News of the Genres

The following articles and stories related to science fiction, fantasy, and horror recently appeared in various news sources online. An asterisk indicates that the article is of particular interest.

5 Horror Movie Endings That Are Actually Satisfying (GameRant, June 21, 2022)
Some horror movies have particularly smart and interesting endings that wrap up the story flawlessly.

* 8 Sci-Fi Novels That Would Make Awesome TV Series (Collider, June 5, 2022)
These novels deserve a chance on the small screen!

9 delightfully spooky horror shows to watch at home (Polygon, June 18, 2022)
Curl up on the couch and get scared, but in a fun way!

10 Best Fantasy Creature Movies To Watch Before Avatar: The Way of Water (Collider, June 19, 2022)
Don't forget about these monster movies!

The 10 Best Standalone Horror Movies That Never Got a Sequel (Collider, June 20, 2022)
The most shocking part of these ten horror films is that they never received a follow-up.

10 Fantasy Shows You Should Watch If You Miss Once Upon a Time (TV Guide, June 21, 2022)
You'll love these shows, and that's no fairy tale

The 31 Great Sci-Fi Shows to Watch Right Now (TV Guide, June 3, 2022)
New Star Trek and Star Wars shows prove the franchises are still battling to be the best

* The best recent science fiction and fantasy – review roundup (The Guardian, June 10, 2022)
Ordinary Monsters by JM Miro; In the Heart of Hidden Things by Kit Whitfield; The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray; The Splendid City by Karen Heuler; and Scattered All Over the Earth by Yoko Tawada

A classic fantasy epic swings its sword towards streaming glory (We Got This Covered, June 21, 2022)

Dark Ride: Skybound's New Horror Comic Reunites the Minds Behind Birthright (IGN, June 21, 2022)
A beloved creative team reunite for a very different type of comic book.

The First Day of Summer Brings SIX Brand New Horror Movies Home TODAY! (Bloody Disgusting, June 21, 2022)

Horror Movie Spinoffs You Didn't Know Existed (SlashFilm, June 20, 2022)

* How ‘Invasion’ Showrunner Created Fact-Based Science-Fiction (The Hollywood Reporter, June 20, 2022)
Simon Kinberg, co-creator and showrunner of Apple TV+’s alien drama, sought experts on extraterrestrial life for his sci-fi drama series: "Some facts come out that are as strange as your fiction."

How The Blacklist Toes The Line Between Science and Fiction (Den of Geek, June 21, 2022)
The Blacklist excels in high concept sci-fi plots that seem plausible...but probably aren't. Here are just a few.

* Let’s talk about ‘Alien’ and other works that blend sci-fi and horror (The Washington Post, June 14, 2022)
“The Thing,” The Ring series and so many more ...

* An NYC Museum Is Screening Over 100 Horror Films This Summer (Thrillist, June 21, 2022)
The MoMA is celebrating the genre with a new exhibit.

‘Outer Range': The Secret to Cutting Together a Hybrid Science-Fiction Drama (TheWrap, June 20, 2022)

* Sparta-based author discusses her published fantasy, romance books (WXOW, June 21, 2022)

* You Need a Horror Movie Friend for a More Frightening, Less Lonely Life (New York Times, June 14, 2022)
You can’t undo what is terrible about the universe, but you can stand against it together.

The Water Cooler: Afternoon Headlines for June 21, 2022

These Women Say One Man Terrorized Them Online for Years. Then, They Decided to Band Together.
Harassed across the internet for more than a decade, a group of women found each other—and their alleged tormentor.

‘The worst person you know’: the man who unwittingly became a meme
Josep Maria García got the shock of his life when he found his image associated with the phrase online

Rise of the sides: how Grindr finally recognized gay men who aren’t tops or bottoms
The dating app’s new category offers visibility to those who have long felt isolated when it comes to sex

USA Today to Remove 23 Articles After Investigation Into Fabricated Sources
The articles were removed after an investigation identified fabricated sources in stories by a breaking news reporter.

Apple's boss-hating ad was one of the most popular on all of YouTube
Apple's popular ad has found a place in a new top ten chart.

The Unabomber is the subject of Apple's next big podcast release
Ted Kaczynski killed eight and injured 23 people, with police taking 18 years to capture him.

