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By exploiting this issue, a virus could potentially spread to the millions of devices using an older version of Windows. The virus could be contracted simply by accessing an internet connection.
The vulnerability exists in the following versions of Windows:
Windows XP
Windows 2003
Windows 7
Windows Server 2008
Some of the vulnerable versions are highly out of date and no longer supported, such as Windows 2003. However, the company wants to preemptively solve the problem as it could widely spread. Luckily, Windows 8 and Windows 10 are not affected.
The WannaCry malware incident involved ransomware being spread through devices running Windows. It encrypted data and demanded ransom in the form of Bitcoin.
“Any future malware that exploits this vulnerability could propagate from vulnerable computer to vulnerable computer in a similar way as the WannaCry malware spread across the globe in 2017,” Pope said.
Not out of the woods
Although there weren’t any hackers exploiting the vulnerability at the time Microsoft released the patches, Microsoft consequently gave them the tools to create a virus.
Someone with malicious intent could reverse engineer the patch to create the malware, according to Microsoft.
DC has this idea that because it is so dark and edgy, everything has to be colorless in its TV and movie adaptations. Here’s the problem though, fans hate it!
In the DC Extended Universe, the films are panned beyond belief for having zero-to-no color. In fact, fans have color corrected the movies just to show how much better they can look.
Even the comics know how to combine dark storytelling with color and character.
Source: Batman: Killing Joke
Speaking of the characters, they stink in this trailer.
Batwoman’s alter ego is Kate Kane. In the trailer, she exudes girl power in every move she makes. That’s fine, but Kane is so much more than just girl power. Kane is probably the biggest LGBT superhero ever created. In the comics, she inspired so many readers to be true to themselves.
Kane was inspired by the disappearance of Batman, and her overwhelming sense of justice to fight for Gotham. Her sexuality and feminity were present but played a backseat to her overall character. She’s an analytical genius and a martial arts master who becomes the new greatest detective in Gotham.
The Batwoman in the trailer, played by Ruby Rose, has none of the same character. She comes off as arrogant and self-centered. When she finds out her love interest has been kidnapped, she looks concerned for all of two seconds, and is then cocky the rest of the trailer.
We can’t take the situation seriously because she isn’t taking it seriously.
She just appears to annoy every character she’s with in every scene. There’s never a point where anyone looks happy to see her, or that she looks the least bit interested herself. Yeah, she kicks some butt here and there, but Batman has this thing about actions defining people:
And the dialogue is… not great.
“So I have this thing with rules.”
“I’m not gonna let a man take credit for a woman’s work.”
“You’re a female Bruce Wayne.” (HOW! HOW DOES SHE ACT ANYTHING LIKE HIM!)
The show looks like it was made by a bunch of people who never left the punk/grunge era. Kane looks like she got into a fight with her parents when she wanted to get a nose ring, and often exclaims, “You just don’t get it!” Give it five episodes and we guarantee you’ll hear a Nirvana song.
Look, there are much worse DC titles out there. For goodness sake people, “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” exists. We’re not gonna get much worse than that.
However, this show doesn’t look like it has much to offer aside from some fun action here and there. It doesn’t look like it’s going to capture any of what made the Batwoman comics great, and instead looks like it will embody all the things wrong with DC’s movies and shows.
How do you narrow down one of the greatest console libraries down to 10 games? Well, we’re gonna try!
Back in the days before the Xbox-PlayStation-Nintendo console wars, there was just the Nintendo-Sega console war.
Sega had a phenomenal advertising campaign that used the made-up term “blast processing” to sell the Sega Genesis.
Kids on the playground and buses would quote the commercials saying things like, “Genesis does what Ninen-don’t.” However, when it came to what games were better, they shut their mouths when they saw the Super Nintendo library.
Holy mother of God, this console has some classics.
Sure, the Genesis had a few classics, but nothing even compared to the treasure trove of games the SNES had to offer. The Genesis simply could not compete.
Remember that commercial above that had the nerve to infer that Super Mario Kart was boring? Even if you think the game isn’t as high paced as a racing game on the Genesis, take a look at the SNES exclusive F-Zero:
Is that 16-bit action intense enough for you?
We could make a list of the top 50 SNES games, and even that would leave off some classic titles. Narrowing it down to 10 seems like a fool’s errand, but we’re willing to give it a try. Let us know in the comments below what games you think should have made it!
