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Tech NewsNewsThe USPS Is Reviewing Its Amazon Package Delivery Fees Because of Trump
Almost a month after President Donald Trump threatened to block a $10 billion emergency loan to the U.S. Postal Service unless it raised shipping prices on companies like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx, the USPS has decided to review its package delivery contracts, according to anonymous sources who spoke with the Washington Post. Trump has complained … Continued
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io9MoviesHorrorAn Imaginary Friend Sparks Very Real Horrors in the Creepy Z
Kids dream up imaginary friends all the time. But when a kid who happens to be a character in a scary movie suddenly announces an invisible new playmate, it’s never something to be treated lightly—a lesson that the family in Z, Shudder’s latest original, learns the hard way. At first glance, in Still/Born director Brandon … Continued
By Cheryl Eddy - Tech NewsApple
You Need to Update Adobe Acrobat for macOS Right Now
If you use Adobe Acrobat DC and you’re on a Mac, you should update your software right now, because Adobe just pushed out a patch that fixes three critical vulnerabilities. In its most recent update (version 20.009.20063), Adobe addressed a security issue that allowed local users to exploit Adobe Acrobat DC to gain root access … Continued
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Tech NewsStreaming ServicesHBO Beats Netflix to Officially Rolling Out One of the Most Coveted Features in Streaming
As many of us are sheltering in place or social distancing right now, our ways of connecting with friends and family have been severely limited. One way we’re still able to connect with others, regardless of their physical distance from us, is watching a movie together on the same streaming service. But if you’ve found … Continued
By Catie Keck - io9Fantasy
Lightning Strikes Twice as a New Percy Jackson TV Show Heads to Disney+
Many fans of Percy Jackson & the Olympians were less than thrilled with the big screen adaptation of Rick Riordan’s series—the author included. Now, after years of trying to get a new take on the fantasy saga, Riordan has announced that a television series is coming to Disney+. Riordan announced in a video on Twitter … Continued
- io9MoviesSci-Fi
How Jodorowsky’s Dune Speaks to the Now (Beyond the Upcoming Film)
When the first photos of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune began to surface last month, my first instinct was to rewatch Jodorowsky’s Dune. The 2014 documentary directed by Frank Pavich tells the story of Dune by Alejandro Jodorowsky, aka, “the greatest movie never made.” My thought was watching it again would scratch the itch for my excitement … Continued
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Tech NewsNewsAnti-Encryption Senator Quits Intelligence Committee Chair Amid Escalating FBI Probe
One of Richard Burr’s chief responsibilities in the Senate was to provide oversight of the FBI’s intelligence operations. But he often instead served as an advocate in its never-ending quest for greater authority. In many ways, he worked to undermine the importance of the Fourth Amendment, offering up Americans’ digital privacy as a sacrifice in … Continued
By Dell Cameron - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Advocates Call Out FTC’s ‘Failure’ to Police TikTok’s Abuse of Children’s Privacy
Despite its promises to cut ties with the data generated by underage users on its platform, TikTok continues to be a privacy-violating nightmare—especially for kids. That’s according to a complaint filed to the FTC by more than a dozen consumer advocacy groups focused on tech privacy and consumer rights. The complaint alleges that the short-form … Continued
- io9Comic Book Shows
The CW-DC Universe Won’t Return Until 2021, and Will See a Scaled-Down Crossover
Fans hoping for a little more of that CW escapism here in 2020 are going to have to stick to reruns. The CW just announced its upcoming schedule and with it the news that Batwoman, Charmed, Black Lightning, The Flash, Superman & Lois, Riverdale, Nancy Drew, and others won’t be airing new episodes this fall. … Continued
- Earther
Jay Inslee’s Climate Team Has a $1.5 Trillion Green Coronavirus Stimulus Plan
Jay Inslee, the Democratic governor of Washington, made the climate crisis the foundation of his presidential run last year. Now, the folks who wrote his plans are looking for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats to bring that same kind of ambition to our current political moment by way of a massive investment … Continued
By Dharna Noor -
io9ComicsIndiesA Guide to Star Wars Comics That Can Help Fill the Clone Wars-Shaped Hole in Your Heart
