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“In this day and age, you can trace everyone’s movements with big data,” Li Lanjuan, an adviser to the National Health Commission, said in an interview with state television.Government officials in China are using big data to track the location and movement of people who are known to be infected with the Wuhan coronavirus, officially known as Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV. The Wall Street Journal reports on the Chinese government's “unprecedented effort to track the fast-spreading virus, which has infected more than 20,000 people and killed at least 425 around the world” as of today:China has built a formidable digital-surveillance system in recent years, linking facial recognition, security cameras and social-media monitoring with regular human surveillance. The aim is to keep tabs on its 1.4 billion citizens, chiefly to identify and prevent threats to social order and Communist Party control.The country’s state-run media has celebrated the application of the authorities’ big-data tracking abilities in the campaign to control the disease outbreak, touting it as an example of the social benefits of technology.Shizhu county in Chongqing, in southwestern China, said it used unspecified data to track more than 5,500 people arriving for the Lunar New Year holiday from Hubei province. Roughly half were placed under home quarantine, according to a report in the Communist Party-run Chongqing Daily newspaper.In Zhejiang province, not far from Nanjing, authorities dealing with one patient who denied having contact with anyone in Wuhan were able to use data analysis to show he had interacted with three others from the city, China Central Television reported last week. Read the rest

It's almost as if the mirrors aren't even real!The act appeared on Nippon TV's Masquerade entertainment contest.(r/videos) Read the rest

Robotic employees such as hotel concierges and English teachers are nothing new in Japan, but here is its first robotic bartender. QBIT Robotics created this chatty robot that works in one of Tokyo's Yoronotaki izakaya restaurants. According to Reuters, "it uses four cameras to monitor customers to analyze their expressions with artificial intelligence (AI) software." It can pour a beer in 40 seconds and "mix a cocktail in a minute"--although in this video it's closer to two minutes.From Reuters:Japan’s first robot bartender has begun serving up drinks in a Tokyo pub in a test that could usher in a wave of automation in restaurants and shops struggling to hire staff in an aging society...Finding workers, especially in Japan’s service sector, is set to get even more difficult.Japan wants to use the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games beginning on July 27 to showcase service robot technology, with organizers planning to use robots built by Toyota Motor and Panasonic Corp to help visitors, workers and athletes.The robot bartender trial at the pub, which employs about 30 people, will last two months after which Yoronotaki will assess the results. Read the rest

I'd never thought about the character limit on domain names — but apparently, they cut off at 255. I found a handy Microsoft blog that goes into a bit more depth about it, citing RFC 1035 section 2.3.4.Someone who clearly knows more about this than me already had the clever idea to max it out by registering. http://a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.oo.pp.qqq.rrrr.ssssss.tttttttt.uuuuuuuuuuu.vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv.wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. This fun little experiment has some intrinsic added value, too, as explained on the site:The domain is created to reach the maximum number of allowed characters (255 (really 253)) with an exponential curve in the length of the letters as you proceed through the alphabet. The formula used is "1 + 62 * (10/7)^(x-26)". To help illustrate this curve, reference the distribution on this spreadsheet. It's colorful because I like colors and wanted to do a progressive "rainbow" animation in CSS3.Who.is couldn't give me any information on the name of the owner/creator of this site. But I commend them nonetheless.Image: Kulandru mor / Wikimedia Commons (CC 1.0) Read the rest

Songwriter Tom Rosenthal had a tweet go viral last week, featuring a short song he'd written in a few takes with his 4-year-old daughter Fenn:Fenn, my nearly 4 year old daughter, recorded her first ever solo song today. She came up with all the words herself and I helped her a little bit with the tune. It’s called ‘Dinosaurs in Love’. 🦕❤️🦕 pic.twitter.com/erCgG0sUvP— Tom Rosenthal (@tomrosenthal) January 28, 2020Dinosaurs eating peopleDinosaurs in loveDinosaurs having a partyThey eat fruit and cucumberThey fell in loveThey say "Thank you"A Big Bang came and they diedDinosaurs, dinosaurs fell in loveBut they didn't say "goodbye"But they didn't say "goodbye"The song exploded so quickly that even Spotify asked for an official release date. Which shouldn't be surprising, because it's obviously brilliant."I genuinely couldn't tell you why she wanted to do a song about dinosaurs," Rosenthal told Buzzfeed. "She's got no particular affiliation with dinosaurs at all. They're not something she particularly cares about or not, this is just what was in her head at the time."He went to explain the father-daughter creative process: "In terms of her singing and her timing, nothing's altered, but it's done in a couple of sections. … She's by the microphone, she's got the headphones on, she starts singing, and she does as much as she can. … And then eventually after she's done enough little bits of it, it kind of all fits together. Read the rest

