Social media is one of those technologies where you can find beautiful places in this world. But conversely you also learn about beautiful places in this world… to visit. And that’s where the reality of human behavior meets the road. This is why the town of Pomfret, Vermont is closing its roads to leaf-peeping tourists. They can’t behave. Lisa Rathke at AP News has more. In recent years, social media users and photographers have clogged the narrow road for selfies and fall foliage shots of the scenic private property, drawn by its colorful hillside trees, the barn and classic New…
Tag: culture
If you’re going to have an internet outage, and you live in Canada, there is no better way than this: a beaver causing a small British Columbia town to lose connectivity. Kaitlyn Bailey at CTV News has more. The beaver gnawed its way through an aspen tree which then fell on both BC Hydro lines and a Telus fibre-optic cable line strung along BC Hydro poles between Topley and Houston. The resulting power outage affected just 21 customers but the fibre optics damage affected Telus customers in Burns Lake, Granisle, Haida Gwaii, the Hazeltons, Kitimat, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Smithers,…
Since the first Mario game where the famed plumber needed a voice, one man has held the role: Charles Martinet. For over 25-years he has voiced Mario, Luigi, and a host of other characters in the bestselling franchise. Now, Martinet is stepping down in order to focus on being a “Mario Ambassador”, which is Nintendo-speak for ‘retire’. Ash Parrish at The Verge has more. Martinet has voiced the character since the ’90s, appearing in mainline Mario titles like Super Mario 64, Super Mario Odyssey, and Super Mario Galaxy as well as countless spinoffs. “Charles is now moving into the brand-new role of Mario Ambassador. With…
The year is 2023 and we still don’t have flying cars. We likely never will and based on how many people drive, I am not optimistic it’s really a good idea. Heck, we’ve been here before. But that won’t stop companies from trying. As Natalie Neysa Alund reports at USA Today, yet another aspiring company looks to make this a reality. This week, Alef Aeronautics revealed its flying car “Model A” was granted legal permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to test run the vehicle on the road and in the sky − a move needed before it can be released to…
There’s a time when things that were popular as kids becomes popular again as an adult. In the 90s Pokemon was a craze. While it’s never faded away, and I was too old to get into it, it has ebbed and flowed in time. But now, we’re seeing something interesting: Pokemon infiltrating everyday life. In this case it’s a new community in Las Vegas where each street will be named after a Pokemon creature. Nicole Clark at Polygon has more. Construction has been booming in the Las Vegas valley, leading to the unique challenge of coming up with names for…
If Wide World of Sports was still on the air today, this news out of California certainly would’ve made the cut. Surfers in Santa Cruz have to be on the lookout for aggressive… otters. That’s right. These cute, but not-quite-tame creatures are not only attacking surfers but also taking people’s surfboards. Dustin Jones at NPR has more. Steamer Lane is a legendary point break nestled along the rocky shores of Santa Cruz, home to swaths of experienced surfers, as well as a 5-year-old female sea otter with a growing reputation for repeatedly confronting surfers and kayakers. Videos across social media…
RCS has long been the battle cry for Google and Android in the “messaging wars”. The better way to text has had an uphill battle, but Google has stuck with it and continues to push to make it a standard. Unsatisfied with carriers’ dragging its feet, Google made RCS the default way to message on Android and now has turned on end-to-end encryption by default. That is a big deal. Abner Li at 9to5Google has more on why. Google is making this big move to “ensure more people benefit from this added security.” E2E encryption for 1:1 conversations fully launched…
The current craze with McDonald’s Grimace, the longtime purple blob mascot, is a cultural moment here in 2023. Deciding to roll out a purple shake, the fast food chain is putting Grimace front and center in its marketing. Weirdly, the Grimace shake has become a TikTok trend wherein Gen Z is drinking it and making short horror skits out of what happens next. It’s weird, and obscure, but also very creative. Now, Grimace is pulling another out-of-nowhere stunt: appearing on the Game Boy Color. Andrew Cunningham at Ars Technica has more. Grimace’s Birthday was developed by Krool Toys, a Brooklyn-based…
James Arnold Taylor is an incredibly talented voice actor. He may be best known for voicing Obi Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars animated series. However, he has voiced so many characters on so many shows, it is almost impossible to think so many ‘people’ live inside one mouth. To see how talented Taylor is, enjoy this 60-second video of him pointing to various animated characters in a collage and dropping into their voices as seamlessly as can be. You can watch it by clicking here. Witnessing James Arnold Taylor’s transformative abilities as a voice actor is a captivating experience.…
