Quordle today: Here are the answers and hints for November 17
2023-03-19 06:18:17author:dointy.com
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Quordle today: Here are the answers and hints for November 17
Quordle isn't supposed to be a hard game. It's supposed to be a game you spend a few minutes on, and then move on with your day. Sometimes, though, it's tricky.
If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.
What is Quordle?
Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.
Is Quordle harder than Wordle?
Yes, though not diabolically so.
Where did Quordle come from?
Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30(Opens in a new tab). Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian(Opens in a new tab) six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue(Opens in a new tab) from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running.
How is Quordle pronounced?
“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”
Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?
Yes and no.
Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.
After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.
What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?
Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times.
Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.
Is there a way to get the answer faster?
In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:
Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand(Opens in a new tab) suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”
Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.
If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:
Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?
Two words have letters occurring twice.
Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?
No.
What do today’s Quordle words start with?
S, M, S, and B.
What are the answers for today’s Quordle?
Are you sure you want to know?
There’s still time to turn back.
OK, you asked for it. The answers are:
SHUSH
MIRTH
SKULL
BURST
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K-pop fans spam Dallas police snitch app with videos and memes to support protesters
On Saturday, the Dallas Police Department posted a tweet telling people to send them videos from ongoing protests against police brutality via the iWatch Dallas app.
"If you have a video of illegal activity from the protests and are trying to share it with @DallasPD(Opens in a new tab), you can download it to our iWatch Dallas app," they wrote.(Opens in a new tab) "You can remain anonymous."
Instead, Twitter users are flooding the official snitching app with unrelated videos, memes, K-pop fancams, and even footage of the police themselves.
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The U.S. is currently embroiled in widespread protests against police brutality and racism, sparked by the recent death of 46-year-old George Floyd. Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota after police handcuffed him and knelt on his neck for several minutes. Video footage of the incident shows police officer Derek Chauvin continued to pin Floyd to the ground despite his repeated cries that he couldn't breathe, and refused to relent even after Floyd became unresponsive.
Floyd was just the latest of countless black people who have been needlessly victimised or died at the hands of police, prompting thousands to take to the streets in protest. However, rather than deescalating the situation, law enforcement have largely responded with increasing violence.
Numerous viral videos have captured police officers assaulting visibly peaceful civilians(Opens in a new tab) at these protests, as well as indiscriminately targeting journalists and bystanders without provocation. Not even people standing quietly on their own front porch(Opens in a new tab) are safe.
SEE ALSO:
How to demand justice for George Floyd and support Minneapolis protesters
Twitter users have therefore responded to Dallas PD's request for information by spamming the iWatch Dallas app with unrelated videos and encouraging others to do the same. The intent is that any information which could identify protesters will be buried by the flood.
Some people have been submitting media such as SpongeBob SquarePants memes and the Bee Movie script to the Dallas police's app. Others have sent footage of police violence. However, by far the largest, most coordinated effort appears to have come from K-pop fans, who have no shortage of videos to spam the police with.
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K-pop fans regularly post clips of their favorite artists on Twitter, even in response to completely unrelated tweets. However, many fans have recently stopped tweeting so zealously about their favorite groups, hoping to keep #BlackLivesMatter(Opens in a new tab) and related phrases trending instead. Now they're using their collections of fancams to try to protect protesters and further help the cause.
SEE ALSO:
K-pop fans are supporting #BlackLivesMatter by refusing to promote their faves on Twitter
It appears to be working, too. Dallas PD announced iWatch Dallas was temporarily down just one day after directing people to use the app, citing "technical difficulties."(Opens in a new tab) Exactly what said difficulties were remains unclear, though many Twitter users have attributed it to thousands of K-pop fans' coordinated spamming efforts. The Dallas Police Department's website(Opens in a new tab) was also down at time of writing due to an overwhelmed server.
Mashable has contacted the Dallas Police Department for comment.
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If the police honestly expected this would end any other way then they're even more out of touch than we thought.
UPDATE: June 2, 2020, 10:45 a.m. AEST It seems Kirkland police have learnt nothing from Dallas. On Monday afternoon, Kirkland PD requested people use the #calminkirkland(Opens in a new tab) hashtag on Twitter to give them information about the protests. The hashtag was already flooded with K-pop fancams mere hours later.
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Brand tweets about being an anti-racist ally are not enough
America is in chaos, but don't worry the brands are on it.
The murder by police of George Floyd, a handcuffed, unarmed black man, has sparked nationwide protests and, at times, riots and looting. Police have frequently responded to demonstrations with shocking violence: running them down with SUVs(Opens in a new tab), teargassing them(Opens in a new tab), beating them with batons, shooting them with rubber bullets(Opens in a new tab). President Donald Trump has called for further violence and, just quoting the man in charge of America here(Opens in a new tab), told governors on Monday that they "have to dominate" protesters.
All of this during a global pandemic.
There is no quick fix here. (Though for starters there are ways to support the protesters and white people can educate themselves about how to be a good ally to people of color.) But I do know what we absolutely don't need in this moment: Tepid, boilerplate statements from brands.
We really, really do not need them, but, holy hell, we're getting them nonetheless. They're everywhere. Just log on to the internet and, yep, there they are.
A few big brands started doing it — a crossover post from Nike and Adidas(Opens in a new tab) got a lot of traction early on — and then every company felt the need to jump on the bandwagon.
Twitter user @campster(Opens in a new tab) captured their near-universal style perfectly with this meme.
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As the protests grew over the weekend, major corporations, sports teams, and pretty much any brand you've ever heard of decided they needed to speak out. Some brands have commented on big social issues like race before, but rarely have they done so with this much vigor.
On the surface, it seems like the right thing to do. But the problem is that it almost never involves anything like, I don't know... putting actual money or action toward the cause.
These statements on race are especially empty when they come from companies that have been criticized for mistreating people of color in the past. Hell, even Nextdoor, the neighbor app infamous as a platform for racial profiling(Opens in a new tab), released a statement. Amazon, a company known for mistreating its warehouse workers(Opens in a new tab), felt the need to jump into the fray.
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In short, what brands are doing with these statements feels a lot like performative allyship(Opens in a new tab), doing something very public (and often very easy) to appear like an ally without, you know, doing the real work to actually be one. In the case of brands, their statements would mean more if they were paired with donations or commitments to take specific, meaningful steps to dismantle racism.
The path forward from here will be difficult. It's going to take more than a blithe Instagram post gesturing at unity and all sides being in this together or whatever the hell.
Please brands, just stop with the statements that say absolutely nothing. And think about showing up when it can help, not just when it makes you look good.
Justin Trudeau takes uncomfortably long pause before answering question about Trump and protests
Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau took his sweet time — about 20 seconds — to find the right words to answer a question about President Donald Trump and his call for military force to be used against the widespread anti-racism protests in the United States.
Eventually, Trudeau did muster an answer.
"We all watch in horror and consternation what's going on in the United States," he said on Tuesday. "It is a time to pull people together but it is a time to listen, to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades."
Here's the video of the 20-second pause, which is probably even longer than you imagine. Seriously, at times it seems like maybe the video feed froze.
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As the questioner mentioned in the video, Trudeau has been hesitant to comment on Trump. When asked for further comment, he added(Opens in a new tab): "My job as a Canadian Prime Minister is to stand up for Canadians."
Trudeau might also be hesitant to talk about the protests for reasons beyond his fraught relationship with the Trump administration.
Trudeau was the center of a massive racism scandal — and, of course, the U.S. protests are centered on police brutality and the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after one officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Back in September 2019, a racist photo of Trudeau in brownface surfaced from his time as a student at West Point Grey Academy.
If you'd like to help support protesters fighting for justice for George Floyd, here is a helpful resource.
How tech leaders can do more for racial justice than just tweet
Solidarity is nice, but jobs and investment in black workers and businesses is better.
Many tech leaders and companies have tweeted out support(Opens in a new tab) for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's death and police brutality protests sweeping the nation. Acknowledging tragedy and injustice at all, and not actively enabling racism — we're looking at you, Mark Zuckerberg — is a positive for the often whitewashed tech industry. Floyd died after a police officer, who has since been charged with 3rd-degree murder, kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
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However, people of color in the tech diversity space say the tweets don't go far enough. There's a better way tech executives in particular can promote racial equality, that would have more impact than a tweet: hiring black employees, fostering equitable workplaces, creating anti-racist products, and investing in black startups and other businesses.
