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Uber drivers the focus of class action suit alleging sexual assault
Uber is facing yet another lawsuit, this time in response to alleged rapes two unidentified women suffered when taking an Uber. According to a report at Recode, the plaintiffs of this class action suit seek compensation for the sexual assaults as well as an injunction to force the ride-sharing company to improve its background checks.
In astronomy, women of color face the most discrimination
There's tons of evidence that women face a gender bias in the STEM fields. Last May, one report found that Facebook rejects female-authored code more often than code written by men. A female engineer who featured prominently in a recruiting advertisement faced a backlash for her gender alone. Even US governors are taking up the fight to get more girls interested in science and engineering because it's crucial to the field and the national economy. Unfortunately, a study by Girls Who Code found that the gender gap in computing is getting worse. The bad news continues with results from a new study that show women of color working in the astronomical and planetary fields experience "the highest rates of negative workplace experiences, including harassment and assault."
Dozens watched a Facebook Live stream of sexual assault (updated)
It's no secret that Facebook has its hands full dealing with graphic and violent content being streamed live on the site. Last summer, Antonio Perkins was streaming an otherwise normal evening when he was shot. There have been other cases of graphic footage being streamed on Facebook Live as well. The most recent incident involves the sexual assault of a teenager in Chicago.
'Vanity Fair' editor sues Twitter troll for giving him a seizure
Who knew trolls can use social media not just to dish out death threats but to cause someone actual physical harm? A Twitter user who went by the name @jew_goldstein very recently tweeted a GIF with rapidly flashing graphics at Vanity Fair and Newsweek writer Kurt Eichenwald, a known epileptic and Donald Trump critic. Shortly after that, Eichenwald's wife replied that the auto-playing animation gave Eichenwald a seizure and that she called the police to report the assault along with the info they have on the user.
Tinder user kidnapped and beaten by a man she met through the app
A Kansas Tinder user was recently kidnapped, beaten and held against her will for six days by a man she met through the app. Shane Steven Allen faces one charge of kidnapping and four more for aggravated battery. He's currently in police custody under $100,000 bond, according to NBC News. If he's convicted, Allen could serve a 32-year prison sentence. The woman, a 20 year-old student at the University of Kansas, was kidnapped on April 12th and was returned to her sorority on April 18th with multiple injuries including a pair of black eyes, broken blood vessels in her eyes and multiple bruises and abrasions, according to local news outlet Lawrence Journal World.
Twitch user allegedly broadcasts assault on significant other
A Twitch user is under fire for purportedly broadcasting an assault on his partner. The account, belonging to "joedaddy505," has been closed on Twitch due to service violations, but at least one YouTube video of the stream contains audio of what sounds like the broadcaster repeatedly hitting a crying woman and insulting her. Viewers have speculated that since there was no video to go with the audio, "Joedaddy505" may have thought his stream had ended. When reached for comment, a Twitch spokesperson said that the company doesn't comment on service violations. We also asked Twitch if law enforcement had been contacted and were given the following response:
Former New Delhi Uber driver convicted of rape
A former Uber driver has been found guilty of rape in a case that caused New Delhi to ban the ridesharing service. Shiv Kumar Yadav was convicted of rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation and now faces a maximum life prison term, according to Reuters. The driver somehow slipped past Uber's safety and background driver checks, despite the fact that he was on bail for a separate 2011 assault. Uber India President Amit Jain said that "sexual assault is a terrible crime and we're pleased he has now been brought to justice."
Uber hopes new programs will help riders feel safer
Following alleged sexual assaults in India and France, Uber has revealed several new initiatives and a code of conduct to make passengers feel more secure. The key change is a new advisory board that will "review safety practice and advise on our roadmap for adding safety features to the platform." Uber said it would engage outside experts "to create the strongest board possible" and would regularly incorporate its recommendations into a safety strategy. It also created the Uber Quality Assurance program, which will employ off-duty law enforcement personnel to ensure that drivers are following company rules.
Uber driver allegedly bashed passenger in the head with a hammer
Not all Uber rides are safe. Patrick Karajah, a 26-year-old Uber X driver, has been accused of attacking a passenger with a hammer and leaving him by the side of the road in San Francisco's Bernal Heights district. SF Gate reports that the victim and a couple of friends were picked up at a bar around 2 a.m., and along the way they got into a fight over the route Karajah was taking. Karajah then allegedly kicked them out of the car and proceeded to repeatedly bash the victim in the head with a hammer. The victim is currently in recovery but is suffering serious injuries and head trauma. Karajah pled not guilty to the charge of assault and is currently free on $125,000 bail.