Star Wars: The Clone Wars has now ended, bringing about closure to our definitive understanding of a conflict and characters that fundamentally shaped the sci-fi saga. And not just the prequels but everything from Rebelsto The Mandalorian, much further beyond the original three movies. Missing it already? Have no fear: there is, as they say, … Continued
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Tech NewsCrimeSpanish Police Bust Gang That Allegedly Infused Cardboard Produce Boxes With Cocaine
An international operation led by Spanish authorities has arrested 18 members of a drug gang in Spain, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Colombia that allegedly smuggled cocaine by embedding it in cardboard. Per the Guardian, cops say the investigation was focused on a criminal going by the moniker “the Surgeon” (identified by the Local ES as … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsTech Policy
Trump Extends Executive Order Banning Huawei From Using U.S. Tech for Another Year
In May 2019, President Trump issued an executive order that banned a number of foreign companies, including Huawei, from using U.S.-made tech in their devices. This week, Trump extended that order, effectively banning Huawei from sourcing components from U.S. companies like Google for another year. Trump’s original invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act … Continued
- io9MoviesAnimation
Hayao Miyazaki Is Taking His Time With His Next Movie
Entirely fair, frankly. Hand-drawn 2D animation? And like, with the state of the world right now? Hayao Miyazaki can do whatever he wants, including spend three years turning in 30-odd minutes of (presumably very gorgeous) animation with his team. We’ve known for a while that Miyazaki had wrenched himself from his all-too-brief retirement from animation … Continued
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Tech NewsNewsAlienware’s Upgradeable Laptop Still Holds Tons of Promise, But Not at That Price
Dell really wants you to choose its Alienware Area-51m over a high-end desktop. The company has called it a “desktop replacement” since the model’s inception, and not without reason: in addition to upgrading your memory and storage, you have the option to upgrade your CPU and GPU too. You can still do that with the … Continued
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Tech NewsCultureDr. Phil’s ‘Big Knife’ and ‘Small Wife’ Are Both False
Maybe I’m alone here, but almost two months later, I’m still thinking abouta truly haunting tweet from America’s favorite unlicensed counselor, Dr. Phil McGraw. If you’ve forgotten it—as I have tried to, repeatedly, with no success—the tweet simply stated, “BIG KNIFE! SMALL WIFE!” The overly white smile, the single contorted glove, the morsel of food … Continued
By Avery Ellis -
EartherU.S. Renewables Are Set to Generate More Electricity Than Coal for the First Time
This is set to be the year renewables take off. A new report from the Energy Information Administration shows that electricity generation from renewables is finally set to surpass that of coal, a major milestone in the efforts to a clean energy economy. The coronavirus is helping drive this shift. The report outlines the way … Continued
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ScienceArchaeologyHundreds of Fossilized Human Footprints Provide a Glimpse of Ancient Life in Africa
Over 400 fossilized human footprints have been discovered in Tanzania, representing the largest collection of human prints ever found in Africa. Dating back some 10,000 years, the footprints offer a snapshot of life during the Late Pleistocene, including possible divisions of labor based on sex. New research published in Scientific Reports describes hundreds of fossilized … Continued
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io9ComicsTacky Branding Is Not the Way Back from the Coronavirus Shutdown
Like many other branches of the entertainment industry’s consumer-facing side, comic book shops have been hit hard by the covid-19 pandemic. Millions of people are staying home, and in many cases shuttering their businesses, for fear of risking exposure to a currently incurable virus that’s killed hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Despite the fact … Continued
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Tech NewsSick DaysI’ve Seen Cardiac Signs in Children That I’d Only Read About in Books
Have you been laid off or furloughed? Are you a frontline worker dealing with new stresses or irresponsible management? Is working (or not working) from home starting to take a psychological toll? Submit a story using this Google form or send me an email with the subject line “My Covid Story” and provide as much detail … Continued
By Avery Ellis