"We’ve seen a number of leaders and companies speak out, but Black and brown people in tech are still waiting to see if this will lead to transformational change," Aniyia Williams and Syreeta Martin, of Black & Brown Founders(Opens in a new tab), an organization that supports entrepreneurs of color, wrote over email. "Use your privilege, platform, resources and influence to help bring about a change. A change that is measurable, sustainable, shaped and led by Black and Latinx people."
Diversity among tech employees has remained dismally low(Opens in a new tab), despite many commitments by companies to improve. At major organizations like Google(Opens in a new tab), black employees comprise around 4 percent to 5 percent of the workforce. Diversity hiring programs over the past five years have only yielded a single percent or two of improvement. What's more, Karla Monterroso, the CEO of Code2040(Opens in a new tab), an organization that works to empower people of color in tech jobs, said since the election of President Trump progress has stalled in both attitudes towards diverse hiring, and actual hires made.
"Going into 2017, it was really clear that companies had at that point in time started to disinvest from diversity programs," Monterroso said. "It really did hit its apex this year of that slowdown."
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The connection between police brutality perpetrated against black people, and a fair and diverse tech world, might not seem obvious. However, they are connected. The lack of diversity in tech workplaces is a result of all the ways our institutions keep people of color from economic opportunity. If tech leaders can truly examine, and hopefully seek to improve, why their companies most likely don't employ many people of color, they can begin to repair their own biases, enable economic empowerment, and be conscientious members of local communities their companies too often disrupt.
Some tech leaders such as Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg(Opens in a new tab) and Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi(Opens in a new tab) have pledged money to Black Lives Matter and other criminal justice causes in social media posts (Facebook pledged $10 million; Uber promised $1 million). However, some leaders say that creating systemic change within the tech world would be much more powerful than a tweet, and even a donation.
"While I think it’s great that they are giving money in this moment, there are things in your backyard that are happening that you are not giving money for," Monterroso said.
Mashable spoke with leaders of organizations that are trying to improve racial equity in tech. Here's what they had to say for how tech leaders can do more to support black lives than just tweet.
1. Face the tech world's blind spots
The mythology of Silicon Valley revolves around meritocracy: that the best ideas (and people) will rise to the top. However, the economic and societal barriers that keep people of color out of higher education, job interviews, and board rooms tells another story. Correcting that problem involves acknowledging the implicit racism within the tech world — and reaching out directly to black people to help.
"What I have appreciated with some of the folks reaching out and what I’m seeing, is that they’re at least saying I’m looking to support my black employees, my black suppliers, black founders, etc.," Rodney Sampson, who has worked for decades to promote equity in tech and runs an organization called OHUB(Opens in a new tab) that places and empowers people of color in tech jobs, said. "Acknowledgement is sort of a first step."
There are a host of other problems Sampson said leaders need to take a hard look at. Chief among them is how tech hubs disrupt and gentrify(Opens in a new tab) communities of color, and how job opportunities don't make their way(Opens in a new tab) to local communities. The first step to solving those problems? Taking an honest look at yourself.
"Tech being so influential in really being a driving force of innovation throughout the world, really opening up and being transparent about their shortcomings is critical," Sherrell Dorsey, the founder of a website covering black innovation, The Plug(Opens in a new tab), said.
2. Be accountable to your promises
The outpouring of support from the tech world caught Dorsey by surprise. She and her team began cataloguing(Opens in a new tab) all of the statements made by tech leaders and companies, and comparing them to donations made, diversity statistics, and more, in order to keep a record of these extraordinary times. Not letting the promises made in tweets float into the social media ether will be a critical next step in translating solidarity into action.
"Whatever the place is coming from to make these statements, all the attention is on the next move."
"I think transparency is definitely key," Dorsey said. "Whatever the place is coming from to make these statements, all the attention is on the next move. This list continues to grow."
What's more, it shouldn't be up to people of color to hold the white tech world accountable. That responsibility has to come from within. Martin, with Black & Brown Founders, encourages tech leaders to 1) "Make space for our presence" and 2) "Acknowledge our experiences and our truth."
"When you or your white colleagues, friends or families, find yourselves falling short on #1 and #2, call it out and take accountability through action, not just words," Martin said.
3. Put your money where your mouth is and actually hire people of color
Before COVID-19, according to Monterroso, there were 700,000 open jobs in tech. And yet reports show(Opens in a new tab) that people of color are not being hired for them.
"You have an available talent pool, you have a lot of open jobs," Monterroso said. "We are not giving jobs to every person who gets trained."
Tech has touted its commitment to diversity again and again, yet jobs have not materialized.
"I'm actually fairly done with the 'commitments' to hire more people," Monterroso said. "They've been committing to hire more people since 2014 at least, if not more than that. That is not enough. Hiring them is enough. Actually do the hiring."
4. Revamp the hiring process, evaluation, and retention
The tech world contains barriers that both keep people of color out of jobs and undermine their success. Hiring, evaluation, and workplace environment needs an overhaul.
To help people get their foot in the door, hiring managers should stop using elite educations as a way to pre-screen candidates.
"By making university pedigree the largest factor in screening, what companies do is disproportionately take out black and Latinx people [from] a university system we already know is disenfranchising students," Monterroso said. "They are outsourcing their hiring to a university system that requires money, not just for entrance, but for preparation for standardized testing."
Multiple experts brought up problems with employee retention at tech companies. Monterroso said that black employees get disproportionately low marks on performance reviews, which most likely speaks to bias in assessment, not performance. Additionally, workplaces can inadvertently push out black employees by fostering unwelcoming environments. One former Google employee wrote eloquently(Opens in a new tab) of the phenomenon in a memo circulated last year of how he "never stopped feeling the burden of being black" while working at Google.
"Make space for our presence," Martin said. "This means not questioning whether we should be somewhere that you're at — be it personally or professionally. And definitely make space at the table from which you sit and lead."
5. Reinvest in black businesses and venture funds
Hiring is not the only way to empower black people in tech. Sampson pointed out a huge discrepancy(Opens in a new tab) in investments in startups with black founders, particularly black women founders. This should be a moment for change in how black businesses and funds get supported. There are also specific corporate incentives(Opens in a new tab) created to fund businesses that benefit low income communities, called opportunity zones; investors should educate themselves on how to take advantage of these programs. Additionally, companies can also look to their operational budget to work with black-owned vendors.
"A company may argue they don’t have extra money to do hiring right now, they could spend money with black-owned businesses," Sampson said.
Sampson wants to see the promises of this moment translate into black board members and funded companies.
"Forget the virtue signaling," Sampson said. "Write a check. Write a large check. If you want to fund black economic empowerment, fund black businesses."
6. Develop progressive products. And please, make sure your current products don't enable racism
Some pointed Twitter moments emerged after Brand Twitter started to verbally support the Black Lives Matter movement. For example, the ACLU called out Amazon's tweet in support of Black Lives Matter, suggesting that stopping the sale of racist facial recognition software to police departments would be more effective than a nice sentiment. (Multiple tests(Opens in a new tab) have found that facial recognition algorithms, including Amazon's, misidentify people of color more often than white people).
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"New technologies are actively and/or passively oppressive," Deldelp Medina, of Black & Brown Founders, said. "From the automation of jobs to the elimination of well-paid work (for folks of color and Black folks in particular), to the gathering of personal data which is used to prosecute, give sentencing guidelines, and incarcerate, we are seeing it increase, not level off."
From facial recognition software that could enable the surveillance of protesters to algorithms that amplify messages of hate, tech has often been complicit or enabling of racism and racist institutions. If tech leaders are tweeting in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, they can start with not actively contributing to the problem.
"No amount of money that is given out to criminal justice organizations by Mark Zuckerberg through CZI(Opens in a new tab), [Zuckerberg's family foundation], changes that that product is incentivizing and coloring the dialogue of the country," Monterroso said of Facebook and how its algorithm tends to favor(Opens in a new tab) polarizing content, including spreading demonizing characterizations of the recent protests seeking justice for Floyd.
