Tag Archives: Viral

Did Michelle Obama Release Photos Of Herself Pregnant?!

Did Michelle Obama just release photos of herself pregnant, to prove that she is a real woman?!

Take a look at the viral photos, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-01 : Added fact check video
Originally posted @ 2023-09-30

Claim : Michelle Obama Released Photos Of Herself Pregnant!

People are sharing photos that they claim were taken when Michelle Obama was pregnant, to prove that she is a real woman.

Charlotte, The Baroness : BREAKING: Michelle Obama silences ALL conspiracy theorists and demands a universal apology after FINALLY releasing glowing pregnancy photos when she was expecting Sasha and Malia.

Was_it_Planned : You can fake the baby bump. We need 3 independent DNA samples analyzed to prove man or women.

The rest is smoke and mirrors. I think she’s a he! While you’re at it, DNA test the kids to verify birth parents are Obama’s.

Ultra Maga Tx Teresa 🇺🇸 : 😂🤣😆😂 we know you’re a dude & we’ve seen their real parents. 🤡🤡

Truth : Those Are Not Photos Of A Pregnant Michelle Obama!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about Barack and Michelle Obama, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Michelle Obama Never Released Photos Of Herself Pregnant

First, let me just point out that Michelle Obama has never released photos of herself while pregnant with Sasha or Malia.

That’s not to say they don’t exist. It is likely that they exist – they were simply not made available to us – members of the public.

Perhaps she’s just like many of us who don’t share private photos on social media. Perhaps she did not want to “jinx” her pregnancies.

After all, Michelle and Barack Obama had trouble getting pregnant, and she suffered a miscarriage. They ultimately conceived Malia and Sasha through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Fact #2 : The Photos Were AI-Generated

I took a look at all four photos and quickly determined that they were AI-generated, and rather poor examples at that.

The first two are better examples, but if you look closely, you can see that her hands are grossly distorted. She not only has at least six fingers on each hand, they are of wrong lengths and with nails in the wrong position.

These two examples are terrible. The example on the left does not even look like Michelle Obama. Perhaps a young Oprah Winfrey? Of course, Oprah never had children…

The one on the right looks more like Michelle Obama but had grossly exaggerated features, including a hump neck. But the easiest way to identify it as an AI-generated fake photo is by looking at her hands.

As you can see, both examples have distorted hands. In the example on the left, the fingers of both hands appear to merge together. In the example of the right, her left hand has six unnaturally long fingers, while her right hand has a ridiculously long thumb.

Fact #3 : Online Tools Confirmed Images Were AI-Generated

Just in case you don’t trust my Mark 1 eyeballs, or my common sense, you will be glad to know that two online tools used to detect AI-generated photos – AI or Not, and Illuminarty, have confirmed all four photos were generated using AI image generators.

Fact #4 : Michelle Obama Was Born A Woman

There is no need for Michelle Obama to release any photos of herself pregnant to prove that she is a woman.

Even if you ignore the fact that she gave birth to two girls, Michelle Obama grew up as a female. Her family and friends only knew her as a girl and then, a woman. Never as a boy or a man who later became transgender.

Michelle Obama sometimes shares photos of her childhood on her Instagram account. They are all proof that she grew up as a girl, never as a boy.

On the other hand, all these claims that she was born a boy has never been backed by any evidence.

Fact #5 : Michelle Obama Gave Birth To Two Girls

Claims that Michelle Obama was born a man is not only false, it’s absurdly ridiculous, because she gave birth to two girls – Malia Obama and Sasha Obama.

For those who are wondering – transgender women cannot give birth, or suffer miscarriages, as they were born men, and lack both ovaries and uterus. And no, Malia and Sasha Obama were not adopted

Ultimately, these fake photos, and claims about Michelle Obama being transgender, are just attempts by misogynists and Republicans of the MAGA persuasion to disparage Barack and Michelle Obama.

As the 2024 US Presidential Election draws close, you can expect more rumours of Michelle Obama joining the race, and even more fake news and photos about her.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Photo + Video | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Simon Cowell Just Die Suddenly In A Car Crash?!

Leave a reply

Did Simon Cowell just die suddenly in a tragic car crash?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-09-28 : Added updated MediaMass claim
Updated @ 2023-08-16 : Added video fact check
Originally posted @ 2023-01-07

Claim : Simon Cowell Just Died In A Tragic Car Crash!

People are sharing YouTube and TikTok videos which claim that Simon Cowell just died suddenly in a hospital, with titles like :

(RIP) Very Sad News 2 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell, He has been confirmed as…

5 Minutes Ago / The UNEXPECTED Death Of Simon Cowell / R.I.P. Legend

5 minutes ago! Millions of people cried over the sudden death of “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell.

5 minutes ago / Terrible devastation about “America’s Got Talent “Simon Cowell, tearful farewell.

3 hours ago/funeral took place/ Simon Cowell’s sudden passing left thousands of fans heartbroken

40 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell, he has been confirmed as…

10 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell died suddenly at the hospital

10 minutes ago : We announce very sad news about Simon Cowell, he has been confirmed as..

5 minutes ago announced that simon cowell died at the hospital…😳🤐 #viral #viralvideo

Truth : Simon Cowell Did Not Die Suddenly In A Car Crash

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death.

Never mind his wealth, Simon Cowell is a celebrity in his own right. Even if he did not die, the worldwide media would have reported on his car accident or hospitalisation.

No legitimate media outlet reported that Simon Cowell was hospitalised, never mind dying suddenly in a car crash. That’s because it never happened!

Fact #2 : Simon Cowell Is Still Alive + Well!

Simon Cowell – the long-time judge on Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent is still very much alive and well, as of Sunday, 23 September 2023.

That was when he reposted the AGT announcement that Mel B is back as a judge, and will joining Simon Cowell, Terry Crews, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel in the new America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League show!

Fact #3 : The Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of four examples used in many of these videos.

This photo that shows Simon Cowell on a hospital bed, was edited from a real photo of a kidney transplant patient called Gerhard van Tonder. The photo was taken in October 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Healthcare professionals will immediately notice that Simon Cowell is not intubated despite being mysteriously hooked up to a ventilator!

If you look carefully, you will also notice that Simon Cowell’s head is oddly larger than normal – to superimpose over Gerhard’s head in the real photo.

If you zoom into the fake photo, you can even see a white border around Simon Cowell’s head – a clear sign it was added to the photo.

The photo of this white SUV was taken on July 17, 2019 on Highway 6 near Freelton, Ontario, Canada. The driver was a 38 year-old woman, not Simon Cowell.

This photo was also misappropriated from another car accident, this time in the Selma neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley, on May 9, 2021.

The driver was a 57 year-old woman who died in that accident. Again, not Simon Cowell.

This fake photo is a pretty good edit, albeit showing Simon Cowell smiling with his eyes closed – odd for someone who was dying or has already died.

But it was really a photo of Blake Bargatze, a 24 year-old man, who was being treated at a South Florida hospital for COVID-19 in March 2021.

Bargatze, unfortunately, did not qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine at that time, and got infected. His condition grew worse over time, and he eventually had to be placed on an ECMO machine to let his lungs heal.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and he ended up with a double-lung transplant in June 2021, to save his life.

Fact #4 : Simon Cowell Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Simon Cowell death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of television host Simon Cowell’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the September 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the creator of Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor is alive and well.

Rumors of the television host’s alleged demise gained traction on Monday after a ‘R.I.P. Simon Cowell’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the British television host’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday (September 26, 2023), our beloved television host Simon Cowell passed away. Simon Cowell was born on October 7, 1959 in London. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 63-year-old television host was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major British network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a television host of Simon Cowell’s stature would be major news across networks.

Show less

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Simon Cowell Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Simon Cowell’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy Liu, Madonna, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Toby Keith Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Leave a reply

Did country music star Toby Keith just die suddenly in the hospital from stomach cancer?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-09-21 : Added new details
Originally posted @ 2023-06-17

Claim : Toby Keith Just Died Suddenly In A Hospital!

People are sharing YouTube videos claiming to prove that Toby Keith just died suddenly in a hospital from a stomach cancer, with titles like :

5 minutes ago / R.I.P Singer Toby Keith Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye Toby Keith.

Heart stopped beating, country singer Toby Keith died of stomach cancer at Los Angeles hospital

Toby Keith – His Last Goodbye On His Deathbed, Ending After Years Of Suffering.

R.I.P Toby Keith – Finally stomach cancer took his life. Goodbye talented country singer!

Prayers Up, Toby Keith Is In Critical Condition After Being Rushed To Hospital

Prayers Up: Country Toby Keith Is Currently On Life Support After Diagnosed With Dangerous Disease.

Sad News Country singer Toby Keith Is Pass Away Expected Soon Family Prepare To Say Goodbye

Truth : Toby Keith Did Not Die Suddenly In A Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Toby Keith Is Still Alive

Toby Keith (born Toby Keith Covel on July 8, 1961) is still alive as of 17 September 2023. We know this because his official Instagram account announced that Toby Keith would be performing live at the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards on September 28, 2023!

Big news…Toby will be performing live at the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards in a few weeks! Tune in on 9/28 at 8/7c on @nbc or @peacock! #PCCAs

Obviously, that would not be the case if Toby Keith is already dead! In fact, it tells us that he is doing much better now!

Fact #2 : Toby Keith Is Fighting Stomach Cancer

Toby Keith announced in June 2022 that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer at the end of 2021. He said that he underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery in the past six months since that diagnosis.

Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax.

In November 2022, Toby Keith told CMT Hot 20 Countdown’s Cody Alan, that he was thinking about getting back to “fightin’ shape” as the cancer treatment was “pretty debilitating”. However, he suggested that everything was looking good.

I’m thinking about getting back to fightin’ shape. I need a little bit of time to just rest up and heal up. It’s pretty debilitating to have to go through all that, but as long as everything stays hunky-dory, then we’ll look at something good in the future.

On June 2, 2023, Toby Keith posted a rare photo of himself to raise awareness for the non-profit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. He looked noticeably thinner, but very much still alive.

Then on July 15, he posted a video singing at the back of his Uber ride, which had a karaoke machine! He looked much better in this video.

Fact #3 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Toby Keith’s death.

Even though he has not released any new songs since 2017, Toby Keith remained one of America’s top country music star.

If Toby Keith really died from stomach cancer, or any other cause of death, the American press would have reported on it, if not the worldwide media.

No legitimate media outlet reported that Toby Keith died suddenly in a hospital from any cause. Only a bunch of small-time celebrity death blogs / small YouTube channels.

Fact #4 : Toby Keith Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.

This photo used to show Toby Keith unconscious and intubated in a hospital bed is actually a photo of Pittsburgh radio DJ, Sean McDowell, who retired from the WDVE station in May 2019.

In August 6, 2019, he posted these photos on Twitter, revealing that a year ago – on August 6, 2018, he had an operation to fix his heart’s mitral valve.

Exactly 1 year ago today, St. Clair Hospital, Dr. Scott Halbreiner sawed thru my sternum, opened my rib cage, fixed my heart (mitral valve) & then wired me shut! Biggest Thanks Ever to Dr. Halbreiner, Dr. Dave Burkey & the nurses in the CVSU! Because of you guys, I’m still here!

Recommended : The Sara Lee Car Accident / Death Video Scam!

This photo of an intubated man lying in a hospital bed is actually a stock photo with a photo ID of 1745351552 on Shutterstock. It was taken on May 20, 2020, with the following description.

DUQUE DE CAXIAS,(BRAZIL),MAY,20,2020: doctors take care of patients with covid-19 and an intensive care unit (ICU) at hospital são josé specialized in the treatment of covid-19

Fact #5 : Toby Keith Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Toby Keith death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of singer Toby Keith’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the September 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like Red Solo Cup, I Love This Bar or Should’ve Been a Cowboy is alive and well.

Rumors of the singer’s alleged demise gained traction on Thursday after a ‘R.I.P. Toby Keith’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American singer’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday (September 19, 2023), our beloved singer Toby Keith passed away. Toby Keith was born on July 8, 1961 in Clinton. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 62-year-old singer and songwriter was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Show less

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Toby Keith Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Toby Keith’s unnamed reps confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy Liu, Madonna, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade?!

Leave a reply

Is the Klang Valley going to be hit by a 4-day water cut for a major pipe upgrade in October 2023?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : 4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

People are sharing a TikTok video together with this warning about a 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley in October 2023:

Pls save enough water from 13 to 16-Oct-2023 as Klang valley pipe water upgrade exercise

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Video-2023-09-12-at-08.55.16.mp4?_=1

Truth : 4-Day Water Cut Is For 2021 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Is Genuine But Old

First, let me just confirm that the video is genuine, and was posted by the @SelangorTV channel on TikTok. However, it is an old video from 2021, and has nothing to do with any water cut or pipe upgrade exercise in 2023.

Fact #2 : Air Selangor Did Not Announce Major Water Cuts

There are always minor water cuts to fix broken pipes and other localised issues, which you can check on the Air Selangor app.

For major water cuts that affect entire states or regions, Air Selangor will issue press releases, and make public announcements. However, there has been no such announcements in September 2023.

Fact #3 : Video Referred To 2021 Water Cut

If you look carefully at 00:54 of the video clip, there is a single frame that shows the date of the 4-day water cut – 9 AM on 13 October 2021.

Fact #4 : 4-Day Water Cut Happened In October 2021

The 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley was a momentous event caused considerable hardship for many people, and businesses. However, it occurred almost two years ago.

On 1 October 2021, Air Selangor announced a 4-day water cut from 13-16 October 2021, to allow it to complete critical upgrading and maintenance works at the Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP).

Here was the original Air Selangor press release announcing the commencement of the 4-day water cut:

Scheduled Upgrading and Maintenance Works for Air Selangor’s Critical Asset in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) Commence

Posted on 13/10/2021

Kuala Lumpur – Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) would like to inform that the upgrading and maintenance works for critical assets in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) has commenced at 9:00 am today according to schedule as announced on 1 October 2021.

The maintenance works for the critical assets are expected to be completed at 11:00 pm, 13 October 2021. Water supply will be distributed in stages starting from 5:00 pm, 14 October 2021 once the water supply system has been stabilised. The duration of the water supply disruption and recovery in the affected areas will vary depending on the distance of the consumers’ premises and the water pressure at the distribution system. Water supply is expected to be fully restored at 9:00 pm, 16 October 2021.

A complete list of the affected areas, Public Water Taps, and Commercial Water Filling Stations is as listed in Appendix A and can also be obtained at hentitugas.airselangor.com.

