The Mystery of Malaysia Flight 370 by Madeleine White

The disappearance of Malaysia flight 370 has perplexed the world for almost five years now, and we are almost no closer to the truth. Much of the evidence points to the pilot, Zaharie Shah, being the most likely instigator of the chilling plane disappearance, but why? Why would a seemingly normal pilot cause an entire plane of innocent people to vanish? Let’s take a closer look at the facts, and dive in to the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia flight 370.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a relatively normal and well-liked man; he cooked for community events, and made sure his wife and children cooked when he was working (CBS News).  His sister, Sakinab, spoke highly of his character, saying that not only is he kind and loving, but he’s very generous, especially when it comes to his family (Stevens). Being the youngest of nine children, one would think that with the large age differences, he would not be close with his siblings, but he and his sister remained very close, even with 17 years apart (1). Sakinab says she knew him like the back of her hand (Stevens).

Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a very dedicated and dependable pilot. Peter Chong, a friend of Shah’s, says that Shah “is a very disciplined pilot” and has logged over 80,000 flight hours, which attests to his dependability and skill (Stevens). He goes on to say that “the Captain Zaharie that I know would strictly follow [the rules]” and that there “could not be a better pilot” in the air (“Daughter of MH370 Pilot Raises Alarming New Questions about His State of Mind”). Shah’s love for aviation began when he was in his early teens, so it is no surprised he was often found practicing in his flight simulator at home (1).

Zaharie was a simple man who loved his aviation hobbies. According to his daughter, he loved his flight simulator, and would spend hours working in it for weeks before the plane disappeared (“Daughter of MH370 Pilot Raises Alarming New Questions about His State of Mind”). He has loved aviation ever since he was 14 or 15, and he turned down a scholarship for university so he could be a pilot (Stevens). As seen on his Facebook page, he also enjoyed flying model airplanes and helicopters with his friends in his free time (“Seven Things Malaysian Pilot Zaharie Shah's Internet Footprint Tells Us about Him.”).

Shah never showed any previous signs of mental distress, but in the weeks before Malaysia flight 370 disappeared, he would sit with his simulator for hours, refusing to speak to his wife and becoming “distracted and withdrawn” (“Daughter of MH370 Pilot Raises Alarming New Questions about His State of Mind”). According to his family, Zaharie and his wife were “on the brink of divorcing” after almost thirty years of marriage and he refused to see marriage counselors (1). All his children noted a change in his behavior, his daughter, Aishah, saying that Zaharie was “distant and cranky,” and his son, Ahmed Seth, saying he hadn’t spoken to his father in the weeks before the plane crash, even though they still lived in the same house. With these marriage struggles, it is not unlikely that Zaharie snapped and planned the disappearance of Malaysian flight 370.

The first theory suggests that the pilot himself is the one to blame. In the weeks before the disappearance, Shah’s family says that he was secluded and withdrawn (Andrews). According to the Safety Investigation Report conducted by the Ministry of Transport in Malaysia, the last transmission from the flight to air control was “Goodnight Malaysian 370,” spoken by Zaharie Shah himself. The plane’s tracker was shut off mere minutes later (Malaysian Ministry of Transport). Shah was one of the best pilots in his area, and he owned a flight simulator in his home in which he plotted a course “very similar” to the course Malaysia flight 370 was said to have taken (“Daughter of MH370 Pilot Raises Alarming New Questions about His State of Mind”). He has also logged over 80,000 flight hours, so he could be the only one capable of veering the plane off course and crashing it where it would never be found (Stevens). It is also rumored that his wife left him and took their children mere days before the flight disappeared because they had been “on the brink of divorce” for the last month. (1). A depressed man with thousands of hours of flight experience who believed he had lost everything seems like the most plausible explanation for the disappearance of a plane with 239 people aboard.

The second theory is that the plane was hijacked by a terrorist on board. Along with the passenger’s luggage, the plane was carrying 2.435 kg of lithium batteries, walkie talkies, radio accessories and chargers, electronic capacitors, and mangosteens (Malaysian Ministry of Transport). What is odd about this is that the batteries could be considered a fire hazard, so one can speculate on why there were so many batteries on a commercial flight. It is also said that mangosteens are out of season at the time of year the plane disappeared, which would seem like a waste of money to an outsider’s eye (Malaysian Ministry of Transport). Before communication was cut off, the plane was taken off autopilot, and the plane made a sharp manual turn, which suggests that the plane could have been suddenly taken over. However, the police cleared all the passengers or having no flight experience (“Malaysia Plane Could Have Been Hijacked in 2014, Report Says”).