Just when you think a brand is done for, they sometimes get a last-minute reprieve. Recently on TimeMachiner, I’ve written about some companies going belly-up: mainly Brydge and DPReview. But in true Monty Python fashion, they’re not dead yet. Incredibly those two plus Bed Bath and Beyond, a third well-known company name, aren’t going anywhere. Firstly we get Brydge, the iPad and tablet keyboard company. I have a Brydge I bought many years ago, my second, after getting one from their initial Kickstarter. Back in May Chance Miller at 9to5Mac reported its sudden disintegration. Creditors were left unpaid and customers…
The iconic Billy Joel song We Didn’t Start the Fire was a major hit in 1989. In only four and a half minutes, Joel took us through important and notable events covering most of the 20th century. It was catchy, educational, and one of the last hits Joel had before moving to classical compositions. 34 years later we now have a cover of ‘Fire’ from Fall Out Boy. The song looks to cover the gap from then until now. I gave it a listen and while it sounds similar to the original I feel it’s not that great. Personally, some…
For way too long the IRS has been at the mercy of an agreement they made with Intuit and others when it comes to tax filing software in the US. The deal it struck was to allow companies to develop their own software but also prevent the IRS from doing the same. We all know how that turned out. Now, the IRS will roll out its own homegrown system beginning in January. This may finally bring an end to the complicated (and annoying) process of filing taxes. Jacob Bogage at the Washington Post has more. The system will be available…
While some of the most 90s things ever are cheesy commercials about the fledgling internet and Microsoft trying to be cool, there’s another thing that was everywhere back then: Rollerblading. If you’ve ever seen the movie Hackers you know the crew always traveled by in-line skates. Our trip down memory lane features Ryan Jacklone, one of the pioneer aggressive roller skaters. Jacklone loves skating all over NYC, in and out of traffic, and basically doing what most 90s kids did: scoff at any limits placed on skating. Jackone’s style is what eventually became X-Games and the alternative competitive style of…
One rule of the internet is if you buy a website address (known as a URL or Domain Name) you better hold onto it forever. Because once it expires someone can, and will, scoop it up in an instant. Maryland printed a URL on their license plates for four years beginning in 2012 and now in 2023, it’s a casino website. Jason Koebler at Vice has more. In 2012, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, Maryland redesigned its standard license plate to read “MARYLAND WAR OF 1812.” The license plates, which were the default between 2012 and…
Lighthouses are cool looking, practical, interesting to learn about, and a key piece of culture and history. Technology butts up against that with advances rendering older items obsolete. GPS in this instance means there’s a bunch of lighthouses that are no longer necessary. But what to do with these coastal towers of light? The US Government’s answer is simple: give them away. The Guardian has more. Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood like sentinels along America’s shorelines protecting mariners from peril and guiding them to safety are being given away at no cost or sold at auction by the…
For all the ways in which Tesla’s CEO is a buffoon, there’s a prior stroke of genius reverberating today. In its attempts to be competitive in the EV space, Tesla built out its supercharger network and has used its ease as a major selling point. It has worked. For years, it’s been Tesla’s charging port (NACS) vs CCS plugs. Now though Tesla is about to become the de facto standard for all public charging in the US. Aarian Marshall at Wired has more Yesterday, it was General Motors CEO Mary Barra’s turn to make a Twitter Spaces appearance. (Barra had…
I’m doing something a bit different and writing my thoughts on Apple’s headset both before and after their WWDC conference, which took place yesterday. I’m no prognosticator but I have a lot of questions. Let’s dive in. Before It’s Friday, June 2 and I am completely intrigued by all this “Apple VR / AR / headset” news. Is it bunk? Maybe. But there are a few things going on leading me to believe, now more than ever, that Apple is announcing its next hardware platform on Monday. It comes down to a simple observation: Where there’s Apple smoke, there’s Apple…
Here in the US, the rise of Square payment systems has helped every small shop and flea market merchant accept digital payments. It’s quick and simple. But what about the rest of the world? Especially in countries where mobile data is unreliable and people are quick to get scammed? Enter the payment “sound box”. Adnan Bhat at Rest of World has more on this innovative solution. Eventually, a fellow vendor suggested he subscribe to a “sound box” — a nifty internet-connected device that reads out payment confirmation messages. “Earlier, I had to wait for five to 10 minutes after every…
I was late to Star Wars: The Clone Wars and I was late to Star Wars: Rebels. Hell, I’m late to season 3 of The Mandalorian. But… there is something I won’t be late for: Ahsoka Tano getting her own dedicated series on Disney+. For anyone asking “Who the hell is Ahsoka Tano??” let’s rewind a moment. In the mid-2000s George Lucas came up with a cartoon series that depicted the Clone Wars. This took place between episodes II and III of the prequel trilogy. In this series, we learn that Anakin Skywalker had an apprentice. She was a young…
