Brendan O'Connor · 07/18/15 08:40AM

In the foreground, a landscape of embers, left this morning by the “North Fire,” which prompted people to abandon their cars on the 15 freeway near Victorville, California, smolders. Two people were injured. In the distance, a new fire, dubbed the Pine Fire, takes hold. Funny how that happens!

Gawker Is Removing Story About Condé Nast CFO

J.K. Trotter · 07/17/15 01:29PM

Yesterday, Gawker published a post about the CFO of Condé Nast attempting to pay a gay porn star for a night in a Chicago hotel. Today the managing partnership of Gawker Media voted, 4-2*, to remove the post. Executive editor Tommy Craggs, who helped edit the piece, and President Heather Dietrick, who reviewed and cleared it before publication in her capacity as Gawker Media’s chief legal counsel, were the only partners who dissented.

New Japanese Hotel Is Staffed With Adorable Job-Stealing Robots

Andy Cush · 07/17/15 10:32AM

Henn na Hotel, in Sasebo, Nagasaki, is staffed almost entirely by robots. A grinning velociraptor in a bellhop hat takes your check-in information; an automated cart takes your luggage to your room. The robots aren’t a gimmick, the hotel’s owner told the Associated Press, but an earnest bid to save money. Unlike pesky humans, the bots don’t require payment for their services.

Perfect Google Robot Car Not at Fault for Accident With Faulty Humans

Ashley Feinberg · 07/17/15 09:42AM

One of Google’s very good self-driving cars that have been zipping around Mountain View, California has gotten in its first accident involving injuries. The humans, who are very bad and distracted easily, were at fault. The machine was good, and we’re glad it’s here, very glad.

This post has been removed.

Removed · 07/16/15 07:26PM

Against the objections of Gawker Media’s editorial leadership, this post was removed on July 17, 2015. More details about the decision can be found here. CEO Nick Denton’s statement can be found here. The response from Gawker Media’s editorial staff, whose members condemned this post’s removal, can be found here.

ISIS Didn't Actually Tweet a "Warning" About the Chattanooga Shooting

Andy Cush · 07/16/15 05:26PM

This afternoon, an apparent ISIS supporter tweeted the above image along with the text “O Americans Dogs soon YOU Will see wonders #Chattanooga #USA #ISIS,” and some in the right-wing media reported that the tweet constituted an advance warning about the deadly attack. The only problem: It was posted long after the shooting began.