theverge--2020-04-18--9 new trailers you should watch this week

I finally got around to watching The Lighthouse the other week , or , as my wife later joked it could have been called , Look How Good Willem Dafoe is at Acting .
It ’ s a very entertaining movie that sticks Dafoe and Robert Pattinson together and lets the two of them just kind of go at it , to increasingly wild results .
As entertaining as it all is to watch , I came away feeling like the movie didn ’ t quite know what it wanted to say .
The film is packed with symbolism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t give us a lens through which to understand any of it .
It all ends up seeming like a bunch of ideas thrown at the wall to give us some cool stuff to think about , without any real meaning behind it .
The last movie I saw before The Lighthouse was Portrait of a Lady on Fire , and that movie has somehow helped me make the most sense of it .
Both films are about two people stranded together on an island who slowly grow more open with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
In Lady , it ’ s two women , and the characters slowly reveal themselves to one another and form a difficult , beautiful relationship in the process .
In Lighthouse , it ’ s two men , and they go nuts and beat each other into oblivion .
Maybe that ’ s the point .
Check out nine trailers from this week and last week below .
NBCUniversal is launching a streaming service called Peacock , and this week the service posted trailers for its first run of shows .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bell reboot , but I ’ m just going to include one show here : a TV adaptation of Brave New World , which looks , I suppose , appropriately glossy .
The service launches widely on July 15th .
Never Have I Ever Mindy Kaling ’ s next show is headed to Netflix .
Never Have I Ever is a high school comedy about an Indian-American girl , and it ’ s supposed to be inspired by Kaling ’ s own childhood .
I ’ m loving the snappy , ultra-confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It comes out April 27th .
La La Land director Damien Chazelle is making a limited series for Netflix , and — surprise — it ’ s about jazz .
It looks beautifully shot and exactly as romanticized and dramatic as you ’ d imagine a Paris-set jazz drama to be .
I am embarrassed to say I will probably check it out .
It comes out May 8th .
I assumed that we wouldn ’ t be hearing from director Josh Trank again after the incredibly messy stories that came out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , he ’ s got Tom Hardy staring in a gangster film about Al Capone .
It ’ ll be available to rent starting May 12th .
Netflix has a colorful and trippy new series coming up from Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward .
It ’ s about some guy trying to make a podcast by talking to people in all kinds of weird dimensions , and it looks very existential and emotional .
The show arrives April 20th .
I ’ m pretty excited for this .
A couple years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teen-girl skate group Skate Kitchen to make a fictionalized film about their lives .
Now their story is getting a continuation with a six-episode series .
It debuts May 1st .
HBO is rebooting Perry Mason , a classic detective character who ’ s appeared in a number of series , though I don ’ t know how much the branding really matters here .
It ’ s a new crime noir series , and it looks likely to do a great job of giving fans of the genre what they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m only posting this because it seems like the epitome of a show Apple would make : an inspirational series about houses .
This week in Quibi : Anna Kendrick vs. a talking sex doll .

I finally got around to watching The Lighthouse the other week, or, as my wife later joked it could have been called, Look How Good Willem Dafoe is at Acting. It’s a very entertaining movie that sticks Dafoe and Robert Pattinson together and lets the two of them just kind of go at it, to increasingly wild results.
As entertaining as it all is to watch, I came away feeling like the movie didn’t quite know what it wanted to say. The film is packed with symbolism and references to myth, but the story doesn’t give us a lens through which to understand any of it. It all ends up seeming like a bunch of ideas thrown at the wall to give us some cool stuff to think about, without any real meaning behind it.
The last movie I saw before The Lighthouse was Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and that movie has somehow helped me make the most sense of it. Both films are about two people stranded together on an island who slowly grow more open with one another over the course of the story. In Lady, it’s two women, and the characters slowly reveal themselves to one another and form a difficult, beautiful relationship in the process. In Lighthouse, it’s two men, and they go nuts and beat each other into oblivion. Maybe that’s the point.
Check out nine trailers from this week and last week below.
Brave New World
NBCUniversal is launching a streaming service called Peacock, and this week the service posted trailers for its first run of shows. The headline series is a Saved By the Bell reboot, but I’m just going to include one show here: a TV adaptation of Brave New World, which looks, I suppose, appropriately glossy. The service launches widely on July 15th.
Never Have I Ever
Mindy Kaling’s next show is headed to Netflix. Never Have I Ever is a high school comedy about an Indian-American girl, and it’s supposed to be inspired by Kaling’s own childhood. I’m loving the snappy, ultra-confident performance of the lead actress so far. It comes out April 27th.
The Eddy
La La Land director Damien Chazelle is making a limited series for Netflix, and — surprise — it’s about jazz. It looks beautifully shot and exactly as romanticized and dramatic as you’d imagine a Paris-set jazz drama to be. I am embarrassed to say I will probably check it out. It comes out May 8th.
Capone
I assumed that we wouldn’t be hearing from director Josh Trank again after the incredibly messy stories that came out of Fantastic Four. But five years later, he’s got Tom Hardy staring in a gangster film about Al Capone. It’ll be available to rent starting May 12th.
The Midnight Gospel
Netflix has a colorful and trippy new series coming up from Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward. It’s about some guy trying to make a podcast by talking to people in all kinds of weird dimensions, and it looks very existential and emotional. The show arrives April 20th.
Betty
I’m pretty excited for this. A couple years ago, director Crystal Moselle worked with the teen-girl skate group Skate Kitchen to make a fictionalized film about their lives. Now their story is getting a continuation with a six-episode series. It debuts May 1st.
Perry Mason
HBO is rebooting Perry Mason, a classic detective character who’s appeared in a number of series, though I don’t know how much the branding really matters here. It’s a new crime noir series, and it looks likely to do a great job of giving fans of the genre what they’re looking for. It starts June 21st.
Home
I’m only posting this because it seems like the epitome of a show Apple would make: an inspirational series about houses.
Dummy


theverge--2020-04-19--Australia will compel Facebook and Google to pay media outlets for news content

The Treasurer of Australia has ordered that country ’ s competition watchdog to create a code of conduct for Facebook and Google which would force the tech giants to pay Australian media companies for using their content , ABC News ( AU ) reports .
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was working on developing a voluntary code of conduct , but told the Australian government it was “ unlikely ” to get a voluntary agreement around the issue of payment for content .
The ACCC was working on the code as part of a series of recommendations from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that inquiry found — in addition to privacy concerns— that in Australia , Google and Facebook were taking a large share of online advertising revenue , even though much of their content came from media organizations , Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said at the time .
The report called for a voluntary code that would require the companies to negotiate with news media on how to pay for their content , and advise media companies of algorithm changes that might affect online content rankings .
The mandatory code the ACCC is now writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content would be included , according to ABC .
“ It ’ s only fair that those that generate content get paid for it , ” Frydenberg said .
Australia ’ s newspapers and media outlets , like those in the US and elsewhere , have been hard-hit by the economic downturn due to the coronavirus pandemic , the Guardian reports .
Large Australian media companies have asked staff to take pay cuts and several newspapers have halted production because of a sharp decline in advertising revenue .
A draft of the code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the end of July , according to the Guardian .
Will Easton , Managing Director , Facebook Australia , and New Zealand said in a statement emailed to The Verge that the company was “ disappointed ” by the Australian government ’ s announcement .
Facebook has invested “ millions of dollars ” to support Australian publishers , he said , through content arrangements , partnerships , and training .
“ COVID-19 has impacted every business and industry across the country , including publishers , which is why we announced a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time when advertising revenue is declining , ” Easton said , referring to the $ 100 million Facebook has pledged to invest in the news industry .
“ We believe that strong innovation and more transparency around the distribution of news content is critical to building a sustainable news ecosystem.
” Google did not immediately return a request for comment from The Verge .

The Treasurer of Australia has ordered that country’s competition watchdog to create a code of conduct for Facebook and Google which would force the tech giants to pay Australian media companies for using their content, ABC News (AU) reports. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was working on developing a voluntary code of conduct, but told the Australian government it was “unlikely” to get a voluntary agreement around the issue of payment for content.
The ACCC was working on the code as part of a series of recommendations from its 2019 digital platforms inquiry. The report from that inquiry found — in addition to privacy concerns— that in Australia, Google and Facebook were taking a large share of online advertising revenue, even though much of their content came from media organizations, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said at the time.
The report called for a voluntary code that would require the companies to negotiate with news media on how to pay for their content, and advise media companies of algorithm changes that might affect online content rankings. The mandatory code the ACCC is now writing will include penalties, and define what content would be included, according to ABC.
“It’s only fair that those that generate content get paid for it,” Frydenberg said.
Australia’s newspapers and media outlets, like those in the US and elsewhere, have been hard-hit by the economic downturn due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Guardian reports. Large Australian media companies have asked staff to take pay cuts and several newspapers have halted production because of a sharp decline in advertising revenue.
A draft of the code of conduct is due to be finalized by the end of July, according to the Guardian.
Will Easton, Managing Director, Facebook Australia, and New Zealand said in a statement emailed to The Verge that the company was “disappointed” by the Australian government’s announcement. Facebook has invested “millions of dollars” to support Australian publishers, he said, through content arrangements, partnerships, and training.
“COVID-19 has impacted every business and industry across the country, including publishers, which is why we announced a new, global investment to support news organizations at a time when advertising revenue is declining,” Easton said, referring to the $100 million Facebook has pledged to invest in the news industry. “We believe that strong innovation and more transparency around the distribution of news content is critical to building a sustainable news ecosystem.”
A Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement to The Verge that the company had been working since February with more than 25 Australian publishers for input on a voluntary code of conduct under the ACCC’s timeline.
“We have sought to work constructively with industry, the ACCC and government to develop a Code of Conduct, and we will continue to do so in the revised process set out by the government today,” the spokesperson said.
UPDATE April 19th, 9:09PM ET: Added statement from Facebook representative.


