The summoning circle meme calls upon your deepest, darkest desires

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If you could request anyone and anything, what would it be?

The new “summoning circle” meme has Twitter users requesting everything, from not being depressed to a new season of The Office. In one of the first versions, Twitter user @depressbrethren tweeted a circle of candles surrounding serotonin. 

“Hope this works,” they said. 

summoning circle, hope this works

?
? ?
? ?

? serotonin ?

? ?
? ?
?

— ko (@depressbrethren) March 5, 2019 Read more…

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YouTube starts to fact-check search results

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YouTube is dealing another blow to conspiracy theorists and disinformation peddlers.

 The video platform has started rolling out text prompts, known as “information panels,” that provide fact checks when users search certain terms or phrases. The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited number of users in India, one country in particular where the spread of fake news has fatal consequences.

An example of YouTube's information pane feature which fact checks search results on the platform.

An example of YouTube’s information pane feature which fact checks search results on the platform.

Image: YouTube

YouTube provided the screenshot above as an example. In this case, a user searches for information regarding a well-known internet hoax about the painkiller paracetamol carrying a hemorrhagic disease called the “Machupo” virus. At the top of the search results page, the user receives a prompt with information debunking the claim. Read more…

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In honor of ‘Captain Marvel,’ we ranked the 9 most badass cats in cinematic history

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Captain Marvel may have a kickass female hero, two new alien races, and the solution to all of our Infinity War problems — but as any rational, totally objective cat lover can tell you, this multi-million dollar tentpole is mostly (if not entirely) about Goose the cat.

Carol Danvers’ feline companion (who’s like trying to not outshine her, but also can’t hold back his star power?) marks the first starring role for a cat in the MCU. This landmark appearance continues a long legacy of on-screen kitty-cat greatness, and as such we thought it fitting to look back on the rich history of badass cats in film. Read more…

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Facebook finally cracks down on anti-vaccination conspiracy theories

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Facebook is crawling with anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Now the company will finally do something about it.

The company announced a series of new policies aimed at combatting the spread of anti-vaccine content on its platform. The new policies, which will make it harder to find false information about vaccines, come after mounting public pressure to take a more active role in fighting viral misinformation critics say has contributed to the outbreaks of preventable diseases.

In some ways, the efforts are similar to Facebook’s fight against fake news. The company isn’t banning anti-vaccine content outright, but making it more difficult to find, and reducing the chance it will go viral. At the same time, Facebook is looking for ways to surface accurate information to people who search for content or are invited to groups that promote conspiracy theories related to vaccines. Read more…

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Sling TV is having a huge sale: Save 40% on select packages for 3 months

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It’s 2019. More people are watching movies and TV shows on their smartphones and laptops instead of on an actual TV. In fact, there’s a whole generation of people who “cut the cord” and never looked back. 

However, there are a lot of amazing TV shows like The Walking Dead on AMC, The Voice on NBC, and The Bachelor on ABC that are so buzzworthy that they have to be seen live and cannot wait for Hulu or some other site to post the episode the next day. Otherwise, you risk catching spoilers or missing out on the pop culture conversation altogether.

Sling TV is a streaming service that allows you to watch live TV from networks like ESPN, Comedy Central, and Food Network without signing up for an expensive cable subscription. And if you’re looking to be even more budget savvy, keep reading. Read more…

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Nintendo announces a Labo cardboard VR Kit for Switch

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In a surprise to practically everyone, Nintendo announced a virtual reality Labo kit for the Switch — and it’s out April 12. 

The “simple” cardboard VR set will serve as the fourth kit in the Labo line and offer up six new DIY Toy-Con creations for players to make and enjoy. The project marks Nintendo’s first foray into the world of virtual reality since the release of the much-maligned Virtual Boy in 1995. 

The new VR Kit comes in two packages, with the more expensive $80 option including everything in the lineup: Toy-Con VR Goggles, Blaster, Camera, Bird, Wind Pedal, and Elephant — plus a screen holder, safety cap, and game software.  Read more…

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Huawei announces it will sue the U.S. government

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Huawei is taking its fight against the U.S. to the courts.

The Chinese tech giant announced on Thursday it would be filing a lawsuit against the U.S. government, which has accused Huawei of being a spy threat and placed restrictions on its products.

SEE ALSO: Huawei to U.S. media: Don’t believe everything you hear

Huawei rotating chairman Guo Ping said the company wants to challenge the constitutionality of the National Defense Authorization Act, which saw Huawei’s products banned in the U.S., and also to seek an injunction against those restrictions.

Guo said the U.S. government has failed to provide evidence on it being a security threat, and has convinced other countries to not use its products. Read more…

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James Gunn’s sci-fi horror film ‘Brightburn’ drops scary new trailer

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Things aren’t looking great for Elizabeth Banks in the new trailer for James Gunn’s Brightburn.

The director’s first post-Guardians of the Galaxy film throws back to his older work on sci-fi horror films like Slither, which also starred Banks. And she’s got quite the troubled son to deal with.

Directed by David Yarovesky, written by Mark and Brian Gunn, and produced by James Gunn (yeah, keepin’ up with the Gunns here) Brightburn blends the superhero and horror genres with the tale of an apparently alien boy with superpowers raised by human parents. 

Sure, they could try and encourage those powers to be used for good, but as the trailer indicates, we’re in for a more sinister ride. Read more…

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Why we should all be skeptical of Mark Zuckerberg’s new commitment to privacy

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Mark Zuckerberg just revealed plans to bring about what could be one of the most significant changes in Facebook’s history. 

In an over 3,000 word post on his Facebook page, the CEO laid out his vision for Facebook’s future: one that would transform the social network into a “privacy-focused” platform that emphasizes encryption and disappearing content. 

It’s a philosophical shift that would have significant implications for how Facebook’s billions of users use its services. But if the last 15 years of Facebook have taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t take Zuckerberg’s words at face value.  Read more…

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Trump called his friend and Apple CEO Tim Cook ‘Tim Apple’

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Apparently Trump thinks Apple’s CEO is named … Tim Apple. 

The president flubbed Tim Cook’s name during an American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Meeting on Wednesday while complimenting him on expanding employment in the United States.  

“You’ve really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple.”

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert calls Trump’s national emergency plan ‘insane’

Please appreciate both Ivanka Trump and Cook’s complete lack of reactions when Trump slips up. Both manage to breeze past it without cracking up, which is a feat in itself.  

It didn’t take long for the reaction tweets to roll in.  Read more…

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