What’s Up With the Pixel Screens?

What’s Up With the Pixel Screens? The Facts and the BS

Eric Ravenscraft | @lordravenscraft | 

Google’s new Pixel 2 phones are out and they’re pretty awesome. However, there are also reports of issues with both the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL’s displays. A little bit of misinformation and a lot of hysteria have made it sound like both phones are just the Worst Thing Ever. So, we’re going to break down what’s worth worrying about and what’s a lot of hot air.

For starters, we want to clarify: there are two different Pixel 2 phones. The regular, 5″ Pixel 2, and the 6″ Pixel 2 XL with its crazy small bezels. Unless otherwise noted, when we say “Pixel 2,” we’re referring to the smaller one. The Pixel 2—which was manufactured by HTC—uses an AMOLED display manufactured by Samsung, just like most smartphones with OLED displays include the Samsung Galaxy and Note lines, and the iPhone 8 and X. Meanwhile the Pixel 2 XL uses a POLED display panel manufactured by LG.

Some reported issues apply to both phones, while a few only apply to the Pixel 2 XL. Below we have a list of the alleged issues, how serious they really are, and which phones are affected.

Technical note: All of the images in this post, including the one above, are edited to highlight a specific effect. Our eyes work differently than cameras do, so it’s difficult to capture exactly what each issue looks like. Just keep in mind that the problems highlighted below are less pronounced in real life than they appear.

“The colors look muted and dull.”

Left: Nexus 6P. Right: Pixel 2 XL. Note the desaturated colors on the XL compared to the same colors on the 6P.

Phones affected: Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL

Most OLED displays on the market have incredibly bright, vivid colors. This is largely because phone manufacturers like to crank the saturation up to 11. The colors aren’t necessarily accurate, but they sure are eye-catching. It’s the smartphone equivalent of watching Speed Racer. The Pixel 2 phones, on the other hand, are a little more subtle.

This issue has more to do with how Android Oreo handles color than the panels themselves. Oreo added the ability for developers and manufacturers to pick what color space they work with. Color spaces define what colors look like. There are three types of color spaces in Oreo: Low, HDR, and Wide. Low color spaces include profiles like sRGB, which is a very basic color space that doesn’t include a ton of extra richness.  It’s also the default color space in Android Oreo unless a manufacturer or developer changes it. HDR color spaces can include brighter brights, darker darks, and more vivid colors, though your content has to support HDR in order to make use of that extra flexibility. Wide color spaces, similarly, include a greater range of shades of colors, which lets colors stand out from each other, as long as the content is designed to make use of it.

Both Pixel 2 phones use a color profile that’s slightly more vivid than sRGB by default, but it’s still a far cry from Wide or even HDR color gamuts. However, developers (and even Google itself) could technically enable them. The displays are physically capable of these color profiles. In fact, some enterprising users are already experimenting with it. Google has even said that it’s considering adding a more vibrant color mode to the Pixel phones. This won’t fix everything with the displays, but it would go a long way towards making them look as intense as other phones you have used.

Is this a big deal? Depending on your preference, not really. If you like oversaturated displays, then the Pixel phones may look dull, but they’re also not wrong. They’re just using a different type of color space than other phones do. Physically, they’re fine on this front, and Google may even roll out an option to let people who prefer more intense colors have it their way, too.

“There’s a weird smearing effect when you scroll.”

Left: Pixel 2, Right: Pixel 2 XL. There’s a distinct wobble effect around black edges (which is different from the ghosting that occurs when recording a screen, which you can see on the icons).

Phones affected: Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL

This one is pretty tough to spot if you don’t know what you’re looking for. In some instances, if you’re scrolling through a list—say your Twitter feed—you may notice some “smearing” along edges where a black area meets color on the screen. The smearing stops as soon as you stop scrolling, but while in motion, it looks a little weird. You can see a bit of this in the image above, where the black part of the image looks a little more jelly-like than the color parts of the image. You can see this effect in motion on both phones here.

This happens because OLED displays light up pixels individually, rather than using a back light to illuminate the entire display. To show the color black, an OLED display simply turns those pixels off. This not only saves a little battery, but it lets you reach deeper black levels than if you were trying to block the back light in say an LCD display.

However, it also takes longer to turn a black pixel on than it does to change the color of an already-illuminated pixel. This extra time is measured in fractions of a second, but it’s still just different enough to create that smearing effect.

Is this a big deal? To a certain extent, this issue exists in all OLED panels. I compared the Pixel 2 XL (with an LG OLED panel) to the regular Pixel 2, the original Pixel XL, and the Nexus 6P (with Samsung panels) and the issue exists on all of them. In fact, old posts referencing the problem on the original Pixel have existed for a while. This issue has only gotten more attention recently while the Pixel 2 XL is in the news. Some argue that it’s more noticeable on the 2 XL, but the difference is very slight if any. Sure, the image might look a little smudgy, just on black parts of an image, while in motion, but things in motion tend to be a little blurry anyway, so it’s really hard to tell even when you’re looking for it. If you think this issue will bother you, stick with the Pixel 2. Though you’ll still notice it a bit.

