The Great American Pyramid in Memphis
4 by bingden | 1 comments on Hacker News.
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Kim Jong-un: fragile and under pressure but he won’t give up
The Observer The North Korean leader’s surprise freeze of his nuclear programme is less a genuine move than a diplomatic manoeuvre,...
Friday, 31 January 2020
Google Doodle honors 60th anniversary of Greensboro Sit-in
Sixty years ago, four young students in Greensboro, North Carolina, staged a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter — and started a movement, spurring sit-ins throughout the country to protest segregation.
Now, the famed "Greensboro Four" — David Richmond, Ezell Blair Jr. (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil — will be honored in a Google Doodle, debuting at 11 p.m. EST on Jan. 31 and staying up for 24 hours in the U.S., until Feb. 1, the sixtieth anniversary of the historic sit-in and the first day of Black History Month. (According to Google, the Greensboro Sit-in is the most searched sit-in in history.) Read more...
More about Google, Social Good, Civil Rights, Google Doodle, and Civil Rights Movementfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/google-doodle-greensboro-sit-in/
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Trump’s Impeachment and the Degrading of Presidential Accountability
Amy Davidson Sorkin writes that the President will see an acquittal—which was preordained by the highly partisan Senate—as license for further abuse.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/02/10/trumps-impeachment-and-the-degrading-of-presidential-accountability
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/02/10/trumps-impeachment-and-the-degrading-of-presidential-accountability
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Here's what Mark Zuckerberg really meant by being 'understood'
The gloves are off.
Mark Zuckerberg says he knows his positions are likely to "piss off a lot of people."
Two days after a company earnings call in which he stated that his goal for the next decade "isn't to be liked, but to be understood," the Facebook CEO attempted to explain just what he meant.
Speaking at the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit, an annual conference in Utah, Zuckerberg railed against censorship, saying he "feels like the list of things you are not allowed to say socially keeps on growing."
Zuckerberg's comments are the latest sign that the embattled CEO, who is currently facing an antitrust investigation into his company, plans to change his tone in how he deals with critics. Read more...
More about Tech, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Tech, and Mark Zuckerbergfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/mark-zuckerberg-is-ready-to-piss-you-off/
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The Hollywood Story of Upton Sinclair and William Fox
As Disney removes the “Fox” from “20th Century Fox,” Richard Brody takes another look at Upton Sinclair’s tendentious 1933 book about the man who gave the studio its name, William Fox.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-hollywood-story-of-upton-sinclair-and-william-fox
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-hollywood-story-of-upton-sinclair-and-william-fox
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This $350 Baby Yoda will not love you back
Part of the appeal of Baby Yoda, our collective name for the Mandalorian character officially known as The Child, was that he came into our lives almost entirely merch-free. Both the showrunners and Disney CEO Bob Iger believed that The Mandalorian's biggest surprise would be ruined by the long lead times and inevitable leaks inherent in the figurine businesses. Baby Yoda could have been the hottest toy of Christmas 2019. Instead, for a few months, we were able to bask in the joy of something all too rare: an uncomplicated, noncommercial love for a fictional creation.
But Disney, lest we forget, is a for-profit, publicly-traded company that is legally obligated to create more value for its shareholders every year. And so, in 2020, the stormtroopers from sales struck back. They cracked down on Etsy sellers making a crust with their Baby Yoda homages. They announced so-so T-shirts, a $25 plush 11-inch model that barely resembled The Child, an equally cheap-looking crib version, an oddly unsatisfying, plastic-y cartoonish Hasbro Black Series model, and, of course, the inevitable Funko Pop. Read more...
More about Baby Yoda, Entertainment, and Star Warsfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/baby-yoda-figurine/
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Thursday, 30 January 2020
Lamar Alexander, a key GOP swing vote, will vote against witnesses in the impeachment trial
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., arrives in the Capitol for a vote on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. | Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Alexander made his announcement late Thursday — effectively deciding the outcome of a vote on witnesses.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), a closely watched swing vote on the question of whether to call witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial, has made up his mind.
After some deliberation, Alexander announced Thursday that he would vote against calling witnesses, effectively dooming a vote on the subject and dealing a major blow to Democrats who have pushed for additional testimony from individuals with direct knowledge about the White House’s handling of aid to Ukraine.
