Pelican Press

TxDOT delays ribbon-cutting for new Harbor Bridge due to ‘minor’ construction delays TxDOT delays ribbon-cutting for new Harbor Bridge due to ‘minor’ construction delays The Texas Department of Transportation has postponed a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Harbor Bridge that was planned for May 10 due to construction delays related to “minor” elements of the bridge. The department previously said that the bridge would be temporarily opened on the day of the ribbon-cutting so guests could walk or drive over the bridge to North Beach and back. The bridge was expected to open to traffic later in May. In a news release on May 2, TxDOT said the ribbon-cutting will be postponed “to more closely coincide with the anticipated public opening of the bridge.” Spokesperson Rickey Dailey did not directly answer the Caller-Times’ question about whether the public opening is still expected in May, saying only that the opening of the bridge to the public would follow the rescheduled ribbon-cutting. Suspension cables stretch from a new Harbor Bridge bridge tower connecting Downtown to North Beach on Monday, March 17, 2025, in Corpus Christi, Texas. “Unexpected construction delays related to minor items of work have recently arisen that will affect the opening date of the bridge,” the news release read. “These items include completion of electrical, signing and drainage work. “At this point, the New Harbor Bridge is structurally complete. Completion of the remaining items is necessary to ensure the bridge is the first-class transportation structure the public deserves.” TxDOT said it will announce a new date for the ribbon-cutting after the developer completes the remaining items. The new structure will replace the existing Harbor Bridge, constructed in the 1950s. The new Harbor Bridge will be taller, a design feature that will accommodate traffic for larger ships. It is expected to be the “tallest structure in South Texas,” according to previous reporting by the Caller-Times. Construction of the bridge began in 2016. The project was originally set to be completed in 2020 but faced multiple delays, brought in part by concerns raised by TxDOT — since resolved — over the safety of the design. Officials in October 2023 told the Caller-Times the project was estimated to cost about $1.2 billion. It was originally estimated to cost $803 million. More on the Harbor Bridge: Why does Corpus Christi have a new Harbor Bridge? Here are your questions answered. This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: TxDOT delays ribbon-cutting ceremony for new Harbor Bridge Source link #TxDOT #delays #ribboncutting #Harbor #Bridge #due #minor #construction #delays Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CLIPPERS VS NUGGETS PREDICTION, PICKS & ODDS FOR TONIGHT’S NBA PLAYOFFS GAME 7 – Covers.com CLIPPERS VS NUGGETS PREDICTION, PICKS & ODDS FOR TONIGHT’S NBA PLAYOFFS GAME 7 – Covers.com CLIPPERS VS NUGGETS PREDICTION, PICKS & ODDS FOR TONIGHT’S NBA PLAYOFFS GAME 7 Covers.comNBA betting: Three bets for Clippers-Nuggets Game 7 ESPNNBA betting today: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets Game 7 CBS SportsJames Harden and Kawhi Leonard power Clippers past Nuggets to force Game 7 Yahoo SportsJames Harden Makes His Opinion of Nikola Jokic Crystal Clear Athlon Sports Source link #CLIPPERS #NUGGETS #PREDICTION #PICKS #amp #ODDS #TONIGHTS #NBA #PLAYOFFS #GAME #Covers.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gawn stars as Demons beat Eagles for third straight win Gawn stars as Demons beat Eagles for third straight win Max Gawn has steered Melbourne to another victory but Jake Melksham faces a nervous wait after being involved in an incident which left an opponent concussed. Source link #Gawn #stars #Demons #beat #Eagles #straight #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kids under 13 will soon get supervised access to Google Gemini Kids under 13 will soon get supervised access to Google Gemini Google Gemini is adding nannying to its chatbot skillset. According to a New York Times report, Google will make Gemini available to users under 13, so long as they’re under a parent-managed Google account using Family Link. In an email sent to parents, Google said that kids will get access to Gemini to “ask questions, get homework help and make up stories.” This expanded availability will come with guardrails for its new user base, Google spokesperson Karl Ryan told NYTimes, adding that it would prevent Gemini from offering up unsafe content to kids. In the email, Google acknowledged that “Gemini can make mistakes” and recommended that parents teach their kids how to fact-check Gemini’s responses. Along with double-checking, Google suggested reminding younger users that Gemini isn’t human and to not enter any sensitive or personal data into conversations. Even with those measures, the email still warned that children could “encounter content you don’t want to see.” With the staggering pace of AI chatbot adoption, concerns about underage users have been bubbling up to the surface thanks to instances of factually incorrect or suggestive responses. In a report published last week, Common Sense Media warned that AI chatbots were “encouraging harmful behaviors, providing inappropriate content, and potentially exacerbating mental health conditions” for users under 18. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Meta’s AI chatbots were able to engage in ******* conversations with minors. On top of dodging unsafe conversations, Google said it won’t use any data from its younger Gemini users to train its AI models. For now, Google said it’s gradually rolling out access to Gemini for supervised accounts. Source link #Kids #supervised #access #Google #Gemini Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal election 2025: Alannah MacTiernan Labor stuck to its knitting on the path to victory Federal election 2025: Alannah MacTiernan Labor stuck to its knitting on the path to victory Once again Australians have opted for the sensible centre; just as Western Australians did at the recent WA election. Source link #Federal #election #Alannah #MacTiernan #Labor #stuck #knitting #path #victory Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MacBooks are now legitimate gaming machines – and the future looks promising MacBooks are now legitimate gaming machines – and the future looks promising We live in times when tech firms will more often than not leave us disappointed; such is the nature of iterative technology upgrades and product cycles. So I was fully prepared to be disapproved by an attempt to run Death Stranding on my aging MacBook Air 13-inch (M2). Last year, Apple touted how the 2019 game, which originally launched on the PS4, was coming to both macOS and iOS. Now, Death Stranding is a rather attractive open-world game with a good few systems at play, and it has the added need of rendering actors Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, among others, with solid realism. It’s not a game for a bit of low effort porting, so I’d prepared myself for disappointment. You may like Thanks to the move to in-house Apple silicon, modern Mac and MacBooks have buckets of performance to tap into – be that for battery efficiency or handling a mass of Chrome tabs or some professional video rendering. Of course, one’s mileage varies depending on the generation of chip and whether it’s an M-series with a ‘Pro’ or ‘Max’ suffix (those offer the most power). While I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the M2 chip in my MacBook Air, it’s mostly been for how well it handles everyday tasks and sips power – at least compared to Windows laptops I’ve used. It can also run Baldur’s Gate 3, which is no mean feat, and handles the likes of Divinity Original Sin 2 with aplomb. Still, I was concerned that a more graphically ambitious game would prove too much for my MacBook. Reader, I was wrong. Out-stranding (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer) Booting up Death Stranding, I was surprised at how smooth everything felt – there were no odd audio glitches or stutters, as can happen in my experience when running demanding games on Valve’s Steam Deck. Positive first steps, then. Once the game got up and running, and after an oddball opening sequence that’s very much in keeping with the style of director Hideo Kojima, I was dropped into the boots of futuristic delivery man Sam Porter Bridges’ boots. And, to my surprise, the game ran at what I felt was a steady 30 frames per second – sure, not the smooth 60 fps I like, but more than playable. This was at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and with graphics settings turned up to their highest settings. Now, playing a game with the kind of expansive vistas that Death Stranding sports on a 13.6-inch display isn’t the best way to experience it. But the impressive colors the Retina display on my Air manages, despite being an LCD panel, helped make some of the wet and green landscapes of North America pop with punchy dark greens, blues, yellows, and grays. (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer) At 30 fps Death Stranding – at least so far – feels very playable. Plus I’m sure I could squeeze out more if I dig into the graphics settings. It’s also seriously impressive that I’m running a game of this calibre on a fanless laptop, where previously it would take a dedicated games console to kick Death Stranding into gear. So yeah, I was impressed and had to put my skepticism to bed. More than all of that though, is how this shows the promise for proper gaming on MacBooks. Mac gaming has arrived (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer) With Apple’s in-house designed chips showcasing that they are more than just great slices of silicon for getting stuff done, and have the graphical grunt for gaming, I could see a decent future for actually gaming on Macs. Now I don’t expect custom Windows PCs to be replaced by Macs, no matter how powerful the latter get. But I do see MacBooks being viable gaming machines if more games are ported over to run on M-series chips, either via the App Store on Stream. I like the idea of a MacBook being a form of secondary device to game on when you don’t want to be hunched over a desktop PC. Or as a machine that goes from work to play when on a trip away from