Google and Microsoft keep attacking, but when you’re talking cloud-based computer systems, you’re still really only talking about one name: Amazon.Amazon Web Services (AWS) is still the 800-pound gorilla of the cloud market, and getting accredited as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect is a big deal for hiring managers and those getting hired. You can learn exactly what it takes to pass that CSAP exam on your first shot with the training included in the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional Practice Tests + Courses Bundle ($14.99, 88 percent off).This training is a full download for working in the AWS environment. Once you’ve gone through these courses, you’ll understand how to navigate the AWS Management Console as well as how to design, implement, and scale up web operations for an organization of any size, no matter its budget or timeframe.You’ll also learn how to craft stable architecture, put together security with potential for growth, and how to study data flowing in and out of your system for top optimization of resources.With five full-length mock exams packed with over 400 unique AWS CSAP certification exam practice questions, there isn’t an element of AWS you won’t know like the back of your hand.Typically a $130 training package, the complete AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional course is priced at just $14.99 right now. Read the rest

The Iowa caucuses are a mess, with no precinct results declared, Pete Buttigieg claiming victory despite being fourth in most polls, and conspiracy theories spreading online, especially about the app used to tally counts and its Shadow-y connections to party elites. The problems were predicted.On the ground, more confusion: here's a video of a woman who did vote for Pete, but changed her mind after learning something new about him. [via Public Freakout]It's not clear if she was able to change her pick. But it is a clear reminder of the distance between media and reality. Read the rest

I have a weird confession to make. I have highly unorthodox "retirement home" fantasies. Every time I see a castle, a tree HOUSE, a decommissioned missile silo, an abandoned French villa, I start fantasizing about spending my twilight years building an artist colony/goth retirement home with family and friends there.So, imagine how my neurons were tickled when I saw this video of a guy and his wife who bought a long-abandoned Medieval Italian village and are turning it into a small neighborhood and teaching center for "rural stone architecture." They claim there are dozens of these little ruined stone villages all over Italy and they want to encourage others to follow in their footsteps. Called “The Village Laboratory”, Ghesc is part-owned by the Canova Association and hosts workshops so college students worldwide can come learn historical stone construction techniques. The public half of the village includes a communal kitchen, pizza oven and concert spaces. Right now Ghesc (in local dialect; “Ghesio” in Italian) in the commune of Montecrestese near the Swiss border has just 3 inhabitants (Maurizio, Paola and their son Emil), but the four homes that comprise the private side of town are at various stages of being rebuilt. Read the rest

A Texas police officer convicted of rape was sentenced to 10 years probation by a jury, reports The El Paso Times. He will serve 0 days in prison. It was an emotional day in court, as the woman cried as she testified about the impact the incident has had on her life, while Alexander began crying when his children came into the courtroom.The woman testified that she will forever be haunted by the sexual assault and that she is no longer the woman she once was.El Paso Police Department Officer William Ollie Alexander was convited of sexually assaulting a woman after responding to a domestic violence call in West El Paso. According to reports, he dropped the woman off at a friend's house, began texting her, left work early to pick her up, took her to a dark area and raped her.His defense lawyers, Dolph Quijano and Omar Carmona, argued that the woman was "mentally disraught due to fighting with her ex-boyfriend", that the text messages showed "she was willing to meet with the officer, including asking him for a ride," and that law enforcement officers face "the death sentence" in prison.They didn't get him off the conviction, but they did get him lenient treatment: prosecutors had asked for 15 years' imprisonment. In addition to serving probation, Alexander will also pay a $10,000 fine and register as a sex offender.“It doesn’t matter how many years,” attorney Omar Carmona said. “He will go to the penitentiary as [a] former police officer. Read the rest

The 1896 film "Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat" was not shot in 4k at 60 frames per second, but it gets there in this remastering using neural networks. The result has some uncanny, distracting warping going on, but it's nonetheless detailed and transporting.Denis Shiryaev:Upscaled and resounded version of a classic B&W movie: Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, The Lumière Brothers, 1896For reference, here's the original:And here's a 2012 "Remake": Read the rest

This Useless Machine (previously) has a series of strategies to confound and distract the enemy, but knows when it's time to give up. Jeffrey Kohler:Useless Box with several additions: buzzer, audio output, motors and wheels, sonar, and a surrender flag. Read the rest

In Cincinnati, Harves Gardner, 32, was arrested after allegedly calling police 25 times asking for help finding his lost hoodie. From Cincinnati.com:“When police arrived (the) defendant only wanted rides around town to find his hoodie that he lost," officers reported.Police said Gardner was highly intoxicated and officers told him to go back to bed, but he continued calling and gave different locations for the police to respond.(Thanks, Charles Pescovitz!)image for illustrative purpose only: "Missing Hoodie" available from Superteeshops Read the rest

