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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

May 28, 2009

Little penguins, the world’s smallest penguins, travel between 9 miles and 31 miles at sea each day and are capable of diving to a depth of 230 feet.
Source: Phillip Island Nature Park, Australia

‘Godless Dollars’

Q: Did the government issue new dollar coins without the words "In God We Trust"?
A: Congress ordered the words to be stamped on the edges of the coins, but an unknown number of "Godless dollars" were produced by mistake.

May 27, 2009

The oldest goalie to play in a National Hockey League playoff game was Johnny Bower, who, in the April 6, 1969, game, was 44 years, four months and 38 days old.
Source: National Hockey League

May 26, 2009

The Brooklyn Bridge opened for business 126 years ago this month.
Source: PBS.org

Sonia Sotomayor, Context Provided

Since President Obama’s announcement that he would nominate federal appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, much attention has been given to her 2005 remark that the "court of appeals is where policy is made." The conservative Judicial Confirmation Network  and others on the right are spotlighting the clip of Sotomayor speaking at Duke Law School.
But what is Sotomayor really saying? It’s true that she immediately interrupted herself, saying jokingly to the panelist next to her,

Burned Bibles?

Q: Did the Obama administration burn soldiers’ Bibles?
A: The military destroyed Bibles printed in Afghan languages to prevent distribution to local Muslims. But it happened during the Bush administration.

May 25, 2009

Many cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in the U.S., but Waterloo, N.Y., was declared the official birthplace by President Lyndon Johnson and Congress in 1966. A ceremony to honor local veterans of the Civil War was held there on May 5, 1866.
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs

May 24, 2009

The youngest driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 was 22-year-old Troy Ruttman in 1952. The oldest was Al Unser, who was nearly 48 when he won in 1987.
Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

May 23, 2009

Every day, 144,000 vehicles cross the Brooklyn Bridge.
Source: PBS.org

Oklahoma’s Conservativism

Q: Is Oklahoma as defiantly conservative as a chain e-mail says?
A: The state is one of the most Republican in the nation, but the message exaggerates Oklahoma’s laws on religion, immigration and guns.