In a surprise appearance on Friday, President Obama made an emotional speech about race in America following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, explaining how the death of Trayvon Martin felt personal to him. “Another way of saying that is, Trayvon Martin could’ve been me, 35 years ago,” Obama said. “There are very few African-American men who haven’t had the experience of being followed in a department store — that includes me.” Zimmerman fatally shot the 17-year-old Martin on the night of Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman, 29, was a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla., a gated community where Martin was staying at the time. In the weeks following the incident, he was accused of second-degree murder and manslaughter. A jury found him not guilty of both charges on Saturday. Watch Obama’s full speech below. What do you think of Obama’s sentiments? Share your reactions in the comments below. Image: Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/07/19/obama-trayvon-martin/
Here is a list of devices from which you, dear readers, claim to send emails: Commodore 64, carrier pigeon, homing pigeon, courier pigeon, fountain pen, rotary phone, hammer and chisel, tin can via the string network, typewriter, abacus, Apollo Guidance Computer, Atari, car phone, shoe phone, 1984 Samsung car phone, difference engine, Game Boy Color, IBM Selectric, pocket rocket, Remington SL3, souped-up TV remote, steam powered digital telegraph, TI-83 Plus, TI-89, toaster, UNIVAC, Coleco Adam computer, Moleskine notebook, Pony Express, Skynet, space-age phonograph and smoke signals. Phew. That’s a lot of retro. And a lot of Wikipediaing for the uninitiated. This data derives from Thursday’s request for edits to that line of text that phone companies so gauchely added to mobile emails: “Sent from my iPhone” and the like. I know I promised you a best-of list, but… Instead, I wrote you an essay breaking down the data! (Bum trade, sorry.) What really caught my attention is that people saw a basic grammar to iPhone signature witticisms. You put a single line of text in front of millions of people, and they start — en masse — to decompose it into playable components. Here’s the general form of the message (explicit stuff is in brackets): Apology/Location/Status [Communication] from [My] [Device] The surface content of the message is that you’re receiving a message from a device. But the type of device conveys an implicit status message, while the presence of the line provides an in-advance apology for any errors as well as an indication you’re mobile out there in the world (or at least not at your computer). Using this general form, we can create a loose taxonomy of the signature edits. (Yes, I know I’m taking this too seriously. Sent from a nerd in data heaven. Expect overthinking.) Sent from a rotary phone. Image: Alexis Madrigal Look, you can check for yourself (I’ve scrubbed the names and backstories): Image: Alexis Madrigal Most people only played with one of the elements. Obviously, the list at the top of this post shows people toying with the idea of the device itself, which (unintentionally or not) also changes the status message that gets delivered. They get all the other benefits of the line, but get to associate with a device that’s “more them.” Others liked to highlight the device’s “deviceness,” as in Nathan Tsoi’s “I typed my text above on a smallish quadrilateral of aluminosilicate glass, a task that would have been unimaginable to most people even a few short years ago. Mistakes are inevitable” or Marcus Himmel’s “Sent from a toy that has more computer power than all of NASA back in 1969 when it sent two astronauts to the moon” or Don D in Peoria’s, “Sent from the first great invention of the 21st century.” The other popular way to personalize the signature was to play with the implicit apology. These come in two flavors. The first is to actually apologize with words: Typed with big thumbs on small phone iPhone. […]
Starting next year, video game giant Electronic Arts (EA) won’t be allowed to use the NCAA’s logo in its future college games. Like so many divorces, it’s about money, and while both are sure to survive the split, we can’t help shedding a nostalgic tear. Image: Electronic Arts (EA) This article originally published at NowThis News here Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/07/19/ncaa-ea-split/
