songwriting Semisonic's "Closing Time" is not the bar room party song you think it is Thom Dunn

gadgets Dell counters the MacBook Neo with a $599 XPS 13 Rob Beschizza

History Hengefinder finds streets that perfectly frame the setting sun Rob Beschizza

africa WHO declares global health emergency over Congo Ebola outbreak Séamus Bellamy

crime Man hid in Best Buy at closing to get drop on new Pokémon cards Rob Beschizza

History Captain Billy's Whiz Bang gave a pastor's Egypt trip the pulp treatment in 1922 Ellsworth Toohey

History JerryRigEverything tears down the LG Rollable phone that never was Séamus Bellamy

Entertainment Universal's iconic E.T. ride may get overhauled Ruben Bolling

books The Tokyo Vice author digs into cryptocurrency's darkest chapters Roger Park

Frontotemporal dementia Grandpa Pudding Brains is bored and sleepy Jason Weisberger

late stage capitalism Video game retailer GameStop accelerates closures Séamus Bellamy

Jim Beam shuts down a distillery as Trump's tariff hangover kicks in Jason Weisberger

art Survey finds "very negative" attitude toward generative AI in games Rob Beschizza

politics White House military show could shut major California freeway Ellsworth Toohey

Xitter Litigation enthusiast, Elon Musk, settles with Twitter executives for $128 million Jason Weisberger

octopus This Octopus Useless Box is the most adorable pointless gadget ever made Popkin

privacy Facebook app tricking users into letting it scan and "retain" all the photos on their phones Rob Beschizza

Surprise! GOP economist interprets effective tool in affordable housing as loophole for the rich Jason Weisberger

censorship VPN use surging in UK after online censorship laws kick in Rob Beschizza

News "Enigmas never age" — Was Trump's alleged note to Epstein hiding an anagram for "gamines?" Ellsworth Toohey