theverge--2020-04-19--Lime reactivates small fleets of scooters, offers free rides for healthcare, law enforcement workers

E-scooter-sharing company Lime is reactivating small fleets of scooters in about a dozen cities and will offer free 30-minute rides for health care workers and law enforcement officers , the company announced .
Its Lime Aid initiative is meant to address essential workers ’ need for transportation while social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Micromobility plays a critical role in moving people seamlessly through cities , and as an individual form of transportation , scooters can help fill an integral transportation gap at this important time , ” the company said in a statement .
It will partner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations for the scooters .
Lime says in the release the scooters are meant to be used for essential trips only , such as to the grocery store or doctor ’ s office , not for joy riding or other purposes .
The company plans to start Lime Aid in the first batch of cities , which includes Austin , Baltimore , Columbus , Dallas , Nashville , Norfolk , Va. , Oklahoma City , Salt Lake City , and Washington D.C. in the US ; Berlin and Cologne in Germany ; Paris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tel Aviv , Israel .
Lime says it will expand to other cities in the coming weeks .
Lime , the largest e-scooter-sharing company in the world with some 120,000 scooters in 30 countries , said in March it would be suspending service in nearly two dozen countries .
Last week , The Verge learned that Lime was buying up the assets of defunct electric skateboard company Boosted .

E-scooter-sharing company Lime is reactivating small fleets of scooters in about a dozen cities and will offer free 30-minute rides for health care workers and law enforcement officers, the company announced. Its Lime Aid initiative is meant to address essential workers’ need for transportation while social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Micromobility plays a critical role in moving people seamlessly through cities, and as an individual form of transportation, scooters can help fill an integral transportation gap at this important time,” the company said in a statement. It will partner with the cities to determine the best locations for the scooters. Lime says in the release the scooters are meant to be used for essential trips only, such as to the grocery store or doctor’s office, not for joy riding or other purposes.
The company plans to start Lime Aid in the first batch of cities, which includes Austin, Baltimore, Columbus, Dallas, Nashville, Norfolk, Va., Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and Washington D.C. in the US; Berlin and Cologne in Germany; Paris, France; Rimini, Italy; and Tel Aviv, Israel. Lime says it will expand to other cities in the coming weeks.


theverge--2020-04-19--Facebook is launching a dedicated gaming app to take on Twitch, YouTube

Twitch and YouTube don ’ t have much competition when it comes to streaming platforms for the gaming community , but Facebook wants to change that with a new dedicated mobile gaming app .
Facebook ’ s gaming app will largely curate and focus on the streaming community , although it will also highlight casual games that people might play online already , including Words with Friends , according to the New York Times .
The app , which is set to be introduced on April 20th , will also reportedly only be available on Android devices at first .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ app for iOS devices once “ Apple approves them.
” The Verge has reached out to Facebook for additional information .
With Facebook Gaming ’ s continued growth , and the current increase in viewership and streaming as a whole while people are stuck at home during the pandemic , the company feels like now is the perfect time to launch the app .
It was originally supposed to launch in June , according to the Times , but Facebook moved it up to meet current demand .
“ Investing in gaming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Investing in gaming in general has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people , ” Fidji Simo , head of the Facebook app , told the New York Times .
“ It ’ s entertainment that ’ s not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together.
” Facebook has invested in gaming for years , and has tried to build up its streaming community by partnering with different creators and hosting esports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ user base — more than 2.5 billion people use Facebook every month — it still lags behind Twitch and YouTube ( owned by Amazon and Google , respectively ) when it comes to hours of gameplay watched .
That said , Facebook Gaming is growing .
Facebook Gaming saw a 210 percent increase in hours watched between December 2018 and December 2019 , according to a report from streaming software company StreamElements , which conducts regular reports on the streaming industry with analytics partner Arsenal.gg .
Streaming content on Facebook saw a six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a 78 percent increase in the average number of viewers per hour streamed in the same time frame .
Facebook has also followed Twitch and YouTube ’ s strategy by exclusively partnering with top talent , including former Twitch streamer Gonzalo “ ZeRo ” Barrios , YouTube personality Corinna Kopf , and former UFC champion , Ronda Rousey .
“ Facebook Gaming has been making incredible strides as they ’ ve leveraged their global presence and strategic talent acquisitions to bolster their market share in the livestreaming space , ” Doron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement to The Verge when Rousey ’ s partnership was announced in February .
“ By adding Ronda Rousey , a very mainstream celebrity whose into gaming , to their roster , it ’ s another great move since content is king , but you need a kingdom to make it matter.
” “ It ’ s literally just a few clicks and then live , you ’ re a streamer ” Twitch and YouTube still dominate the industry , though .
Twitch commanded 61 percent of hours watched in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the market .
In fourth place is Microsoft ’ s Mixer , which saw just under three percent of all hours spent watching livestreams .
New tools might help Facebook chip away at Twitch and YouTube ’ s dominance .
Facebook is trying to make it easier for its users to start streaming by adding a “ Go Live ” button .
The function “ lets users upload streams of other mobile games on the same device by pressing just a few buttons , ” according to the Times .
Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their personal pages , making it easier for friends and followers to watch .
Like YouTube and Twitch , Facebook does offer monetization to some of its streamers .
Similar to Twitch ’ s affiliate status and YouTube ’ s Partner Program , Facebook ’ s “ Level Up ” is designed to allow content creators to monetize .
“ People are watching streams and they ’ re like , ‘ I want to be a streamer , ’ and with Go Live it ’ s literally just a few clicks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streamer , ” Vivek Sharma , Facebook ’ s vice president for gaming , told the Times .
What ’ s evident from new statistics coming in every day is that live-streaming is booming ; The Verge ’ s resident Twitch expert Bijan Stephen deemed it “ live-streaming ’ s moment ” a few weeks ago .
Facebook is clearly hoping that it can meet the increased demand with a brand new project that people latch onto .

Twitch and YouTube don’t have much competition when it comes to streaming platforms for the gaming community, but Facebook wants to change that with a new dedicated mobile gaming app.
Facebook’s gaming app will largely curate and focus on the streaming community, although it will also highlight casual games that people might play online already, including Words with Friends, according to the New York Times. The app, which is set to be introduced on April 20th, will also reportedly only be available on Android devices at first. The company has plans to release the app for iOS devices once “Apple approves them.” The Verge has reached out to Facebook for additional information.
With Facebook Gaming’s continued growth, and the current increase in viewership and streaming as a whole while people are stuck at home during the pandemic, the company feels like now is the perfect time to launch the app. It was originally supposed to launch in June, according to the Times, but Facebook moved it up to meet current demand.
“Investing in gaming in general has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people,” Fidji Simo, head of the Facebook app, told the New York Times. “It’s entertainment that’s not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together.”
Facebook has invested in gaming for years, and has tried to build up its streaming community by partnering with different creators and hosting esports tournaments. Despite Facebook’s large user base — more than 2.5 billion people use Facebook every month — it still lags behind Twitch and YouTube (owned by Amazon and Google, respectively) when it comes to hours of gameplay watched.
That said, Facebook Gaming is growing. Facebook Gaming saw a 210 percent increase in hours watched between December 2018 and December 2019, according to a report from streaming software company StreamElements, which conducts regular reports on the streaming industry with analytics partner Arsenal.gg. Streaming content on Facebook saw a six percent increase in the number of streamers, and a 78 percent increase in the average number of viewers per hour streamed in the same time frame. Facebook has also followed Twitch and YouTube’s strategy by exclusively partnering with top talent, including former Twitch streamer Gonzalo “ZeRo” Barrios, YouTube personality Corinna Kopf, and former UFC champion, Ronda Rousey.
“Facebook Gaming has been making incredible strides as they’ve leveraged their global presence and strategic talent acquisitions to bolster their market share in the livestreaming space,” Doron Nir, CEO of StreamElements, said in a statement to The Verge when Rousey’s partnership was announced in February. “By adding Ronda Rousey, a very mainstream celebrity whose into gaming, to their roster, it’s another great move since content is king, but you need a kingdom to make it matter.”
“It’s literally just a few clicks and then live, you’re a streamer”
Twitch and YouTube still dominate the industry, though. Twitch commanded 61 percent of hours watched in December 2019, with YouTube maintaining another 28 percent of the market. In fourth place is Microsoft’s Mixer, which saw just under three percent of all hours spent watching livestreams.
New tools might help Facebook chip away at Twitch and YouTube’s dominance. Facebook is trying to make it easier for its users to start streaming by adding a “Go Live” button. The function “lets users upload streams of other mobile games on the same device by pressing just a few buttons,” according to the Times. Once people are live, streams will appear on their personal pages, making it easier for friends and followers to watch. Like YouTube and Twitch, Facebook does offer monetization to some of its streamers. Similar to Twitch’s affiliate status and YouTube’s Partner Program, Facebook’s “Level Up” is designed to allow content creators to monetize.
“People are watching streams and they’re like, ‘I want to be a streamer,’ and with Go Live it’s literally just a few clicks and then live, you’re a streamer,” Vivek Sharma, Facebook’s vice president for gaming, told the Times.


theverge--2020-04-19--Amazon will keep fulfillment centers in France closed through April 22nd

Amazon will extend the closures of its fulfillment centers in France until at least April 22nd , Reuters reports .
@ @ @ @ @ of the centers in France April 15th , after a French court ruled Amazon could @ @ @ @ @ item if it ships anything not directly related to medical supplies , hygiene products , @ @ @ @ @ said the definition of what goods it could ship was not clear and rather than @ @ @ @ @ to temporarily close the fulfillment centers .
Workers ’ representatives in France took Amazon to @ @ @ @ @ as insufficient protections from the coronavirus .
As of April 19th , France has more @ @ @ @ @ .
Amazon is now waiting for its appeal to be heard , Reuters reported .
@ @ @ @ @ April 21st .