“It gets a blue tint when you tilt it.”

Above: Pixel 2 XL. The white areas on the display have a noticeable blue cast when viewed at an angle, even in the warming orange Night Light mode.

Phones affected: Pixel 2 XL

This one is where we start to get into more noticeable territory. When you look at the Pixel 2 XL from an angle, the colors look slightly blue. This issue is distinctly limited to the Pixel 2 XL, whereas it doesn’t seem to affect the regular Pixel 2.

It’s unclear what exactly causes this, but it may be due to the type of polarization filter applied to the OLED display on the XL. According to Google, the XL has a circular polarization filter that the Pixel 2 doesn’t use. It’s designed to make it easier to see the display from all angles, even when you’re wearing sunglasses.

This issue is particularly noticeable if you use the Night Light feature which tints the display orange at night to make it easier on your eyes. When looking straight on, the XL’s display has the proper orange-balanced whites, but as soon as you tilt it, the display noticeably turns blue.

Is this a big deal? While the blue tint is noticeable, it’s worth pointing out that you’re usually not viewing your phone on an angle anyway. It’s also exactly the kind of thing that your brain sort of automatically corrects for. If you’re the type who can tell when a photo has improper white balance, you might notice this, but for most people, it will barely register in daily use.

“It looks kind of dirty in low-light.”

Above: Pixel 2 XL. Note, this effect is greatly exaggerated. We’ve upped the contrast and adjusted color levels to highlight the grain.

Phones affected: Pixel 2 XL

Another problem that seems to exclusively affect the Pixel 2 XL is what’s being described as a “dirty” display. When the phone is in the dark, with the brightness turned all the way down, you can make out a faint grainy pattern.

There’s no way to explain this other than a sub-par panel. It’s not the worst display in the world, but there are plenty of OLED displays that don’t have this issue, which means the problem is with the panels LG shipped in the phones.

Is this a big deal? You’ll notice a didn’t use the word “noticeable” above because it’s anything but. While you can barely see it if you turn the brightness way down, turn off the lights, and squint really hard, it’s still very difficult to see the pattern. At least on my unit. Ars Technica’s Ron Amadeo demonstrated this effect in photos that were edited to exaggerate the effect, but it’s still a little hard to make out. Objectively, this is a flaw in the display, but subjectively it’s largely up to your eyesight, how you use the phone, and how much you’re looking for this flaw. In most cases it won’t even be possible to see the grain, and even when you can, most people would probably tune it out before they even saw it.

“There’s burn-in after only two weeks!”

Above: Pixel 2 XL. Our units haven’t shown any burn-in yet, but we’ve only had them for a few days.

Phones affected: Pixel 2 XL

This is the most severe problem that might actually make a difference about your buying decisions. However, it’s still not entirely clear what’s happening. Burn-in is a condition that occurs on some displays when an image has been on the screen for a long time (such as the navigation buttons) and eventually you can still see a “shadow” of it even when that element is not there.

On the other hand, it could also be a case of image retention. While this issue mostly affects LCD panels, it can occur on OLED panels like the one found in the Pixel 2. Image retention looks similar to ghosting, with hints of patterns or images staying long after they’ve left the screen, but can clear up after a while on its own if the image on the screen changes.

Is this a big deal? If there’s any issue on this list that’s objectively a big deal, it’s this one. Fortunately, it only seems to be affecting the Pixel 2 XL, so if you bought the smaller (and cheaper) Pixel, you should be fine. Moreover, if your XL is affected by this problem, it’s covered under Google’s warranty. It will be annoying to get it replaced, but you at least have options. Google is currently investigating the issue, so it might be worth waiting to buy the phone if you want to avoid the problem entirely.

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Despite all of the digital ink spilled over these phones, the display on both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL still look remarkably good. LG doesn’t have quite as much experience making OLED panels and it shows a bit, but you’re not getting a bad phone by any means. The issues that exist are minor and largely up to personal preference. At most, it may be worth holding off on the Pixel 2 XL until it’s confirmed that the issue is image retention and not burn-in, but even if you decide to take the plunge, you’ve got a warranty backing you up. And both phones are still pretty sexy, regardless.

Uninstall W10’s Built-in Apps

How to Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps (and How to Reinstall Them)

by Chris Hoffman 

Windows 10 includes a variety of universal apps, and there’s no easy way to hide them from the “All Apps” view in the new Start menu. You can uninstall them, but Microsoft doesn’t allow you to easily uninstall them in the usual way.

