It's Red Cup Day at Starbucks! You know what that means: Starbucks is handing out limited-edition holiday reusable cups to folks willing to cross the picket line.
On Thursday (Nov. 17), more than 1,000 Starbucks employees — many of whom are members of the Starbucks Workers Union — went on strike on one of the coffee giant's busiest days of the year, according to NPR(Opens in a new tab). It's a joyous day for Starbucks loyal customers, because the cups are considered collector's items; some customers line up before the store even opens to get one. But, this year, if you do decide to get your hands on one of those cups, you'll also be crossing a picket line. If you want to know if your Starbucks location is participating in the strike, you can check out the map(Opens in a new tab) created by the Starbucks Workers United, the union representing Starbucks workers.
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Crossing a picket line means moving through people who are striking in order to get onto their employer's land. That includes walking through a building, across a parking lot, or, in this case, into a Starbucks to buy your morning coffee. More than 100 Starbucks stores across the nation have staged picket lines today, according to Starbucks Workers United(Opens in a new tab).
The walkout is one of the most recent attempts to convince Starbucks to bargain with workers in good faith as they try to work out contracts. Starbucks lawyers have walked out on bargaining sessions, made last-minute rescheduling requests, and CEO Howard Shultz has been accused of illegally union busting and firing workers for organizing.
"Mr. Schultz, it is time to recognize the stores that unionized and negotiate with workers in good faith," Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted(Opens in a new tab) in support of the #RedCupRebellion(Opens in a new tab).
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If you do want a red cup, and don't want to cross a picket line, there's good news! Starbucks Workers United is offering a union-designed red cup with the Starbucks Workers United logo on the front, according to CNBC(Opens in a new tab).
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TV cops call for other TV cops to step up and donate
You have to either be foolish or actively part of the problem if you fail to recognize at this point that there's a policing problem in the United States.
You know who isn't a fool? Griffin Newman, star of The Tick and co-host of the Blank Check podcast(Opens in a new tab). He also played a cop on TV in a couple episodes of Blue Bloods, and came to the unfortunate revelation that since we can't necessarily rely on IRL cops to do the right thing during this fraught moment, maybe the fictional police can step up to help instead.
So he made a tweet. And he accompanied that tweet with proof of a tangible action taken, a donation to the Community Justice Exchange through ActBlue(Opens in a new tab).
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Stephanie Beatriz saw the tweet and passed it along. The actor who plays no-nonsense cop Rosa Diaz on the NBC sitcom followed Newman's lead and did the same thing: an $11,000 donation to the Emergency Release Fund(Opens in a new tab) and another tweet calling on TV cops to step up.
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As of 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday morning, Newman and Beatriz were the only two actors who have publicly made the pledge using the template laid out(Opens in a new tab) in the original tweet.
Around 9:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Beatriz' co-star Melissa Fumero tweeted in support of the protests, adding that the cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and showrunner Dan Goor had made a $100,000 donation to the National Bail Fund Network and encouraged others to do the same.
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And hey, you don't need to be a current or former TV cop to donate. There are real people out in the world right now who need help that extend beyond concern-tweeting and other forms of performative allyship(Opens in a new tab) on social media. If you're financially able, write the check. Want some ideas? Start here.
UPDATE: June 3, 2020, 11:45 a.m. AEST This story has been updated to include the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast's donation.
Snapchat stops promoting Donald Trumps account in Discover
UPDATE: June 3, 2020, 2:37 p.m. EDT
President Trump's team has apparently not taken kindly to Snapchat's actions. According to the New York Times(Opens in a new tab), Trump's 2020 campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said(Opens in a new tab) "Snapchat is trying to rig the 2020 election." OK, Brad.
The social media dominoes are falling for President Donald Trump.
As protests over the killing of George Floyd and police brutality continue across the country, Trump is doing things likes having protesters teargassed for a photo op and raging against Twitter. Now tech companies are taking action.
Snapchat says that it won't promote the president's account in the Discover section anymore. Axios(Opens in a new tab) first reported the decision, and Snap confirmed the news to Mashable via email. Snapchat made the decision over the weekend.
“We are not currently promoting the President’s content on Snapchat’s Discover platform," a Snap spokesperson said. "We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover. Racial violence and injustice have no place in our society and we stand together with all who seek peace, love, equality, and justice in America.”
The decision comes after controversy around Trump's tweets that many view as inciting violence against protesters. Twitter affixed labels to two of Trump's recent tweets: one that spread false news about voting by mail, and another that glorified violence, which Twitter blurred out. Meanwhile at Facebook, despite internal protests from employees, Mark Zuckerberg has stuck by the company's decision to allow the content on its platform.
Snapchat's stand is a bit different. Trump's account will remain on Snap, searchable and available to subscribers, and there's no specific content that it is fact checking, removing, or censoring. The change comes in its Discover tab, a section in the app that Snap employees curate. The company's thinking is that people can say what they want on Snapchat as long as it doesn't violate community guidelines. But users are not entitled to the "free promotion" of Discover, which has always been curated. Snap does not want Discover to be a place that amplifies messages of hate.
SEE ALSO:
How tech leaders can do more for racial justice than just tweet
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel alluded to the decision in a memo(Opens in a new tab) sent to employees, which was made public by the company.
As for Snapchat, we simply cannot promote accounts in America that are linked to people who incite racial violence, whether they do so on or off our platform. Our Discover content platform is a curated platform, where we decide what we promote. We have spoken time and again about working hard to make a positive impact, and we will walk the talk with the content we promote on Snapchat. We may continue to allow divisive people to maintain an account on Snapchat, as long as the content that is published on Snapchat is consistent with our community guidelines, but we will not promote that account or content in any way.... we will make it clear with our actions that there is no grey area when it comes to racism, violence, and injustice – and we will not promote it, nor those who support it, on our platform.
Trump lashed out at Twitter's actions by signing an executive order meant to make it easier to sue social media companies for the content posted by their users.
There's no word from the president yet on Snap's actions. But if the situation plays out like the Alex Jones bans, more social media companies could be taking away Trump's megaphones for hate.
Mayor of D.C. has city workers painting Black Lives Matter on street to White House
Washington, D.C. has taken some very visible action to support the Black Lives Matter protests around the country.
On Friday morning, a group of people were seen painting the words "Black Lives Matter" in large yellow letters down two blocks of 16th Street, a two-lane road which leads to the White House.
The painters were commissioned by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser(Opens in a new tab), per CNN, and when New York Times writer Emily Badger happened upon the city workers on Friday morning, they casually said they were "just paintin' the streets."
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Badger noted that the 16 eye-catching letters, which span the full width of the street, will "be a real middle finger to any federal forces flying overhead."
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If you're curious as to what the statement looks like from above, check out this video that Mayor Bowser shared on Twitter alongside the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. The video was taken from a roof and music can be heard playing in the background.
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Badger also added that the yellow paint is not temporary by any means — it appears to be the same paint city officials use to stripe road lanes.
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"Black Lives Matter" paint on 16th street near the White House.Credit: DANIEL SLIM / AFP via Getty Images
The lettering comes as protests continue to spread throughout the city and hundreds of people gather each day outside the White House gates to condemn racism, police brutality, and the death of George Floyd — a black man who died on May 25, after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.
After protests outside the White House escalated last Friday night, the Secret Service reportedly ushered Trump — along with Melania and their son Barron — to the underground presidential bunker, where they were said to have remained for nearly an hour(Opens in a new tab).
On Friday morning, Mayor Bowser shared additional tweets that related to the Black Lives Matter paint. The first was a letter she wrote requesting that President Trump "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" from the city.
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And the second was a video that showed a "Black Lives Matter" street sign being added to a lamp post in the city. "The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially 'Black Lives Matter Plaza,'" Bowser wrote in her tweet.
