LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Beyonce is not dead. The cause of the fake Beyonce confusion Sunday is a new “R.I.P. Beyonce” Facebook page created by someone clearly wishing to kill off the hit singer, yet again. Beyonce was erroneously reported dead earlier this year through Twitpic and Photoshop. Last year it was through Twitter. But starting at roughly 2:30 PM PST, the R.I.P. Beyonce page has been adding roughly ten “likes” every three minutes.

When celebrity fake death reports start, the source of the false claims is often hard to determine. Sometimes it’s the dubious Global Associated. Through its templates and dynamic changing dates on its fictional stories, celebrity fans have been told about reoccurring tales. The stories, from car crashes to plane crashes, are all false.

One such fabricated story often generating false news is the Zermatt story.  It reads in part “The actor & novice snowboarder was vacationing at the Zermatt ski resort in Zermatt, Switzerland with family and friends. Witnesses indicate that her lost control of his snowboard and struck a tree at a high rate of speed.” The locations Zermatt, Route 80, and New Zealand cliffs, are shuffled along with snowboarding, hiking, and crash stories. The victims are either music, film, and sometimes sports celebrities.

But often the fake death reports come from a different source. In 2010, a fake Beyonce death story surfaced via twitter. On January 7, 2010 false Beyonce dead reports followed less than 24 hours after fake Tila Tequila and Justin Bieber stories.

But in August 2011, Beyonce suffered a new breed of fake death reports fueled by Twitpics and Photoshop. Someone that weekend took a picture of Beyonce, then took a screengrab of a leading news website. With the use of Photoshop, they inserted Beyonce’s picture into the screengrab and added the caption that Beyonce had died. They then tweeted the Twitpic. Fans who saw the picture believed they were looking at a real, current screengrab of the website announcing Beyonce’s death.

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But today’s beast comes from a Facebook page. The confusion making news is a “R.I.P Beyonce” page. At roughly 2:30 pm PST today, the page had only 150 likes. It’s currently at two-hundred thirty-five.

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On Twitter, people are re-tweeting the Facebook perhaps without reading it. A quick perusal of the wall reveals that comments are not condolences. One person on the RIP page wrote of Beyonce’s fake death that it’s “so sad, indie punk will never be the same”. Another wrote “RIP Beyonce death metal will never be the same”.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Matty B is not dead. A fake Matty B death report surfaced today, even while the 8 year old music sensation told news about a Sunday appearance. The false death report began to pick up speed last night; by Sunday, the subject was dominating Twitter. Yet Matty B wrote to fans today “I heard I was trending last night on twitter while sleeping?”

Matty B indicates to fans and news Sunday that he is off to the Atlanta Falcons games. But earlier today, fake death reports dominated social networking sites, confusing some fans and angering others. “What, Matty B is dead?” wrote one fan. Another realized the inaccuracy of the death report. “Matty B is not dead, he tweeted just three hours ago”.

Other fans were furious that fake death reports were now striking eight year old musicians. “Matty B is the cutest thing ever. He’s not dead. That’s a sick thing to spread about someone.” Another added “If Matty B is really dead I’m gonna cry. I’ve only seen like 3 of his videos but omg he’s like 8 years old.”

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The source of the fake death report remains unknown. But it appears to have slowly picked up speed while Matty was off the computer working on a new music video. “Up early 4 church & shot a music video yesterday on Stone Mountain 4 a new cover!”

Just days ago, Matty B released his cover of Mistletoe. Since November 21, the music video has racked up nearly seven hundred thousand views. Earlier in November, he released his music video Burnout.

Since 2009, fake celebrity death reports most often gain speed or resurface on weekend evenings. In recent days, fake death reports, however, have been replaced by fake “attack” stories. Just yesterday, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga made news after fans competing fans were blamed for starting fake heart attack and asthma attack stories.

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In recent months, the same fake David Guetta death story has dominated news multiple times. The fake car crash happened between “Morristown and Roswell”. Its author has used the same story to kill off DJ Tiesto and David Beckham also this year. In recent weeks, the template has been modified to include a picture of a rolled-over car.  As previously reported here, the celebrities most often targeted are those who have new projects coming out.

Matty B is not dead. Adam Sandler wasn’t snowboarding today. Missy Elliott is alive and well. And David Guetta wasn’t driving on Route 80 Sunday.

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ST LOUIS (LALATE) – An Oklahoma earthquake today was felt across the region. A moderate quake struck shortly before 6 am local time and was centered outside Oklahoma City. No reports of injuries have been detailed by local news.

Shortly after 5:50 AM today, a moderate 3.2 earthquake struck Oklahoma. The quake today Sunday, November 27, 2011 was felt across a wide section because of its nominal depth. USGS reports to news that the quake struck only three miles below the earth’s surface.

The quake was southeast of Guthrie. USGS indicates to news that the quake was twenty-seven miles east of Oklahoma City, twenty-nine miles south of Stillwater. The quake was north of Shawnee.

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USGS reports to news that the quake was west of Tulsa, north of Interstate 44 and east of Interstate 35. It was centered easy of Luther and Jones, west of Davenport and Stroud, and north of McLoud. No damage has yet to be indicated by local news.

The same area has been a hotbed of earthquake activity this holiday weekend. Three quakes more than a 3.0 magnitude have struck since Friday alone.

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HOLLYWOOD (LALATE) – The Hollywood Christmas Parade 2011 today will prompt street closures and traffic delays. The Hollywood Christmas Parade for today November 26, 2011 has already resulted in street closures since midnight, officials confirm to news. The closures and delays will continue into the evening when the 80th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade kicks off at 6 pm local time.

The annual celebration will future Marie Osmond this year as the grand marshal. Notable city leaders and celebrities will join Osmond in the parade including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Metta World Peace (Ron Artest).

Officials confirm to news that Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset and Fountain between Highland and La Brea will be closed until 6 pm Monday evening. Road closures include parts of Sycamore Street, El Cerrito Place, and Hawthorne Avenue. Official tell residents to make adjustments in their travel time because of the road closures.

The parade will be air live tonight on cable television. For other street closures announced to news, click HERE.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Gary Speed, MBE, is dead at age 42, found hanged in an apparent suicide. Gary Speed hung himself inside his Chester home, authorities confirm to news. Local police indicate to news today that no foul play was involved in Speed’s death. His family has yet to comment about the tragedy.

Local police in a news statement today confirm that a family tribute will be announced in the coming days. No news statement from Speed’s family is expected today. “There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death the family have requested that they are left in peace to grieve at this difficult time. A family tribute will be released at a later date but not today.”

Police would not detailed who found Speed, nor any reason for the tragedy. “At 7.08am on Sunday 27 November 2011, Cheshire police was informed of a sudden death at an address in Huntington, Chester. Officers went to the scene where a 42-year-old man was found dead. The next of kin have been informed and have confirmed the identity of the man as Gary Speed.”

Speed became a MBE last year. Ed Miliband issued the following statement to news today. “Tragic and shocking news about Gary Speed. Fantastic servant of Leeds. Mourned by football. Deepest condolences to his family.”

Speed is survived by a wife and two sons. Speed served as captain of the Wales national football team until 2004. He was manager of Sheffield United and later manager of the Wales national football team.

Funeral services have not been announced. Speed will be greatly missed. Send your love.

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