Air Selangor will be mobilising alternative water supply to critical premises such as hospitals, dialysis centres, COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) and Vaccination Centres (PPV) as well as for funerals.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Business | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Bruce Willis Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Leave a reply

Did Bruce Willis just die in the hospital from his newly-diagnosed frontotemporal dementia, or a car accident?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-08-28 : Updated with new details and video fact check.
Originally posted @ 2023-05-30

Claim : Bruce Willis Just Died In A Hospital!

People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming to prove that Bruce Willis just died suddenly in a hospital after his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, or a tragic car accident, with titles like :

Stop breathing 5 minutes ago / Bruce Willis Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye Bruce Willis

30 Minute Ago! Bruce Willis Passed away in a tragic accident

At Bruce Willis’s tragic funeral! Our condolences to Bruce Willis’s family, goodbye Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis.. Rest in Peace, Great American Film and Television Actor

Heartbreaking Final Moments Of Legendary Actor Bruce Willis – cause of death is hidden!!!

A tragic funeral! With a heavy heart, before a tearful farewell to Bruce Willis, goodbye legend

R.I.P Bruce Willis was confirmed by a doctor to be dead at 5am, Goodby and rest in peace!

Bruce Willis’s final moments in the hospital, he died in the arms of his loved ones

Funeral Is Tomorrow R.I.P. Legendary Actor Bruce Willis Heart stopped

10 Minutes Ago / Bruce Willis Just Died At Home / Goodbye Bruce Willis

Truth : Bruce Willis Did Not Die In A Hospital

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Bruce Willis’ death.

Never mind the slew of ridiculously terrible movies he participated in, Bruce Willis remains a Hollywood mega star. His diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) got front page news all over the world!

If Bruce Willis really did die, whether from his dementia, a car accident, or a heart attack, the worldwide media would have reported on it.

No legitimate media outlet reported that Bruce Willis died suddenly in a hospital from any cause. Only a bunch of small-time celebrity death blogs / small YouTube and Facebook channels!

Fact #2 : Bruce Willis Is Still Alive + Well!

Bruce Willis did not die, and is still very much alive and well, as of Friday, August 25, 2023. That was when he posted a photo of himself on his official Instagram account.

Bruce Willis officially retired from acting in March 2022, after his aphasia diagnosis, but he did not die in 2022 as alleged.

Neither did Bruce Willis die in February 2023, as alleged, because his family announced his aphasia was caused by frontotemporal dementia on February 16!

In May and August 2023, people also claimed that Bruce Willis died suddenly in the hospital, but no, he’s very much still alive.

Fact #3 : Bruce Willis Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.

This photo that shows Bruce Willis on a hospital bed, was edited from a stock photo of an old man, taken by Raul Rodriguez. It’s titled “Elderly 80 plus year old man recovering from surgery in a hospital bed“.

In addition, the purple ribbon isn’t used for awareness of frontotemporal dementia, which is relatively uncommon. The purple ribbon is often used to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and pancreatic cancer.

Incidentally, frontotemporal dementia is different from Alzheimer’s disease, affecting a different part of the brain, and presenting with different symptoms.

Recommended : The Sara Lee Car Accident / Death Video Scam!

This photo of a large funeral is not of Bruce Willis, but of Irish makeup artist Cathriona White, taken on October 10, 2015.

If you look carefully, you can spot actor Jim Carrey looking sombre next to the pallbearer. He dated Cathriona White for three years, from 2012-2015. She died from a suicide by prescription drug overdose on September 28, 2015.

The fake news creator just added a photo of Bruce Willis, making it look like Jim Carrey and the lady beside him were carrying it. The truth is there was no photo, and they were just holding hands.

This photo of Bruce Willis’s funeral is also fake. This is actually a photo of Serbian folk singer, Šaban Šaulić, who died on February 17, 2019. His funeral was held on February 22, 2019.

The fake news creator flipped the photo, and superimposed a large and overly bright head of Sylvester Stallone together with a photo of Bruce Willis magically floating in front of him!

Fact #4 : Bruce Willis Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Bruce Willis death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of actor Bruce Willis’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the August 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in The Fifth Element or Die Hard is alive and well.

Rumors of the actor’s alleged demise gained traction on Wednesday after a ‘R.I.P. Bruce Willis’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American actor’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday (August 27, 2023), our beloved actor Bruce Willis passed away. Bruce Willis was born on March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 68-year-old actor was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an actor of Bruce Willis’ stature would be major news across networks.

Show less

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Bruce Willis Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Bruce Willis’ unnamed reps confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Barry Gibb, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey, Simon Cowell, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Toby Keith, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Justin Bieber, Robert Pattinson, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Dolly Parton, Lucy Liu, and Melanie Laurent.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

Leave a reply

Was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant caught releasing black radioactive water into the ocean?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Fukushima Released Black Radioactive Water Into Ocean!

A video showing black water being discharged into the ocean has gone viral, with people claiming that it shows nuclear waste being disposed into the Pacific Ocean by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

👆Footage of the release of the Fukushima nuclear waste water into the sea. Apparently more than 7,000 liters are to be discharged from 24/8 and through the next 17 days…. The Japs are evil, look at the blackness of the fluids discharged!!

Give seafood a miss in the future!

Japan latest news..

The Truth About Viral Fukushima Black Radioactive Water Video!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens, to scare people into boycotting Japan and Japanese food, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Not Edited

First, I should confirm that the viral video is genuine, and was not edited, or created by generative AI software.

However, the video has nothing to do with the discharge of radioactive waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Fact #2 : Viral Video Was Recorded In June 2020

For one thing – the viral video was recorded on June 25, 2020 – more than 3 years before the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started releasing its radioactive waste water on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Recorded In Mexico

On top of that, the viral video was not even recorded in Japan! It was recorded from the balcony of a hotel in the famous beach resort town of Acapulco in Mexico, just off the Icacos Beach.

If you look carefully at the video, you can see leisure boats, beach chairs and the hotel’s swimming pool. This was obviously NOT recorded at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which is filled with gigantic water tanks holding radioactive waste water.

Fact #4 : That Was Sewage, Not Radioactive Water

The black water being discharged into the ocean was not radioactive water, but rather – smelly sewage!

Mexican state officials said that the high-pressure stream of raw sewage may have come from a broken sewer line, which potentially overflowed due to heavy rainfall in the last few days.

According to a witness, the filthy discharge lasted about 25 minutes, and was extremely smelly:

The constant outflow of black water lasted approximately 25 minutes, which came with a lot of pressure. They were very stinking waters, they made me nauseous.

Fact #5 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

To be clear – TEPCO isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean.

The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water To Be Released Over 30 Years

Most people are not aware that nuclear power plants around the world regularly release waste water containing higher tritium levels than the treated waste water from Fukushima.

Of course, TEPCO will be releasing A LOT MORE waste water than those power plants, having accumulated over 1.3 million tonnes over the last 12 years or so.

That’s why TEPCO will gradually release the treated Fukushima waste water into the Pacific Ocean over an extended period of 30 years.

According to molecular pathology expert Gerry Thomas, who worked with Japanese scientists on radiation research, and advised the IAEA on the Fukushima reports:

The water released will be a drop in the ocean, both in terms of volume and radioactivity. There is no evidence that these extremely low levels of radioisotopes have a detrimental health effect.

This is just another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Health | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Joe Biden Fell Asleep At Maui Fire Victim Event?!

Leave a reply

Did US President Joe Biden fall asleep during a meeting with victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Joe Biden Fell Asleep While Meeting Maui Fire Victims!

People are sharing a low resolution video, claiming that it shows US President Joe Biden falling asleep during a meeting with victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires!

Sean Hannity : Biden appears to fall asleep during a ceremony in Hawaii honoring the hundreds of Americans killed by the fires

Marc Wallace : Joe Biden just fell asleep in the middle of his meeting with victims of the Maui fires

TONY™️ : WOW!!! Joe Biden appears to be sleeping while listening to survivors speak about their homes burning to the ground 🤯

Two vacations and you still can’t stay awake? You can’t make this up 🚨👇🏼

Concerned Citizen : Joe Biden falling asleep in Maui whilst meeting local survivors of one of the worst Human Tragedies in American History.

Impeach this child sniffing corrupted criminal NOW.

Truth : Joe Biden Did Not Fall Asleep While Meeting Maui Fire Victims!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS about Joe Biden, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Joe Biden Was At Lahaina Community Engagement Event

First, let me start by giving you some context on what’s going on.

In early August 2023, a number of wildfires broke out on the island of Maui, in the US state of Hawaii. That culminated in a massive wildfire that devastated the town of Lahaina on August 8, 2023.

The entire town of Lahaina was destroyed, with the damage estimated at $6 billion. Even worse – at least 114 people were confirmed killed in and around Lahaina, as of August 22.

On August 21, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived at Kahului Airport to visit the disaster sites. One of the stops was the Lahaina Civic Center, where President Biden met residents and gave a speech.

Fact #2 : Joe Biden Was Not Asleep

The viral video shows President Joe Biden sitting down, and nodding off, during that community engagement event at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The truth is – Joe Biden wasn’t nodding off. He was bowing his head, possibly in prayer. The viral video was edited to show him “nodding off”, and posted in low-resolution, so you can’t see that he actually had his eyes open.

In the higher resolution video posted by C-SPAN, you can see Joe Biden looking at the speaker, and cough, before bowing his head, and then nodding in agreement with the speaker. You can also see that his eyes were open even though his head remained bowed.

Joe Biden then looked up when the speaker spoke about the homes of his son, his daughter, and his parents, burning down. He then clapped with everyone else when the speaker said that “Lahaina is a town not for sale”.

Fact #3 : White House Confirmed It’s Fake News

When the Biden Administration was asked about the viral video, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates replied:

It’s unfortunate they feel the need to lie. Instead, they should join him in supporting the people of Maui.

Fact #4 : This Is Just Fake News About Joe Biden

This is just ultimately just another example of political fake news to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Photo + Video | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Chinese Driver Get Attacked With Axe For Honking?!

Leave a reply

Did a Chinese driver get attacked with an axe after he honked at a Malay driver in front of him?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Chinese Driver Attacked With Axe After Honking!

People are now sharing four videos together with this viral message about a Chinese driver getting attacked with an axe after he honked at a Malay driver in front of him!

Forwarded by another chat group. The Chinese driver at the back horn the malay guy in front. Maybe the malay driver in bad mood took an axe and chopped him.

Be patience on the road and do not horn unnecessary.

I will not be posting the videos, because they are shocking in nature. However, these two screenshots should give you an idea of the violence, and the videos I’m referring to.

Truth : No Chinese Driver Was Hacked With Axe For Honking!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Incident Occurred In Sabah

Let me start by pointing out that the viral videos are genuine, and were not edited. There was a recent incident where a man was hacked with an axe in Malaysia.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night, 9 August 2023, in Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Fact #2 : The Man Did Not Honk At Anyone

The incident did not involve honking. The victim – a 37 year-old man, had earlier parked his car at an open space near Menara Kinabalu – the Sabah state administrative centre.

He was having a meal with his 30 year-old girlfriend in his parked car, when three men approached his car at around 9 PM. One of the three man then proceeded to attack the victim with an axe.

The couple managed to escape to the nearby Alamesra police station to seek help, and lodge a police report. The victim was later sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. His girlfriend was not injured.

Fact #3 : Police Are Looking For The Three Men

The police are now looking for the three man to help with their investigation into the case – 37 year-old Withal Jalali, 27 year-old Abdel Jalali, and another man who has not been identified.

Those with information of the individuals or the incident are advised to come forward and report the matter at the nearest police station or contact the investigating officer Inspector Muhammad Khaidir Zakaria at 014-801-961.

Left : Winhal Jalali | Right : Abdel Jalali

Fact #4 : The Motive Was Not Road Rage

The man who attacked the victim with an axe is believed to be Winhal Jalali – the woman’s ex-husband.

The woman is believed to have married the suspect in 2015, before they divorced about a month ago. She has known the victim for six months before starting a romantic relationship two weeks ago.

Kota Kinabalu Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed the incident on Friday, 11 August 2023, stating:

The man suffered multiple injuries to his face, hands and foot following the attack. We believe the motive of the attack was jealousy.

The case is being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using a dangerous weapon.

Fact #5 : Victim’s Identity Is Still Unknown

The victim’s identity is currently unknown. The police have not revealed his name, much less his race. Therefore, there is no evidence that he is a Chinese man.

Until and unless the victim and/or the police reveals his identity and race, anyone who tells you that he is a Chinese man is likely telling a tall tale.

Fact #6 : Two Suspects Are Suluk

According to the Kota Kinabalu police, the two suspects who have been identified – Winhal Jalali and Abdel Jalali, are from the Suluk ethnic group.

In other words – the claim in the viral warning that the driver was attacked by a “moody Malay man” is categorically false.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Pertussis Outbreak : Should You Avoid Rompin + Pekan?!

Leave a reply

Should you avoid the districts of Rompin and Pekan, because of the pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak there?!

Take a look at the viral messages, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Avoid The Pertussis Outbreak In Rompin + Pekan

People are sharing a screenshot of an official document issued by the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) declaring a pertussis outbreak in the town of Kuala Rompin, together with alarming warnings like these:

Please do not go or encounter Pekan and Rompin. There’s an epidemic disease worse than Covid. Everyone is required to wear masks.

Minta semua orang jangan pergi atau jumpa orang Pekan dan Rompin. Ada wabak yg lebih sirius daripada Covid, terus sesak nafas. Minta semua pakai MASK.

请通知身边的人尽量不要过去PEKAN 和ROMPIN区。比新冠病毒更严重的病毒在散播中，患者会短时间内呼吸困难窒息至死。请出访时务必戴上口罩。

Ask everyone not to go or meet people from Pekan and Rompin. There is an epidemic more serious than Covid, [you’ll] immediately suffocate. Ask everyone to wear a MASK.

Here are the text of the viral KKM document, and its English translation:

Sir,

DECLARATION OF PERTUSSIS OUTBREAK IN ROMPIN

With all due respect, I refer to the matter above.

2. For your information, the Rompin District Health Department has declared an outbreak of pertussis localised in Kampung Bahagia, Kuala Rompin on 13.8.2023. In order to control the spread of the disease, we request your cooperation to examine your cases more carefully to see if there are patients from the same locality with the symptoms of pertussis. The correct use of PPE should be practiced to prevent the spread [of pertussis] among healthcare workers.

3. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and hope that the spread of pertussis can be well controlled. Thank you.

Tuan,

MAKLUMAN PENGISTIHARAN WABAK PERTUSSIS DI ROMPIN

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara di atas.

