Jul
20
2009
BotB Verdict
Average Number of Times Received Daily at MOAA: 4
Summary
A classic bilge article gets a boost from the recent spate of military/religious emails. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a common target of these emails because they invoke deeply held feelings on both sides of the political spectrum. This one in particular has been appearing at an increasing rate as of late and contains two major departures from the truth – one being that the ACLU has filed a suit to have military cross-shaped headstones removed from military cemeteries and the other being that Navy Chaplains can no longer mention Jesus’ name in prayer. We’ll discuss both separately, and explore why this false email has had such a long shelf life (the original incantation started in 2006).
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Jul
14
2009
A True Story for Once…
BotB Verdict
Average Number of Times Received Daily at MOAA: 3
Executive Summary
Since we had a less than happy flyover article last week, we thought we’d reach back into the archives and bring out a feel good flyover story from our classic bilge folder. Luke Air Force Base, located just outside of Glendale Arizona, a rapidly growing part of the country, is the largest F-16 base in the world. With some 200 F-16s operational on site, they are the training center for hundreds of pilots making their way up the ladder. The convergence of a large civilian population springing up around an old military installation (building started on the base in 1941) has caused some friction. Noise complaints are common, but one in particular became a national story when a resident of nearby Peoria sent a letter to the editor of the Arizona Republic in June, 2005. The fallout from that letter has become a favorite pass around in the email world, and for once it is a very true (and touching) story.
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Jul
11
2009
This week, soon to be ex-governor of Alaska Sarah Palin posted a quote on her twitter page that she incorrectly attributed to Plato:
Palin is not the first to misapply the quote to the great philosopher and it has been attributed to Plato in works like Training for Dummies, but the origin of the saying is probably from a gentleman’s guide published in 1670. Her misquote got me thinking about quotes in general, and as you can tell by previous articles I’m a fan of famous sayings. So I compiled a list of quotes that are related to military or politics that have been altered, misapplied, or just plain made up. Here are some of the best…
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Jul
04
2009
‘We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall hang separately’ – attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but he probably didn’t say it, regarding the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Myths and Traditions Regarding the 4th
Today we celebrate the birth of a grand experiment, a republic built upon the ideals of democracy and freedom. As monumental to world history as the Declaration of Independence became, there are a few myths that surround the 4th of July, although they are fairly insignificant and don’t take away from the power of the holiday.
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Jun
18
2009
Yet Another Incorrect Gun Control Email
BotB Verdict
Average Number of Times Received Daily at MOAA: 7
“A half-truth is a whole lie” – Yiddish Proverb
Summary
A recycled email myth that originally made the rounds in 2000 has been reformated for a new Congress and a new President. The email states that you must act urgently to stop a bill that would levy a $50 tax on your 2009 filing for any handgun that you own. Additionally, the bill would make you list all handguns and, just for good measure, make you provide a sample of your fingerprint identification.
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