Diablo Immortal streamer destroys $16K gem in protest, deletes game live
Diablo Immortal's predatory monetization continues to make waves...

Review: Sonic Origins is a tragic example of good classics ruined by greed
Polish can't make up for egregious DLC sales pitch, lacking content.

The real key to a strong password? Math
Math and language can combine to map the globe and create strong passwords, using the power of three random words.

Amazon drones are coming to town. Some locals want to shoot them.
Amazon says its delivery drones will bring the future to Lockeford, Calif., but not everyone in the rural ranch town is ready for takeoff

Roe v. Wade leak heightens data privacy concerns

Hackers stole Social Security numbers in Flagstar data breach affecting 1.5 million customers

An anthropologist explains why we need a universal language when talking about the metaverse
Norms set in the next few years are likely to structure the metaverse for decades. But first we all need common conceptual ground.

Researchers discover lack of confidence in state of open-source security

How companies can avoid ethical pitfalls when building AI products

How AI-powered pricing improves margins and protects consumers

This is the ultimate guide to writing a standout resume
Pro Tip: Put yourself in their shoes. If you’re reading hundreds of résumés, the ones that concisely convey the right information and are easily readable will grab attention.

The science of what makes work meaningful
Meaningful work isn’t just some lofty goal. In a tight labor market, it’s essential to keeping your employees. On this episode of The New Way We Work, we explore how to find meaning and fulfillment in any job.

Why sharing your troubles with coworkers can increase your productivity
It can be hard to be vulnerable at work, but research suggests it can have many benefits.

What's on your desk, Alice Newcome-Beill?
Gaming tech, fan collections, and cats and dogs

Post-Roe, the morning after pill will be crucial. Startups are racing to increase access
Stix will start selling emergency contraception today, and it’s also launching billboards near crisis pregnancy centers to help combat misinformation.

This new platform matches Ukrainian refugees with American sponsors
Americans can sponsor Ukrainians resettlement in the U.S., but typically, they have to know who to help. A new tool connects potential sponsors with Ukrainians they’ve never met.

Snap is tired of being misunderstood—and it just hired one of the world’s best storytellers
Why former Wieden+Kennedy exec Colleen DeCourcy is coming out of a brief retirement to help Snap move beyond being “the best known, least understood” social platform.

UK flight schools hire instructors for electric aircraft as fuel prices bite
Pilot schools are recruiting instructors to meet demand for more sustainable and cheaper training

Kellogg is splitting into 3 companies: Here’s what each one will focus on
The cereal giant will become three distinct companies in a deal that is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

My Avastars: WowWee and Gamefam are making physical metaverse dolls

Ex-Amazon employee convicted over data breach of 100 million CapitalOne customers

Afropolitan raises millions from Balaji Srinivasan and others to build a digital nation
What would a digital country for Africans and the diaspora look like? Afropolitan has some answers

Unexpected polar bear population may offer some hope for the species
The remote place these bears call home could offer refuge as sea ice dwindles.

NASA finally fuels moon rocket, but first launch remains a question
The ‘wet dress rehearsal’ test was largely successful, NASA said. But a hydrogen leak cut the test slightly short.

Eso Won Books In South LA Will Close Its Doors

Before He Was a Musician, John Lennon Was a Philatelist (September 2018)
Marking the arrival of a new postage stamp, the musician’s boyhood collection is on view at the National Postal Museum

Freddie Mercury, Musical Genius and Stamp Collector (September 2017)
The singer-songwriter’s childhood stamp album offers an insight to his character

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult Get Funky on Lost ‘Sexplosion!’ Outtake
The long-running industrial-disco group has reworked “Any Way You Wanna” for a new vinyl reissue

Paramount+ announces plan for 150 international originals ahead of U.K. and Ireland launch

Everyone’s ready to die on that hill in Stranger Things 4 Volume 2’s first trailer
The fighting’s going to the Upside Down

Song of the Day: Beastie Boys, "Stand Together"

 

Daily Headlines for June 21, 2022

Failed Autopsies, False Arrests: A Risk of Bias in Death Examinations
Disastrous errors by medical examiners have raised questions about whether they are influenced by prejudgments and a close relationship with the police.

First gay mayor in U.S. didn’t expect to be LGBTQ rights icon

With Kalashnikov Burgers and Black Comedy, Libyans Try to Move On From Conflict
After more than a decade of chaos and war, fed-up Libyans are clamoring for peace — and making clear they’ve had enough violence: “We want to taste life, not death.”