Over at The Startup on Medium, David Laws, semiconductor curator at the wonderful Computer History Museum, has prepared a fascinating guide to Silicon Valley's "high-tech heritage trail exploring places that housed the early stirrings of the digital revolution." Covering the "30-mile corridor from Stanford University to the former IBM disk-drive campus," Laws visits dozens of historical locations in the area including the spot where in 1908 Cyril Elwell demonstrated wireless telephony, the Stanford Research Park where Russel and Sigurd Varian invented the klystron microwave tube in 1937, and the location of Fairchild Semiconductor, fabricators of the first "monolithic integrated circuit (computer chip)" in 1960. Here are a few other great stops on the tour:Apple and Steve Jobs, the most famous beneficiaries of Xerox innovations, borrowed the Alto’s GUI, mouse, and other features to differentiate the Macintosh from the rest of the early PC pack. Together with Steve Wozniak, Jobs co-founded Apple Computer and built the Apple 1 in his parents’ suburban tract home... at 2066 Crist Drive, Los Altos. Private residence, do not disturb...Mountain ViewScientists and engineers fabricated the first silicon devices in the Valley at the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in a former apricot packing shed at 391 San Antonio Road, Mountain View in 1956. Razed in 2014 for a multi-use commercial development, the lab site is commemorated with an IEEE Milestone plaque, an interpretive panel, and towering semiconductor device sculptures mounted in the sidewalk. (photo above)... South ValleyKnown as Andy Capp’s Tavern in 1972, Rooster T. Read the rest

43-year-old Shakira and 50-year-old Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl from r/CelebhubI learned that an important sportsball event took place in the United States yesterday. Apparently the game was interrupted with a song-and-dance routine that many people found pleasant. However, some people took umbrage at the choice of entertainment, including William Franklin Graham III, the Christian evangelist, missionary and trufan of the pussy-grabber in chief. Graham posted the following statement on Facebook:In response, a mother of a 13-year-old boy shared Graham's sentiments: Then another person weighed in: When Graham's and the others' comments were posted to Twitter, several people commiserated with the mother. Read the rest

I'm really loving these old clips from The Dick Cavett Show on YouTube. Here's a 5-minute clip of Paul Simon telling Cavett about his music making process, his involvement in The Graduate, and how he wrote "Mrs. Robinson."This is as good a time as any to share a theory about The Graduate that my late friend Mike Vodneck told me his high school teacher had about why Mrs. Robinson was willing to destroy her marriage to keep Ben from dating her daughter, Elaine. It's because Ben and Elaine were half-siblings. Try watching the movie with that in mind and see how it holds up. Read the rest

This undated photo provided by the Wilson Country Sheriff’s Office shows Spencer Alan Boston. Authorities in Tennessee say Boston lit a cannabis cigarette in court while expressing his views on marijuana legalization. News outlets report Boston, 20, was arrested Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, and charged with disorderly conduct and simple possession after blazing a fattie in the courtroom. (Wilson Country Sheriff’s Office)A gentleman in Lebanon, Tennessee man fired up a marijuana cigarette in the courtroom, authorities said, and for some reason, his situation did not improve.From apnews.com:Spencer Alan Boston, 20, was arrested Monday and charged with disorderly conduct and simple possession after sparking up in the courtroom, news outlets reported.Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said Boston was in court Monday on a simple drug possession charge. Boston approached the bench to discuss his sentence but instead expressed his views on legalizing marijuana.Boston reached in his pocket, pulled out a marijuana cigarette, lit it, smoked it and was immediately taken into custody, Bryan said. No word on whether the dude was smoking just weed, or weed mixed with tobacco, but we can all agree on one thing: poor guy is not smoking with a full pipe, if you catch my drift.More:Sheriff: Man stirs the pot by lighting joint in court [apnews.com] Read the rest

At at least 20 worshippers were killed in a stampede at a prosperity gospel church service in Tanzania on Sunday when the pastor told the thousands in attendance to come forward to get anointed with blessed miracle oil that solves all problems, reports The Telegraph. After the deadly incident, the pastor attempted to flee the country but was arrested before he could escape.Pastor Boniface Mwamposa had been drawing huge crowds by promising prosperity and cures for diseases to worshippers who step in what he calls "blessed oil" during his services.He was arrested on Sunday in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, as he attempted to flee the country, home affairs minister George Simbachawene said on Sunday."Mwamposa tried to flee after this incident, but we arrested him in Dar es Salaam ... he will be held accountable for causing this tragedy," the minister said.According to the minister, the stampede took place after the pastor instructed worshippers, who numbered some 10,000, to rush to one side of the stadium all at once to get anointed.Who else thinks that Pastor Mwamposa will say the people died because they lacked faith?Image: YouTube/Kenya Citizen TV Read the rest

Researchers identified a phytocannabinoid in Cannabis sativa that they say could be 30 times more powerful than THC, at least in their lab results. The scientists from Italy's University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and their colleagues found that in their in vitro tests, tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP) showed an attraction to the nervous system's cannabinoid (CB1) receptor that's more than thirty times higher than good ol' THC. From CNN:CBD has mostly been the focus of studies on the health benefits of cannabis, but because THCP appears to show stronger binding abilities and potency, the authors think there is potential for health benefits.The findings could enable the production of cannabis extracts for targeted physical effects; more testing with the study's methods could further the discovery and identification of new compounds, the authors said."There are other minor cannabinoids and traces in the plant that can be hard to study, but by isolation we can continue to assess the effects they might offer," (said Jane Ishmael, associate professor in Oregon State University's College of Pharmacy, who was not involved in the research."Historically, many of our medicines have been derived by or inspired by natural products. By having new compounds that bind with very high affinity, that will give scientists a new probe into biological sciences."Read the scientific paper: "A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol" (Nature Scientific Reports)image: Thayne Tuason (CC BY-SA 4.0 Read the rest