Alexander elaborated on his decision in a 15-tweet statement. “There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the US Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense,” he wrote.
Alexander, in his posts, appeared to point to the argument made by Trump counsel Alan Dershowitz, who’s said the quid pro quo the president has been charged with committing — even if true — did not rise to the level of an impeachable offense.
I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.1/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Even if the House charges were true, they do not meet the Constitution’s “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” standard for an impeachable offense. 11/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Alexander, a moderate from Tennessee who’s retiring this year, was seen as a strong target for Senate Democrats to recruit to their side because he wasn’t facing the same electoral pressure as other lawmakers.
Along with Sens. Mitt Romney, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, Alexander was one of a handful of lawmakers considered potential swing votes on the witness question. As of Thursday evening, Romney and Collins had both indicated that they were in favor of calling witnesses, while Murkowski had yet to signal a clear stance.
“I am going to go reflect on what I have heard, re-read my notes and decide whether I need to hear more,” Murkowski told reporters Thursday.
Alexander announced a vote in line with that of most Republicans, many of whom have expressed disinterest in calling more witnesses. And at this point, the witness question that has been dogging the rest of the trial is effectively settled.
Without Alexander, Democrats don’t have the pivotal fourth vote they need to reach a 51-vote simple majority that’s required to approve motions for witnesses. Even if Murkowski were to vote in favor of witnesses, there would be a tie, and it’s likely Chief Justice John Roberts will elect not to break the tie, resulting in the motion ultimately failing.
This means these Senate proceedings will be the first presidential impeachment trial in US history that does not include witness testimony.
What comes next
The official vote on whether to allow witnesses is still slated to take place on Friday, after closing arguments from the House impeachment managers and Trump’s legal defense team.
Now that it seems that the Senate won’t be calling witnesses, the trial is set to move quickly toward an acquittal vote that could take place late Friday evening. Republicans have been eager to wrap the trial this week, and they’re poised to acquit Trump of both articles of impeachment.
from Vox - All https://www.vox.com/2020/1/30/21116263/lamar-alexander-impeachment-trial-witnesses-vote-senate-trump
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Facebook will remove some coronavirus conspiracy theories
Facebook is cracking down on coronavirus rumors and conspiracy theories.
The company said that its fact checkers will debunk false claims about the coronavirus, and that it will remove some posts pushing conspiracy theories about it.
"We will also start to remove content with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organizations and local health authorities that could cause harm to people who believe them," the company wrote in a statement.
"We are doing this as an extension of our existing policies to remove content that could cause physical harm." Read more...
More about Tech, Facebook, Coronavirus, Tech, and Social Media Companiesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/facebook-will-remove-coronavirus-conspiracy-theories/
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New Reports Show That Trump’s Economic Promises Were Empty
John Cassidy writes about two new reports, from the Commerce Department and the Congressional Budget Office, which show that the boost from President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts is fading, but the resulting budget deficit will linger for decades.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/new-reports-show-that-trumps-economic-promises-were-empty
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/new-reports-show-that-trumps-economic-promises-were-empty
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Coronavirus conspiracy theories spread panic and dangerous misinformation
The deadly coronavirus has spawned dangerous, baffling conspiracy theories online as officials across the globe work to stop the virus' spread.
As of Thursday afternoon, there had been more than 7,700 confirmed cases of the virus — which originated in Wuhan, China — and at least 170 deaths. Eighteen other countries, including the U.S., have confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization.
But as bad as the virus is, conspiracy theories and misinformation are making the situation worse. The internet is rife with misinformation — some if it dangerous, some strange, some downright racist — seemingly designed to piggyback off the intense interest in the virus. There has been so much bad information out there that Twitter has started tweaking search results to filter out non-credible coronavirus content and Google has launched "SOS Alert" to provide reliable resources for people searching for information about the virus. Read more...
More about Social Media, Conspiracy Theories, Misinformation, Coronavirus, and Culturefrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-explained/
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Wednesday, 29 January 2020
New top story on Hacker News: Deciphering the genetic diversity of leaf shapes
Deciphering the genetic diversity of leaf shapes
6 by bryanrasmussen | 0 comments on Hacker News.