Tanzanian Maasai battle eviction from ancestral land
Security forces seek to move thousands of people to make way for a luxury game reserve

In a Town Crippled by Grief, the Healing Power of a Perfect Pitch
Uvalde, Texas, was set to cancel its Little League All-Star Championship after a school shooting left 21 people dead. Then, the decision was made: The games would go on.

My Sports Column Puts People to Sleep
A discussion of a beloved sports ritual: dozing off in the middle of the action

'Perfectly imperfect:' Here's why players are coming to the defense of MLB umpires
Hand-wringing over umpires is easy, but what happens if they're gone? Not everyone is thrilled about the future of baseball.

White supremacists are riling up thousands on social media

Car Talk for Catholics: Priest Podcast Illuminates Topics From Annulment to Batman
Clergy members are spreading their message in audio shows like ‘Clerically Speaking,’ which delves into religious and secular questions of our day

Here's how to wipe your phone or computer data if it’s lost or stolen

Dads Are Often IT Guys When Couples Divide Chores
Shared calendars and notes can make it easier for fathers to manage to-dos, but so can asking for help

Where Are the Delivery Drones?
The technology is hard and the economics of mass deliveries may never make sense.

Next step in combating climate change? Massive batteries that harness the power of the sun.

Advisors Walk Clients Through Digital Financial Plans

Crypto investors’ hot streak ends as harsh ‘winter’ descends

Tesla violated federal law by laying off workers without warning, lawsuit says

America's lifeguard shortage, explained
Why you'll want to keep an extra close eye on weaker swimmers this summer

Retailers’ Inventories Pile Up as Lead Times Grow
As production cycles stretch to more than a year, retailers are having a harder time matching supply with demand

Sweets And Snacks Get Boost From Economic, Societal Trends

The Metaverse Lures Brands Like Nike and Gap With New Ways to Market and Make Money
Much of the activity is focused on generating sales in the real world

Trap Heals: A Prayer. A Feeling. A Mission.

New Brand of Activist Takes Aim at Ukraine War and Climate Crisis, Together
Led by young women from Eastern Europe, they are cornering Europe’s leaders and pressing them for a total energy embargo on Russia — to end the fighting and to save the planet.

3 ‘sovereign citizens’ arrested near Joshua Tree after explosives found, deputies say

Editorial: The death penalty is wrong — even for racist mass killers

Op-Ed: The insurrection won’t end until Trump is prosecuted and disqualified from future office

Court says California utilities commission must obey state Public Records Act

The Supreme Court, Public Opinion and the Fate of Roe
According to the conventional wisdom, the court rarely strays too far from the popular will. That view will face a reckoning in the coming weeks.

Should guns be banned in bars, hospitals? Supreme Court case could spur new 2nd Amendment fight
If Democratic-led states and cities lose a major gun rights case at the Supreme Court, experts predict the next Second Amendment battleground will focus on banning firearms in "sensitive" places.

Gun violence policy is focusing on mental health but federal records still lack some states
NRA, NSSF and gun violence groups are allied in shoring up gaps that still remain in system

A Secret City With a Secret African American History
The U.S. government built Oak Ridge in 1942 to develop the world’s first atomic weapon.

Historic Chapel, School Designated Historic Landmark

Demise of Hong Kong’s Jumbo floating palace reflects city’s capsized dreams
For some, the sinking of the much-loved restaurant is symbolic of the territory’s lost freedoms

Are You Exercising Too Much?
Overexercising can do damage when you don’t allow enough time to rest. More research is assessing the risks.

How to Avoid Nasty Pool Germs This Summer
Some watering holes are riskier than others.

Bike riding has its benefits, if you observe the rules (April 2022)

New York fund apologizes for role in Tuskegee syphilis study

Where Did the Black Death Begin? DNA Detectives Find a Key Clue.
By fishing shards of bacterial DNA from the teeth of bodies in a cemetery, researchers found the starting point for the plague that devastated Eurasia, they say.

Dr. Paul M. Ellwood Jr., Architect of the H.M.O., Is Dead at 95
Often called the father of the health maintenance organization, he coined the term in 1970, envisioning a system that would compete for patients by providing the best care at the lowest price.