The last and least likely conspiracy is that the plane was remotely hijacked. It is rumored that the plane was carrying “sensitive material or personnel” to China, and remote hackers took over the plane’s systems to prevent the plane from landing (Webb). Norman Davies pointed out that the plane had a remote piloting system, which makes it possible for hackers to infiltrate the software. However, the last words from the cockpit, “Goodnight Malaysian 370” suggest that the plane was not hijacked from a remote area (1).

The disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370 has perplexed the world for almost 5 years, and will continue to do so unless new evidence appears. Some believe that remote hackers or a malfunction could have caused it, but the most likely cause was a suicidal pilot, who took all the secrets of Malaysia flight 370 with him.

Works Cited

“Missing Jet Pilot, Co-Pilot Had Strong Ties to Family, Community.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/missing-jet-pilot-co-pilot-had-strong-ties-family-community-n53336.

Stevens, Andrew. “Sister of MH370 Pilot: My Brother Is a Scapegoat.” CNN, Cable News Network, 26 July 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/07/26/asia/mh370-pilot-sister-interview/index.html.

“Daughter of MH370 Pilot Raises Alarming New Questions about His State of Mind.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 30 Mar. 2014, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2592436/He-wasnt-father-I-knew-He-lost-disturbed-Daughter-MH370-pilot-raises-alarming-new-questions-state-mind-weeks-planes-disappearance.html.

 “Seven Things Malaysian Pilot Zaharie Shah's Internet Footprint Tells Us about Him.” Scroll.in - Latest News, In Depth News, India News, Politics News, Indian Cinema, Indian Sports, Culture, Video News, Https:////Scroll.in, 3 Jan. 2017, scroll.in/article/658667/seven-things-malaysian-pilot-zaharie-shahs-internet-footprint-tells-us-about-him.

Staff. CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Mar. 2014, www.cnn.com/videos/world/2014/03/29/pmt-intv-chong-friend-of-pilot.cnn.

Ministry of Transport Malaysia. Safety Investigation Report. mh370.mot.gov.my/MH370SafetyInvestigationReport.pdf.

“Malaysia Plane Could Have Been Hijacked in 2014, Report Says.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2018, www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-mh370-report-20180730-story.html.

 “MH370: Safety Investigation Report 2018.” Book of Research, 31 July 2018, bookofresearch.wordpress.com/2018/07/30/mh370-safety-investigation-report-2018/.

Webb, Sam. “MH370 Was the First 'Remote Hijacking', Author Claims.” The Sun, The Sun, 12 Dec. 2017, www.thesun.co.uk/news/5123350/mh370-was-the-first-remote-hijacking-and-carried-out-to-stop-jet-delivering-secret-cargo-to-china-author-claims/.

Moon Hoax by Joshua Hebert

On July 20, 1969, the United States of America did the impossible. America reached the moon with mankind on board. They had won the space race and since then America has been known by this great accomplishment. But did they really? This question has been asked since that eventful day and will forever be a great mystery. Did Armstrong and his crew really make it to the moon? The technology was to weak back then or why hasn’t any other country been to the moon. Russia was ahead of us in the space race, and the American spirit was low. How could we make it to the moon before them? Armstrong and his crew did make it to the moon even through all the backlash.

Neil Armstrong, known by his famous words “That is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” (“Neil Armstrong Biography”). Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, the commander of the Apollo 11 mission (1). When it came to public encounters, Neil Armstrong is seen as a humble hero, a man of few words (Neil Armstrong's Most Courageous Moments As A Pilot). Neil had many traits one of them being courage (1). Also, his intelligence played a big factor in his life (Neil Armstrong: Astronaut and Scientist Who Became the First Man On.)

Neil Armstrong has many courage moments in his life as a pilot (1). Neil performed many high-risk missions in the Korean war (1). He was known for his courageous side, before becoming the first man to walk on the moon (1). On September 3, 1951, at the age of 21 Armstrong was hit by anti-aircraft fire which destroyed his right wing causing him to have to regain control of his aircraft, in the heat of the moment (1). It was after hitting a pole that he regained control, and brought himself back into the friendly territory (1). Once there he had to make the tough decision to eject from his plane (1). He was safely picked up by one of his roommates from flight school (1). Another act of courage was shown on April 20, 1963, when Armstrong overshot the landing at the Edwards Air Force base while testing the X-15, a plane that can get up to six times the speed of sound (1). He cut it very close to some trees and was forced on a lakebed not too far from the base (1). Four days later Armstrong got caught up in another dangerous situation (1). This time he was flying with a man by the name of Chuck Yeager (1). Chuck Yeager had told Armstrong that it was not safe to land at the Smith Dry Ranch Lake because of the rainstorm (1). Armstrong didn’t take his advice and landed there anyway, but his landing gear got caught up in the mud (1). His early moves of courage played a key part in why he was decided to be the commander of the Apollo 11 mission.

