact Check: Hillary said what about late-term abortions?
Times-Union readers want to know: Did Hillary Clinton say late-term abortions “are because of medical necessity”? It’s difficult to find research on late-term abortions, but data you can find do not...
View ArticleFact Check: No evidence of this carjacking technique
Social media posts and emails are coming around yet again, warning that if you see a piece of paper stuck to your rear window, it’s a carjacking scheme. The facts: We’ve covered this before, but we’ve...
View ArticleFact Check: Will a new website allow users to rate private individuals?
Times-Union readers want to know: Is it true that an app called “Peeple” will be a service that will rate private individuals? This app has drawn a lot of attention, but whether it ever will come to be...
View ArticleDon't trust online tobacco 'promotions'
Facebook users report a post that claims Marlboro is giving away free cartons of Marlboro cigarettes. The facts: In October 2015, links began circulating on Facebook promising users a free carton of...
View ArticleFact Check: Did they find human DNA in hot dogs?
Times-Union readers want to know: Is it true that a study found that some hot dog brands contained human DNA? Hot dogs haven’t received much love lately. One study found that wieners, bacon and other...
View ArticleFact Check: Did Obama miss more Senate floor votes than Rubio when he was...
Times-Union readers want to know: Marco Rubio has said that Barack Obama and John Kerry missed 60 to 70 percent of their Senate votes while running for president. Is that true? Yes, it is true,...
View ArticleFact Check: Did a Harvard study prove that countries with more guns have...
Times-Union readers want to know: Did a 2007 Harvard University study prove that areas with higher rates of gun ownership have lower crime rates? There was no such official Harvard “study.” It is true,...
View ArticleFact Check: Extra fee to carry Army uniform on board?
The father of a military service member commented on a Facebook page that his son was charged $55 to carry a uniform onto a Spirit Airlines flight and was told by a customer service rep that Spirit...
View ArticleFact Check: Story about a nice note from a burglar has been around for decades
First off this week, an update to last week’s Midweek Reason column: We wrote about a man’s post that his son, returning from military leave, encountered a $55 charge to bring a garment bag aboard a...
View ArticleFact Check: Trump OK with GOP; no signs otherwise
A meme circulating on social media shows Donald Trump with a quote attributed to him in 1998 stating that Republicans are the dumbest voters. The facts: Snopes.com reports first getting the image and...
View ArticleFact Check: Rumor of terrorists buying UPS uniforms on eBay circulating since...
Times-Union readers want to know: Is it true that terrorists are buying UPS uniforms on eBay? This email rumor has been circulating since February 2003, according to David Emery, the urban legend...
View ArticleFact Check: Did Wal-Mart force veteran Marine to stand outside in cold to...
Times-Union readers want to know: Is it true that a Wal-Mart store in Medina, Ohio, forced a Marine collecting for Toys for Tots to move from the warm entryway to the cold outside? I saw it on...
View ArticleFact Check: Chuck Yeager never endorsed Trump
Social media posts claim that Chuck Yeager is endorsing Donald Trump for president. The facts: On Nov. 5, the website GaryForbes.wix.com published an article purportedly written by retired U.S. Air...
View ArticleFact Check: How did the 'drunk' driver pass all the sobriety tests?
Times-Union readers want to know: I received an email claiming that a story about a drunk who passed every sobriety test is true. Is it? Here’s one version of the story as gathered by David Emery,...
View ArticleFact Check: Newton not getting fined over footballs
A post being shared around the Internet says that every time Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton gives a ball to a child in the stands, he is fined $5,512. So far, he has paid $253,552, the...
View ArticleFact Check: Dearborn rally was anti-ISIS, not pro
An online article said there was a demonstration on Dec. 5 in Dearborn, Mich., during which protesters flew ISIS and Muslim brotherhood flags. The facts: This rumor circulating on Facebook and Twitter...
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