Top 10 SNES games
10. Street Fighter II Turbo
We were torn between putting this one and Mortal Kombat III on this list. As much as we love ripping the heads off our enemies, we love Hadoukens more.
Street Fighter II Turbo was the most fast-paced tournament fighting game of its time. At the arcade, we wasted quarter after quarter on this game. When we found out we could play this bad boy at home, we were thrilled.
Street Fighter II Turbo was fast but efficient. After a few goes, you could commit combos to memory, and watch your enemies cower in fear. It was a fighting game unlike any we had seen before, and, arguably, haven’t seen since.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
The Ninja Turtles are no stranger to Nintendo Games. The turtle-trilogy on the NES was decent but had room for improvement. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time gave the franchise the shot of adrenaline the franchise needed.
This time, the turtles must travel through time in order to stop Shredder and the Foot Clan. This brings them to different eras in history including the Jurassic Period where the turtles fight a “prehistoric turtlesaurus.”
Come on, do we really need to say more?
8. Yoshi’s Island
For many of us, Super Mario World was the game that introduced us to Yoshi.
In that game, Yoshi can fly, shoot fire, and cause the Earth to shake under him. That’s cool and all, but here’s the thing: Mario can do those things too. However, Yoshi’s Island gave Yoshi a whole new repertoire of moves. Now, Yoshi can turn eaten enemies into eggs, throw eggs at enemies, hover jump, turn into a whole assortment of vehicles, and even ground-pound.
Levels feel much different from what you see in a Mario game. Rather than being a typical sidescrolling platformer, levels feel more like small dungeons. You need to hunt for the exits, secrets, and fun power-ups to enhance your experience.
7. Mega Man X
Mega Man had quite a long stay on the NES. Six games, in fact. When the series came to the SNES, it certainly didn’t tip-toe into the 16-bit world.
Mega Man X was and is an absolute smash hit.
You go through the same spiel of fighting a slew of robot bosses while stealing their powers. However, even after six games on the NES, this title still feels fresh.
One of the bosses is named “Boomer Kuwanger.” You can’t go wrong with Boomer Kuwanger.
6. Super Mario Kart
There are three certainties in life: death, the inevitable extinction of us all, and that the red shells will always hit you.
Nowadays, the Mario Kart franchise is pretty crazy. We got power-ups that will turn you into a Bullet Bill, courses taking place on an erupting volcano, and now even Link from Zelda is a playable character!
Back in the day, we didn’t have any of that, but we didn’t need it. We need two things: the Grand Prix and balloon battles.
Dust off this cartridge, and you can play for hours without noticing.
5. Donkey Kong Country
Let’s start this off right:
He’s bigger, faster, and stronger, too. He’s the first member of the DK crew.
Donkey Kong Country was the first in a DK trilogy on the SNES. It is also the best one by a mile. Donkey Kong and his BFF Diddy Kong are out to thwart the evil King K. Rool who has stolen their entire banana horde.
If that sounds weird, it’s only because it is.
Donkey Kong Country celebrates its 25 year anniversary this year, and might we say this game has aged like fine wine. This sidescrolling platformer is still fun to pick up to this day. Donkey Kong and Diddy can bounce on tires, throw barrels at baddies, and ride an assortment of animals.
The soundtrack?
Perfection.
If you can track down a copy, get ready for one of the best adventures the franchise has to offer.
Everything before this game on this list is a great game. However, we have now entered the realm of legends.
Super Castlevania IV is one of the best looking games ever created. You play as a whip-wielding hero on a quest through a gothic, horror landscape to find and kill Dracula.
Along the way, you fight Frankenstein’s monster, Medusa, and even Death itself. The game uses a password system, so if you want to jump to the best parts we’ve got you covered:
Source: IGN
This game feels like it was created by the same people who made the classic Universal monster movies. There are so many creative enemies and stages that feel like they were ripped from the pages of a classic horror novel.
It’s a game for people who love horror, monsters, and just great side-scrolling action in general.
3. Super Mario World
Oh yeah, you know this list is serious business when Super Mario World only takes the number 3 spot.