Before we get started, we should say that we don’t really recommend uninstalling the built-in universal apps. These apps take up very little space on your device, so it’s best to just ignore them if you don’t want to use them. You should also be aware that it’s likely that Windows updates (especially major ones like the Fall Creators Update) will reinstall those apps anyway. But, if you really want to uninstall them, you can. And, if you’ve already uninstalled included apps, you can get them all back with a single command.

Uninstall the App Normally

You can install some apps in the normal way. Just right-click an app on the Start menu—either in the All Apps list or the app’s tilke—and then select the “Uninstall” option. (On a touch screen, long-press the app instead of right-clicking.)

This trick appears to work for the included Get Office, Get Skype, Get Started, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Money, News, Phone Companion, and Sports apps. You can also uninstall bloatware apps your PC manufacturer has installedusing this method. It even works for apps that are “automatically downloaded” by Windows 10, such as Candy Crush, FarmVille, TripAdvisor, Netflix, and Pandora.

However, you can’t remove most of Microsoft’s other included Windows 10 apps this way.

Use PowerShell to Uninstall Built-in Apps

You can uninstall most of the built-in apps—even ones that don’t normally offer an “Uninstall” option—with a PowerShell cmdlet. Note, however, that this trick won’t allow you to remove a few of the most important built-in apps, like Cortana and Microsoft Edge. If you try, you’ll see an error message saying they can’t be removed.

First, open PowerShell as administrator. Hit Windows+X, and then choose the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option from the Power User menu.

Note: If you haven’t installed the Windows 10 Creators Update from Spring, 2017 yet, you might see the Command Prompt featured on the Power User menu instead of PowerShell. In this case, hit Start, type “PowerShell” into the search box, right-click the PowerShell result, and then select the “Run as administrator” option.

At the PowerShell prompt, copy and paste one or more of the following commands—pressing Enter after each command—to remove the apps you don’t want on your Windows 10 system:

Uninstall 3D Builder:

Get-AppxPackage *3dbuilder* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Alarms and Clock:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsalarms* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Calculator:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscalculator* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Calendar and Mail:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Camera:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscamera* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Contact Support:

This app can't be removed.

Uninstall Cortana:

This app can't be removed.

Uninstall Get Office:

Get-AppxPackage *officehub* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Get Skype:

Get-AppxPackage *skypeapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Get Started:

Get-AppxPackage *getstarted* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Groove Music:

Get-AppxPackage *zunemusic* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Maps:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsmaps* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Microsoft Edge:

This app can't be removed.

Uninstall Microsoft Solitaire Collection:

Get-AppxPackage *solitairecollection* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Money:

Get-AppxPackage *bingfinance* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Movies & TV:

Get-AppxPackage *zunevideo* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall News:

Get-AppxPackage *bingnews* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall OneNote:

Get-AppxPackage *onenote* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall People:

Get-AppxPackage *people* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Phone Companion:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsphone* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Photos:

Get-AppxPackage *photos* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Store:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsstore* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Sports:

Get-AppxPackage *bingsports* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Voice Recorder:

Get-AppxPackage *soundrecorder* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Weather:

Get-AppxPackage *bingweather* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Windows Feedback:

This app can't be removed.

Uninstall Xbox:

Get-AppxPackage *xboxapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

How to Reinstall All Built-in Apps

If you decide you want the preinstalled apps back, you can reinstall them with a single line of PowerShell code. Again, open a PowerShell window as Administrator. Copy and paste the following line at the PowerShell prompt, and then press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

This command tells Windows to install those default apps again. Give it some time and allow it to finish, even if nothing appears to happen at first. Even if you see an error message, restart your PC, and then examine your Start menu—you may just have all those default apps back again, anyway.

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Again, the only real advantage to doing this is some mild decluttering of your Start menu. It’s also likely that future updates (especially major updates) could reinstall those apps.

Overcoming Setbacks

Overcoming Setbacks, Coping with Grief

When setbacks and hard times occur in your life, it can be very difficult to pick up the pieces and go on. You may, for example, find yourself suddenly facing a serious health issue, an adverse change at work, a relationship problem, financial trouble, or the loss of a loved one or pet. Although dealing with the loss can feel painful and confusing, getting some support will help you heal.