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6 by bryanrasmussen | 0 comments on Hacker News.
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Twitter finally rolls out its election disinformation reporting tool to U.S. users
As the country gears up for a bruising presidential election year, Twitter has finally announced that users in the U.S. will be able to report misleading content about elections.
The reporting tool, which is currently used to alert the platform's moderators of spam, harassment, or even self-harm, will be expanded to include the option to flag as misleading text, images, and videos in tweets about elections or voting.
The tool has been in use since last year in other regions, rolling out first for elections in India and the European Union in April 2019, and in use again for the U.K. general election in December. Read more...
More about Twitter, Election 2020, Disinformation, Tech, and Politicsfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/twitter-us-election-disinformation/
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Alan Dershowitz for the Defense: L’État, C’est Trump
Susan Glasser on the fifth day of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, during which senators submitted questions to Trump’s legal team, including Alan Dershowitz, and House managers, who pushed to call witnesses, such as John Bolton.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/alan-dershowitz-for-the-defense-letat-cest-trump
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/alan-dershowitz-for-the-defense-letat-cest-trump
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Tesla finally figures out how to make electric cars on schedule
All eyes were on the Model Y after Tesla's latest earnings call. The compact electric SUV based on the "budget-friendly" Model 3 sedan is apparently arriving sooner than expected.
During the Wednesday call, Tesla went over production plans for its newest vehicle and they were surprisingly ahead of schedule. No, we're not talking about the Cybertruck, as that's still a ways off before production, although Tesla CEO Elon Musk did rattle off some high praise for the sci-fi-inspired electric pickup. He was recently spotted in the Los Angeles area showing off the truck to former late night host Jay Leno. Read more...
More about Tesla, Electric Vehicles, Model Y, Tech, and Elon Muskfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/tesla-model-y-on-schedule-production/
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Facebook agrees to $550M slap on the wrist following facial recognition suit
Facebook's privacy violations are adding up.
The Mark Zuckerberg-helmed behemoth has agreed to a $550 million settlement following a class-action lawsuit alleging the company violated an Illinois privacy law. So reports the New York Times, which notes that Facebook copped to the settlement in today's earnings call; a call that also happened to include the announcement of $21 billion in fourth quarter revenue.
In other words, the $550 settlement is chump change to the same company that successfully brushed a $5 billion FTC settlement off its shoulder. But that doesn't mean today's news of the settlement doesn't matter. Far from it. Read more...
More about Facebook, Facial Recognition, Tech, and Big Tech Companiesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/facebook-settles-facial-recognition-lawsuit-illinois/
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Raging Australian bushfire overruns firefighters within seconds in terrifying video
A new video shows the unfathomable speed at which the Australian bushfires are spreading, completely overwhelming a firefighting crew in less than three minutes. It's a stark example of why, for so many people, running from the flames is much easier said than done.
Filmed around 7 p.m. on Jan. 4, the clip shows the Dunmore Rural Fire Brigade set up to protect property in Tomerong, approximately 90 miles south of Sydney and home to over 1000 people. However, 62mph winds hit the area 10 minutes earlier than expected, blowing thousands of embers their way.
The extreme ember attack lit numerous spot fires, quickly overrunning the crew and forcing some to evacuate less than a minute after the wind changed — and less than a minute before the fire took over the road completely. Read more...
More about Australia, Firefighters, Bushfires, New South Wales, and Firesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/australia-bushfire-video-dunmore-firefighters-overrun/
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Mark Zuckerberg doesn't need to be 'liked'
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the company that invented the like button, says his goal isn't to be liked — he just wants to be "understood."
During the company's fourth-quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg suggested that he intends to change his tone in order to address the company's increasingly vocal critics. The CEO said that, in the past, Facebook has prioritized not "offending" people rather than "communicating our principles."
"One critique of our approach for much of the last decade was that because we wanted to be liked, we didn't always communicate our views as clearly because we worried about offending people," he said during the earnings call. "This led to positive but shallow sentiment towards us and towards the company. My goal for this next decade isn't to be liked, but to be understood." Read more...
