Author Archives: Carol Edwards

Uber keeps updating its app and adding features this week. Its latest announcement Thursday is all about safety.

Now within the ride-hailing app riders can pick up to five people to list as “Trusted Contacts.” For every ride those selected friends and family can be notified about your trip — or you can set it to send your travel information only for night rides.

A new 911 button on the app will connect you to police in case of emergency. Once clicked the button will show your real-time location to emergency operators. A driver version of the emergency button is coming soon.

More about Uber, Apps And Software, Tech, Transportation, and Big Tech Companies

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate were so destructive, no other hurricanes will be given the same names. 

The World Meteorological Organization announced Thursday that it’s retiring the names Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate from its rotation because of 2017’s devastating season. It’s replacing the names with Harold, Idalia, Margot, and Nigel instead.

WMO names each hurricane based on an alphabetical rotation of names, alternating between male and female names. The selection of names for each rotation is usually used every six years, so we won’t see Harold, Idalia, Margot, and Nigel come into use until 2023. If a hurricane is especially fatal and causes significant damage, its name is taken off the rotation and replaced with a different one. Read more…

More about Science, Hurricane, Science, and Web Culture

Tesla has been removed from the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into a fatal crash of a Tesla Model X in the Bay Area. 

The advisory group pulled the electric car maker from the investigation after Tesla continued to release information about the crash, including a post on the company blog confirming that the vehicle was in Autopilot mode. The NTSB said the removal was a rare move, but Tesla’s information releases “do not further transportation safety or serve the public interest.”

More about Tesla, Elon Musk, Model X, Tech, and Elon Musk

The American Chopper meme, which quickly became one of the most popular forms of sharing discourse, just got better.

Twitter user @hipsterpelagius shared this version of the meme, which started out as a five-panel image featuring trivial arguments, as drawn by 9gag user janganzalim.

Admit it: You sang that in your head. The sketched art style is strikingly similar to a-ha’s music video for “Take On Me.”

The artist janganzalim posted a blank version to meme-sharing site 9gag as well, so you can share your American Chopper-inspired hot takes in black and white.  Read more…

More about Memes, Twitter Reactions, Culture, and Web Culture

The National Park Service decided Thursday that it will raise fees at 117 national park sites, but the increases are quite modest compared to the previous proposal.

Facing a more than $11 billion backlog in the upkeep of national parks, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke previously proposed raising fees to $70 in 17 of the most popular parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. 

The government allowed the public to weigh in on the fee increases, and the responses showed overwhelming opposition to the dramatic increase.

More about Science, National Park Service, Ryan Zinke, Department Of Interior, and Fees

Choosing the right case for your iPhone 8 is an important task.

Besides making your iPhone look better, the right case can make your life a whole lot easier — if you know what to look for, that is.

The best case for you will depend on a lot of factors. What do you mostly use your phone for? Are you an Instagram addict, or do you spend all day texting? Do you need something with a lot of protection, or are you more concerned with making sure your phone fits in your pocket easily? 

There’s a lot to consider, and not every case is going to work well for everyone. But with our guide, it should be a lot easier to find the one to suit your needs.  Read more…

More about Tech, Gadgets, Iphone 8, Tech, and Consumer Tech

When it comes to taking inherently horrifying premises and turning them into cuddly tearjerkers, Pixar is second to none.

Toy Story? Creepy af. Means your toys are watching and judging you all the timeRatatouille? Who wants a rat in the kitchen, let alone making all the food? Cars? SERIOUSLY WHERE DID ALL THE PEOPLE GO??

Now comes Bao, a short film that’s d’awww so cute if you just watch the trailer, and really freaking disturbing if you think about it for more than a few seconds.

Directed by Domee Shi, the film revolves around an empty-nester who’s delighted to get another shot at motherhood when one of her dumplings comes to life. Read more…

More about Movies, Pixar, Screening, Bao, and Entertainment

In the midst of a national gun debate led by victims of the Parkland shooting, one Pennsylvania school district is taking a … rather questionable approach to protecting students from another in-school tragedy.

The Millcreek School District announced Wednesday that it will be arming its 500 teachers with miniature baseball bats to fend off potential school shooters. 

It didn’t take long for Twitter users to criticize the decision. 

More about Twitter Reactions, Parkland Shooting, Culture, and Web Culture

Maybe you can see it better than we can.

According to the New York Times, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt isn’t happy with the organization’s seal, which has been in place for nearly 50 years.

The reason: He thinks it looks like a marijuana leaf. 

It features a flower bloom representing all the elements of the environment, coupled with four leaves. It was produced for no charge by an ad agency in 1971 and was illustrated by Ken Bloomhorst, who died in January.

More about Politics, Environmental Protection Agency, Epa, Scott Pruitt, and Culture

A sexual assault case against House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey is being reviewed by Los Angeles County prosecutors.

The ‎Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Mashable that a case involving Spacey was presented by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to prosecutors on April 5. It is under review.

The case was opened back in December 2017, and according to an LASD statement reported by CNN, refers to “events” from October 1992, taking place in West Hollywood, California. A male adult is reportedly involved, according to the statement. Read more…

More about Sexual Assault, Kevin Spacey, Entertainment, and Celebrities