2. Untuk makluman pihak tuan, pihak Jabatan Kesihatan Daerah Rompin telah mengisytiharkan satu wabak pertussis berlokaliti di Kampung Bahagia, Kuala Rompin pada 13.8.2023. Bagi mengawal penularan penyakit in pihak kami memohon kerjasama pihak tuan untuk memeriksa kes dengan lebih jitu sekiranya ada pesakit yang datang dari lokaliti yang sama dan mempunyai gejala pertussis. Juga bagi mengelakkan penyebaran di kalangan anggota kesihatan, pemakaian PPE yang betul perlu diamalkan.

3. Kerjasama dari pihak tuan amat kami hargai dan berharap penularan penyakit pertussis dapat ini dikawal sebaiknya.

Sekian. terima kasih.

Saya yang menjalankan amanah,

(DR. AHMAD HAFIZ BIN MOHAMAD )
MD (USU), MPH,Dr PH (UNIMAS)
Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam UD54
Pegawai Kesihatan Daerah
Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Rompin

Show less

No Need To Avoid Pertussis Outbreak In Rompin + Pekan

Here is what you need to know about pertussis, and why there is no need to avoid people from Rompin or Pekan, or avoid going to those districts.

Fact #1 : KKM Document Is Genuine

First, let me just point out that the Pahang Department of Health confirmed on 19 August 2023, that the viral KKM document is genuine.

According to the Pahang Department of Health, there was a small outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Kampung Bahagia, in Kuala Rompin, Pahang.

Fact #2 : Only Three Cases Were Reported In Kuala Rompin

Pahang Health Director Dato’ Indera Dr. Nor Azimi binti Yunus said that the pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak involved a mother and her two children, who are being treated, and are in a stable condition.

All the patients have been given treatment and are in stable condition. The Rompin PKD has increased prevention and control activities in the area where the patients are residing.

Health education activities have been undertaken through ceramah, distribution of pamphlets and dissemination of information via social media.

There was no report of any pertussis cases in Pekan.

Fact #3 : Pertussis Is Not More Dangerous Than COVID-19

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a respiratory disease like COVID-19. However, it is not caused by a virus, but the bacterium, Bordetella pertussis.

Pertussis spreads easily through the coughs and sneezes of the infected person, but it is rare these days because the vast majority of people in Malaysia have already been immunised in their childhood.

While pertussis vaccines do not confer lifelong immunity, they are given at childhood, when the disease is most likely to strike and kill. In addition, pertussis can be treated using antibiotics, which is not possible for COVID-19.

Therefore, the claim that pertussis (whooping cough) is more dangerous than COVID-19 is not true.

Fact #4 : Pekan Is An Hour Away From Rompin

It is unknown why people would create fake messages about the risk of pertussis in Pekan. After all, no cases of pertussis were reported in Pekan!

The pertussis outbreak in Kuala Rompin isn’t going to “jump” to Pekan either. Pekan is located over 80 km away from Kuala Rompin! That’s more than an hour’s drive by car!

Fact #5 : Viral Messages Were Labelled As Fake News

On 21 August 2023, Pahang Health Director Dato’ Indera Dr. Nor Azimi binti Yunus, spoke out again about the viral messages, calling them misleading. Here is an English summary of what she said:

The pertussis case that occurred in Kampung Bahagia, Rompin is under control, so the warnings “not to come to Rompin, not to come to Pekan and Pahang” are inappropriate.

It is not extraordinary for there to be pertussis cases. And an outbreak is declared whenever there are more than two cases of the same disease in a locality. We not only face a pertussis outbreak, but also dengue outbreaks, leprosy outbreaks and so on.

The letter was issued to alert healthcare providers to quickly control the outbreak by actively looking for cases, instead of waiting for people to come to the hospital.

In Kampung Bahagia, we found 370 people (50% of the population) to conduct contact tracing. To date, there has been no new cases, and we have given prophylactic antibiotics to 37 people who were identified as the patients’ close contacts.

We also examined and conducted tracing on 52 residents of Kampung Sepakat that is located next to Kampung Bahagia, and found no new cases.

The chain of an outbreak is considered broken completely, if no new cases were reported within two weeks of the last case to be detected.

She called on the public not to spread unverified information about this pertussis outbreak.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Support Us!

If you like our work, please support us by visiting our sponsors, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Barry Gibb Of The Bee Gees Just Die Suddenly?!

Leave a reply

Did Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees just die suddenly, with his family mysteriously hiding his cause of death?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-08-21 : Added fact check video
Originally posted @ 2023-08-19

Claim : Barry Gibb Of The Bee Gees Just Died Suddenly!

A number of YouTube channels are claiming that Barry Gibb of the legendary Bee Gees just died suddenly under mysterious / unknown circumstances.

Barry Gibb († 76) is dead – cause of death is hidden!

5 minutes ago! Sad news for singer Barry Gibb, family in mourning

10 minutes ago / Family reported the sad news of musician Barry Gibb / Farewell with tears

1 hour ago! Barry Gibb passed away at the age of 76… Fans cried loudly.

2 hours ago / Barry Gibb’s family announced / Barry Gibb has passed away forever.

R.I.P Barry Gibb has passed away at the age of 76, the funeral took place in 3 days.

Barry Gibb has passed away after many years of pain, goodbye Barry Gibb, we will miss you so much!

Devastating News: Barry Gibb, Music Icon, Passes Away, Just 5 Minutes Ago!

Sad News! Singer Barry Gibb Is Pass Away Expected Soon Family Prepare To Say Goodbye

Truth : Barry Gibb Did Not Just Die Suddenly!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS reated and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Barry Gibb’s death.

Barry Gibb is more than just an international celebrity, he is a living legend. Even if he only tripped in public and grazed his shin, it would have been breathlessly reported on by the celebrity blogs, if not the mainstream media.

No legitimate media outlet reported that Barry Gibb was sick or hospitalised, never mind mysteriously dying suddenly. That’s because it never happened!

Fact #2 : Barry Gibb Is Still Alive + Well!

Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is very much alive, as of Sunday, 13 August 2023.

That was when his son, Stephen Gibb, posted a warning about fake Barry Gibb social media accounts on his father’s official Facebook page. If his father died, he would have mentioned it, wouldn’t he?

Happy Sunday everyone! This is Stephen Gibb (Barry’s son). I am posting on his behalf today as It seems there are several profiles pretending to be Dad on Facebook and other social media platforms. Please report and block these scam artists to the platform. This is the only official account for Barry Gibb on Facebook. I hope this bring some clarity to things. All the best!- Stephen

Barry Gibb himself posted a photo of himself at his 2017 concert on June 24, 2023, after thanking the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for selecting to honour him for lifetime artistic achievements this coming Sunday, December 3, 2023.

I am beyond honored to share I am going to be recognized as part of the 46th class of Honorees at the Kennedy Center. #KCHonors

Meet all the Honorees being celebrated in December, and stay tuned for the broadcast on @CBS ➡ tkc.co/Honors The Kennedy Center CBS

Fact #3 : The Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of three examples used in many of these videos.

This photo that purportedly shows Barry Gibb’s funeral procession, was edited from a real photo of the funeral procession for Jade Goody – an English television personality who died of cancer on 22 March 2009.

The photo was taken by Chris Rayburn for the Associated Press on Saturday, 4 April 2009, as her funeral procession passed through Loughton, on the way to St. John the Baptist Church in Buckhurst Hill, England.

If you look carefully at the original photo on the right, you can see pink balloons spelling out “Jade From Bermondsey“. Jade Goody was born on 5 June 1981 in Bermondsey, London.

The fake news creator cropped that out, and added a super-large photo of Barry Gibb to the top of the hearse, to trick you.

The photo which is being used to show Barry Gibb’s funeral is actually a screenshot from the Women and Death episode from the TV drama, Desperate Housewives, which aired on Sunday, March 18, 2012.

The “photo” shows Susan Mayer (played by Teri Hatcher) crying over the coffin of Mike Delfino (played by James Denton).

It certainly does NOT show Teri Hatcher crying over Barry Gibb’s funeral, that’s for sure!

This photo does not show the Barry Gibb’s coffin being carried during his funeral. It was actually edited from a photo of the John Gotti funeral, taken outside the Papavero Funeral Home by Chet Gordon of TopFoto.

Mob boss John Gotti was laid to rest on June 15, 2002, after dying of cancer in a federal prison hospital in Missouri. Obviously, that was not Barry Gibbs’s funeral because he was very much still alive in 2002!

The fake news creator just added a large photo of Barry Gibb to trick you into thinking that it was his funeral.

Fact #4 : Barry Gibb Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Barry Gibb death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of singer Barry Gibb’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the August 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, Bee Gees singer is alive and well.

Rumors of the singer’s alleged demise gained traction on Sunday after a ‘R.I.P. Barry Gibb’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the British singer’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (August 19, 2023), our beloved singer Barry Gibb passed away. Barry Gibb was born on September 1, 1946 in Douglas. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 76-year-old singer, musician and producer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major British network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a singer of Barry Gibb’s stature would be major news across networks.

Show less

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Barry Gibb Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Simon Cowell’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey, Simon Cowell, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Toby Keith, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Justin Bieber, Robert Pattinson, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Dolly Parton, Lucy Liu, and Melanie Laurent.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Joe Biden Confused + Stuttering In Viral Interview?!

Leave a reply

Was Joe Biden confused and stuttering in a viral MSNBC interview with Nicolle Wallace?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Joe Biden Was Confused + Stuttering In Viral Interview!

People are sharing a video of US President Joe Biden looking and sounding confused during an MSNBC interview. It has gone viral in MAGA groups, and is being promoted by pro-Russian and pro-CCP groups, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) .

OMG! President Of The United States? 🤦🏻‍♂️🫣🤣🤣

What’s wrong with him? What’s he rumbling about? 🤔😥🤦🏻‍♂️

Truth : Joe Biden Was Not Confused / Stuttering In Viral Interview!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS about Joe Biden, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Joe Biden Interview Aired On June 30, 2023

First, let me just point out that Nicolle Wallace from MSNBC interviewed Joe Biden in the viral interview on June 30, 2023. You can watch the full MSNBC interview here.

During that interview, Nicolle Wallace asked President Biden about the US Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action, as well as his administration’s foreign policy and other plans.

Fact #2 : Viral Video Was Fabricated

While the MSNBC interview did occur, the viral Joe Biden interview that has been circulating in MAGA, pro-CCP and pro-Russian groups is a complete fabrication.

President Joe Biden never spoke like that in the MSNBC interview. The original MSNBC interview proves that beyond doubt.

Fact #3 : Viral Video Was Likely A Deep Fake Video

The viral video appears to have modified using AI deep fake technology to change how and what Joe Biden said in the viral video. It does not appear to be done by editing and splicing parts of the interview.

For one thing, some of the words he said in the viral video do not appear in the original video. The background in the viral video also appear consistent even when Joe Biden was stuttering in the viral video.

All that suggest that AI deep fake technology was used to change what Joe Biden said in the viral interview video, and how he said it.

Fact #4 : No Mainstream Media Reported This

If President Joe Biden really looked and sounded confused, or stuttered repeatedly during the MSNBC interview, it would have been international news, not just limited to the United States.

All of the mainstream media would have covered it. Even if they didn’t, you can count on right-wing news outlets like Fox News, Newsmax, or One America News Network, to cover his confusion and stuttering 24/7.

Yet, not a single mainstream media outlet reported on this major embarrassment for President Joe Biden? That’s because it never happened.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Joe Biden

This is just ultimately just another example of political fake news to smear Joe Biden, and here are other examples:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Photo + Video | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Tesla Cars Catch Fire + Explode After Accident?!

Leave a reply

Did two Tesla electric cars catch fire, and explode spectacularly, after colliding in an accident?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Video Shows Tesla Cars On Fire + Exploding After Accident!

A video has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, with people claiming that it shows two electric vehicles, or Tesla cars, catching fire and exploding spectacularly, after colliding in an accident!

AlphaFox : This is what happens when one Tesla catches on fire.

BUDA : Tesla car battery exploding #tesla #elonmusk @elonmusk $TSLA

An incredible video, showing what can happen when two EVs collide. Note that both sides of the freeway have been shut down and there are no fire apparatus present because, once a lithium battery ignites, it cannot be easily extinguished and the fumes are toxic.

Truth : Video Does NOT Show Tesla Cars On Fire + Exploding!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are there reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Moscow, Russia

First, let me start by pointing out that the viral video was recorded on the Moscow Automobile Ring Road (MKAD).

Fact #2 : Video Was Recorded In July 2013

Next, you should know that the incident did not happen recently. In fact, it actually occurred on 13/14 July 2013 – more than 10 years ago!

Although the Tesla Roadster was displayed in Moscow as early as June 30, 2010, Tesla never sold any electric cars officially in Russia. Instead, Tesla enthusiasts in Russia imported them in by themselves, through a “Tesla Club”.

Even as late as 2020, there were only about 500 Tesla electric cars in Russia, with 400 of them sold through the Russian “Tesla Club”. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for two Tesla electric cars to be involved in an accident in Russia, in 2013…

Fact #3 : Exploding Vehicle Was A Propane Gas Truck!

The truth is – the incident involved a truck that was carrying propane gas tanks. No electric vehicles were involved.

In the video above, you can see that the propane gas truck driver was speeding, and slammed into the back of a grey van / mini bus that was changing lanes to the right.

The accident caused the 36 propane gas tanks to burst and catch fire. Some of them exploded spectacularly, while others flew around like rockets!

Despite the ferocity of the fire and explosions, no one died in the accident. The truck driver can be seen running away from the exploding gas tanks.

Did Tesla Cars Catch Fire + Explode After Accident?!

Fact #4 : There Were Firefighters

The viral video does not show any firefighters, because it is only one minute long. The original video, which is over 8 minutes long, shows Russian police and firefighters arriving on the scene within minutes.

However, it seemed safer to just let the truck burn completely, as the propane gas tanks were still exploding and flying around. In fact, a Russian police car was almost hit by one of those flying gas tanks, and quickly beat a hasty retreat!

Fact #5 : Lithium Battery Fires Are Hard To Put Out

It is true that the lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles can catch fire, and these lithium fires are notoriously hard to put out. Firefighters generally need to dump a ton of water on the burning electric vehicle for several hours.

That is why it is generally a good idea to simply let the electric vehicle burn itself out, unless the fire is threatening life or other property.

Electric vehicles will burn furiously, but they won’t explode like what was shown in the viral video. Those are, again, pressurised propane tanks exploding.