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Mashable has reached out to the D.C. Mayor's office for comment and will update this article if we receive a reply.
UPDATE: June 5, 2020, 10:55 a.m. EDT Updated to include a tweet from D.C. mayor, Muriel Bowser.
UPDATE: June 5, 2020, 12:13 p.m. EDT Updated to include two additional tweets from Mayor Bowser.
Related Video: How to donate to support the Black Lives Matter movement
In TikTok protest, witches cast spells to hex cops
Under the light of this week's full moon, a group of witches of TikTok — or WitchTok, if you will — are casting protection spells for protestors and hexes for cops.
With the U.S. a week into protests against police brutality after the killing of George Floyd, a surprising array of subcultures have stepped up to help. K-pop stans flooded police reporting platforms with fancams so informants couldn't snitch on protestors. Even Mennonites showed up(Opens in a new tab) to protest in Minneapolis. And now covens are redirecting their power to protestors.
Organizing under the #witchesforblm hashtag, practicing witches are teaching each other how to cast simple spells, draw sigils, and manifest intentions.
The movement seems to have started with a comment from TikTok user beckydoeslife. This was in response to a TikTok by venxm.exe, in which the practicing witch filmed herself casting a protection spell for protestors rallying against police brutality.
In just five days, the tag #witchesforblm garnered a collective 10 million views on the app.
The tag started when a TikTok user suggested using #witchesforblm to organize.Credit: tiktok / venxm.exe
The tag started when a TikTok user suggested using #witchesforblm to organize.Credit: tiktok / venxm.exe
WitchTok users aim to protect protestors and hex law enforcement, who have been escalating violence against peaceful protestors nationwide all week.
In some videos, like this one from rue.the.day, users act out what they predict will happen to cops after WitchTok casts its spells.
TikTok users are acting out what'll happen to cops after they cast their spells.Credit: tiktok / rue.the.day
In a video for beginners, jes.tkidding suggests a simple hex: write down the names of police officers and use a black candle to burn that paper, and then let the candle burn all the way through. In a video for more experienced practitioners, sorciereverte demonstrates how to write protection sigils that spell out "PROTESTORS ARE PROTECTED FROM POLICE BRUTALITY" and "BLACK LIVES MATTER TODAY AND ALWAYS."
A TikTok user demonstrates simple spells beginner witches can cast.Credit: tiktok / jes.tkidding
A TikTok user demonstrates writing a sigil that says, "PROTESTORS ARE PROTECTED AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY."Credit: tiktok / sorciereverte
Of course, casting spells probably isn't enough to really make change to a historically racist and unjust system. So in addition to recommending meditating, burning candles, and making "moon water," TikTok user earthytiana suggests(Opens in a new tab) using the power of the full moon to sign petitions, donate to the Black Lives Matter movement, and attend protests.
Enjoy watching as Brits tear down a slavers statue and dump it in the river
If you happen to be looking for the Edward Colston statue in Bristol, England, try finding it at its new location: in the harbor, at the bottom of the river.
If you’re not sure exactly where, you can try checking Google Maps. It’s been updated with the statue’s new underwater location. (It may be changed back when you go to look, though; keep reading.)
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An estimated 10,000 people showed up in Bristol, England on Sunday for a Black Lives Matter protest in solidarity with the hundreds of cities across the United States which have been protesting the police killing of George Floyd.
During the protest, some attendees tied a rope around the memorial of Edward Colston in Bristol, where the bronze statue has stood since 1895. Colston was a 17th century English slave trader and former member of Parliament. He was responsible for transporting more than 100,000 slaves from West Africa.
Some were quick to point out how Colston was a well-known philanthropist, supporting schools, hospitals and various other charities. A number of city landmarks and establishments bear his name. However, what needs to be mentioned along with these charitable efforts is how he funded all this with money he made from the slave trade.
The demonstrators proceeded to topple the statue. One protester kneeled down on its neck after it fell, in a nod to Floyd, who was killed when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes while three other officers both looked on and, in two cases, helped.
Protesters then dragged the statue to the harbor and pushed it over a guardrail, where it fell into the Avon River, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
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Shortly after, as word spread, many users on social media platforms like Twitter had noticed that a Google Maps search was now showing the statue’s new location: at the bottom of the river. The statue was later updated with additional info, obviously crowdsourced by users, like how the memorial was “permanently closed.”
I checked Google Maps to confirm. However, at the time that I looked, the updated location of the statue had reverted back to its original spot... where the statue is no longer located.
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Local law enforcement have condemned the toppling of the statue. An investigation has been opened to find out who was responsible for taking it down.
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The Colston statue has been a point of contention in the Bristol community since well before the current police brutality protests. In 2018, the Lord Mayor of Bristol removed(Opens in a new tab) a portrait of the slave trader that hung in city hall. A petition to remove(Opens in a new tab) the statue already existed, garnering 11,000 signatures.
Protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd continue to spread across the United States and around the world.
14 Harry Potter things to love that have nothing to do with J.K. Rowling
On Saturday, J.K. Rowling posted her latest string of transphobic tweets, in which she suggested that only women can menstruate and that gender inclusivity erases the female experience. As an ardent Harry Potter fan myself, with a network of friends in the community, I saw my Twitter timeline fill up with exactly one sentiment in response to these tweets:
Fuck that.
This isn't the first time Rowling has been transphobic; previous likes and tweets have followed the line of thought demonstrated on Saturday. I personally expressed my disappointment in her December 2019 tweets, but wrote them off. I assumed she was oblivious and disconnected from the right resources due to shoddy PR, her own ignorance, and that bubble away from reality that most of the ultra-rich and famous seem to occupy.
But again, fuck that.
Saturday's tweets are further evidence of Rowling's ignorance, but there can be no doubt now that it is willful. Even Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, couldn't remain silent and issued a statement in solidarity with the queer and trans community(Opens in a new tab).
For a generation that grew up on the Harry Potter values of standing up to power and bigotry, the irony is not lost and the heartbreak is real. It's been a long time coming for some but totally new for others who might not be able to stop loving Potter as easily as they turned on its creator.
Harry Potter has been around long enough that its influence spreads far beyond a certain writer. Songs have been written, merch designed, organizations launched, and discussions furthered far beyonds the limits of what Rowling could ever have imagined. Those of us who read Harry Potter as children are writers, artists, and activists now, equipped to enjoy the wizarding world without her.
So now that you've accepted the Death of the Author(Opens in a new tab), here are 14 places to direct your Harry Potter love that have nothing to do with You-Know-Who.
Note: The author (I mean myself now) knows individuals involved with several items on this list.
1. The Harry Potter Alliance(Opens in a new tab)
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Launched in 2005, the HPA is a social justice organization that works toward gender equity, LGTBQIA+ equality, racial justice, climate change activism, education, and more. It has partnered with groups like the American Library Association, ACLU, and Hank and John Green's DFTBA. In 2010, the HPA raised enough money through fan campaigns to send five airplanes of medical supplies to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti(Opens in a new tab). They have a handy guide on how to advocate for trans people right here(Opens in a new tab).
2. Black Girls Create(Opens in a new tab)
This multifandom resource for black creators encourages fans to recognize that you can love something while still being highly critical of it. They raised $16,000 in a week for organizations helping Black Lives Matter through a Hogwarts house-themed points competition. Through podcasts(Opens in a new tab) like #WizardTeam(Opens in a new tab) and the Doctor Who-themed TARBIS(Opens in a new tab) (Who Watch: Time and Relative Blackness in Space), the BGC community promotes intersectional representation, especially for black women.
3. Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis(Opens in a new tab)
This breezy web series what would have happened if 25-year-old Hermione Granger didn't marry Ron and become a cop, but questioned it all and hightailed to California to hang out with former classmate Parvati Patil. Created by Eliyannah Amirah Yisrael and starring Ashley Romans, the series imagines how wizardry looks for millennial adults and how the magical and muggle worlds collide. It's even brave enough to suggest Hermione go to therapy, something that would certainly have helped all the adults in Cursed Child. And speaking of that nonsense...
4. StarKid(Opens in a new tab)
Filmed in a 100-seat basement theater at the University of Michigan, A Very Potter Musical became an early viral sensation in 2009. It expertly pokes fun at its source material and expands upon the canon, as with Harry's obvious desire to be the center of attention or Draco's inability to stand still. The cast and characters are more diverse in race and sexuality than any Harry Potter content ever distributed by Warner Bros. or Universal, a statistic that will probably hold up for a very long time.
AVPM spawned a sequel ("There is literally no way forward from this point") and a threequel, but its creators have created over a dozen non-Potter productions since then, including Holy Musical, [email protected]!, Ani: A Parody, and originals like Firebringer and Black Friday.
5. The Gayly Prophet(Opens in a new tab)
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Two Harry Potter fans (Jessie Blount and Lark Malakai Grey) host this weekly podcast that examines the books through a queer feminist lens. They were quick to note after Rowling's comments that this person was being openly transphobic during an uprising in a pandemic and that there is truly no weirder or worse flex.
6. Sorted(Opens in a new tab)
Credit: simon & schuster
Jackson Bird(Opens in a new tab)'s 2019 memoir about coming out as trans is inextricably linked to his experiences in the Harry Potter fandom. Bird's writing is thorough and informative yet never overwhelming. He takes you on his journey through childhood and adolescence, weaving in the boy wizard's influence and the community that ultimately helped him accept who he was and offered support when he declared it. The title refers to the Sorting Hat, but especially to Dumbledore's musing in Deathly Hallows that "I sometimes think we sort too soon." Once again, the fans understand Rowling's message more than it seems she ever could.
7. Man Up Apparel(Opens in a new tab)
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This clothing brand started as a part-time source of cheer apparel and now provides some of the swaggiest HP clothing Warner Bros. could only dream of. The house face hoodies give mascots as much a chance to shine as colors, and the varsity jackets will be the envy of every former high school athlete you meet. Best of all for this Ravenclaw: The Ravenclaw colors of blue and bronze and the house eagle are resplendent, putting that hideous blue-gray raven gear from the movies to shame.
8. Mark Reads Harry Potter(Opens in a new tab)
Writer Mark Oshiro(Opens in a new tab) has made a career of watching and reading things(Opens in a new tab) (and is now an author(Opens in a new tab) too) because their voice is so utterly entertaining. They started Harry Potter for the first time in 2010(Opens in a new tab) with little to no prior exposure (the podcast Potterless(Opens in a new tab) started a similar journey in recent years) and there is nothing quite like experiencing the joy of a grown adult becoming obsessed with Rubeus Hagrid for the first time.
9. Carry On(Opens in a new tab)
Credit: St. Martin's Griffin
Rainbow Rowell's YA fantasy novel is a spinoff of her own Fangirl, but the characters are undeniably influenced by Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy as they occupy a slightly different magical realm. Simon Snow is his world's Chosen One, guided by "the Mage" and anointed by a prophecy — and as if that's not enough, he finds it harder and harder each day to deny the attraction he feels to his so-called enemy Basilton (a.k.a. Baz). Carry On and sequel Wayward Son (yup) are the Drarry fic you crave on ink and paper, and a beautiful example of how joyous and easy it is to write a queer magical story.
10. Puffs(Opens in a new tab)
The now-closed off-Broadway play about "a certain school of magic and magic" tells the story we all know through the eyes of Hufflepuff students — sometimes confused, often endangered, and always nice even in the face of certain danger brought upon them by the Boy Who Lived. It may not be running anymore, but the show lives on digitally(Opens in a new tab).
11. Vegard(Opens in a new tab)
This European YouTuber happily declares "Harry Potter (minus JKR)" in their Twitter bio(Opens in a new tab), and has a wonderful time exploring the books, movies, spells, and more in video form regardless. Vegard proves there is no end to answers to the question of how one can manifest one's Harry Potter love, whether it's explaining the story drunk, editing oneself into scenes, talking about it to Siri, and so much more.
12. Wizard rock
The musical genre launched in the early 2000s now boasts hundreds of musicians and bands who sing about the series, including to challenge its heteronormativity or ridiculousness wherever they can. The wizard rock community has long been a haven for queer fans, and the growing roster of artists(Opens in a new tab) means more diverse talent joining its ranks every day.
13. The Wizard Tailor(Opens in a new tab)
@thewizardtailor(Opens in a new tab)
Get in the car, looser, we’re going to Beauxbatons 🦋 ##tiktokprom(Opens in a new tab)##harrypotter(Opens in a new tab)##passthebrushchallenge(Opens in a new tab)##passthebrush(Opens in a new tab)##beauxbatons(Opens in a new tab)##french(Opens in a new tab)##hp(Opens in a new tab)##hpcosplay(Opens in a new tab)##hpcos(Opens in a new tab)
♬ Theme from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (Potter Waltz) - Movie Sounds Unlimited(Opens in a new tab)
This TikTok creator and cosplayer known as Michael is doing the ridiculous and yet very important work of recreating popular TikToks with a Harry Potter spin(Opens in a new tab). Apologies in advance to all your friends for the slew of links you're about to send them.
14. Binge Mode: Harry Potter(Opens in a new tab)
Though it does occasionally praise the author, The Ringer's Binge Mode podcast hosted by Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion provides exceptional analysis and raucous commentary as they reread the Harry Potter books. No amount of Fantastic Beasts movies (and we hope there are no more) could conceive of anything as brilliant as "McGalleon," a headcanon about McGonagall's aggressive sports betting and how it clouds her objectivity as a teacher. You'll learn to turn down the volume when Jason yells, and you'll love it.
Its OK to post on social media even though you havent replied to texts
I don't know who needs to hear this, but it's perfectly OK for someone to post on social media even though they haven't replied to your text messages yet.
Sure, it's polite and respectful to respond to messages and answer questions as soon as possible, but taking a few hours — or even days — to do so doesn't always mean someone is actively trying to be rude or disrespectful toward you.
It's easy to get annoyed with people who take a while to respond to messages — especially if you see them tweeting, sharing articles to Facebook, or posting Instagram stories in the meantime. Trust me, I get it.
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I used to make every effort to reply to texts within seconds of receiving them, so I often got frustrated when others took a while to respond to me. When people would leave my texts unanswered and I'd see them post on social media, I'd admittedly wonder, "What the hell?" But then, something changed.
I grew increasingly overwhelmed with work, life, and all the chaos going on in the world, and my anxiety made it impossible to text anyone back. I started having to wait until it subsided to reply to people, and that's when I realized delayed responses aren't always what they seem.
SEE ALSO:
13 mental health resources for black people trying to cope right now
Sending a text seems like one of the simplest tasks in the world. You tap your phone screen to form words and smash the send button, right? Most of the time I do consider texting to be an extremely low-energy task, but much like in-person conversations, communicating digitally sometimes requires real effort, vulnerability, and thoughtfulness. That's not always easy to give.
Texting and using social media require different levels of effort
At some point over the past few years, I began staring at light gray iMessage bubbles that read things like, "How are you?" or "How was your week?" in absolute terror. My thumbs became paralyzed at the sight of daunting questions that required deep levels of introspection or explanation on my part, so I'd put off responding until I felt up to the challenge.
I occasionally let my text messages pile up unanswered, but I kept living my life and posting to social media. It seemed like a good system, until one of my friends called me out.