More about Tech, Facebook, Social Media Companies, Tech, and Social Media Companiesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/facebook-2019-earnings-zuckerberg-no-need-to-be-liked/
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Self-driving Waymo minivans will assist UPS with deliveries
It's not just people who get to experience self-driving minivans in the Phoenix area.
On Wednesday, Google spin-off company Waymo announced a partnership with UPS, the package delivery service. Soon, Waymo's self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivans will be moving packages around instead of humans. The autonomous driving company is more than a one-trick pony, expanding beyond its robo-taxi service in the Phoenix area called Waymo One.
It's only in the Phoenix area to start, but Waymo vehicles will pick up items from UPS Store locations in Phoenix and bring them to a UPS facility in Tempe, just outside the city. Read more...
More about Delivery, Autonomous Vehicles, Ups, Waymo, and Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/waymo-ups-autonomous-delivery/
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Netflix is turning One Piece, one of the biggest comics ever, into a live-action show
Funimation via jeikobu/Flickr
One Piece manga creator Oda Eiichiro will oversee the adaptation of his beloved series. Ganbatte, Oda-sama!
To the delight of treasure-hunting pirates everywhere, Netflix announced Wednesday that it will debut a live-action adaptation of One Piece, the bestselling manga franchise in Japanese history, on its streaming platform later this year.
In a note handwritten in Japanese for the announcement, series creator Oda Eiichiro announced that Netflix’s One Piece will launch with a 10-episode initial season, and asked fans to be patient for more details. The official One Piece Netflix Twitter account further clarified that Oda would be overseeing the production, which would be co-written by geek franchise veterans Steven Maeda (X-Files, Lost) and Matt Owens (Luke Cage, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
Oda-sensei will oversee the live-action #OnePiece series by @stevemaeda and Matt Owens. @NXOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/rFrDOvakLc
— onepiecenetflix (@onepiecenetflix) January 29, 2020
Oda has been planning the live-action adaptation of the series since at least 2017, when he first announced his intent to make the show as part of the manga’s 20th anniversary celebration. One Piece has published regularly in Weekly Shōnen Jump, Japan’s most popular manga magazine, ever since it began in 1997. With over 1,000 individual chapters, it holds a Guinness World Record for the most number of comics published by a single author and has topped the bestseller list of Japanese comics for the last 14 years straight. More than 450 million One Piece comics have been sold globally since its inception, making One Piece second only to Batman as the bestselling comic in history.
Despite the series’ massive popularity — or perhaps because of it — Oda’s streaming platform of choice gave many fans pause. While Oda thanked Netflix for its “tremendous production support,” Netflix hasn’t entirely earned the trust of fans — as you can see from the initial skepticism some fans showed in response to the announcement, as evidenced by this meme:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19657153/meme.jpeg)
TwitterOther fans were more positive, citing Netflix’s recent live-action adaptation of novel-turned-video-game-franchise The Witcher as a faithful, fan-friendly success that could boost the series’ profile.
If One Piece on Netflix is good, this could be GREAT news for One Piece as a whole. Look what a great Netflix series has done for The Witcher. It’s boosted the popularity of the series overall, boosting sales of the books and the games, to the point books sold out at bookstores!
— Noah @ Golden Deer And FFXIV Hell (@ThousandSundae) January 29, 2020
Netflix’s continued interest in anime shows no sign of waning, in part because the wealth of anime series available for streaming gives the company an edge in the streaming wars. Despite 2017’s critically panned live-action adaptation of Death Note, Netflix seems to have had ongoing success bringing fans popular classic anime series like Full Metal Alchemist, alongside their spinoffs like Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The platform made inroads last year with an important, if controversial, re-release of the vital, groundbreaking anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, alongside new installments in that franchise.
Most relevant is that Netflix is also producing a live-action adaptation of another foundational anime, Cowboy Bebop. Netflix’s take on the classic series (a cult 1990s hit that’s something of a space Western) was at first slated for a 2020 release but has recently delayed production due to star John Cho’s injury.
The company has also invested heavily in producing original anime series, launching more than 30 exclusive shows globally in 2018 alone. It recently announced the development of a live-action Witcher anime, a follow-up to the massively popular live-action fantasy series. Clearly this is a space Netflix is determined to keep inhabiting, even if it makes fans nervous.
