Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON June 14, 2019
Full News Archive
- Headline: Trump's Tensions with Iran: A Delicate Dilemma. Impact: If only Trump had decided to take up knitting instead of geopolitics, perhaps we’d all be sitting around a campfire discussing patterns rather than potential conflicts with Iran. The world might have been a much softer place—literally.. Fact: In the realm of vague presidential threats, the phrase 'they will suffer' has become the diplomatic equivalent of a toddler saying 'I'll tell mom!'.
- Headline: Love Amidst Dark Legacy. Impact: This love story might just inspire a new genre of romance novels: 'The Love of the Oppressor.' Eventually, a descendant might even start a company that sells heart-shaped chocolates named 'Sweet Forgiveness.'. Fact: Billionaire descendants grappling with dark family secrets is basically the plot of every daytime soap opera, except with more money and fewer dramatic pauses..
- Headline: Stanford Develops Privacy-Focused Voice Assistant. Impact: As Stanford aims to create a more privacy-conscious digital assistant, we can only hope that one day we’ll have a device that doesn’t listen to our every word, but instead just gives us a gentle nudge to remember our grocery list.. Fact: Privacy-minded alternatives to Alexa and Siri are like diet sodas—everyone claims to want them, but we all secretly go back to the full-calorie options..
- Headline: When Rohingya Refugees Fled to India, Hate on Facebook Followed. Impact: The internet’s ability to spread hate is almost as impressive as its capacity to share cat videos. Who would have thought that social media could turn genocide into a trending topic? Bravo, Facebook.. Fact: Facebook vowed to fix the hate problem, which is like a magician promising to make your issues disappear—only to pull them out again when you least expect it..
- Headline: Long Before ‘Drag Race,’ There Was Mr. Dan. Impact: Long before 'Drag Race,' Mr. Dan was crafting a world where fabulousness thrived. Who knew that a small stage in Los Angeles would lay the groundwork for a global drag phenomenon? Talk about a legacy!. Fact: The 25-year history of Mr. Dan is a reminder that sometimes the most impactful trends simmer in the background, waiting for their moment to strut onto the main stage—preferably in sequins..