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Claim: Billionaire George Soros predicted Donald Trump will win the popular vote by a landslide but lose to Hillary Clinton because the election is rigged. False Example: [Collected via Facebook, September 2016] Democrat mega-donor George Soros openly admits that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will win the popular vote in a “landslide,” but says a …
Claim: A map shows the results of the 2012 election if “only taxpayers voted.” FALSE Example: [Collected via Email, September 2016] “What if only Taxpayers voted?” Been seeing this sentiment all over twitter lately. Sources seem hazy. Might you be able to shed light on it? Origin:On 28 August 2016, the web site The Burning …
At 9:24 p.m. ET on 27 August 2016, an asteroid hurtled by Earth at just 0.22 the Earth-moon distance, just hours after it was discovered, as noted by scientists at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Minor Planet Center: Asteroid 2016 QA2 discovered. Flyby Aug 28 at 01:24 UT. Dist: 0.23 LD (0.22 LD from Earth surface). Size: 16-52 …
On 27 August 2016, multifaith blog Patheos published an article (with the somewhat misleading title “Catholic Hospital Turns Away Bleeding Woman with Dislodged IUD Because They Oppose Birth Control”) that reported: When Melanie Jones showed up for a doctor’s appointment to remove her dislodged IUD, being turned away was the last thing she expected. Jones was unaware …
Brooke Binkowski is an award-winning journalist and researcher. She has written and produced for CNN, CBS, NPR, the Globe and Mail, AJ+, the Christian Science Monitor, and various other outlets. Brooke speaks two languages well and five languages very badly. She loves to travel, run, play music, and read, and is an avid saber fencer …
Mexican music icon Juan Gabriel died of a heart attack at his home in Santa Monica, California, on 28 August 2016. He was 66 years old. Gabriel, whose real name was Alberto Aguilera Valadez, sold more than 100 million records throughout his 40-plus year career, penning, performing , and producing songs that topped the charts in Mexico …
Claim: Metallica singer James Hetfield has earned a PhD in astrophysics. FALSE Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2016] A Facebook post alleges that Metallica member James Hetfield recently received his PhD in Astrophysics. Is that true or satire? Origin:In February 2016, the entertainment web site Nevada County Scooper reported that Metallica singer James Hetfield had earned a PhD …
On 23 August 2016, Tampa Bay Times food writer Christopher Spata pronounced it was “National Cuban Sandwich Day” and the world happily went along with it. Writing for the Times, Spata described how he decided to make up the holiday — just to see if he could: First, I crafted a news release, mimicking that …
Claim: President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.” True Example: [Collected via Facebook, August 2016] Origin:As we’ve had occasion …
Brooke Binkowski is an award-winning journalist and researcher. She has written and produced for CNN, CBS, NPR, the Globe and Mail, AJ+, the Christian Science Monitor, and various other outlets. Brooke speaks two languages well and five languages very badly. She loves to travel, run, play music, and read, and is an avid saber fencer …
At least 30 people have been killed and more than 90 wounded in an attack in southeastern Turkey, not far from its border with Syria: ?Death toll rises to 30 in #Gaziantep attack,#Turkey ? pic.twitter.com/gJwuxJuLoP — Mete Sohtao?lu (@metesohtaoglu) August 21, 2016 The explosion in the university town of Gaziantep occurred when a large wedding party spilled …
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made an unusual pitch to black voters by asking them to cast their ballot for him in the November 2016 election because “what do you have to lose?” Trump made the comments during rally on 19 August 2016 Dimondale, Michigan. You’re living in poverty, your schools are no good, 58% of …
An anarchist art collective protested GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump by stationing nude statue renditions of him in five major U.S. cities. The project, which is entitled “The Emperor Has No Balls,” was rolled out on 18 August 2016. The statues bear Trump’s signature yellow coiffure, but the artist took creative license with the size of his hands …
Fast food chain McDonald’s has stopped giving away a Happy Meal toy activity tracker after an Arkansas mother said her four-year-old son was burned by one. Casey Collyar posted a picture of her son Cason’s wrist bearing a red mark, and said he had been wearing the “Step-it” activity tracking toy for just a few minutes. On 13 August 2016, Collyar posted the …
Claim: A photograph shows Hillary Clinton wearing a defibrillator under her clothes at a campaign event. FALSE Origin:In August 2016, rumors that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was in poor health started gaining traction, even though the evidence supporting these rumors (e.g., that Clinton needs help climbing stairs , that her bodyguard is a doctor in …
Claim: An Alabama state senator published an open letter saying that the state of Georgia shouldn’t have been allowed to compete in the Olympics. FALSE Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2016] Report that an Alabama Legislator wrote a letter to the Olympic committee that Georgia was the only state in the US permitted in the …
Claim: Ron Wayne was a third Apple co-founder, who in 1976 sold his 10% share in the company for $800 true Origin:People all over the world recognize the name and face of the late Steve Jobs, the visionary who co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 and led the company through the development of such revolutionary products …
Oreo cookies are well-known for occasionally coming in off-beat flavors as novelty snacks. Sometimes the flavors are seasonal, like Candy Cane. Other times, they seem to be created as a dare to snack food enthusiasts. The latest offering by the Nabisco brand is perhaps its most adventurous: Swedish Fish-flavored cookies which feature the familiar chocolate wafers surrounding …
Claim: The United States has approved plans to crossbreed animals and humans. MIXTURE WHAT’S TRUE: The National Institute of Health proposed a new policy which would allow researchers to receive federal funds to make part human, part animal embryos. WHAT’S FALSE: The United States has not approved crossbreeding humans and animals. Example: [Collected via Email, …
Claim: Camera phone video taken in a Mexican church shows a statue of Jesus Christ “miraculously” opening and closing its eyes. False Example: [Collected via YouTube, August 2016] Origin:A viral video purporting to show a statue of Jesus Christ in Mexico miraculously opening and closing its eyes captured a fair amount of international media attention in early …