"Hi, remember me???" a friend replied to my Instagram story one Saturday. She had texted me the day before, and I hadn't forgotten to respond. I'd had a truly horrible week and wanted to take the weekend to recover. I had every intention of replying to her non-urgent text on Monday, but because she saw me using Instagram, she felt I should have texted her back already.
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Unless the person you message has read receipts turned on, you likely won't be able to tell when, or if, they've had a chance to read your texts. If you picture someone being too busy to stop and look at their phones — as I'm sure my friend was doing with me — it's easy to rationalize delayed responses. But if a person you've messaged posts to social media before replying to you, their silence in DMs is often taken as a slap in the face.
The common thought process here is that if someone has the time to casually be online, then they must have time to reply to your text. If they're on social media, they're clearly using technology, so why can't they take a few extra minutes to answer you?
On the surface, this logic makes sense. But it's not always as simple as someone failing to carve out time. People might be posting to social media during a quick break from work, they could be using social media to distract themselves from daily dread, or they might quickly post something in the presence of other people and not have the time to devote to texting. There's also the chance that they just might have forgotten to reply.
When my friend called me out for not answering her, I replied honestly. I explained that for me, posting on social media requires much less effort than engaging in a personal conversation. I told her I was taking the weekend to recharge my social batteries, and she was super understanding. We ended up having a really productive conversation about how texting isn't always as easy as it sounds.
Sometimes self-care means not texting back right away
Depending on the conversation topic and where you're at in life mentally/emotionally, chatting with people can be challenging.
Reminding myself that texts like, "How are you?" can demand significantly more detailed responses than than texts like, "Have you watched Better Call Saul yet?" helps me understand and justify delayed responses. And acknowledging that mindlessly scrolling through Twitter or posting photos of food can be easier than talking about your life helped me accept that it's perfectly fine to use social media in between receiving and answering texts.
How have I been? What a stacked question.Credit: screenshot / nicole gallucci
Sometimes self-care means not texting back right away, and that became extraordinarily clear to me this year amid the coronavirus pandemic and George Floyd protests.
When my mind was racing to grapple with all the new coronavirus social distancing guidelines, medical research, and death tolls, I had trouble replying to texts in a timely manner. I did, however, find some semblance of calm on Instagram, and I continued sharing informative updates on Twitter.
And after George Floyd died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes, I barely texted anyone for days. I took time to watch protests spread around the world; to read books and articles, and to watch films to further educate myself on the history of racism and police brutality. I made an effort to donate to organizations, sign petitions, and support black-owned businesses.
Though I didn't feel ready to reply to non-urgent texts for a full week, I felt it was imperative that I continue to use my social media platforms to help raise awareness on the issues at hand and share invaluable resources.
Exceptions to the rule
If you're not in the right mindset to reply to text messages immediately, you shouldn't. Prioritizing your mental health is important. But you should also choose which texts to leave hanging on a case-by-case basis.
Always keep a message's content and urgency in mind. If someone's asking a question that requires an immediate response, do your best to respond in a timely fashion. And if someone needs help, you obviously shouldn't ignore them.
Wait a bit, but don't ghost people forever.Credit: vicky leta / mashable
If you wait to text back, be sure to acknowledge and apologize for the delay when you do get around to it. You can even be upfront with people and let them know upon receiving their message that you need a day or two to get back to them — that way you can relax without the unanswered text lingering in the back of your mind. Be honest with people if you're too overwhelmed to chat, but please avoid using that viral text reply template.
And remember, there's definitely a difference between waiting until you feel emotionally ready to text someone back and straight-up ghosting them. Don't ghost people, that's rude as hell.
Be kind to yourself and others
Ultimately, it's crucial to keep in mind that you never know exactly what someone is going through when they receive your text messages.
Cut yourself, and others, some slack, and try not to read too much into text delays — even if you see people posting on social media before they've replied. (If the wait really bothers you, you can always confront them about it. And you might end up having an eye-opening talk like I did with my friend.)
As someone who's avoided replying to family members and friends I absolutely adore because of sheer emotional exhaustion, I can tell you that delays aren't always ill-intentioned. Sometimes people are just overwhelmed.
Now you can identify plants and pooches right in Snapchat
Have you ever seen a dog so adorable or a plant so lush out in the wild that you had to know what it was right then and there?
Snap announced new partnerships on Thursday with the apps Dog Scanner(Opens in a new tab) and PlantSnap(Opens in a new tab) that will allow Snapchat users to do just that. Snapchatters can identify dogs or plants they encounter in the real world by scanning them right in Snapchat.
When you press and hold on the camera screen in Snapchat, lenses that are relevant to what the camera is pointing at are unlocked. For example, if I point and hold the camera on my dog right now, lenses that put sunglasses or heart eyes specifically formatted for the shape face of a dog appear.
Now, if you point the camera at a particularly Good Boy you see, you can access a lens that tells you what breed the dog is, using the data and A.I. of Dog Scanner, which recognizes nearly 400 dog breeds (my dog would get 100 percent purebred mutt). And if you focus your lens on a tree, bush or bud that catches your eye, you'll be able to identify 90 percent of known plants and trees with the PlantSnap integration.
Gotta snap that plant!!!Credit: snap
Snap announced the new features at the Snap Partner Summit, which it held virtually Thursday.
The ability to identify two of earth's best things — dogs and plants — through your smartphone, of course already exists; Dog Scanner and PlantSnap are standalone apps. But it's helpful that the capability comes within Snapchat itself if you're either someone who uses the app frequently already, or doesn't want to have to download a new app for each object you want your smartphone to help identify.
Plus, more categories are coming soon. An upcoming integration with the food and cosmetics scanning app Yuka(Opens in a new tab) will let Snapchatters unlock nutrition facts when they point and hold the camera at a food item. Snap already lets you point and hold to identify a song through Shazam, solve math problems with Photomath, and identify (and shop for) products sold on Amazon.
The dog and plant integrations are the sort of typically playful and fun feature that Snapchat is known for. However, the lens product also holds opportunity for further monetization for the company, as Snap CEO Evan Spiegel pointed out during a Q&A with reporters. For example, Snap unveiled a partnership with Louis Vuitton that allows users to point and hold on the monogram logo, which then takes users to content about their new collection. It's easy to see how — similar to the Amazon integration — this could lead to not just brand content and awareness, but shopping.
Snap made some other announcements around lenses for both developers and users Thursday. It's making more lens development templates available, such as ways to interact with — wait for it — feet (this could enable experiences like virtually trying on shoes).
On the user side, pointing and holding in a neighborhood will now unlock "local lenses," which lets users actually decorate buildings and other landmarks in AR. It's kind of like a shared street art experience, in which users build on each other's creations, that anyone in the physical space can access.
Snapchat's innovation in AR has helped the company keep its creative edge, even as companies like Facebook continually try to copy it. The biggest trouble with Snapchat's AR products is keeping track of all the things the app can do in a sometimes difficult to navigate lens ecosystem. But with a new voice search feature and a souped up Activity Bar, also announced Thursday, Snap's working on that, too.
Fox News used doctored images to, uh, report on Seattle protests
A protest against the police killing of George Floyd and police brutality in Seattle has been mostly characterized by drum circles, speakers(Opens in a new tab) and movie screenings. But if you only tuned into Fox News for coverage of these demonstrations, you might think it was full of burning buildings and armed guards.
On Friday, Fox News published several digitally altered images of the demonstrations on its website, which the Seattle Times caught(Opens in a new tab). It's not clear who is responsible for tweaking the images.
One photo, shown on Fox's homepage on Friday, placed a man with a rifle standing in front of a sign that reads "You are now entering Free Cap Hill." The street scene and the man who appears in it come from two different photos, taken more than a week apart.