Amazon will extend the closures of its fulfillment centers in France until at least April 22nd, Reuters reports. The e-commerce company closed six of the centers in France April 15th, after a French court ruled Amazon could be fined €1 million per item if it ships anything not directly related to medical supplies, hygiene products, and food items.
Amazon said the definition of what goods it could ship was not clear and rather than risk being fined, opted to temporarily close the fulfillment centers.
Workers’ representatives in France took Amazon to court for what they viewed as insufficient protections from the coronavirus. As of April 19th, France has more than 19,000 deaths from COVID-19.


theverge--2020-04-20--Apple’s bigger iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard weighs more than a MacBook Air

Apple announced its new Magic Keyboard with trackpad for the iPad Pro last month , but the company has so far refused to reveal the weight of the accessory that ’ s now shipping to customers .
We finally have an answer , thanks to a MacRumors forum poster ( via 9to5Mac ) who received a Magic Keyboard over the weekend .
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard weigh in at 3 pounds ( 1362 grams ) , more than the 2.8 pounds ( 1290 grams ) of the 13-inch MacBook Air but the same as the 13-inch MacBook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Magic Keyboard is there to accommodate viewing angles and balance the iPad Pro ’ s weight .
Apple didn ’ t originally design the iPad with keyboard and trackpad support as key features , so the company has had to add them on later .
It ’ s not all that surprising that the Magic Keyboard adds some considerable weight and bulk to the iPad Pro , though .
Unlike the previous Smart Keyboard Folio , the Magic Keyboard now includes a floating cantilevered design for viewing angles , a backlit keyboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are still lighter alternatives if you ’ re looking for an iPad and keyboard / trackpad combo , and you ’ re willing to forgo the iPad Pro .
Logitech ’ s iPad keyboard case with trackpad costs half as much as Apple ’ s at $ 149.95 , and it works on the cheaper iPad and iPad Air models .
The combined weight of a regular iPad and Logitech ’ s case comes in at 2.49 pounds , but you ’ re obviously losing the bigger screen size from the 12.9-inch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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Apple announced its new Magic Keyboard with trackpad for the iPad Pro last month, but the company has so far refused to reveal the weight of the accessory that’s now shipping to customers. We finally have an answer, thanks to a MacRumors forum poster (via 9to5Mac) who received a Magic Keyboard over the weekend. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard weigh in at 3 pounds (1362 grams), more than the 2.8 pounds (1290 grams) of the 13-inch MacBook Air but the same as the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Much of the bulk of the Magic Keyboard is there to accommodate viewing angles and balance the iPad Pro’s weight. Apple didn’t originally design the iPad with keyboard and trackpad support as key features, so the company has had to add them on later.
Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
It’s not all that surprising that the Magic Keyboard adds some considerable weight and bulk to the iPad Pro, though. Unlike the previous Smart Keyboard Folio, the Magic Keyboard now includes a floating cantilevered design for viewing angles, a backlit keyboard with scissor-switch keys, and trackpad.
There are still lighter alternatives if you’re looking for an iPad and keyboard / trackpad combo, and you’re willing to forgo the iPad Pro. Logitech’s iPad keyboard case with trackpad costs half as much as Apple’s at $149.95, and it works on the cheaper iPad and iPad Air models. The combined weight of a regular iPad and Logitech’s case comes in at 2.49 pounds, but you’re obviously losing the bigger screen size from the 12.9-inch display on the iPad Pro.


theverge--2020-04-20--Facebook will expand its symptom tracking survey globally to measure the spread of COVID-19

Two weeks after beginning to survey users about disease symptoms in an effort to track the spread of COVID-19 , Facebook said Monday that early results showed promise — and that the effort will roll out internationally beginning Wednesday .
Carnegie Mellon University , which conducts the survey , said that 150,000 people a day are now submitting symptom reports after clicking on a link in the News Feed .
The university does not share any information about symptoms back to Facebook .
In an op-ed in the Washington Post , Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that initial findings shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about confirmed cases of COVID-19 , an important signal that symptom surveys will soon be able to forecast the disease ’ s spread .
Facebook will use aggregated data from the university to produce interactive maps based on symptom surveys and will update them daily .
“ I ’ ve always believed that helping people come together as a community will help us address our greatest challenges — not just by sharing our experiences and supporting each other in crises but also by working together at scale to solve problems , ” Zuckerberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemics before , but this time we have a new superpower : the ability to gather and share data for good .
If we use it responsibly , I ’ m optimistic that data can help the world respond to this health crisis and get us started on the road to recovery.
” Facebook also announced a partnership with the University of Maryland to begin collecting symptom data globally .
If Facebook users report symptoms in their own countries at rates similar to their participation in the United States , the data could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential hotspots around the globe , said Ryan Tibshirani , an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon who is helping to lead the school ’ s partnership with Facebook .
In an interview with The Verge , Zuckerberg said that global maps could serve as a reality check in places where elected officials have been slow to acknowledge the spread of COVID-19 within their borders .
“ Some of these governments , frankly , are not excited about the world knowing how many actual cases there might be , or indicators of how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Zuckerberg said .
“ So getting that data out there is very important.
” As the pandemic has spread around the world , Zuckerberg has sought to demonstrate how Facebook ’ s massive global reach can be used to help elected leaders and public health officials make more informed decisions about their pandemic response .
Last month , Facebook began inserting a “ COVID-19 Information Center ” into the News Feed , showing users vetted information from public health authorities .
More than 350 million people have used the center to date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Facebook remains under scrutiny for its practices related to competition , data privacy , and allowing the spread of misinformation .
The company is being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of states attorney general over antitrust and privacy issues .
As the pandemic worsens , Facebook has worked to show how aggregated , anonymized data collected at global scale can be a force for good .
Earlier this month the company also released mobility maps that use smartphone location to illustrate the degree to which Americans are complying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has released a similar tool using its own location data . )
At the same time , the company has come under continued criticism for its role in spreading misinformation related to the coronavirus , and more recently for its use in organizing protests against stay-at-home orders .
On some level , Facebook ’ s corporate initiatives to reduce the harms generated by the pandemic are undermined by the behavior of its user base — and at this point it ’ s unclear which of those will prove more consequential in the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Facebook announced additional partnerships with researchers to use machine learning techniques to do additional forecasting .
In New York , the company is working with New York University and Cornell University to create forecasts for the spread of the disease at the county level , as well as predictions for how a rise in cases will affect demand for services , ventilators , and personal protective equipment at area hospitals .
One approach will use machine learning technology from Facebook to analyze de-identified X-rays and computerized tomography ( CT ) scans in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment demand .
Zuckerberg said that while Facebook would not seek to interpret the symptom data it shares with researchers , its size has enabled it to make a significant contribution to the public health response .
“ What we can do is help them get a survey out to a large number of people quickly , and on a daily basis , ” he said .
“ Since we have a basic understanding of who people are , we can make sure that it ’ s sampled properly .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think that there are that many institutions in the world that could stand up a survey like this — across the country , much less across the world .
”