There’s really nothing we can say about this game that hasn’t been said before. It’s side-scrolling Mario at his best. He has a slew of power-ups both new and old. You can break out the new Feather to become a cape-wearing Mario who can soar through the sky. You can also down the Fire Flower which will allow you to mow down enemies with fireballs.
The game encourages you to plot your own course. If you want, you can avoid all hidden levels and bonuses, and get through the game in a day or two. You can be a full completionist and beat the game in a week or so. Or, you could go crazy and take advantage of every warp zone and beat the game in less than 10 minutes like this guy:
Look, most of you reading this list have probably played this game. If you have, then you know firsthand just how awesome this game is. If you haven’t, then finish reading, and go track down a copy!
2. Super Metroid
The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace…
Super Metroid turns 25 this year. If you think Donkey Kong Country aged well, wait until you see this beast.
The first two Metroid games dealt with the hero Samus Aran destroying the parasitic Metroids from spreading across the galaxy. The games build these creatures up to be mindless, killing machines. At the end of Metroid II: Return of Samus, Samus almost uncharacteristically spares the life of the last Metroid.
In the events of Super Metroid, the last Metroid is kidnapped by space pirates who plan to use it to take over the galaxy. After making her way through their base, Samus is confronted by their leader, Mother Brain.
Mother Brain kicks. your. ass.
All hope seems lost. You just spent hours navigating this labyrinth while collecting power-ups and honing your skills. You thought you were a pro at this game who could handle whatever was throw at you, but you just lost and it wasn’t even close.
Suddenly…
In one fell swoop, the game throws a complete curveball at the player. It takes a huge risk by changing up the villains of the last two games in one of the biggest twists in video game history.
Super Metroid is one of the greatest non-linear platformers ever made. It transcends the realm of being a video game and turns into an experience.
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
When it comes to video game top 10 lists, it’s almost unfair if there is an eligible Zelda title. Zelda titles are some of the best if not THE best titles in every Nintendo console’s library.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is no exception.
This game introduced us to some of the best weapons in all of Zelda including the Hookshot, Pegasus Boots, and the Mirror Shield. It gave us an incredible story with some of the coolest boss fights in the entire franchise.
Link to the Past is one of the greatest Zelda games ever created, which makes it one of the greatest video games ever created.
Link to the Past captures all the things that make Zelda one of the greatest video game franchises of all time. It is also undoubtedly the greatest SNES game ever made.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time turns 20. Here’s how it changed gaming forever
Jumping from comedy to horror, Chris Rock looks to breathe new life into the Saw franchise.
This is, without a doubt, one of the weirdest headlines of the year.
Comedian Chris Rock is sinking his teeth into the horror franchise by reviving the Saw movie franchise.
“I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004,” Rock said in a statement. “I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.”
As a fan of the franchise, Rock wrote a story for a new Saw film, which Lionsgate Motion Picture Group saw, and enjoyed.
“When Chris Rock came to us and described in chilling detail his fantastic vision that reimagines and spins off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, we were all in,” said Joe Drake, chairman of Lionsgate. “This upcoming film will still be as mind-bending and intense as all the previous Saw films. ”
A comedian making his or her way to comedy is nothing new. Last year, funnyman Danny McBride wrote the new “Halloween.” Also, Jordan Peele who is best known for the sketch comedy show “Key and Peele” has directed two horror films: “Get Out” and “Us”
The films are known for deadly and creative traps created by the main antagonist, Jigsaw. They are also known for intense gore.
NSWF: Viewer discretion advised
This will be the ninth Saw film to come out. Two years ago, the series came back with “Jigsaw” after taking a seven-year break.
Rock recently released a comedy special on Netflix called “Tamborine.”He also made the comedy movie “The Week Of” alongside fellow SNL alum Adam Sandler.
Aside from the first film, the Saw movies haven’t been known for their compelling stories. Basically, we just keep watching them to see what traps the writers can concoct. If Rock’s story is as good as Lionsgate says it is, we are excited. However, we want to see cool traps more than anything else.
How can I tell whether or not I was affected by the WhatsApp security breach?
After WhatsApp’s recent security breach which led to personal data being compromised, users have been trying to figure out whether or not they were affected.
The first thing you can do is to update the app. However, the problem is that there is no concrete way of knowing whether you were affected by the breach.
The good news is that there ways you might be able to tell if your device was compromised.