• Take your time. It’s important to remember that there’s no right or wrong way to react to a great loss, and there’s no need to rush grieving. Everyone copes differently—according to their own personalities and coping styles. Some grieve for a few weeks, some for a month or many months, and some don’t fully work through grief for several years.
• Remember self-care. Even though a loss may have disrupted your daily life, taking good care of yourself physically—eating regularly, sleeping, keeping yourself hydrated, exercising, and being thoughtful about alcohol intake—helps to minimize possible negative health impacts.
• Express your feelings about the loss. Grief and loss have a powerful impact, and it helps to work through the sadness and emotion that you may be feeling.
  • Allow yourself to express your feelings—whatever they may be—to trusted family and friends.
  • Have a good cry as often as needed. You’ll likely feel lighter after doing this.
  • Read articles or books on coping with loss so you can identify what you are feeling and gain some new ideas on how to help yourself.
  • Avoid using alcohol, drugs, or tranquilizers to self-medicate. These will only mask the pain and could lead to problems later on.
  • Consider writing in a journal. Safely venting in a private way can help you release strong emotions and move forward.
• Schedule a getaway. A short trip can provide a healthy break when you’ve suffered a loss, but be aware that upon your return, the pain of the situation will likely remain. However, you will have had a rest and perhaps gained the knowledge that you can enjoy some things in life again.
• Be good to yourself. If you need some time alone, take it as often as needed. Treat yourself to some simple comforts or luxuries along the way. Be open to new interests—perhaps a new hobby or resuming an old one. Try to enjoy the good days and don’t feel guilty for doing so.
• Seek outside support. Grief does not have to be as isolating as it seems. Look for a support group, lecture or seminar that pertains to your situation, or connect with a faith group.
• Talk with a professional. If you are having significant difficulty dealing with a setback, or it is interfering with your relationships, you may want to talk to a professional for guidance and coping strategies. Your WorkLife Solutions Program can be a great resource.

Electron Apps

What Are Electron Apps, and Why Have They Become So Common?

by Justin Pot 

Have you noticed a lot of new desktop applications look pretty much like websites? It’s not your imagination.

From Trello to Slack, from WordPress.com to Github, it’s become increasingly common for so-called desktop applications to bundle a website with a few native features like notifications, file system access, and menus. The most common technology enabling this is called Electron, and it’s used by a few applications you might not even suspect, like chat application Discord and Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code.

Electron makes it easy for developers to release an app simultaneously on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but there are downsides for users. Electron applications are huge, for one thing. Slack, a chat application, takes up 237 MB of hard drive space on my Mac, and memory consumption isn’t low either. What’s taking up all those resources? And why are developers using something so inefficient?

Electron Apps Are Pretty Easy to Make

Desktop applications are hard to make, especially if you want them to be cross-platform. Accessing the file system works differently in Windows than it does in Linux, for example, and notifications work differently on macOS than in Windows. This means anyone who wants to write an application for all three desktop operating systems (or even two of them) needs to re-write a lot of their code when porting from one to another.

Electron “solves” this by offering a single platform that works on all three major desktop operating systems. This means developers can write the code for things like notifications once and expect it to work natively on every operating system. Even better for developers: everything can be built using Javascript, HTML, and CSS—technologies anyone who codes for the web are very familiar with.

Electron Apps Come With Pretty Much All of Chromium

How is this possible? In part because every Electron app bundles a complete web browser: Chromium, the open source version of Google Chrome. This is bundled along with the platform-specific instructions in order to ensure that everything behaves exactly as developers expect on all systems. That’s why the desktop version of Slack takes up over 200MB of hard drive space: most of Chrome is bundled in there.

Every Electron app you run is more or less a full instance of Chrome. As blogger Joseph Gentle pointed out, this is hardly ideal:

You can think of Slack as a small javascript program running inside another operating system VM (chrome), that you have to run in order to essentially chat on IRC. Even if you’ve got the real chrome open, each electron app runs its own, extra copy of the whole VM.

So yeah, there are downsides for users. First of all, every single Electron application you download bundles most of Chromium, and every application you run is executing a good chunk of that code. There’s no sharing of resources here like there is with native applications, meaning Electron apps are going to take up more hard drive space and memory than an application developed with your platform specifically in mind. If performance is something you really care about, you might want to avoid Electron applications.

Wait, So Is Electron Good or Bad?

At this point, computers are so powerful that most users will never even notice how inefficient Electron applications are. In fact, the vast majority have never even heard of Electron. Most of my co-workers hadn’t, and they all use Slack every day. Many were excited to see a desktop version of Trello come out, and again had no idea it was an Electron app.

And these apps really do integrate better with your operating system better than websites. They live in their own window. They offer great keyboard shortcuts, native notifications, and other things you can’t do the same way with just a browser.

And It’s a good bet that applications like Slack, Trello, and WordPress.com wouldn’t bother to offer a desktop version if Electron didn’t exist, focusing instead on mobile and browser versions. So the question isn’t whether Electron is bad; it’s whether Electron applications are better than nothing. I’m willing to say yes, but reasonable people can disagree. (And hey, for those people, there’s always the web version.)