Two weeks after beginning to survey users about disease symptoms in an effort to track the spread of COVID-19, Facebook said Monday that early results showed promise — and that the effort will roll out internationally beginning Wednesday. Carnegie Mellon University, which conducts the survey, said that 150,000 people a day are now submitting symptom reports after clicking on a link in the News Feed. The university does not share any information about symptoms back to Facebook.
In an op-ed in the Washington Post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that initial findings shared by Carnegie Mellon correlate with public data about confirmed cases of COVID-19, an important signal that symptom surveys will soon be able to forecast the disease’s spread. Facebook will use aggregated data from the university to produce interactive maps based on symptom surveys and will update them daily.
“I’ve always believed that helping people come together as a community will help us address our greatest challenges — not just by sharing our experiences and supporting each other in crises but also by working together at scale to solve problems,” Zuckerberg wrote. “The world has faced pandemics before, but this time we have a new superpower: the ability to gather and share data for good. If we use it responsibly, I’m optimistic that data can help the world respond to this health crisis and get us started on the road to recovery.”
Facebook also announced a partnership with the University of Maryland to begin collecting symptom data globally. If Facebook users report symptoms in their own countries at rates similar to their participation in the United States, the data could prove to be an effective map of potential hotspots around the globe, said Ryan Tibshirani, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon who is helping to lead the school’s partnership with Facebook.
In an interview with The Verge, Zuckerberg said that global maps could serve as a reality check in places where elected officials have been slow to acknowledge the spread of COVID-19 within their borders.
“Some of these governments, frankly, are not excited about the world knowing how many actual cases there might be, or indicators of how it’s spreading in their countries,” Zuckerberg said. “So getting that data out there is very important.”
As the pandemic has spread around the world, Zuckerberg has sought to demonstrate how Facebook’s massive global reach can be used to help elected leaders and public health officials make more informed decisions about their pandemic response. Last month, Facebook began inserting a “COVID-19 Information Center” into the News Feed, showing users vetted information from public health authorities. More than 350 million people have used the center to date, Zuckerberg said.
The moves come as Facebook remains under scrutiny for its practices related to competition, data privacy, and allowing the spread of misinformation. The company is being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of states attorney general over antitrust and privacy issues.
As the pandemic worsens, Facebook has worked to show how aggregated, anonymized data collected at global scale can be a force for good. Earlier this month the company also released mobility maps that use smartphone location to illustrate the degree to which Americans are complying with state stay-at-home orders. (Google has released a similar tool using its own location data.)
At the same time, the company has come under continued criticism for its role in spreading misinformation related to the coronavirus, and more recently for its use in organizing protests against stay-at-home orders. On some level, Facebook’s corporate initiatives to reduce the harms generated by the pandemic are undermined by the behavior of its user base — and at this point it’s unclear which of those will prove more consequential in the end.
In a separate announcement on Monday, Facebook announced additional partnerships with researchers to use machine learning techniques to do additional forecasting. In New York, the company is working with New York University and Cornell University to create forecasts for the spread of the disease at the county level, as well as predictions for how a rise in cases will affect demand for services, ventilators, and personal protective equipment at area hospitals. One approach will use machine learning technology from Facebook to analyze de-identified X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) scans in an effort to predict patient outcomes and equipment demand.
Zuckerberg said that while Facebook would not seek to interpret the symptom data it shares with researchers, its size has enabled it to make a significant contribution to the public health response.


theverge--2020-04-20--LG teases new 5G Velvet phone with ‘raindrop’ camera

LG has released a short teaser trailer for its upcoming Velvet smartphone that gives us a clearer look at its design , which is a refreshing change from LG ’ s recent devices like the V60 .
The trailer also confirms it will run on a Snapdragon 5G 765 processor , which is a step down from Qualcomm ’ s current flagship , the Snapdragon 865 .
The company has already announced key details about the Velvet ’ s design over the past fortnight , but the new trailer gives us a better idea of how it ’ ll look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cascading triple-camera array on the rear arranged into what LG is calling a “ raindrop ” design , and although the main camera is still raised from the back of the device , it ’ s very different from the large camera-bumps that are becoming increasingly common .
The trailer also shows off a couple of other key details .
You can spot a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom of the device in the final shot ; a key selling point of LG ’ s devices which tend to feature sophisticated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Around the front is a display with a small teardrop notch , and what appear to be much smaller bezels than LG ’ s recent V60 .
Four color options are shown in the trailer : black , white , green , and an orange and pink hybrid .
There ’ s still no official word on when LG plans to announce the Velvet , but previously a report from Korean news portal Naver suggested it could be revealed on May 15th .
Considering the amount of teasers LG has released this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be too far away .

LG has released a short teaser trailer for its upcoming Velvet smartphone that gives us a clearer look at its design, which is a refreshing change from LG’s recent devices like the V60. The trailer also confirms it will run on a Snapdragon 5G 765 processor, which is a step down from Qualcomm’s current flagship, the Snapdragon 865.
The company has already announced key details about the Velvet’s design over the past fortnight, but the new trailer gives us a better idea of how it’ll look in the real-world. There’s a cascading triple-camera array on the rear arranged into what LG is calling a “raindrop” design, and although the main camera is still raised from the back of the device, it’s very different from the large camera-bumps that are becoming increasingly common.
Yes, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack
The trailer also shows off a couple of other key details. You can spot a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom of the device in the final shot; a key selling point of LG’s devices which tend to feature sophisticated DACs for better sound with wired headphones. Around the front is a display with a small teardrop notch, and what appear to be much smaller bezels than LG’s recent V60. Four color options are shown in the trailer: black, white, green, and an orange and pink hybrid.


theverge--2020-04-19--The OnePlus 8 series is much cheaper in India than the US

OnePlus announced the 8 and 8 Pro phones early last week , but didn ’ t share pricing information for India , one of its most important markets .
Now we have the numbers , and the new phones could be a lot more competitive than you might have thought based on the US prices , which pushed the brand into flagship territory .
In a tweet , OnePlus says that the 8 series will begin at Rs .
41,999 , or about $ 550 .
The base price for the OnePlus 8 is $ 699 in the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a slight catch to that comparison — the entry-level model in India appears to be exclusive to the market , and has 6GB of RAM compared to 8GB .
It ’ ll also only be available on Amazon .
Still , the Indian prices are lower throughout the lineup .
The 8GB/128GB OnePlus 8 is more than $ 100 cheaper at Rs .
44,999 ( ~ $ 590 ) , while the 12GB/256GB model is about $ 150 cheaper at Rs .
49,999 ( $ 650 ) .
The OnePlus 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 8GB/128GB model selling for Rs .
54,999 ( ~ $ 720 ) — a discount of nearly $ 180 — while the 12GB/256GB model is more than $ 200 cheaper with a price point of Rs 59,999 ( $ 785 ) .
In fact , the highest end OnePlus 8 Pro costs less in India than the equivalent non-Pro model does in the US .
Finally , the Bullets Z wireless neckbuds are roughly half the US price , coming in at just Rs .
1,999 ( ~ $ 25 ) compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The pricing strategy is aggressive , but was probably inevitable .
While OnePlus is the leading premium phone brand in India , the kind of US pricing it introduced with the 8 series really wouldn ’ t fly , particularly given how much more competitive the Indian market is .
Brands like Realme and iQOO — which share the same parent company as OnePlus — have already launched Snapdragon 865-powered phones in India at even lower price points , for example .
The 8 series ’ Indian pricing gives OnePlus a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but still allows it to play in the same league .
OnePlus also has manufacturing lines in India that help it avoid tariffs .

OnePlus announced the 8 and 8 Pro phones early last week, but didn’t share pricing information for India, one of its most important markets. Now we have the numbers, and the new phones could be a lot more competitive than you might have thought based on the US prices, which pushed the brand into flagship territory.
In a tweet, OnePlus says that the 8 series will begin at Rs. 41,999, or about $550. The base price for the OnePlus 8 is $699 in the US. Per Android Central, however, there’s a slight catch to that comparison — the entry-level model in India appears to be exclusive to the market, and has 6GB of RAM compared to 8GB. It’ll also only be available on Amazon.
Still, the Indian prices are lower throughout the lineup. The 8GB/128GB OnePlus 8 is more than $100 cheaper at Rs. 44,999 (~$590), while the 12GB/256GB model is about $150 cheaper at Rs. 49,999 ($650).
The OnePlus 8 Pro sees even bigger savings, with the 8GB/128GB model selling for Rs. 54,999 (~$720) — a discount of nearly $180 — while the 12GB/256GB model is more than $200 cheaper with a price point of Rs 59,999 ($785). In fact, the highest end OnePlus 8 Pro costs less in India than the equivalent non-Pro model does in the US.
Finally, the Bullets Z wireless neckbuds are roughly half the US price, coming in at just Rs. 1,999 (~$25) compared to the US price of $49.95.
The pricing strategy is aggressive, but was probably inevitable. While OnePlus is the leading premium phone brand in India, the kind of US pricing it introduced with the 8 series really wouldn’t fly, particularly given how much more competitive the Indian market is.


theverge--2020-04-20--Nvidia’s GeForce Now will lose access to titles from Xbox Game Studios and Warner Bros.

Nvidia ’ s GeForce Now cloud gaming service is losing access to more titles later this month , the company announced on Monday .
Starting April 24th , GeForce Now will no longer be able to play titles from Microsoft ’ s Xbox Game Studios , Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment , Codemasters , and Klei Entertainment .
Without Xbox Game Studios , GeForce Now can ’ t access popular titles like Halo : The Master Chief Collection or games in the Gears of War or Forza franchises .
Warner Bros. ’ game division is another popular publisher , owning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arkham games developed by Rocksteady and Mortal Kombat titles from NetherRealm .
Codemasters is well known for developing racing titles with the Formula 1 brand and rally racing games under the Dirt series .
And Klei is well known for making indie hits like Don ’ t Starve and Mark of the Ninja .
“ For those leaving , we ’ ll give gamers as much notice as possible.
” The news is another blow for GeForce Now , which differs from Google Stadia by letting subscribers stream games from their existing Steam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s model has been controversial because it does not involve publishers selling separate licenses of games for access in the cloud .
Yet due to agreements Nvidia has with those game publishers and likely out of caution for licensing disputes , Nvidia does not support games on GeForce Now without the express permission of the publisher that owns the intellectual property .
This was a non-issue when GeForce Now was free in beta form , but since its public trial launch in early February , Nvidia started charging $ 4.99 a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bethesda Softworks , then began pulling their libraries .
2K Games also removed its titles early last month .
“ As we prepare for commercial service in June , we ’ ll be adding and removing games through the end of May , ” Phil Eisler , Nvidia ’ s vice president of GeForce Now , writes in the blog post .
“ Behind the scenes , we ’ re working with digital game stores so publishers can tag their games for streaming on GeForce Now , right when they publish a game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games to the library , quicker , as well as provide a more stable catalog .
We ’ re transitioning as many games to GeForce Now as possible over this time .
For those leaving , we ’ ll give gamers as much notice as possible.
” Nvidia says these publisher removals are few and far between .
Thirty of the top 40 games on Steam are supported , the company says .
GeForce Now is also gaining access to the complete Assassin ’ s Creed and Far Cry series .
“ Ubisoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with complete access to our PC games from the Ubisoft Store or any supported game stores , ” Chris Early , senior vice president partnerships at Ubisoft , said in a statement .
“ We believe it ’ s a leading-edge service that gives current and new PC players a high-end experience with more choice in how and where they play their favorite games.
” Nvidia hasn ’ t released stats on the number of users it has .
But today ’ s blog post says “ the number of registered gamers [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions .
”

Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service is losing access to more titles later this month, the company announced on Monday. Starting April 24th, GeForce Now will no longer be able to play titles from Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Codemasters, and Klei Entertainment.
Without Xbox Game Studios, GeForce Now can’t access popular titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection or games in the Gears of War or Forza franchises. Warner Bros.’ game division is another popular publisher, owning the rights to series like the Batman: Arkham games developed by Rocksteady and Mortal Kombat titles from NetherRealm. Codemasters is well known for developing racing titles with the Formula 1 brand and rally racing games under the Dirt series. And Klei is well known for making indie hits like Don’t Starve and Mark of the Ninja.
“For those leaving, we’ll give gamers as much notice as possible.”
The news is another blow for GeForce Now, which differs from Google Stadia by letting subscribers stream games from their existing Steam libraries on a remote PC. Nvidia’s model has been controversial because it does not involve publishers selling separate licenses of games for access in the cloud. Yet due to agreements Nvidia has with those game publishers and likely out of caution for licensing disputes, Nvidia does not support games on GeForce Now without the express permission of the publisher that owns the intellectual property.
This was a non-issue when GeForce Now was free in beta form, but since its public trial launch in early February, Nvidia started charging $4.99 a month. Publishers, including Activision Blizzard and Bethesda Softworks, then began pulling their libraries. 2K Games also removed its titles early last month.
“As we prepare for commercial service in June, we’ll be adding and removing games through the end of May,” Phil Eisler, Nvidia’s vice president of GeForce Now, writes in the blog post. “Behind the scenes, we’re working with digital game stores so publishers can tag their games for streaming on GeForce Now, right when they publish a game. This will help us bring more games to the library, quicker, as well as provide a more stable catalog. We’re transitioning as many games to GeForce Now as possible over this time. For those leaving, we’ll give gamers as much notice as possible.”
Nvidia says these publisher removals are few and far between. Thirty of the top 40 games on Steam are supported, the company says. GeForce Now is also gaining access to the complete Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry series.
“Ubisoft fully supports Nvidia’s GeForce Now with complete access to our PC games from the Ubisoft Store or any supported game stores,” Chris Early, senior vice president partnerships at Ubisoft, said in a statement. “We believe it’s a leading-edge service that gives current and new PC players a high-end experience with more choice in how and where they play their favorite games.”


theverge--2020-04-20--Netflix adds a ‘screen lock’ feature to prevent accidental pauses

It can be frustrating to accidentally tap a button and mess up playback when watching Netflix on your phone .
Thankfully , Netflix is rolling out a new feature for Android devices that tries to prevent that .
This new feature , which 9to5Google spotted , lets Android users avoid accidental touches when using the Netflix mobile app .
A “ screen lock ” option will now appear at the bottom of your screen after you start watching a TV show or movie .
Enabling screen lock will stop the button prompts , such as the “ Play/Pause ” buttons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you from stopping playback or accidentally enabling subtitles .
If you want to disable the feature , tap your screen and an “ unlock ” prompt will appear you ’ ll need to tap twice .
Android system gestures , like swiping to go back , still work when the feature is enabled , however , so it ’ s not entirely foolproof .
Though if you are someone that moves around a lot while you watch , or you have a young kid watching , this feature could prove to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight through .

It can be frustrating to accidentally tap a button and mess up playback when watching Netflix on your phone. Thankfully, Netflix is rolling out a new feature for Android devices that tries to prevent that.
This new feature, which 9to5Google spotted, lets Android users avoid accidental touches when using the Netflix mobile app. A “screen lock” option will now appear at the bottom of your screen after you start watching a TV show or movie. Enabling screen lock will stop the button prompts, such as the “Play/Pause” buttons, from appearing, helping to prevent you from stopping playback or accidentally enabling subtitles. If you want to disable the feature, tap your screen and an “unlock” prompt will appear you’ll need to tap twice.


theverge--2020-04-20--The New Yorker adds co-op to its online crossword puzzles

I never knew I wanted online co-op in a crossword app , but The New Yorker has added the feature to its online puzzles .
Turns out , it ’ s a really great way to solve a puzzle with a partner .
To start co-solving , you ’ ll first need to open up one of the New Yorker ’ s crosswords ( here is today ’ s ) , click the “ Partner Mode ” text on the toolbar at the top of the crossword , and then login or make a free account with The New Yorker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you click that “ Partner Mode ” text , you ’ ll see a prompt with a button to copy a link to the crossword that you can send to a friend .
When your friend clicks or taps the link , you ’ ll both be able to work on the crossword puzzle together .
( That “ Partner Mode ” text will swap to “ Co-Solving ” once your friend is in the crossword . )
As each of you fills in answers , those will show up on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From there , you ’ ll each be able to click or tap around to solve the puzzle .
The row or column that matches the clue you ’ re looking at will be highlighted in blue , while the row or column your friend is looking at will be highlighted in green .
As each of you fills in answers , those will show up on the other person ’ s screen almost immediately .
I had a lot of fun working on today ’ s puzzle on my computer with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The co-solving allowed us to each focus on different clues , and there were a few times where one of us would fill in a clue and the other would jump in to fill out another one because we saw something we had missed before .
I could definitely see us doing another puzzle together again — though it ’ s worth noting that The New Yorker will count a crossword as one of your limited number of free articles for a month , so there will be a limit to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re a subscriber .
If you ’ re looking for other ideas for games to play while you ’ re stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic , check out The Verge ’ s list here .

I never knew I wanted online co-op in a crossword app, but The New Yorker has added the feature to its online puzzles. Turns out, it’s a really great way to solve a puzzle with a partner.
To start co-solving, you’ll first need to open up one of the New Yorker’s crosswords (here is today’s), click the “Partner Mode” text on the toolbar at the top of the crossword, and then login or make a free account with The New Yorker. Once you’re logged in and you click that “Partner Mode” text, you’ll see a prompt with a button to copy a link to the crossword that you can send to a friend. When your friend clicks or taps the link, you’ll both be able to work on the crossword puzzle together. (That “Partner Mode” text will swap to “Co-Solving” once your friend is in the crossword.)
As each of you fills in answers, those will show up on the other person’s screen almost immediately
From there, you’ll each be able to click or tap around to solve the puzzle. The row or column that matches the clue you’re looking at will be highlighted in blue, while the row or column your friend is looking at will be highlighted in green. As each of you fills in answers, those will show up on the other person’s screen almost immediately.
I had a lot of fun working on today’s puzzle on my computer with my wife, who was on her phone. The co-solving allowed us to each focus on different clues, and there were a few times where one of us would fill in a clue and the other would jump in to fill out another one because we saw something we had missed before.
I could definitely see us doing another puzzle together again — though it’s worth noting that The New Yorker will count a crossword as one of your limited number of free articles for a month, so there will be a limit to the number of puzzles you can do unless you’re a subscriber.


theverge--2020-04-20--Offshore drilling has dug itself a deeper hole since Deepwater Horizon