Fact #6 : Electric Vehicles Are Less Likely To Catch Fire

Electric vehicles can and do catch fire during car accidents, especially when their lithium ion battery packs are damaged or ruptured by the impact.

However, their overall fire risk is lower than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. According to AutoinsuranceEZ, ICE vehicles are 60X more likely to catch fire than an electric vehicle.

The riskiest are hybrid vehicles – they are 130X more likely to catch fire than an electric vehicle! The much higher fire risk in hybrid vehicles is likely due to the fact they have both a lithium-ion battery, and a gas tank filled with combustible fuel.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Automotive | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Is This The New US Ambassador To Jamaica + His Wife?!

Leave a reply

A photo allegedly showing the new US ambassador to Jamaica and his wife at a party has gone viral on social media! Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-07-31 : Added fact check video, and photo of Joyce Perry
Originally posted @ 2023-07-29

Claim : This Is New US Ambassador To Jamaica + His Wife!

This photo that allegedly shows the new US ambassador to Jamaica and his wife at a party has gone viral on social media, with people claiming that Jamaica has refused to accredit them as a couple because they are gay!

George Njoroge : The new US Ambassador to Jamaica and his ‘wife’. Jamaica is refusing to accredit them as a couple as they don’t recognise gay marriages.

The US in turn is refusing to renew the diplomatic status of Jamaican Ambassador to US and Consulate General in Miami… A diplomatic row is brewing 😅

JustSociety : This is the new US ambassador to Jamaica and his wife. Jamaica is in a rage over this but the US says they will cut off all aid to Jamaica if they do not let him and his wife go there to do their job. 🤷

That Lunda Guy : The New US ambassador to Jamaica with his wife, Jamaica refusing to accredit them as Jamaica doesn’t recognize gay marriages. The Us is planning to close down Jamaican consulate in Miami.

Truth : This Is Not The US Ambassador To Jamaica + His Wife!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS designed to disparage the LGBT community, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Jamaica Refused To Accredit Spouse Of US Diplomat

First, let me start by pointing out that this fake photo appears to be circulating over claims that the Jamaican government is refusing to accredit the spouse of an incoming US diplomat, because same-sex marriage is not recognised in Jamaica.

The Jamaican media also claimed that the US State Department has retaliated by refusing to extend the stay of some Jamaican diplomats.

Jamaican authorities, including Jamaican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamina Johnson Smith, allegedly argued that accrediting the gay spouse of that US diplomat would be in breach of the Jamaican constitution.

However, the Jamaican ambassador to the United States, Audrey Marks, has downplayed those reports, saying that US denials to the extension for serving diplomats are nothing new, and not related to the current diplomatic spat.

Over the past two years, we have requested a few extensions, and some were denied. The fact is that the USA gave two years’ notice of this policy change, and many persons who were or will be affected have been here for well over five years.

Such long-term stays in the US were never the intent of these work visas when they were issued, so this policy is an effort by the USA to return to the diplomatic accreditations’ original intent. As a government, we agree and respect this policy position.

Marks also explained that the US requested to extend diplomatic privileges and immunity to the same-sex spouse on June 20, 2023. Jamaica declined the request on July 5, and contrary to claims, the United States did not repeat their request:

Based on the foregoing, and the timeliness of the response, it is clear that the request by the United States was not ignored and contrary to reports, no ‘second demand’ was made.

Fact #2 : That Was Photo Of Conchita Wurst + Andre Karsai

The viral photo is actually of famous Austrian singer and drag queen, Conchita Wurst, and her business manager and the executive director of her company, Andre Karsai.

Conchita is actually the drag queen persona of Thomas Neuwirth, with a fictional backstory – Conchita was born in the mountains of Colombia, and married to French burlesque dancer Jacques Patriaque (Neuwirth’s actual friend)

He says this Conchita Wurst persona is similar to Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce alter-ego, and uses it as a way to protect his private life.

Neuwirth is gay but not a trans woman. He uses the he/him pronouns when referring to himself, but uses she/her to describe his Conchita Wurst character.

Conchita Wurst is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. She also had a cameo in the 2020 movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

Here is an interesting fact about the character’s name. Conchita is a Spanish slang word for vagina, while Wurst is a German slang word for penis. So Conchita Wurst literally means vagina penis!

In 2019, Neuwirth introduced a new mononymous persona called WURST, which would allow for a “more masculine expression”.

Fact #3 : That Photo Was Taken At 2019 Vienna Opera Ball

The viral photo was taken at the Vienna Opera Ball that took place 28 February, 2019, by Jeff Mangione of Kurier magazine. Here is Conchita Wurst with the Austrian Minister of Justice, Dr. Josef Moser.

And this was her Instagram post at Wiener Opernball 2019 :

Fact #4 : No Evidence US Is Closing Jamaica Consulate In Miami

Embassies and consulates are legally considered to be the territory of the country they represent. Therefore, the Jamaica consulate in Miami is legally Jamaican territory.

While the US can order the closure of embassies and consulates, and expel the foreign diplomatic staff, this only happens when there is a serious deterioration of relations.

There is no evidence that the US is planning to order the closure of the Jamaican consulate in Miami.

Fact #5 : US Ambassador To Jamaica Is N. Nick Perry

The US Ambassador to Jamaica is Noah Nickolas Perry, who assumed his office on May 13, 2022, after being confirmed in the US Senate on March 10, 2022.

To be clear – he remains the US Ambassador to Jamaica. Furthermore, he is not in a same-sex marriage – his wife is Joyce Perry, who bore him two children.

Vice President Kamala Harris administers the oat of office for US Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nick Perry, with his wife, Joyce Perry, holding the family bible, May 9, 2022

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

The Highly Radioactive Japanese Food Video Explained!

Leave a reply

Were Japanese food products proven to be highly radioactive in a viral video?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Highly Radioactive!

People are sharing a video which claims to prove that Japanese food products are highly radioactive!

In the video, a man explains in Cantonese how he tested the radioactivity level of a Japanese food product, and found that it was highly radioactive.

It is sometimes shared with this English post, to help people understand what’s going on in the video:

Japanese foodstuffs full of radiation.

Japan has d very toxic nuclear radiation waters to be release or partially released already… be aware…fr d FUKUSHIMA Nuclear plant.

Truth : Video Does Not Prove Japanese Food Is Radioactive At All!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS circulating on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Viral Message Is Misleading

Let me just start by pointing out that the viral English message tied to this video is misleading. The man in the video never once mentioned that this food product was from Fukushima, or mentioned the Fukushima nuclear plant.

With help from Yuh Hui and Adrian Tung, here is the English translation of what the man said in the video:

This is a radiation monitoring device.

Now, there is Japanese food that I placed on a bench over there. Now, I will walk towards it, and see how much radiation it has.

As I approach the Japanese food, the radiation reading goes up. Now, I place the device here (on the food). See how the radiation reading is very high. This is food from Japan.

See how the device gives a “beep beep” sound, and the screen turns red. The radiation reading is more than 400.

If you ever go to Japan, try not to eat the food there, or buy any food souvenirs for your relatives and friends. It will be terrible if they get radiation poisoning!

This food was given to me by a friend who bought it from Japan. I’m not going to eat it. I will accept it and will throw it away later.

Fact #2 : That Was An EMF Meter, Not A Geiger Counter

The man claimed in the viral video that he was using a radiation monitoring device. The truth is – he was just the ST1393 EMF Meter, which anyone can buy from Amazon for just $31.39. Here are other purchase options :

The ST1393 EMF meter is designed to detect and measure the electromagnetic radiation produced by magnetic and electric fields. It is not designed to detect nuclear radiation like alpha and beta particles, as well as gamma rays.

To detect ionising radiation from nuclear sources, he needs to use a Geiger counter, not an EMF meter.

As the manufacturer advertises, the ST1393 EMF testers is used to detect “electric field radiation” and “magnetic field emission” from mobile phones, hair dryer, computer, TV, printer, etc. It does NOT detect nuclear radiation!

Fact #3 : EMF Meter Likely Measured Static Electricity

In the video, the EMF meter was seen registering between 292 V/m and 441 V/m. That was the measurement of a static electric field, not nuclear radiation.

If you look closely, the meter says the unit is V/m (volts per meter), and the type is Electric Field. Nuclear radiation is measured in units like Becquerel (Bq) or Curie (Ci) or Sievert (Sv) or Rem (One Sv = 100 rem).

The EMF meter was very likely measuring the static electricity on the Japanese food product’s plastic polymer packaging. If the man tests other plastic packaging, he would likely register similar levels of static electricity.

In case you are worried about the “high” static electricity produced by Japanese food packaging, here are some common static electricity levels:

Natural electric field in atmosphere : 100 V/m
Electric field during thunderstorms : Up to several thousand V/m
Walking on non-conducting carpets : Up to 500,000 V/m
High voltage DC power lines : Up to 20,0000 V/m
Inside DC-powered electric trains : Up to 300 V/m

In other words – you do NOT need to worry about a few hundred volts per meter of static electricity!

Fact #3 : Induction Cooker Not Source Of Electric Field

Some sharp-eyed folks have pointed out that the man placed the Japanese food item on an induction cooker, and posited that the increase in electric field “radiation” was due to EM radiation from the induction cooker.

I have to point out that while it appears to be an induction cooker, it could potentially be a radiant cooker which come in similar designs, with a black glass top. You can only tell them apart when they are operating – the radiant cooker’s heating element will glow red.

In any case, an induction cooker works by inducing an electromagnetic field to transfer energy to a magnetic pan / pot. So the EMF meter should have registered a magnetic field as well.

Since the video showed no magnetic field, the induction cooker was not powered and would not have affected the results.

Fact #4 : EM Radiation Is Not Nuclear Radiation

Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is a form of radiation, but it is not the same as nuclear radiation.

EM radiation is wide-ranging, and includes everything from visible light to radio waves, microwaves, infrared to X-rays. It is emitted by everything from the sun to computers and smartphones.

Nuclear radiation, on the other hand, consists mainly of Alpha particles, Beta particles, and Gamma rays, that are produced as a result of a nuclear reaction, or radioactive decay.

It is like comparing bicycles with cars. They are both vehicles (radiation), but a bicycle (electromagnetic radiation) is different from a car (nuclear radiation). Getting hit by a bicycle is also a whole lot different than getting hit by a car!

Fact #5 : Japan Has Not Released Fukushima Wastewater

As of 16 July 2023, Japan has not released treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean.

On Wednesday, 5 July 2023, the Nikkei newspaper reported that Japanese officials will start by explaining their plan to the local community and neighbouring countries, who are naturally concerned about the impact of the treated but still radioactive wastewater.

The soonest that Japan can reasonably start releasing the wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant is in August 2023. Therefore, the claim that Japan had already released radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant is false.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Science | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Nelson Mandela vs. Professor Peters on Wisdom + Money!

Leave a reply

Take a look at the viral confrontation between Nelson Mandela and Professor Peters, and find out what really happened!

Claim : Nelson Mandela Schooled Professor Peters On Wisdom + Money!

This viral confrontation between Nelson and Professor Peters have gone viral on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, for many years. It’s very long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…

When Nelson Mandela was studying law at the University, a white professor, whose last name was Peters, disliked him intensely.

One day, Mr. Peters was having lunch at the dining room when Mandela came along with his tray & sat next to the professor.

The professor said, “Mr Mandela , you do not understand, a pig & a bird do not sit together to eat.”

Mandela looked at him as a parent would a rude child & calmly replied, “You do not worry professor. I’ll fly away,” & he went & sat at another table.

Mr. Peters, reddened with rage, decided to take revenge.

The next day in class he posed the following question: “Mr. Mandela , if you were walking down the street & found a package, & within was a bag of wisdom & another bag with money, which one would you take ?”

Without hesitating, Mandela responded, “The one with the money, of course.”

Mr. Peters , smiling sarcastically said, “I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom.”

Nelson Mandela shrugged & responded, “Each one takes what he doesn’t have.“

Mr. Peters, by this time was about to throw a fit, seething with fury. So great was his anger that he wrote on Nelson Mandela’s exam sheet the word “IDIOT” & gave it to the future struggle icon.

Mandela took the exam sheet & sat down at his desk trying very hard to remain calm while he contemplated his next move.

A few minutes later, Nelson Mandela got up, went to the professor & told him in a dignified polite tone,

“Mr. Peters, you signed your name on the sheet, but you forgot to give me my grade.”

Don’t mess with intelligent people… pass it on to your intellectual friends…

Show less

Truth : Mandela + Professor Peters Confrontation Did NOT Happen

As hilarious as the viral confrontation between Nelson Mandela and Professor Peters is, it never happened, and here are there reasons why…

Fact #1 : Nelson Mandela Studied Law From 1943-1949

Nelson Mandela studied at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, from 1943 to 1949.

At that time, Mandela was the first African law student at Wits, which only recently opened its doors to students of all races.

Fact #2 : There Is No Record Of Professor Peters

There is no record of a Professor Peters teaching law at the University of Witwatersrand. Neither were there any Mr. Peters, or even a student named Peters in his class.

In the following 1949 photo of Nelson Mandela’s final year law class, we can see that none of them are named Peters:

Back: A.K.I. Vahed, Nelson Mandela, Norbert Magzamen, Max Levenberg
Third Row: Henry Nathanson, R.N. Bhoolia, Johann Möller, J.A.E. ‘Balie’ de Klerk, Harry Schwarz
Second Row: Julian Phillips, Mrs Stutzen, Unity Ann Victor
Front: Daphne de Klerk (née Clark), Ellison Kahn, F.R. Hahlo, J.E. Scholtens, Exton M. Burchell

Nelson Mandela at University of the Witswatersrand, 1944

Fact #3 : There Is No Record Of Such A Confrontation

Mandela’s authoritative autobiography – Long Walk to Freedom, did not mention any confrontation with a white professor called Mr. Peters. Neither do the many biographies written about Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela only recounted his interactions with the Dean of Law – Professor H.R. Hahlo at University of Witwatersrand (Wits). However, those interactions were nowhere along the lines of the viral Mr. Peters confrontation.

In 1943, Nelson at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, which only recently opened its doors to students of all races. Mandela was treated as “an alien”, rather than with the respect and consideration shown to other students.

He recounted how the Dean of Law, Professor H.R. Hahlo, said that the African mind was “not suited to the study and practice of law”.

His view was that law was a social science and that women and Africans were not disciplined enough to master its intricacies.
– Nelson Mandela in his autobiography

Nelson Mandela sat for the final LLB examinations on three occasions, from 1947 to 1949, but failed to qualify for the degree, because the stringent rules was applied particularly stringently. On his last try, Mandela was refused to write three supplementary examination papers on the grounds that the rules only allowed for two.