home; perhaps replacing the need to carry the likes of the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, especially when dealing with limited luggage capacity. (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer) But beyond that, I think there’s scope for Apple Arcade to be expanded to include games that are made from the ground up to run on M-series chips. This might go against the initial idea behind the ‘Arcade’ moniker, which suggested that the subscription service was able to offer the same games on all manner of Apple devices. But it could open up a new tier of gaming for Macs. There’s a slight wrinkle in that I’ve been waiting for gaming to improve on Macs for a while, what with the introduction of the Metal graphics API, but it’s only just feeling like it’s getting to a noteworthy level. So it could be a case that we’ll need to wait a few more years before we see any significant changes. But I’m hopeful for a future where gaming on Mac is less of an afterthought, and the laughable proposition it once was is left thoroughly in the rear mirror. You might also like Source link #MacBooks #legitimate #gaming #machines #future #promising Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

International tourists killed in vehicle ****** were among millions drawn to the Yellowstone area – AP News International tourists killed in vehicle ****** were among millions drawn to the Yellowstone area – AP News International tourists killed in vehicle ****** were among millions drawn to the Yellowstone area AP NewsView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #International #tourists #killed #vehicle #****** #among #millions #drawn #Yellowstone #area #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ukraine shot down Russian fighter jet for first time Ukraine shot down Russian fighter jet for first time Ukraine has destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a seaborne drone, according to Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency. The agency characterised it as the world’s first downing of a combat plane by a maritime drone. Its statement on social media said the fighter had been shot down by a military intelligence unit called Group 13 on Friday over waters near Novorossiisk, a major Russian port city on the ****** Sea. Outmanned and outgunned by its larger, wealthier Russian adversary, Ukraine has turned to drone warfare in the air and at sea as a way to fight back throughout more than three years of full-scale war. Ukraine’s seaborne drones, which are much cheaper and smaller than conventional ships, have wrought havoc on Russia’s ****** Sea fleet. Ukraine has previously said it shot down a Russian military helicopter in December 2024 using a missile fired from the same type of seaborne drone. The Russian Defence Ministry did not comment on the Ukrainian claim, but an authoritative Russian blogger believed to be close to the ministry said the jet had been shot down. “Yesterday, towards evening, a Su-30 naval aviation fighter jet was shot down by the Ukrainian side 50 kilometres west of Novorossiisk. This was done from an uncrewed boat with an R-73 SAM (surface-to-air missile),” the blogger, who goes by the name Rybar, wrote on the Telegram messaging app. “The pilots ejected and were picked up by civilian sailors. Both are alive, and to hell with the plane.” The mayor of Novorossiisk declared a state of emergency on Saturday after local authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged a grain terminal and several residential buildings, injuring five people. Source link #Ukraine #shot #Russian #fighter #jet #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Box Office: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ Rolls in With $31.5 Million Opening Day, ‘Sinners’ Scoring Another Superb Hold – Variety Box Office: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ Rolls in With $31.5 Million Opening Day, ‘Sinners’ Scoring Another Superb Hold – Variety Box Office: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ Rolls in With $31.5 Million Opening Day, ‘Sinners’ Scoring Another Superb Hold Variety‘Thunderbolts*’ Now Aiming For $73M-$77M, ‘Sinners’ Full Of Grace With $33M+, ‘Rust’ Not Good – Saturday Box Office Update DeadlineThe Twist That Makes Marvel’s New Movie Its Most Entertaining in Years SlateHas Marvel shot itself in the foot by bringing superfreak Sentry into Thunderbolts*? The Guardian’Thunderbolts*’ asterisk explained: Here’s what it means for the MCU’s future Entertainment Weekly Source link #Box #Office #Marvels #Thunderbolts #Rolls #Million #Opening #Day #Sinners #Scoring #Superb #Hold #Variety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RICHARD WILSON: Cautious Libs’ lack of vision proved costly in election RICHARD WILSON: Cautious Libs’ lack of vision proved costly in election This is a very disappointing result for the Liberal Party. Nevertheless, despite some missteps from politicians on the trail, the party’s campaign headquarters largely did its job. Voters knew who their local Liberal candidates were, what the party was offering and what the problems with the Albanese Government had been. In a highly fragmented media