How Gullible Are You? Part 3: Levis Logo, Pilot Mysteriously Reappears, Tennis Ball Car Door openers

There are a lot more crazy things circulating around the Internet this month, and to help dispel falsehoods, or prove truth, here's the third of three parts of this month's "How Gullible Are You?"
See how you do...

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1)  Is the Levi's Logo Racist?  FALSE- A social media post claims that Levi's "two horse" logo is a racist symbol that represents a slave's being killed.

Just two men and 2 horses.

2) Texas Man Forced to Take Down U.S. Flag Because Muslims Were Offended? -  FALSE  A false claim from 2014 about a Texas man forced to take down his American flag because it threatened Muslims has been resurrected.- KHOU-TV  reported noted that "we saw other patriotic symbols hanging from other balconies in the complex," so the issue was pretty clearly about the manner of the flag's display and not any issues regarding its symbolism.

3)  EPA Seeks to Ban Racecar Conversions? FALSE - An aftermarket trade association's press release misleadingly suggested the EPA was banning road-to-racecar conversions.

WHAT'S TRUE: In July 2015, the EPA proposed clarifications to existing laws governing emissions with respect to road-to-racecar modifications.
WHAT'S FALSE: The EPA is banning road-to-race car conversions.

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4) Is Bernie Sanders the Only Presidential Candidate to Pay His Interns?  TRUE- Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders pays his campaign interns, but most (if not all) of the other major presidential candidates do not.

5) Taiwan: MH370 Pilot Mysteriously Resurfaces?  FALSE - A fake news web site reported that the pilot of long-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had mysteriously resurfaced in a Taiwan hospital.
 

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6) List of Reasons for Admission to Insane Asylums in the 19th Century   PARTIALLY TRUE-  A list purportedly documents the myriad reasons or symptoms behind patients' being admitted to an insane asylum in the 19th century.(Note: if only  "religious enthusiasm" were still an offense many conservatives would be locked up again.)
 

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7)  This Is (Not) What Happens When You Park in a Handicapped Parking Spot in Brazil   - DONE BY A COMEDY SHOW - 

A video showing the creative shaming of a motorist who illegally parked in a handicapped spot was created by the YouTube comedy team Canal Boom.

9) Bernie Sanders Supporters Get SS Tattoos?FALSE -A Vermont parlor provides free tattoos to Bernie Sanders supporters, but those tattoos do not include the Nazi "SS" symbol. Origin: In February 2016, an image began circulating via social media proclaiming that young supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders were demonstrating their commitment to this campaign by obtaining tattoos of the "lightning bolt" (Armanen runes) 'SS' insignia utilized by the notorious Nazi Schutzstaffel paramilitary surveillance and terror group:
10)  Can You Unlock Your Car Door with a Tennis Ball?- FALSE  A long-debunked tip claiming you can unlock your car door with a tennis ball has resurfaced on social media but remains utterly false.  ***In 2007 this rumor made it to the attention of Discovery Channel's MythBusters, who addressed it in a brief web video titled "Tennis Ball Car Unlock MiniMyth." In that clip, the team attempted to replicate the results based on the "air pressure" explanation proffered in the video. When the tennis ball method predictably failed, they attempted to unlock a vehicle using much higher air pressure applied in the same fashion, but even that approach proved insufficient for opening a locked vehicle

How Gullible Are You: Part 2: Deporting Veterans, PIlot Selfie,Fish Slapped and more

There are a lot more crazy things circulating around the Internet this month, and to help dispel falsehoods, or prove truth, here's the second of three parts of this month's "How Gullible Are You?"
See how you do...
 

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1)  United States Deporting Military Veterans? - TRUE. Honorably-discharged veterans of the U.S. military have, under certain circumstances, either received deportation orders or been deported. It may come as a surprise to learn that serving in the United States military does not automatically confer citizenship, but it doesn't.  It can smooth the way, provided the aspiring citizen is aware of what they need to do in order to apply for citizenship and gets it done within a certain timeframe.   However, it's not uncommon for enlistees to wrongly assume (having never been told otherwise) they have done all they need to do in order to be awarded citizenship, and thus all they have to do after their honorable discharge is wait.

2) Cam Newton Arrested for Fixing Super Bowl?  FALSE -  Fake news reports the QB of the Carolina Panthers was arrested for "fixing" a Super Bowl game and betting against his team.

3)  Aborted Fetuses Found in Michigan Dumpster?  FALSE - A graphic image shows fetuses found along a riverbank in Nepal, not fetuses discovered in a Dumpster behind a Michigan abortion clinic.A right wing conservative used this photo to spread this false story to anger people against abortion clinics.