See if other programs are running slower than usual: Are YouTube videos not loading as quickly as they typically do? Is Instagram taking forever to refresh the page? Is that new app you’re downloading taking a small lifetime? These signs can mean that your phone is doing background tasks that are slowing down your phone.
Check your battery usage: If your battery power is depleting faster than normal, it might mean your device is sending and receiving lots of data.
Check to see if your phone is running hot: If your phone is hot to the touch, it might mean that it is sending and receiving data due to the spyware.
Just nip it in the bud with an antivirus app
If your phone has spyware or another virus, you typically can solve it with your standard antivirus app like Avira or Malwarebytes.
If you think you have spyware or a virus, antivirus apps can scan your phone and remove anything problematic. It’s a smart idea to check for a problem rather than waiting around to see if you have one.
What are the chances that I was affected?
The main target of the spyware attack was a human rights lawyer in London. The alleged spyware is called Pegasus and it was made by the Isreali cyber-intelligence organization called NSO Group.
We’re going to go out on a limb and say that you are probably not affiliated with either the Israeli intelligence organization or the human rights lawyer in London who is suing them.
That said, it is in your interest to use these best practices to regularly check for signs of spyware on your device. Although you probably weren’t compromised in this spyware attack, it doesn’t mean you won’t get caught up in a different one.
With the ever-present threat of climate change, here are some things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.
Sometimes we need a kick in the pants to inspire us to do more to save the planet. Sadly, sometimes it can be something like a clip from “Our Planet,” a new Netflix documentary series.
The clip below shows a walrus trying to climb a cliff to reach other walruses. The walruses don’t have much ice to live on anymore, so it has to settle for the cliffs. Viewer discretion is advised for this video:
Whether you consider yourself an environmentalist or not, we can all agree that we want to keep the planet healthy. Unfortunately, parts of our day-to-day lives have negative repercussions to our climate.
We compiled a list of some of our favorite apps that can help you reduce your carbon footprint and more.
JouleBug
It’s sometimes hard to know where to start when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint. Most of us know that recycling and car-pooling are good options, but where do you go from there?
JouleBug offers different tips and tricks on how you can form more sustainable habits and better utilize resources.
You can also track your results to see the impact you’ve made to your carbon footprint and the money you’ve saved.
You’re in your car out for a drive when suddenly a smell slaps you in the face. As you pass a refinery, you now have to deal with breathing in noxious fumes.
CleanSpace lets you know the amount of pollution in the air, whether you’re indoors or outdoors. It will also show you the best route to take in order to avoid highly polluted areas.
Where the app truly helps the planet is by showing you the amount of pollutants you are adding to the air from your own commute.
If you’re looking for eco-friendly food, finding a restaurant or store that vegan options can be difficult. HappyCow alleviates that burden by finding them for you.
Whether you’re looking for a quick fast-food meal or if you need a hotel with vegan accommodations, HappyCow is there for you.
HappyCow is essentially the Yelp of the vegan community. You can leave your own reviews and tips for the next patron to better their experience. The app also helps you plan your diet or weight-loss journey.
From your home’s central heating to the emissions from your car, you are producing a lot of carbon dioxide. The problem is that it’s hard to tell just how much.
Enter the Carbon Footprint Calculator app. Through this app, you enter your information to determine your carbon output. You enter info like what kind of car you drive, how often you drive it, and information on how much you spend on heating.
The app also sets goals for you to reach as well as tips to reduce your carbon footprint. Tips can be as simple as making sure your lights are turned off.
Wanna know what’s cool? Saving the planet. Wanna know what’s also cool? No longer getting junk mail.
Every year 85 billion pieces of junk mail end up in landfills across the country. PaperKarma offers the solution to lighten the load so you can stop getting unwanted junk mail.
Simply snap a picture of the mail and PaperKarma will automatically get you off that company’s mailing list.
PaperKarma can stop magazines, fake offers, catalogs, and even the Yellow Pages from showing up in your mailbox.
Say goodbye to unwanted credit card offers, and hello to your empty trash bin.
The fight against climate change is ongoing, and it needs your support. Using these apps can give you a leg-up, as well as help with your own personal self-improvement.
Fight back against climate change by switching your search engine
Facebook is letting users clear their data history, but how will this affect the ad experience?
