Share:
When wildfires hit, reliable information is hard to find. Watch Duty is the app that’s already saving lives, delivering real-time updates to help families escape danger. I sat down with CEO John Mills to hear how this volunteer-powered app is stepping up during some of the most dangerous times of the year.
⏰ What do “a.m.” and “p.m.” mean? This is unbelievable. A post on X went viral asking that question. In case you don’t know, “a.m.” stands for “ante meridiem” (Latin for “before midday”), and “p.m.” is “post meridiem” (“after midday”). I’m shocked by how many folks are surprised 12 p.m. is noon and 12 a.m. is midnight. How does this happen?
The amount of starch in rice water. An old beauty hack is trending on social media for promoting hair growth and improving shine. Rice water is loaded with vitamins and minerals that help your hair, especially zinc. Don’t expect instant results; hair grows in three- to four-month cycles, so be patient.
Step change: Mark Zuckerberg is replacing fact-checking with “community notes” on Meta, just like on X (they didn’t even change the name) to “restore free expression.” He’s been cozying up to the incoming Trump admin, but he’s not alone; Amazon, Apple, Meta, OpenAI and others gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. Zuck’s trying hard to clean up Meta’s reputation of censorship, especially after the 2016 election.
🤳 AI do not consent: You might see a new you on Instagram. They’re showing people AI images of themselves in their own feeds. Meta’s taking your selfies and sticking them into random scenarios like mirror mazes and astronaut suits, all to advertise their Meta AI.
Quick thinking saves the day: Tech CEO Jesse Lyu had a scary moment when his Tesla’s Full Self-driving system steered him onto light rail tracks, straight into the path of a train. He turned off the autopilot, ran a red light and escaped safely. He shared the dashcam footage on X. Frightening.
🦈 Sink or swim: “Shark Tank” judge Kevin O’Leary and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt are trying to buy Communist China-owned TikTok before the possible ban on Jan. 19. O’Leary says the big goal is protecting 170 million American users from Chinese surveillance. They’ll need at least $100 billion to get this done.
Very Apple-esque: Dell is ditching iconic laptop names like XPS, Inspiron and Latitude for “simplified” lines: Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max. Each has Base, Plus and Premium tiers. Pro laptops are the new Latitude, and Premium models are replacing the XPS line.
Hauling away your data: A hacker group is targeting U-Haul employee accounts to steal customer emails, phone numbers and verified info, like addresses and the last four digits of credit cards. With that, they can hack into so much more, and they know exactly where to find you. Used U-Haul lately? Call 1-866-242-7780 or email privacy@uhaul.com to submit a consumer request for them to delete your personal information.
For being a pal. After Shoji Morimoto in Japan got fired in 2018 for being lazy, he started renting himself out to strangers who needed a friend. He charges $65 to $195 to join folks at parties and concerts — nothing sexual, though.
Your little one can use only for six months. The Elvie Rise is a fancy bouncer and bassinet combo that debuted at CES. You can control it from your phone, but it’s only suitable for babies under six months, or until they can sit up on their own. At that price, this thing should get ‘em through kindergarten.