We also know that Mandela applied to Wits to write his final LLB examinations in late 1974 while he was imprisoned on Robben Island. His application form was intercepted by the Department of Prisons, which had earlier obstructed his attempt to complete a London University LLB.

Only in 1989, a year before his release, did Nelson Mandela qualify for his LLB through the correspondence university, the University of South Africa (UNISA) – 46 years after he started his legal studies at the University of Witwatersrand.

However, Nelson Mandela never mentioned a Professor Peters, Mr. Peters, or such a confrontation with any of his lecturers.

Fact #4 : Gandhi Had Same Confrontation With Professor Peters!

Amazingly, Mahatma Gandhi who studied at the University College London (UCL) in October, 1888, had the exact, same viral confrontation with Professor Peters!

Needless to say – that is because this story was completely made up, and people are just swapping out the name of the “genius” with whoever they want.

It was Gandhi earlier, Mandela today, and probably tomorrow, it will be Albert Einstein confronting the same Professor Peters the exactly same way!

This is ultimately just an inspirational but FAKE STORY misappropriating a dead famous person’s name to make it go viral, while ensuring he is not around to dispute it.

It is good for a chuckle or two, but always with the understanding that this incident never happened, and is a complete lie.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS, by sharing this fact check out, so other people won’t be fooled by it!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Education | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Prince Harry + Meghan Confirmed Not Sleeping Together?!

Leave a reply

Did their staff just confirm that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer sleeping together?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Prince Harry + Meghan Are No Longer Sleeping Together!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been confirmed not to be sleeping together anymore!

Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s staff confirms the couple does not sleep together anymore

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been able to overcome several challenges since giving up on their royal titles in 2020 and moving to the United States. However, it looks like their marriage is falling apart as several members of their staff confirmed that they are currently sleeping in different rooms.

According to an anonymous source who allegedly works for the controversial couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex try to avoid each other when they are in their mansion in Montecito, California, and do not sleep together. In addition, they only go out together in public in an attempt to fool the masses and make them believe that their marriage is okay

On top of that, the same source told The Telegraph that their relationship has deteriorated to the point where Harry has opted to live and sleep in a luxury hotel in Montecito. He allegedly spends most of his time there because he does not want to see Meghan.

Several royals experts, such as Tom Bower, have weighed in on the situation and all of them have reached the same consensus: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will split in the next few months. “They have started to live separate lives and Meghan Markle is getting tired of Prince Harry. It will end in tragedy.”

As of today. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not debunked this information but it is safe to say that the international media is eagerly waiting for them to release a statement addressing the situation and clearing up all the rumours surrounding their marriage.

Show less

No Evidence Prince Harry + Meghan No Longer Sleep Together!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created by Music Mundial to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Evidence Prince Harry + Meghan No Longer Sleep Together

There is NO EVIDENCE that anyone working for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has revealed to any media outlet that they are no longer sleeping together in the same room.

Music Mundial, on its part, offered ZERO EVIDENCE to back up its claims that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now sleeping in separate rooms.

Were there photos of their individual bedrooms? A floor plan of their separate bedrooms? Or His and Her towels in different bathrooms?

Nada. Zilch. NOTHING. Not a single piece of evidence.

Is it possible or plausible that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer sleeping together? Sure. But there is currently no evidence of that.

Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Reported This

No legitimate media, not even celebrity blogs, have reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer sleeping in the same room.

Not even TMZ reported on this “shocking” claim! Only Music Mundial – an unknown blog which is notorious for posting fake news.

Interestingly, a WHOIS check reveals that the owners of Music Mundial are hiding their identities. That is often done by scam and fake news websites to avoid getting sued.

Fact #3 : Prince William’s Rep Called Hotel Claims False

To make their claim more “believable”, Music Mundial claimed that “the same source” told The Telegraph that Prince Harry opted to live and sleep in a luxury hotel in Montecito.

That rumour started in May 2023. Allegedly, Prince Harry acquired a private room in the exclusive hotel called San Vincente Bungalows, located near his Montecito home. The rumours claim that Prince Harry goes there when he needs time alone from Meghan Markle.

However, that claim was quickly proven false when people pointed out that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted together at the San Vincente Bungalows for a date night two months earlier – in March 2023.

In addition, a representative for Prince Harry refuted the claims on May 21, 2023 – “This is not true“.

Recommended : Did Prince William Finally Dump Rose Hanbury?!

Fact #4 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News

Needless to say – Music Mundial offered NO EVIDENCE to back up its claim that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are sleeping in separate rooms.

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into recently:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Was Madonna Revived From Death By Narcan Injection?!

Leave a reply

Was Madonna really revived from her death by a Narcan (naloxone) injection?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Madonna Was Revived From Death By Narcan Injection!

People are sharing a RadarOnline article which claims that Madonna was revived from death by a Narcan (naloxone) injection!

Madonna Was Revived by Narcan Injection: Terrifying New Details Reveal Queen of Pop ‘Had to Be Brought Back From The Dead’

Madonna’s brush with death was far worse than anyone knows, RadarOnline.com has exclusively been told.

When the Queen of Pop was found unresponsive on June 24, those who discovered her lifeless body were forced to administer a NARCAN injection, sources said.

NARCAN is an emergency medical treatment commonly used to reverse the life-threatening effects of a suspected overdose. But it is also used to reverse acute septic shock in patients — a condition Madonna is said to have suffered.

The injection, commonly held in medical treatment kits of the rich and famous, is considered useful to increase blood pressure in the management of septic shock, a life-threatening condition that happens when blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level.

There is nothing at all to suggest the hitmaker needed NARCAN for the ill effects of any drug use.

A spokesperson for Madonna had no comment.

No Evidence Madonna Was Revived From Death By Narcan Injection!

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Madonna was found unconscious and unresponsive in New York City, and rushed to a hospital ICU, where she was diagnosed with a serious bacterial infection.

Her condition was so severe, she had to be intubated, and her family feared they would “lose her”. That was why they kept quiet about her condition, until the worst was over.

Amazingly, she was busy recording music with Katy Perry in a studio, just hours before she collapsed at home.

After being treated in the ICU for several days, Madonna was discharged on Wednesday night, June 28, and taken to her New York City apartment to recover.

What we don’t know was the circumstances in which Madonna was found, only that she was unconscious and unresponsive. No one has yet been able to corroborate RadarOnline’s claim that Madonna was revived using a Narcan injection. Heck, we don’t even know if Madonna was revived at her home as claimed, or at the hospital.

What we do know is Narcan / naloxone is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, not treat acute septic shock.

It is also unlikely for first responders to think of acute septic shock when they see an unconscious and unresponsive person. Chances are – whoever injected Madonna with naloxone probably did so out of the assumption that she may have overdosed on opioids – a common problem in the United States.

Even if Madonna was injected with Narcan, it is unlikely to have revived her from the dead as claimed. That is only possible if she suffered from an opioid overdose. There is no evidence Madonna overdosed from opioids, but we know that she was hospitalised for a serious bacterial infection.

To be clear, the FDA allows Narcan to be administered for septic shock as an “adjunctive use” (PDF download), but warns that it should be used “with caution”:

NARCAN is indicated for the complete or partial reversal of opioid depression, including respiratory depression, induced by natural and synthetic opioids, including propoxyphene, methadone and certain mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics: nalbuphine, pentazocine, butorphanol, and cyclazocine. NARCAN is also indicated for diagnosis of suspected or known acute opioid overdosage. NARCAN may be useful as an adjunctive agent to increase blood pressure in the management of septic shock

Pfizer, one of the many naloxone manufacturers, states that while naloxone has been shown to produce a rise in blood pressure in some cases of septic shock, it has also been associated with adverse effects like nausea, vomiting, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.

Adjunctive Use in Septic Shock

Naloxone has been shown in some cases of septic shock to produce a rise in blood pressure that may last up to several hours; however this pressor response has not been demonstrated to improve patient survival. In some studies, treatment with naloxone in the setting of septic shock has been associated with adverse effects, including agitation, nausea and vomiting, pulmonary edema, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, and seizures. The decision to use naloxone in septic shock should be exercised with caution, particularly in patients who may have underlying pain or have previously received opioid therapy and may have developed opioid tolerance.

Therefore, it would not have been likely for trained first responders to administer Narcan to Madonna if they suspected she had septic shock. They would have quickly stabilised her, and rushed her to the hospital.

That scenario certainly remains a possibility – we still do NOT have any confirmation that anyone actually injected Madonna with naloxone!

At the end of the day, the RadarOnline article is nothing more than celebrity rumour grist to generate some controversy for the page views. Despite insinuations by various blogs and media covering the same story, there is no evidence Madonna collapsed from an opioid overdose, or a COVID-19 vaccine injury.

Nothing has changed with the original story – Madonna suffered from a bad bacterial infection, and had to be hospitalised in the ICU for several days.

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck Fact Check!

Leave a reply

Does the last video of the OceanGate Titan sub show it exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Is The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck!

People are sharing what they claim are the leaked last video showing the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly!

supremewarlock2.0 : this is lost footage of the missing titan submarine that was recovered in the bebris found by divers. the camera was apart the the titansub but got detracted due to faulty installment and pressure. #missingsubmarineupdate #missingsubmarine #titanic #titansubmarine #titansub #subarmineimpolded #rip #fyp

motet.tv : Unbelievable! Titanic Submarine Footage.. #titanic #submarinemissing #viral #oceangate #news #missingsubmarine

Nick’s Excursions : The Titan submarine’s last footage #titan #titanic

A G Creation : Titanic Submarine Exclusive Footage Last moment

Truth : OceanGate Titan Sub Last Videos Are All Fake!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS created by “content creators” to generate views and/or controversy, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Are No Videos Of Titan Sub On Its Last Dive

First, I should just quickly point out that no videos were recorded of the OceanGate Titan at the Titanic wreck during its ill-fated dive on 18 June 2023.

It was the only submersible / submarine known to be in the area, and it was at a depth of almost 4,000 metres / 13,000 feet when it imploded.

No diver can dive that low, and there are no other deep-diving submersibles / submarines nearby. So it is impossible for anyone to have recorded its descent or its exploration of the Titanic wreck from outside.

Fact #2 : Some Of The Videos Are Computer Simulations

Some of the viral videos are computed-generated simulations of what an implosion of the OceanGate Titan sub might look like.

Unfortunately, it looks like they are being misappropriated and passed off as real implosion videos of the Titan sub on WhatsApp, TikTok, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Fact #3 : Wreck Video Was From Barbados Submarine

One particular video called MISSING TITANIC SUBMARINE FOOTAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE!! went viral on Facebook, claiming to show the leaked footage of the Titanic wreck recorded from inside the Titan sub before it imploded.

The truth is – that video was recorded from an Atlantis submarine touring the Lord Willoughby shipwreck that sank near Barbados in 1976. That was a real submarine operating in Barbados, and not a submersible like the OceanGate Titan.

The Lord Willoughby wreck sits in just sixty feet / 18 metres of water, so it is bright enough to view without external lighting. The Titanic wreck, on the other hand, is in pitch darkness at almost 4 kilometres / 2.5 miles deep!

Fact #4 : Some Are GTA V Gameplay Videos With Titan Mod

There are also quite a number of videos that claim to show the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before it imploded. In all likelihood, the Titan sub imploded before it even reached the wreck.

But what is certain is that those are just gameplay videos from the Grand Theft Auto V game, using the OceanGate Titan submarine mod that was released on June 22, 2023.

Because of the intense interest in the Titan sub tragedy, the Titan sub mod went viral, with many GTA V gamers using it to play at piloting it underwater.

Unfortunately, some people are using the Titan sub mod in GTA V to create videos that they are passing off as real videos of the OceanGate Titan sub.

Fact #5 : They Are Just Fake Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created to generate views and/or controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Because there is still so much interest in the OceanGate Titan tragedy, you can expect more fake videos to surface.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Travel | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Madonna Just Collapse + Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Leave a reply

Did Madonna just die suddenly in the hospital, after being found unconscious and unresponsive?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Madonna Just Collapsed + Died Suddenly In Hospital!

People are claiming on social media that Madonna just died suddenly in the hospital, after being found unconscious and unresponsive!

#Madonna #Madonnahospitalized Died at 64 Years old.
She Was #COVID19 #covidvaccines assiduous defender (two Moderna Dose) #LGTBI #LGTBIQ #LGTBIQA #Repentinitis #Antivaxxers Was Right!!!

Rip Madonna my queen 😢 #madonna #rip

Rest in Peace Madonna! 🙏🏻 Thank you for all the music you made 1983-2005. #ripmadonna #madonna #madonnahasleftthebuilding #thequeenisdead #madonnarip #RestInPeace #restinpeacemadonna

RIP 🪦 Madonna ..

Truth : Madonna Did Not Die Suddenly In A Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Madonna Was Hospitalised For Bacterial Infection

First, let me give you a quick summary of Madonna’s recent health problems.

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Madonna was found unconscious and unresponsive in New York City, and rushed to a hospital ICU, where she was diagnosed with a serious bacterial infection.

Her condition was so severe, she had to be intubated, and her family feared they would “lose her”. That was why they kept quiet about her condition, until the worst was over.

She certainly was NOT hospitalised for any COVID-19 vaccine injury.

Fact #2 : Madonna Left The Hospital Alive

On Wednesday night, June 28, Madonna was discharged from the hospital and taken to her New York City apartment using a private ambulance.

While she has been discharged from the hospital, and is recovering at home, Madonna is still bedridden and vomiting from the bacterial infection, according to insiders who spoke to TMZ:

Madonna’s been vomiting uncontrollably since being discharged from the hospital, and the infection is still wreaking havoc on her body.

She is still very much alive, as of 1 July 2023. However, she is still too sick to get out of bed.

Fact #3 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported Her Death

These social media comments are coming in fast and furious even though no legitimate media has reported Madonna’s death. Even TMZ, which has access to people close to Madonna, did not report that she has died.

If Madonna really died from her bacterial infection, or any other cause of death, the worldwide media would have reported on it, and so would the many celebrity blogs out there.

Yet, not a single legitimate media outlet reported that Madonna died suddenly in a hospital from any cause. That’s because it never happened. Madonna is still alive, period.

Fact #4 : Madonna Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Madonna death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of singer Madonna’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the June 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like Music, Vogue or Like a Virgin and best known for her role in Evita is alive and well.

