Misconceptions

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
John F. Kennedy's words "Ich bin ein Berliner" are standard German for "I am a Berliner". An urban legend has it that due to his use of the indefinite article ein, Berliner is translated as jam doughnut, and that the population of Berlin was amused by the supposed mistake. The word Berliner is not commonly used in Berlin to refer to the Berliner Pfannkuchen; they are simply called Pfannkuchen. In other parts of Germany, though, the term "Berliner" actually also is used for the product in question, so there is a grain of truth in the myth.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
According to various polls, between 20 to 24% of Americans incorrectly believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim. The White House describes Obama as a "devout Christian" who prays every day.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
Entrapment law in the United States does not require police officers to identify themselves as police in the case of a sting or other undercover work. The law is specifically concerned with enticing people to commit crimes they would not have considered in the normal course of events.

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Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
It is frequently rumored that the expression "rule of thumb", which is used to indicate a technique for generating a quick estimate, was originally coined from a law allowing a man to beat his wife with a stick, provided it was not thicker than the width of his thumb. In fact, the origin of this phrase remains uncertain, but the false etymology has been broadly reported in media including The Washington Post (1989), CNN (1993), and Time Magazine (1983).

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
It is often asserted that knife attacks are more dangerous than an attack with a firearm ("knives are more lethal than guns"). While self-defense instructors often make a point of emphasizing that a knife attack may very easily result in death, there is no statistical evidence that knife attacks are more likely to result in death than an attack with a handgun. A 1968 study claimed that gun attacks are five times more lethal than knife attacks. This figure has since become a controversial point of dispute in gun politics. A review of several studies published in 1983 concluded that lethality of wounds from handguns is between 1.3 and 3 times higher than lethality of wounds from knives.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
Roll-style Western sushi. Contrary to a popular myth, sushi can contain any number of raw ingredients, including vegetables and other non-meat products.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
Searing meat does not "seal in" moisture, and in fact may actually cause meat to lose moisture. Generally, the value in searing meat is that it creates a brown crust with a rich flavor via the Maillard reaction.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
Mussels that do not open when cooked may still be fully cooked and safe to eat.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
Some cooks believe that food items cooked with wine or liquor will be non-alcoholic, because alcohol's low boiling point causes it to evaporate quickly when heated. However, a study found that some of the alcohol remains: 25% after 1 hour of baking or simmering, and 10% after 2 hours.

in Misconceptions

Fallacious yet widespread and documented beliefs courtesy of Wikipedia.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence did not occur on July 4, 1776. The final language of the document was approved by the Second Continental Congress on that date, it was printed and distributed on July 4 and 5, but the actual signing occurred on August 2, 1776.