These are the top maybe-not headlines from the past 36-hours presented by The Conversation Project from raw engagement data from our social media to the headlines posted over the past day.
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The 8 topics that our followers ranked as the most conversational are:
MISSING UTAH TECH CEO ERIN VALENTI FOUND DEAD IN RENTAL CAR
A 33-year-old tech executive from Utah who had gone missing was found dead in the back seat of her rental car along a residential street in San Jose, California — and her father is accusing cops of botching the search for her, according to a report. The body of Erin Valenti — CEO of Salt Lake City-based app development company Tinker Ventures — was found Saturday in San Jose’s quiet Almaden neighborhood, according to the Mercury News. She was last heard from on Oct. 7, when she missed her flight from San Jose back to Utah. The coroner’s office has not officially identified Valenti’s body, which was found a half-mile from her last known location, but her family confirmed it was her. Erin’s father, Joseph Valenti, expressed frustration with the San Jose Police Department and its search for his daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area.
[SOURCE: https://nypost.com]
GOOGLE PIXEL 4 AND 4 XL FIRST LOOK: TWO REAR CAMERAS AND THAT UGLY NOTCH IS GONE
On Tuesday Google formally announced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. Finally! The Pixel 4 is one of the most leaked-about phones in recent memory. In fact, Google itself teased a photo of the 4 and the 4 XL back in June on Twitter. The new Pixel phones pack dual rear cameras, a 90Hz display, radar-powered face unlock and a slew of unique features like car crash detection and live video captioning. In an Amazon-style autumnal windfall of products, also unveiled at the 2019 Made by Google event in New York were the Pixel Buds 2 wireless earbuds, Pixelbook Go Chromebook, Google Nest Mini smart speaker and Nest Wifi smart router. The Pixel 4 starts at $799 (£669) for a 64GB version and $899 (£829) for the Pixel 4 XL. Both are available in black, white or orange, which Google calls “Oh So Orange.” In the US, you can upgrade either phone to 128GB for $100 more. Preorders are live and the phones ship starting Oct. 24. And for the first time, you can buy the Pixel 4 directly from all major US carriers. While it’s Google’s turn to take the phone spotlight, the 2019 stage is already full of new competitors, including Apple’s iPhone 11 and 11 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 and relaunched Galaxy Fold. The iPhone 11 and Galaxy S10E are two of the better-matched rivals to the Pixel 4 and both are $100 cheaper. Then there’s the OnePlus 7 Pro, which packs a 90Hz screen like the Pixel 4 but costs $130 less. And of course there are last year’s Pixel 3 phones, which Google has chopped $300 off.
[SOURCE: cnet.com]
PROTESTS IN BARCELONA AFTER CATALAN LEADERS’ JAIL SENTENCES
Police have fired foam bullets and used batons against thousands of protesters who converged on Barcelona’s airport. Protesters fought back by throwing objects, spraying fire extinguishers and breaking windows during clashes that lasted into the night. Regional emergency service SEM said at least 75 people were treated for injuries, while Spain’s airport operator, AENA, said at least 108 flights were canceled. Protesters also blocked access to the city metro and airport train. Earlier Monday, the Spanish Supreme Court imposed prison sentences ranging from nine to 13 years on nine Catalan separatist leaders, prompting thousands to take to the streets of Barcelona to vent their anger. The prison terms were lower than demanded by the prosecution, which had requested up to 25 years behind bars for the former Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras. The court sentenced Junqueras to 13 years of prison on grounds of sedition and the misuse of public funds. It also handed 12-year terms to three other former regional ministers. No sooner had the verdict arrived than people began to fill the streets, notably in Plaza Catalunya at one end of La Rambla in Barcelona. By lunchtime the square was packed with thousands of demonstrators, many waving yellow, red and blue Catalan separatist flags or banners reading “We would do it again” and “Freedom for political prisoners.”
[SOURCE: dw.com]
EDDIE VAN HALEN HAS THROAT CANCER: STAR BLAMES METAL GUITAR PICK
The veteran rocker, 64, was diagnosed with cancer nearly 20 years ago and has been travelling between the United States and Germany for treatment, TMZ reports. He had a third of his tongue removed in 2000 and had reportedly been declared cancer free in 2002 but has now been to Germany to get radiation treatment over the last five years. The Van Halen star, who was a ‘heavy smoker’, is said to blame holding the pick in his mouth while on stage for his diagnosis. A source told TMZ ‘for the most part it’s worked to keep the disease in check’ and he is ‘doing okay’.