The first thing people generally think of when they hear “video games” is Mario or shooters such as Halo or Call of Duty. While these are wildly-popular types of games, there is a new genre gaining momentum out there: Cozy Games. These are games where the gameplay is simple. No time limits, no complicated set of rules. It’s simply you and a general task to achieve at whatever pace you want. Kelli Dunlap, a PsyD with a doctorate in clinical psychology, and a masters in game design talks about what these games are and why they’re becoming popular. The premise…
In not-so-surprising news, Disney has announced they’re shutting down its Galactic Starcruiser hotel and experience in September. You know, the two-night immersive Star Wars hotel that costs $2500 per night. Here’s the short and sweet announcement from Disney. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what…
Brian Baumgartner’s character of Kevin from The Office is legendary. There are many reasons, but of course, his chili segment is The One that everyone remembers. Even Peacock put the recipe into its Terms of Service simply as an easter egg to see who’d notice. While The Office is long over, its popularity remains. In the Binging with Babish series on YouTube, Brian does some of his own series-inspired cooking. The 16-minute video is a fun look at how Kevin’s snacks on the show could actually be cooked and even if it’s a good idea. Baumgartner is a lot of…
Every time Apple talks about its history during a keynote, they focus on the Macintosh. Its 1984 debut was industry-shifting. However, nearly every groundbreaking idea it embodied stood on the shoulders of its lesser-known predecessor. The Apple Lisa was a much-chunkier computer released 40 years ago. It was a complete flop. Apple poured boatloads of resources into its list of firsts: GUI, a mouse, menus, file systems, multiple apps, usability, and friendly computing. The Lisa was also incredibly expensive. The machine started at $9,995 (equivalent to $27,190 in 2021). But, without the Lisa, the Macintosh would never have been the success…
When Steve Jobs debuted FaceTime back on the iPhone 4, it felt like the future had arrived. For decades we dreamed of portable video calls that The Jetsons had promised. Now it connects people millions of times daily. But would that connection work for other species? A fascinating report from Emily Anthes at the NY Times shows how parrots are benefitting from this too. First, participants taught their parrots how to request a video call. When the birds rang a bell. Their owners would offer a tablet or phone with photos of other participating parrots, like a digital avian Rolodex.…
Crocs are all the rage right now. Collabs with 7-Eleven and Wu-Tang Clan are some of the unforeseen ways in which these kinda-ugly clogs have struck gold. Hoping to piggyback onto this trend is smartphone case maker Casetify which has launched a series of iPhone cases that resemble Crocs shoes, with 13-14 holes designed to hold pushpins that are sold in sets of five. Sounds crazy, right? Sarah Perez has more of this absolutely real line of cases. We regret/are happy to inform you that these cases are real. We have them in hand and have put them through their…
Tipping. We all hate it. I’ve talked about it in the past. It’s out of hand and as time goes on, we’re seeing more examples of people that are simply over it. Last week I saw CBS Sunday Morning broach this topic. They even spoke to a ‘manners expert’ who also declared that tipping for something that isn’t a service should not be expected. This brings me to this CNBC video further goes over the overload we have reached with tipping, why it continues to be out of hand, and the fact that huge inflation will likely stop this trend…
I’m the first to admit I’m not a camera buff. When my kids were born I splurged on a Canon T2i DSLR camera because I wanted to take the best photos possible. Those photos look amazing, but I (like most) still default to using my phone to snap 99% of what’s around me. I couldn’t tell you the last time I took my T2i out of its bag. I am recounting my DSLR tale because when I was camera hunting I came across DPreview, a long-running and in-depth camera review website. For camera nerds (unlike me) it is THE place…
I know there is endless hype around AI. And as I’ve said previously AI chatbots are nothing more than a next-word-prediction algorithm (that loves to lie). But sometimes when you mix different AIs together, you get something really funny. Enter Reddit user SharpCartographer831 and their AI-Generated pizza commercial. This person used a series of AIs to write the script, do the voiceover, and generate the video for a 30-second ad. It’s incredibly weird, creepy, and funny because it’s so random and dumb. But in some weird way, it works. One thing that didn’t even occur to me is the time…
The NPR series “Tiny Desk” is really fun. The small space made to look like a busy cubicle is set up for big-name musical acts to perform. It’s an intimate setting and one that Bono surely isn’t used to. He and The Edge recently recorded a session of Tiny Desk and it’s amazing. The 20-minute video has the duo go through four songs, each with an incredible flair and intimacy. If you’re not a fan of U2, there’s not much here for you unless you want to view the numerous acts that have graced NPR with their presence. If this…
Nothing, Forever is an AI-generated stream that recreates Seinfeld, the hit 90s sitcom, with a fully-automated system. Created via machine learning and AI algorithms, the always-on show creates & delivers new content every minute on the fly.