Author Archives: WeRaven
Did the U.S. President Ever Actually Have a ‘Big Red Phone’ Connected Directly to Moscow?
It is a staple of many a Cold War thriller: as bomber aircraft scramble in the air, missile silo doors slide open and the superpowers hurtle towards all-out nuclear war, the U.S. President reaches for an object of last resort: the bright red telephone receiver on his desk. At the other end, the Soviet Premier… Read More »
Does the Language You Speak Affect How You Think?
Imagine enjoying a picnic as a friend suddenly informed you that there was a spider on your north shoulder. Would you know which shoulder to check? This might sound bizarre to an uninitiated English speaker, but to a speaker of Gugu Yimithirr, it would be perfectly natural. Speakers of this Australian language (and several others… Read More »
Can You Really Make Yourself Immune to Poison by Taking Tiny Doses Over Time?
Mithridates VI, also known as Mithridates the Great, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus, a region of northern Anatolia in what is now modern-day Turkey, from 120 to 63 BC. In 120 BC Mithridates’ father, Mithridates V, was assassinated by poison, allegedly as part of a conspiracy lead by his wife, Queen Laodice… Read More »
WTF Fun Fact 12709 – The Josh Fight
Reports that ‘Bernie Gores’ died in both Uvalde school shooting and Afghanistan are fake
A number of posts spreading false reports of a man’s death are circulating on Facebook. The posts share two side-by-side images of a man supposedly named Bernie Gores, one of which claims that he was a teacher killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas last month, and the other of which claims… Read More »
War in Ukraine has contributed to global shortages of certain products
An Instagram post has suggested that the war in Ukraine is not the cause of global shortages of certain products. The post shows Ukraine highlighted on a world map, and says: “Let this sink in for a minute. They want you to believe because of this little red spot (Ukraine) we have worldwide shortages of… Read More »
No evidence ‘chemtrails’ are responsible for new chemical found in atmosphere
Hundreds of people have shared a post on Facebook which links “chemtrails” to reports of a new substance found in the Earth’s atmosphere. The post includes a screenshot of a MailOnline article, with the headline: “Entirely new kind of ‘highly reactive’ chemical is found in Earth’s atmosphere – and it could be triggering respiratory and… Read More »
BBC didn’t replace boos for Boris Johnson with ‘generic audio’
A post on Facebook, viewed more than 73,000 times, claims that the BBC edited footage of Boris and Carrie Johnson arriving at St Paul’s Cathedral for part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations to replace the sound of booing crowds with “generic audio” about the royal family. Part of the video’s caption states: “In a… Read More »
What Is the Circle of Control (And How to Use It to Stop Feeling Powerless)
I am a staunch believer in the saying, “Strike a balance.” However, I try not to dwell too much on events beyond my control. My gardener taught me that! When I asked him how he knew that the plants would grow well, he replied, “I am good at what I do, but I am never… Read More »
How To Have Difficult Conversations At Work: 3 Key Steps
Having difficult conversations at work is one of the most challenging things we have to do as employers and employees. We all dread it, no one looks forward to it, and only a very few people can do it well. But having difficult conversations can make all the difference and is a pivotal part of… Read More »