Back by popular demand, we have an update from Snopes.com on the most persistent urban legends, so you can know once and for all whether to take seriously those earnest group emails we all seem to receive. Here, the truth behind 3 of the most prevalent ones right now…
   

Claim: New U.S. dollar coins are omitting the motto “In God We Trust.”

Reality: Partly True. This year, the U.S. Mint initiated a Presidential $1 coin program (similar to the 50 States quarters), and while you won’t find this national motto on either face of the coin, it was not part of a conspiracy to “phase out God from America,” as some email missives would have you believe. In actuality, a batch of these coins printed in February were mistakenly released without the phrase at all, but otherwise it will be etched on the side of the coin, as part of a new design.
 
   
Claim: Paper Products manufacturer Seventh Generation will donate a box of sanitary products to a women’s shelter for every user who clicks a link on their site.

Reality: It WAS true. The good newsù this was a legitimate cause marketing program started by the Vermont-based “green” paper company; for each virtual donation a box of tampons or pads was to be donated to a women’s shelter in your state. The bad newsùas of this week, the company now says that based on the overwhelming response, they are suspending the program until they can distribute all of the product they have thus far.
 
   
Claim: You can receive a free Ericsson laptop computer by forwarding an email to 8 friends.

Reality: False. This is yet another variation on one of the most common internet hoaxes to keep circulating over the past decade. In fact, the first wave of an Ericsson giveaway rumorùsuggesting you forward your email to their Executive Promotion Manager Anna Swelund to redeem your prize– was so strong, Ericsson had to set up an email account for anna.swelund@ericsson.com to carry the company’s official disclaimer… though no such employee ever existed.

Learn More about these and other Urban Legends at snopes.com
 
   
This is no myth: you can be a winner with Executive Moms…

From last week’s Momorandum, the 5 winners of a “Fun a Go Go” dry-erase board for kids were:

– Cyndi Caffoe, Cleveland Heights, OH
– Jen Strugger, Maplewood, NJ
– Laura Wilker, Hartsdale, NY
– Ricarda Ganjam, Washington, DC
– Amy Platt, Syosset, NY