Are you reading lots of tweets, blog postings, online news site articles and viewing social media with scads of photos, charts, videos – all of which have you wondering, are these statements True, or are they, well, Lies (all the while talking to yourself out loud with a growing sense of agitation, concern and an impulse to eat lots of chocolate – or maybe not) – in any case, may I suggest you check in regularly with the Pulitzer Prize winning site PolitiFact – it will help you with your blood pressure, keep you informed, and provide you with facts – as we know, facts are helpful – very helpful. And before we get to the facts – here is a WaPo article that provides some perspective on what cannot be blamed on the hottest summer on record or global climate change (what – oh, yes, fact) – How is Hillary Clinton still alive?

• “PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida, as is PunditFact, a site devoted to fact-checking pundits. The PolitiFact state sites are run by news organizations that have partnered with the Times. The state sites and PunditFact follow the same principles as the national site. PolitiFact staffers research statements and rate their accuracy on the Truth-O-Meter, from True to False. The most ridiculous falsehoods get the lowest rating, Pants on Fire. PolitiFact checks claims by elected officials, candidates, leaders of political parties and political activists. We examine officials at all levels of government, from county commissioners to U.S. senators, from city council members to the president. We also check claims by groups involved in the discourse — political parties, advocacy groups and political action committees — and examine claims in widely circulated chain emails. PunditFact checks claims from pundits, columnists, bloggers, political analysts, the hosts and guests of talk shows, and other members of the media.”