4) Michigan Senate Passes Law Banning Sodomy? - MOSTLY FALSE
A bill passed by the Michigan senate to strengthen state animal cruelty laws left intact old, unenforceable language criminalizing sodomy.
WHAT'S TRUE: The Michigan senate amended a portion of the state penal code dealing with animal cruelty without removing old, unenforceable language that criminalizes sodomy.
WHAT'S FALSE: Michigan has passed a new law banning oral and anal sex.

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Fake Stadium Flyover Selfie

Origin:On 28 January 2016, the Michigan state senate passed SB219, a bill from Republican senator Rick Jones (commonly known as "Logan's Law") which amended a portion of the Michigan penal code pertaining to animal cruelty (primarily to crack down on the breeding, sale, and use of animals for "fighting and baiting" activities such as dogfights), by preventing anyone convicted of animal abuse from owning another animal for five years

5) Pilot Takes Selfie During Stadium Flyover?

A photograph purportedly showing a jet pilot taking a selfie while flying over a college football stadium is fake.
  
6)   Muslims Demand Prayer Room in Lancashire Craft Shop?

The truth about #6- There were NO problems.

WHAT'S TRUE: Four Muslim customers asked the owners of a rural craft shopping centre to provide them with space to pray.
WHAT'S FALSE: The men demanded they be provided with a prayer room, requiring police to respond to quell a near-riot.

The truth from the Heskin Farmers Market and Craft Centre (Right) said there was no problems.
 

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7) McDonalds 'New Policy' Bans Customers from Buying Food for the Homeless? 
FALSE - Two incidents at one McDonald's in the United Kingdom were spun into a claim that the chain has implemented a new policy barring customers from buying food for the homeless.
 

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8) Florida Man Arrested Over Wendy's Drive-Thru Gator Toss 
UNDER INVESTIGATION: A Florida man was arrested after allegedly "throwing" an alligator through a Wendy's drive-thru window in Oct. 2015. Although James appeared in court in February 2016, the incident in question occurred on 12 October 2015. We were unable to locate any reports (via social media or the news) about an alligator's being directed through a window at the Loxahatchee Wendy's, but the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office carries a record of James' arrest (including gator-related charges):
 

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9) Woman Slapped in Face by Large Fish? FALSE   - A viral video shows a "weather reporter" getting smacked in the face during a broadcast, but the footage appears to be faked.- The woman in the video is Aimee Bannister, who isn't actually a weather reporter: She's part of the Welsh travel and adventure vlogging duo that goes by "Craig & Aimee," with a site called "Kinging-It." It appears that the fish was dead and gutted and someone threw it at her on purpose. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/dtxPp9UOcIc
 10)  Captain America Deemed Offensive?

A woman claimed that her brother's Captain America costume was deemed "offensive" by school officials, but details of the incident conflicted with that claim. 
WHAT'S TRUE: Rondout Valley High School student Steven Snyder's Captain America costume caught the eye of school administrators due to its inclusion of a prohibited ammunition belt.  (WELL OF COURSE!)
WHAT'S FALSE: The school deemed a Captain America costume (or patriotism in general) to be "offensive."

How Gullible Are You? Part 1: Free Airline Tix?; Febreeze Peanut Oil, Monsanto Rumor, Mother Teresa

There are a lot more crazy things circulating around the Internet this month, and to help dispel falsehoods, or prove truth, here's the first of three parts of this month's "How Gullible Are You?"
See how you do...


1) Mother Teresa at 18:  A viral photograph does not actually show famous Roman Catholic missionary Mother Teresa at age 18.  

2) Does Febreze Contain Peanut Oil? -  No it does not.  Procter and Gamble categorically denies that undeclared peanut or tree nut oils are present in Febreze odor elimination spray or their other products.

3) Southwest Airlines Las Vegas Ticket Giveaway Scam  Southwest Airlines is not giving away four tickets to Las Vegas and $5,000 spending money to Facebook users who share and like a page.

4)  Airline Ticket Giveaway Scam  - Airlines are not giving away free tickets or spending money to Facebook users who share and like a page. Those offers are a form of online scam.

5) Free Chipotle Burrito Coupon - TRUE... but only on Feb. 8.  No scam: the popular fast casual Chipotle Mexican Grill chain is really offering up mobile coupons for free burritos.
 
6) Ted Cruz: 'Businesses Should Turn Away Gay Customers'? - False- this one about businesses having a 'right' to turn away gay customers, has been attributed to Senator Ted Cruz. (Although it IS TRUE that he attended and spoke at several "kill the gays" religious rallies.)

7) Hillary Clinton Sat on the Monsanto Board?  FALSE - Hillary Clinton never sat on Monsanto's board of directors, nor does she maintain any known fundraising ties with the agribusiness giant.

8)Six-Year-Old Happy Meal Doesn't Rot? -A Facebook post claimed a six-year-old Happy Meal "didn't rot," but that phenomenon is in no way exclusive to McDonald's food.