'Idiots of the Century'

'Idiots of the Century' Swim Into Croc Trap

Australian authorities are 'gobsmacked'

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Queensland's environment minister posted this photo
of the "idiots of the century."   (Twitter)

(NEWSER) – Authorities in Australia say they're "gobsmacked" by the sheer stupidity of a group of men seen swimming to a crocodile trap in Queensland—and getting inside with the bait. The men were spotted getting into the mouth of the trap at the Port Douglas marina, close to where a crocodile is suspected of killing an elderly dementia patient earlier this month, reports the Guardian. "This is incredibly stupid and dangerous behavior," says Julia Leu, a local mayor. "I'm wondering if these fellows are vying for the idiots of the year award or the idiots of the century award."

"Srsly? The meat we put in these traps is bait. For crocodiles. Don't swim in them! It's stupid and illegal," tweeted Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles. "I've seen some pretty ridiculous things in my time as environment minister, particularly when it comes to crocodiles, but this one takes the cake," he told reporters. He warned that the traps are dangerous even without the crocodiles they're designed to attract. The Queensland government recently introduced a $15,000 fine for interfering with the traps after a similar incident, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports.

Tiny Hole in Airplane Windows

The Real Reason Why There's a Tiny Hole in Airplane Windows

By Erika Owen 

It turns out that itsy bitsy hole in the bottom of your airplane window is actually a very important safety feature. It's all-too-easy to let your mind wander when you're confined to a tiny box of space while hurtling 40,000 feet in the air at hundreds of miles per hour, but rest assured: every single window on the airplane has the same hole. More officially, it's called a breather hole and it's used to regulate the amount of pressure that passes between the window's inner and outer panes. In short, the system ensures that the outer pane bears the most pressure so that if there were a situation that caused added strain on the window, it's the outside panel that gives out (meaning you can still breathe).

The breather hole also keeps the window fog-free by wicking moisture that gets stuck between the panes. After all, half the fun of an airplane ride is the in-flight scenery shots. Mystery solved.


Salvator Barki/ Getty Images

This isn't the only question we've had when it comes to the airplane experience. For one, if you've ever wondered why airplane windows are round, there's a reason for that. There's actual science behind why food tastes different 40,000 feet in the air, too. And the next time you're in an airplane bathroom, take note of the ashtrays that are still there, even though there are strict laws about smoking on a flight.

Important Find

In Lithuania, 'Most Important Find Since Dead Sea Scrolls'

Inside the incredible discovery of 170K pages of Jewish documents

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

A manuscript that includes astronomical calculators is displayed at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

(NEWSER) – A professor of Jewish history doesn't mince words: "It's the most important find since the Dead Sea Scrolls," David Fishman tells Fox News. He's referring to a trove of Jewish documents that were long assumed to have been destroyed in Lithuania during the Holocaust—but they survived, only to resurface in 2016, reports the AP. New York's YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, which in tandem with the Lithuanian government is archiving the 170,000 pages, announced their discovery this week in a press release. Their tale of survival is an improbable one: The New York Times reports YIVO was founded in what's now the Lithuanian capital of Vilna in 1925, and it served as "the world’s foremost library of Jewish life in Eastern Europe." And the Nazis wanted it destroyed—or most of it.

It ordered some 40 Yiddish speakers to sift through the documents and retain a third of the choicest ones, which would be sent to Germany for study. But the "Paper Brigade" risked death to take and hide books and documents in six locations throughout the ghetto. Lithuanian librarian Antanas Ulpis similarly risked his life to hide the documents from the Soviets who pushed out the Germans, keeping them safe in the basement of St. George Church. The Soviet Union's collapse brought some 250,000 pages kept there to light. But it turns out 170,000 pages had been stored elsewhere in the basement; they only surfaced as part of a 2016 move. The Times describes the new pages as "even more valuable and compelling." Among the finds, which Fishman says will take "decades" to analyze: a postcard written by Marc Chagall, and two letters by Sholem Aleichem, whose stories served as the basis for Fiddler on the Roof. 

Sports News

Tiger Woods announces return to competitive golf, will play Hero World Challenge

How much does Tiger Woods care about his image?

Tiger Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving last week and will now enter a diversion program.

By Josh Berhow Monday

The wait is over.

Tiger Woods is playing the Hero World Challenge.

Woods tweeted at 5 p.m. ET Monday that he'll make his return to competitive golf at next month's Hero World Challenge, which will be his first start since February.

"I am excited to return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge," Woods said on his website. "Albany is the perfect setting and it will be great to join this outstanding field. I want to thank Pawan Munjal and Hero MotoCorp for their continued support of this tournament and my foundation. I would also like to thank the fans for their unwavering support during my injury."

