Discovered, we are told, in a rusty footlocker in an unspecified location somewhere in America, the above photograph and a dozen more like it were supposedly taken by a U.S. Navy sailor with a Kodak Brownie camera during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. An amazing historical find, if true — which it's not.

"A partidge in a pear tree" stands for Jesus Christ, "two turtle doves" represent the Old and New Testaments," and "three French hens" symbolize faith, hope, and love.

So goes a theory first advanced by Canadian hymnologist Hugh D. McKellar, who suggested in a 1979 essay that the venerable holiday carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" originated as an "underground catechism" for oppressed Catholics in Elizabethan England.

Further popularized in a 1995 Internet posting by Fr. Hal Stockert, the notion that the song can be "decoded" as Church doctrine is now popularly accepted as fact, despite contrary evidence and the skepticism of historians.

Learn more...

Yes, the colorful center of this flower resembles a monkey's face, and yes, this image has been shared by thousands of Facebook users with a caption saying "Monkey Orchid." But no, that's not what this specimen is really called. Learn more...

Odds are, you'll soon see one or more posts like the following flit by in your Facebook news feed, if you haven't already:

In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention).

For commercial use of the above my written consent is needed at all times!

Read More...