But back in 2017, Oda clearly anticipated fans’ unease. As part of the 2017 announcement, he vowed to do live-action justice to the story of Luffy the Pirate King and his faithful companions. “Firstly,” he said, “‘I will never betray the fans who have supported me for 20 years.’ This is my condition. There may be many who are uneasy, but please, give me your voices of hope.”
In other words, fans who’ve trusted Oda with the story he’s helmed for over two decades should keep the faith. For our part, if you’re wondering whether we’re excited, there’s only one correct answer:
from Vox - All https://www.vox.com/2020/1/29/21114147/one-piece-netflix-live-action-series-oda-eiichiro
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Tuesday, 28 January 2020
'She's more qualified than you are for your job': Seth Meyers blasts Pompeo over bizarre NPR tantrum
It seems Secretary of State Mike Pompeo really didn't like the line of questioning in a recent interview with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly. So, like any respectable public figure, he dodged the question, waited until the mics were off, and threw a little tantrum. This included Pompeo apparently expressing a belief that Americans "don't care about Ukraine" — a belief Seth Meyers easily poked holes in on Tuesday's episode of Late Night.
"You are on NPR! If there's any place where people pay attention to world events, that's it," quipped Meyers. "People who can put up with the intricacies of jazz fusion can certainly handle basic geography." Read more...
More about Donald Trump, Npr, Seth Meyers, Late Night With Seth Meyers, and Mike Pompeofrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/seth-meyers-hey-mike-pompeo-mary-louise-kelly/
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Trump Unveils the “Giveaway of the Century” on Middle East Peace
Robin Wright writes about Donald Trump’s new lopsided plan to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and bring peace to the Middle East.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/trump-unveils-the-giveaway-of-the-century-on-middle-east-peace
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/trump-unveils-the-giveaway-of-the-century-on-middle-east-peace
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New top story on Hacker News: Ask HN: How do you store your tax documents?
Ask HN: How do you store your tax documents?
4 by olegious | 4 comments on Hacker News.
I did a quick search and I don't think this has been discussed before. Just curious how HNers store their sensitive documents like tax returns, W2s, etc. I prefer electronic storage (no paper).
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4 by olegious | 4 comments on Hacker News.
I did a quick search and I don't think this has been discussed before. Just curious how HNers store their sensitive documents like tax returns, W2s, etc. I prefer electronic storage (no paper).
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Apple restricts travel to China, closes one store due to coronavirus
Apple talked about a lot of things during Tuesday's earnings call, but one of the most important topics covered wasn't tech-related. It was the coronavirus.
And although there were reports that the virus might directly affect Apple's ability to fulfill iPhone production orders, it was clear that Cook wanted to focus on one thing instead: The health and safety of employees working in Chinese retail locations.
While the Apple CEO didn't go into detail regarding possible production woes, he did confirm that Apple is donating to groups in areas affected by the outbreak in an attempt to contain it. The company is also working closely with its own team members to ensure that anyone in the affected area is okay. Read more...
More about Apple, Iphone, Earnings, Coronavirus, and Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/apple-restricts-china-travel-shuts-down-store-coronavirus/
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New top story on Hacker News: Ask HN: How do you process payments?
Ask HN: How do you process payments?
6 by c0restraint | 1 comments on Hacker News.
This is how YOU have chosen to do it. Let us know if it is physical or virtual. I found an old post from 2009 about this, wondering what the answers will be a decade later : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=526517
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6 by c0restraint | 1 comments on Hacker News.
This is how YOU have chosen to do it. Let us know if it is physical or virtual. I found an old post from 2009 about this, wondering what the answers will be a decade later : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=526517
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The New York Times used to be afraid of BuzzFeed. Now it’s hired its biggest star.
BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith in 2019. | Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile via Getty Images
What Ben Smith’s move to the paper of record says about digital media in 2020.
Ben Smith spent eight years building BuzzFeed’s news operation into a place that could compete with the New York Times. Now he’s going to work for the New York Times.