As water crisis worsens on Colorado River, an urgent call for Western states to ‘act now’

A major California reservoir has hit its peak for the year at just over half full

How Animals See Themselves

A Global Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory Becomes a Reality (March 2022)
Building on the successful Argo network of seafaring temperature and salinity sensors, work is underway to deploy 1,000 floats equipped to study ocean biogeochemistry in greater detail than ever.

Washington ranked No. 8 best state for beekeeping

Eavesdropping on the Secret Lives of Dolphins in New York Harbor
For two years, an array of six underwater microphones tracked the feeding noises of marine mammals newly prevalent in New York waters.

Before Chickens Were Nuggets, They Were Revered
The origin of the domestic fowl is more recent than previously thought, but it may have taken them thousands of years to become food.

James Patterson said white men face 'racism' in publishing. What do book sales say?

The Life of Jean Rhys, a Uniquely Brilliant and Thorny Writer
Miranda Seymour’s “I Used to Live Here Once” is a biography of the author of “Wide Sargasso Sea,” who had a talent for facing hard truths.

A Home For Hip Hop
UHHM Makes Los Angeles The First Stop on Their Hip Hop Road Show

CC Symphony to perform as it searches for new music director
Death of icon Frank Fetta leaves hole

Texas boy is the world's youngest mariachi. For his dad, it's a return to Mexican family roots

Björk’s Orchestral tour review — avant-garde electronica captivatingly reimagined
The Icelandic singer’s voice has lost none of its power or strangeness over her long career

Soccer Mommy Hits the Perfect Balance
Thanks to producer Daniel Lopatin, the easy melodicism of Sophie Allison’s emotive rock acquires new dynamism

Bartees Strange Ponders Success in Dire Times
On his second album, “Farm to Table,” the indie-rock singer and songwriter finds no easy comforts in his own ascent.

Harry Styles casually sends Wembley Stadium into a frenzy — live music review
The superstar singer brought persuasive charm and androgynous style to the London leg of Love on Tour

Streaming vs. indie cinema? An art house film service finds a way to support both

The 10 best movies of 2022 so far, definitively ranked (from 'Top Gun: Maverick' to 'RRR')

Boy Scouts sex abuse documentary is a portrait of shocking complacency
Hulu’s poignant and damning ‘Leave No Trace’ profiles some of the 80,000-plus men who have come forward as survivors

Tattoo Artists Face a Grayer Palette in Europe
The E.U. has prohibited some pigments, deeming them potentially hazardous to humans. Artists and manufacturers around the world are struggling to find replacements.

They Conflated ‘The Wire’ With Reality
A Baltimore photographer considers the HBO drama’s impact on the city where he was raised, 20 years after the show’s debut.

Three Years Ago, Her Art Sold for $400 at the Beach. Now It Fetches Up To $1.6 Million at Auction
Anna Weyant, a new art star whose work evokes a millennial Botticelli, was discovered on Instagram. She’s also dating her dealer, Larry Gagosian.

Song of the Day: Angelique Kidjo, "Sahara"

 

Daily Headlines for June 20, 2022

Celebrating Juneteenth is fraught with emotion, but we must look to the future for hope
There is a duality to Juneteenth that July 4 doesn’t have to bear. Help us feel better about celebrating our emancipation by evening the playing field.

Watermelon for sale? Juneteenth ice cream? Some Black leaders warn there is a wrong way to celebrate.

Opal Lee helped make Juneteenth a national holiday. At 95, she's still got work to do.

Overlooked No More: William B. Gould, Escaped Slave and Civil War Diarist
He served nearly three years in the U.S. Navy and documented almost all of it, leaving an invaluable record of Black life during the war.

Saving Historic Songs, and a Jewish Culture in Morocco
For centuries after the expulsion from Spain, Morocco’s Sephardic Jewish women sang of love, loss and identity. Now, they’re almost all gone.

When #Vanlife Meets the $300 Tank
Remaining in destinations longer, using gas apps and signing up for fuel cards allow nomadic travelers to stay on the road.

This Is a Weirder Moment Than You Think

The ‘Hard Yakka’ of Defining Australian English’s Many Quirks
It took a while for Australians to appreciate their linguistic distinctiveness. The editors at the Australian National Dictionary Center work to document it.