[SOURCE: dailymail.co.uk]
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HALTS PRODUCTION OF LIVEWIRE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES
Harley-Davidson has temporarily halted production of its LiveWire electric motorcycle after quality tests uncovered a problem with the bikes, the company said Monday. The Wall Street Journal, citing an internal company memo, reported the problem is with the bikes’ charging systems. “We recently discovered a non-standard condition during a final quality check; stopped production and deliveries; and began additional testing and analysis, which is progressing well,” the company said in a statement. The production stoppage comes as the LiveWire models were arriving in dealer showrooms this month. Investors seemed unmoved by the delay, with the company’s shares finishing the day higher Monday after the news broke. “Obviously this is a setback, but I don’t think this is a deal-breaker by any means,” said Brian Yarbrough, a financial analyst who follows Harley-Davidson at investment firm Edward Jones. “This bike alone was not the end all, be all.”
[SOURCE: usatoday.com]
ZOE KRAVITZ HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CAST AS SELINA KYLE IN THE BATMAN
Deadline first broke the news that Kravitz will portray Selina Kyle opposite Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne in the reboot from writer-director Matt Reeves, which is scheduled for release on June 25, 2021. It’s notable that Warner Bros. announced Kravitz’s casting as “Selina Kyle” with no mention of Catwoman, but given how familiar fans are with the character’s secret identity – and rumors that Reeves’ new take on the Dark Knight will be a trilogy – it seems impossible to imagine that Kravitz won’t don the catsuit and whip at some point. According to THR, Kravitz tested for the role alongside Ana de Armas, Ella Balinska, and Eiza Gonzalez, including chemistry reads with Pattinson. Jonah Hill and Jeffrey Wright are reportedly also in talks to join The Batman alongside Pattinson and Kravitz, with Wright slated to play Commissioner Gordon and Hill rumored for a villain role – potentially either Penguin or Riddler. Reeves penned the script alongside Mattson Tomlin, and the film is slated to begin filming in the UK in January 2020. Kravitz was most recently seen in HBO’s Big Little Lies, and previously starred in WB’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Mad Max: Fury Road.
[SOURCE: ign.com]
NEVADA GAMING REGULATORS SEEK BAN ON STEVE WYNN FROM STATE’S CASINO INDUSTRY
Nevada gaming regulators are seeking a ban on former Wynn Resorts Ltd chief Steve Wynn from the state’s casino industry, citing allegations of sexual misconduct that emerged a year ago, a regulatory filling showed. The Nevada Gaming Control Board lodged a complaint on Monday with the state’s Gaming Commission, saying Wynn was “unsuitable to be associated with a gaming enterprise or the gaming industry.” The U.S. casino mogul resigned as CEO of his company Wynn Resorts early last year following claims he subjected women co-workers to unwanted advances, becoming one of the most prominent business leaders to quit over sexual misconduct allegations in recent months. He has denied the accusations. Nevada’s gaming control board said it had undertaken its own investigation on Wynn’s conduct after the company failed to monitor and investigate the same, and has found numerous “potential instances of unwelcome sexual conduct.” Earlier this year, Wynn Resorts said it had agreed to an undisclosed settlement in response to a disciplinary complaint filed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board following the sexual misconduct claims. The casino company, which has operations in Las Vegas and Macau, and Wynn’s lawyer could not be reached for a comment.
[SOURCE: reuters.com]
SEARCH FOR ALABAMA 3-YEAR-OLD WHO VANISHED FROM BIRTHDAY PARTY EXPANDS TO OTHER STATES
A $6,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the whereabouts of a 3-year-old Alabama girl who vanished from a birthday party over the weekend, authorities said Tuesday. Kamille McKinney was last seen while at the outdoor birthday party Saturday night in Birmingham, according to police. Authorities said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference that they believe she is still alive, a day after they announced the search for Kamille has expanded to surrounding states. District Attorney Danny Carr said the reward includes $5,000 from his and the governor’s offices and $1,000 from a private citizen who wished to remain anonymous. Kamille was with her mother and other relatives at the home of the person throwing the party, Birmingham Police Department Deputy Chief Scott Praytor said Sunday. Praytor said Kamille’s mother is being cooperative and is “extremely upset.” Kamille, who goes by “Cupcake,” is about 3 feet tall and weighs 60 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink T-shirt with a leopard print design and an image of Mickey Mouse with leopard print shorts, and no shoes.
[SOURCE: nbcnews.com]
Eight Things To Talk About uses the raw engagement data from the social media engagement from The Conversation Project to generate the top-ranking headlines over the course of a weekend.
A full weeks’ data (from Friday to Friday) is compiled, weighed, and sorted to produce the content for the Wrap-Up Show with J Cleveland Payne, published every Saturday as a podcast available at ThisIsTheConversation.com or wherever your favorite podcasts are found.
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