I’d like to thank the committee of 1 for picking myself and Daniel Berger to play in this years

The Hero World Challenge is an unofficial PGA Tour event run by Woods's foundation at Albany, a resort in the Bahamas. It's a no-cut, 18-player event, and it's also where Woods made a highly anticipated return last year. Playing for the first time in just over 15 months after recovering from two back surgeries, Woods finished 15th out of 17 (four under) with rounds of 73, 65, 70 and 76. He led the field in birdies but made too many big numbers to stay in contention.

Now, the Hero will be the site of yet another Woods return, and even more eyeballs will focus on the 14-time major winner.

But much has changed since last year.

After the 2016 Hero, Woods missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open (76-72) and then flew across the world for the Dubai Desert Classic. He opened with a 77 on Feb. 2 and withdrew from the tournament before the second round started, citing back spasms. Woods had planned to play the Genesis Open and Honda Classic later in the month, but he withdrew from both, unable to find comfort in his back. He missed the Masters, and on April 20 he announced his fourth back surgery and faced yet another lengthy layoff.

Woods will make his long-awaited return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge

But Woods's recovery took a frightening turn one month later. He was arrested at 2 a.m. on May 29 when officers found him unconscious behind the wheel of his vehicle and awkwardly parked on the side of the road. It was later found that he had five drugs in his system. (On Friday, he pleaded guilty and will enter a diversion program.)

On June 19, Woods tweeted he was receiving professional help to manage his medications for back pain and a sleep disorder, and on July 3 he tweeted that he had recently completed an out-of-state private intensive program.

Meanwhile, Woods slowly progressed into golfing shape. On Aug. 31 he tweeted that the doctor had OK'd him to start pitching, and that was the first of what would become a video tweet-storm from Woods. He tweeted a video of himself hitting iron shots on Oct. 7, a driver on Oct. 15 and his patented stinger on Oct. 23.

But with each tweet rumors continued to circulate. His former swing coach, Hank Haney, was adamant that Woods would play the Hero. Turns out, Haney was right all along.

Last month, when Woods was an assistant captain for the U.S. Presidents Cup team, he admitted that he could "definitely" see a scenario in which he doesn't return to competitive golf. He was also asked if he still had the belief in himself, if 100 percent healthy, to become the best golfer in the world again.

"I don't know what 100 percent means after eight surgeries, but I'll try and get as close as I can to that number, yes," he said. "But as I said, we just take it one step at a time. It's a process, and I'm in no hurry."

The first step of the process is 31 days away—and counting.

Movie Preview - A Bad Moms Christmas

Entertainment News

Corey Feldman 'not playing around' about naming Hollywood pedophiles — if his movie gets funded

By Christie D'Zurilla

Corey Feldman, who last week announced a campaign to fund a movie about alleged pedophiles in Hollywood, had to work to get his message across on the "Today" show Monday morning. Matt Lauer challenged Feldman's claim that he needs $10 million to make that film.

Feldman said there is "a lot of darkness" in Hollywood right now, and it will keep unraveling, the actor and musician told Lauer. What we're seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg, Feldman said, and a feature film is the best way for him to share what he witnessed and experienced as a former child actor.

Also, the subject matter he's dealing with would require him to have a team of lawyers and a security detail to be around him at all times.

"I'm not playing around," Feldman said. "It's serious stuff and I vow I will release every single name that I have any knowledge of. Period. And nobody's going to stop me this time. As long as people support this."

As of Monday morning, Feldman had raised about $160,000 toward the $10-million goal.

When pressed by Lauer — who noted that "we've been down this road before" with Feldman, who said he was going to reveal Hollywood pedophiles in his 2013 memoir, "Coreyography" — the "Goonies" actor explained: "The publisher prevented me from writing the names down. They made me change the names."

In the book, Feldman did share stories of his own abuse, and that of the late Corey Haim, while the two were young actors. Haim, who struggled with substance abuse when he was older, died in 2010 at age 38. In recent years, his mother, Judy Haim, has tried to distance herself from Feldman.

"If he finally decides to release names and tell the world who they are, for the sake of more victims, I will be 100% behind it. But if he's waiting to release the names in the movie, I don't support that. He doesn't need $10 million to do it," she said in a statement to "Today."

Haim was more blunt to the Hollywood Reporter over the weekend, saying: "Come on. It’s a long con. He’s a scam artist. If he was serious about this, he’d share the information he has with the police."

Feldman explained to Lauer that the statute of limitations had expired in California and, talking to Megyn Kelly on Monday in a different "Today" segment, said it wasn't easy taking allegations to authorities even when he was within the 10-year period. He said he gave the names to authorities in Santa Barbara County when they were investigating Michael Jackson.