Ever since the first oil well was built in the Gulf of Mexico in 14 feet of water in 1938 , technology advancements made it easier to move farther away from shore in pursuit of new oil reserves , at times without a plan for worst-case scenarios .
Just one year before the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig became the site of the most devastating oil spill in American history , it succeeded in drilling what was the deepest oil and gas well ever at the time .
The rig bored through more than 35,000 feet of ocean floor while working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Explosions rocked the rig on the evening of April 20th , 2010 , after the ultra-deepwater semisubmersible rig Deepwater Horizon had just completed drilling another exploratory well .
That night ’ s events killed 11 people , set loose 200 million gallons of oil that spewed out into the Gulf over the course of nearly three months , and harmed marine ecosystems and coastal economies for years .
Since then , offshore drilling operations continued to creep farther out into ultra-deep waters — where depths reach 1,500 meters ( about 5,000 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drilling rigs can work at depths more than twice as deep as Deepwater Horizon .
Between 2000 and 2009 , just 15 percent of oil production from US waters in the Gulf of Mexico came from ultra-deep operations like Deepwater Horizon .
That proportion grew to 52 percent by 2017 , and it likely won ’ t stop there .
Drilling at new depths unlocks untapped oil reserves and has become easier with newer technologies .
But those opportunities come with greater dangers and less margin for error , experts tell The Verge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is [ that ] at the same time that the technology for extraction was progressing very rapidly — I mean it ’ s quite amazing actually what they ’ ve been able to do — the technology for safety lagged , ” says Donald Boesch , president emeritus of the University of Maryland ’ s Center for Environmental Science .
Boesch was appointed by Barack Obama to the national oil spill commission that was put together to investigate the cause of the Deepwater Horizon disaster .
He believes the US is marginally better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 , but there are new scenarios that pose even bigger risks — especially when drilling at extreme depths .
The Gulf of Mexico produced a record-breaking 2 million barrels of oil a day last year .
Sustaining that output will require even more exploration , drilling , and development in deeper waters , Tyler Priest , an oil and energy historian at the University of Iowa , tells The Verge .
And the average rate of production for a Gulf of Mexico oil well increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more free cash flow than a flowing deep water well , ” he says .
“ You have to keep finding more and more oil as older fields deplete and get plugged and abandoned.
” With higher opportunities for profit come higher stakes .
Drilling at deeper depths means working under greater pressure .
There ’ s the crushing weight of the water .
And there ’ s also greater pressure within the oil and gas pockets .
Not only are rigs able to work at greater depths , but they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever have .
The deeper they dig , the more pressure and resistance they face .
The temperature of the trapped oil and gas is hotter the farther down and closer to the Earth ’ s mantle they dig , too .
The equipment needs to be able to withstand temperatures that can reach up to 180 degrees Celsius at about 40,000 feet underground .
“ You ’ re working against some very powerful forces , ” Boesch tells The Verge .
Gas that ’ s trapped along with the oil under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expand very rapidly once the pressure is somewhat relieved [ by drilling ] , ” he explains .
The probability of a serious accident , fatality , injury , explosion , or fire being reported grows by 8.5 percent with every additional 100 feet of depth at which an offshore platform operates , an analysis of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico from 1996 to 2010 found .
That ’ s regardless of the platform ’ s age or quantity of fossil fuels produced .
The challenges posed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to cope with any problems that occur .
“ When something does go wrong , like it did [ with Deepwater Horizon ] , it makes it that much harder to control and clean up , ” says Sierra Weaver , senior attorney with the nonprofit Southern Environmental Law Center .
“ We were really conducting experiments in the very deep ocean in terms of how you drill , how you control , and how you clean up oil , ” she tells The Verge .
When it comes to how “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar event today , “ Who knows ?
You ’ re really only as safe as you are today , ” Priest tells The Verge .
“ All it takes is some series of misfortunes.
” In the evening April 20th , 2010 , a series of misfortunes began to unfold after the crew aboard Deepwater Horizon installed a cement seal to the Macondo exploration well 66 miles off the coast of Louisiana .
The seal meant to hold back oil and gas failed and so did two valves that were supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas from traveling up the pipe to the surface .
The crew then misread pressure tests that should have told them that the well wasn ’ t properly sealed .
They were caught off guard when drilling mud and natural gas began flowing out of the pipe and onto the rig .
Once spotted , they tried to close the valves of a “ blowout preventer , ” a device that should have stopped the uncontrolled release of oil and gas .
That failed , too .
Within eight minutes of the crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked a massive explosion and fires that would eventually bring down the rig .
When it sank , the rig ruptured the pipe that traveled between it and well below , which had been filled with drilling mud to counteract the pressure driving oil and gas upward from the Earth .
Without that counter-pressure , oil flowed from the well into the Gulf for 87 days .
Several attempts at stopping the leak failed , including trying to fit a containment dome over the well that eventually filled with frozen methane and nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on July 15th , a newly developed device — called a capping stack — was able to seal off the well .
Deepwater Horizon exposed how unprepared the industry was The failures at Deepwater Horizon exposed how unprepared the industry was to respond to such a catastrophic event .
Today , capping stacks are kept onshore , ready to be deployed for another well blowout .
They can weigh up to 100 tons and are built to withstand the high pressure coming from a blown-out well .
The stack connects to the blowout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be closed to slow and stop the flow of oil until the well can be permanently sealed .
“ Now we ’ re prepared for the last war , you know , if the scenario is exactly like before , ” says Steven Murawski , lead editor of the 2019 book Scenarios and Responses to Future Deep Oil Spills .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re going to see another 87-day blowout like Deepwater Horizon , ” he tells The Verge .
There are other , potentially worse scenarios that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pipe fracturing below the seafloor instead of in the water as it did during the Deepwater Horizon crisis .
If there were to be a leak below the seafloor , the oil would dissipate into the rock formation surrounding it and escape wherever it can find cracks in the rock .
“ That would be a doomsday scenario because there ’ s no way you can shut it off , ” says Murawski .
You couldn ’ t simply plop a capping stack over a leaking pipe .
The best option currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to relieve the pressure within the rock formation and redirect flow .
This was done after Deepwater Horizon capsized — but drilling the well takes precious time as the damage of the leak grows with each minute .
BP began drilling two relief wells in May , but oil continued to gush from the leak until the capping stack was added in July .
“ There was obviously a gap in being able to deploy the resources to shut the well in during that incident , ” says Erik Milito president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group for offshore drilling and wind power .
Since then , according to Milito , new safety equipment to prevent spills , more capacity to respond to problems , and greater government oversight has led to safer operations .
Others aren ’ t convinced .
“ The oil industry has been saying that for as long as they ’ ve been in existence .
Before the Deepwater Horizon happened , that type of accident could never happen .
And then after it happened , it was , ‘ well this will never happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the case , ” Weaver says .
She and Boesch point to the Trump administration ’ s efforts to simultaneously ramp up US fossil fuel production , including a bid to open up more shores to offshore drilling that ’ s currently tied up in courts , while rolling back environmental protections .
After Boesch ’ s oil spill commission made recommendations to prevent another Deepwater Horizon-like spill , the Obama administration introduced well control rules in 2016 that created new industry standards .
Then , in May of last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing about 20 percent of the original provisions deemed “ unnecessary regulatory burdens.
” The COVID-19 pandemic has implications for offshore drilling , too , as oil prices and demand plummet amid a nearly global shutdown of business as usual .
Boesch worries because he ’ s seen what effect tightened purse strings had on BP ’ s Deepwater Horizon operation .
“ They started to cut corners and make hasty decisions , ” he says .
“ That ’ s my concern about how [ the pandemic ] plays into safety.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negligence ” leading to the Deepwater Horizon disaster by a Louisiana federal court in 2014 .
“ The Deepwater Horizon accident forever changed BP , ” the company , which leased the rig , said in a statement .
The catastrophe cost BP $ 65 billion .
Even though offshore drilling is moving further into uncharted territory , 10 years after Deepwater Horizon , its effects still reach the shore .
“ That oil didn ’ t know it was supposed to stay offshore , it came right to those communities , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually washed up along 1,300 miles of coastline reaching from Texas to Florida .
Tens of thousands of animals perished in the aftermath .
And even more people and wildlife were exposed to the lingering toxic effects of the spill .
That still wasn ’ t enough of a wake-up call for oil companies like BP to pull back .
A decade later , the risks of deepwater oil exploration continue to loom just over the horizon .