State Rep. Rodney Garcia is concerned about the rise of socialists Montana. But he says there's something people can do about them - kill and imprison them.“So actually in the Constitution of the United States (if) they are found guilty of being a socialist member you either go to prison or are shot,” Garcia told The Billings Gazette.From the article:Garcia said he views what he sees as an influx of socialism in Montana as a “very dangerous” situation and that socialism has destroyed countries like Venezuela.“They’re teaching that to kids. Thank God my grandkids know it’s wrong because I teach them. And it’s a very dangerous situation," Garcia said.Garcia added he believes socialism is growing, citing advertising he says is done by socialists on Facebook.Photo of Billings, Montana by Steve Halama on Unsplash Read the rest

This is the best part of the movie.Sammy should have beaten Burt down tho. Read the rest

Last week, Bradenton, Florida brewery Motorworks Brewing made headlines with their idea to put local animal shelter dogs' photos on their beer cans to help with pet adoption. Monica Mathis saw the story and recognized her dog Day Day who went missing three years ago from her Idaho home. So she called. From WFTS:(Manatee County Animal Services's Hans) Wohlgefahrt said they checked and Day Day did have a microchip with Monica's first name, but her last name had changed and the information on it was outdated. (She had since moved to Minnesota.)Mathis was able to provide paperwork to prove to Manatee County Animal Services that Day Day was actually her dog, Hazel."Once I got the confirmation I just couldn’t believe that this was actually my dog," said Mathis.How Hazel got from Iowa to Florida is unknown.(Thanks to our Florida bureau chief, Charles Pescovitz!) Read the rest

Chiefs DT Derrick Nnadi celebrated their superbowl win by paying the adoption fees for all the dogs in a shelter he works with.NBC4i:Derrick Nnadi is helping homeless dogs find new homes in the wake of his Super Bowl win.The defensive tackle is paying the adoption fees for all the dogs currently available at KC Pet Project.Nnadi has been helping out homeless animals all season though the Derrick Nnadi Foundation‘s partnership with KCPP.You can find out how to adopt the dogs here. Read the rest

There was a football game yesterday and this is the commercial that has everyone talking. Must have been an exciting game.I also saw a car commercial with Arya Stark in it. It made zero sense. Read the rest

It's hard to explain this peculiar supercut of actors screen testing a series of lines; a meme from the late 2000s-depths that somehow broke the surface again this weekend. Some appear to be advertising slogans, others are dramatic (lines from plays) or comedic (Simpsons quotes), and some involve as-seen-on-TV-esque physical exaggerations. There's some swearing: very strong Poe's Law energy in this one."You Could Stop At Five Or Six Stores" is a scripted line repeatedly uttered by several actors while auditioning for an unknown commercial at the Sarantos Studio of Acting.[6] The quote rose to online notoriety and became a popular subject of parodies after an edited montage reel of the audition, which consists of various actors awkwardly delivering the tagline along with other off-screen commentaries and dramatic poses, was uploaded to YouTube in 2010.I'm with Ruby Doo, a commenter on YouTube:Theory: these are all people from Gen Z who learned to time travel. Read the rest

On Hackster.io, Jeremy Cook, writes about the Harmonicade, a modular 5.5 (x2) octave, multi-channel MIDI keyboard which uses arcade-style push-buttons arranged in the Wicki-Hayden button layout.Like Dvorak layouts, this alternate note arrangement is much less common. As seen in the demo video, however, KOOP Instruments has leveraged the Wicki-Hayden setup to create a stunning dual-pad instrument that looks like a lot of fun to play. The dual input pads are entirely modular and plug into a central control unit using DB25 connectors that are wired to the buttons in a matrix.The central board contains a Teensy 3.6, plus a number of additional buttons and knobs for control over the sound. After being properly translated, digital audio signals are passed along via a MIDI jack.On the KOOP Instruments site, the have all of the CAD files, project code, and build instructions you need to create your own Harmonicade. Read the rest

Simon Weckert loaded a hand-cart with cellphones and pulled them slowly through Berlin. This fooled Google Maps into registering severe congestion, marking the streets bright red in the service, and rerouting traffic to avoid the area.99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps.Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route to avoid being stuck in traffic. Reminder: public disclosure of a zero-day vulnerability is rarely the first time it was exploited. Read the rest

This Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem crossed my transom yesterday morning. I cannot think of a more fitting encapsulation of where we are, here in our post Rule of Law era."PITY THE NATION" (After Khalil Gibran)Pity the nation whose people are sheepAnd whose shepherds mislead themPity the nation whose leaders are liarsWhose sages are silencedAnd whose bigots haunt the airwavesPity the nation that raises not its voiceExcept to praise conquerorsAnd acclaim the bully as heroAnd aims to rule the worldBy force and by torturePity the nation that knowsNo other language but its ownAnd no other culture but its ownPity the nation whose breath is moneyAnd sleeps the sleep of the too well fedPity the nation oh pity the peoplewho allow their rights to erodeand their freedoms to be washed awayMy country, tears of theeSweet land of liberty![H/t Linda Lewitt]Image: Lawrence Ferlinghetti at Caffe Trieste in 2012 by Christopher Michel. CC BY-SA 4.0 Read the rest

Back in the summer of 2019, the Waze map navigation app announced a partnership to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street. Cookie Monster was by far the most popular voice option for guiding you around the neighborhood, so in November of 2019, Waze brought the excitable carbo-loader back for a limited time.I don't know why I downloaded it. But I did. I don't even use Waze that much normally, as I find that the time saved from the small corner-cutting ends up getting mostly cancelled out by the additional attention I have to pay to its little tiny tricky. Like that time it helped me shave off 20 minutes of rush hour traffic in Connecticut by taking me 30-miles off the route along an endlessly winding and unlit narrow road. Truth be told, driving through Danbury may have actually been less stressful.But I've been making a lot of trips back and forth between Ithaca, NY and Boston, MA lately, for some personal reasons. Like, every 2 weeks. Or sometimes even more frequently. The drive is a little under 6 hours, and it's just … kind of … green. The entire time. There aren't any real sights or landmarks to note, there are only about 3 turns to make along the way, and there are never many other cars on the road. And my Volkswagen Jetta with its broken cruise control really seems to long for the Autobahn of its manufacturing home, which makes it frighteningly easy for me to creep to dangerous speeds without even noticing. Read the rest

Still dapper, but less creepy capitalist. Mr. Tayto Man is nothing but love. Read the rest

After the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, President Donald Trump tweeted his congratulations to the team who, er, "represented the Great State of Kansas." Seriously. Within a few minutes, he deleted the tweet and posted a corrected version. Here's a response from Claire McCaskill, former Democratic senator from Missouri (2007-2019):It’s Missouri you stone cold idiot. pic.twitter.com/O1cAAOFsJ6— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) February 3, 2020 Read the rest

The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV Sunday night and impeached President Donald Trump jumped on Twitter to congratulate the team.Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill responded on behalf of the American people.It's going to be a long week.Trump shares then deletes tweet praising Chiefs for representing 'Great State of Kansas' (The Hill) Read the rest

As any true gamer will tell you, the only thing that can truly ruin an epic gaming session is having to sit in an uncomfortable chair or at a poorly positioned desk for hours on end. So before you kick back and launch into another marathon session against your computer or friends, check out our list of these top-rated gaming desks and chairs that will help you conquer the digital realm.1. AKRacing™ Masters Series PRO Gaming ChairMSRP: $389 | Sale Price: $549 (28% off)This chair features cutting-edge ergonomics and a full spectrum of high-end features that will take your gaming to the next level—including cold-cured foam for added comfort and lockable tilt positions.2. AKRacing™ Office Series Onyx Deluxe Executive ChairMSRP: $599 | Sale Price: $389 (35% off)Combining next-generation functionality with sleek style, this seat features a high backrest for added neck support, a dedicated recliner setting, and sophisticated leather upholstery.3. Quest 45" Wide PC Gamer Computer DeskMSRP: $298 | Sale Price: $220 (26% off)Do your neck and spine a favor with this ergonomic gaming desk that comes loaded with a cup holder, a headphone hook, and a built-in power console that features three grounded outlets and two USB charging ports.4. Zone 47" Wide PC Gamer Computer DeskMSRP: $338 | Sale Price: $250 (26% off)Upgrade your gaming experience with this minimalist desk that features a 47-inch surface along with a specialized headphone hook, cup holder, and a cord management hole that hides all your wires. Read the rest

2020 is finally here, and if you’re going to smash that resolutions list you’re going to need to have a great cup of coffee by your side as you battle the day. From programable coffee makers to automatic brewers and rapid beverage coolers, there’s something on this list for anyone who wants to tackle their to-do list with the perfect cup of coffee by their side. Enjoy.1. Gourmia® GCM3600 Single Serve Coffee & Tea MakerMSRP: $120 | Sale Price: $60 (50% off)Easily brew coffee or even tea with the push of a button with this multifunctional 14oz brewing machine that features an easy-to-use control panel, detachable filters for easy cleaning, and K-cup compatibility.2. Gourmia® GCM2865 12-Cup Programmable Coffee MakerMSRP: $60 | Sale Price: $50 (16% off)Start your day on the right foot with this programmable coffee maker that will wake you up with your favorite brew—thanks to a series of controls that make it easy to schedule brews at any time of day.3. Gourmia® GCM3250 Dual Mode Pourfect Pour-Over Coffee MakerMSRP: $65 | Sale Price: $60 (8% off)This dual-mode coffee maker gives you the option of automatically or manually brewing your favorite cup of coffee, and it’s easy to match the precise amount of grinds and water needed per cup thanks to a one-click setting.4. Gourmia® GCM4700 Coffee Maker with Built-In GrinderMSRP: $140 | Sale Price: $100 (28% off)This 10-cup coffee maker comes with a built-in grinder so you can enjoy a truly fresh cup of Joe every day. Read the rest