Sometimes ‘Proper’ Speech Isn’t Correct Speech

How Alex Morgan, Liz Cambage and Ali Krieger are solving a problem facing women in sports

Visible Women podcast takes aim at a world designed for men
The new series begins by looking at why personal protective equipment is often unsuitable for female bodies

Channel 4 privatisation is a solution in search of a problem
This model has helped sustain a successful British industry, and has proved itself across four decades of film and television

Ransomware gangs target Japan as a feeding ground
AI translation software makes the Japanese language a less formidable barrier to cyber attacks than in the past

The new workplace: what young starters need to know
The rise of hybrid working is making employers reassess the balance of online and in-person training for graduate recruits

Why pay rises for your company’s ‘flight risks’ can backfire
The Great Resignation has complicated the practice of counter-offering to a worker who threatens to leave

Humour in the office matters, but can a boss be funny?
Leaders need a little levity to inject some closeness and trust into workplace relationships

Ukraine’s Highly Mobile Tech Work Force Hits the Road
How one Lithuanian company evacuated dozens of employees, three dogs and one guinea pig as Russia invaded.

Walking on Hot Coals: A Company Event Goes Wrong
More than two dozen employees of a Swiss company were injured while walking in bare feet over hot coals, an ancient religious tradition that has become popular on corporate retreats.

Jan. 6 witnesses push Trump stalwarts back to rabbit hole

The Hands-Off Tech Era Is Over
More government intervention will slow tech down. Is that good or bad?

Why is China denying Hong Kong was ever a British colony?

New Yorkers Honor a Thriving Black Village Displaced by Central Park
On Juneteenth, a commemoration tells the story of Seneca Village, which was pushed out when the park was created in the 1850s.

La Mesa will keep raising LGBTQ flag despite objections that it’s ‘political messaging’
City hall shouldn’t ‘be a billboard for any group of people, any cause, any agenda or any movement,’ one council member said

As the Schindler House turns 100, a new exhibition reexamines its complex legacy

Column: They’ve been making the world’s best pastrami sandwiches for 75 years. Can they keep it up?

Scientists find new population of polar bears hanging on despite rapidly changing climate
Bears in southeast Greenland survive by hunting on both sea and freshwater ice, a new study shows, but scientists warn that the threat from climate change remains.

These five people could make or break the Colorado River

Yellowstone National Park to partially reopen Wednesday after destructive flooding

George Lamming, Who Chronicled the End of Colonialism, Dies at 94
Born in Barbados, he was among the last of a generation of writers who traced the Caribbean’s transition to independence.

Meet the outlandish AMC boss betting on memes and a literal gold mine to save movies

Phil Tippett’s World in (Stop) Motion
The animator and visual effects artist, whose credits include “Jurassic Park” and “The Empire Strikes Back,” has directed his passion project, “Mad God.”

In ‘First Kill,’ Hunter and Prey Fall in Love
This Netflix series about a star-crossed teenage romance between a bloodsucker and a monster hunter has roots in both “Romeo and Juliet” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Meet one of live music’s most powerful people: Adele’s booker, Lucy Dickins
She is co-head of global talent giant WME’s music division and has 90 of her own clients

How Louis Theroux Became a ‘Jiggle Jiggle’ Sensation at Age 52
Decades into his career, the British American journalist has an unlikely TikTok hit that could be the song of the summer. “I am not trying to make it as a rapper,” he says.

'I'm a grateful guy': Bret Michaels on health, touring solo and with Poison and a love of bandanas

Paul McCartney is turning 80, so naturally we ranked his 80 best songs

Donald Pippin, Conductor on Broadway and Beyond, Dies at 95
As music director, he contributed to the success of acclaimed shows including “Oliver!,” “Mame,” “La Cage aux Folles” and “A Chorus Line.”

At Ace Hotel, being Hannah Gadsby has never been funnier

Song of the Day: Big Boys, "Sound on Sound"

 

Daily Headlines for June 17, 2022

How to celebrate the complexity of Juneteenth
It’s not just an excuse to indulge in a long weekend, celebrating Juneteenth means acknowledging the horrors that came before and after it.

One chart illustrates how languages are the same across the globe
Researchers have found that cultures around the world developed independent languages that function within the same bounds of human processing.