The sign in that photo refers to the newly-dubbed Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a stretch of six blocks set up by protesters in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood to create "a police-free" independent zone, The Guardian reported(Opens in a new tab). It was established after the Seattle police abandoned a precinct in the neighborhood(Opens in a new tab) and converted the area into a festival-like space.
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The conservative outlet also published a photo of a person running past a fiery building and car to accompany stories on the Seattle protest. The headline read "CRAZY TOWN." The photo is actually from St. Paul, Minn. and was taken on May 30, according to the Seattle Times.
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After the Times reached out to Fox News about the photos, they were removed. But a Fox News spokeswoman also said the following, "We have replaced our photo illustration with the clearly delineated images of a gunman and a shattered storefront, both of which were taken this week in Seattle’s autonomous zone.”
The Times pushed back on this statement writing in its article that "the gunman photo was taken June 10, while storefront images it was melded with were datelined May 30 by Getty Images."
Though, as the Times reports, the demonstration has seen armed protesters it is nothing like the scene Fox attempted to purport with its misleading use of images.
As a photojournalism ethics educator told the Times, "I think it’s disgraceful propaganda and terribly misrepresentative of documentary journalism in times like this, when truth-telling and accountability is so important,” said Kenny Irby. “There is no attribution. There is no acknowledgment of the montage, and it’s terribly misleading.”
On Saturday, Fox News appended an editor's note to the stories featuring altered images expressing regret for "these errors."
A FoxNews.com home page photo collage which originally accompanied this story included multiple scenes from Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” and of wreckage following recent riots. The collage did not clearly delineate between these images, and has since been replaced. In addition, a recent slideshow depicting scenes from Seattle mistakenly included a picture from St. Paul, Minnesota. Fox News regrets these errors.
UPDATE: June 13, 2020, 4:06 p.m. EDT Added the editor's note that's been appended to stories on the Fox News website featuring the misleading images.
In honor of Trumps birthday, people tweet praise for Obama
Donald Trump turned 74 on Sunday. So, naturally, people celebrated the occasion by tweeting about the person who perhaps gets under his skin the most: Barack Obama. (Sunday was also Flag Day, but we feel like that wasn't the impetus here.)
The former president trended on the platform(Opens in a new tab) for much of the day, frequently under hashtags like #BarackObamaDay, #ObamaDayUSA, and #ObamaDayJune14th. Users tweeted corny praise for the former president alongside statements about Trump's incompetence. Some were oblique: "Smart intelligence leadership. I miss that every day," one person wrote. Others were more pointed: "Best president in my lifetime. Right @realdonaldtrump? You're the worst," wrote another(Opens in a new tab).
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Still others made references to Saturday's ramp fiasco, when Trump stepped gingerly down a ramp after his West Point graduation speech, got made fun of, then lied about it being slippery in a later tweet. One user, for example, tweeted a photo(Opens in a new tab) of Obama walking down a "slippery wet sidewalk."
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Michelle Obama to 2020 graduates: 'Finish the work the generations before you have started'
While not explicitly related to Obama, #AllBirthdaysMatter — a troll-y reference to the dismissive slogan "All lives matter,"(Opens in a new tab) which is often employed in attempts to discredit the Black Lives Matter movement — also trended briefly above Trump's birthday. Of course, the K-pop fans participated.
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Like most Resistance Twitter(Opens in a new tab) trends, the tweets skewed largely corny, were very reductive, and suffered from an overuse of hashtags. But Trump also takes the bait on this kind of thing all the time, so perhaps it genuinely bothered him. In any event, we're sure the Krassenstein brothers(Opens in a new tab) would be proud.
Not Quite White delves into the fetishisation of mixed race people in the dating world
"Being mixed, I am a lot of fetishes," writes Laila Woozeer in their memoir Not Quite White(Opens in a new tab). "From the bashful brown bride to an Aladdin and Jasmine fantasy, and being told I looked exotic, like a holiday, super sensual and wild in bed."
Woozeer — a queer non-binary writer, musician, and author — has penned a book that delves into what it’s like growing up mixed race in the UK.
"In my younger years I was genuinely unclear on whether I was supposed to exist," says Woozeer. "Between confusing messaging from society and a lack of representation in media it was a constant battle for my own sense of self — I wrote this book for the me that undid the damage and gaslighting wrought on me, and I wrote it for everyone else out there trying to will themselves into existence the way I did."
You can read an exclusive extract of Not Quite White below, in which Woozeer shares their experiences of dating and relationships while coming up against casual racism, microaggressions, not to mention fetishisation.
By 2015 the 'in' look had become tanned skin, thick eyebrows and long dark hair. Because white girls achieved this via fake tan, make-up, extensions, falsies, and cosmetic surgery, it wasn’t understood that people also naturally look this way. Questions came at random, inopportune moments. I’d exit a sweaty, overcrowded toilet and hear where’re your falsies from? directed to my bare eyelashes. Once at a house party, a girl couldn’t believe I didn’t have extensions, asking me to flip my hair over so she could see where it was actually connected to my head; showing others, running their hands along my scalp. Another time a white woman looked over at my bare stomach, asking, "Wow, you’re really that same colour all over?" Yes, were others not?
The idea I’d altered my appearance wasn’t offensive. What frustrated me was people actually did not believe me — crudely checking for themselves. Brown women in the media were glamorous: Priyanka Chopra, Jameela Jamil, Hannah Simone — slender silhouettes and long glossy hair. Meanwhile, at 25, my 'style' extended to jewellery that didn’t need taking off, charity shop clothes, and the occasional vintage dress. Makeup was limited to flicky eyeliner on gig days, and outside of auditions, my hair did whatever it wanted (mostly moult). I sat out eyelash glue and bronzer conversations because I had nothing to add — but I was seen as too proud to join in, or too secretive to disclose my secrets. Girls’ bathrooms get held up as bastions of sisterly support(Opens in a new tab): when filled with white women I found them hostile.
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Nearly half of Americans don't know what 'fetishization' is, according to Bumble
Potential suitors (i.e., randoms we met on nights out) threw me nicknames and comments; who I looked like, stereotypes, or 'assessment' type questions that would not have been out of place on an Equal Opportunities form. People in clubs would yell Hey Pocahontas, bravado-fuelled strangers in kebab shop queues called Oi Tigerlily, I bet you taste of caramel.
Dating apps were even more of a shitshow. The majority of my opening messages were something like: 'Hey Laila, can’t tell where you’re from' or 'Just wondering what colour you actually are??!!?' I’d seen my friends automatically swipe off a 'weird name' so knew what was playing out at the other end of my weird name. I believed if I wanted to date, I had to put up with a certain amount of crap. People who made no comments whatsoever were ... well, they weren’t. It came from white people and people of colour. As finding somebody with no preconceived ideas was impossible, I figured it was a question of what I’d put up with in exchange for love (or at least somebody to split a Netflix account with). The whole thing was an absolute shambles.
Laila Woozeer, author of "Not Quite White."Credit: Simon & Schuster
I rarely engaged in relationships or even actively 'dated,' ostensibly because I was work-focused. Also, even if you did find someone with good chat that didn’t look like a serial killer, who could be arsed with the gradual spiral of giving up that was dating? Instead, I revolved around people who came into my life organically — friends of friends, colleagues from gigs, people at house parties. Dates arrived in my life like piecemeal temp jobs: brief, unfulfilling, and passed on from people I already knew. People who hadn’t met me had too many preconceived ideas for me to work through. I’d stick with known people who wouldn’t project all their weird biases on to me.
"Dating apps were even more of a shitshow. The majority of my opening messages were something like: 'Hey Laila, can’t tell where you’re from' or 'Just wondering what colour you actually are??!!?'"