Some tech companies have taken steps to reorient their products and business deals in ways that don't enable hatred. But Sampson, and others, want to see more real world action.
"It’s not time for kumbaya solidarity," Sampson said. "It’s gotta be transactional."
John Boyega makes emotional speech to Black Lives Matter protesters in London
Star Wars actor John Boyega is one of the many people taking action in wake of George Floyd's death.
Floyd died on May 25, after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes, and in the week since, protests against racism and police brutality have spread around the world.
Thousands of people in the UK gathered to protest in solidarity with the U.S. over the weekend, and on Wednesday, the British actor was seen delivering an emotional address in the middle of a Black Lives Matter protest at London's Hyde Park.
Photos show Boyega speaking to the crowd of fellow protesters through a megaphone, and videos shared to social media caught snippets of his powerful speeches.
"Black lives have always mattered. We have always been important. We have always meant something. We have always succeeded regardless. And now is the time. I ain't waiting," Boyega shouted into the megaphone.
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SEE ALSO:
Thousands protest racism and police violence around the globe in solidarity with U.S.
The 28-year-old was seen wiping tears from his cheeks at the event, and also encouraged everyone around him to take a knee at one point.
"Thank you for coming out today. Thank you for being there to show your support to us. Black people, I love you. I appreciate you. Today is an important day. We're fighting for our rights, we're fighting for our ability to live in freedom, we're fighting for our ability to achieve," Boyega said. "Today, you guys are a physical representation of that."
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You can watch Boyega's full speech below.
Last week Boyega addressed the death of George Floyd on his Twitter account(Opens in a new tab), and has since fired off several other tweets condemning racism and criticizing those who took issue with him speaking out. The actor also spoke to followers in an Instagram Live video(Opens in a new tab), during which he said, "Although I don’t live in the States, I’m black…So I'll say it again: Fuck you racist white people. I said what I said. And if you don’t fucking like it, go suck a dick."
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Boyega and other protesters in London defied coronavirus restrictions to attend these rallies. As of right now the UK is still under severe coronavirus restrictions, and the government has stated that groups should not contain more than six people(Opens in a new tab).
Signals new blur tool will help hide protesters identities
Secure messaging app Signal has announced a new in-app blur tool that will allow users to censor faces in photos before sharing them. The feature is being introduced to protect protesters currently demonstrating against police brutality by helping to hide their identities.
"Right now, people around the world are marching and protesting against racism and police brutality, outraged by the most recent police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor," Signal wrote in a blog post(Opens in a new tab) on Wednesday. "At Signal, we support the people who have gone into the streets to make their voices heard."
Floyd died on May 25 after Minneapolis police handcuffed him and knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Taylor died on March 13 after Louisville police entered her home(Opens in a new tab) and shot her multiple times. They are just two among countless black people who have been needlessly assaulted or killed by law enforcement, sparking the widespread protests.
SEE ALSO:
How to demand justice for George Floyd and support Minneapolis protesters
Many feel it important that the civilians currently protesting are able to remain anonymous, as police have largely responded to the protests with further unprovoked violence(Opens in a new tab), and law enforcement has a history when it comes to using facial recognition technology, as does ICE.
As such, Signal's blur tool will enable users to censor photos before sharing them, obscuring protesters' faces so they can't be easily identified.
The new blur feature will be able to automatically detect and hide faces in an image, with all processing taking place on the user's phone to ensure security. Signal users will also be able to manually censor parts of a photo by tapping on the blur tool in the image editor. Face-detecting software isn't always perfect, so this will allow users to pick up any faces that might have been missed.
The update will roll out "as soon as possible" on both the Android and iOS Signal apps, having already been submitted to the app stores.
Signal will allow users to manually blur images before sharing them.Credit: signal
Signal has seen significantly increased traffic over the past few days. The encrypted messaging app has been downloaded thousands of times since Floyd was killed and the protests began, with 121,000 downloads in the U.S. alone. This may be partially because Signal doesn't keep its users' message data, making it ideal for those concerned the law enforcement might try to subpoena their chat logs.
In further support of the protestors, Signal has also announced they are currently looking into manufacturing masks and distributing them for free. Details are currently being finalised, with more information to come.
As the company's blog post noted, "One immediate thing seems clear: 2020 is a pretty good year to cover your face."
Meghan Markle on the killing of George Floyd: The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing
Silence speaks volumes.
But silence is not an option after the killing of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, prompting widespread protests across America and around the world.
In a virtual commencement speech(Opens in a new tab) addressing students graduating from her former school Immaculate Heart High School, Los Angeles, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, gave a powerful statement on these times.
"I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldn't or it would get picked apart," she said.
"I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing."
SEE ALSO:
How to demand justice for George Floyd and support Minneapolis protesters
Markle then went on to say the names of black people who were killed by police.
"Because George Floyd's life mattered, and Breonna Taylor(Opens in a new tab)'s life matter, and Philando Castile(Opens in a new tab)'s life mattered, and Tamir Rice(Opens in a new tab)'s life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know. Stephon Clark(Opens in a new tab), his life mattered," she said.
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Markle then reflected on the words a teacher once said to her in her sophomore year of school: "Always remember to put others' needs above your own fears."
If you're looking for more information about how to demand justice for George Floyd, read this. To learn more about how to become anti-racist, read this.
Gamers take to Toontown to stand with Black Lives Matter protesters
As protests and demonstrations flood the streets of the United States and beyond with people calling for the end of police brutality and abuse of power, there's one place packed with vocal Black Lives Matter supporters that you won't find on any map: Toontown.
Players in Toontown Rewritten (a free-to-play, not-for profit, and barely legal recreation of Disney's defunct MMORPG Toontown) are bringing messages of support to oppressed and abused communities with messages containing "Black Lives Matter" and calls to action to sign petitions and defund the police.
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It just goes to show that you can show up and support this movement no matter how old you are.
As the Toontown Rewritten community comes together to spread these messages, the developers behind the game released a statement that they support players who are using their game as a platform for positivity around diversity, equality, and inclusion. Additionally, the team noted that they will suspend any player using the game to spread any form of hateful oppression.
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Toontown Rewritten players were previously being warned for sharing messages containing "Black Lives Matter," according to some users(Opens in a new tab), but the game has been updated(Opens in a new tab) to allow players to use that phrase and other relevant messages within the game without any penalty.
Toontown Rewritten is a child-focused game, so messages promoting violence are still not allowed in the game. Still, players seem to be able to get their points across.
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Toontown may seem like a bit of an odd platform for people to spread their messages against police violence and abuse of power, but its core has always revolved around the struggle against systems and people in power. The main enemies in Toontown are Cogs, which are robotic corporate people who are trying to turn the town into a cookie-cut version of their own ideals. There are business Cogs, law Cogs, and cash Cogs, and players take them on by doing gags like hitting them with seltzer or pies.
Club Penguin, another kid-focused online game from the mid-2000s, also saw protests spring up in the Rewritten version of the game that officially closed down in 2017.
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For those who either can't get out to protest themselves or are looking for ways to support the movement in creative ways, this method is certainly surprising but ultimately a positive direction as the world expresses its rage and frustration at the systems that continuously do harm to the communities they're supposed to protect.
The NFLs backtracking apology forgot one thing: Colin Kaepernick.
Say his name, Roger Goodell.
The NFL would like to apologize for ignoring players who have protested police violence and racial inequality since 2016. There's just one problem: Colin Kaepernick is still being erased.
"We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a video statement released Friday night. "We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest."
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It's a nice enough statement if you're willing to overlook the fact that it's coming four years late, and pointedly ignores the man responsible for getting players to protest. It is a well-known fact now that Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, put the spotlight on the NFL in 2016 when he started kneeling during the pre-game national anthem.
Over the years, Kaep's critics have embraced a bad faith framing of the protest being an intentional act of disrespect toward the American flag, and by extension U.S. troops. That's a lie, plain and simple. Kaepernick spelled out his intent very clearly in 2016.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he told(Opens in a new tab) the media arm of the NFL. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
Just a few days after those quotes surfaced, Kaepernick pointed out that his protest isn't a show of disrespect for the flag or for U.S. troops, as many had leapt to assuming. "I have great respect for men and women that have fought for this country," he said during a press conference, as reported by Sports Illustrated(Opens in a new tab). People who listened and took the man at his word actually got it(Opens in a new tab).