Rumors of the singer’s alleged demise gained traction on Thursday after a ‘R.I.P. Madonna’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American singer’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (June 29, 2023), our beloved singer Madonna passed away. Madonna was born on August 16, 1958 in Bay City. She will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 64-year-old singer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Show less

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Madonna Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Madonna’s unnamed reps confirming that she is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Morgan Freeman, Simon Cowell, Taylor Swift, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Pattinson, Justin Bieber, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Hanks, Toby Keith, Lucy Liu, Clint Eastwood, Dolly Parton, and Melanie Laurent.

She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news circulating on social media and fake news websites, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did RM Reject Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo?!

Leave a reply

Did RM reject an offer by HYBE to disband BTS and go solo, because the group was losing money?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : RM Rejected Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that RM (Kim Nam-joon) once rejected an offer by HYBE to disband BTS and go solo, because the group was losing money!

Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

The decision that BTS’ RM made about a possible disbandment of the group

RM, the leading member of South Korean Kpop group BTS, had a tense moment when one of HYBE‘s executives made him a proposal that would suppose to the separation from the group. However, the idol acted with companionship and above all, with deep intelligence.

The impact that BTS has left on the South Korean Kpop industry is truly incalculable. However, their beginnings in 2013 were not easy at all, as HYBE, the company in charge of the septet that was previously called Big Hit, was not big enough to afford all the expenses.

Expenses such as production, wardrobe, makeup, among others, meant a great expense for the company. And for that reason, HYBE’s CEO Bang Sihyuk offered RM to make a solo career for the group to disband.

What decision did RM make regarding that proposal?

Without a second thought, the talented rapper did not accept that great proposal as he decided to continue alongside his bandmates. To everyone’s amazement, they managed to overcome that crisis, and today HYBE is one of the most millionaire companies in KPop, specifically thanks to BTS.

There is no doubt that RM’s decision to protect the future of BTS is an anecdote that he will remember all his life, because thanks to that, he is who he is today.

Show less

Truth : RM Rejected Prank Offer To Disband BTS + Go Solo!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is A Very Old Story

Music Mundial suggested that HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) offered RM the opportunity to disband BTS and go solo in 2013. The truth is – this actually happened in 2014.

Whether it’s 2013 or 2014, it’s a very old story from 9-10 years ago! Why did Music Mundial bring this up today? After all, there was no recent news on BTS disbanding, or RM considering a solo career.

Was it a very slow day at Music Mundial, and they all had BS writer’s block? Or maybe they used generative AI to invent something viral about BTS, and this came up?

Fact #2 : HYBE Only Existed In March 2021

It is funny that Music Mundial should claim that HYBE Corporation offered RM to disband BTS, so he can go solo in 2013, when HYBE only existed some 7-8 years later!

Back in 2013, HYBE did not even exist. It was known from its founding on February 1, 2005 as Big Hit Entertainment Co., Ltd. Only in March 2021, did Big Hit Entertainment rebrand itself as the HYBE Corporation.

If RM was offered to disband BTS, it would have been made by Big Hit Entertainment, not HYBE. If Music Mundial cannot even get this basic fact right…

Fact #3 : It Was Just A Prank By Bang PD

This HYBE offer to disband BTS and have RM go solo was actually a prank that Bang Si-hyuk (also known as Bang PD) – the founder of HYBE / Big Hit Entertainment, played on RM.

During a special on Mnet’s 4 Things Show in 2014, Bang PD called RM into his office to criticise his leadership of BTS. Suga and J-Hope were in the room to help Bang PD with his prank, while the other BTS members were in another room, watching through hidden cameras.

As Bang PD criticising his leadership, RM is seen gritting his teeth in frustration. In the end, Bang PD asked him, “If you’re going to be like this, why don’t you just go solo?”

RM just kept quiet, so after some time, Bang PD asked again, “Will you be okay with going solo?” RM then replied, “Yes“.

Bang PD prodded him further, “You’re not wanting to go solo, are you?” to which RM said, “No“.

This is where the climax came – Bang PD asked, “Let me ask you again, solo or Bangtan Boys?” and RM instantly responded, “Bangtan Boys“.

That was when Bang PD asked RM to “look at me, kid“, before smiling and telling him that he was on a hidden camera show!

Fact #4 : Bang PD Had Confidence In BTS

The suggestion that Bang PD and HYBE (Big Hit Entertainment at that time) was so disappointed in BTS in 2013 that it offered to disband the band is nonsensical.

HYBE not only invested a lot of time and money in training all seven BTS members, Bang PD himself had confidence in them. He revealed that in his May 2016 letter to BTS:

To Jin, Suga, Rap Monster, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook…

When I first met you, all of you were so young. I met you all at different times, but all of you seemed to be scared about something. Like you didn’t know how to look at me, you couldn’t look at me in the eye well at all. I feel that I really pushed you boys a lot. I had a lot of greed and put you under my standard. I gave you a hard time asking why you couldn’t believe yourself and why you weren’t trying to look far into the future. I’m sure all of you remember losing sleep over this because the place I pointed was far and dark. Even so, you always somehow found that path. You always shot up higher and further up than the place that I pointed to.

As I was walking with you, I finally realized it. Your anxiety was another face of desperation. That’s what pushed you to practice until late at night, to go against everything, going over the limits on your own. But now I step back, I can see you getting better and better. Because there’s no reason for me to raise my finger and point towards a place. With your own strengths you are finding your own paths. And you are passing the places that I didn’t dare looking towards.

But still thank you. I won’t say that I’m proud of you just yet, because I am a very greedy person. Let’s hold onto that until the day you become the best group in the world…

On June 12, a year, no, 3 years later. On that day, I’ll look each of you in the eye and tell you personally from my lips…that I’m thankful that you stayed by me and for bringing me here and allowing me to dream.

I write this on May, 2016, a month before your 3rd Anniversary.

Bang Si Hyuk

Fact #5 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News

As usual, Music Mundial offered ZERO evidence to back up its claim that Big Hit Entertainment / HYBE once seriously offered to disband BTS so RM can have a solo career.

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Who Captured This Amazing Rainbow Photo At 30,000 Feet?!

Leave a reply

Was this viral photo of an amazing full circle rainbow captured by a pilot flying at 30,000 feet?!

Take a look at the photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Rare Rainbow Was Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

People are sharing what they claim is a rare rainbow captured by Lloyd J Ferraro, a pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean at at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Rainbow at 30,000 Feet: Pilot’s Photo Captures Rare and Breathtaking Sight

A rare sight was captured from the cockpit of a commercial airplane as pilot Lloyd J Ferraro took a stunning photograph of a complete rainbow from an altitude of 30,000 feet. The breathtaking image shows the colors of the rainbow in their full spectrum, arching gracefully across the sky.

Rainbows have long been a source of fascination for people around the world, with their vivid colors and seemingly magical appearance. While rainbows can be seen from the ground after a storm, it is much rarer to witness a complete rainbow from the vantage point of an airplane.

According to Ferraro, he was flying over the Pacific Ocean when he spotted the rainbow and decided to capture the moment on camera. The resulting photograph has since gone viral, captivating people around the world with its beauty and rarity.

The image not only showcases the beauty of nature but also highlights the incredible capabilities of modern technology. Ferraro was able to capture the stunning photograph using a smartphone camera, demonstrating how accessible and advanced our technology has become.

This incredible photo serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us in our everyday lives. It is a testament to the power of nature and the marvels of modern technology, and it has inspired people around the world to appreciate the small moments of beauty that exist in the world around us.

Show less

Truth : Rare Rainbow Was Not Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

This is yet another example of FAKE PHOTOS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photo Was Not Taken By Lloyd J Ferraro

Lead Stories spoke to the pilot, Lloyd J Ferraro, on March 1, 2023. He has seen circular rainbows while flying, but he did not take that viral photo.

Ferraro shared that both he and his colleague copied and shared the rainbow image on social media, but he did not take the photo himself.

Fact #2 : Circular Rainbows Are Not Particularly Rare

Lloyd J Ferraro said that full-circle rainbows are not as rare as people think, and people do not need to be in an airplane to see one – a full circle rainbow can be observed from any high vantage point, like a mountain top.

In fact, NASA featured this full circle rainbow photo as its Astronomy Picture of the Day on December 27, 2022. That amazing photo of a full circle rainbow was taken using a drone by Swiss photographer Lukas Moesch over the Lofoten islands of Norway.

NASA also explained why full circle rainbows are more commonly seen from the air, instead of the ground.

Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360-degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible.

Pictured here, a full-circle rainbow was captured over the Lofoten Islands of Norway in September by a drone passing through a rain shower.

An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the rainbow has a full diameter of 84 degrees. The Sun is in the exact opposite direction from the rainbow’s center. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.

Fact #3 : Rainbow Photo Originated In Xiaohongshu

Lloyd J Ferraro could not have been the creator of the photo, because the viral photo of the rare circular rainbow circulated much earlier.

It appeared to have been posted in the Facebook group, Beautiful Nature, as part of a 5-photo collection of rainbows on February 6, 2023. After that, it went viral with many people sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.

But a closer examination of these photos will show a digital watermark at their lower right corners. These photos were created by someone with the user ID of 5463530014 on the Chinese social shopping platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

Fact #4 : Professor Labelled Rainbow Photo As Fake

Lead Stories asked Roland Stull, a professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of British Columbia to analyse the photo. He labelled it as a fake rainbow photo, and explained why:

It is fake. Rainbows form a circle centered around the shadow of the photographer or the camera; namely, looking away from the sun.

In the photo you attached, based on the sides of the clouds that are illuminated by the sun, the rainbow incorrectly appears to be in the direction of the sun, not opposite to the sun. Also, the rainbow circle itself appears to be incorrectly touching the location in the sky where the sun is (even though it is hidden behind a cloud), instead of the circle being centered on a shadow opposite to the sun (i.e., centered around the “anti-solar” point).

Fact #5 : Rainbow Photo Most Likely Generated By AI

It is not possible to know if the fake rainbow photo was digitally drawn by an artist, or created by AI image generators.

However, due to the numerous examples of similar rainbow photos with the same tone and colour palette, they were all likely generated by text-to-image generators like Midjourney, DALL-E or Stable Diffusion.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Science | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Leaked Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub?!

Leave a reply

Did the last audio and video messages from the OceanGate Titan submersible that imploded get leaked?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub Were Leaked!

People are sharing what they claim are the leaked last audio and video messages from the OceanGate Titan submersible that imploded, killing all five people onboard.

Leaked last messages from the lost submarine

The last audio clip from the Oceangate submarine

Real live audio from the submarine!!

Last communication from the OceanGate submarine, before it disappeared

Truth : OceanGate Titan Sub Did Not Send Any Last Messages!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS created by “content creators” to generate views and/or controversy, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : OceanGate Titan Is A Submersible

First, I should just quickly point out that the OceanGate Titan is not a submarine, but a Cyclops-class submersible.

Submarines can operate independently of other vessels, but a submersible has to be transported and supported by a separate surface vessel or platform.

The OceanGate Titan, for example, was transported and supported by a Canadian-flagged ship called Polar Prince, which tows a dry dock-like “Launch and Recovery Platform” that is used to launch and recover it.

Fact #2 : OceanGate Titan Communicates Only By Text Messaging

The viral videos circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter, are all fake because it is impossible for the OceanGate Titan to send any last messages by audio or video.

The Titan submersible can only communicate with its mothership by text message. That’s because the Titan is not tethered by cable to its mothership, and it cannot communicate by Wi-Fi or radio waves.

Fact #3 : OceanGate Titan Suffered A Catastrophic Implosion

At around 9:30 am NDT on 18 June 2023, the OceanGate Titan submersible began its two-hour descent to view the Titanic shipwreck.

The Titan was required to send a text message to its mothership every 15 minutes, which it did until 11:15 am – approximately 1 hour 45 minutes into its dive. That was its last communication with its mothership.

The US Navy detected an acoustic signature at around that time that was consistent with a catastrophic implosion.

On 22 June 2023, the Odysseus 6K remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) operated by Pelagic Research Services would locate a debris field about 500 metres from the Titanic shipwreck that confirmed the implosion of the Titan submersible.

Fact #4 : They Would Not Have Time To Send Any Message

The water pressure at that depth of 3.8 kilometres (3,800 metres) below the surface is approximately 400 atmospheres, or about 6,000 psi (pounds per square inch).

An implosion at such a high pressure would have instantly obliterated everyone inside the Titan submersible. It would be like being suddenly crushed by the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

All 5 people inside the Titan submersible would not have realised what happened, never mind have the time to send any last messages.

Fact #5 : Investigators Only Have Voice Recordings From Mothership

It is also impossible for any audio messages from the Titan submersible to leak because investigators only have access to the voice recordings from its mothership, the Polar Prince.

On 24 June 2023, the Polar Prince docked near the Canadian Coast Guard in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Canadian officials then took possession of its voyage data recorder and other systems with “useful information” for further investigations.

However, there are no data or voice recorders from the Titan submersible itself because its debris are scattered at a depth of some 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). The ROV that discovered the debris was not powerful enough to lift the debris. Any recovery operation will have to take place later.

Fact #6 : They Are Just Fake Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created to generate views and/or controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Travel | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Shane Macaulay die suddenly from vaccine SADS?!

Leave a reply

Did Canadian musician and podcaster Shane Macaulay collapse and die suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine SADS?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Shane Macaulay Died Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

Many people are sharing a video of Shane Macaulay collapsing suddenly outside his home, suggesting that the Canadian musician and podcaster died suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine sudden adult death syndrome (SADS)!

Died Suddenly : Another horrifying collapse caught on a security camera. They are MURDERING you

Stew Peters : They are MURDERING you.

“Sudden And Unexpected” : I don’t think this is normal. These experimental Covid vaccines are deadly. 💉☠️

Truth : Shane Macaulay Did Not Die Suddenly From Vaccine!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are the reasons why this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists…

Fact #1 : Shane Macaulay Is Still Alive

First, I should point out that Shane Macaulay is still alive, as of June 13, 2023 when he posted a last call for a Pre-Father’s Day BBQ on his podcast’s Facebook page.

On his personal Twitter page, Shane Macaulay (also known as Shaner Macaulay) last posted this message on June 5, 2023:

Anyone wanna see this? @NUBS416? I used to see ya at shows in Toronto at The Phoenix, Opera House, etc. if it’s just @FatMike_of_NOFX that wants to leave @NOFXband I’ll try to fill in. #justtheflu

So claims that Shane Macaulay died suddenly from the COVID-19 vaccine are nonsense.