Neil’s intelligence was molded at a young age by his mother who was very invested in her children (Neil Armstrong: Astronaut and Scientist Who Became the First Man On.). His mother would spend most of her nights reading and talking with her kids (1). Neil would rather spend time inside reading a book than playing with other children (1). His love for learning and reading grew so much that he was able to skip the second grade because he had a fifth-grade level reading skill (1). He was considered self-sufficient and more of an introvert (1). His intelligence grew to his later years studying science and mathematics, mainly calculus on his own time. There were times when he would serve as a substitute teacher because the teacher was out (1).

 His love for flight started at a young age with just a flight to Cleveland with his family  (Neil Armstrong: Astronaut and Scientist Who Became the First Man On.). His father would bring him on flights because he loved it so much. After that, as a kid, he started by building small model planes (1). When Armstrong was old enough he began working in the nearest aerodrome to gain money for flight lessons (1). He got his pilot's license before he got his driver's license (1). His college education was interrupted in the middle, because of being called to active duty where he worked with different planes and was sent to the Korean war (1).

Neil Armstrong is considered to be one of the most famous men of all time, but with that comes his extremely humble and out of the spotlight mentality (Despite Moonwalk Fame, Neil Armstrong a 'Reluctant American Hero). He had the chance to have money and fame, but he turned it down to maintain out of the light (1). Being the first man to walk on the moon's surface was a huge leap for mankind, but to Neil Armstrong, it was his job (1). he did not make a name for himself in his iconic moment (1). He took the leap for mankind and not for himself (1). He did not do much after his astronaut days (1). He came into the spotlight to defend NASA in 2010 when president Obama administration decided to cancel NASA’s moon-oriented programs (1). Armstrong's decision to speak up in 2010 showed his care for the agency and the future of space travel for mankind (1).

Why didn't Armstrong talk much about space with the public. He never really wanted to speak about it with the public. That kind of makes us think it never happened because anyone who does new things for humanity would come back to tell the public about what it was like, and what it looked like. When Lewis and Clark came back they told everyone and showed everyone the animals and things around that area. Armstrong is an awesome example of a role model. He is a very smart man and is a good example to our youth and society.  He was passionate about his study in flight and continued to stretch the limits. He was courageous and did not let people get in his way of achieving the goals to set man into the future. His is way of life was good he was a humble man, but a little too humble. He did not let the glory get to him or his fame get ahead of himself. He could have all the money he wants or use it as a money making thing instead he choose a normal job after his big day. That shows his true character and proves to me that the man was not about himself at all. Armstrong took a passion for teaching to better the youth so that he can spread his knowledge and understanding to the future. That way we can progress in society and grow closer to achieving even greater things. He could have easily taking used the fame platformed given to him to better himself and his family. He was a family man and showed it through the way he acted instilling the same thing his mother instilled in him into his family. 

The moon landing hoax was the first big conspiracy theory to really take off in America (Svoboda). The belief that we didn’t make it to the moon really took over in 2001 when Fox aired a show called Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon (“Apollo and the Moon-Landing Hoax.”)? It pointed to NASA faking the moon landing in 1969 to beat the Russians in the space race (1). The evidence presented in the documentary included: The American flag rippling on the moon, with no air or wind that is not possible, missing stars in an all pictures, and lack of ability to surpass the Van Allen radiation belts (1).

David Meade, another big name for conspiracy theories, claims that the Van Allen belts are to danger for life (Was the Moon Landing FAKED? David Meade Weighs in on NASA Apollo 11 Hoax Claims.). The Van Allen radiation belt is a field of radiation from two areas that extends from 500 to 58,000km (1). Mr. Meade claims that the Van Allen radiation belt is not safe to go through without large amounts of radiation (1). Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin would have to face these zones while completing their mission (1). NASA did bite back and explain that there was no threat while passing through the Van Allen radiation belt the radiation level was much too small to hurt them (1).

 The astronauts on the mission used a tool called a dosimeter to gauge the levels of radiation while traveling (1). Their meters only read two rads during the course of the six-day mission (1). According to the US Occupation Safety and Health Agency, it shows that 300 rads in one hour is the danger zone for radiation on the human body (1). The astronauts would only experience 13 rads an hour which is considered not dangerous, and way under the level to be worried (1). NASA also explained that the 13 rads per hour would be experienced if the astronauts were outside during the flight through the Van Allen radiation belt (1). Inside the spacecraft, the rads would have no impact on the men (1).

            The rippling of the flag while placing it in the moon is another big topic of discussion when it comes to the moon landing hoax (Apollo and the Moon-Landing Hoax.). Conspiracy theorist use this topic to try and prove the whole moon trip was faked (The Real Story of the Rippling Flag on the Moon, and Other Space Lore.). In the moon landing video that was shown live to the world, the flag appears to be waving, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are planting it into the moon soil as if there was wind present on the moon (1). It was quickly shown that there was an engineering issue a rod which was attached at the top of the flag, but the astronauts had issues bringing it all the way through making it appear to be waving (1).