Unfortunately, the NFL wasn't among those who listened. Kaepernick played through the season and then opted out of his contract ahead of the 2017 season. No team stepped up to sign the promising young quarterback, leading to suspicions that he'd fallen victim to a coordinated effort to keep him from playing professionally again. That suspicion eventually gave way to a lawsuit, which the league settled(Opens in a new tab) in 2019.
Even after that, and with Kaepernick expressing a continued interest in playing professionally, no team would have him. All throughout, both before and after the lawsuit, the league's handling of Kaepernick, whose protest caught the eye and ire of Donald Trump early in his first term, was marked by unusual events.
There was, for example, the very strange moment when Kaep's name was removed from a song on the Madden NFL 19 video game's soundtrack. On the YG track "Big Bank" during Big Sean's guest verse, a direct reference to the former 49er by name was censored out.
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The next year, months after the lawsuit had settled and midway through the 2019-2020 season, there was supposed to be a confidential NFL-sanctified workout session for Kaepernick. A moment when he could show the league that he was still up to the challenge of playing professionally.
Unfortunately, the whole thing fell apart at the last minute. There's a lengthy story(Opens in a new tab) behind the undoing of the workout, but it boils down to two major points of contention: a liability waiver from the NFL that Kaepernick refused to sign due to disagreements over the waiver's outside-the-norm demands, and the fact that the league went public with the workout despite prior discussion to the contrary.
There are other examples, including the league's efforts to stamp out all acts of protest in a post-Kaepernick world, but you should see a picture forming here. Outwardly, the league stuck to a company line of Kaepernick being a free agent. But the reality was that Kaepernick, a proven talent, failed again and again to generate any traction with quarterback-hungry teams.
Even now, in the midst of all the unrest and what could accurately be described as a more mainstream recognition of the systemic racism that's plagued the United States since its birth, the NFL sticks to that line. On May 30, league spokesperson Joe Lockhart suggested that the Minnesota Vikings should have signed Kaep in 2017.
He then added: "Colin is a free agent. Clubs may sign him if they choose to do so."
Lockhart was doing the press rounds(Opens in a new tab) in the aftermath of the NFL's initial response to the current round of protests. Many saw the statement, which expressed solidarity with Black Lives Matter and acknowledged the country's deeply rooted racism, as deeply hypocritical. The statement made no mention of Kaepernick, no mention of player protests of any kind.
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Days later, a group of prominent NFL players released a powerful video in which they expressed solidarity with Black Lives Matter. The video was a direct response to the NFL's May 30 statement.
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The video provides the NFL with a blueprint, from the players, for a statement on current events that isn't openly hypocritical and ignorant of the league's own recent struggles with systemic oppression. Goodell's video statement, which arrived the very next day, is an almost word-for-word reproduction.
SEE ALSO:
The 49ers, Kaepernick's last NFL team, criticized for Blackout Tuesday post
Unfortunately, the league didn't take the obvious next step of naming Kaepernick. He's a victim of the same system of oppression that's made COVID-19 (and the ensuing economic destruction) a greater threat to black Americans. It's also the same system that killed George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and a heartbreakingly long list of others. Kaep kept his life and leveraged his platform to find success in other ways, but he lost the career that he apparently loved.
For years, the NFL has gone out of its way to passive-aggressively erase Kaepernick from the narrative around the protests that he himself started. That erasure continued on Friday with Goodell's statement.
Protesters turned Donald Trumps #BabyGate fence into something beautiful
The fence Donald Trump had erected around the White House because he's too cowardly to have protesters exercising their First Amendment rights on his doorstep has been transformed.
The barrier that was quickly dubbed #BabyGate has now become something of an art installation for protesters gathered around its perimeter. They may not be able to air their grievances in front of the White House anymore, but they can decorate every inch of the fencing as they mass around it.
That's exactly what has happened. Based on the photos and videos appearing on social media, the fence is now partially or wholly covered with signs of protest. Literal signs, I mean. So even when the protesters have dispersed, the protest itself lingers on right where it's most important for those grievances to be heard.
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The protests in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere continue to surge onward, almost two weeks after the killing of George Floyd, who died on May 25 in police custody. The death occurred after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the 46-year-old black man's neck for almost nine minutes while three other officers either simply watched or actively helped "restrain" Floyd.
As the protests spread out from Minneapolis and arrived in D.C., crowds began to mass in front of the White House. (As much as Trump would like to relinquish all responsibility for bad things that happen, the buck still stops with the U.S. president.)
The fence went up not long after Trump's desire for a photo opp led to the forced removal of a peaceful protest(Opens in a new tab) from in front of the White House.
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SEE ALSO:
How to find a protest near you to seek justice for George Floyd
It's not clear how long our image-obsessed president will allow the fence postings to remain sitting on the fence, especially in the midst of daily curfews sending D.C. residents back to their homes. But you can bet that for every item removed, protesters will return with more as these ongoing protests carry on.
Related Video: Want to donate to help the Black Lives Matter movement? Here's how.
Three new Tempo bundles are taking home fitness to the next level
The following content is brought to you by Mashable partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation.
Strength training at home has come a long way from that collection of kettlebells gathering dust in the corner of your bedroom. Ready to jump into the modern era? Tempo is an all-in-one fitness system(Opens in a new tab) with a 42-inch touchscreen for streaming virtual training sessions, plus a sleek cabinet for storing your equipment. The entire setup has a low profile that looks modern and inviting, a welcome change from exercise equipment that might eventually buff you up but will always remain an eyesore. Plus, we’re talking about some very cool tech here: the AI-enabled system(Opens in a new tab) uses 3D sensors to monitor your form, offer corrections and recommendations, and count reps.
If you’ve been spending thousands on boutique fitness classes and accompanying post-workout smoothies, a home fitness system might be the change you need. Tempo offers flexibility in workout routines and timing, personalized attention, and live classes. You can train on your own time or with a live class, meaning you can work with your schedule. Have the sudden urge to lift at 7:06 p.m.? Go for it. Both on-demand and live classes have a live leaderboard to keep you motivated with friendly competition from the community.
With a series of three new bundles and a completely revamped app, Tempo offers seriously customizable options. Each bundle comes with a Tempo Studio and workout accessories. A $39 a month membership gives you access to new live and on-demand classes every day, including streaming strength, HIIT, yoga, boxing, and cardio classes led by top trainers. To choose the right bundle for your fitness goals, here’s a breakdown:
Tempo Starter(Opens in a new tab) ($2,495 or $69/month with financing)
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The Tempo Starter bundle is a sure bet for a beginner or someone who wants to add more strength training to their workouts but may be short on space. It comes with competition-grade weights ranging from 1.25 to 10 pounds, two 7.5-pound dumbbells and collars, and a workout mat. Once you get going, you can always add on(Opens in a new tab).
Tempo Plus(Opens in a new tab) ($3,245 or $90/month with financing)
Tempo Plus - LightCredit: Tempo
If you already work out pretty regularly, further strength training can help improve endurance, especially for runners(Opens in a new tab). With a Tempo Plus bundle, you’re getting everything in the Tempo Starter, plus two additional 25-pound steel weights, a barbell and collars, a bench, a recovery roller, and a heart monitor.
Tempo Pro(Opens in a new tab) ($3,995 or $111/month with financing)
Tempo Pro - LightCredit: tempo.fit
Already mastered a deadlift? The Tempo Pro takes your weightlifting setup to the next level, with two additional 45-pound steel weights, a squat rack, a kettlebell, and some weight storage. This is a good option for serious weightlifters, athletes, or anyone who likes a challenge.
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Tempo offers even more customization with three new home fitness bundles
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What social media ads dont tell you about egg freezing
My uterus is being targeted by ads.
For years now, I've been part of the demographic for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads promoting egg freezing. Egg freezing(Opens in a new tab) is a medical procedure which allows doctors to freeze and preserve unfertilized eggs for future use. Eventually the person can thaw their eggs, fertilize them, and then transfer the embryos to the uterus at a later date when they want to become pregnant. Since the number of eggs and their quality both decrease(Opens in a new tab) as a person ages, it's advertised as a way to extend fertility — despite the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) warning(Opens in a new tab) that this positioning could give "false hope." But at least the thinking is that "younger" eggs may be implanted in the uterus of an older person, or a person who may have undergone medical procedures like chemotherapy, and may not have viable eggs left when they want to have a baby.