Fact #2 : Video Was Recorded In February 2023

I should also point out that while his video only went viral on TikTok and Twitter in June 2023, it was recorded and posted in his YouTube channel months ago – on 28 February 2023 to be specific.

Fact #3 : Shane Macaulay Had A Seizure

In his original video, Shane Macaulay clearly said that he suffered a seizure. It would also be impossible for him to post his own video, or this explanation, if he actually died suddenly…

The morning I had a Seizure.

I came back from dropping my son off at day care. Five mins later Home Depot was here dropping off lumber and cement for our back deck. With all the contractors. My stress and anxiety was through the roof.

It also looked like Shane / Shaner Macaulay has a prior history of seizures, which made it impossible for him to even drive:

Thanks @ONtransport . One seizure back in September of 2021. Making it so difficult. @OntarioNDP @CTVNews @680editor can’t drive. Can’t live.

Fact #4 : Viral Video Was Cut Short

The original video was 2 minutes and 45 seconds long. The video clip that went viral on TikTok and Twitter was (intentionally?) cut short to just 1 minute 21 seconds.

Why was it cut short? Perhaps because at around the 1:42 mark, a Home Depot man can be heard telling the 911 operator that Shane was suffering from a seizure. The man can also be heard confirming to the 911 operator that Shane was breathing (and therefore, still alive).

Fact #5 : Shane Macaulay Was Never Vaccinated Against COVID-19!

No COVID-19 vaccine is known to be capable of causing seizures. In any case, it is impossible for Shaner Macaulay to have suffered a seizure from the COVID-19 vaccine, because he was never vaccinated against COVID-19!

THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN STOLEN AND HAS GONE VIRAL ON TIKTOK. SAYING THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET VAXXED.

For the record. I am unvaxxed. And if anything. I am strongly against it. And I would recommend looking up vaccination shedding. Which is what I was looking into. Don’t jump to conclusions without asking myself.

Shane Macaulay even told Stew Peters off for claiming that he suffered the seizure because of the COVID-19 vaccine!

@realstewpeters Hey ass hat. I am the one who had the seizure. That is my video first of all. Secondly. Do some research. I am unvaxxed if that’s what you are referring to. Retweet this to your followers. Set the record straight.

Shane Macaulay / Shaner Macaulay joins the list of unvaccinated people who were falsely accused of dying from, or getting injured by, the COVID-19 vaccine – Aaron Carter, Kirstie Alley, Kris Jordan, Stephan Bonnar, David Wayne Burleson, and Kaden Clymer.

Fact #5 : COVID-19 Vaccines Do Not Cause Vaccine Shedding

Shane Macaulay suspects his seizure may be related to the COVID-19 vaccine, even though he was not vaccinated, because of something called “vaccine shedding”.

However that’s not possible, because vaccine / viral shedding is only possible with live, attenuated virus vaccines, which use a weakened form of the virus that can “multiply” and “shed” inside and outside the body.

Vaccine / viral shedding is not possible with current COVID-19 vaccines, because none of them use live, attenuated SARS-CoV-2 viruses! So it is simply impossible for any COVID-19 vaccine currently approved to shed viruses or spike proteins.

Fact #6 : Claims Of COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries Often Proven False

Most claims of sudden deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false. Here is the latest dozen of other false sudden death claims!

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Health | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Penang Bridge Get Hit By Tornado This Morning?!

Leave a reply

Did a tornado hit the Penang Bridge this morning?!

Take a look at the viral claim and video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Penang Bridge Got Hit By Tornado This Morning!

This photo and warning keeps going viral on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook:

Happened this morning on Penang Bridge 😱😨🌪️🌪️

Truth : Penang Bridge Did Not Get Hit By Tornado This Morning!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Recorded In 2017

First, let me just point out that this viral video is not new. It was actually recorded at around 6 PM on 28 March 2017.

So the claim that the tornado appeared near and over the Penang Bridge “this morning” in June 2023 is false.

Since then, it has reappeared on WhatsApp and social media every year or so, usually when it rains heavily during the monsoon season.

Fact #2 : No One Was Injured In The Incident

The viral video shows a waterspout forming near the Penang bridge, and it eventually passes over the motorist recording it before the video cuts out.

To be clear – no one was hurt by that 2017 Penang waterspout, which was a mild one.

Fact #3 : The Video Shows A Waterspout, Not Tornado

Technically, the video does not show a tornado (which forms over land), but a waterspout which forms over a body of water. Waterspouts fall into two categories – tornadic waterspout, and fair weather waterspout.

The more dangerous tornadic waterspout are tornadoes that form over water, or move from land to water, during severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and dangerous lightning .

The Penang Bridge waterspout seen in 2017 is what’s called a fair weather waterspout, which is more common and forms only over open water. Such waterspouts are small and less dangerous, and only form for a brief time.

Fact #4 : Waterspouts Form Occasionally In Penang

Waterspouts may be uncommon, but they are not unheard of in Penang. They have been reported in the past:

waterspouts were spotted in the North Channel, and the coast of Butterworth in November 2016
two were reported in Kampung Perlis and Pulau Betong in November 2016
a massive waterspout damaged 28 houses and apartments in Tanjung Tokong and Tanjung Bungah in April 2019

A spokesperson for the Meteorological Services Department in Penang said that the rise in global temperatures can increase the frequency of waterspouts.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Nature

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about nature. Here are other examples you may have seen on WhatsApp, and social media platforms:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Science | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Is Prince William Violently Abusing Kate Middleton?!

Leave a reply

Is Prince William violently abusing Kate Middleton, because he has always been a violent man?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Prince William Is Violently Abusing Kate Middleton!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Prince William is violently abusing Kate Middleton!

Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Kate Middleton has been suffering from severe mistreatment by her husband, Prince William

The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton warns that she has been suffering strong mistreatment by her husband, Prince William.

The relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Wales is not going well, after it was confirmed according to rumors that Prince William has been unfaithful to his wife, the Duchess of Wales, with one of his best friends from the past, the model Rose Hanbury.

In addition to this, the eldest son of Princess Diana has always been labeled as a violent man which increases suspicions that the situation actually occurred, adding to this that now it has been reported that Prince William is allegedly carrying out violent acts against the mother of his three children.

An insider at Buckingham Palace has revealed that this is not the first time that the Duke has been accused on this issue, including the Spanish magazine Marca who has revealed the verbal and emotional abuse suffered by the Duchess of Wales.

“Now a staff member has come forward with some really shocking allegations. This person claims that Kate Middleton has been subjected to emotional and verbal abuse by her husband, Prince William”.

The source, who preferred not to reveal his identity confirmed that Kate’s mental health has been quite affected “Leaving her struggling to cope with the constant pressures of her royal duties, and the challenges of maintaining a harmonious marriage.”

It was reported that Prince William is a very violent person, and this has been being learned by his young children, such as Prince Louis, who on one occasion with his hand brusquely covered his mother’s mouth to stop her from speaking at a public event.

Show less

No Evidence Prince William Is Violently Abusing Kate Middleton!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created by Music Mundial to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : They Are Prince + Princess Of Wales

Music Mundial falsely called Prince William and Kate Middleton the Duke and Duchess of Wales. Wales is a country, not a dukedom. So there is no Duke or Duchess of Wales.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are, respectively, the Prince and Princess of Wales, not the Duke and Duchess of Wales.

If Music Mundial cannot even get this simple fact right, just how much can you really trust their articles?

Fact #2 : Kate Middleton Did Not Say She Was Being Abused

Music Mundial claimed that the Princess of Wales warned that “she has been suffering strong mistreatment by her husband, Prince William.”

That’s utter nonsense. There has been NO REPORT of Kate Middleton ever claiming that Prince William was abusing her.

Fact #3 : MARCA Only Claimed Verbal + Emotional Abuse

Music Mundial claimed that “it has been reported that Prince William is allegedly carrying out violent acts against the mother of his three children.” It then claims that it was not the first time, before quoting MARCA as the source of Prince William’s prior violent abuse against Kate Middleton.

The trouble is – MARCA – a Spanish sports newspaper, only reported that a palace staff member claimed that Kate Middleton was being “subjected to emotional and verbal abuse” by Prince William. There was no mention of Prince William committing physical violence on Kate Middleton.

[A] staff member has come forward with some truly shocking allegations. This person claims that Kate Middleton has been subjected to emotional and verbal abuse by her husband, Prince William.

According to the source, the alleged mistreatment has taken a toll on Kate Middleton‘s mental health, leaving her struggling to cope with the constant pressures of her royal duties and the challenges of maintaining a harmonious marriage.

“Kate’s really been through the wringer lately,” the source shared. “The way William treats her is just awful, and it’s been really hard on her. She’s such a strong person, but even she has her breaking point.”

Interestingly, MARCA quotes a Twitter post that refers to a Music Mundial article in its post! Do they have some kind of connection, I wonder…

Fact #4 : Neither Websites Offered Any Evidence

Neither MARCA, not Music Mundial, offered no actual evidence Prince William was physically, emotionally, or verbally abusing Kate Middleton. No photo, no video, no audio recording, nothing.

Now, we certainly do not know what goes on in private, behind closed doors. Perhaps Prince William is physically, emotionally, or verbally abusing Kate Middleton. But it could just as well be the complete opposite, or absolutely bogus.

It does not appear that MARCA corroborated its source’s claims of emotional and verbal abuse with other palace staff members. As for Music Mundial, it certainly did nothing to verify anything in its article. Heck, it couldn’t even get their titles right!

Fact #5 : No Evidence Of Rose Hanbury Affair

Music Mundial has been “reporting” on the Rose Hanbury affair with Prince William for a long time. But we have consistently debunked its claims:

Fact #6 : Prince Louis Photo Was From June 2022

Music Mundial posted a photo of Prince Louis covering up Kate Middleton’s mouth, as evidence that he was trying to protect his mother from his father’s “abuse”.

That was a screenshot from a video taken on June 5, 2022 – during the Platinum Jubilee celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne.

At that time, Prince Louis was making funny faces in front of the cameras, which led Kate Middleton to apparently admonish him. He wasn’t having any of it, so he attempted to cover her mouth twice to stop her interruption.

He then proceeds to stick out his tongue and waggle his fingers at her. His uncle, Mike Tindall, who was just sitting behind him, also tried to calm him down, giving him the “I’m watching you” gesture.

From what we can all see – Prince Louis, like other children, were acting out because they were bored sitting down during the Platinum Jubilee. It’s not because he was trying to protect his mother from his father’s “violent acts”. That’s patently absurd!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into recently:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Celebrity | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

How This Doctor Pulled USB Cable Out Of Man’s Ear!

Leave a reply

How did a doctor pull out a long USB cable out of this man’s ear?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Doctor Pulled Out USB Cable Out Of Man’s Ear!

People are sharing a TikTok video which purportedly shows how a doctor pulled out a long USB cable out of a man’s ear! Here is a transcript of the viral video:

Doctor : Okay, we are going to get this out as quickly as possible. Nurse, can we get a bit of Lidocaine in there?

Nurse : Why yes, doctor, yes, right here.

Doctor : I can’t believe the patient got a phone charger stuck in their ear. Can you just dab that with the gauze, we are going to start pulling this right out. Okay, let’s give it a tug. Omigosh, look at that.

Nurse : Oh, wow, doctor, does this happen often?

Doctor : I’ve never seen this before honestly, This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever seen someone get a phone charger stuck in their ear.

Nurse : How did you suspect it got in there?

Doctor : You know, people are so addicted to their phones these days, that it doesn’t surprise me. Perhaps it was one of those social media challenges. I don’t know. I don’t ask questions anymore, I just do the extractions. Okay, I’m going to use a more precision tool, can you just give me a dab there very quickly?

Nurse : Yes, doctor.

Doctor : Should be the end of it. It’s a little snug there.

Nurse : Was it actually working?

Doctor : Again, I just try not to ask questions with these kinds of things. If you don’t mind putting the mirror down there, so I can get a closer look. Oh yeah, oh, it’s coming out. One nice piece.

Doctor : I’m going to try not to damage the ear, and not to damage the cable. I know these cables are very expensive now. I certainly hope not. I certainly hope not.

Doctor : Maybe they thought this was a headphone. Even then, I don’t know why it would go in their ear. Oooh, ooh, what’s that. Did you see that?

Nurse : Yes, doctor.

Doctor : Can we get a mirror in there? I want to get a closer look. Oh my gosh, I’m going to go in there with a precision tool so put a little more lidocaine.

Nurse : Yes, doctor.

Doctor : I’m going to go ahead, and grab that. If you can just take your hand and hold right here, that will be great.

Nurse : Yes, doctor.

Doctor : I’ll go very carefully now and grab this red piece. Ooh, what is that? What is that? Oh, my gosh! What on Earth is happening here? It looks as if there is multiple chargers that are now stuck in the ear.

Nurse : H0w many phones can one man have?

Show less

It’s also being shared on WhatsApp, with messages like this:

Deft surgical extrication no doubt: but how in heavens did it find its way there in the first place 😱😱😱😱

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WhatsApp-Video-2023-06-05-at-10.41.18.mp4?_=2

Truth : No Doctor Pulled Out Any USB Cable From Man’s Ear!

This is yet another FAKE VIDEO created by TikTok “content creators” to generate views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : USB Cable In Ear Video Is Fake

First, let me just point out that the viral video showing a doctor pulling a USB cable out of a man’s ear is fake.

The way the doctor talks should tell anyone that he’s fake, especially when he refers to a pair of forceps as his “precision tool”, and uses a dentist’s mirror to look into the ear canal!

The video was recorded using a silicone head mask. At around 1:50 in the video, you can clearly see the thick translucent silicone being lifted up by the cable through the ear canal.

Fact #2 : Ear Canal Is Too Small To Fit USB Cable

It is anatomically impossible for any person to fit any USB cable in their ear canals, as the ear canal is only 2.5 cm deep, with a diameter of just 5-7 mm.

Fact #3 : Original Video Was Posted On TikTok

I traced the original video to a TikTok video that was posted by @hwoecbavix0, who posted it on 19 April 2023 without any title or description, probably to trigger controversy and go viral.

@hwoecbavix0 does not appear to be a medical-related TikTok channel. Instead, the channel posts random food and prank videos.

Fact #4 : Original TikTok Video Is Almost 6.5 Minutes Long

The original video was 6 minutes and 28 seconds long, while the video that went viral on WhatsApp and other social media platforms was much shorter at 2 minutes and 39 seconds.

Whoever cut the video to send it on WhatsApp likely wanted the video to end at the dramatic “How many phones does one man need?”