9)   Glittery Phone Cases Cause Acid Burns?  Under Investigation.   Multiple consumers have reported that cell phone cases containing glitter suspended in gel have caused severe chemical burns.  New Look, the company that distributed the phone case, said they would investigate the complaint(s) and have removed the product from their inventory. Claims of chemical burns from such phone cases is not unprecedented however: For example, in November 2015, New Zealand woman Erin Nelson reported that she, too, was burned by a mysterious liquid that leaked from her iPhone case

10) Don't Selfie Your Ballot? - In some states it IS Illegal!   Is taking a photograph of your ballot and posting it online illegal? Depends on where you live and how you do it.

A Sign from Buzz the dog, 11 years later and PODCAST Proof

As I've stated in my books "Pets and the Afterlife" and "Pets and the Afterlife 2" (just came out on Feb.

Pets 2 and Pets 1 - with Buzz on the cover

14, 2016) when it comes to spirit, there's no such thing as a coincidence. -Rob

   Spirits, either human or pets, have the ability to influence things to give us signs that they are still around, and that's what happened last week. Signs can come within a couple of weeks of a birthday, anniversary or holiday. 

   Our dog, Buzz passed on Feb. 22, 2005.

   In late January I received a request to guest on a radio show to talk about Pets and the Afterlife. However, when I went on the air, there were all kinds of technical difficulties and for unknown reasons. Although I now know that was Buzz's doing because spirits can affect anything electrical, and he was apparently having a lot of fun that evening messing up the equipment.   What's interesting is that Kevin and Molly, the hosts, said that they haven't had problems in quite awhile... and not until I came on.

  So, the interview was rescheduled for February 15 from 9 to 11 p.m. EST, ONE WEEK before the anniversary of Buzz's passing.  Nothing other than the date to tie it to Buzz, though, right? 
Wrong. What was the name of the radio show?  "The BUZZ."      

 Kevin, Scotty and Molly host the Buzz. The Buzz encourages listener participation with live chat and call in capabilities.  That night, Kevin and Molly interviewed me. Now, here's the proof of the interview in the PODCAST: http://tinyurl.com/zxvd2lw

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Click to order: My fourth book Pets and the Afterlife 2 is now Published!  
  It is available on Amazon.com in paperback and e-book. It's a follow-up to my first "Pets and the Afterlife" book, and is my fourth book.
 
ABOUT THE BOOK: 
Pets and the Afterlife 2 was written to help grieving pet parents understand how pets in the afterlife share signs from the afterlife.   The author is a medium, paranormal investigator, pet parent and a scientist. He explains the science of energy, what happens when pets pass, and the intelligence of pets.
Learn the difference between a ghost and spirit, and the types of signs our pets can give us from the other side.  Read amazing messages that the author received and fantastic personal experiences shared by others to help the reader better understand the many ways spirit pets can communicate.

PODCAST- The Edge of the Rabbit Hole with special guest Rob Gutro 02/23 by LiveParanormal History FM | Paranormal Podcasts

Did you miss my interview last night on "Edge of the Rabbit Hole"?
Hear the PODCAST here: 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN:
The Edge of the Rabbit Hole with special guest Rob Gutro 02/23 by LiveParanormal History FM | Paranormal Podcasts:
  (if you get a pop up, hit cancel and the show will start playing)


With hosts Mike Ricksecker and Vanessa Hogle Tonight's special guest: Psychic Medium, Author, and Dog Rescuer Rob Gutro! The Edge of the Rabbit Hole interactively researches and uncovers supernatural secrets and lost knowledge from throughout the ages, covering a wide range of locations and topics, all supernatural, paranormal, and historic in nature.

Great book: Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof: Dixie Hemingway Mysteries

I  just finished another great book in the Dixie Hemingway series: Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof by Blaize Clement. This is the fourth book in the series and they are all great. The lead character, Dixie, is a pet sitter and former deputy who winds up getting involved in murders. She's attracted to two men, one a police investigator and the other a lawyer... but she's hesitant to commit because she's still getting over the loss of her husband and child in an accident from years past. Her gay brother and his partner who live downstairs from her add to the stories and provide both light-heartedness and fun, as well as characters to ground Dixie.
  This story had a great and surprise twist to the end, and will keep you guessing. Really enjoyable! - Rob


ABOUT THE BOOK:

   Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter introduced a winning sleuth in Florida pet sitter Dixie Hemingway, and the next books in the series, Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund and Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues, firmly established author Blaize Clement as a new star amongst mystery fans. Now Dixie Hemingway, no relation to you-know-who, is back in this fourth riveting installment.
   When Dixie meets Laura Halston, a newcomer to Siesta Key, she recognizes a kindred spirit and believes she's found a new friend. Disarmingly beautiful, Laura confesses that she's in hiding from an abusive husband. Later, when Laura receives threatening phone calls, Dixie is certain the husband is the culprit.
   But the more Dixie learns about Laura, the less certain she is about anything…and then matters turn deadly. As she tries to understand Laura's past, Dixie is forced to acknowledge things about herself that she has never faced before.
   Fast-paced and gripping, Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof is everything Blaize Clement's many fans have come to expect.