"When you're an 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kid, you try telling the police, which is a very big thing to do," he said, "and especially when it wasn't even my situation, I was just answering for a friend, so the fact that I found the courage to even throw it in there and hopefully get some support, and then they were like, sorry, and they just shut it down."

In his "Corey Feldman's Truth Campaign" video, the "Lost Boys" actor linked the movie-financing effort to a recent marijuana-related brush with police and the sudden resignation of several of his band members, whom he said were "afraid for their lives."

"There are thousands of people in Hollywood who have this same information," Feldman told Lauer on Monday. "Why is it all on me? Why is it that if I don't release the names in the  next two months, six months, or a year, I'm the bad guy? I'm the victim here. I'm the one who's been abused. I'm the one who's trying to come forward and do something about it."

Feed Your Mind

Feed Your Mind with God’s Word

Feed Your Mind with God’s Word
By Rick Warren

“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (Psalms 101:3 ESV).

You’ll hear a lot of concern these days about water pollution and air pollution. And those concerns are important.

But there may be a more important pollution in our lives: mind pollution.

The Bible tells us that what we feed our minds is just as important as what we feed our bodies.

Psalms 101:3 says, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (ESV).

When feeding your mind, you must choose from four kinds of content.

1.  Poison- These are the concepts that will derange, degrade, or demoralize you. For instance, pornography will do that.

2.  Junk food - Most of the stuff on television is the mental equivalent of junk food. You’ll find little to no nutritional value in it. You can eat junk food, but you’re not going to get very wise.

3.  Brain food- This is the “good stuff.” It educates you in areas like math, history, English, and geography. You need to fill your mind with brain food. It’ll make you a well-rounded person.

4.  Super food- This is the Bible. God’s Word will teach you what you won’t find anywhere else. It answers fundamental questions like, “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Does my life matter? Is there a purpose to my life? Is there meaning? Am I significant?” You’ll only get answers to those questions in the Bible. We need to feast on God’s Word daily.

Unfortunately, many of us fill up our brains with junk food, and we leave ourselves little time for reading the Bible. If you watch six to eight hours of television a day, you’ll have no time for God’s Word. Worse yet, you won’t even be hungry for God’s Word.

Let’s cut out the junk food, and learn to feast on the Bible.

That’s how we become wise.

Powerfully Claimed

Powerfully Claimed

By Touching Lives

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all of the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

In Jeremiah 1:5 God makes an astounding statement. He says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” Let the truth of those words sink into your head and your heart for just a moment. The word for “knew” in this verse doesn’t just mean to recognize or be familiar with. It is the world that is used to refer to the way a husband comes to know his wife on their honeymoon. It can be translated, “love,” but it refers to the most powerful and intimate love. We know the Bible teaches that God loves us, but go back again to the first part of the verse. God says to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew/loved you.”

Do you see the truth in these words? This is not just before birth; this is before conception! (For more on this, read yesterday’s devotion) Birth is not our beginning. Conception is not even our real beginning. God says He knows us, and He loved, us before our parents even met. Before your biological parents conceived you, God conceived of you. You were not their idea; you were God’s idea!

Do you understand what that means? Love precedes life. God loved you before He gave you life. That is why the matter of unborn children is more than just being pro-life; it is being pro-love. God loved us before we were conceived. God loved us, which is why we were conceived. Every life is precious to God – born, unborn, conceived, or not yet conceived.

But it goes deeper. Not only did God conceive of us before we were conceived, but He claims us after we are conceived. God tells Jeremiah in the second part of verse 5, “…before you were born I set you apart…” What did God mean by this? He means that there was a plan and purpose for Jeremiah’s life…and for every life He creates. Each of us are conceived and born for a reason. Life is not a random existence, coming from nothing and heading to nothing. Life is not about luck or lottery; it is about the Lord.

King David said the same thing in Psalm 139:16, “…all of the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” From our first breath to our last, every breath is to be breathed fulfilling the plan and purpose of God for our life. God has a script for each one of us in this play of life and a role divinely created for all of us. Whatever our part, God wants our lives to belong to Him.

Tues Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

All a farmer can do is sow the seed. Once he does that the harvest is in God’s hand. All the fisherman can do is throw his hook in the water. After that, it is up to God as to whether or not he catches any fish. Our job is to sow. God’s job is to grow. The key to reaching missing people is not the presentation of the message. It is the penetration of the heart. The presentation is our part. The penetration is God’s part. Let me give it to you in the form of an equation.

Faithful Sharers + Fertile Soil= Fruitful Success

If you are sharing what you know and if you are living what you share that is all God asks.

Invert Colors on Android Phones

How to Invert the Colors on Your Android Phone’s Screen

by Cameron Summerson 

If you (or someone you love) has vision issues, however, the tiny fonts and complex colors on modern phones can makes them nearly impossible to use. Fortunately, there’s a feature built in to Android that allows users to easily invert the colors, making things much easier for those with poorer eyesight.