Julian Assange’s extradition from UK to US approved by home secretary
Appeal likely after Priti Patel gives green light to extradition of WikiLeaks co-founder

Spotify bet everyone would forget about the Joe Rogan controversy—and it paid off
Spotify’s star-studded lineup at Cannes Lion looks to turn the page. It’s a case study of a brand staring down criticism—and prevailing.

BuzzFeed Taps Karolina Waclawiak as Editor in Chief of News Division
Waclawiak, a six-year BuzzFeed veteran, has served as the site’s top culture editor

We warned Google that people might believe AI was sentient. Now it’s happening.

How to strike the right balance between UX and data privacy

The truth about AI and ROI: Can artificial intelligence really deliver?

The driving enthusiast’s dilemma with electric cars
EVs are better at almost everything, but more power doesn't always mean more fun.

What is generative artificial intelligence (AI)?

What is computer vision (or machine vision)?

Does being nice hurt your career?
New research looks at whether niceness really impacts your success.

Stop Slacking me: How to set digital boundaries for chatty co-workers
The lines between socialization and work have blurred on digital platforms. Sometimes that’s a problem.

The rise of the CPO: Why this role is more important than ever
Renee Niemi explains how CPOs will shape the future of business

SpaceX Said to Fire Employees Involved in Letter Rebuking Elon Musk
In an email, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president, said the letter had made other employees “feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied.”

TikTok exec: We’re not a social network like Facebook, we’re an entertainment platform

Influencers abandon TikTok Shop in latest blow to UK ecommerce venture
Content creators say ‘livestream’ model means they earn less and now take flak for limited stock and shipping issues

WWE boss Vince McMahon steps away from CEO role, will address misconduct probe on ‘Smackdown’

Indian esports fantasy startup FanClash raises $40 million

These Catholic churches in Europe are unlike anything you’ve seen before
A new book by photographer Jamie McGregor Smith highlights the important role that architecture played in the Catholic Church’s mission to bring people back after WWII.

Kids under five can now be vaccinated against COVID-19
The FDA cleared the shots for America’s youngest children

Can we ‘reprogramme’ our brain for happiness? Former head of Google X says yes
That little voice in your head says...

Either a bird went on vacation or scientists need a tourist to return their equipment
There’s a £100 reward for its return

This Styrofoam-eating ‘superworm’ could help solve the garbage crisis
Scientists across the world are trying to find bacteria and bugs that consume trash. A plastic-consuming worm is the latest.

A huge offshore wind farm is jumping on a growing industry trend — recyclable turbine blades

This gorgeous leather is made from the hide of a wildly predatory fish
Inversa makes beautiful products from the hides of lionfish, which are destroying ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean.

Behold the Magnetar, nature’s ultimate superweapon
Their magnetic fields—the strongest we've observed—could melt you from 1,000 km away.

Pete Doherty: ‘Kate Moss didn’t go to crack dens. If I’m honest, that’s why we broke up’
Twenty years after the Libertines’ narcotics-fuelled heyday, has the singer really put the chaos behind him?

It’s the hosts versus humanity in tantalizing Westworld S4 trailer
"Maybe it’s time you questioned the nature of your own reality."

Crunchyroll announces reboot of space western Trigun
Love and peace!

Song of the Day: Billy Lee Riley, "Surfboard Cha Cha"

 

Daily Headlines for June 16, 2022

The Anti-Abortion Movement Weaponizes Women Against Women
Anti-abortion women perpetuate the idea that women’s lives are about deference and self-sacrifice. But women must help one another see ourselves as human first.

Can we design our way out of disaster?
Five trends from the world’s largest design fair, Salone del Mobile, suggest the design community is keen to try.

The love, forgiveness and healing fathers need
Fathers have a profound impact on their children's lives, yet an estimated ten million kids in the US see their dads less than once a month. Through his advocacy and mental health center, therapist Charles C. Daniels, Jr. empowers fathers to be more present by providing mentorship and community, so they learn to forgive their own shortcomings and, most importantly, learn how to reconnect with their kids.

How Facebook became Pakistan’s hottest matchmaking site
A ban on dating apps like Tinder has left young Pakistanis with limited avenues to meet new people. Facebook matchmaking groups are gaining popularity among them.

