July 2019

Did a Symbolic Random Chat Room Name Appear After Etika’s Death?

After the death of YouTube gaming streamer Etika was confirmed in late June 2019, his on-and-off girlfriend Alice Pika hosted a memorial livestream on June 26 2019. Not long after, a rumor circulated on Reddit and other sites about what the appearance of a random name that was interpreted as a sign or signal from …

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Did Colin Kaepernick Force Nike to Cancel ‘Offensive’ Betsy Ross American Flag Sneakers?

On July 1 2019, the Wall Street Journal published an article reporting that Nike had canceled shipment of a planned Betsy Ross flag-themed sneaker, adding that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick had forced the athletic wear company to do so as he found the design offensive. The New York Times followed up on the story, rehashing the claims the next day: …

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Did Protesters Throw ‘Concrete Milkshakes’?

Dueling protests became dueling narratives in Portland, Oregon on June 29 2019 when clashes erupted between Proud Boys attendees and anti-fascist demonstrators, quickly devolving into rumors that milkshakes thrown at one person contained one or more damaging or caustic substances — including quick-dry concrete, quicklime, and caustic chemicals. Rumors to that effect were spread by the verified Portland …

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