Taylor Swift breaks political silence, backs Democrats in midterm race

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Taylor Swift has long shied away from politics, a silence which has led to intense criticism from both sides of politics.

But on Sunday night, the pop monarch at last voiced her political stance on the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 6.

SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift will never be the feminist of our dreams, but we can still listen

Swift, who’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee, actively voiced her concerns for Republican Marsha Blackburn, and backed Democrats Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper.

“In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” Swift captioned her post. Read more…

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‘Doctor Who’ history made: Jodie Whittaker aces American debut

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Finally, a world of Doctor Who fans has seen the result of a very brave and controversial decision, unprecedented in the show’s 55-year history. 

That’s right: in Sunday’s episode, for the first time ever, most characters on the show — including the lead — speak with broad Yorkshire accents. 

Luckily, that trail was blazed by Game of Thrones, so hopefully most American audiences can understand what the hell this Sheffield crew is talking about. 

SEE ALSO: The 7 accents of ‘Game of Thrones’ explained for non-Brits

Oh yes, and Jodie Whittaker just happens to be the first woman to play the Doctor. But judging by a packed house of fans at Madison Square Garden, where Whittaker and incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall watched and discussed her first episode live with New York Comic Con attendees, that part was not controversial in the slightest.  Read more…

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Google’s Home Hub might be another way to use the Google Assistant

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We’re just three days away from Google’s Fall 2018 event, and the leaks are still coming.

Both 9to5Google and MySmartPrice spotted an FCC filing for an “Interactive Video Streaming Device” in September. And now, thanks to Jon Prosser via Twitter we might have our first look at marketing materials for this rumored “Home Hub.”

SEE ALSO: Images of Google’s new Pixel tablet leak before its October event

Hey, speaking of @madebygoogle.

Enjoy this “leak” straight from us. Was gonna wait until tonight’s show, but f**k it.

??‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Ez8A9obpCD

— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) October 5, 2018

The Home Hub should allow for easy control of smart home devices in addition to everything a Google Home can do. Things like answering questions, identifying multiple users via voice, and communicating with others. Read more…

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Here’s how to use Walkie-Talkie in WatchOS 5

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WatchOS 5 has been available for all users (Series 1 and newer) for a few weeks now. 

Speed improvements and some new watch faces are in tow, but there is another communication method in it. You’ve always been able to get that Dick Tracy effect by taking phone calls on your wrist, but there is now a Walkie-Talkie app as well.

SEE ALSO: Here’s where Apple hid your Camera Roll in iOS 12 Messages

It’s precisely what you think it is. You can now have push-to-talk conversations with other Apple Watch users. Those who remember the push-to-talk feature on Sprint Nextel might be fond of this. 

Here’s how to use Walkie-Talkie in WatchOS 5. Read more…

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Here’s how to enable Fall Detection on the Apple Watch Series 4

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Listen, the Apple Watch Series 4 might have a larger display and a better processor, but the real news is fall detection.

Yep, there’s a feature that notes when you’ve stumbled and checks in on your well-being. Important note: it’s not on by default for those under 65. So in the event that your attempts to trigger it end up causing an injury, it won’t help.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch updates will be huge for Apple’s health ambitions

With the feature turned on, the Apple Watch can detect a fall and ask if you’re all right. It can even call emergency medical services and notify an emergency contract. Read more…

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David Harbour agrees to officiate a wedding as Hellboy for 666,000 retweets

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David Harbour is back into the retweet game.

The Hellboy star promised to officiate film reporter Spencer Perry’s wedding in full Hellboy costume — that is, if Perry gets 666,000 retweets. 

666k
Of this tweet.
Big Red officiates. Full Gear. In his saintly best.
Impossible number?
Think of how difficult it will be for me to get this character ordained by a Christian church??
(P.S. – I’ll knock off 500k if you can get @artofmmignola to read a poem at the service) https://t.co/cnzHrcnsOo

— David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) October 6, 2018

Harbour’s done similar stunts before, but this one has a particularly fun twist: He pledged to knock 500K retweets off the minimum if Hellboy creator Mike Mignola promised to read a poem at the ceremony. Read more…

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The Empire State Building’s colorful light show was reportedly for a music video

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The people of New York City got quite the surprise on Saturday night as the Empire State Building put on a wild light show.

The top of the building began lighting up in various colors at around 11:00 p.m. ET, and it continued for about two hours. In addition to the effect, two helicopters were seen the circling the top. 

SEE ALSO: Philips Hue takes the plunge into the bathroom with the Adore line

Perplexed citizens took to Twitter. Theories ranged from aliens coming in for a landing to the light operator being on drugs. Many were asking for clarification from other users or anyone who might know the real reason behind it.  Read more…

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Sunday’s Fat Bear Week face off pits two fat favorites against each other

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Welcome to Fat Bear Week at Mashable! Each fall, Katmai National Park holds a competition as Alaska’s brown bears finish fattening up for their long winter hibernation. This year, Mashable is getting in on the salmon-munching action. Check back with us all week as we follow the fat bear face-offs each day, and remember to get your votes in for each round. Happy fishing!


Fat bear aficionados, it’s time to meet your final four.

In an upset that won’t soon be forgotten, Bear 32 Chunk took down the most dominant bear at the river this summer, Bear 856. Bear 856’s fat just couldn’t cut it. 

In Saturday’s second matchup, Bear 747 — a beloved fat bear by watchers of the river’s drama — also advanced to the final four beating out the smaller, Bear 719. Read more…

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Scott Wilson, Hershel from ‘The Walking Dead,’ dies at 76

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Scott Wilson, the actor who many knew in recent years as Hershel Greene from The Walking Dead, has died at the age of 76.

The Walking Dead‘s official Twitter account confirmed it, though the tweet doesn’t mention anything about the cause or time of death. Wilson was a star on the show until his character’s demise in Season 4, but Hershel’s remained a fan-favorite ever since.

“We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76,” the show’s tweet read. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in paradise, Scott. We love you!” Read more…

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Images of Google’s new Pixel tablet leak before its October event

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At this point, the biggest question about Google’s annual hardware event is not what new products the company will show off, but if there’s anything left we haven’t seen yet.

The latest: images of Google’s new Pixel-branded tablet, which have surfaced thanks to My Smart Price. The leaks kicked into high gear a while ago, but even those have ramped up considerably in the last few days.

SEE ALSO: The unannounced Pixel 3 XL is already for sale in one store

As with all leaks, some skepticism is warranted, but the new images line up with previous rumors and they appear to be the real deal.

The tablet, reportedly called the Pixel Slate, is meant to be Google’s answer to the iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface. It’s a standard-looking tablet with a detachable keyboard cover and stylus. Read more…

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