Or so I thought. Turns out if they know you, it’s worse. Same weird biases, same promises of 'I’ll be with you forever' after mere weeks, way more weird fetish projection. I had a few months of sort-of dates with a white guy from work who initially made comments about me being 'exotic' and 'like a holiday' — nothing new there then — but I figured this would drop off if we got to know each other. Instead, he would detail further how he’d fancied Indian women growing up, how his favourite food was Indian, how he thought Indian women were more sexy — one time eagerly asking if I had any ‘costumes’ in my wardrobe. He put on Slumdog Millionaire; I turned it off after 15 minutes due to an excruciating awkwardness I couldn’t then articulate. Another time, I made dinner for us — curry, his request — and as we sat down, he disclosed a long-held fantasy he had about getting home from work to an Indian meal cooked by his bashful brown bride. I was still placing food on the poky table when he launched into this spiel. What do you say to that?
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Another white guy, a friend's friend with whom I shared an even briefer situationship, told me he had a 'saving people' thing. In his words, "like Harry Potter, but more Aladdin." He was ecstatic we might date, staging increasingly elaborate ways to ask me out: he'd been waiting and now, here I was, waiting to be rescued! He'd show me the world the way Aladdin does for Jasmine. You can be my princess. I'll save you.
At the time, the obvious thing was to say yes and just go out with him — you know, why not? He liked me, friends were supportive, it was the least problematic thing I'd heard that week. But something stopped me: maybe the sacrilegious Jasmine thing (turning my childhood heroine into a come-on? Gross!), or maybe optics. He was unemployed, living at home; I was a grant-winning musician. What was he saving me from? He knew the racism I faced in work but deduced the issues lay with me, rather than the structure: so, he could save me from myself. He couldn’t see I’d saved myself a thousand times over already. Both times I sacked it off before anything really happened for reasons I can see clearly now but couldn’t verbalise then.
What’s more concerning: That young me assumed this was par for the course in a healthy relationship, or that, at the time of writing, both men have married South Asian women?
Not Quite White by Laila Woozeer (£16.99, Simon & Schuster) is out today and is available from Amazon(Opens in a new tab) and all good bookshops(Opens in a new tab).
She’s an eight, but she keeps cages of pigeons on her Brooklyn rooftop and trains them to collect shiny things on the street. To me, that makes her a six at best — to my friend, that raises her ranking of attractiveness to a 10. A bird girl is a full dime to some of us.
You've likely seen this meme-d out trend online. Here's how it works: Someone ranks an imaginary person on a scale of attractiveness from one to 10, and tosses in a trait that will either skyrocket their ranking (they bring you coffee in bed or know a lot about poetry and never talk about it) or dunks their ranking (they never change their sheets or know a lot about poetry and talk about it constantly).
The joke started off on TikTok, where all good memes have gotten their wings over the past few months, before trending on Twitter where good memes are sent to die. On TikTok, the meme swiftly moved from "this is funny and nice" to "this is terrible," a transition that can unilaterally be blamed on the folks who decide to participate. It goes like this: Women and gender nonconforming folks do it(Opens in a new tab), and it's fun and charming. Men do it, and it is scary and unappealing. One TikTok user, Raja Burrows or @thejollyraja, says(Opens in a new tab) this is because the way the meme originated was to "give the guy the highest score possible."
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TikTokkers are slapping each other with tortillas. Here's why.
"And as a result, the most fun answers are the ones that unexpectedly increase the guy's score," Burrows said. "Because it's fun when it's like 'he's a 6 but he has a mustache,' and one of the girls says 'hmm, that's kind of like a five for me,' but the other girl says 'oh my god that's an easy eight or an eight and a half.'"
The original joke was objectively pretty nice! And then cis, straight men came along and started looking for reasons to hate women. As one user, @deannaculen, put it,(Opens in a new tab) the most accurate reenactment of the men recreating this meme is simple: "She's a 10 but she's a girl. Zero."
It isn't that men aren't funny — that argument can be made(Opens in a new tab) but I, personally, would argue that most people are not funny regardless of gender. The real problem here is that misogyny is not funny; it's sterile and transparent and, genuinely, a boring and cheap way to try to get laughs and engagement. There's not enough self-depreciation in many of these takes. Dudes are taking these prompts as an opportunity to punch down, while women and gender nonconforming folks are either punching up, punching laterally, or not really punching at all.
And when the trend made its way to Twitter(Opens in a new tab), it took all of that weird, uncomfortable talk to another level. Partially, because joke formats work differently on different platforms. On TikTok, you can start with "they're a five," or "she's a nine" or "he's a three."
But on Twitter, you need the same first few words to get picked up in a trending topic, which happened to be "She's a 10" on Monday morning. That means every single tweet under the trend had to be a woman (she) who is very attractive (a 10) but who does something the poster doesn't like (has a hello kitty obsession(Opens in a new tab) or something) that brings her down a few notches.
Not all of them are terrible, though. I've Done The Work to create a curated list of the She's A 10 jokes that I don't hate.
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Given Twitter's change of management, you may be considering flapping your tired little wings over to another platform. There's no one-for-one copy of Twitter, but apps like Mastodon have been trying to fill in the gap.
Substack has tried to position itself as an alternative(Opens in a new tab), and have even set up a page at substack.com/twitter(Opens in a new tab) to help you move your Twitter following to Substack. The site has a history of free speech and misinformation controversies (sounds familiar?) but is an especially apt alternative for journalists, writers, and super-users who tweet their takes multiple times a day.
SEE ALSO:
Substack is swooping in as Twitter chaos continues
The Twitter-focused signup process isn't too different from the normal one, but there are some key differences. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how it works:
Step 1: Grant access to your Twitter account
Give Substack limited access to your Twitter account so that it can see your followers and tell them about your new posts.
Credit: Substack
Step 2: Create your Substack account
Create your account by signing up with your email address.
It's important to note that you have the option to keep your Substack from being shared with your Twitter followers at this step. Simply uncheck the blue box below the email address field. If you don't, an email will be sent to Substack readers who follow you on Twitter alerting them that you now have a Substack they can subscribe to. You can learn more about that feature by clicking this link.(Opens in a new tab)
Credit: Substack
Step 3: Set up your profile
Add your display name and a brief bio that will live on your Substack.
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Credit: Substack
Step 4: Create your publication
Choose a name for your newsletter and pick a URL.
Credit: Substack
Step 5: Tell your Twitter followers about your Substack
Substack will offer you the option to tweet out your new newsletter to followers. Click "tweet" and a draft tweet will open in a new tab.
Credit: Substack
Credit: Twitter
Now you're all set! Write up and publish your first post to have it shared with followers,
Like many aspects of culture this year, 2020's TikTok trends were shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of the larger trends that dominated TikTok may not have taken off if not for social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home mandates. At the same time trends were also shaped by the historic events that took place this year, like the Black Lives Matter movement and the seemingly eternal presidential election.
Here are the trends that defined TikTok this year.
1. Roller skating
Roller skating has been making a comeback for years, but the sport exploded in popularity thanks to TikToks that mesmerized viewers with graceful interpretations of already viral dance trends. With COVID-19 shutting down so much of the world, roller skating provided a safe way to stay active. The trend has been so immensely popular this year, roller skates are nearly impossible to buy(Opens in a new tab) as brands struggle to keep them stocked.
Rollerskating made a comeback this year in part thanks to TikTok.Credit: tiktok / ana coto
2. "Alt" TikTok
While TikTok gained notoriety for its viral dance trends, it was only a matter of time before the platform algorithmically divided its users into different "sides" of the app. Users began calling themselves "alt" or "deep" TikTok users, versus "straight" TikTok users. Rather than seeing content about mainstream trends, "Alt Tiktok" users found themselves seeing more surreal content. Much like the "hipster" and "fandom" factions of Tumblr, "Alt TikTok" users found some sense of pride in not being part of the mainstream culture.
