Politics

Now that Game of Thrones is officially over, fans have been looking back at the series’ eight-season run to find any indication as to how things turned out as they did. Some viewers have been disappointed with character arcs, others have been immensely satisfied that what they thought about certain characters turned out to be true. We went back to rewatch season 1 and see if any of the outcomes were set up from the beginning. Sure enough, plenty of them were. Here are seven events and character arcs that were clearly seeded in the first season, if you paid enough attention to notice. Dany burns it down This is perhaps the most obvious example, and yet also the easiest to miss. Season 1 ended with Daenerys Targaryen emerging from the fire naked with her three hatched dragons, officially deeming her the Mother of Dragons. But lighting a funeral pyre to get rid of Khal Drogo’s body, burning the witch alive who failed to cure him, and walking into the fire herself all suggested … [Read more...] about Game of Thrones revisited: 7 storylines set in motion in season 1

It’s about that time. From July 17 through July 21, Comic-Con International descends on sunny southern California, filling San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter with superheroes, zombies, time travelers, starship pilots, and some of the biggest names in Hollywood. So far, Comic-Con 2019 is shaping up to be a more subdued affair than in years past, with major studios and high-profile films like Sony and Wonder Woman 1984 respectively opting to skip the event. Still, it’s Comic-Con. One thing you can be sure of is that big names and even bigger surprises are bound to pop up over the long weekend. If you want to keep track of all of SDCC’s biggest movie and TV news, these are the panels that you need to follow. Thursday, July 18 Terminator: Dark Fate (11:00 a.m.) The Terminator franchise has received a few reboots over the past few years. Terminator: Dark Fate might be the one that finally sticks. Not only is James Cameron back in a creative role (he’s … [Read more...] about Comic-Con 2019 preview: The biggest movie and TV panels you won’t want to miss

Getting access to the news you care about used to involve some work, but with the advent of the smartphone, there are a million and one ways to keep abreast of even the most obscure of news sources. That’s a good thing and a bad thing, and if you’re looking to fine-tune your exposure, a news app is a must. But which are really worth your time? Below, we’ve rounded up the best news apps available for iOS and Android/ Further reading Best iPhone apps Best food-delivery apps Best Android apps Apple News Apple News comes preloaded on every iOS device, and like most of Apple’s apps, it remains unavailable on Android platforms. The News app places a big focus on images and quick-loading videos, and publications such as The New York Times and National Geographic have partnered with the company to make their content readily available. You can also follow trends or individual topics, ranging from politics to niche topics. Download now for: iOS Google News Google News … [Read more...] about The best news apps for Android and iOS

Amid scandals over ad discrimination and hate speech, Facebook is launching a series of changes. Civil rights leader Laura Murphy recently finished the company’s second civil rights audit, and referred to the changes as a “systematic, cross-functional framework to address these issues over time.” Critics, however, have already voiced concerns that the platform isn’t doing enough to tackle the issues. The report, the second following an initial report in December 2018, focuses on the social network’s enforcement against hate speech, discrimination in ads, and tackling of misinformation. A third and final report is expected to be released in early 2020. As part of the report, Murphy talked with more than 90 civil rights organizations, as well as Facebook leaders and policy teams. The report both identifies the changes Facebook is making and areas for further improvement. The report recognizes and encourages Facebook’s efforts to fight hateful content, … [Read more...] about Facebook launches new changes against hate and discrimination. Are they enough?

Facebook is once again in hot water for its ad system — and this time the network is responding by removing more than 5,000 ad-targeting options. After the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  filed a complaint against the social media company for allowing what it says are discriminatory ads, the company says it is limiting targeting options and requiring advertisers to agree to a non-discrimination policy. The complaint brings government involvement to ongoing scrutiny over ad targeting options on the network. Housing ads fall under stricter regulations — under U.S. law, ads for housing cannot discriminate based on factors like race, sex, religion, and disability among others. The complaint says that Facebook’s advertising tool allows advertisers to restrict who sees the ad “based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.” The complaint goes on to claim that Facebook’s ad tools … [Read more...] about Spurred by a federal discrimination lawsuit, Facebook is cleaning up ads