Smith, BuzzFeed News’ editor-in-chief, will become the Times’ new media columnist in March. That position was filled by the Times’s Jim Rutenberg for the past four years, but it is known in and outside of the paper as a platform created by the legendary David Carr, who died in 2015.
It makes perfect sense that the Times would want to hire Smith, a politics and media junkie with deep interest in the connections between Washington, New York, and Silicon Valley.
And Smith is one of several high-profile hires the Times has made from digital news operations. It’s a marked evolution from 2014, when the paper commissioned an internal report about how to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and Vox.
Back then, the Times was only a few years away from a recession that looked like it might mortally wound the paper, even as online upstarts picked up funding and buzz. Now, riding high on a business model that emphasizes subscriber revenue over advertising dollars, the Times is in a position to pick up talent from anywhere on the web and doesn’t think twice about it. And the Voxs, BuzzFeeds, and Vices of the world are figuring out how to survive as cheap and plentiful investor money has disappeared, while smaller operations like Mic.com and Mashable have folded or sold at fire-sale prices.
Smith’s departure from BuzzFeed immediately raised questions about the future of that organization’s well-regarded, money-losing news team, which he constructed himself. It also leaves BuzzFeed with two major hires to make: In addition to a successor to Smith, the company is still looking to hire a president to work under CEO Jonah Peretti as its top business executive.
Smith’s move comes a year after his news group laid off several dozen employees — the first time BuzzFeed had major cuts to Smith’s department. Up until then, Smith and Peretti had been able to protect the news group, even as BuzzFeed made other layoffs.
Smith says his departure isn’t connected to those cuts, and that he’s not concerned about BuzzFeed’s trajectory. “I’d been feeling that I wanted to get back to reporting,” he told Recode, shortly after sharing the news at a company meeting. But a Times source says the paper was certainly aware that BuzzFeed had retrenched in the last year, and that Smith might be open to a move.
One of Smith’s employees, speaking anonymously, said that in retrospect, Smith’s departure wasn’t a complete shock: “I feel like he basically had gotten a little burned out on management. I think there are reasonable questions about why now, but I think it was inevitable that he wasn’t going to stick around.”
Smith has periodically written columns for BuzzFeed, and in the last year launched his own newsletter for the site, where he interviewed presidential candidates and other political figures via text message.
Smith said he started talking to New York Times executives about the position in late December, which means the Times moved uncharacteristically quickly to hire him. Peretti says Smith told him about his plan to leave a few weeks ago.
“It was somewhat surprising,” Peretti told Recode. “But I knew that Ben was itching to write more and think more, and have time. … He’s a reporter first, and I know he often has that itch to write, and would occasionally disappear and go write some long piece.
“It’s been eight years. So it’s not like he’s flighty,” he added.
Peretti said he expected BuzzFeed to turn a profit this year, buoyed by diversified revenue streams and a fast-growing commerce business. But he said BuzzFeed News, with its 200 staffers, would still be operating in the red: “We don’t need news to be profitable. Our plan for the year is to lose money from news, and for BuzzFeed as a whole to be profitable.”
The Times, meanwhile, has become a consistent acquirer of journalistic talent from digital publications. Recode co-founder and editor-at-large Kara Swisher, for instance, is now a regular contributor to the Times op-ed page, and last year the Times hired Sarah Kliff, a star reporter at Vox.com, to joins its investigative team.
Smith is a well-known entity to many Times reporters and executives and has worked with several of them in earlier jobs, including Politico and the New York Observer. And Smith and the Times have long been interested in each other.
A Times profile of Smith in 2013, for instance, described him as “The Boy Wonder of BuzzFeed.” And here’s a piece Smith wrote in November about the internal jockeying to replace Dean Baquet, the top Times editor, who is scheduled to step down from his job in 2022.
If you don’t care about internal Times hires, you may still care about what happens to BuzzFeed News, which Smith built from a non-thing into a serious news organization that routinely competed with the Times and other legacy pubs for significant stories; under Smith’s watch, BuzzFeed was a finalist for two Pulitzer Prizes.
Smith may always end up being best-known as the editor who published, in its entirety, the unvetted “Trump Dossier” in the runup to Trump’s inauguration, but under his watch BuzzFeed News wrote significant stories about everything from fixed tennis matches to Amazon’s worrisome network of delivery drivers.
