Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Roku and Comcast reach agreement to carry Peacock on Roku

Comcast and Roku have come to an agreement months after NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service launched. Peacock will be available to stream on Roku in the coming weeks. The decision comes after Comcast and Roku got into a public argument over the status of dozens of NBCUniversal apps. Comcast threatened to pull the apps as negotiations over Peacock continued; this included 11 network apps, 12 NBC-owned stationed apps, and 23 Telemundo apps. Both Comcast and Roku pointed fingers at each other for walking away from ongoing negotiations at the time, but just hours after the announcement came, word came that a deal, which would include Peacock landing on Roku, was imminent. Peacock is still unavailable on Amazon Fire TV devices. (The Verge)

Over 250 drivers pay for one another’s Dairy Queen drive-thru orders

Paying for another person’s food is an act of kindness that many participate in. That’s what happened on Friday, September 18 at a Dairy Queen drive-thru in Gretna, Virginia. A total of 256 people paid for the meal of the person behind them, according to the general manager. She says this all started early Friday at 7am, with a person paying it forward. She said the act of kindness had went on for seven hours well into the afternoon. (WSET)

**WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES!!**

Woman arrested after leading officers on chase, claiming she had to have bowel movement and it was her birthday

A twenty-eight-year-old woman in Enid Oklahoma who refused to cooperate during a traffic stop sparked a high-speed chase and guns being drawn in a neighborhood. She was initially pulled over for not wearing her seat belt. She also didn’t have a license or her insurance. The only form of identification she had on her was her medical marijuana card. Body camera footage shows that the officer informed that her drivers license is suspended, although she denied knowing about it. When the officer announced that he was waiting to see if the woman had warrants for her arrest, she said “But I have to poop so bad!” She also said “It’s my [expletive] birthday.” Police then discovered there was a warrant out for her arrest for allegedly fighting an officer. She asked the officer why he won’t let her go and he replied “because your license is suspended!” “I’m sorry I didn’t know,” she said. “Otherwise I won’t drive no more, but can I please go home and go poop?” The officer then called for backup before asking her to step outside the vehicle because the were warrants for her arrest. That’s when she said “No they are not! [Expletive] you guys!” while putting the key in the ignition and sped off. A pursuit lasted several blocks with speeds topping 70 miles per hour. Police say the woman blew through stop signs and a school zone. She eventually stopped and surrendered when officers pointed their guns at her. She would not let the subject drop as she was cuffed and taken to a squad car. “Can I poop in your car, man?” she asked. “You could’ve already been on your way to jail!” the officer said. “Yeah,” she said. “But not pooping!” Police searched the woman’s car and found a pipe with meth inside it. She was booked into the Garfield County Detention Center and faces several felony charges. (KFOR)

Queen Elizabeth formally strips Harvey Weinstein of his British honor

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has formally stripped 68-year-old Harvey Weinstein of his honorary award following his conviction for sexually assaulting a former production assistant and raping an actress. “The Queen has directed that the appointment of Harvey Weinstein to be an Honorary Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 29 January 2004, shall be cancelled and annulled,” according to an official announcement. Harvey Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison term in New York state following his February 24 conviction. He has appealed the conviction. (AV Club)

$163K in Fake N95 Masks Seized in Shipment at Boston’s Port

Just over 20,000 counterfeit N95 masks being shipped into the United States were seized at a port facility in Boston this month, according to Customs and Border Protection officials. The masks had a value of $163,200 but were spotted by specialists in clothes, shoes and textiles, according to a CBP statement. “Counterfeit personal protective equipment puts frontline workers and the general public’s health at risk,” said the director of field operations for the Boston Field Office. “CBP Officers and our trade teams are trained to identify and intercept these dangerous goods before they can do harm to our communities and the American consumer.” The 20,400 masks were shipped from Hong Kong in 43 boxes, officials said. N95 masks are medical-grade face coverings that have been highly sought after during the coronavirus pandemic for their ability to protect people wearing them from most airborne particles, if worn right. (NBC Boston)

Toilet display mocking mail-in voting is a crime

A Michigan resident’s apparent joke showing disdain for voting by mail is no laughing matter for one election official. The resident put a toilet on their lawn with a sign that says, “Place mail in ballots here.” The Democratic clerk of Ingham County filed a complaint with police over the display, saying it could mislead people who aren’t familiar with the voting system. “It is a felony to take illegal possession of an absentee ballot,” she said. “Elections in this country are to be taken seriously and there are many people who are voting by mail for the first time this election,” she added. The identity of the person who lives at the address with the toilet wasn’t disclosed, but the lawn also has a sign that calls for the recall of Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. More than 2 million Michigan voters could cast absentee ballots after changes in election law. Separately, a judge said absentee ballots postmarked by November 2 can be counted if received within 14 days after the November 3 election. (Lansing State Journal)