3. The Black Lives Matter movement
The Black Lives Matter movement is not a trend or meme, but the movement's objectives shaped TikTok's content this year. From using TikTok to share videos of protests against police brutality to calling for greater visibility and recognition for Black creators, the Black Lives Matter movement inspired every aspect of internet culture to push for racial equality.
4. Crafting
Everyone and their mother got into DIY crafting projects during quarantine, and used TikTok to share it. Resin art, thrift flips, and other crafting projects dominated the For You Page. Ambitious TikTok users also recreated(Opens in a new tab) Harry Styles' patchwork sweater from scratch, inspiring the original designer to release the knitting pattern. When stuck inside, what better way to spend your time than furiously crafting?
Credit: Tiktok / irritasian
5. The 2020 election
Like nearly every other aspect of internet culture, the 2020 U.S. election permeated TikTok. Creators stressed about voting, made the case to abolish the electoral college, and thirsted after political analysts. One TikTok user even reimagined each state as anime characters banding together to defeat Donald Trump. No matter where you are in the world, it was pretty much impossible to avoid TikTok videos about the presidential election.
Election content dominated TikTok for a few days.Credit: Tiktok / trashling
6. Learning that one very confusing dance move
Some refer to it as twerking(Opens in a new tab), and others describe it as throwing it back. Many TikTok users call it the "booty shake" because there really is no better way to describe it. No matter what you call it, the move has eluded TikTok users who just can't seem to move their body that way, and sparked an even larger trend of trying to learn how to do it. Don't worry — there are plenty of tutorials(Opens in a new tab) online.
Can you throw it back?Credit: TikTok / cherryemojigirl
7. Shaming influencers for not social distancing
Influencers and celebrities have faced both valid and uncalled for criticism in the past, but many fans were disillusioned by their favorites this year for continuing to party. From not wearing masks while out to socializing despite health officials' pleas to avoid doing so, former followers started demanding that influencers take accountability for their actions with greater force than in previous years.
2021 is sure to bring even more bizarre TikTok content.
Sun's out, fun's in. Take advantage of long summer days by creating unforgettable memories in your own backyard. Lowe’s(Opens in a new tab) has everything you need to build your own backyard oasis. Level up your lawn chairs, sit back, relax, and prepare for a summer of DIY entertainment.
Styling options for smaller spaces(Opens in a new tab)
If planned right, you can get a lot out of use out of a little footprint. Lowe’s(Opens in a new tab) selection of bistro sets and compact patio furniture can turn even the smallest ledge into dinner for two.
Credit: Lowe's
Watch movies on the drop-cloth screen(Opens in a new tab)
Fire up the twinkle lights and the citronella candle for a cinematic night under the stars. With all the familiar fixings of a movie theater, Lowe’s(Opens in a new tab) compiled a comprehensive list to create an evening of DIY movie magic. The best part? No bathroom lines! Just be sure to check the weather report before deciding on showtimes.
Credit: Lowe's
Create a 5 star backyard restaurant(Opens in a new tab)
The quickest way to set a summer vibe is through familiar flavors. Set your neighbors’ noses flaring with Lowe’s large selection of grilling tools and outdoor cooking accessories. Gas, charcoal, pellet, and ceramic—Lowe’s(Opens in a new tab) carries all of the best brands and parts to appease even the pickiest of backyard chefs. Not a pro? No worries. Lowe’s can provide expert guidance to help you get started.
Customize your happy place(Opens in a new tab)
Lowe's has a huge array of outdoor decor(Opens in a new tab), including planters, dining carts, colorful table cloths, pillows, outdoor rugs, and hanging lights. Mix, match, and craft your backyard space into your perfect chill zone.
Two innocent trans women smeared online after the Uvalde school shooting
Following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday – the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in a decade – two trans women found their images being spread online with claims that they were the now-deceased shooter.
Mashable spoke to both of these individuals. Neither have any connection to the shooter or the shooting. There is no proof that the deceased shooter, who killed 21 people including 19 students inside Robb Elementary School, is transgender.
On the evening of May 24, confirmed photos of the Uvalde school shooter were being shared on Twitter alongside pictures of people who had similar long hair and features. Sabrina noticed one of those photos was of her. In the photo, Sabrina, a 22-year-old living in New York City is seen drinking out of a bottle. She posted the photo on Twitter just 4 days prior(Opens in a new tab). Sabrina declined to share her last name for this story.
SEE ALSO:
As we deal with the tragic mass shooting in Texas, here's how to help
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Sabrina quickly replied to a number of tweets in an attempt to debunk the disinformation.
"Please delete them, i dont want my image associated with a tragedy," Sabrina tweeted.
While some did delete their tweets, others demanded proof. Sabrina even posted a new photo(Opens in a new tab) of herself in front of the framed painting that can be seen in the background of the original photo as proof she was the individual in the picture.
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But the photo kept spreading.
Sabrina decided to lock down her Twitter account and go private for the night, basically closing access to her tweets to all but her few dozen followers.
One interesting thing about the photo being spread, according to Sabrina, was that it was "uncropped" and revealed an additional picture frame hanging on the wall above her head. While she had posted a version of that photo on Twitter days earlier, she had cropped out that picture frame in her public tweet.
"Only thing I can suspect is that they took it from a gc [group chat] im in on discord," Sabrina told Mashable.
As for why she was targeted, specifically? It's unclear. But Sabrina said it's "safe to say" because she is trans.
While Sabrina believes her photo was ripped from a private Discord group she no longer belongs to, the photos were falsely connected to the mass shooting on 4chan. The imageboard has long been a hangout for "edgelords" and internet trolls, known as a home to some of the internet's worst users. However, the forum has recently been thrust into the spotlight once again following the shooting in Buffalo two weeks ago. The white supremacist shooter cited 4chan as a major influence(Opens in a new tab) on his views and belief in the far-right conspiracy theory, The Great Replacement, which led to the supermarket shooting that left 10 dead.
With 4chan users manipulating the event to foment anti-trans sentiment, far right-wing users quickly latched on and shared the photos of the innocent trans women to falsely claim that the Uvalde school shooter was transgender, which then spread to other platforms. On Twitter, tweets circulating the photos of the trans women were easily found in top trending topics about the shooting. The photos were disseminated on Instagram and Facebook as well. Andrew Torba, the founder of the far-right social network, Gab, shared(Opens in a new tab) one such photo to his 3.6 million followers on his platform.
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The photo that Torba shared on Gab has been confirmed to be a trans woman named Sam Palacios, a 20-year-old living in Georgia. For months, Sam has shared photos of herself on LGBTQ+ friendly subreddits on the popular social sharing platform Reddit. Unbeknownst to Sam, those photos would later be ripped from Reddit and used to tie her to a school shooting. Soon after, users started to comment on her months-old Reddit photos.
"I don't live in Texas tho," Sam replied to the first comment that was left about the shooting. "He's dead, how could it be me[?]"
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Like in Sabrina's case, Sam attempted to squash the misinformation as quickly as possible by replying to Reddit comments and boosting posts debunking the falsehoods on other social media platforms. She posted a new photo(Opens in a new tab) of herself to Reddit in front of the same trans pride flag that was visible in some of her now-viral pics. The next day, Sam posted another new photo holding up a sign(Opens in a new tab) with Wednesday's date, "May 25."
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Many of those sharing the misinformation about the two transgender women claimed these were photos posted by the shooter on his Instagram page. The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, did indeed post photos of himself on their Instagram(Opens in a new tab) Story right before he committed the heinous act. The photos include selfies and an image of his firearm on his lap. These three photos were the only pictures posted to his account before it was removed from the platform. The photos portraying transgender individuals never appeared on his feed.