Fact #5 : This Is Just TikTok Fake News

This appears to be yet another example of fake news posted on TikTok to drive traffic. Here are some other examples I look into recently:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Science | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Is IKEA Malaysia Closing Down All Stores For Good?!

Leave a reply

Is IKEA Malaysia closing down all of its stores for good by the end of May 2023?!

Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : IKEA Malaysia Is Closing Down All Stores For Good!

People are sharing an article screenshot which claims that IKEA Malaysia is closing down all of its stores for good by the end of May 2023! Here are the titles, and my English translation:

IKEA seluruh Malaysia mula ditutup pada akhir bulan Mei 2023. Goodbye

IKEA [stores] across Malaysia will begin to close at the end of May 2023. Goodbye

IKEA Malaysia Akan Ditutup Seluruh Negara Pada Akhir Bulan Mei 2023

IKEA Malaysia Will Be Closed Nationwide At The End Of May 2023

Recommended : You Can Now Edit Your WhatsApp Messages!

Truth : IKEA Malaysia Is Not Closing Down Its Stores For Good!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why!

Fact #1 : IKEA Malaysia Closing Stores For 1 Day

First, let me just confirm that IKEA Malaysia is not closing down any of its stores for good.

On May 17, IKEA Malaysia announced that it is closing down all its physical stores, as well as its online check out page, on Tuesday, 30 May 2023, for a system upgrade!

Its online store will still work on 30 May 2023, but you won’t be able to check out / purchase anything on that day.

We are upgrading our systems to serve you better

Both our stores and online check out page will be closed on 30 May 2023, Tuesday.

During the upgrade, you can continue to browse home furnishing inspiration on IKEA.my but will not be able to make payments.

Stay updated with the latest news on our Facebook page: IKEA Malaysia or you can email to customerservice.ikeamy@ikano.asia for further assistance.

We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing you soon.

The official IKEA Malaysia website also has this banner at the top of the page.

IKEA stores and online check out page will be closed on 30 May 2023 for systems upgrade to serve you better.

Both its physical and online stores will reopen on Wednesday, 31 May 2023.

Fact #2 : The Headlines Were Misleading

For some reason, the website that created that article used misleading headlines that suggested that IKEA Malaysia was closing its stores.

The viral photo, in particular, used a misleading headline – IKEA across Malaysia will start closing at the end of May 2023. Why use the phrase “start closing” when IKEA Malaysia was only shutting down for one day?

Fact #3 : The Viral Photo Was Edited

The viral photo was also edited by someone who added the word GOODBYE, to make people believe that IKEA was really closing its stores for good.

Who did that, or why that person did that, is unknown. What is certain is that it helped to make the screenshot go viral.

Recommended : Watch Out For MPH Free Books Scam!

Fact #4 : This Is Just WhatsApp Fake News!

This is just another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp. Here are some other examples I fact checked recently:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Business | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Can Your Phone Explode / Catch Fire If You Fart?!

Leave a reply

Can the hydrogen and methane in your fart catch fire or explode if your phone rings?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Your Phone Can Explode / Catch Fire If You Fart!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claiming that it shows a phone exploding or catching fire after its owner farted!

Be Careful! ⛔ Never fart with your cell phone in your pocket ! Gases are flammable ! 😱🤣

Human fart contains Hydrogen and methane both can combust with a spark ,please be careful when you fart with your phone in your back pocket. Funny but so true😅😅

Presumably, the phone triggered the fire when it rang after the man farted… but is that really possible?

Can your phone EXPLODE or CATCH FIRE if you fart?! 😯🤔

Here are the facts : https://t.co/tMLNzEyE0C #TechARP #Smartphone #Phone #Mobile #Fart #Farting #Science #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Explosion #Fire #Video #Viral #PowerBank #LithiumIon #Battery pic.twitter.com/NF8INIvuYk

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 24, 2023

Truth : Your Phone Won’t Explode / Catch Fire If You Fart!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and shared on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Video From South Africa

The viral video isn’t new. This video of a CCTV recording was recorded in South Africa in March 2020.

Fact #2 : It Was Not A Phone, But A Power Bank

The video does not show the man’s phone exploding or catching fire. Rather, it was a power bank that caught fire.

Fact #3 : Flatulence Is Combustible

Farts, or flatulence, is combustible, because it contains methane and hydrogen sulphide which are produced by bacteria digestion of our food. However, the power bank did not catch fire because the man farted.

Even if the man farted a great deal of combustible gas, there needs to be a spark for there to be any fire. Power banks don’t generate sparks. Phones, even when they are ringing, do not generate sparks – that is just an urban legend.

So flatulence may be combustible, but neither a phone or a power bank will set it off, because neither produce sparks or an open flame.

Fact #4 : Power Bank Apparently Overheated

At the time the incident happened, 29 year-old Lwando Mashiamahle was waiting for his girlfriend to buy a plane ticket at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa.

While sitting down to wait, he realised that the power bank in his pocket felt warm. But he didn’t think anything of it, until it suddenly burst into flames.

It felt quite hot in my pocket but I thought it was normal, like sometimes your phone heats up when you’re using it, but I never thought it could explode,

I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do, I automatically just lost my mind. I was very, very scared.

Fact #5 : He Was Not Injured By The Fire

Mashiamahle was not injured when his power bank burst into flames, because he was able to quickly take off his trousers, and avoid getting burnt.

Fortunately I have no injuries but my pants were burnt and I had to quickly find the nearest shop to buy a new pair.

He is very fortunate, as lithium battery fires are very strong and hard to put out.

Fact #6 : Phone / Power Bank Batteries Are A Fire Risk

Despite claims our phone or smartphone can spark flames in petrol / gas stations, or even cause a gas stove explosion, there is simply no scientific evidence for those urban legends.

The electrodynamic speakers in your phone vibrate to produce sound waves. They do not generate sparks. Without a source of sparks or an open flame, even a gas leak wouldn’t catch fire and explode.

The US FCC, US NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and the Petroleum Equipment Institute have all confirmed that mobile phones do not pose a fire hazard.

The lithium ion battery in our phone and power bank, however, are a fire hazard. Roughly one in every 10 million lithium-ion batteries will fail and catch fire. That sounds like very low risk, but not when there are BILLIONS of lithium-ion batteries in use around the world!

That is why it is forbidden to pack any device with a lithium-ion battery into luggage that needs to be checked into an aircraft cargo hold. Everyone must carry their phone, computer and power bank using these lithium-based batteries into the cabin, so that if they catch fire, the crew are aware and can quickly put them out.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Mobile | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Pentagon Just Get Hit By A Large Explosion?!

Leave a reply

Was the Pentagon just hit by a large explosion?! Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Pentagon Was Just Hit By A Large Explosion!

A photo of an explosion at the Pentagon has gone viral on social media, with multiple “blue check” Twitter accounts, an Indian media outlet and Russian state media sharing it!

RT : Reports of an explosion near the Pentagon in Washington DC

Bloomberg Feed : Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C. – Initial Report

⚠️BREAKING – Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The Pentagon Complex in Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Initial Reports of a Large Explosion near The #Pentagon Complex in #Washington D.C.
A Fire is currently Burning at the Location of the Blast with Fire and Rescue Crews arriving On-Scene.

Truth : Pentagon Was Not Hit By A Large Explosion!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created using AI technology, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Was No Pentagon Explosion

First, let me just confirmed that there was no explosion at the Pentagon yesterday or today. The Pentagon did not come under attack, as many people have claimed.

For one thing – no legitimate media outlet has reported on such an explosion. No, propaganda outlets like Russia Today (RT) do not count.

This incident has shown just how unreliable RT really is – it was the only state media agency to post the fake photo. RT deleted the photo hours later, but did not appear to apologise for the “mistake”.

Furthermore, police and fire officials in Arlington, Virgina, have confirmed that the viral photo is fake, and that there was no incident at the Pentagon. No explosion. No fire. No smoke.

@PFPAOfficial and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon.

There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.

Fact #2 : That Is Not The Pentagon

Anyone who has seen the facade / side profile of the Pentagon will immediately realise that the photo does not show the famous building.

The fake building looks like like a university than the Pentagon, which has a flat, sloping roof without a triangular Gable roof.

The facade of the Pentagon is also almost flat and uniform, with uniform, same-sized windows throughout.

Fact #3 : The Photo Was AI Generated

The viral photo appears to be created using an AI image generator. If you look closely at the photo, you will see many discrepancies that suggest it was AI-generated:

The facade of the building is distorted, with some windows merging together.
The fence suddenly turns into crowd barriers, both of which have distortions with holes too.
The lamp post appears to be distorted and cut off from its base, literally floating sideways.

Not shown below, but the concrete walkway also gradually fades into grass, which is another sign it was AI-generated.

Fact #4 : Twitter Blue + Gold Accounts Helped Spread Fake Photo!

It is important to point out that while this viral photo tricked many people into thinking it was real, it was the new Twitter Blue and Twitter Gold accounts that helped it go viral.

The photo went viral because multiple Twitter Blue accounts shared the fake photo. Because many people still believe that blue check Twitter accounts are “verified” and therefore trustworthy, they shared it out too.

Elon Musk is responsible for this debacle, by allowing any Tom, Dick and Harry to purchase a blue check to masquerade as a “verified” Twitter account. That was how the fake Bloomberg Feed account was able to trick so many people to share this fake photo.

On top of that, Russian state media – RT (Russia Today) boosted the fake photo by reposting it on its Twitter Gold account, which is a paid and verified account. Even though RT finally deleted the tweet hours later, more than 38,000 people had already viewed the post, and many shared it because they believed RT verified the news.

Fact #5 : Indian News Channel Helped Spread Fake Photo

It also did not help that Republic TV – a right-wing, English language news channel in India, broadcasted a “Live & Breaking” news of the Pentagon explosion using nothing more than that fake photo!

To top it off, they even invited Professor Madhav Nalapat – “an international affairs expert” to opine on the fake explosion!

To be fair – Republic TV relied on RT to verify that news, with a chyron saying, “RT REPORTS EXPLOSION NEAR PENTAGON“. That ought to teach them for relying on Russian state media for facts…

Republic TV claims the Pentagon was just hit by a massive explosion! 😲🤔

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/GndMXdMr4I #TechARP #Pentagon #Explosion #Military #USDOD #UnitedStates #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #AIGenerated #AI #ArtificialIntelligence pic.twitter.com/XaqglBsV3T

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 24, 2023

Fact #6 : This Is Just AI-Generated Fake News!

This is yet another example of fake photos / videos / news created by artificial intelligence. Here are some other examples I fact checked recently:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Photo + Video | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Indian Robot Dancers @ Shanghai Disneyland?!

Leave a reply

Did China create these amazing Indian robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland?!

Watch the viral clip for yourself, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Claim : China Created Indian Robot Dancers At Shanghai Disneyland!

Here is the video that people are sharing on WhatsApp and social media platforms. It is often paired with a short explanation in English.

Watch this dance carefully. Dancing at Disneyland in Shanghai. These two are not human dancers, *But two robots made in China. *The duration of the dance h is only five minutes. But the waiting time to buy tickets to see this dance is 4 hours. Tickets to see this dance cost 499 yuan, which is equivalent to 75 dollars. Robots’ facial expressions are so perfect that it’s hard to distinguish them from real people.

Did China create these amazing Indian robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland?! 😮

Here are the facts : https://t.co/CvhSNWhgNf #TechARP #ShanghaiDisneyland #Disneyland #Disney #China #Wumao #India #Dancer #Dance #Classical #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Robot #Robotics #Fake pic.twitter.com/p5XrLK7GAn

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) May 19, 2023

They Are NOT Indian Robot Dancers At Shanghai Disneyland!

The agility and grace of these dancers are amazing, but they are NOT Indian robot dancers created by China for Shanghai Disneyland!

The less gullible would point out that it is something you would only expect from human Indian dancers, and they would be right.

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Video From 2017

While this video has only started circulating in April-May 2023, the original video was posted on YouTube in August 2017 – more than 5 years ago!

The original video is called “Vahana Alarippu: Bharatanatyam Dance | Best of Indian Classical Dance”, and is 23 seconds longer than the viral video, with a different audio track.

Fact #2 : Those Are Professional Indian Classical Dancers!

The two dancers are professional Indian classical dancers called Sophia Salingaros and Isha Parupudi.

It is unknown where this dance actually took place. The description did not mention a location. But it is more than certain that this dance did not occur at the Shanghai Disneyland!

Fact #3 : 499 Yuan Was Old Entry Price To Shanghai Disneyland

The fake story claimed that the ticket to watch this performance costs 499 Yuan – about US$73 / £55 / RM303. That would be ridiculously exorbitant for a single show.

In truth, that was the cost of an entry ticket to the Shanghai Disneyland when it first opened in February 2016.

Since 6 June 2018, it has been priced at 399 Yuan (off-peak), 575 Yuan (peak) and 665 Yuan (peak holiday).

In 23 June 2023, Shanghai Disneyland raised prices again, with a Regular ticket at 435 Yuan. Regular Plus ticket at 545 Yuan, Peak ticket at 659 Yuan, and Peak Plus ticket at 769 Yuan.

Fact #4 : Disneyland Does Not Charge Extra To Watch Certain Shows

Anyone who has been to Disneyland knows that the entry fee is pricey. That’s because it covers all rides and shows inside Disneyland.

You only need to pay for food and drinks, and arcade games. Or if you opt to purchase Disney Fastpasses (Fastpass, FastPass+, MaxPass) to bypass long queues at popular rides or shows.

Otherwise, all rides and shows are free to enjoy once you enter Disneyland.

Fact #5 : That Is The Third Fake Video Of Shanghai Disneyland Robot Dancers!

This is actually the third fake video of robot dancers at the Shanghai Disneyland. It’s absurd how people keep passing off videos of real dancers as robot dancers!

This one circulated earlier, claiming to be of a female robot dancer that handily beats all Japanese made-robots. In truth, the fake news creator took the video clip from the 2018 World Dance Sport Federation Championship in Lithuania…

And this video was taken from a Chinese Ballroom Dance Federation (CBDF) competition

Who Would Create Fake Story About Indian Robot Dancers?

With China’s aggressive foreign stance in recent years, it is not uncommon to see such fake stories and fake videos being created and shared.

Some believe it’s part of a concerted attempt to burnish China’s image overseas. Others believe the many fake stories are being created to drown out the negative coverage of China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative, and their aggressive moves in the South China Sea.

Whatever the reasons may be, it is our duty as global citizens to stop the proliferation of such fake stories.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Photo + Video | Tech ARP

Support Tech ARP!

If you like our work, please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Thank you!