Twitter invented a Clippy for cyberbullying
Read to the end for a troubling Morbius video

Pushing Buttons: Why every big game looks the same
From identikit space pirates to a Call of Duty remake, news from the three big gaming expos reveals that nostalgia trumps new ideas in game design

Genvid interview: The emerging genre of massive interactive live events (MILEs)

‘TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’ was made by fans for fans. Here’s how.

Diablo Immortal: How to beat the Library of Zoltan Kulle
Diablo Immortal's first big hurdle doesn't mean you have to buy anything in order to succeed.

“I Am Gen Z”: How The Youngest Generation Is Braving Technological Submersion

New EU laws requiring Big Tech to scan for child abuse content are technologically unfeasible
The trade-off between protecting children and protecting user privacy underscores how combating online child sexual abuse is indeed a “wicked problem.”

The next big social platform is…the smartphone’s homescreen

‘Wallets and eyeballs’: how eBay turned the internet into a marketplace
The story of the modern web is often told through the stories of Google, Facebook, Amazon. But eBay was the first conqueror

Is LaMDA Sentient? — an Interview

What is artificial intelligence classification?

Don’t Boycott Amazon
They’re too big to be hurt by individual consumer choice. Instead, hit them where it really hurts.

‘Let it rot’: China’s tech workers struggle to find jobs
Beijing’s assault on Big Tech has led to mass dismissals as Covid-19 lockdowns batter economic growth

We’re in the Midst of a White-Collar Crime Wave
Financial malfeasance has never been more rampant, or more under-punished.

India lifts ban on Mastercard

How John Oliver helped take the issue of tech antitrust into the mainstream
Two bills reining in the power of major platform operators, including Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon, could finally reach a full Senate floor debate this summer. But time is running out as midterm elections loom.

Andy Jassy’s First Year at Amazon: Undoing Bezos-Led Overexpansion
Amid one of the worst stretches for financial performance in Amazon’s history, the new CEO is working to cut back the excesses of an e-commerce operation the company expanded at breakneck pace during much of the Covid-19 pandemic

Why an empty booth was my favorite exhibit at this year’s NeoCon trade show
Reseat isn’t in the business of making new furniture. Instead, it’s focused on giving old office furniture a new lease on life.

Fear & Loathing in San Francisco: How Chesa Boudin Got Blamed
In this reputedly progressive city, tech and real estate money has bankrolled a centrist backlash.

The School Board Culture War
Republicans are pushing national wedge issues to the local level, but smart progressives are beating them.

The GOP’s Pedophilia Smears Are An Incitement to Violence
The fusion of QAnon and Pizzagate conspiracy theories with a homophobic moral panic makes the current Republican grooming smears a threat to the physical safety of LGBTQ people.

Meditation Is a Political Act
Meditation is about facing suffering squarely and seeing reality clearly. That’s why it’s the best starting place if you want to help a troubled world, says Zen teacher Dan Zigmond.

The Power of Silence
Silence can be noble or ignoble, liberating or oppressive. Bhante Sumano on knowing when, why, and how to be silent — but not silenced.

Not Everyone Will Come

United States to Refugees: Don’t Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor!
Putting out the welcome mat for white Christians—while slamming the door in the faces of other migrants—is an American tradition.

How a Religious Sect Landed Google in a Lawsuit
A video producer claims he was fired after he complained that an obscure group based in the Sierra foothills dominated a business unit at Google.

Walking In the Footsteps of the Buddha
When we visit the very places where the Buddha lived and taught, we discover deeper meaning in his teachings. Shantum Seth takes us on a sacred pilgrimage.

The History of Stand up Paddling

History of Stand up Paddle Surf

Oh great, just what we need: eau de caffeine

What if the Wind and Sunshine Really Belonged to All of Us?
Only by taking a more radical approach to renewables—one inspired by American history—can we build the constituency needed to make climate justice a reality.

America’s Largest, Most Neglected Machine Could Be the Key to Radical Climate Activism
Most of us ignore the electrical grid, but it’s a crucial part of the transition to renewable energy capacity.

How bitcoin is reviving fossil fuel plants – video

The Final Frontier
Olga Ravn brings the office novel to space.

We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets review – confessions of a content moderator
This Dutch novel takes aim at the depersonalising corrosiveness of the internet, but becomes laboured

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Jennifer Egan’s worldwide webs.

Friends and Strangers
John Keene’s poetry of others.