Perhaps the most egregious tweet surrounding the disinformation involving the photos of transgender individuals came from a sitting U.S. Congressman.
U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar amplified falsehoods about the Uvalde school shooter to smear trans people.Credit: Mashable Screenshot
Based on the fake photos and disinformation being passed around, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) falsely claimed(Opens in a new tab) in a since-deleted tweet that shooter was a "transsexual leftist illegal alien." Again, there has been no evidence the shooter is trans nor do we know their politics or motivation. The shooter was born(Opens in a new tab) in North Dakota and went to high school in Texas.
Thankfully, both Sabrina and Sam tell Mashable that the spread of the false information and comments they've received from the previous night are starting to subside. Sabrina felt comfortable enough to unlock her Twitter account as well. Sam, however, is still "keeping an eye out."
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Over the past few months, there has been a noticeable uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in our political climate. Online, those identifying as LGBTQ+ have found themselves being smeared as "groomers." Conservative personality Candace Owens, for example, was still spreading falsehoods(Opens in a new tab) about the shooter being trans on Wednesday afternoon based on disinformation regarding Sabrina and Sam's photos.
It's a concerning trend in the wrong direction. But, sadly it's also, as Sam perfectly summed it up, "just another day of being trans."
Weird Spotify Playlists is an unexpected meme that pushes the boundaries
There are now memes on Spotify. Yes, Spotify.
Starting in the first week of August my Twitter feed became inundated by the account Weird Spotify Playlists(Opens in a new tab), which posts screenshots of playlists where weird doesn't even begin to cover it.
The account quickly gained half a million followers and posts a handful of bizarre playlists daily. The account crowdsources playlists in their dms and on the Weird Spotify Playlists(Opens in a new tab) subreddit, which has over 14,000 members. The Twitter is run by Matt(Opens in a new tab) who runs a handful of other Twitter meme pages like True, I Guess...(Opens in a new tab) and Weird Knock-Off Brands(Opens in a new tab).
The Weird Spotify Playlist trend is the next phase of the playlist that dates back to the mix tape(Opens in a new tab), as pointed out by Miles Klee of Mel Magazine. This phase rejects the classic idea of a playlist — the songs on the list aren't exactly intended for listening. Instead these playlists make jokes that rely on the playlist title and song titles. They can even tell strange and unexpected stories through the titles.
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My personal favorite is "You and Your Dog Named Timothee Chalamet Are At The Dog Park And No One's Around." It's a creative and random theme for a playlist, but what is most impressive about it and the trend itself is that the playlist creators are able to pull off these themes with song titles. When I read the playlist title I thought there is no way the creator Existential Desk could create this narrative from song titles on Spotify, but sure enough there is a track called "Timothee Chalamet, Where Are You Going?"
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Some trends on Weird Spotify Playlists include ingredient playlists and POV playlists.
The POV playlists make fun of the trendy, highly curated POV lists that go viral on TikTok, like "pov: you're the main character"(Opens in a new tab) or "pov ur the hot ex."(Opens in a new tab) Both playlists have over 30,000 likes on Spotify.
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This trend is a response to Spotify becoming another performative social media platform for younger users. The app is more than just a music streaming platform — your friends can follow you and see what you're listening to at all times.
And if your playlists are public, anyone who finds your profile can see them, so they've become another way to define yourself on the internet. On Instagram you post the best pictures of yourself that reflect your desired vibe and aesthetic, on Spotify you do the same thing, but with your playlists. You only feature the playlists you want people to think you listen to on your profile.
Not to mention Spotify's analytics like Spotify Wrapped are designed to be shared on other social media platforms. Spotify even has its own influencers.
Rather than creating cool playlists, these users are subverting the norm and making fun of the idea of a playlist. They take advantage of the wealth of music on Spotify and the social media aspects of the platform and use playlists to create memes.
BBC weatherman intros Rick Astley in most hilariously awkward way possible
In life, you're never going to be everyone's cup of tea. That rule applies to famous people, as this BBC clip proves.
Rick Astley — the much beloved singer of "Never Gonna Give You Up" — received a rather awkward introduction when appearing on BBC Breakfast.
Meteorologist Matt Taylor, having just finished a weather update on the show, was asked whether he was a Rick Astley fan by BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt. "Err not a massive one," he replied in a very unenthused tone.
"That was the wrong thing to say," said Stayt. "He's listening and he's coming up in just a moment."
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Thankfully, Taylor got another bite at the cherry. "I'll ask you again," said Stayt. "Are you a Rick Astley fan?"
"Love Rick Astley. Best! Grew up with him!" Taylor said.
SEE ALSO:
Man attempts to give serious BBC interview, regrets ever having children
Thankfully Astley, waiting patiently to be interviewed, didn't take offence. In fact, he could barely contain his laughter at the awkwardness of the mishap.
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Astley then went on to chat to the BBC Breakfast team about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality sector(Opens in a new tab). Astley owns a bar called Mikkeller in Hackney, London.
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As the lyrics go, you wouldn't get this from any other (famous) guy.
Far right instigator Katie Hopkins is permanently banned from Twitter for violating the company's hateful conduct policy.
Hopkins, who has been retweeted by Donald Trump several times, is known for her extreme views on immigration and other social issues. She once referred to(Opens in a new tab) refugees fleeing war as "cockroaches." In 2017, Hopkins was fired from a radio show for calling for a "final solution" for Muslims living in the United Kingdom after a terrorist attack in Manchester.
She was temporarily suspended in January. Twitter affirmed that as of Friday, she was banned from the platform permanently in a statement to CNN(Opens in a new tab).
SEE ALSO:
No, CNN did not stage a protest after the London attack
"Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us — abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service and we will continue to take down action when our Rules are broken," Twitter stated. "In this case, the account has been permanently suspended for violations of our Hateful Conduct policy."
While the company wouldn't share the exact tweets that resulted in Hopkins' ban, its Hateful Conduct(Opens in a new tab) policy states that users "may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease."
Hopkins had roughly a million followers before her ban, BBC(Opens in a new tab) reports.
DoorDash glitch results in hundreds of free food orders
As convenient as apps are, they all share the same kryptonite: glitches. Some glitches appear to cause problems like the occasional DoorDash outage, resulting in a lot of hungry people. On the evening of July 7, however, a temporary glitch on the DoorDash app resulted in hundreds of people ordering free food.
The glitch was caused by a payment processing issue that allowed users to check out without an authorized form of payment. The DoorDash glitch went viral on Twitter as people found out about it, resulting in restaurants across the country having to take orders and deliveries en masse. By the time DoorDash resolved the problem, the damage had already been done: people had placed hundreds of orders for free food, drinks, and even Plan B.
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Twitter users who placed orders during the glitch are now concerned that DoorDash might now extract the full prices of their purchases(Opens in a new tab), and some say they woke up the day after the glitch to their accounts being charged(Opens in a new tab). People are also calling out those who took advantage of the glitch but didn’t tip drivers for large orders, and drawing attention to the extra labor restaurant workers were slammed with.
This isn’t the first time that users have experienced glitches on a food delivery app. In May 2022, a GrubHub promo code(Opens in a new tab) for a free $15 lunch caused the app to crash altogether, leaving many New York City residents both hungry and frustrated. Similarly, restaurants were bombarded with orders and drivers often weren’t tipped. DoorDash is currently working on rectifying the repercussions of the glitch.
“We’re actively canceling fraudulent orders, and are in touch with merchants impacted to ensure they are compensated for any unauthorized orders they may have received,” DoorDash told Mashable. “We work to ensure that we are always offering the highest quality of service to the communities we serve, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this.”