            No stars in any of the photos given to us from the surface of the moon. NASA took many photos on the moon and videos that were aired live on television, but in those photos and videos, there were no stars at all these things put people on edge (“Apollo and the Moon-Landing Hoax.”). The reason for not being able to see stars in any of the photos is exposure time is needed to capture the image the brighter and closer the object the more it will be seen in the image (“Earth Matters - Where Are the Stars?”). The earth and moon are closer and brighter so they are able to be seen. The object being captured is so much brighter than the stars which create the lack of ability to see them in the shots (1). 

            We did, in fact, go to the moon. It would be a lot harder to fake it and pull it off for 50 years than to just go the moon and back through the technology that was available at the time. The only issue is Neil Armstrong being very quiet and not wanting to do much with the public after his moon landing. The rest of the crew ignored the fame and talking about the trip like they were embarrassed or didn't want to let the secret out. Neil Armstrong decided to take a quiet approach like he was not proud. Now It had to be traumatic on the body and mental state of the astronauts so that would, in fact, prove why they kept so quiet. I use to really believe that the Van Allen belt was too hard to surpass to that made it impossible to go to the moon or outside of our planet. A survey on my study hall class with a total of 27 people showed only 2 of them said we did not go to the moon and the rest said we did. The majority of the people went with the approach of America going to the moon as I watched my peers take this survey most of them laughed and said, of course, we went to the moon. I asked if the class if they had heard about this conspiracy theory and they all seemed to be familiar with it but just did not know much or a reason not to believe in us going the moon.

On July 20, 1969, the United States of America stood above all other countries. They had won the space race and America will always be known by this mighty achievement. Whether we actually did it will forever be a mystery. Conspiracy theorists will always argue differently, while NASA will always play defense. Russia was ahead of us in the space race and the American spirit was in a bad spot. How could America make it to the moon before them? Armstrong and his crew did make it to the moon even through all the backlash.

Work Cited

Bond, Peter. “Neil Armstrong: Astronaut and Scientist Who Became the First Man On.” The  

Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 6 Sept. 2012, www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/neil-armstrong-astronaut-and-scientist-who-became-the-first-man-on-the-moon-8082241.html.

“Earth Matters - Where Are the Stars?” NASA, NASA, 

earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/earthmatters/2011/09/28/where-are-the-stars/.

 Hallett, Vicky. “The Real Story of the Rippling Flag on the Moon, and Other Space Lore.” The

Washington Post, WP Company, 13 May 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-real-story-of-the-rippling-flag-on-the-moon-and-other-space-lore/2017/05/12/e2f37104-34cd-11e7-b412-62beef8121f7_story.html?utm_term=.21a6b089aa4b.

Kettley, Sebastian. “Was the Moon Landing FAKED? David Meade Weighs in on NASA Apollo

11 Hoax Claims.” Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk, 22 May 2018, www.express.co.uk/news/weird/963446/Moon-landing-fake-NASA-hoax-Apollo-11-conspiracy-theory-David-Meade.

“Neil Armstrong Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, Advameg, Inc.,

www.notablebiographies.com/An-Ba/Armstrong-Neil.html.

Spector, Dina. “Neil Armstrong's Most Courageous Moments As A Pilot.” Business Insider,

Business Insider, 25 Aug. 2013, www.businessinsider.com/neil-armstrongs-closest-calls-2013-8.

 Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Why Do People Believe the Moon Landing Hoax or Other Conspiracy

Theories?” The Washington Post, WP Company, 20 July 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/07/20/why-do-people-believe-the-moon-landing-hoax-or-other-conspiracy-theories/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ad9041c68b90.

Wall, Mike. “Despite Moonwalk Fame, Neil Armstrong a 'Reluctant American Hero'.” Space.com,

Space.com, 26 Aug. 2012, www.space.com/17304-neil-armstrong-moon-fame-modesty.html.

Tupac Shakur, Dead or Alive? by Paige Disiere

             “I heard rumors that I died murdered in cold blood, traumatized pictures of me in my final states — you know mama cried. But that was fiction, some coward got the story twisted,” are lyrics from Tupac Shakur's song “Ain’t Hard 2 Find,” released 7 months before his so called murder. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot 4 times while stopped at a redlight. Since this day there have been several conspiracy theories developed:

1. Orlando “baby lane” Anderson murdered him
2. Government called for his death
3. Tupac faked his own death

Let’s examine these theories and the likeliness that Tupac Shakur is still alive.