But BuzzFeed News has also been a money pit for BuzzFeed. It had a large team, and it didn’t generate enough money to cover the costs of those teams. For years, media insiders would speculate about BuzzFeed’s commitment to the large news operation, since the company’s revenue was coming from the advertising connected to its non-news operations, like quizzes and listicles.
Two years ago, when the Financial Times reported that Smith had floated the notion of carving out BuzzFeed News from the rest of the company and getting someone like billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs to fund the operation, the idea seemed both impractical and a good idea. Now he’s headed to a news company that has far fewer question marks.
Here’s an interview I conducted with Smith in September. And here’s one I did with Peretti earlier this month:
from Vox - All https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/1/28/21112608/ben-smith-new-york-times-buzzfeed-media-revenue-jonah-peretti
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Google Translate will soon be able to transcribe audio
Google's translation tech is about to get even more powerful.
The company will soon add a new feature to its Translate app that makes the service even more like an actual human translator: transcriptions. The feature is expected to roll out to the Android version of the Translate app in the next few months (Google hasn't said when an iOS version might be available to iPhone users).
The feature is similar to how real-time transcription works in Google's Recorder app, except that it's also translating the speaker's words (into whatever specified language) rather than simply transcribing them. So, if you're in a meeting or a lecture, the app will be able to, almost instantly, generate a translated transcription of the speaker's words as you listen along. Read more...
More about Tech, Google, Translation, Google Translate, and Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/google-translate-transcription-audio/
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I'm in love with Samsung's purple Galaxy Z Flip
Samsung is set to unveil its new foldable phone at its Galaxy Unpacked event on Feb. 11, which is two weeks away. But, thanks to official renders and specs leaked by WinFuture, we get to check out the Galaxy Z Flip in all of its glory ahead of time.
Seeing as how rumors have been circulating for a little bit now, the design comes as no surprise. But to see that it's going to be offered in a stunning purple color has turned me into a live version of the heart eye emoji.
As my co-worker said, "We don't have enough purple tech." I very much agree.
Super shiny!!
Image: WinFuture
Folds vertically, perfect for tiny hands!
Image: winfuture Read more...
from Mashable https://mashable.com/article/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-leaks/
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Monday, 27 January 2020
Facebook official struggles to explain Bezos' WhatsApp hack
Facebook's top policy official, Nick Clegg, has weighed in on the Jeff Bezos/WhatsApp hack, and he wants everyone to know... something.
When asked about WhatsApp's security in the wake of reports that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia hacked the Amazon CEO's phone via a WhatsApp message, Clegg seemed to struggle with defending the messaging app's security.
Speaking to the BBC, Clegg, a former UK deputy prime minister, attempted to shift blame for the incident onto Apple. But his meandering explanation wasn't exactly clear.
"It sounds like something on the, you know, what they call the operating, the operating, the phone itself," he sputtered. "It can't have been, it can't have been anything on the, when the message was sent in transit, because that's end-to-end encrypted on WhatsApp." Read more...
More about Tech, Facebook, Whatsapp, Tech, and Social Media Companiesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/nick-clegg-whatsapp-security-hacking/
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San Francisco Pride's ban on Google, YouTube gets noped by the lawyers
The San Francisco Pride (SF Pride) legal team has determined that a vote last week to remove Google and YouTube as sponsors and participants in future SF Pride celebrations was not legally binding, per an emailed statement from the organization's leader received by Mashable. (According to a Google spokesperson, the company has sponsored SF Pride celebrations for over a decade.)
The previously announced resolution cited what "some voting members of the organization perceived to be inadequate protection from homophobia, racism, and harassment on Google's platforms, particularly YouTube," as formerly reported at Mashable. Read more...
More about Google, Youtube, San Francisco, Lgbtq, and Pride Paradefrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/san-francisco-pride-google-ban-not-binding/
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Watch Kyle the rooster totally lose it when it's time to eat
Kyle is the baddest rooster on the farm, and we think this video proves it. It captures the moment a man's life likely flashed before his eyes when he was out feeding his flock.
