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Today's blog comes straight from Snopes, the leader in urban myth debunking.

CLAIM: Map issued by Australian Radiation Services shows expected path of nuclear fallout across the western United States.





I hope people realize this is amazingly serious if a meltdown happens. The Fallout will travel according to the trade winds...

80-120 rads - You have a 10% chance of vomiting and experiencing nausea for a few days
130 -170 rads - You have a 25% chance of vomiting and contracting other symptoms
180-220 rads - You have a 50% chance of vomiting and having other severe physical effects
270 More..-330 rads - 20% chance of death in 6 weeks, or you will recover in a few months.
400-500 rads - 50% chance of death
550-750 rads - Nausea within a few hours ; no survivors
1000 rads - immediate incapacitation and death within a week or less.

Japan has "lost control" of 4 out of 5 nuclear reactors at two facilities hit hard by the earthquake. Radioactivity outside the buildings was reported earlier at 8 times 'normal'--a six-mile radius has been evacuated. Potentially, this could be the worst nuclear accident in history. If you have an iodine supplement (even kelp) take it immediately at a maximum dose and be prepared for fallout across North America in three days, lasting indefinitely.

It would be unprecedented to get accurate news about this event.

F A L S E ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

THE TRUTH: This map showing the projected path of fallout across the western United States following a possible meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan began circulating shortly after a massive 8.9 earthquake hit that country in March 11, 2011. The map bore the logo of the Australian Radiation Services, an organization which has disclaimed any connection with it:

Australian Radiation Services is aware of information about radioactive contamination being spread from the Japanese nuclear reactor incident released under the ARS logo and name. We wish to be clear that this information has not originated from ARS and as such distance ourselves from any such misinformation.

News accounts regarding Internet-circulated information about the situation regarding nuclear reactors in Japan noted that:

Some postings were criminally absurd and flat-out wrong.

One map that went viral showed color-coded plumes of radiation moving eastward across the Pacific and the prediction that radiation levels measuring 3,000 rads would reach the Aleutian Island chain in three days. Levels of 1,500 rads will hit the northern coast of British Columbia within a week and western North American "from Alaska to the Baja tip in 10 days, with radiation levels of 750 rads," the posting warned.

These numbers, which would kill or sicken quickly, have absolutely no basis in fact at all. And, according to a radiation expert at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, they are more typical of the levels that might occur after a nuclear attack.

In fact, Japanese nuclear officials have said repeatedly that they're dealing with "a minimal level of radiation that does not harm human health."

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has concurred with that assessment:

There is little chance that harmful radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear plants will reach American land, said Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Gregory Jaczko.

"Based on the type of reactor design and the nature of the accident, we see a very low likelihood --really, a very low probability -- that there's any possibility of harmful radiation levels in the United States or in Hawaii or any other U.S. territories," Jaczko told reporters at the White House.

Snopes ends here, and Playground Monitor starts.

So while pranksters are spending their time scaring the pants off folks, the people of Japan are in a world of hurt. Yes, there's danger from the nuclear plant. There are also food and water shortages, gazillions of dollars in damages, planned power outages to conserve energy for the rescue operations, thousands of bodies needing to be cremated.

Not surprisingly, there is no looting in Japan. The peoples of this country have long been schooled in discipline, and one expert in Japanese culture said he wasn't even sure the Japanese language contained a word for looting. At stores where limited supplies of food and water are available, people wait in line politely to receive their fair share.

I've watched in pure shock as this tragedy has unfolded. I've seen the YouTube videos showing the wall of water sweeping over a seawall. I've seen a video showing skyscrapers swaying as the ground shook. I've seen maps showing how the geography of the country has changed as a result of the quake.

The rest of the world has watched too, and sent their good wishes and, if so inclined, prayers.

They've also sent their money because much of the help needed right now must come from outside sources. Here's a link showing how you can donate to help the people of this battered nation. If you can, give til it hurts, because those people are sure hurting.

Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts.

Is it my imagination or has the number of urban legend emails increased lately? I’ve pretty much eliminated the emails touting products to enhance a body part I don’t have and am working on getting the Nigerians to stop telling me they have a million dollars for me if I’ll just send them some money first.

We don’t discuss politics or religion on this blog, and I won’t break the pattern. But suffice to say most of the annoying emails I’ve been receiving involve one or the other or both.

Why do people pass these on? What gives them such credibility that intelligent folks feel the urge to click the “Forward” button and send it further into cyberspace?

I did a little research and learned that these type of emails generally play on general fears such as harm to the family or community. Many times they also challenge religious beliefs or attempt to portray someone or something in an unpatriotic light. The recipient reacts emotionally, and while most folks are too smart to fall for a typical April Fool’s joke, they’ll forward an urban legend because they want to be helpful. I mean, wouldn’t you want to keep your friends’ kids and dogs safe from a deadly Swiffer? * Of course, every once in a while one of these emails is true and heaven forbid we fail to inform everyone we know that boxes of aluminum foil usually have lock tabs on the end to hold the roll in place. **

When the email comes from a friend or family member, most people take it at face value. That extends some degree of credibility when they in turn forward it to more family and friends. And thus the viral quality of the legend begins.

Several tip-offs that the email from Aunt Tilly might be an urban legend are that the originator is usually a friend of a friend, the message tugs at your emotions (fear, empathy, religion, politics, family or country) and you are urged to pass the message on to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

If the email you received this morning contains any of the clues above, you may want to hop over to my favorite urban legend buster website and check it out. Snopes.com has been around since 1995 and is generally considered to be the best source for the truth. A quick search from their home page will quickly let you know that Madalyn Murray O’Hair not only hasn’t been granted a hearing by the FCC to stop religious programming, but that she’s probably been dead since she disappeared in 1995 though her body wasn't found until 2001. This particular urban legend has been around on the Internet since at least 1996 and as early as 1975 the FCC was receiving letters from concerned citizens. Sadly it seems to resurface every few years thanks to folks who don't check their facts.

You can also find out that the email with the online petition you’re to forward to Washington once it gets 1000 signatures is a waste of time. Petitions must contain real signatures to be valid. Proctor & Gamble’s logo is not satanic, In God We Trust does appear on the new dollar coins and Nike won’t send you a free pair of shoes in exchange for your old ones. California law does not require citizens to obtain a hunting license in order to set mouse traps in their homes, "Puff the Magic Dragon" isn't a song about marijuana and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, a favorite amongst the Playfriends, does not contain formaldehyde. And last but certainly not least, Microsoft won't send you a check for forwarding an email.

So the next time you receive an email with questionable content and a request to forward it, please check Snopes and act responsibly.

What’s YOUR email pet peeve?

P.S. Even the title of my blog is an urban legend. Jack Webb, who played Sgt. Joe Friday on the popular television series Dragnet never said “Just the facts, ma’am” when questioning female witnesses. What he usually said was “All we want are the facts, ma’am.” You can read the whole story at – where else? – Snopes!

* Swiffer myth debunked

** A nifty tip about aluminum foil