Some ads I'm served are incredibly vague: "Know your options," or "Learn about egg freezing," read many of them, next to a photo of a woman gazing off into the distance. Some are more promotional: There are sales for egg freezing just like there are sales for products that aren't medical procedures. Refer a friend! Black Friday! $1,000 off! Certainly, none of them warn about the "false hope" potential of egg freezing to extend fertility.
An Instagram ad for egg freezing I was served while I was just trying to look at my friends' vacation pics.Credit: Screenshot: Instagram
As with ads for other women's health services, like fertility hormone tests, coming across these posts while idly scrolling Instagram can feel jarring. But whether these ads feel invasive, or helpfully informative, either way they are getting the option in front of more people. They usually don't contain much information, and so might prompt questions. Egg freezing is also a for-profit procedure, that can be a moneymaker(Opens in a new tab) for established clinics and fertility startups(Opens in a new tab) alike, whether or not it's covered by insurance. That's why many organic social media posts from influencers about egg freezing are actually posts from paid partners of egg freezing clinics advertising their services. So clicking through an ad for this "product" might not be the best way to find answers.
Mashable spoke with two OBGYN fertility experts who have seen hundreds of egg freezing clients: Dr. Nicole Noyes, an early pioneer of egg freezing, and Dr. Sigal Klipstein, a Reproductive Endocrinologist in Chicago and chair of the Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. While ads frequently invite their targeted audience to "learn more," they don't actually say much until you're hearing the sales pitch from the company trying to sell you this procedure. Given the for-profit nature of egg freezing, and the plentiful, opaque ads getting the word out about the procedure, here's what doctors want people who come across egg freezing ads to know — things the ads rarely discuss.
It's a very personal decision, not a blanket "just in case" insurance policy for everyone
When discussing egg freezing options with patients, Dr. Noyes asks them a question: Can they "see it?" Meaning, can they see the circumstances of their life coming together in a way that would make them ready to get pregnant in the near future? If not, they might be a good candidate for egg freezing.
"I think the best age is 25 to 39," Noyes said. "And I don't mean all 25 year olds. I mean 25 to 39 year olds not in a position conducive to childbearing in the near future."
But what makes one person ready for a baby could be very different from another person. Having support and community is an important part of egg freezing. But the individual choice component of deciding to freeze your eggs is what makes some ads promoting, for example, specials where you get discounted procedures if you freeze with a friend, especially galling.
An actual ad I was served for a "friends freeze together" egg freezing special.Credit: Screenshot: Facebook
A person's individual circumstances are all part of what Dr. Klipstein describes as a "social decision" that makes opting to freeze your eggs unique from undergoing other medical procedures.
"It's somewhat of a medical decision, but it's very much a social decision," Klipstein said.
Egg freezing is sometimes presented as a way to hedge against the march of time, an "insurance policy" for your uterus if your job, finances, relationships, and other life factors don't all come together at the perfect moment for you. But it's not right for everyone, and certainly not a guarantee that you'll be able to get pregnant at the exact moment you want to.
"Is it an insurance policy? No," Noyes said. "But definitely more women can have children when they're ready because of egg freezing."
The data on success rates is in flux
There are multiple datapoints to measure the success of egg freezing procedures. How many eggs did an extraction yield? How many patients returned to thaw their eggs? Of the patients who thawed, how many implanted and became pregnant? Of the people who got pregnant, how many carried their fetuses to term? How many live births resulted from a frozen egg?
The answers to these questions are more complex than you might think. A big part of the reason why is because the procedure really only took off(Opens in a new tab) in the last two decades, so the data on people who froze their eggs, and then returned years later, is limited. The data also varies because in the 2000s and early 2010s, the average age of egg freezing patients was 38, according to Noyes.
But now, thanks in part to the addition of egg freezing insurance benefits at companies like Apple and Meta(Opens in a new tab), younger people are freezing their eggs, too. These younger eggs might have different outcomes than the eggs harvested from people in their late 30s, according to Noyes.
There are some knowns that can help you decide whether egg freezing might be right for you. For example, one study(Opens in a new tab) Dr. Klipstein referenced estimated that if you're under 35, you'll need to retrieve 10-20 eggs to have an 85 percent chance of at least one live birth using those eggs, and that number goes up the older you are. What that means is, if you freeze when you're older, you are more likely to have to do multiple rounds of egg freezing to increase your chance of having a baby using those eggs.
"The older you are, the less eggs you get, and the less likely each egg will [result in] a baby," Klipstein said. "And so the older you are, the more eggs you need in order to have a chance of having a baby."
What about the amount of people who actually use their frozen eggs? One study(Opens in a new tab) of 231 people (where the average age was 38), also referenced by Klipstein, found that just under 40 percent of those people who have frozen come back to retrieve and thaw their eggs. Of those 88 people who thawed, 27 had live births. That's a 34 percent success rate among people who thawed.
That rate is consistent with what Dr. Noyes has found in her own research of NYU patients, that one in three patients who froze (with an average age of 38) had a child.
"I think that's good," Noyes said. "But that means two out of three didn't, but one out of three more women got a baby that wouldn't have."
According to Noyes' own experience, if people freeze earlier, she puts the chance at one out of two.
Clinics vary
Noyes cautions that those data points refer to outcomes from "good clinics," or places with lots of experience that know what they're doing. But not all companies and doctors offices that offer egg freezing are created equal. It's especially difficult to discern differences in quality when all the information you have to go on is an Instagram ad.
"About one in three women will get a live birth in a good egg freezing program," Noyes said. "But not all programs are good, and it's really hard for the consumer to know that."
Rather than be attracted by gimmicks or sales, Noyes says to make sure to ask questions about how many procedures a company has done and success rates before choosing an egg freezing provider.
Hmm, does an egg freezing procedure belong in a Black Friday basket?Credit: Screenshot: Instagram
There are multiple costs involved
A huge factor in a decision to freeze your eggs is cost. The amount of money you'll spend varies from clinic to clinic and geographically. But generally, one round of egg freezing will cost between $6,000 - $20,000, according to Business Insider(Opens in a new tab). Then, after you actually freeze your eggs, you also pay a storage fee — you're basically paying rent for your eggs at an egg freezing facility. And beyond that, there is a cost of thawing, fertilizing, and implanting. All of these costs vary from clinic to clinic and state to state. Meanwhile, ads gloss over the long financial process that's involved.
"There's a second part of the fee that I think is important to keep in mind," Klipstein said.
It's a medical procedure
While the decision to freeze is both medical and social, the process itself involves a medical procedure. That includes two weeks of giving yourself injections, and then a procedure that requires undergoing anesthesia.
"It involves some small injections, it has a risk of over stimulating your ovaries causing something called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and it does require anesthesia and it does require you to have someone to drive you home on the day of anesthesia," Klipstein said. "Those are the things I would want people to know."
A picnic is one way to make a medical procedure more palatable.Credit: Screenshot: Instagram
It can be emotionally challenging
Many social media videos depict people's "egg freezing journeys." These usually involve time-lapse videos of people giving themselves injections. But Dr. Noyes thinks the emotional component — both surrounding the act of egg freezing, and heightened by the fact that you're injecting yourself with hormones that can impact your mood(Opens in a new tab) — cannot be ignored in weighing a decision to freeze.
"It's a huge commitment for two weeks," Noyes said. "It's not easy, because you have to do shots. You have to go to the clinic. Your ovaries are growing, so you feel kind of funky. You're scared, and you have all the anticipation surrounding it. That anticipation is very wearing and causes a lot of anxiety."
It's about odds, not assurances
The decision to freeze your eggs is one that involves money, time, and medical and emotional risk. Whether those costs are worth the potential benefit of one day thawing your frozen eggs and having a baby is entirely up to you. But it's important to go into the decision with a clear understanding that you are getting increased odds of one day having a baby at a later date, and not a guarantee.
