snopes.com Update - Dec 31, 2016

Daily Debunker - snopes.com [snopes-logo] Hello again from snopes, where we shed light on the wild tales you've heard!  This e-mail gives information about new articles recently added to the snopes.com web site. If after this update you are left wondering about something newly arrived in your inbox, our [search engine] stands ready to assist you. Bookmark that URL — it's a keeper!  And now to the legends, the mayhem, and the misinformation! THE LATEST 1. [Pearl Harbor Was an 'Inside Job'?] The creator of the post said the meme was meant as nothing more than a gag for a limited audience, but some took it seriously. 2. [Thousands of White Teens Brawled at a Mall and Nobody Was Arrested?] A large brawl took place at a Kentucky mall in 2015, but the crowd was racially mixed, according to police reports and video footage. 3. [The Origins of Princess Leia's Hairstyle] Following Carrie Fisher's death, speculation mounted regarding the inspiration for her Princess Leia's character's iconic hair buns. 4. [Water Fluoridation Reduces IQ?] Studies suggesting a link between public water fluoridation and reduced intelligence rely on unsubstantiated leaps made possible by studies of “insufficient quality” that were conducted to address entirely different questions. 5. [Have Oprah and Tyler Perry Teamed up for a Facebook Giveaway?] Despite the insistence of numerous scams on social media, Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are not giving away cars, houses, money, or anything else on Facebook. [SEE MORE] RECOMMENDATIONS [Was 2016 the Deadliest Year for Celebrities?] [While many high-profile celebrities passed away in 2016, the overall "notable death" count for the year was not unusually high.] [RECYCLED OBITUARY: 'ALF' Actor Michu Meszaros Dead at 76] [Michu Meszaros, the diminutive actor behind the beloved sitcom character "Alf," died following a stroke — in June 2016, not December 2016.] [FACT CHECK: Sinbad Played a Genie in the 1990s Movie 'Shazaam'] [While many clearly recall comedian Sinbad playing a genie in a movie called "Shazaam," it appears to be yet another example of the "Mandela Effect."] [FACT CHECK: Was a Warning Issued by Thailand About HIV in Canned Food?] [Age-old rumors about viral contamination of food evolved into a claim that HIV is present in canned food from Thailand.] [FACT CHECK: Are Walmart Holiday Rawhide Bones Toxic to Dogs?] [Walmart has not recalled holiday rawhide bones due to formaldehyde contamination that killed a dog.] [HOTTEST ARTICLES] [Facebook] [Twitter] [E-Mail] © 1994-2016 by snopes.com. This material may not be reproduced without permission. snopes and the snopes.com logo are registered service marks of snopes.com. [Web Version] | [UnsubscribeÂ] If you don't want to receive these emails [unsubscribe]