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born June 16, 1971 in East Harlem, New York City, New York. Tupac was born as Lesane Parish Crooks, in which his mother, Afeni Shakur, a member of the Black Panther Party, renamed him after the famous Peruvian Revolutionary, Tupac Amaru II (Ray, Micheal). Tupac later took his last name from his sister, Sekiya's, father, another Panther named  Mutulu Shakur (“Tupac Shakur”). Tupac's birth father, Billy Garland, left Afeni was he was only five years old. The rapper would not see him again until the age of twenty three. Throughout Tupac’s short life, he displayed many attributes.

Shakur always longed for a father figure. In an interview with Vibe Magazine he states, “I thought my father was dead my whole life” and, “I felt I needed a daddy to show me the ropes and I didn’t have one” (“Tupac Shakur”). The absenteeism of his father took an emotional toll on Tupac. In a popular song, “Dear Mama,” he raps, “No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there. He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger wouldn't let me feel for a stranger. They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along I was looking for a father he was gone. I hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugs, they showed a young brother love” (“Dear Mana”.) Through out the search for a father figure, Tupac erroneously mistook certain people, such as criminals, pimps, and drug dealers, as his role models. These so called “role models” led him down the path of gang violence and drugs.   

In 1985, his family settled in Maryland (Ray, Micheal), where he attended the reputable, Baltimore School for the Arts. At the Arts, Tupac studied ballet, jazz, poetry, and acting (Shakur, Tupac).  This school is where he met Jada Pinkett, who soon became his best friend. According to Pinkett, Shakur was full of charisma, explaining, “as soon as he approached me, he was like a magnet. Once you paid attention to him he kind of sucked you in.” Tupac’s charisma is what made him more effective at spreading his influence. As a leader, Shakur, had the ability to make others feel understood. He showed commitment to the hood after making it big, which inspired others to take interest, and take action.

            One of Tupac Shakur's strongest traits is bravery. In his music, he fearlessly led the black community through the struggles they encountered such as police brutality, poverty, racism. In his most controversal song “Brendas Got a Baby” he explains a story of a young girl who turns to the streets after being molested by a family member and impregnated. Involving realistic circumstances in his songs made it possible for other young kids to relate and maybe change their ways. Tupac speaks his mind and does not worry about what other people think, which in turn, takes a lot of courage. Knowing his life could easily be threathened, he writes a song about “blasting” a police officer. Soon after this song, “Soldier’s Story” was released, it was claimed as the motivation for a real-life cop killing by a teenage car thief, Ronald Ray Howard, and was criticized by Vice President, Dan Quayle. (Tupac Shakur). Tupac Shakur was never afraid to be himself, and he represented the black community so for this reason he knew he had to fight for what was right.

The first theory proposes that Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, a member of the Southside Crip Gang, murdered him. This theory came about recently, when his uncle, Duane Keith Davis, or “Keefe D” confessed under immunity (Death Row Chronicles.) The night of the murder, Tupac and other members of Death Row Records, who were affiliated with the bloods,  attended a Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. After the boxing match, Tupac and his entourage attacked Baby Lane in the lobby of the Las Vegas Casino after he stole a medallion from one of them (Tupac’s Killer Finally Revealed…). According to Keefe D, him, Orlando Anderson, Terrance Brown, and Deandre Smith all got into their Cadillac and went on a search to find Tupac Shakur. To begin the search, they started at the 662 Club, where Tupac was supposed to be performing that night (BET Networks.) After they realized Shakur was nowhere to be found at the club, they left. Soon after leaving 662, they heard the tumult of girls screaming “Tupac!!!” (Ex-Gangster Keefe D…) so they followed the car in which Tupac was in. Keefe D says that when they pulled up to the red light, the shots “came from the back,” (BET Networks) implying that is was Orlando who had the gun. Two years after Tupac's death, Orlando Anderson was murdered by a member of the Bloods.

The second theory suggests that the government killed Shakur for giving a voice to the street gangs. Tupac’s goal was to make a change, and make a difference through his music. In one of his songs “Trapped,” he states “Can barely walk the city streets without a cop harassing me, searching me then asking my identity. Hands up, throw me up against the wall didn’t do a thing at all…” (“Trapped”). He was brave, and not afraid to speak his mind, in which the government did not like. During a BET interview with Ed Gordon, Shakur expresses, "I had no police record until I made a record. As my video was debuting on MTV I was behind bars getting beat up by the police department,” suggesting he was only on the police's radar once he became famous (BET Networks). Within the beginning of this murder, Las Vegas Police Department blew off the investigation, hinting that something was going on.