"One of the things that is really important when you're looking at freezing your eggs, is what are you buying?" Klipstein said. "You're spending good money. You're going through a procedure that has some risk, what are you getting on the other end of it? And what you're getting, I think, or what you hope to get, is an increase in the chance of having a baby down the road. Not a guarantee, but increased chances of having a baby when you're ready to have one."
Todays top deals include more all-time low Amazon device deals, a new streaming discount, and home and tech products
Here are the best deals of the day for Oct. 4:
BEST AMAZON DEVICE DEAL: Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) with 2-Pack GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulb(Opens in a new tab) — $63.99$153.98 (save $83.99)
BEST STREAMING AND SUBSCRIPTION DEAL: Three months of BET+ via Amazon Prime Video(Opens in a new tab) — $0.99/month$9.99/month (save $27)
BEST TECH DEAL: Samsung 34" Class Flat LED UltraWQHD Monitor(Opens in a new tab) — $249$399.99 (save $150.99)
Brace yourself for even more Amazon device deals on Oct. 4. You would think Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale was already live with how many devices are at all-time low prices. While there's a chance these prices may drop even lower, there's also a chance they'll sell out — so, if you see something you want, grab it.
Other deals on Oct. 4 include a new streaming service discount, robot vacuums, monitors, and more home and tech gadgets. Get your wallet ready and shop the best deals of the day below.
Best Amazon device deal
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Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) with 2-Pack GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulb
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$63.99 at Amazon (save $83.99)
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Why we like it
Not only is the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd gen)(Opens in a new tab) at its lowest price ever at just $63.99, but that low price also includes a two-pack of GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulbs. And obviously, we all love free stuff. As far as a smart central hub for your home, the Echo Show 8 can't be beat. It's sleek, boasts an eight-inch HD touchscreen, features a super responsive auto-panning and zooming camera to keep you in focus during video chats, dual stereo speakers, and more Alexa functionality than all previous devices. As Mashable reporter SaVanna Shoemaker noted in a review, the Zoom connection can be iffy and it needs a little more work to be a good fit for the work-from-home crowd. But overall? We definitely recommend it for connecting with people both inside and outside your home.
Best streaming deal
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Three months of BET+
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$0.99/month via Amazon Prime Video (save $27)
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Why we like it
If you're looking for new content to stream, snag this three-month deal on a BET+ subscription(Opens in a new tab). For less than a dollar per month, you can try out the exclusive streaming service on its own or as an add-on to Amazon Prime Video for three months, saving you $27. The streamer is home to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including exclusive BET originals, from some of the best Black creators. After your three months are up, of course, be sure to cancel if you don't want to be charged full price ($9.99/month).
Related Stories
Was Amazon's Prime Day sequel worth it? Here's our Prime Early Access Sale postmortem.
Amazon's stellar deals are holding strong for the second day of its Prime Early Access Sale
Amazon already has plenty of Kindles on sale for the Prime Early Access Sale
Best tech deal
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Samsung 34" Class Flat LED UltraWQHD Monitor
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$249 at Walmart (save $150.99)
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Why we like it
Adding a monitor to your work or play setup can make for a much more productive and enjoyable computer experience — especially when that monitor is Samsung's 34-inch Flat LED UltraWQHD. With a screen resolution of 3440x1440 pixels and a 34-inch ultra-wide screen, you can view more content — in a more vibrant way — without scrolling or zooming. It also features a 75Hz refresh rate with 4ms response time for beginner PC gamers to enjoy stutter-free motions and more immersive gameplay.
More Amazon device deals
Echo Glow(Opens in a new tab) — $16.99$29.99 (save $13)
Amazon Glow 19" Interactive Projector and 8" Video Calling Display(Opens in a new tab) — $149.99$329.98 (save $179.99)
Echo Dot (3rd Gen) with 2-Pack GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulb(Opens in a new tab) — $17.99$63.98 (save $45.99)
Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) with 2-Pack GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulb(Opens in a new tab) — $34.99$108.98 (save $73.99)
Echo Dot (4th Gen) with 2-Pack GE CYNC Smart LED Color Bulb(Opens in a new tab) — $24.99$73.98 (save $48.99)
Kids Fire Tablets(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $59.99 (save up to 50%)
Fire Tablets(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $44.99 (save up to 50%)
Kindle E-readers(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $99.99 (save up to 31%)
Amazon Halo Devices(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $39.99 (save up to 44%)
Kindle Paperwhite Bundles(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $117.97 (save up to 38%)
Echo Show 15 with Echo show 5 (2nd Gen)(Opens in a new tab) — $249.99$334.98 (save $84.99)
Fire TV Cube (2nd gen)(Opens in a new tab) — $59.99$119.99 (save $60)
Echo Devices(Opens in a new tab) — starting at $14.99 (save up to 70%)
More streaming and subscription deals
One year of HBO Max(Opens in a new tab) — $69.99with ads$99.99 with ads (save $30)
First month of Xbox Game Pass(Opens in a new tab) — $1$14.99 (save $13.99)
One year of Grubhub+(Opens in a new tab) — free for Prime members$119.88 (save $119.88)
Four months of Amazon Music Unlimited(Opens in a new tab) — free$8.99/month (save $36)
Three months of Apple TV+(Opens in a new tab) — free$4.99/month (save $14.97)
More home and tech deals
iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum and Braava Jet m6 (6112) Robot Mop Bundle(Opens in a new tab) — $999$1,249 (save $250)
Sony A90J 55-inch Bravia XR OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV(Opens in a new tab) — $1,798$2,499.99 (save $701.99)
eufy RoboVac X8 Robot Vacuum(Opens in a new tab) — $399.99$499.99 (save $100)
Samsung 27-inch Odyssey QHD FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible Gaming Monitor(Opens in a new tab) — $249.99$399.99 (save $150)
Igloo Automatic Portable Electric Countertop Ice Maker(Opens in a new tab) — $81.99$159.99 (save $78)
Insignia 26 Lb. Portable Icemaker with Auto Shut-Off (Mint)(Opens in a new tab) — $94.99$125.99 (save $31)
Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa(Opens in a new tab) — $29.99$69.99 (save $40)
You might wonder which Covid vaccine is the "best."
But there's no inferior choice. All the FDA-authorized(Opens in a new tab) vaccines (there are currently three) are outstanding options, according to infectious disease experts. Why?
"All of them look great at preventing disease that results in hospitalization and death," emphasized Dr. Thomas Russo, the chief of infectious disease at the University of Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Here's what to know.
The vaccines are all effective
Numbers, without context, can be misleading.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, both excellent options, showed around a 95 percent efficacy(Opens in a new tab), which essentially means the vaccine prevented Covid infections in 95 percent of people tested (among tens of thousands of participants), compared to people who didn't get the vaccine in the trials. Any public health expert would say those are impressive, if not amazing, results.
In the U.S., the Johnson & Johnson vaccine showed a 72 percent efficacy(Opens in a new tab). These are also impressive results, but should they be viewed as "worse" than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (which are a new type of vaccine known as mRNA vaccines(Opens in a new tab))? No.
These efficacy figures don't do a good job of communicating hugely important numbers. An important number is how well the vaccines prevent severe, critical disease — the type of disease that hospitalizes people, allows the virus to flourish and mutate in the body, and can kill.
Good news: In their respective clinical trials, all three vaccines prevented this severity of disease. No one given the Johnson & Johnson shot died or was hospitalized(Opens in a new tab) (this includes people in South Africa where a nasty, highly infectious strain is circulating). No one given the Pfizer and Moderna(Opens in a new tab) vaccines died or were hospitalized, either. What's more, all the vaccines greatly lowered the risk of severe symptoms(Opens in a new tab), like pneumonia and breathing trouble.
"All three vaccines are very effective," said Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, the assistant dean at the Creighton University School of Medicine. "The goal is to prevent hospitalization and death. All three vaccines are very effective in achieving this goal," she said, noting that Johnson and Johnson had over 40,000 participants in its clinical trials.
So attempting to "choose" a vaccine or belaboring the best option simply isn't prudent right now. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine protects against the worst Covid outcomes, while also providing high levels of immunity against infections.