I love the Ars Technica "War Stories" series where they interview designers of some of the most iconic and popular computer/video games on the challenges they faced.This episode features Rand Miller, one half (with brother Robyn) of Cyan, Inc. creators of the early 90s puzzle adventure game, Myst. The game was developed on hacked, maxed-out consumer-grade Macs using the HyperCard program. Myst would go on to become one of the most successful and inspirational games of all time.Image YouTube Read the rest

In this video on StandUpMaths, Matt explains the unique and rare palindromic qualities of the date 02/02/20. Besides being a palindrome in both US and European dating formats, 02/02/20 is also the 33rd day of the year, and because 2020 is a leap year, there are also 333 days left in the year.Image: YouTube Read the rest

Andrew Coyle and B.C. Jackson have published a baby board book featuring key concepts of Cult Trump. A is for Alternative Facts, C is for Covefe, D is for Drain the Swamp, F is for Fake News. My favorite part: "Reading Level: Presidential."Claude Taylor's Mad Dog PAC is selling this book. Buy it from them to support their humorous, in-your-face anti-Drumpf activities. Read the rest

When posed with the question "What are you doing?" this Wheel of Fortune contestant gave the obvious answer, which was unfortunately wrong.Image: YouTube Read the rest

A father and son who paid almost $300,000 for a white Lamborghini Huracan Spyder are suing the dealer after the paint job took on a yellow tinge, reports CTV News. Calogero Caruso took a second mortgage on his home to buy the Italian sports car for his son, because it was his child's “dream to own such a luxury vehicle... instead, it has been a total nightmare.” From CTV News:The plaintiffs claim the problem developed just days after they took possession of the luxury car when they noticed it had started to turn yellow.The Carusos say the dealership's boss, John Scotti, told them the car was indeed white but can look a little yellow in the sun.The plaintiffs say they gave the dealer the benefit of the doubt and parked the car indoors but still noticed that it was turning yellow.Caruso and son no longer want the car. They want a refund plus damages, but the dealer won't give it to them. Caruso returned the car to the dealership, but he is still making mortgage and insurance payments.Photo by Thomas Haas on Unsplash Read the rest

The next Samsung folding phone is expected to be announced this month, and what is purported to be a first hands-on video with the device to be released in February just appeared online.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip - First Hands On Video pic.twitter.com/4b8Uzt5kRB— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) February 2, 2020“Leaker Ben Geskin has posted a short clip purportedly showing the phone, said to be called the Galaxy Z Flip, in action on Twitter,” Sam Byford writes for The Verge:The video doesn’t show a great deal more than what we’ve already seen in leaked photos and renders — we still can’t tell whether the phone is using a new form of “ultra-thin glass” from Samsung, for example. But if you’ve been wondering how the Z Flip might work out in practice, it may well be of interest. The phone does look like it might be quite a bit easier to slip into a pocket or handbag than pretty much anything else out there — except maybe Motorola’s similar upcoming Razr.We’re expecting the Galaxy Z Flip to be officially revealed at Samsung’s Unpacked event on February 11th in San Francisco. The main announcement at that launch, however, should be the much-leaked Galaxy S20 flagship smartphone. READ MORE: Alleged leaked video shows off Samsung's folding Galaxy Z Flip[theverge.com via techmeme.com, SCREENGRAB: Ben Geskin / Twitter]this looks ridiculously long when you fold it out. I think foldables need to offer a phone and tablet experience, but never compromise on the phone experience to get there. Read the rest

A gentleman in Florida man is accused of using a Wisconsin woman's debit card information to purchase $68 worth of Little Caesar's pizza. From the breaking news alerts of @FloridaMan, obviously:According to to a Marshfield Police Department police report, Elle Wolf of Marshfield had a transaction on her bank statement from a Fort Lauderdale, Florida Little Caesar's location without her consent.The report says the unidentified Florida man purchased one bacon wrapped deep dish pizza, three stuffed crust pizzas, and three orders of Caesar wings and had delivered to his address via Door Dash.The charge of $68.80 currently has a process hold on the charge at Wolf's financial institution. Read more:Florida man uses Wisconsin woman's debit card information to buy pizza Read the rest