Before launching its new “clear history” feature, Facebook is prepping advertisers for the change.
Earlier this year, Facebook announced they were adding a “clear history” feature. The feature would show Facebook users what apps and websites were sending data to Facebook. You could then clear the data from your account, and then delete all the information currently collected.
Facebook said in a blog post that there are four key takeaways for advertisers as they unroll the clear history tool:
Giving people transparency and control is good for businesses
We’re showing people how advertisers use our tools
Giving people transparency and control is good for businesses
This point was more of an explanation as to why they are doing it. Facebook and the apps under its umbrella: Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger are all free for users.
This is only possible because of advertisers. Facebook did not flat-out say that they were unethically collecting user data for more targeting advertisers. However, they did say that the company can provide advertising options while also protecting users’ privacy.
Facebook has been under fire for how they’ve been collecting user data. Trust us, we’ve been covering it:
Facebook steals information about your menstrual cycles, home buying, more
Showing people how advertisers use Facebook’s tools
This one is a bit self-explanatory. Facebook has data on its users; now, they want users to know what advertisers are doing with it.
Here’s where the problem lies: Facebook hasn’t given us the resources that show 100% clarity of what is happening with our data.
According to Facebook’s data policy, they collect data “including information about your interests, actions, and connections – to select and personalize ads, offers, and other sponsored content.”
However, this doesn’t cover everything by a long shot. Recently, it was discovered that Facebook was using user data as a leveraging point to gain advertisers.
Leaked docs: Zuckerberg leveraged Facebook user data
Facebook is clarifying that if a user disconnects their data, their data can no longer be used for targeted ads. Basically, many advertising strategies are going to have to change as a result.
Facebook was recently charged by HUD for discriminating users with how they targeted ads. Basically, companies could refuse to advertise to users due to their race, gender, and sexuality.
However, these tools will NOT give businesses access to personal data (not that it ever did) Basically, this is a feature that will not be changing, and Facebook wants advertisers to know that.
With scandals, fines, and people leaving Facebook in droves, Facebook is finally making some changes. They are also making sure that their advertisers know it is coming.
Is this going to solve all of our problems with Facebook collecting our data? As history shows, probably not. However, this does look like a step in the right direction.
Curious about joining the Imgur community? We can teach you everything from the top users to the community culture.
Sometimes we just want to browse the internet without any pressure. Imgur is an excellent option for doing this. Whether you are looking for recipes, interesting life hacks (that sometimes work), cool DIYs to try, or even if you just need some mindless meme entertainment to reset after a long day – Imgur has you covered.
But what is Imgur and what is it used for? Join us on this journey as we show you.
What Is Imgur?
Imgur is a site for sharing pictures, memes, recipes, videos, and more. The popular website can be used on desktop and mobile platforms. When you upload anything to Imgur, the post first goes to a ‘User-Sub’ channel. From here, it gets voted on, and it can get upvoted, downvoted, or made a ‘Favorite’. If your post receives a lot of upvotes, it will be moved to the trending channel called ‘Most Viral’. This channel is also the home page for Imgur and where users spend most of their time.
You can do different things to earn more upvotes to try and get your post to the ‘Most Viral’ channel. By interacting on your post and replying to comments, you might also get upvotes which count towards your total for that post. You can also use appropriate tags to boost traffic to your post in the hope of getting more upvotes.
With this platform, you can also favorite certain posts. Once favorited, these posts will appear in your ‘Favorites’ folder. This is especially handy for recipes or how-to’s that you might want to revisit in the future.
What Is Imgur App?
The Imgur app is available for free on both Android and iOS devices. Once downloaded and installed on your device, you can access the Imgur platform on your mobile device. This is the ideal solution for those who love to browse from their smartphones.
What Is Imgur Used For?
Imgur is primarily known as an image sharing and discussion site. It has grown immensely in popularity and boasts 100 million users. Although known as an image-sharing site, you can also share videos, memes, and more on this platform.
Most users use Imgur to share funny images, memes, and content, similar to how you’d use Facebook or Instagram. If you’re not a big ‘sharer’, you can also just browse through the posts already there and get a bit of a break from your reality. However, while looking into Imgur, you may come across the question: How to use Imgur to host images?
It’s true; some users use Imgur solely as a way to host their images and keep them somewhere safe. When you upload images to Imgur, they stay on the platform unless you delete them. This makes it a great solution to hosting images.