A fun Grease-style Parody! Jeb Bush "GOP DROPOUT" - Song Parody by Randy Rainbow

This is a fun Grease-style Parody! Based on the song "Beauty School Drop-out" from the movie "Grease" - this guy is funny and brilliant.

Jeb Bush "GOP DROPOUT" - Song Parody by Randy Rainbow  

Video: https://youtu.be/7BntyhRqBAA  

For more: https://www.facebook.com/Randy-Rainbow-614736491961631/?fref=photo

A fun visit with Doug, Tyler and Pants

Doug, Tyler (muzzled) and Tom

My brother Doug came to the area for three days of meetings for his job, so one night we got to have dinner together. He also encountered Tyler and his black pants fixation.
    Doug and I (Rob) are very close and best of friends. I'm 2 years, one month and 4 days older (we've always said that since we were kids). Growing up, we were also each other's best friend and always did things together from baseball to reading comic books. We've always been there for each other and always will  Sadly, we live about 400 miles from each other,so when we do get together it's a treat! We had a nice Italian dinner at a local place to us called "Squisitos" and then he came back to the house for a short time to say hello to his niece Dolly (the Weimaraner), and nephews Franklin and Tyler (the Dachshunds). 

Rob, Doug, Tom

TYLER AND PANTS -    The first time Doug met Tyler when we adopted him in early 2013, Tyler nipped him in the ankle. Since then, I've recently realized that Tyler, although black and tan himself, doesn't like people wearing black pants for some reason (as our friend Will can attest to, since Tyler has tried to snack on his leg a couple of times). Maybe it takes away from his individuality. And after all, he's king of the house. So, we put a soft muzzle on him this time, because Doug unfortunately just happened to be wearing black pants!  - Rob
 

Tyler "muzzles" up to Uncle Doug

 

Talented R.I. Principal Parodies Adele's "Hello" to Announce Snow Day

Matt Glendinning, Principal

  There's an amazing amount of hidden talent in the world and this parody video is one example of it. Mom F. let us know about this video made by a talented Rhode Island Principal. Enjoy!  

PROVIDENCE, R.I. —A Rhode Island school principal has again wowed his students with a parody of Adele’s hit song to announce that school was closed on Feb. 5, 2016 .
  Matt Glendinning, from the Moses Brown School in Providence, performed in a musical video set to the song “Hello.”
“You know it snowed a lot last night. So I have to tell you not to try and come, and I am sorry students if it breaks your heart,” Glendinning sings.
It’s not the first time Glendinning has showcased his musical talents.
Earlier this year he sang about canceled classes to “Let it Go,” from the movie “Frozen.”
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NfaBU9aXLYY

Part 3: What do Presidential Candidates Stand for? Clinton, Sanders

 PART 3:    Since so many people vote without really knowing the main things that political candidates stand for, we thought we'd help educate.   We copied and pasted these right from CBS News (who researched them from the candidate websites). Today, we'll show you the positions from the Democratic Candidates:

 

Hillary Clinton

Job: Former secretary of state, former U.S. senator (New York)

Best known for: Secretary of state for Obama, married to Bill Clinton. Running for president. Her private email server. Facing criticism over 2012 Benghazi attacks.

Key positions: Middle-class champion.

·         Expand Obamacare and repeal the Cadillac tax.

·         Immigration reform with path to citizenship.

·         Debt-free college.

·         Reduce gun violence by increasing background checks, closing loopholes and holding dealers and manufacturers accountable.

·         Close the pay gap.

·         Increase the minimum wage.

·         Support the Iran deal.

·         No U.S. combat troops in Iraq.

·         Oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Bernie Sanders

Job: U.S. senator (Vermont), former congressman

Best known for: Outspoken democratic Socialism. Fighting to end income inequality.

Key positions:

·         Single-payer national health care.

·         Break up any banks that are "too big to fail," and reinstitute Glass-Steagall.

·         Campaign finance reform: Overturn Citizens United, Buckley v. Valeo and require big money donors to disclose donations.

·         Raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

·         Raise taxes on the wealthy.

·         Expand Social Security, lift income caps.

·         Free college tuition for all.

·         Ban assault weapons, expand background checks.

·         Voted for gun manufacturer legal protections but now wants a repeal.

·         Combat climate change.

#Vote2016