Former Silicon Knights dev sentenced in child pornography case
Former Precursor Games and Silicon Knights designer Ken McCulloch was sentenced this week in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines, Canada on child pornography charges. Judge Joseph Nadel sentenced McCulloch to 12 months of time served; McCulloch has been jailed since his arrest in late June 2013, after he pleaded guilty to making child pornography available. According to The Welland Tribune, Niagara Regional Police also charged McCulloch with sexual assault, forcible confinement and sexual interference during his time in jail in the past year. McCulloch will remain in custody, returning to court on August 26 to answer to those charges. As a result of the initial sentencing, McCulloch will be added to the provincial sex offender registry for the next 20 years. Judge Nadel also ordered McCulloch to stay away from any child under the age of 16 and from schools, parks, recreation centers and public pools for 10 years.
Firefall video gives a sneak peek at Assault changes
Firefall's Assault battleframe will be evolving this summer. The dev team has a stated goal of increasing the skill ceiling of all the battleframes, so Assault will be oriented more to precise attacks and positioning. With fewer hitpoints and increased speed, Assault will be one of the quickest battleframes in the game. This puts more focus on mobility and agile short- and mid-range gameplay. The battleframe's AoE will also be toned down, meaning more abilities will require aiming and include less splash damage to put more emphasis, again, on skillful play. These changes will come as part of what's being touted as "the biggest patch in Firefall history," which players are told to expect "later this summer." Skip below the cut to see the new and improved Assault battleframe in action!
World of Tanks' 7.4 patch brings new game modes, maps
Wargaming.net is all over the place lately. When they're not dominating E3 booth space or installing gaming centers on real-world battleships, the devs find time to update their action shooters. World of Tanks' 7.4 patch brings two new game modes, new maps, and new premium tanks to the table. The new modes are called encounter battle and assault. Each is designed to emphasize strategic gameplay. Two opposing teams fight over a single base in the former, while one team defends a base against an assault team in the latter. The new maps are offering differing gameplay experiences due to their terrain and object placement. Widepark is a "dense labyrinth of streets in a half-ruined European-style town," while Airfield takes place in the hilly terrain of North Africa. Full details on the patch are yours for the reading at the official World of Tanks website, and don't forget the new trailer after the break. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
Ghost Recon Online closed beta starts March 5, check out the classes now
You might think that Ghost Recon Online's three classes are Ghost, Recon, and Online, but you'd be wrong! They're actually the more commonly named Assault, Specialist, and Recon, and the video above will walk you through the different weapons, abilities, and upgrades that each class has available. You actually earn experience for each class as you play, so if you really want to master the game, you'll need to choose and play all three.Ubisoft has also shared that the free-to-play game is getting a closed beta, starting on March 5, which you can sign up for by applying over on the official website.
MechWarrior Online previews BattleMech upgrades and pilot skill trees
A couple of days ago, Piranha Games -- the studio behind the upcoming MechWarrior Online -- gave us a look at the role-based warfare and character progression we can expect from the robot-fighting title. As we reported last week, players in MWO will fall into of four roles: scout, assault, defense, or command. Today's update on the game's official site gives us a closer look at the various ways that players can earn XP and on what they can spend it. For instance, every 'Mech will have an upgrade tree, which is divided into tiers. Players must spend experience in order to purchase all of the upgrades on a given tier before they are able to access the subsequent tier. To get a look at the various abilities and skill trees through which players will be progressing when they finally find themselves in the cockpit, just click on through the link below to the official MechWarrior Online site.
Firefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word
Mmm, Firefall. Red 5 Studios is starting the Thanksgiving week off right with a delicious helping of video. The entree consists of David Williams talking a bit about class design and the balance challenges inherent in the title's battleframes (for the uninitiated, battleframes are the suits of power armor worn by Firefall's soldiers, and in gameplay terms they determine your class and combat role). When it comes to the dreaded "B" word, Williams uses the game's Medic class as an example, and he says that Red 5 wants combat docs to be able to deal damage and fulfill the primary support role. This poses a problem, of course, because other classes (like the Assault) aren't able to do both. The Medic "needed to be fun, it needed to be threatening, but it also needed to be just below the offensive capabilities of an Assault," Williams explains. See what else he has to say, and get a good look at Firefall in action, via the video after the break.