Grand Ambitions
Hanya Yanagihara’s überfiction.

Netflix’s binge-release model is under new scrutiny as the streaming giant struggles

Players tries to skewer esports with an awkward mix of humor and drama
Players frequently relies on crass humor, and I wish it hadn’t

NFTs as a democratizing force for artists and patrons

Daily Headlines for June 15, 2022

The link between sex and imagination

Hollywood’s portrayal of domestic workers is a barrier to their real-life humanization
Advocates for domestic workers believe that shifting the cultural narrative around nannies, caregivers and housecleaners could help influence policy change.

How One Direction fangirls made the internet a better place
In her new book, reporter Kaitlyn Tiffany explores why we should thank Harry Styles-obsessed fandoms for shaping our social interactions online.

Brett Blake: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)
The comedian shares his favourite online laughs, including an Instagram account dedicated to terrible real estate agents and a rooster attacking a weatherman

Why I fell out of love with Twitter

‘TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’ is a kung fu barrage of arcade perfection

Review: TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a must-play arcade throwback
A stylish balance of arcade accessibility and combo-crazy depth.

Why Rural Americans Keep Waiting for Fast Internet, Despite Billions Spent
Flaws in government programs have left some residents behind

Bill Gates says crypto and NFTs are ’100% based on greater fool theory’

TechScape: why you shouldn’t worry about sentient AI … yet
A researcher says Google has created an AI being with smarts and soul, but my own attempt reveals the truth behind those claims. Plus, the latest crypto crash

The 3 things an AI must demonstrate to be considered sentient
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

The company behind PUBG shows off its ‘hyper-realistic’ virtual human
Her name is Ana

Tech Giants Start Getting Real on Augmented Reality
Companies rethink AR hardware—HoloLens anyone?—as software, games suggest more direct path to profits

10 years after its demise, a requiem for the Microsoft Zune, the little gadget that couldn’t
Although it was the subject of much ridicule at the time, the Zune’s ungainliness is sort of charming from our present perch of digital oversaturation.

How Microsoft’s union agreement could shape the rest of the tech industry
Some pro-labor tech workers caution against overstating the agreement’s impact.

We’re entering an era of, um, creative accounting in startups
Down rounds, recaps, extensions...what’s the truth?

Why even your best employees are burned out—and what to do
In a new podcast, Angela Duckworth, author of the 2016 bestseller Grit, explains why, two years into the pandemic, even the grittiest people are quitting, stepping down, or scaling back.

The future of the office is an open question, but this company is testing 3 designs to figure it out
Prototypes are being used to evaluate how the office can and should change.

How paid marketers are fighting back against the Fake Web
Bots and fake users steal ad clicks, pollute audience targeting, and skew metrics. Paid marketers are learning to protect themselves.

Metaverse Spending to Total $5 Trillion in 2030, McKinsey Predicts
Seventy-nine percent of survey respondents said they have already made a purchase in the metaverse

Inside the dissolution of Apple’s elite design team
Apple’s design team is legendary. But following the death of Steve Jobs, dysfunction ran rampant, as Tripp Mickle writes in the new book ‘After Steve.’

US defence contractor in talks to take over NSO Group’s hacking technology
Deal – which would require approval from US and Israel – would give L3Harris control over controversial Pegasus tool

AI-powered parking platform Metropolis bags $167M

Meta’s Silicon Valley home, Menlo Park, plans to electrify 95% of its buildings

U.S. safety agency says Tesla accounts for most driver-assist crashes, but warns data lacks context

Tesla Tops List of Crashes Thought to Involve Driver-Assistance Technology
In first-ever survey, U.S. agency cautions against drawing conclusions about any firm’s car-safety features given data limitations

YouTube Music's new Spring Recap explores the seasons favorite songs
More seasonal recaps are coming in the future, too.

For All Mankind: Learn the mind-bending science behind the Apple TV+ show
Artificial gravity isn't really a thing right now, but it could be one day.

The Umbrella Academy's excellent third season is an apocalyptic transition of power
The Umbrella Academy’s third season is its best yet

Herman Miller’s cheapest task chair exudes the cozy charm of a knit sweater
Mixing mid-century modern design with elements from performance chairs, the Zeph is Herman Miller’s cheapest ergonomic office chair in history.

Song of the Day: Henri Salvador, "Dans mon île"