landscape, cutting through is difficult and the Liberal campaign managed that. But the campaign also exposed a deeper challenge: the absence of a compelling, forward-looking vision for the country. The Opposition chose a cautious path. Proposals like a temporary fuel tax cut and matching Labor’s health funding commitments were politically safe and designed to avoid controversy. Defence policy acknowledged the need for higher investment, but lacked clarity on how that funding would be spent. Feel like giving the politicians a rating this Federal election? Our Pollie Rater lets you do just that. Rate the politicians This caution wasn’t accidental. Strategists aimed to keep the spotlight firmly on Labor’s record and avoid alienating key undecided voters in a tight contest. But campaigns are about more than critiques. They are auditions for government. Without a clear, positive agenda, the Liberal Party left too much space for others to define it. Labor’s scare campaigns — particularly around Medicare — were predictable, but effective. Broader public unease with the global conservative brand, especially images of chaos and division from the US, further clouded perceptions. The absence of a strong, positive vision made it easier for these external forces to shape voter perceptions. Had the party articulated a clearer sense of direction, those attacks and anxieties would have been far less likely to stick. It is critical that the Liberal Party defines itself before others do it instead. That’s the key lesson from this campaign. A future Liberal campaign must start by setting out a positive vision — not just what the party opposes. Australians want to know where the country is heading and how a Liberal government would help them and their families get there. That takes policy grunt work: thankless, technical and often behind the scenes, but essential. It cannot be crammed into the final months before polling day. Shadow cabinet and the wider party must start that process now. With a sharper agenda and a clearer purpose, the Liberal Party can present a persuasive alternative and reconnect with Australians seeking future-focused leadership. Richard Wilson is a former WA Liberal Party president. Source link #RICHARD #WILSON #Cautious #Libs #lack #vision #proved #costly #election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

27-year-old American moved to Germany for medical school: ‘I feel happy here’ 27-year-old American moved to Germany for medical school: ‘I feel happy here’ While Erika Roberts was a high school student growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, she participated in a two-week exchange program that took her to Munich, Germany. She didn’t know it at the time, but that experience would shape the rest of her life. Fast forward to 2016, when Roberts was a freshman in college, studying biochemistry with a pre-med focus in Massachusetts. Even as she worked towards earning her Bachelor’s degree and attending medical school, she was feeling unfulfilled. “I was a young adult who wanted to experience the world and all that came with it,” she tells CNBC Make It. “All the places I toured in high school promised diversity, community and personal growth but the reality felt different. I decided I needed to seek out my own challenges if I wanted to truly experience this. I just didn’t feel like I was working towards a future that I was excited about.” Roberts moved to Germany to attend medical school. Erika Roberts At the same time, Roberts started to think about what life would really be like if she transferred to a different school, specifically one back in Germany. Unlike the United States, in Germany, you don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to attend medical school. Instead, students enroll in a six-year program that is divided into three stages, with exams administered after each one. Most public universities in Germany are either free or offer lower costs compared to those in other countries. All of these factors continued to influence Roberts’ thinking. She considered this move to be her best option because she could become a dermatologist without more lengthy schooling. Roberts started to pick up the ******* language again after briefly taking classes in high school. “I set out to challenge myself and to meet people from all over the world. That’s definitely not something that you necessarily get in the States unless you’re in a major city,” she says. “I feel like Europe does a better job of treating young adults in a way that gives you the responsibility so you’re exposed at a younger age, and you know what to do versus in the States it’s more waiting until you’re 21 and then all of a sudden all hell breaks loose.” Roberts attempted to discuss attending medical school in Germany with her dad, but he dismissed the idea. He wanted her to finish her education in the United States. But when Roberts ended her freshman year with a 3.9 GPA, her dad changed his mind and gave her the green light to continue her studies in Germany. “My dad was like, ‘Okay, if that’s what you think is really the right direction. You gave the typical route a try and if it still feels like you need to go