Two studies show the risk of COVID-19 spreading on an airplane is high while on long flights

The studies, conducted by Vietnam’s National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the University of Hong Kong, examined the spread of COVID-19 on international flights held in March (before travel lockdowns) containing passengers that tested positive for the coronavirus. In the study conducted by Vietnam’s National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, COVID-19 was spread from one business class passenger to those around them, showing the potential impact of the coronavirus in one of the most spaced-out areas of an airplane. It is worth noting, however, that both flights were conducted before safety measures, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, were implemented on airplanes. Many airlines have blocked off middle seats and have required mask-wearing on-board. Airline travel has been seen as a relatively “low risk” activity, as modern aircrafts are typically equipped with advanced systems that renew cabin air every two to three minutes. (Forbes)

Teachers in Florida complain parents are appearing behind students in online classrooms half-dressed, smoking or drinking

Florida parents appearing half-dressed, drinking, or smoking during their kids’ virtual classrooms has prompted teachers at Boca Raton Elementary to speak up during a school board meeting this week. “Parents, please make sure that you have on proper clothing when you are walking behind your child’s computer, because we’ve seen them in their drawers, their bras, and everything else,” one teacher said at the meeting adding that some parents had been seen holding cigarettes and possibly joints. Other teachers are sharing similar experiences including seeing a shirtless father drinking before noon in the background of an online class. Teachers say they are worried about other children being exposed to behavior that is unfamiliar. (WPEC)

YouTube is blocking a key feature of iOS 14, picture-in-picture mode, unless users subscribe to the streamer’s premium service

This is impacting users of iOS users on iPhone, but not on the iPad. YouTube Premium users, as well as YouTube videos embedded, can still use the feature. iOS 14’s picture-in-picture mode allows users to watch a video while using other apps on their device. iOS previously required videos playing on the device to take up the entire screen. YouTube Premium allows users to “listen” to videos in the background as a key feature of its service. (The Verge)

Experts warn there will be a wave of hotel closures in the coming months

The pandemic and changes in travel trends will likely result in a massive number of hotels going out of business, as industry experts say hotel borrowers have an unusually high loan delinquency rate. Data from the Hotel Association shows 1 in 4 hotel properties are struggling to pay mortgages. Some high-profile hotels in tourist areas have already closed. Recent travel data suggest that travelers are opting for vacation rentals over hotels, a trend that was occurring before the pandemic with the growing popularity of Airbnb. (The Los Angeles Times)

What comes next for restaurants?

Restaurants have been some of the hardest hit amid the coronavirus crisis. Now a survey by the National Restaurant Association found that 40% of restaurant operators are not sure they’ll make it six more months. The report also says that around 100,000 restaurants are projected to close nationally in 2020 (Yelp estimated that by July around 26,000 had closed, 60% of which permanently). Similarly, around 3 million restaurant industry workers are out of work. While these projections don’t account for possible government intervention, patio-clearing colder weather is set to usher in tough winter months for dining establishments. (QSR Magazine)

Dialing down hurricanes, with pipes

A Norwegian startup OceanTherm thinks it may have found a solution to Hurricanes: underwater pipes that reach deep into the ocean, where it’s colder, and pump up cold water bubbles that reduce surface temperature. Such pipes can be installed permanently or be used as part of a mobile ship operation. Initial tests in Norway showed promising results, reducing surface temperature by 4 degrees celsius (24.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Researchers are currently working on a two-year pilot program off the Gulf of Mexico designed to combine computer modeling and real-world trials in Gulf waters. (Tampa Bay Times)

Trump says to expect SCOTUS nominee Friday or Saturday, after Justice Ginsburg’s funeral

President Donald Trump says he will announce his nominee to fill the United States Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death by this weekend. In an interview, the president said he will announce his decision “Friday or Saturday,” after funeral services for Justice Ginsburg. “I think it will be on Friday or Saturday,” President Trump said. “We want to pay respect; it looks like we will have, probably, services on Thursday or Friday, as I understand it. I think, you know, with all due respect, we should wait until the services are over for Justice Ginsburg. So we’re looking probably at Friday or maybe Saturday,” President Trump added. (Fox News)

Tuesday Breaks In Half With:

• American Business Women’s Day
• Autumn (Autumnnal Equinox) [@9:31AM EDT]
• Bike to Work Day
• Car Free Day
• Centenarian’s Day
• Chainmail Day
• Dear Diary Day
• Elephant Appreciation Day
• Hobbit Day
• Girls’ Night In
• Ice Cream Cone Day
• International Day of Radiant Peace
• Mabon (On Autumn Equinox)
• Leg Wear Day
• On-line Recovery Day
• Remote Employee Appreciation Day
• Voter Registration Day (4th Tuesday)
• Walk n’ Roll Dog Day
• White Chocolate Day
• Woman Road Warrior Day (4th Tuesday)