Wargaming.net publishes World of Tanks development plan
Wargaming.net has gifted World of Tanks fans with a development roadmap for the World War II-based action MMO, and a visit to the game's official website will give you a preview of what's coming down the pike over the next year. The post lays out quite a bit of information, most of it marked with vague release windows like Q3 2012 and so on. There's the standard "dates are subject to change" disclaimer, but it's nonetheless interesting to see what looks to be a fairly complete development schedule. What are the highlights? Well, more tank models, of course, followed by new game types including historical battle, escort, garage battle, assault, and company battle modes. There's also an expansion of the clan wars map in the works, as well as new customization options, vehicle physics, and more. [Thanks to Greg for the tip!]
PAX 2011: Hands-on with Firefall
It's no secret that I like my games with more of a skill-based flavor. I enjoy games that reward player skill above superior gear or higher levels. In light of that, I was quite excited to get some hands-on time with Firefall, the new massively multiplayer shooter coming from Red 5 Studios. There has been much talk about the upcoming title, with its status as one of the few forays into the MMO shooter space since PlanetSide and Global Agenda. There's also the small detail that the studio is headed up by former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern alongside a number of former Tribes series devs. So how is the game shaping up in preparation for its December launch? Jetpack your way past the cut to find out.
Umpire strikes out as Find My iPhone goes horribly wrong
Find My iPhone: helpful utility or breeder of social discord? You be the judge... or, in this case, the umpire. In New Jersey, youth baseball umpire Carl Ippolito lost track of his iPhone and became convinced it had been stolen out of his car, reports the Hunterdon County Democrat. Ippolito used the FMi app on his son's phone to track down his device, and the service's location readout led him to the spot where he found 27-year-old Brent Johnson chatting on an iPhone. The aggrieved Ippolito, assuming that Johnson was holding his iPhone, tried to talk to him about it. When Johnson moved to walk away, Ippolito grabbed him and punched him, cutting his chin. Foul ball! Not only is it inappropriate to assault people, even if you think they stole your phone, but it turns out Ippolito's iPhone was at the snack shack at the nearby baseball field, in the spot where he accidentally left it -- Johnson was using his own, perfectly legal iPhone. Ippolito was later arrested on charges of assault and disorderly conduct. The moral of the story? As we have said repeatedly before, confronting someone based on Find My iPhone tracking is Not. A. Good. Plan. If you think your phone's been stolen, call the cops -- not the brute squad. Thanks to Charles for the tip.
Hold the gates: Dawn of Fantasy dev diary gives an overview of stronghold defense
We haven't heard from 505 Games' Dawn of Fantasy for a while, but it looks as though the MMORTS is coming along quite nicely. In a first of hopefully several developer diaries, Lead Writer and Associate Producer Gordon Farrell shows one of the game's modes: stronghold defense. Dawn of Fantasy players will be encouraged to take control of pre-built villages, towns, and castle fortresses and defend them from the enemy as the situation warrants. In the video, Farrell shows how these strongholds can be built up and defenses laid out prior to the enemy's assault. The diary goes on to show a sample scenario of a player attempting to hold on to a multi-tiered fortress against the combined assault of Elves and Orcs. Each faction looks to have its own style and special units -- for example, the Elves wield giant Treants as siege weapons, whereas the Orcs have mobile towers and battering rams. Even though the cavalry comes to the rescue, the defending player is soon overwhelmed. However, Farrell speculates about what you might have done differently instead. You can watch the full dev diary after the jump!
The Mog Log: I left my heart in Whitegate
There's still nothing much happening in Final Fantasy XI or Final Fantasy XIV at the moment. Well, OK, there's plenty happening, just not a great deal of news to discuss. I imagine that won't last very long, especially with the Final Fantasy XIV poll having ended on Friday, but right now seems like the perfect time to reflect on the past. And that inevitably leads me back to Final Fantasy XI, to my favorite expansion and the one that feels most vibrant to a North American player. Treasures of Aht Urhgan wasn't the only expansion that was released here, naturally, but it was unique in the game's lifespan. Rise of the Zilaart came with the game from the initial NA launch, Chains of Promathia produced very divided opinions (which several columns covered, if you missed it), and Wings of the Goddess is really just a slight funhouse reflection of Vana'diel proper. But Aht Urghan was new, vibrant, and the sort of expansion you could really sink your teeth into. It was, I'd say, the best one the series had.