and figure that out, then sure you can try it out’,” she says. Roberts lived in this apartment with two roommates for five years. Erika Roberts Roberts completed her freshman year of college in 2017 and registered at a language school where she also planned to live while getting settled in Germany. Just a few weeks after registering, Roberts got on a plane and headed to Germany. She lived in a dorm at the language school for less than a year before moving in with her boyfriend at the time’s family. That living arrangement ended when the two broke up. She moved into a shared apartment with two other people where she lived for about a year. Eventually, Roberts landed in an apartment with roommates and lived there for five years. When she first moved in, she paid 565 euros or $648 a month. By the time she moved out, her rent was 659 euros a month or $751. Today, Roberts lives on her own but isn’t comfortable disclosing what she pays in rent. Instead, she shared that her total expenses outside of rent are 749 euros or $859 a month. According to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It, those monthly expenses include 230 euros for groceries, 144 euros for health insurance, 24 euros for a gym membership, 28 euros for her cellphone bill and 38 euros for transportation. She also pays 85 euros for medical school tuition and typically spends 200 euros going out to eat or hanging with friends. “Taxpayers make it possible to keep the fees of public universities so low, so I’ll have the chance to properly pay back my share once I am working here,” Roberts says. Roberts is studying to be a dermatologist. Erika Roberts Roberts has noticed that since living in Germany, she structures her days differently, has healthier eating habits, and overthinks things a lot less. “I think coming from my Philadelphia experience of wanting to be really individualistic and seeing how people exist here in that universe of not trying to do that has been balancing me out,” she says. “[It’s] making me confront who I genuinely am outside of what the world around me is telling me I’m supposed to be.” Roberts has been in Germany for almost eight years now, she says she loves the sense of safety, access to good food and accessibility. Being there has also forced her to learn how to adapt. “Recognizing the environment that you’re in and the rules that dictate that environment is really essential for understanding how to succeed,” she says. “What I have definitely noticed is how slowly over the years, I’ve adapted the ******* culture more. I’ve grown up here in so many ways. I’ve grown into the person that I am now.” Roberts says she doesn’t see herself moving back to the U.S. permanently anytime soon. Erika Roberts Roberts’ family is mostly all in U.S., so moving back there will always be a possibility, she says. But for now, she can see herself in Europe for a long time to come. “I would not have thought 10 years ago that I would be living in Germany for as long as I have and how everything’s turned out the way it has. I wouldn’t have been able to predict where I am now 10 years ago,” she says. “I don’t try to strictly predict where I’m going to be 10 years from today but right now I feel really happy over here and I could see myself staying here.” Conversions from euros to USD were done using the OANDA conversion rate of 1 euro to 1.14 USD on April 23, 2025. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar. Want a new career that’s higher-paying, more flexible or fulfilling? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Change Careers and Be Happier at Work. Expert instructors will teach you strategies to network successfully, revamp your resume and confidently transition into your dream career. Start today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $67 (+taxes and fees) through May 13, 2025. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. Source link #27yearold #American #moved #Germany #medical #school #feel #happy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Four External Red Sox First Base Options After Triston Casas Injury – NESN Four External Red Sox First Base Options After Triston Casas Injury – NESN Four External Red Sox First Base Options After Triston Casas Injury NESNRed Sox’s Casas suffers ‘significant’ knee injury ESPNRed Sox Place Triston Casas On 10-Day IL, Select Abraham Toro MLB Trade RumorsTwins unravel late in 6-1 series-opening loss to Red Sox Star TribuneRed Sox Notes: Boston Shows Improved Offensive Identity NESN Source link #External #Red #Sox #Base #Options #Triston #Casas #Injury #NESN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nationals likely to hold all seats as Liberals smashed Nationals likely to hold all seats as Liberals smashed The junior coalition partner has retained its seats and took large chunks out of Labor’s margins in others, largely weathering a Liberal Party wipeout. Source link #Nationals #hold #seats #Liberals #smashed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man, woman wounded in fight at 99 Restaurant in NH, police say Man, woman wounded in fight at 99 Restaurant in NH, police say An investigation is underway after two people were stabbed at