"Comparing the efficacies right now is a moot point," said Mark Cameron, an immunologist at Case Western Reserve University who previously helped contain the outbreak of another deadly coronavirus, SARS(Opens in a new tab), in 2003. "Right now the point is breaking the chains of transmissions through any means and saving lives. All three vaccines have the same potential to save lives."
"All three vaccines have the same potential to save lives."
All three vaccines produce enough of an immune response — meaning they limit the spread of virus particles in the body and generally keep the virus at bay — to limit terrible symptoms and extreme harm to one's lungs.
It's worth knowing that comparing these vaccines' efficacy is not the most straightforward or simple exercise, anyways. Importantly, vaccine efficacies can change over time. There's evidence the Johnson & Johnson vaccine increases(Opens in a new tab) its efficacy(Opens in a new tab) against severe disease (at least in the short term according to available data) to well over 90 percent during the 56 days after vaccination. It's also possible the timing of when the clinical trials happened has impacted efficacy results for the vaccines. Johnson & Johnson conducted its big trials in the fall and into the winter, later than the mRNA vaccines. At the time, different, more infectious coronavirus variants were circulating around the population and infections were both rising and nearing their grim peak(Opens in a new tab) in places like the U.S.
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"It's really an apples to oranges comparison," said the University of Buffalo's Russo. He noted that Johnson & Johnson and the mRNA vaccines may in reality have somewhat similar efficacy numbers. Yet, even so, these numbers aren't written in stone.
Vaccinate now, tweak later
The Covid vaccine you get is not the end of your vaccine story. It's unknown how long immunity will last, but infectious disease experts are watching vigilantly. The vaccines may provide strong immunity for years. Some might provide longer immunity than others. It's possible "booster shots," another vaccine meant to boost immunity or provide improved immunity against newer coronavirus strains, will be needed.
"Long-term immunity is still an unwritten chapter for these vaccines," emphasized Cameron, noting drugmakers are already working on booster shots(Opens in a new tab). "The study of a vaccine's safety and efficacy doesn't stop when the vaccine is released. It continues."
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In the coming year, we'll hear about new strains or variants of the virus. That's normal and expected, especially considering this microbe is the most intensely observed virus ever. "It's constantly changing," said Brian Labus, a public health expert at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While mutations can make a virus more transmissible or potentially decrease the effectiveness of a vaccine, they certainly won't suddenly render a vaccine useless. "You might have slightly reduced efficacy, but one small mutation doesn’t make it ineffective," said Labus. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine, for example, has a 64 percent efficacy(Opens in a new tab) for the South African variant, a highly transmissible strain, yet it's still highly effective against severe symptoms from this strain (over 80 percent), and in trials completely protected people against hospitalization and death.
For 2021, public health experts emphasize taking advantage of the outstanding vaccine candidates available now, whatever they are (in the past, it took (Opens in a new tab)at least years(Opens in a new tab) to produce such effective vaccines for diseases). Yes, in the coming years, the Covid vaccines may be tweaked. That's OK. Flu vaccines, for example, are tweaked every year.
"Vaccinate now, tweak later," said Cameron.
See Also: How you'll know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe
Attempting to wait for or "choose" a vaccine won't help end the pandemic, or provide protection. "You should be comfortable getting whatever vaccine is available to you," said Labus.
The greater goal is to give the virus nowhere to go. When enough people have high amounts of immunity, the virus can't break out in the population, which is called herd immunity. The virus meets bodies it either can't infect, or can't infect well. All of the vaccines can help us achieve herd immunity relatively quickly, particularly ones that only require one dose (like Johnson & Johnson).
"No one vaccine will be responsible for that victory," said Cameron.
16 best websites, apps, and accounts if you love looking at houses and real estate listings
Trawling around real estate listing has long been an internet pastime, but my goodness, did it ever become a hobby for folks(Opens in a new tab) during the pandemic.
It makes sense. With nothing to do — nothing but sit inside, perhaps in a home you no longer really loved — it was fun to peruse other houses. It's lovely escapism.
Looking at houses, apartments, mansions, tiny homes, or other abodes online remains a great way to waste time, however, even if there is more stuff to do these days.
To help you in your house searching endeavors, we've collected 16 of our favorite places to look at houses online.
The classic sites and apps
These are the tried and true listing sites, which all have apps to use as well. They're for perusing your area or searching for a new home in, say, Montana.
1. Zillow(Opens in a new tab)
The classic. The brand name. Zillow is what most folks surf when they're looking at houses. You can download the app(Opens in a new tab) if you wan't to scroll on your phone, too.
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2. Realtor(Opens in a new tab)
Basically, if you know Zillow, then Realtor.com is going to feel very similar. It, too, has an app, which you can find here(Opens in a new tab).
3. Redfin(Opens in a new tab)
Redfin is, again, a listings site with an app(Opens in a new tab).
4. Trulia(Opens in a new tab)
OK, so you now have four different options to peruse listings in your chosen area. Trulia, too, has an app(Opens in a new tab).
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Other listing sites
5. Foreclosure.com(Opens in a new tab)
If you're a bargain bin shopper or someone, perhaps, with fixer upper dreams, then Foreclosure.com might be the site for you. It's exactly what it sounds like — a site for finding homes to buy that have been foreclosed upon.
6. FSBO(Opens in a new tab)
FSBO stands for For Sale By Owner. It's a site that, as you might've gathered, allows folks to sell their own homes. It perhaps has listings that might've escaped sites like Zillow or Trulia.
Other Sites
7. Circa Old Houses(Opens in a new tab)
Circa Old Houses is a site for finding cool, old homes that are for sale. It's fun to look through these classic houses and imagine your unique, perhaps haunted, life in them.
8. McMansion Hell(Opens in a new tab)
Pretty much the opposite of Circa Old Houses, McMansion hell — ran by writer Kate Wagner — dedicates itself to deconstructing the strangest feats of dumb, faux-fancy architecture.
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Instagram accounts
9. @cheapnordichouses(Opens in a new tab)
If you've ever had dreams of packing up and living a simple life in the Nordics, then you could get lost on this account for hours. It features beautiful homes that are reasonably prices and, typically speaking, quaint as hell.
10. @brownstone_voyeur(Opens in a new tab)
As a city dweller who doesn't plan to move anytime soon, Brownstone Voyeur really speaks to me. It's an account dedicated to historic, grand homes.
11. @cheapoldhouses(Opens in a new tab)
You might already know Cheap Old Houses, considering it has nearly 2 million followers and inspired a TV show(Opens in a new tab). If you've got the fixer upper bug, beware: You might suddenly want to actually buy one of these homes.
12. @zillowgonewild(Opens in a new tab)
Zillow Gone Wild is an account dedicated to the weirdest homes on the market. You never know what you're going to get: a fake castle(Opens in a new tab), a ship planted in the ground(Opens in a new tab), or more stuffed animals(Opens in a new tab) than is humanly possible.
13. @tinyhousemovement(Opens in a new tab)
If you dream of downsizing, Tiny House Movement is perfect to browse.
Tik Tok accounts
14. @inspector_aj(Opens in a new tab)
OK, so this isn't really a house account. But does feature homes. It's run by a home inspector who walks you through homes and shows some of the truly wild(Opens in a new tab) (and incorrect(Opens in a new tab)) things going on in the house. It's surprisingly addicting.
15. @Heider_RealEstate(Opens in a new tab)
Pure escapism. Typically speaking, you're in for luxury homes (and some McMansions) in the Mid Atlantic area.
16. @zillowtastrophes(Opens in a new tab)
Their bio really says it all: "unique, weird, wild real estate." It's a collection of some of the strangest listings out there.
Walmart+ members save up to 40% during Walmart+ Weekend
If you like saving money, here’s a question you may be asking yourself right now. What’s the deal with Walmart+ Weekend? Firstly, Walmart+ is a membership that entitles you to free shipping with no order minimum*, free grocery delivery at the same prices as in-store**, and so much more. It makes ordering stuff online and having it “magically” appear on your doorstep that much easier.
For Walmart+ Weekend, Walmart invites its members to an exclusive, online-only, four-day shopping event. From saving money to saving time, there will be a ton of hot deals on the items you want most.***
Here are some reasons to join and get in on the Walmart+ Weekend action.