            The last theory presents the idea that Tupac Shakur faked his own death and is still alive. One of Shakur’s stage names was Makaveli, after the famous Niccolo Machiavelli. In a book by Niccolo there is a section about “defeating your enemies,” in which Tupac had plenty of, stating that foxes achieve this by faking their death. Shakur's stage name “Makaveli” can be rearranged to spell “Am Alive K”. Many people believe the K stands for Kasanova tha Don (Mystery.) Kasanova is a rapper discovered by, The Outlawz, a hip hop group founded by Tupac. From listening to Kasanova Tha Don, I have noticed his lyrics and rap style are very similar to those of Tupac Shakurs. It is likely that Kasanova could be acting as frontman for Tupac's voice and music. In 2012, Kasanova released a song called “Mystery” and in the beginning he states, “It's been sixteen years, still stuck in a dark cage living in my mind of that fateful day, 9-7-96 I remember like it was yesterday, I got a lot to say” (“Mystery”.) These lyrics seem like something only Tupac would have the right to say, considering 9-7-96 was the day he was “shot.” More lyrics that denote you to believe he is still alive are from Shakur's song, “God Bless the Dead” in of which he raps “rest in peace to my mother f***a Biggie Smalls” (“God Bless The Dead.”) Although, how could he rap this if Biggie was murdered six months after Shakur was supposedly murdered ? Another fact to consider is that Suge Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records, claimed to have paid three million dollars to have Tupac Cremated. However, the person who performed the crematory process disappeared the day after and has never been seen or heard of again (What happened with his cremation.) I believe there is ample evidence to prove the fact that Tupac Shakur is in fact, still alive.

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot 4 times while stopped at a redlight. Since this day there have been several conspiracy theories developed, including: Orlando “baby lane” Anderson murdered him, the government called for his death, and that Tupac faked his own death. Even now, twenty two years after the so called murder, the mystery remains unsolved. No one will ever know if Tupac is truly dead, or alive, but his music will live forever.

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Neil Armstrong and the Apollo Moon Landing Conspiracy by John-Paul Hess

           

           July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, and recited his eternally famous, “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind” (Armstrong). That July day has been and will forever be remembered as the time mankind was challenged, developed an operation, and (supposedly) made it to the moon. At the time, the United States was in a race to the moon with Russia; due to the occurrences of the time a plethora of conspiracy theories have surfaced: did man make it to the moon? Were the moon missions a front to simply seem superior than all other nations? Was the entire occurrence simply a smokescreen to prove U.S. superiority? The moon missions have been accepted as fact, but through time, conspiracies have swayed the scope of history: multiple conspiracies of the alleged moon landings must be examined – as must the story which has so far stood the test of time.

            To understand such an extravagant event, one must understand the characters who are involved in the story. As with many who have been exposed to the public eye, Neil Armstrong significantly differed from the stereotype of an American hero in private. In fact, it was John Glenn, another American hero, astronaut, and close friend to Armstrong who said, “He was a humble person, and that is the way he remains after his lunar flight, as well as before.”  (Pettinger).Moreover, his family considered him a “reluctant American hero.”(Hansen) Armstrong was considered by many to be somewhat of a recluse. He ceased to appear in the public eye, he stayed quiet on his small amount of property moving from Colorado to Ohio. It is likely that he was considered to be such an “odd-ball” by many because he was such an average man in extravagant situations. To understand Armstrong’s actions of his latter life, his early life must be examined.

            Armstrong was born August 5, 1930, near Wapakoneta, Ohio, to Stephen Armstrong and Viola Engel. He had two younger siblings, and his father worked as an auditor for the Ohio State Government (Britannica). In his youth, Armstrong was tied tightly to the Boy Scouts of America, a reoccurring theme of his life, he tried to exhibit all 12-points of the Scout Law. At the Age of 16, Neil would become Eagle Scout rank and for the rest of his life, would continue his advocacy for the program (Britannica). Neil had always been fascinated by flying. Due to his fathers position in the state government, the Armstrong family was often relocated amongst 16 towns over the first 14 years of Neil’s adolescent life (Britannica). To connect with Neil, his father took him to the Cleveland Air Races, at the age of six, Neil experienced his first plane ride where his father took him for a ride in a Ford Trimotor, also known as a “tin goose.” The family’s final move was in 1944, back to Wapakoneta; in their ultimate settling, Armstrong attended Blume High School and took flying lessons at the Wapakoneta airfield where he would earn his license and begin solo flying months before his earning of Eagle Scout. Neil was soon to begin his collegiate studies at Purdue University at the age of 17 under the Holloway Plan; meaning his college tuition had been paid for but he owed the federal government military service as a pilot in the Navy (Britannica). Evidently, Neil had a love for flight as that was the field he intended to devote his life to. Neil was entirely “all-in” for flying as his career path, soon he would being building his resume which would ultimately fit the position NASA was seeking for. Due to his high movement as a boy and his lack of a full-time father figure, Neil likely had personality problems, evidence of this can be found in his distant relations with his future families and his inability to project proper emotions when experiencing near death experiences or the accidents which ultimately resulted in the death of his comrades. Thus is why he was considered to be such an odd individual, hiding many of his thoughts and emotions in the time surrounding the Apollo 11 mission.