a 99 Restaurant in New Hampshire on Thursday. Officers responding to a report of an altercation at the popular eatery at 8 Hotel Drive in Dover found a man and woman suffering from apparent stab wounds, according to the Dover Police Department. Police said the man suffered a non-life-threatening stab wound, while the woman suffered non-life-threatening lacerations to her forearm. All three people involved in the altercation were known to each other, according to investigators. “The altercation reportedly began as a verbal dispute between the two males, which escalated into a physical confrontation,” the department wrote in a statement. “During the fight, one male allegedly stabbed the other, and the female was injured while attempting to intervene.” As of Friday morning, no criminal charges had been filed, and everyone involved had been identified. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact the Dover Police Department at 603-742-4646. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Source link #Man #woman #wounded #fight #Restaurant #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lauren Zonfrillo reveals Jock Zonfrillo’s final words he wrote in journal Lauren Zonfrillo reveals Jock Zonfrillo’s final words he wrote in journal Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of former MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo, has revealed her husband’s final words were about “how happy” he was to create their young family. The 46-year-old Scottish chef was found dead in a Melbourne hotel room in April 2023. His cause of death has never been revealed. In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS Spotlight to air on Sunday, Lauren speaks about discovering Jock’s journal and reading his final words. “Jock had journalled for a ******* of time,” she told Seven’s Liz Hayes. “It meant a lot to me reading . . . (about) such a normal conversation, but I got his version. “It was kind of this encouragement to say, you’ve got this Lauren, there’s been many times where I’ve (felt like) I haven’t got this.” Lauren — who was in Italy at the time of Jock’s death — reportedly asked police to conduct a ******** check after failing to contact him. The couple had relocated to Rome with their young children, Alfie and Isla, with Jock travelling back to Australia to film MasterChef. Camera IconJock Zonfrillo and wife Lauren with their young kids Alfie and Isla. Credit: Facebook “He wrote in his journal how he’s so happy that we were finding our feet and he was excited about creating these little Aussie-Italian-Scottish children . . . and what Isla’s accent was going to be like when she starts talking full sentences,” Lauren said. “He always liked to put the kids to bed at night, he did all the voices with the books and so he just wrote about missing those thing and how he looked forward to getting there (to Italy where the kids were),” she said. “He wrote . . . ‘Lauren didn’t see herself, but I think she’s just doing so much, but she’s so capable and I’m really proud that she can do those hard things as well’, and that’s meant a lot to me now.” Camera IconMasterchef judge Jock Zonfrillo has died age 46. Credit: Network 10/Network 10 Fellow MasterChef judge and friend Andy Allen said he could feel “hairs standing up” reflecting on the last time they were together. The paid dined together the day before Jock’s passing. “I still remember that call I got from Lauren in the early hours of that morning and saying that Jock had passed … grief hit me straight away,” Allen told Spotlight. “As soon as I got off the phone, I ran straight to the bathroom and I vomited everywhere. “It hit me then and there straight away.” Jock and Me airs on Sunday at 8pm on Seven and 7Plus Source link #Lauren #Zonfrillo #reveals #Jock #Zonfrillos #final #words #wrote #journal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Could PlayStation See a Price Increase? Could PlayStation See a Price Increase? DarXyde21d ago You gotta love the attitude people had before: “Price hike! NO, THIS IS TERRIBLE, I HATE—wait … South America? lol ok.” It starts hitting closer to home and now we’re worried. It was always a concern and people should have always treated it that way. Funny enough, Sony is likely losing subscribers with every price hike, and all they’re doing is offering the beefed up service to fewer people. Doubtful this offsets the lost subs. Haven’t had Plus in years, and I don’t miss it. And frankly, with the way things are going, I just don’t see myself getting into the next generation either. Increased reliance on AI, stagnant gaming experiences despite better tech, untenable budgets, increased cost to consumers, tendency to push GaaS, very long development cycles, weak/non-existent digital rights protections, poor global economy, tariff madness. It’s probably a better use of my time to double down on my other hobbies. Can’t speak for others, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the market crashes because enough people come to the same conclusion. Source link #PlayStation #Price #Increase Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cats and dogs are evolving to look alike, and it’s all humans’ fault Cats and dogs are evolving to look alike, and it’s all humans’ fault Domestication has made cats and dogs more diverse, but also curiously alike – with serious implications for their health and ********, new research shows. At first glance, Persian cats and pugs don’t seem like they’d have much in common. One’s a cat, the other’s a dog, separated by 50 million years of evolution. But when evolutionary biologist Abby Grace Drake and her colleagues scanned 1,810 skulls of cats, dogs and their wild relatives, they found something strange. Despite their distant histories, many breeds of cats and dogs show striking similarity in skull shape. In evolutionary biology, divergence is a common process. In simple terms, divergence is where two organisms that share a common ancestry become increasingly different over time, while convergence means becoming more similar. As populations of animals split and adapt to different environments, they gradually develop new traits, a process known as divergent evolution. This is one of the main ways new species form different traits, causing populations to evolve along separate paths. But sometimes, evolution can take a different direction. Convergence happens when unrelated species, shaped by similar pressures, independently evolve similar features. In the case of domestic cats, dogs and many other domesticated species, intentional and unintentional selection by humans seems to have created convergence, accidentally steering different species toward similar traits. Despite a long history of evolutionary separation, flat-faced breeds like the Persian cat and pugs share similar skull structures. Winter Sonata, a Persian breed, gets a combing during Vietnam’s first national cat show in Hanoi (AFP/Getty) To investigate how far domestication has reshaped skull structure, Drake and her colleagues analysed 3D scans of skulls from museum specimens, veterinary schools and digital archives. Their dataset included domestic cats such as Siamese, Maine ***** and Persian breeds, as well as over 100 dog breeds from short-muzzled dogs like pugs to long-muzzled breeds like collies. Their findings showed that domestication has not only increased skull shape diversity beyond that of wolves and wildcats but also led some cat and dog breeds to resemble one another, with convergence towards either long or flat faces. Wild canids (the group of animals that includes dogs, wolves, foxes and jackals) tend to share a similar elongated skull, while wild felids (the group of animals that includes domestic cats, lions, tigers and jaguars) show more natural variation. Yet domestic breeds of both species now span a more extreme range at both ends of the scale. This trend can be seen in the emergence of cats bred to resemble XL bully dogs. Domestication has long shown that when humans intervene, even distantly related species can end up looking, and sometimes suffering, in similar ways. Cats and dogs are evolving to look more alike (Getty/iStock) Selective breeding has exaggerated traits across species. Many other human-made changes can push animals beyond what their bodies can naturally support. For instance, some chickens bred for their meat carry 30 per cent of their body weight in breast muscle, which often results in heart and lung problems. The human preference for flat-faced pets taps into some of our most fundamental instincts. Humans are hard-wired to respond to infant features like rounded heads, small noses and large, low-set eyes. These traits, which are exaggerated in many flat-faced cat and dog breeds, mimic the appearance of human babies. Of all species, humans are among the most altricial, meaning that we are born helpless and dependent on caregivers for survival, a trait we share with puppies and kittens. In contrast, precocial animals are able to see, hear, stand and move shortly after birth. Because human infants rely so heavily upon adult care, evolution has shaped us to be sensitive to signals of vulnerability and need. These signals, like the rounded cheeks and wide eyes of babies, are known as social releasers. They trigger caregiving behaviour in adults, from speaking in higher-pitched tones to offering parental care. Puppies, like human babies, are born helpless and dependent on their caregivers for survival (Getty) Herring gulls (a type of seagull) are an example of this in non-human animals. Their chicks instinctively ***** at a red spot on the parent’s beak, which triggers the adult to regurgitate food. This red spot acts as a social releaser, ensuring the chick’s needs are met at the right time. In a similar way, domesticated animals have effectively hijacked ancient caregiving mechanisms evolved for our own offspring. These traits may give pets an advantage in soliciting human care and attention, but they come at a cost. The *** government commissions its Animal ******** Committee to provide independent expert advice on emerging animal ******** concerns. In reports they produced in 2024, the committee raised serious concerns about the effect of selective breeding in both cats and dogs. The reports highlighted that breeding for extreme physical traits, like flat faces and exaggerated