Ever since the first oil well was built in the Gulf of Mexico in 14 feet of water in 1938, technology advancements made it easier to move farther away from shore in pursuit of new oil reserves, at times without a plan for worst-case scenarios. Just one year before the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig became the site of the most devastating oil spill in American history, it succeeded in drilling what was the deepest oil and gas well ever at the time. The rig bored through more than 35,000 feet of ocean floor while working in waters more than 4,130 feet deep.
Explosions rocked the rig on the evening of April 20th, 2010, after the ultra-deepwater semisubmersible rig Deepwater Horizon had just completed drilling another exploratory well. That night’s events killed 11 people, set loose 200 million gallons of oil that spewed out into the Gulf over the course of nearly three months, and harmed marine ecosystems and coastal economies for years.
Since then, offshore drilling operations continued to creep farther out into ultra-deep waters — where depths reach 1,500 meters (about 5,000 feet) or more. Today’s drilling rigs can work at depths more than twice as deep as Deepwater Horizon. Between 2000 and 2009, just 15 percent of oil production from US waters in the Gulf of Mexico came from ultra-deep operations like Deepwater Horizon. That proportion grew to 52 percent by 2017, and it likely won’t stop there.
Drilling at new depths unlocks untapped oil reserves
Drilling at new depths unlocks untapped oil reserves and has become easier with newer technologies. But those opportunities come with greater dangers and less margin for error, experts tell The Verge. “The lesson from Deepwater Horizon is [that] at the same time that the technology for extraction was progressing very rapidly — I mean it’s quite amazing actually what they’ve been able to do — the technology for safety lagged,” says Donald Boesch, president emeritus of the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science.
Boesch was appointed by Barack Obama to the national oil spill commission that was put together to investigate the cause of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. He believes the US is marginally better prepared now than it was for the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, but there are new scenarios that pose even bigger risks — especially when drilling at extreme depths.
Powerful forces
The Gulf of Mexico produced a record-breaking 2 million barrels of oil a day last year. Sustaining that output will require even more exploration, drilling, and development in deeper waters, Tyler Priest, an oil and energy historian at the University of Iowa, tells The Verge. And the average rate of production for a Gulf of Mexico oil well increases with its depth.
“Nothing generates more free cash flow than a flowing deep water well.”
“Nothing generates more free cash flow than a flowing deep water well,” he says. “You have to keep finding more and more oil as older fields deplete and get plugged and abandoned.”
With higher opportunities for profit come higher stakes. Drilling at deeper depths means working under greater pressure. There’s the crushing weight of the water. And there’s also greater pressure within the oil and gas pockets. Not only are rigs able to work at greater depths, but they’re also able to dig deeper than they ever have. The deeper they dig, the more pressure and resistance they face. The temperature of the trapped oil and gas is hotter the farther down and closer to the Earth’s mantle they dig, too. The equipment needs to be able to withstand temperatures that can reach up to 180 degrees Celsius at about 40,000 feet underground.
“You’re working against some very powerful forces,” Boesch tells The Verge. Gas that’s trapped along with the oil under the seafloor “is going to be wanting to expand very rapidly once the pressure is somewhat relieved [by drilling],” he explains.
The probability of a serious accident, fatality, injury, explosion, or fire being reported grows by 8.5 percent with every additional 100 feet of depth at which an offshore platform operates, an analysis of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico from 1996 to 2010 found. That’s regardless of the platform’s age or quantity of fossil fuels produced.
Image: Getty Images
The challenges posed by drilling in deeper water can also complicate measures to cope with any problems that occur. “When something does go wrong, like it did [with Deepwater Horizon], it makes it that much harder to control and clean up,” says Sierra Weaver, senior attorney with the nonprofit Southern Environmental Law Center. “We were really conducting experiments in the very deep ocean in terms of how you drill, how you control, and how you clean up oil,” she tells The Verge.
When it comes to how “safe” the Gulf Coast is from a similar event today, “Who knows? You’re really only as safe as you are today,” Priest tells The Verge. “All it takes is some series of misfortunes.”
In Deep Trouble
In the evening April 20th, 2010, a series of misfortunes began to unfold after the crew aboard Deepwater Horizon installed a cement seal to the Macondo exploration well 66 miles off the coast of Louisiana. The seal meant to hold back oil and gas failed and so did two valves that were supposed to prevent the flood of oil and gas from traveling up the pipe to the surface.
The crew then misread pressure tests that should have told them that the well wasn’t properly sealed. They were caught off guard when drilling mud and natural gas began flowing out of the pipe and onto the rig. Once spotted, they tried to close the valves of a “blowout preventer,” a device that should have stopped the uncontrolled release of oil and gas. That failed, too. Within eight minutes of the crew seeing the leak, the natural gas sparked a massive explosion and fires that would eventually bring down the rig.
When it sank, the rig ruptured the pipe that traveled between it and well below, which had been filled with drilling mud to counteract the pressure driving oil and gas upward from the Earth. Without that counter-pressure, oil flowed from the well into the Gulf for 87 days. Several attempts at stopping the leak failed, including trying to fit a containment dome over the well that eventually filled with frozen methane and nearly floated to the surface. Finally, on July 15th, a newly developed device — called a capping stack — was able to seal off the well.
Deepwater Horizon exposed how unprepared the industry was
The failures at Deepwater Horizon exposed how unprepared the industry was to respond to such a catastrophic event. Today, capping stacks are kept onshore, ready to be deployed for another well blowout. They can weigh up to 100 tons and are built to withstand the high pressure coming from a blown-out well. The stack connects to the blowout preventer, adding additional valves that can be closed to slow and stop the flow of oil until the well can be permanently sealed.
“Now we’re prepared for the last war, you know, if the scenario is exactly like before,” says Steven Murawski, lead editor of the 2019 book Scenarios and Responses to Future Deep Oil Spills. “I don’t think we’re going to see another 87-day blowout like Deepwater Horizon,” he tells The Verge.
The Next War
There are other, potentially worse scenarios that Murawski and Boesch worry about, like a pipe fracturing below the seafloor instead of in the water as it did during the Deepwater Horizon crisis. If there were to be a leak below the seafloor, the oil would dissipate into the rock formation surrounding it and escape wherever it can find cracks in the rock. “That would be a doomsday scenario because there’s no way you can shut it off,” says Murawski. You couldn’t simply plop a capping stack over a leaking pipe. The best option currently available would be to dig another well to relieve the pressure within the rock formation and redirect flow. This was done after Deepwater Horizon capsized — but drilling the well takes precious time as the damage of the leak grows with each minute. BP began drilling two relief wells in May, but oil continued to gush from the leak until the capping stack was added in July.
“That would be a doomsday scenario.”
“There was obviously a gap in being able to deploy the resources to shut the well in during that incident,” says Erik Milito president of the National Ocean Industries Association, an industry group for offshore drilling and wind power. Since then, according to Milito, new safety equipment to prevent spills, more capacity to respond to problems, and greater government oversight has led to safer operations.
Others aren’t convinced. “The oil industry has been saying that for as long as they’ve been in existence. Before the Deepwater Horizon happened, that type of accident could never happen. And then after it happened, it was, ‘well this will never happen again.’ And that’s simply not the case,” Weaver says.
She and Boesch point to the Trump administration’s efforts to simultaneously ramp up US fossil fuel production, including a bid to open up more shores to offshore drilling that’s currently tied up in courts, while rolling back environmental protections. After Boesch’s oil spill commission made recommendations to prevent another Deepwater Horizon-like spill, the Obama administration introduced well control rules in 2016 that created new industry standards. Then, in May of last year, the Trump administration weakened those rules; changing about 20 percent of the original provisions deemed “unnecessary regulatory burdens.”
Image: Getty Images
The COVID-19 pandemic has implications for offshore drilling, too, as oil prices and demand plummet amid a nearly global shutdown of business as usual. Boesch worries because he’s seen what effect tightened purse strings had on BP’s Deepwater Horizon operation. “They started to cut corners and make hasty decisions,” he says. “That’s my concern about how [the pandemic] plays into safety.” BP was found guilty of “gross negligence” leading to the Deepwater Horizon disaster by a Louisiana federal court in 2014.
“The Deepwater Horizon accident forever changed BP,” the company, which leased the rig, said in a statement. The catastrophe cost BP $65 billion.


theverge--2020-04-20--Fandango just purchased Vudu from Walmart to better compete against Amazon, iTunes

Hot off the soft launch of its Peacock streaming service , NBCUniversal is welcoming another streaming service into its family , but this one is designed to help movie ticket seller Fandango expand its digital reach .
Fandango , which is owned by Comcast , has purchased digital movie retailer and streaming service Vudu from Walmart for an undisclosed amount .
A representative for Fandango told The Verge that more information will be announced in the coming months , after the deal is closed .
Vudu is currently available on more than 100 million living room devices , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 14 million downloads .
The representative added that the primary goal of the purchase is to scale the company ’ s presence in the transactional space — meaning movies that people can buy and rent the second they ’ re available without a subscription .
Fandango also currently operates its own digital marketplace , FandangoNOW , that had 60 million monthly visitors and contained more than 100,000 movies and TV shows as of December 2019 .
Fandango is trying to scale in order to compete with Amazon and Apple ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services like Netflix or Tubi .
Fandango wants to grow its streaming business in scale to reflect its current size as a ticket retailer — Vudu could be key to that goal .
Vudu has a large , built-in audience and a dedicated network of home video enthusiasts .
The streamer is largely praised for using higher bit rates than other competitors and for its overall dedication to high streaming quality .
Fandango is trying to scale in order to compete with Amazon and Apple ’ s iTunes Although Walmart has reportedly eyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2010 , for a couple of months , now is the perfect time for Fandango to purchase .
The current global pandemic has shifted how people watch movies and , more importantly , how studios see the use of digital retailers for some of their films .
Disney , NBCUniversal , and Warner Bros. are just some of the studios that have decided to shorten or completely forgo the theatrical window for a number of their films now that movie theaters across the country are shut down .
While other movies have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Black Widow and Mulan and summer blockbusters like F9 and Wonder Woman 1984 , some studios are choosing to lean into digital releases and serve audiences stuck at home .
NBCUniversal , which is also owned by Comcast , recently decided to forgo the theatrical release for Trolls World Tour , and the company instead just released it digitally for $ 20 .
NBCUniversal claimed that Trolls World Tour saw the biggest digital debut of all time , adding that it was a massive hit on FandangoNOW , but the company wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Having a platform like Vudu on top of FandangoNOW will help reach a bigger audience , the Fandango spokesperson told The Verge .
That seems especially true as movie release windows continue to shift ; this morning , Warner Bros. pushed its upcoming DC lineup , including the newest Batman film .
Despite Vudu having a built-in ad-supported streaming service for some of its titles , neither Vudu nor FandangoNOW are seen as competitors to NBCUniversal ’ s new crown jewel in the streaming market , Peacock .
Vudu and FandangoNOW are designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining separate entities .
Vudu and FandangoNOW will live within NBCUniversal ’ s digital network , where the focus remains on rentals and purchases of newly released films .