            Neil had surpassed adolescence and was now on his way to manhood. He had experience as an Eagle Scout, a pilot, and now was seeing action in the military. After attending Purdue University studying aeronautical engineering, Armstrong became a midshipman in 1949, and a naval aviator in 1950. Armstrong flew a Grumman F9F Panther in the Korean War from the USS Essex (Britannica) (Slater). In 1951, Armstrong saw action by being hit with anti-aircraft fire and was required to bail-out. After the war, Neil returned to Purdue to finish his studies and ultimately earn his Aeronautical Engineering degree, due to his experiences in the military, he also became a test pilot for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) which would eventually become NASA. During his time at NACA, Armstrong would be a test pilot for various manned space flight programs and a pilot of the North American X-15. Due to his experiences in Korea, Armstrong could somewhat detach himself from the fear of death, which is why he was/would prove to be such a valuable asset in the perspective of test piloting. Moreover, Neil likely did not know how to approach the concept of death thus causing him to lack any sense of empathy or sympathy when approaching it. When he flew Apollo 11, he knew the odds of death, yet he disregarded how it would affect him and those around him (i.e., his family) this is partially why his first wife would divorce him later in life; he appeared to have an utter disregard for those who he claimed to care most for. Armstrong would join the second NASA astronaut corps in 1962, make his first space flight commanding debut on Gemini 8, and eventually carry on throughout his career, touching the surface of the moon during Apollo 11 (Britannica). All throughout his NASA career, Armstrong would see tragedy and danger; the most notably included the experience he encountered during his last training simulation of Apollo 11 where he had to jettison from the Lunar Landing Module before a fiery crash. Evidently, Neil had seen his fair share of danger, yet it was not over. He would continue on living a life of risk-taking which would ultimately flourish into a successful astronaut career of fame, yet one which he was reluctant to accept. Possibly Armstrong experienced some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in Korea and at NASA thus causing his emotionless appearance when looking directly into the face of death.

            Finally, after his days at NASA is when Armstrong’s personality began shining in the public eye, he quickly recognized this and went into hiding. Neil resigned from NASA in 1971 and returned back to his home state. He taught Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati until 1979, he seldom worked with NASA aside partner-shipping with them to investigate the Apollo 13 crash (Slater). After the decade of the 1970s, Neil Armstrong became even more of a recluse. He continued his advocacy for the Boy Scouts of America, however later in life would do it in a much more subtle fashion. During the time after Apollo, Armstrong was granted unparalleled fame, a comment from a friend and author Michael Collins, really sums up Armstrong’s actions after Apollo saying it was like he, “retreated to his castle and pulled up the drawbridge.” (Hansen 36) Armstrong used to autograph essentially anything asked of him but ceased signing objects once he found out that his signatures along with forgeries were being sold online; this also caused him to stop signing congratulatory letters to Eagle Scouts, claiming that, “those who knew the Scouts should write the letters.” For the program which Neil Armstrong grew up with and advocated for his entire life with, he began taking his first steps away from the Boy Scouts of America and retreating even further into solitude. Ultimately, for the latter portion of his life, Armstrong stayed out of the public eye. His first wife divorced him in 1994, and he soon met his second wife (Britannica). He lived out his final decades on his Cincinnati dairy farm, seldom appearing in a public fashion. Not much was heard from Neil Armstrong nor his family until his untimely death in August of 2012 (Britannica; Slater).

    Armstrong’s character was one which could ultimately be considered mundane and dry. There was nothing in particular wrong with him, but for the same reason he was such a valuable test-pilot, he also appeared out of the ordinary. Due to his involvement in the War in Korea and the many accidents he experienced as a test pilot, he possibly could have experienced some sort of PTSD. Sadly, however, little was known about PTSD or the indicators of it in those days; by the time such knowledge had arisen about the subject, Armstrong was already in absolute solitude. He could be described as so ordinary that it was abnormal. In his relations with his immediate family, Neil was cited as almost unfeeling during his Apollo missions purely because of his disassociation with the fear of death (Britannica). Sometimes it was questioned whether or not he even understood risks he was facing, but this is why he was such a great test pilot; Neil Armstrong would fulfill the status-quo. Although the risks could be immeasurably high, Armstrong would get the job done and stay calm, cool, and collected the entire time. A man of flight, Armstrong exhibited the 12-points of the Scout Law his entire life, was an extraordinarily successful test-pilot when his nation needed it the most. Finally he went on to live his life essentially fulfilling his agenda after the Apollo missions. Armstrong was not a bad man, but merely an individual whom experienced some of the most extreme circumstances. Seemingly, the most unique aspect of his personality was his normalcy, especially in the face of abnormality which is why he was believed to be such a recluse; possibly he was just highly misunderstood.