How to Invert Colors on Stock Android

If you’re using a stock Android device, like a Google Pixel, inverting colors is actually a breeze.

First, pull down the notification shade, then give it a second tug. Look for an option that reads “Invert Colors.” If it doesn’t show up on the first panel of the quick settings shade, you may have to swipe over—it’ll be on the second.

If, for some reason, it still doesn’t show up here, you can easily add this tile. Tap the little pencil icon at the bottom (this allows you to edit the quick settings panel), find the Invert Colors tile, then drag it to the top area. Similarly, if this tile shows up on the second page and you’d like to have it on the first page for quick access, you can move it into the top nine spots to make sure it always shows up where you need it. If you put it in the top six spots, it will even show up in the persistent quick settings bar, so you won’t have to pull the shade down a second time. It’s all about convenience.

How to Invert Colors on Samsung Galaxy Devices

If you’re using a Galaxy device, then you’ll have to dig a little deeper to get to the invert colors setting, as it’s not tethered to a quick setting tile like it is on stock Android. Per the norm, Samsung likes to change stuff for literally no reason.

Go ahead and pull the notification shade down and tap the gear icon.

Scroll down until you find the “Accessibility” entry, then tap into that menu. From there, choose “Vision.”

There are a lot of options in this menu, but you need to scroll down almost to the very bottom—the next to last option should read “Negative colors.” Tap the toggle next to it to enable the feature.

Boom, that’s it. If this is something you plan on leaving enabled all the time, that’s fine. The only issue with it being three menus deep is the inconvenience it causes if it’s something you only use part of the time. That’s why I wish there was a toggle in the quick settings panel, like on stock devices.

Most Stunning Subway Stations

7 of the Most Stunning Subway Stations in the World

Your morning commute doesn't have to look dreary.

AP Victor Fraile Rodriguez
 
By Tim Newcomb

Beauty and subways don't always go hand-in-hand, especially for the millions of daily riders slogging their way to work or school every day across the world. But the underground isn't always drab, dingy and dreary, as evidenced by these seven stunning subway station designs.


Candidplatz Station — Munich, Germany

Bright and cheery colors highlight the Candidplatz Station on Munich's U-Bahn. Named after the 16th-century Flemish painter, the station blankets every aspect of the station in a never-ending flow color. The modern, bright station is far from the line's only appealing stop. The U-Bahn also features the St. Quirin Platz Station with as much natural light as you could dream of while staying underground.


Toledo Metro Art Station — Naples, Italy

One of the deepest stations in the Naples subway line is also one of the most visually spectacular. Opened in 2012, the Toledo Metro Art Station features a multi-level construction that integrates the remains of walls from the Aragonese period in the late 1400s and includes a blue mosaic that grows more intense as visitors descend. The subterranean lobby connects with the popular district above via natural light streaming in through cones in hexagonal patterns.


T-Centralen — Stockholm, Sweden

Much of the Blue Line in Stockholm's subway station has bedrock ceiling and walls, giving designers a chance to paint the undulating rock for maximum impact. The T-Centralen, the only station to serve all three lines in Stockholm, takes it to the next level, painted to look like a cave. Opened in 1957 and intricately decorated in the 1970s, expect T-Centralen to serve as the pinnacle of the bedrock-filled Stockholm line.


Arts et Metiers — Paris, France

If you're into industrial materials, enjoy the Arts et Metiers stop in Paris, nearby the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers. Open since 1904, the station's new look took shape within the last few decades with copper walls and giant cogs and gears adorning the ceiling. Expect to see portholes breaking up the copper, all in a steampunk style.


Formosa Boulevard Station — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Stained glass isn't just for churches. If so, the Formosa Boulevard Station in Taiwan would be a cathedral by virtue of its massive stained glass "Dome of Light" installation. Artist Narcissus Quagliata used countless colors to decorate one of the busiest stations in the city while taking visitors on a circular journey of life at the same time.


Kievskaya Station — Moscow, Russia

Marble. Gold leaf. Mosaics. Even chandeliers. The Kievskaya Station in Moscow is pretty much the most elaborate and up-scale subway station in the world. In an attempt to reflect the culture of the Dorogomilove District nearby, the 1954-built station was originally designed to show unity between Russia and Ukraine, and all 18 of its mosaics harken back to the era of the Soviet Union.


City Hall Station — New York City, U.S.

Built in 1904 and operational for the next 41 years, New York City's most beautiful subway station is also no longer in use.  Still seen by passengers who ride beyond the Brooklyn Bridge stop on the 6 line for the turnaround, the gorgeous tile and iron work showcase the era of this station while arches and windows give distinct character.