This week, readers sent us comments on health systems performance, polling questions and local political races.
In the FactCheck Mailbag we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.
Stories by FactCheck.org
October 27, 2009
In 1584 French explorer Jacques Cartier said he found "gros melons" in the St. Lawrence region of North America. The name was translated as "pompions" in English, and that word became "pumpkin."
Source: History.com
October 26, 2009
The jack-o’-lantern, according to Irish legend, is named for Stingy Jack, a blacksmith who cheated the devil and later was fated to wander the earth carrying a burning ember inside a carved turnip.
Source: History.com
October 25, 2009
Irish immigrants brought the tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns to the United States. When they couldn’t find the turnips the Irish used back home, they carved pumpkins instead.
Source: BBC
October 24, 2009
In Ireland, jack-o’-lanterns were once carved from turnips.
Source: BBC
October 23, 2009
More than 200,000 people are hospitalized in the U.S. each year for respiratory and heart conditions that are associated with seasonal flu infections, according to a study conducted by the CDC and based on records from about 500 hospitals from 1979 to 2001.
Source: CDC
October 22, 2009
Most adults with influenza can spread the disease to others beginning one day before they get sick and up to seven days afterward. Children are contagious for longer than a week.
Source: CDC
October 21, 2009
Over the past 26 flu seasons, flu activity has peaked in February more often than in any other month.
Source: CDC
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Oct. 13-Oct. 19
This week, readers sent us comments on the flu vaccine, fabricated Limbaugh quotes and FactCheck fact-checking. In the FactCheck Mailbag we feature some of the e-mail we receive.
Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.
October 20, 2009
Each year in the U.S., 5 percent to 20 percent of the population on average gets the flu. About 36,000 die from flu-related causes.
Source: CDC