China’s central bank today announced plans to inject 1.2 trillion yuan worth of liquidity ($174 billion in U.S. dollars) into the financial markets via reverse repo operations on Monday, as stock markets prepare to reopen amid an escalating Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.Stock, currency and bond markets have been shut down in China since January 23, and were due to re-open last Friday. China's securities market regulator said in a People’s Daily [warning: .cn] interview Sunday that no further delays are planned.From Reuters: Chinese authorities have pledged to use various monetary policy tools to ensure liquidity remains reasonably ample and to support firms affected by the virus epidemic, which has so far claimed 305 lives, all but one in China.The People’s Bank of China made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, adding the total liquidity in the banking system will be 900 billion yuan higher than the same period in 2019 after the injection. According to Reuters calculations based on official central bank data, 1.05 trillion yuan worth of reverse repos are set to mature on Monday, meaning that 150 billion yuan in net cash will be injected.Investors are bracing for a volatile session in Chinese markets when onshore trades resume on Monday after a break for the Lunar New Year which was extended by the government.Read more:China to inject $174 billion of liquidity on Monday as markets reopen [Cheng Leng, Brenda Goh, Reuters.com] Read the rest

“Punk,” says a Wuhan hardcore band member, “is a way to help me keep my mind fresh.” The wonderful Aaron Stewart-Ahn tweeted today, “Something you haven’t been told about Wuhan during this outbreak is that it is China’s punk music capital.” And he's right.Excerpt from “In Wuhan, Punk's Not Dead,” a fascinating 2016 archival item by by Lin Qiqing at sixthtone.com -- which obviously predates the 2020 Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV epidemic --Nathanel Amar, a recent doctoral graduate of Paris’ Sciences Po university where he specialized in Chinese underground culture, says the trajectory of China’s punk scene over the past two decades is closely tied to the country’s drastic socio-economic pivot. In the ’80s, a decade marked by the growing exposure of China’s economy and society to Western cultures, Chinese youngsters fixated on a brighter future turned to rock music. Flagbearers of the genre were generally musically trained: Before his distorted guitar became the call to arms of a disillusioned generation, “godfather of Chinese rock” Cui Jian was a classically trained trumpet player.However, says Amar, the ’90s brought about a widening income gap and, with it, a new generation of disillusioned youth: economically disadvantaged urban youngsters who did not necessarily share the musical tastes of their forebears from the previous decade. Punk, driven not by musical complexity but guttural emotion, was their weapon of choice. “If you knew three chords, you could start a band,” says Amar. Indeed, fiddles and tin whistles come and go, tempos change, but those very chords — the root, fourth, and fifth — are a constant throughout many of SMZB’s songs. Read the rest

The best impressions SNL has ever seen are the work of Kate McKinnon. Read the rest

A Princess Bride themed pop-up bar is opening in Chicago. Perhaps you can find the man who killed your father...NBC Chicago:Inconceivable! "As You Wish," a "Princess Bride"-themed pop-up bar, will soon open in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood.The Sixth, which is located at 2202 W. Lawrence Ave., is launching the immersive bar on Feb. 11 with decorations replicating scenes from the 1987 film, according to Eater.The bar will also have 16 cocktails named after some of the movie's most quotable lines including "Twue Wuve" which is a concoction of Lucy Pistolas Mezcal, Arakku, Fino Sherry, caramel pineapple simple syrup, coconut and blueberry foam. Read the rest

I missed the opening of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance by a few weeks. Star Wars Galaxys Edge is wonderful.OC Register:On most days, the backup boarding group threshold tends to be in the 80 to 83 range, meaning visitors with boarding groups below that number are expected to get on the ride. The backup boarding group threshold has been as low as 42 — which happened on Wednesday, Jan. 29, when the park was closing early for an 80s Nite after-hours party.Disneyland has been able to accommodate some backup boarding groups on most days. The park made it all the way to boarding group 122 on Jan. 27, one of the best operational days yet for Rise of the Resistance. On the flip side, the park only made it to boarding group 81 on Jan. 19 and 26. On most days, Rise of the Resistance reaches backup boarding groups in the 105 to 115 range.Back-to-back downtimes hurt the most — and Rise of the Resistance has had its share of them during the first two weeks of operation. The ride had back-to-back breakdowns that stretched for approximately two hours or more on Jan. 22, 23 and 25, according to Touring Plans.But those weren’t the worst days by far. Back-to-back breakdowns stretched for approximately 4 hours on Jan. 19, according to Touring Plans. On Jan. 26, Rise of the Resistance went down three times in a row over the course of an 8-hour period, resulting in no backup boarding groups being called, Touring Plans data shows. Read the rest

It's a brand new year, and that means it's time to hit those resolutions lists so you can take on both your personal and professional lives with a new level of tenacity and overall awesomeness. It also means, however, that it's time to land some of the best deals on the best-selling items of 2019, and we've listed 20 of them right here.1. FusionLens™ for iPhoneMSRP: $85 | Sale Price: $80 (6% off)Your iPhone’s camera is already pretty impressive, but this clip-on lens will take your smartphone photography to the next level by allowing you to take HD anamorphic, wide-angle, fisheye, and 360-degree shots with the push of a button.2. TaoTronics 120" 16:9 Projector ScreenMSRP: $30 | Sale Price: $25 (16% off)Transform virtually any room into a full-fledged movie theater with this 120-inch semi-permanent projection screen, which boasts a 160-degree viewing angle, premium PVC canvas, and 10 grommets that make it easy to quickly put up and take down.3. Joan 6: Meeting Room DisplayMSRP: $549 | Sale Price: $500 (8% off)This Fortune 500-approved display provides a comprehensive overview of meetings, team availability, room information and more—all within a compact enclosure that’s easy to install on any clean surface. Used by more than 800,000 office workers globally, this display also allows you to quickly check the availability of up to nine rooms.4. Blue Light Blocking GlassesMSRP: $60 | Sale Price: $30 (50% off)Protect your vision and sleep better through the night with these blue-light-blocking glasses, which feature comprehensive UV400 protection, proprietary tints, and a specialized filter to block out harmful blue light. Read the rest