How to Use Imgur
If you are interested in starting to use Imgur, here are some valuable tips on how to use Imgur.
Points
Points and comments can earn you Imgur points. These “fake internet points” don’t mean much in real life, but they are heavily sought after on Imgur. Points feed your notoriety, which other users can see on your page.
You’re not going to make money or get famous in real life if you have a lot of points. However, you can immortalize yourself on Imgur.
Posting
Posts can be put into two separate groups: original content and reposts. Original content or “OC” means that the content came from you and you alone. GIFs you created, screenshots of your own social media pages, or videos you shot yourself are all examples of OC. Imgur also has a full catalog of tools and extensions to help your posts.
In theory, OC has a better chance of making it to the front page. However, most users would agree that there is not an airtight formula for getting on the front page. The title, description, tags, and even the time of day can affect whether you make Most Viral.
Reposts are posts that came from somebody else. This does not mean that they won’t make it to the front page, but some users do hound content for not being OC. If you make a repost, you should always include the source to give credit to the creator. If you don’t, you’ll probably get downvoted to oblivion as you see comments asking “sauce?” That’s not a typo; users say that to be funny. (It’s internet slang for “source?”)
User Sub and mature content
If you are casually surfing Imgur, you should stay away from User Sub if you are anywhere public. The Imgur terms of service and community guidelines prohibit posting inappropriate content. However, it can take a while before these posts are caught by admin. This means that a lewd image can potentially grace your computer or phone screen if you aren’t careful.
Blatantly inappropriate content does not typically make it to the front page, so you are safe surfing Most Viral. Imgur has a bit of a blurry line between what is explicit content and what is simply “mature.” Mature content can be provocative and sexual, but won’t include nudity, gore, etc. Posts should also be marked as mature if they contain mature material. You do this by adding the mature tag when posting. If you fail to do so, Imgur will send you a courtesy message and mark the content “mature” for you.
For example, let’s say you want to post some of your favorite cosplays. If some of the cosplayers are scantily clad, you should mark the content as mature.
Imgur was founded by Alan Schaaf in 2010. He still serves as president and CEO of Imgur. He doesn’t post often, but he does have an account on the site.
One of the most prominent users you will find is @Sarah. @Sarah is Sarah Schaaf, Imgur’s first employee and the head of the community team. She is also Alan’s sister and vice president of the company. Her account posts lots of news and updates about Imgur. She also urges users to message her with any questions or concerns they might have.
There is also a conspiracy theory floating around Imgur that @Sarah is actually Weird Al Yankovic. We’re not confirming or denying this theory, but have you ever seen both of them in a room together?
Other popular users to follow
Given the millions of users, it’s hard to narrow down just a few that you should follow. What you should do is search by your favorite tags, and follow users who post a lot of that content.
However, Imgur has created some legendary users you might want to follow:
Two of the most popular users on Imgur are @thund3rbolt and @undercovergiraffe. The two have nearly 30 million combined Imgur points. Their viral content launches on Imgur before making its way to the rest of the internet. You can see it first by following both of these users.
You might wonder from time to time why Michael Cera’s face pops up so often. You can thank @ANewBadlyPhotoshoppedPhotoofMichaelCeraEveryday for that. Although he doesn’t habitually post daily anymore, he typically posts every few days. The community erupts when he does, and you can always count on seeing his content on the front page.
Sometimes even celebrities make their way to the Imgur community. Adam Savage from “Mythbusters” is an active Imgur user. His username is @mistersavage. He doesn’t post that often, but he does engage with users in the comments and has been known to participate in Imgur events.
Imgur events
From time to time, Imgur sponsors special events. Some have died out, but there are some notable ones to mention.
Imgur users have their own personal birthday-like celebration known as “Cake Day.” Your Cake Day is the anniversary of when you first became an Imgur user. If you don’t remember when you first became an Imgurian, your account page will tell you.
On your Cake Day, it is Imgur tradition to make a post in celebration. Users who stumble on the post in User Sub will theoretically upvote you to the Most Viral.
This isn’t your traditional office secret Santa. Imgur Secret Santa is looked forward to all year long. Users who sign up are randomly assigned someone to give a gift to, and your name is sent to a user as well. There is even a backup Santa program where you can have someone else send you a gift if your person flaked on you. When you get your gift, most users post it and tag their Imgur Secret Santa to thank them.