At the start of each new year, it’s only a matter of time before our mailboxes and television screens start becoming bombarded with advertising for that year’s Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Started in 1953, Publishers Clearing House got its roots as a direct marketing company that focused on magazine subscriptions. And for those foolish enough to buy into these marketing techniques, they were promised entry into their annual sweepstakes, offering their winners any number of prizes including $10 million or $5,000 a week for life. But while winning these prizes could be a life-changing moment for most people, scammers have begun posing as members of the company, turning people’s dream come true into a total nightmare. Ellen Olsen had always dreamed of winning the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes and having the Prize Patrol show up at her door. So when she received a letter from the company with a check for $5,000, she couldn’t help but think her dreams were all coming true. Youtube / News 5 Cleveland The letter had stated that Olsen was the winner of PCH’s $2.5 million grand prize and that the accompanying check was to cover taxes and fees. Things took a suspicious turn when the letter told her to cash the check but tell no one. Youtube / News 5 Cleveland Thankfully for Olsen, a quick Google search on the Internet informed the concerned woman that winners are not notified in advance and are contacted by coming to their front door. Youtube / News 5 Cleveland <div class="llcust" data-lltype="video" id="ll_5a6554b51e10b" data-source=" Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/clearing-house-scam/
It’s always a good idea to have a spare key on hand, whether it’s for your house, your car, or your mailbox. Sometimes we just manage to lose things, and by keeping a spare around, you’ll save yourself a whole lot of time and effort if those keys ever do go missing. We’re all busy, so it can be hard to find the time to get out and get spare keys, though. You have to lug yourself across town and to the hardware store…I mean, who has the time for that these days? Well, if you want to make a quick, one-time-use key for a last-resort situation, you can actually do that with a tin can, a lighter, and some sharp scissors. This genius life hack doesn’t seem like it should work, but it’s actually super effective. Read More: What You Can Do With Normal Batteries In Just 2 Seconds Is A Genius Life Hack Make sure to make these emergency spares now, before you lose your key ring. You know what they say, better safe than sorry! SHARE this life saver with everyone you know so they, too, can have a back-up plan in case something goes wrong. Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/key-copy/
The future is here! Just like out childhood cartoons promised us, we now have hovercraft technology. About time, right? The Hendo Hoverboard uses a magnetic field that allows it, and a full-sized human on top, to defy gravity and hover above the ground. Despite Earnshaw’s theorem, which says that equilibrium can never be reached between two magnets, the Hendo uses a principle called magnetic field architecture to create stabilized movement. The board can be also propelled forward using this principle, and the Hendo was designed to react smoothly and naturally to the user’s motions. To be technical, this technology already exists with high-speed rail, which uses electromagnetic currents to float the cars above the tracks, eliminating friction and allowing for a smooth, fast ride. The hoverboard, though, opens up the possibility of using hover technology for personal use, away from set tracks. Due to its operation, the Hendo requires a non-ferromagnetic surface to work–that means roughly, no transitional metals. Because of this, the creators of Hendo have also designed a special “hoverpark” as a place to demonstrate the board’s abilities. The board doesn’t soar very high off the ground; think of it more like a skateboard without wheels, only the Hendo would be able to go up slopes with less energy, as it reacts to the surface. Hendo Top and side views of the prototype board without a rider. It floats a few inches above the surface. Hendo The hoverboard with a rider. Hendo The designs for the top and bottom of the board. The positioning of the foot pads seems subject to change. Hendo The design for the hoverpark, where the hoverboard can be ridden, much like a skateboard in a skatepark. Greg and Jill Henderson, the founders of Hendo, know that a hoverboard might not be the next big thing in transportation technology. However, they regard the hoverboard, and its hover engine, as the first step in a possible new direction for vehicles and travel. It’s a technology that can be built upon to create more practical applications. Right now, the hoverboard is still a prototype, and Hendo is actively seeking funding via Kickstarter, and hopes to expand the technology so that it’s more widely available in the near future. Read more: http://viralnova.com/hovering-toward-the-future/
Kids are amazing, tough and inspirational right? In another emotive spot for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Procter & Gamble show us what children are capable of. At the end of the newly-launched film called “Kids,” you’ll want to get up, clap and cheer for these young Olympians. The video is gaining speed on YouTube with 416,000+ views in just two days. The “Best Job” film, a part of P&G’s social “Thank You, Mom” campaign, has received more than 5 million views since mid-April and has been shared around the world. Thursday marks the opening of the Olympic Village where 17,000 athletes are expected to reside during the games. The Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics will start on July 27. Have you been moved by the P&G commercials? Tell us in the comments below. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/07/12/procter-gamble-kids/
