In today’s digital age, viral trends spread like wildfire, often luring people into unexpected situations, some harmless, others not so much. One such trend recently […]
JD Vance Shrugs at Hate
Politico recently published a cache of internal Telegram messages shared over several months by leaders within the Young Republican National Federation and affiliated state organizations. The exchanges contained repeated racist, antisemitic, and homophobic slurs, alongside praise of Adolf Hitler and casual references to sexual assault and gas chambers. The speakers were not anonymous internet agitators. They included a sitting state senator, federal agency staff, legislative aides, and party organizers in their late twenties and thirties. The initial reaction from many Republican officials was direct. The Young Republican National Federation stated that the messages were unbecoming of any Republican and called…
Shutdown Blame at the Airport
Airports across the United States have declined to broadcast a video distributed by the Department of Homeland Security in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats in Congress for the ongoing federal government shutdown. The video was intended to play at TSA security checkpoints nationwide, where travelers wait in mandatory screening lines with little ability to look away. In the recording, Noem claims that Democrats refuse to fund the government and that TSA employees are working without pay as a result. She assures passengers that delays will be minimized and expresses hope that Democrats will "recognize the importance of…
AI Videos and the Future of Deception
Artificial intelligence is entering a new phase with the rise of tools like Meta’s "Vibes" and OpenAI’s Sora 2, which allow anyone to instantly generate short, highly realistic videos. Meta describes Vibes as a TikTok-style feed of fully AI-generated clips. OpenAI’s Sora 2 goes a step further, allowing users to insert "cameos" of themselves or others (with permission) into AI-generated scenes. The feature is currently invitation-only, but OpenAI says wider access is coming. At first glance, Sora seems like a fun novelty. Type a prompt such as "a man rides a horse which is on another horse" or "figure skater…
JD Vance Shrugs at Hate
Politico recently published a cache of internal Telegram messages shared over several months by leaders within the Young Republican National Federation and affiliated state organizations.…
Shutdown Blame at the Airport
Airports across the United States have declined to broadcast a video distributed by the Department of Homeland Security in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem…
AI Videos and the Future of Deception
Artificial intelligence is entering a new phase with the rise of tools like Meta’s "Vibes" and OpenAI’s Sora 2, which allow anyone to instantly generate…
Is Age Verification Online Possible?
The debate over age verification laws escalated this summer when two major decentralized social networks took opposing but telling approaches. Bluesky announced it was pulling…
The Universe’s End May Come Sooner
New research into dark energy is raising big questions about the future of the universe. Dark energy is the mysterious force that’s pushing galaxies apart…
Moon Strike Could Trigger Meteors
This is a follow-up to our earlier post about asteroid 2024 YR4, a near-Earth object that drew international attention for its initially uncertain trajectory. While…
Broken Dreams at Publishers Clearing House
Publishers Clearing House began in the 1950s as a direct mail business focused on magazine subscriptions. Over the decades it became a household name, largely…
Is Google Killing Android Sideloading?
Sideloading is the process of installing apps on a smartphone from outside the official app store. On Android, this has long been a feature that…
Gov’t Shutdown: Blame Border & Bathrooms, Cut Healthcare
For all the rhetoric surrounding the current government shutdown, one talking point has risen above the rest. Republicans insist that Democrats forced the shutdown in…
Harvard Controversy at Center of Tylenol Debate
In a press conference that stretched for more than an hour, President Trump once again positioned himself against mainstream science, this time taking aim at…
CDC Updates Pneumonia, COVID-19 Vaccines
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently announced significant changes to vaccination recommendations, expanding access to protect more individuals from pneumococcal pneumonia and COVID-19. The […]
iPhone SE 4 Leak: Modern Design, Familiar Mission
The iPhone SE has always represented a delicate balance in Apple’s lineup, offering modern performance at a lower price point by wrapping it in older, […]
How WordPress’ Controversies Could Shake Its Future
WordPress powers over 40% of the internet, a staggering share for a content management system (CMS). With such dominance, one might assume that the platform […]
Threats of Violence Slow FEMA Response
As communities in North Carolina work tirelessly to recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, federal disaster response efforts have hit an unexpected and […]
Have Republicans Learned Their Lesson on Hurricane Misinformation?
As Hurricane Milton barrels across Florida, the spread of misinformation has become a critical issue, and some Republican leaders are finally pushing back against their […]
How the Right Is Hurting Helene Victims
As Hurricane Helene’s devastation leaves behind a trail of destruction, with businesses, homes, and whole communities wiped out; hundreds of lives lost; and scores of […]
Panic Buying Lessons from the Port Strike
In a striking replay of past behaviors, some consumers recently began panic-buying essential items like toilet paper, this time triggered by concerns over the United […]
Jimmy Carter: 100 Years of a Great Man
Yesterday, October 1, 2024, President Jimmy Carter became the first American president to reach the remarkable milestone of 100 years. His life, a story of […]
The Troubling Privacy Issues Surrounding 23andMe
In recent years, DNA testing has become mainstream, with companies like 23andMe offering consumers a window into their ancestry, health risks, and even potential family […]