Get big deals on smart tech for making life better
Credit: Walmart
Alright, there are quite few deals happening over Walmart+ Weekend to sink your teeth into, from crispy French fries to your actual chompers. Among the hot sellers, the Gourmia 8-Quart Digital Air Fryer(Opens in a new tab) solves the dilemma of how to cook more at home and spend less time in the kitchen with 12 one-touch options and guided prompts telling you when to add food or turn it over. Now you’re cooking. Likewise, for another life-changing gadget (at a price that will put a smile on your face), the Oral-B iO Series 9 rechargeable toothbrush(Opens in a new tab) uses 3D teeth tracking and AI recognition to map the surfaces of your teeth.
Save up to 40% on select items during Walmart+ Weekend
Credit: Walmart
Year-round, a Walmart+ membership includes free shipping with no order minimum, free grocery delivery at the same prices as in-store, and so much more. During Walmart+ Weekend, the value shines a little brighter with up to 40% off select items (while supplies last, online-only, and just for members). Over the four-day shopping extravaganza, score must-have tech at a sweet price like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+(Opens in a new tab). This highly portable tablet lets you balance work and play with fast WiFi connectivity, long-lasting battery life, and a redesigned S Pen.
Enjoy exclusive access only for Walmart+ members
Credit: Walmart
Maybe the biggest question of all if you’ve been following the saga of the “PS5 restock” since the PlayStation 5(Opens in a new tab) dropped in late 2020, is what’s the deal? Why does everyone want this game-changing console? The deal is it has ridiculously fast load times, stunning 4K performance, and a more immersive playing experience. For a major bonus during Walmart+ Weekend, Walmart+ members get exclusive access for better odds at finally scoring a coveted PS5 (again, only while supplies!).
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Credit: Walmart
Shop early and save up to 40% during Walmart+ Weekend
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Apple is going up against Calm and Headspace with updates to Fitness+
Apple Fitness+ just got a facelift.
The company announced big changes to the app during its highly anticipated event on Tuesday. Fitness+ will now be available in 15 new countries and in six more languages, and you'll be able to take a few completely new classes.
According to Apple's announcement, among the new changes to the app are guided meditations that focus on things like kindness or gratitude. The meditations are intended to be immersive, with both a video and audio experience; you'll be able to meditate alongside your favorite trainer. We haven't tried it out yet, but it sounds a lot like Calm or Headspace.
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Guided meditation is coming to Fitness+.Credit: APple
Apple's also bringing pilates to the app, adding new workouts each week that can be adapted for newbies and pros alike. And you'll soon find a new workout program to get you ready for winter sports.
If you're competitive with your friends and enemies, you might be excited about the new group fitness classes powered by SharePlay. You'll be able to see when your friends are working out and work out along with them on your iPhone, iPad, and AirPlay — you can work out with at least 30 people at once.
Most of these new features will come to Fitness+ later this month, and group fitness will be here later this fall.
Peloton drops a hilariously cheeky PSA video featuring Mr. Big and Ryan Reynolds
UPDATE: Dec. 17, 2021, 5:38 p.m. AEDT Peloton has removed the video from their social media accounts in the wake of a story by The Hollywood Reporter in which two women accused star Chris Noth, who played Mr. Big, of sexual assault. Reynolds has also deleted his tweet containing the video.
Original story:
It's fair to say that Peloton initially took the whole And Just Like That... thing a little too seriously. For anyone who may have missed it: The HBO Max follow-up to Sex and the City premiered on Dec. 9, and in a spoiler-y first episode twist, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), Carrie Bradshaw's on-again/off-again boyfriend-turned-loving-husband, dies of a heart attack shortly after he finishes a Peloton session.
Peloton's public relations team, seemingly caught off guard by the fictional plot twist that has a loose-but-inescapable tie to the company's flagship product, sprung into action. Cue an actual doctor stepping up to tell us all about how Big's "extravagant" lifestyle likely prompted the heart attack, and that his time using the stationary bike may have actually staved off the cardiac event. Which, cute. But also, give us a break.
Peloton seemingly got the message, because the company came roaring back to life on Sunday afternoon with a mic drop of a tweet, in the form of a new and decidedly cheeky PSA.
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Let's break this down. The guy on the couch is Noth, and he's sitting with a real-life Peloton instructor named Jess King. She actually makes an appearance on And Just Like That... as a fictional Peloton trainer named Allegra; in fact, she's the one who leads Big's final session.
The PSA caps off with a Carrie Bradshaw-style voiceover from none other than Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds. The voiceover is a nod to the show, and the content of what he's saying — basically a rehashing of what Peloton's doctor said on Saturday — seems like yet more ass-covering on Peloton's part.
As for the "He's alive" bit at the end? It sure feels like Peloton is using Reynolds to maybe spark a hashtag campaign that can serve as a little joint advertising for both the fitness company and the new streaming series. It's just silly for the sake of it. And of course, Reynolds and his extremely online content team(Opens in a new tab) know how to turn a viral moment into a cheeky ad — it's not the first time this has happened.
Bring holiday cheer to trans youth by donating to Trans Santa
If you're able to spread some some good tidings this holiday season, Trans Santa(Opens in a new tab) makes it easy for you.
Trans Santa is a mutual aid social media campaign that connects anonymous gift givers with queer and trans youth who are unhoused, in foster care, or otherwise without crucial support they need to thrive. It's a bit like Operation Santa(Opens in a new tab), the USPS's anonymous gift-giving program, but specifically for this vulnerable community.
Here's how it works: Until Dec. 20, trans and non-binary young people (under the age of 24) can apply for the 2021 Christmas campaign(Opens in a new tab). In addition to completing a form on the Trans Santa website, participants upload a (handwritten or digital) letter to Trans Santa and create an Amazon gift registry. According to the application, the campaign receives hundreds of submissions daily.
Letters are then posted on the Trans Santa Instagram page(Opens in a new tab) for donors to look through. To buy a gift, santas click the linkin.bio(Opens in a new tab); each letter on that page is tied directly to a different person's Amazon registry. Click through to see what gifts a particular person wants, and then purchase through Amazon.
The process is safe and anonymous — last names aren't on the registry, and Amazon hides addresses from purchasers.
SEE ALSO:
Failed by the healthcare system, transgender people find help elsewhere
Actor Indya Moore co-founded Trans Santa(Opens in a new tab) in 2020, and the program itself is run by a group of trans people, according to an FAQ highlight on the Instagram page. In addition to buying gifts, santas can also donate to Trans Santa(Opens in a new tab) all year long.
If the letters on the Instagram feed aren't enough to encourage you to donate, the account's stories and highlights — which feature thank you messages — will. "I am overjoyed, humbled, and beyond grateful for what Trans Santa and everyone have done for me," said a participant named Sam in the Trans Santa highlights(Opens in a new tab) from 2020. "My whole wishlist was gifted to me and it has left me feeling so dang loved."
North Carolinas election results delayed because of printer problems
We're going to have to wait just a bit longer for any elections results from North Carolina, a key swing state in the 2020 presidential election.
The culprit? Faulty printers. Well, at least in part.
Four precincts in the state have had issues throughout the day, leading the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) to extend poll closure deadlines in those areas.
Two locations in Sampson County had problems with printers, which meant they could not provide voter verification forms to people, reported WRAL(Opens in a new tab). Precinct officials at one location then reportedly tried to fix the problem themselves instead of calling county officials, which made the delay even longer. That location, Plainfield Fire Station, will now be open until 8:15 p.m. ET when polls were supposed to close at 7:30 p.m. ET.
One additional location had problems(Opens in a new tab) with a computer while another had a human error of some sort.
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But, on a day filled with anxiety, don't fret too much over the delay. It seems like we'll eventually get the results just fine and there weren't any big problems. The state won't begin posting election results(Opens in a new tab) until all polls are closed, which means the entire state is on Plainfield Fire Station's timeline.
"With 2,660 polling sites, it is not unusual for minor issues to occur at polling sites that result in a brief disruption of voting," the NCSBE said in a press released. "The State Board routinely meets to discuss the extension of hours when the need arises."
Even in the year 2020, democracy is delayed by printers crapping out.
Related Video: Stacey Abrams on how American democracy hinges on the right to vote