Camp Imgur was an event in 2015 where Imgurians camped out in the woods of northern California. The event wasn’t as much focused on the camping aspect as it was focused on community members engaging with one another. Imgurians who missed out on the event have been begging the admins to bring it back. If and when it does return, you can count on @Sarah to give you the details.
Two weekly events you can always expect to see are Red Head Monday and Thigh-High Thursday. On RHM, users post lots of content featuring red-headed people. Typically, it’s a lot of attractive female redheads. On Thigh-High Thursday, you’ll see a lot of content of women wearing thigh-high legwear. Is it kinda creepy? Yeah, it’s pretty creepy. However, if this is not the content you want to see anymore, let the community know. Downvote the content you don’t like, and post your thoughts on the issue.
Imgur self-policing
You might be thinking to yourself, “This all sounds cool, but how do I stay protected on the site?” Imgur has a unique self-policing policy where the community itself can condemn bad behavior.
Imgur admins do monitor posts and can remove them, but it does count on its users to help police the site. Admins will remove posts that violate community rules, but some can slip through the cracks for a while.
Imgur users post and comment to gain upvotes to build their clout on the site. If you post something toxic to the community, users will most likely downvote you. Those downvotes are reflected in your running total of Imgur points and will remain there until you delete the post or comment.
Why you should use Imgur
Imgur is much more than just a way to share cat GIFs. It’s a community. People have made lifelong friends and even met their spouses on Imgur.
Imgur has been known to get hacked. However, it is not common, and they are not blatantly stealing data like other social media apps. Also, Imgur is known for being very upfront about issues with the app, and hold themselves accountable.
Are you definitely going to meet your future husband or wife on Imgur? Probably not. Are you potentially going to make friends while surfing through your favorite content? Most definitely.
Tired of chatty drivers? Ubers new options for Uber Black rides can keep your rides silent.
It’s happened to all of us: We hop in our Uber expecting a quiet ride, and then five minutes into it we are talking politics and debating the existence of God.
Friendly conversation is nice every now and then, but we don’t always want to strike up an in-depth conversation with a complete stranger.
Luckily, Uber seems to have gotten the picture as they just unrolled a new feature to request a quiet driver.
Unfortunately, the new feature will only be available if you choose the Uber Black or Uber Black SUV options when getting your ride.
To request an Uber Black ride, request a ride as you would normally in the app. Before choosing your riding experience, scroll to the bottom of your ride options to find the Uber Black option.
Uber Black rides are done by professional drivers in high-end vehicles. These are typically much more expensive than the normal UberX option. For example, we checked the price of a 40-minute drive to the heart of downtown Chicago. It cost $23 with UberX and $61 with Uber Black. Most users typically use Uber Black for business or for special occasions like date nights.
That said, the choice to only have the quiet mode option only with Uber Black seems odd. Sure, if you’re out with a loved one or with a client on business, it would be nice to not feel compelled to talk with the driver. Then again, it would be nice to have that option with EVERY ride option.
A quiet driver mode can really come in handy. For those rides home from the airport, we can decompress a little bit. For that trip to work, we can send a few emails or maybe squeeze in a power nap.
Enhanced driving experiences
The quiet mode comes as a part of enhanced experiences announced by Uber. Other features include the following:
Help with luggage
Temperature control
Extended pickup period
Premium support: access premium phone support with live agents if you need something to be made right.
Professionalism: ride with confidence knowing that your professional, commercially-licensed driver is at the top of his or her game.
Consistent vehicle quality: expect the same kinds of rides, every time, with consistent vehicle model, makes, interiors, and exteriors.
Wrapping up
This appears to be an attempt to make users more likely to use Uber Black or Uber Black SUV more often. All in all, the option sounds great, we just wish it was available on other ride options.
Until then, we might just opt with wearing our headphones on the train.
We were torn between putting this one and Mortal Kombat III on this list. As much as we love ripping the heads off our enemies, we love Hadoukens more.
This is, without a doubt, one of the weirdest headlines of the year.
It’s sometimes hard to know where to start when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint. Most of us know that recycling and car-pooling are good options, but where do you go from there?