            Ever since the July 20, 1969, day when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, multiple conspiracy theories have surfaced. During the time of Apollo 11, NASA was in a space race with Russia. The president was Richard Nixon, and the nation was still knee-deep in the War in Vietnam. All of the theories essentially suggest the same idea: the moon landing was faked on a sound stage in California (Weiner). However, each theory goes about its own means of confirmation.
            The first theory conspiracy theorists highlighted the American Flag which was planted in the supposed surface of the moon. The flag which was used by the Apollo 11 astronauts appears to be waving in the lunar wind, the one problem: there is no such thing as lunar wind. The flag which was designed to appear taught was built with a stiff wire put through the fabric that way it could be seen. NASA’s refutation was in the raising of “Old Glory” the astronauts adjusted the wire, thus causing the appearance of fluttering in the wind (Manual). Conspirators have continuously pointed at this as a paramount example of the entire event being faked; as though it all is a film riddled with inaccuracies not recognized on the cutting-room floor. The original flag (supposedly) remains on the surface of the moon. The only way to prove the event was faked would be by examining the flag which itself would approve or disprove the theory.  This is why this theory is not as widely accepted amongst speculators; there is no way of proving it to be true.
            In the original Apollo 11 film, there is no appearance of stars in space. As we know, looking up towards the night sky, there are a plethora of stars scattered throughout the sky. Why, then are they missing from the original photographs? The refutation provided by NASA – due to the reflection of light off of the moon from the sun, the brightness of the moon contrasts that of space, thus blocking out distant light (Manual). Conspirators have asked for ages why there are no stars present in the nearly 60-year-old footage. Even in the more recent footage of the moon’s surface, however, there is no apparent presence of stars; often typical conspirators will approve of the newer footage of moonwalks, claiming that the original Apollo 11 film was simply to beat Russia in the space race. If people who are hesitant about the moon missions do not quarrel with the absence of stars in the more recent footage, why, then is the original footage’s absence of stars so difficult to grasp?
            During this historical event, historical means of capturing the first steps on the moon were used: film. The film is easy melted/destroyed when exposed to heat and light. Due to the rays of the sun, the Moon’s surface remains 280 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt the film. Conspirators have questioned how the film was even successfully used during the early Apollo missions as much of the event would be too hot to film. This claim, of course, is easily refutable as in examining the original designs of the cameras used by NASA. The space agency took into consideration the environment which the photography equipment would be used. As many of the conspirators might not imagine, the cameras were not typical cameras one might find being used on earth. The cameras were designed to be left in extreme heat to protect the film from the harmful rays of the sun.

            Multiple second-hand sources, along with NASA have come back with a refutation to all of these claims. The 1960s were a time filled with magnificent events which seemed too much to be true. “Did the United States pose the entire moon landings merely to assume dominance over Russia?” many wondered. The theories themselves beg other questions such as: where is the soundstage, the equipment used, and why wouldn’t NASA assume many of the problems posed in the claims. In contrast to the claims of the conspiracy theorists, many have assessed the technology of the time and deemed the original moon landing impossible to have been faked. Some aspects of the moon landings are quite mysterious, but simultaneously, we are landing on the surface of the moon, how incredible is that (Weiner)?

            In close, we supposedly went to the moon to prove the capability of our country. The

event receives much scrutiny due to its timing and magnificence. Whether or not we succeeded

poses the following questions:

            1.Did we fake the event?

            2.Was it staged on a set in Southern California?

            3.Was it done to beat Russia in the space race?

Much has been called into question regarding the alleged original moon landing. Critiques on each side of the argument make substantial points. In examining the evidence, there is question

into whether the Apollo 11 mission was a hoax.

Works Cited

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Neil Armstrong.” Encyclopædia Britannica,                            Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Neil-                               Armstrong.editmore horizontal

Hansen, James R. First Man: the Life of Neil A. Armstrong. Simon & Schuster, 2018.

Manual, B. (2018, May 25). Apollo Moon Landing Hoax Theories That Won't Die. Retrieved                               from https://www.space.com/12814-top-10-apollo-moon-landing-hoax-theories.html

Pettinger, Tejvan. “Neil Armstrong Biography |  .” Biography Online, www.biographyonline.net/                          adventurers/neil-armstrong-biography.html.

Slater, Gary. “Neil Armstrong.” Neil Armstrong, the University of Cincinnati                                               Commemorative Website, Nov. 2012, digital.libraries.uc.edu/exhibits/ceas/                                            armstrong/.

Weiner, S. (2017, November 14). Why Faking the Moon Landing Was Impossible. Retrieved                               from https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/news/a28814/moon-landing-faking/