You might have noticed that things look a little different around here. You’ve probably already noticed some of the cosmetic changes, like the rotating picture gallery on our homepage, where we’ll feature our newest and most-talked about content. But we’re just as excited about some of the things that you might not have noticed on first glance:
All our content under one roof. No more having to leave the main site to find all our content on The FactCheck Wire.
From time to time, we find that our work is cited by politicians or political groups. Last week, the League of Conservation Voters ran an ad in Virginia referencing our articles on the cap-and-trade energy bill:
The LCV ad says that Republicans are attacking Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello of Virginia for "supporting a new clean energy jobs plan," but that we said the "Republican ad was wrong" and figures used by Republican Whip Eric Cantor were a "misrepresentation."
About 92 percent of the coal used in the United States is used for generating electricity.
Source: Energy Information Administration
Glaucoma damages the eye’s optic nerve and is the leading cause of blindness in the United States.
Source: National Library of Medicine
On this date in 1804, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr dueled with pistols in Weehawken, N.J.
Source: PBS
Recently, we have seen several ads from liberal advocacy groups thanking various Democratic representatives for voting in favor of the Waxman-Markey energy bill. Some, like those from the group Americans United for Change, benignly mix images of nature with kind words of thanks. Others pour on the superlatives, but could use some further explanation.
For instance, an ad from VoteVets says that because the bill was passed, "now America is poised to import less oil, 300,000 barrels less every day."
On this date in 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state.
Source: Wyoming Chambers of Commerce
Q: Is it true that persons older than 59 can’t get heart surgery in England?
A: There’s no such prohibition on heart operations in England, as a chain e-mail claims.
House Minority Leader John Boehner has again attacked the way his home state is spending its stimulus funds. And again, he’s wrong.
At his weekly news conference, Boehner criticized the Ohio Department of Transportation for using millions of dollars in American Recovery and Reconstruction Act money for a project study, rather than for construction:
Boehner, July 9: As a matter of fact, [ODOT] took $20 million of stimulus funds to — to do a study of a proposed project in southwest Ohio that —
While a student at Yale University, George H.W. Bush played first base on a team that twice went to the College World Series.
Source: WhiteHouse.gov