Kyle doesn't play games when it's time to eat. Out of seemingly nowhere, Kyle turns on the afterburners and charges at the videographer, who, against all odds, appeared to make it out unscathed. Cluck cluck, motherfucker. Kyle is, as it turns out, all of us when we're hangry.
The video also features a delightful appearance from a bird named "Birdie Sanders," who minds its business while the chaos ensues. What did we take from this? Never trust anyone (or anything) named Kyle. Read more...
More about Kyle, Rooster, Culture, Animals, and Web Culturefrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/kyle-the-rooster/
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The cast of 'Sex Education' reveals their high school 'ride-or-die' squad
Choosing from iconic TV and film characters, the cast reveals their five ideal squad members to help survive the ups-and-downs of high school. Read more...
More about Netflix, Mashable Video, Sex, Saved By The Bell, and Sex Educationfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/sex-education-choose-your-squad/
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Medical marijuana dispensary breach leaves thousands of users exposed
The breach has affected over 85,000 users, including more than 30,000 personally identifiable sensitive records. Read more...
More about Tech, Mashable Video, Cybersecurity, Medical Marijuana, and Security Breachfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/dispensary-breach-personal-info/
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Watch Jennifer Aniston have the most fun while terrifying unsuspecting 'Friends' fans at Central Perk
Who's your favorite friend from Friends? Answer wisely, because Jennifer Aniston might be hiding out of sight behind you, ready to pop up and scold an incorrect answer. The Friends star guest hosted Ellen and had what appears to be the time of her life surprising Friends fans at Central Perk.
After initially screaming loud enough to warrant police investigation, the fans were delighted to see Aniston, even if she didn't care to hear how many people love Phoebe more than Rachel.
"You really film here?" asks one incredulous fan of the preserved set on the Warner Bros. lot. "I live here," Aniston responds brightly. (Friends hasn't filmed in 15 years, but she was kind enough to leave that part out). Read more...
More about Entertainment, Television, Friends, Ellen, and Jennifer Anistonfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/jennifer-aniston-friends-central-perk-ellen/
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Despite privacy concerns, facial recognition cameras to be rolled out in London
The Metropolitan Police announced live facial recognition (LFR) technology will be deployed to various "specific" locations in London to "help tackle serious crime." Read more...
More about Tech, London, Mashable Video, European Union, and Facial Recognitionfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/london-facial-recognition-cameras/
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Google unveils 2020 dates for I/O conference
The dates were revealed by Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai with a short teaser video. Read more...
More about Tech, Google, Mashable Video, Developers, and I O Conferencefrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/i-o-conference-2020-dates-google/
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Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant team up in chilling teaser for 'The Undoing'
Based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz, HBO's forthcoming limited series The Undoing sees Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser, a therapist based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. After she becomes embroiled in a missing person's case, a chain of catastrophic events force her to begin a new life alongside her young son (Noah Jupe).
Hugh Grant plays Grace Fraser's husband, JonathanThe Undoing also stars Donald Sutherland, Lily Rabe, and Edgar Ramirez.
The limited series is created by David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) and directed by Susanne Bier. It premieres on HBO in May 2020. Read more...
More about Hbo, Hugh Grant, Nicole Kidman, Entertainment, and Movies Tv Showsfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/video/the-undoing-trailer-hbo-nicole-kidman/
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Hulu's 'Shrill' returns with a Season 2 that's *sigh* all about a guy
The following is a spoiler-free review of Shrill Season 2.
In its Season 1 finale, Hulu's Shrill declared war.
Annie Easton, played by Aidy Bryant, spent the last scene of her show’s freshman season hurling a potted plant through the window of a truck. With the asshole owner of said truck chasing her down the street, Annie fled triumphant, smiling ear-to-ear as the season’s final words, “fat bitch,” hung in the air.
After just six short episodes, Shrill had crescendoed to its prescient point: The way society treats women, particularly fat women, sucks. It’s hateful discrimination, and if you can’t see that? Have a potted plant. Critics applauded the message. Rumors of an Emmy nomination for Bryant swirledShrill was a success. Read more...
More about Hulu, Aidy Bryant, Shrill, Entertainment, and Streaming Servicesfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/hulu-shrill-season-2-review/
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