Facebook Twitter Tumblr Close Skip to main content
A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of July 21-July 27

This week, readers sent us comments on social networking, health care and birth-certificate doubters.
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.

July 28, 2009

Residential property burglaries accounted for 67.9 percent of all burglary offenses in 2007 in the U.S.
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program

July 27, 2009

There were an estimated 2,179,140 burglaries in the United States in 2007.
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program

July 26, 2009

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the minimum wage was originally 25 cents per hour on Oct. 24, 1938.
Source: Department of Labor

July 25, 2009

As of July 24, the federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour.
Source: Department of Labor

July 24, 2009

On today’s date in 1897, aviator Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas.
Source: Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum

July 23, 2009

There are about 10,000 bird species in the world.
Source: National Geographic

July 22, 2009

There were 272 million visits to U.S. national parks during the 2007 calendar year.
Source: National Park Service

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of July 14 – July 20

This week, readers sent us comments on our Web site redesign, health care and bogus e-mail rumors.
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.

July 21, 2009

The fastest a giraffe has been recorded running is 34.7 miles per hour.
Source: San Diego Zoo