Valentine's Day always tends to creep up on even the best and most thoughtful gift-givers—leading people to scramble to the flower store on the big day in vain. So this year for Valentine's Day, give the gift of long-lasting roses that will both stand the test of time and arrive directly at your loved one's door with these best-selling premium rose packages.1. Rose Box™ Golden Box & Long-Lasting RosesMSRP: $249 | Sale Price: $187 (25% off)Make that special person in your life feel extra special this Valentine’s Day with this unique box of 9 to 10 long-lasting roses that will stay fresh for a full year without any maintenance.2. Rose Box™ Velvet Gray Box & Long-Lasting RosesMSRP: $199 | Sale Price: $150 (25% off)Available in a variety of colors, this velvet box of roses comes with 8 to 10 flowers that will stand the test of time without any upkeep.3. 24 Rose Square BoxMSRP: $350 | Sale Price: $215 (38% off)Available in red, yellow, blue or pink, these 24 everlasting roses come wrapped in a luxurious black velvet box.4. 24 Roses Round Box - RedMSRP: $350 | Sale Price: $200 (42% off)Perfect for a significant other or a family member, these long-lasting roses come in a variety of colors and are handpicked by local farmers.5. Red Everlasting RoseMSRP: $155 | Sale Price: $105 (32% off)Perfect for lovers of Beauty and the Beast, this gorgeous rose comes with its own beautiful crystal glass case that will protect it for months to come. Read the rest

Andy Gill, founding member, guitar player, and "Supreme Leader" of the hugely influencial post-punk band, Gang of Four, has died. He was 64.Members of the current Gang of Four line-up tweeted the following:Andy Gill. pic.twitter.com/DHNCz5lAe6— GANG OF FOUR (@gangof4official) February 1, 2020“This is so hard for us to write, but our great friend and Supreme Leader has died today,” Gang of Four wrote. “Andy’s final tour in November was the only way he was ever really going to bow out; with a Stratocaster around his neck, screaming with feedback and deafening the front row.”The band continued, “One of the best to ever do it, his influence on guitar music and the creative process was inspiring for us, as well as everyone who worked alongside him and listened to his music. And his albums and production work speak for themselves. Go give ’em a spin for him…”Read the obit at Rolling Stone.Image: YouTube Read the rest

The latest Nintendo Switch console is undeniably awesome, but these nine best-selling and top-rated accessories will take your Switch gaming experience to the next level. From wireless controllers to projectors, you're sure to find something here that will change the way you play for the better.1. 8BitDo® SN30 Bluetooth Gamepad (Red)MSRP: $30 | Sale Price: $24 (20% off)Play your favorite games in unparalleled retro style with this Game Boy-inspired Bluetooth gamepad that comes in a variety of colors.2. Nintendo Switch Bluetooth Audio AdapterMSRP: $60 | Sale Price: $40 (33% off)Connect your favorite wireless headphones to your Switch for a more immersive, wire-free gaming experience with this simple audio adapter.3. Nintendo Switch Battery Charger CaseMSRP: $60 | Sale Price: $40 (33% off)This charger case will give your Switch twice the battery power when you're on the move—ensuring that you’ll never have to take a break from your favorite games.4. Wireless Controllers for Nintendo SwitchMSRP: $50 | Sale Price: $38 (24% off)These unique controllers will dramatically expand the functionality of your Switch, by allowing you to customize and configure each button and control. They even feature an accelerometer and gyro-sensor for added awesomeness.5. GameCube Controller Adapter For Wii/PC/Nintendo SwitchMSRP: $20 | Sale Price: $10 (50% off)Play your Switch (or even your Wii or PC) with the convenience and functionality of a GameCube controller with this external adapter.6. Nintendo Switch Dual PokeBall Charging DockMSRP: $15 | Sale Price: $10 (33% off)Charge your Switch in style with this PokeBall dock that offers a sleek and stylish design along with overcharge protection for your gear. Read the rest

I've been to Japan at least 8 times, so I feel like I am pretty good at knowing what I need to do before I go. This video, "Must-Do Things Before Flying to Japan" has a number of useful tips, like how to book a good restaurant in advance, how to get a SIM card, how to book tickets to Disneyland, how to get a rail card, how to get a visa (most countries give you 90 days with no visa required), and which medications not to bring with you. Read the rest