No matter how old we get, our parents love and care for us as just as much as when we were children. One of the most special bonds shared by two people is that between a mother and her child, and as this elderly pair proves, neither time nor age lessens the strength of that bond. Ada Keating is 98 years old, and when her late husband Harry was still alive, they had four children together — Tom, Barbara, Margi, and Janet, the last of whom passed away when she was 13. In 2016, Tom moved into the Moss View Care Home in Liverpool, England, requiring more care and support than he was able to provide for himself. Now the 80-year-old is sharing his new home with his mother, who decided to join him about a year later! The two have always shared a special relationship, so Ada figured it would be a great idea to move into the care home so she could look after Tom and keep him company. Since the move, they’ve had a blast playing games, watching TV, and spending time together. Rumble / rumblestaff “I say goodnight to Tom in his room every night and I’ll go and say good morning to him,” Ada said. “When I go out to the hairdressers he’ll look for me to see when I’m coming back. When I get back he’ll come to me with his arms outstretched and give me a big hug.” Rumble / rumblestaff “It’s very touching to see the close relationship both Tom and Ada share and we are so pleased we were able to accommodate both of their needs,” said Philip Daniels, the manager of the facility. “It’s very rare to see mothers and their children together in the same care home and we certainly want to make their time together as special as possible.” Rumble / rumblestaff <div class="llcust" data-lltype="video" id="ll_59fd203bdb819" data-source=" Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/elderly-mothers-love/
These 10 Cats Hate Toasters, Popcorn and Treadmills 1. Kitten vs. Two Scary Things Someone needs to tell this kitten apples aren’t harbingers of doom. Then again, why spoil the fun? 2. Cat vs. Toaster Wait for it… 3. Cats Try to Understand Treadmill These cats tag-team a treadmill. 4. Robocop vs. the Washing Machine Thank goodness there are cats like Robocop patrolling kitchens across the country. 5. Cat Terrorized by Popcorn Popcorn is evil. 6. Kitten vs. Watermelon We don’t know what this watermelon ever did to this cat, but it must have been really, really bad. 7. Snooky and the Metronome Cats defeat abominable ticking thing. 8. Bad Fur Day The hair dryer is bad and needs to be punished. 9. Cat vs. Printer This classic clip still makes us smile. You might want to also check out the translation. 10. Two Days of Cat vs. Automatic Feeder Finally, this cat isn’t actually angry; he’s very cleverly bashing his automatic pet feeder to get bonus food. But we loved this montage so much we thought we’d share it. Enjoy! Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/09/cats-versus-videos/
Image: The Official Nintendo Magazine In what has got to be one of the strangest franchise crossovers we’ve ever seen, a forthcoming DLC (downloadable content) pack for Mario Kart 8 will allow gamers to hop behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz. Image: The Official Nintendo Magazine Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 is released in Japan Friday—as is the new Mercedes-Benz GLA SUV convertible. To celebrate this fortuitous coincidence the two companies have teamed up to produce the in-game “GLA Kart,” which will be available to download in Japan this summer. This isn’t the first time Nintendo has utilised product placement in their games: Eurogamer.net reports that Pikmen 2 contained multiple discoverable licensed items, including Duracell batteries, whilst “Wave Race 64 featured Kawasaki jet skis.” Image: The Official Nintendo Magazine In a statement on whether the DLC would be available elsewhere, Nintendo UK said that “the announcement this time was made by Mercedes-Benz Japan regarding their collaboration in Japan with NCL.” “As for the information relating to the distribution of the GLA kart for MK8 outside Japan, we will be able to announce in the near future.” Sounds promising, then. Another new tie-in between Mercedes-Benz Japan and Nintendo comes in the form of what at first appears to be a playable version of the Mercedes-driving Mario seen in the advert embedded above. But when you click through to play, it’s actually one big advert that you click on to finish the level. Sneaky. Before you start gnashing your teeth about advertising and exorbitantly-priced add-ons: Remember, the DLC is free! Sen. John McCain thinks anti-war activists are ‘low-life scum’ Lisa Ann’s anti-prostitution rant sparks outcry from sex workers Eddie Murphy will return to ‘SNL’ for the first time in 30 years Amaz’s Team Archon drops player amid cheating accusations This article originally published at The Daily Dot here Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/05/30/mario-kart-8-mercedes-benz-suv/