Hot off the soft launch of its Peacock streaming service, NBCUniversal is welcoming another streaming service into its family, but this one is designed to help movie ticket seller Fandango expand its digital reach.
Fandango, which is owned by Comcast, has purchased digital movie retailer and streaming service Vudu from Walmart for an undisclosed amount. A representative for Fandango told The Verge that more information will be announced in the coming months, after the deal is closed. Vudu is currently available on more than 100 million living room devices, according to Walmart, and the mobile app has more than 14 million downloads.
The representative added that the primary goal of the purchase is to scale the company’s presence in the transactional space — meaning movies that people can buy and rent the second they’re available without a subscription. Fandango also currently operates its own digital marketplace, FandangoNOW, that had 60 million monthly visitors and contained more than 100,000 movies and TV shows as of December 2019.
Fandango is trying to scale in order to compete with Amazon and Apple’s iTunes, not subscription and ad-supported streaming services like Netflix or Tubi. Fandango wants to grow its streaming business in scale to reflect its current size as a ticket retailer — Vudu could be key to that goal. Vudu has a large, built-in audience and a dedicated network of home video enthusiasts. The streamer is largely praised for using higher bit rates than other competitors and for its overall dedication to high streaming quality.
Fandango is trying to scale in order to compete with Amazon and Apple’s iTunes
Although Walmart has reportedly eyed selling off Vudu, which it acquired in 2010, for a couple of months, now is the perfect time for Fandango to purchase. The current global pandemic has shifted how people watch movies and, more importantly, how studios see the use of digital retailers for some of their films.
Disney, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. are just some of the studios that have decided to shorten or completely forgo the theatrical window for a number of their films now that movie theaters across the country are shut down. While other movies have been delayed, including big Marvel films like Black Widow and Mulan and summer blockbusters like F9 and Wonder Woman 1984, some studios are choosing to lean into digital releases and serve audiences stuck at home.
(Disclaimer: NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast, which is an investor in Vox Media, which owns The Verge.)
NBCUniversal, which is also owned by Comcast, recently decided to forgo the theatrical release for Trolls World Tour, and the company instead just released it digitally for $20. NBCUniversal claimed that Trolls World Tour saw the biggest digital debut of all time, adding that it was a massive hit on FandangoNOW, but the company wouldn’t disclose any sale numbers. Having a platform like Vudu on top of FandangoNOW will help reach a bigger audience, the Fandango spokesperson told The Verge. That seems especially true as movie release windows continue to shift; this morning, Warner Bros. pushed its upcoming DC lineup, including the newest Batman film.


theverge--2020-04-20--Here’s how the staff of The Verge is celebrating 4/20

The day is upon us ; the hour draws near .
Today is the 20th of April , 2020 .
Today , stoners the world over will gather as best they can , spark up some bud , and celebrate one of the more enduring drug traditions we ’ ve got .
The coronavirus pandemic won ’ t stop people from Doing Weed , though it will probably stop them from gathering in person ; even so , virtual weed-a-thons are happening across the country because nothing can kill these particular vibes .
( If you ’ re curious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list . )
4/20 is the closest thing to a religious holiday there is for the stoners , tipplers , and one-toke-every-year-or-so people we love .
The story behind how the number came to mean marijuana is a fascinating one , involving ’ 70s haircuts , high school hijinks , and The Dead .
Author Ryan Grim laid it all out in Huffpost a decade ago , and here is how it goes .
One fall day , a group of five high schoolers in San Rafael , California , called the Waldos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a wall — heard that a Coast Guard member couldn ’ t tend his plot of bud , so they went to find it .
Because they were athletes , they met after practice to start the hunt — 4:20PM .
The code has endured all these decades because of aging hippies , the magazine High Times , and the brilliant obliqueness of the number itself .
420 !
It could mean anything !
Obviously , stoners walk among us here at The Verge .
There is a long literary tradition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t immune to the romance of opening the doors of perception or traveling through the looking glass — things of that nature .
They mostly declined to reveal themselves , which I get ; people , including parents and possibly the authorities , read the blogs we publish .
A couple of brave souls , however , did indulge my request .
A designer messaged me to say that while he ’ s been displaced by the pandemic to his sister-in-law ’ s place , he and his partner have been making do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of homemade coke can pipes .
They got what ’ s called “ a pinchy , ” which he says is a local measurement approximately equal to a quarter O of reggie .
My editor , a proud Californian , hit me with this : “ I am going to eat a chocolate ball with 5mg of THC and then get really into watering all my flowers on Animal Crossing.
” Hell yeah .
One Verge reporter quarantined with his in-laws reports that his plans for today aren ’ t so different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s “ sneaking hits off the vape pen in the precious seconds that exist right after I put my kids to bed but before I go downstairs to watch whatever bullshit TV my in-laws force me to watch.
” He did , however , recently celebrate a birthday , and his father — who deals in another state — mailed him a fresh eighth .
“ I may take this opportunity to up my game if I can , ” he reports .
Another designer I spoke with told me something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly planning to do what they do every day , which is to smoke ( he out of a bong , them out of a pipe ) and hang out .
They will , however , have some blunts tonight and watch a stoner film .
“ I ’ m celebrating by giving myself license to do absolutely fucking nothing after 6pm , getting cozy af , and ordering Wendy ’ s on Doordash , ” the designer reports .
He also dropped some knowledge on me .
“ The high version of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise , or like the secondary save on a RPG , ” he says .
“ That one ’ s for free.
” I ’ m mostly glad that people can still find reasons to come together and celebrate something , even if that something is just getting high .
The ritual is the point — the going out of your way to make a specific day and time special .
I don ’ t really have anything out of the ordinary planned for today , either .
I ’ m going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke virtually with some of them .
I might order a pizza .
But what ’ s great about today isn ’ t the smoking .
4/20 is a reminder that any day can mean something if you really want it to .
And no , I ’ m not high .

The day is upon us; the hour draws near. Today is the 20th of April, 2020. Today, stoners the world over will gather as best they can, spark up some bud, and celebrate one of the more enduring drug traditions we’ve got. The coronavirus pandemic won’t stop people from Doing Weed, though it will probably stop them from gathering in person; even so, virtual weed-a-thons are happening across the country because nothing can kill these particular vibes. (If you’re curious, Rolling Stone has published a pretty good list.) 4/20 is the closest thing to a religious holiday there is for the stoners, tipplers, and one-toke-every-year-or-so people we love.
The story behind how the number came to mean marijuana is a fascinating one, involving ’70s haircuts, high school hijinks, and The Dead. Author Ryan Grim laid it all out in Huffpost a decade ago, and here is how it goes. One fall day, a group of five high schoolers in San Rafael, California, called the Waldos — so named because they hung out by a wall — heard that a Coast Guard member couldn’t tend his plot of bud, so they went to find it. Because they were athletes, they met after practice to start the hunt — 4:20PM. The code has endured all these decades because of aging hippies, the magazine High Times, and the brilliant obliqueness of the number itself. 420! It could mean anything!
Obviously, stoners walk among us here at The Verge. There is a long literary tradition of drug use, and writers aren’t immune to the romance of opening the doors of perception or traveling through the looking glass — things of that nature. They mostly declined to reveal themselves, which I get; people, including parents and possibly the authorities, read the blogs we publish. A couple of brave souls, however, did indulge my request.
A designer messaged me to say that while he’s been displaced by the pandemic to his sister-in-law’s place, he and his partner have been making do with that old standby: smoking weed out of homemade coke can pipes. They got what’s called “a pinchy,” which he says is a local measurement approximately equal to a quarter O of reggie.
My editor, a proud Californian, hit me with this: “I am going to eat a chocolate ball with 5mg of THC and then get really into watering all my flowers on Animal Crossing.” Hell yeah.
One Verge reporter quarantined with his in-laws reports that his plans for today aren’t so different than they are any other day. He’s “sneaking hits off the vape pen in the precious seconds that exist right after I put my kids to bed but before I go downstairs to watch whatever bullshit TV my in-laws force me to watch.” He did, however, recently celebrate a birthday, and his father — who deals in another state — mailed him a fresh eighth. “I may take this opportunity to up my game if I can,” he reports.
Another designer I spoke with told me something similar: he and his roommate are mostly planning to do what they do every day, which is to smoke (he out of a bong, them out of a pipe) and hang out. They will, however, have some blunts tonight and watch a stoner film. “I’m celebrating by giving myself license to do absolutely fucking nothing after 6pm, getting cozy af, and ordering Wendy’s on Doordash,” the designer reports. He also dropped some knowledge on me. “The high version of you is like a child that you raise, or like the secondary save on a RPG,” he says. “That one’s for free.”
I’m mostly glad that people can still find reasons to come together and celebrate something, even if that something is just getting high. The ritual is the point — the going out of your way to make a specific day and time special. I don’t really have anything out of the ordinary planned for today, either. I’m going to play video games with my friends and smoke virtually with some of them. I might order a pizza. But what’s great about today isn’t the smoking. 4/20 is a reminder that any day can mean something if you really want it to.


theverge--2020-04-20--Reddit experienced site-wide issues with subreddits

Reddit experienced an outage on Monday , and while the site was experiencing issues , it would return an error @ @ @ @ @ access subreddits .
I was able to access the front page during the outage , @ @ @ @ @ to a subreddit took me to an error page .
Reddit said the site was @ @ @ @ @ status page , though noted at 3:02PM ET that “ issue has been identified and @ @ @ @ @ ” Reddit said at 5:45PM ET that the issue was resolved .
Down Detector indicated @ @ @ @ @ at around 2:30PM ET .
Many online services have experienced significant outages as internet traffic @ @ @ @ @ are at home during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Xbox Live experienced issues for the first @ @ @ @ @ April 10th , mobile video service Quibi had an outage on its launch day , @ @ @ @ @ server outages on March 16th .
Update April 20th , 6:26PM ET : Added link @ @ @ @ @ the issue was resolved .

Reddit experienced an outage on Monday, and while the site was experiencing issues, it would return an error page when you tried to access subreddits. I was able to access the front page during the outage, but clicking on a link to a subreddit took me to an error page.
Reddit said the site was “degraded” on its status page, though noted at 3:02PM ET that “issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.” Reddit said at 5:45PM ET that the issue was resolved.
Down Detector indicated a rise in user-reported problems at around 2:30PM ET.
Many online services have experienced significant outages as internet traffic has increased considerably while people are at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Xbox Live experienced issues for the first time in a month on April 10th, mobile video service Quibi had an outage on its launch day, and chat service Discord experienced server outages on March 16th.