skull shapes, has led to widespread health problems, including breathing difficulties, neurological conditions and birth complications. Some cats are being bred to look like XL Bullies (PA Wire) The committee argues that animals with severe hereditary health issues should no longer be used for breeding, and calls for tougher regulation of breeders. Without these reforms, many popular breeds will continue to suffer from preventable, life-limiting conditions. Selective breeding has shown how easily humans can bend nature to their preferences, and how quickly millions of years of evolutionary separation can be overridden by a few decades of artificial selection. In choosing pets that mimic the faces of our own infants, we have, often unwittingly, selected for traits that harm the animals. Understanding the forces that drive convergence between species is a reminder that we play a powerful and sometimes dangerous role in shaping it. Grace Carroll is a lecturer in animal behaviour and ******** at the School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast This article was originally published by ‘The Conversation’ and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article Source link #Cats #dogs #evolving #alike #humans #fault Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

$70 PlayStation First Party Games Are Receiving A Price Hike In Brazil, Starting With Ghost Of Yotei $70 PlayStation First Party Games Are Receiving A Price Hike In Brazil, Starting With Ghost Of Yotei dveio10d ago Yes, I don’t mind, tbh. Although Yotéi wouldn’t be a big threat to GTA6 I assume, it’s okay to me if every party wants to release their AAA game with no ******* competition around. But if the assumption towards GTA6 is true, it could also mean that GTA6 could have been even delayed, instead of the release date being finalized. Source link #PlayStation #Party #Games #Receiving #Price #Hike #Brazil #Starting #Ghost #Yotei Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump posts AI-generated photo of himself dressed as the pope – CNBC Trump posts AI-generated photo of himself dressed as the pope – CNBC Trump posts AI-generated photo of himself dressed as the pope CNBCTrump posts AI-generated photo of himself as pope ReutersThese Contentious Issues Could Determine Who Becomes the Next Pope The New York TimesTrump posts AI image of himself as Pope amid ********’s search for new pontiff Fox NewsWhite House posts image of Trump dressed as the pope USA Today Source link #Trump #posts #AIgenerated #photo #dressed #pope #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

World Test Championship Final: Kagiso Rabada could miss match against Australia after adverse drug test result World Test Championship Final: Kagiso Rabada could miss match against Australia after adverse drug test result Star South African quick Kagiso Rabada is in danger of missing next month’s World Test Championship Final against Australia after being ‘provisionally suspended’ for using recreational drugs. Source link #World #Test #Championship #Final #Kagiso #Rabada #match #Australia #adverse #drug #test #result Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Major delays at Newark Airport roll into sixth day as FAA cites air traffic control staffing issues – CNN Major delays at Newark Airport roll into sixth day as FAA cites air traffic control staffing issues – CNN Major delays at Newark Airport roll into sixth day as FAA cites air traffic control staffing issues CNNLong a New York Punchline, Newark Airport Is Getting Even Worse WSJNewark Airport bogged down with flight delays, cancellations amid staffing issues; United canceling 35 round-trip flights ABC7 New YorkCEO: United to cancel 35 daily roundtrip flights at Newark Liberty due to air traffic controller shortage News 12 – New JerseyNewark Airport Is Experiencing Major Flight Delays. What’s Causing Them? The New York Times Source link #Major #delays #Newark #Airport #roll #sixth #day #FAA #cites #air #traffic #control #staffing #issues #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kevin Rowland supports trio’s freedom of speech Kevin Rowland supports trio’s freedom of speech Rebekah Wilson BBC News NI Getty Images The frontman of Dexys Midnight Runners has said people trying to “shut down” Kneecap is an “overreaction”. Kevin Rowland, whose band’s hits included the 1982 number one hit Come On Eileen, said the controversy over the last week shows that freedom of expression is “under threat”. Footage of a member of the rap trio Kneecap calling for MPs to be killed is being assessed by counter-terrorism police, and they have faced a slew of concert cancellations, with growing calls for Glastonbury to cancel their appearance there next month. Rowland is one of the 40 artists that signed an open letter supporting Kneecap and freedom of expression through both bands’ label Heavenly Recordings. Kevin Rowland said freedom of expression is ‘under threat’ He said: “This is about freedom of speech and artists’ freedom of expression.” The independent record label said in the caption: “These artists support the right to freedom of expression. This is an ever-expanding list. If you are an artist who wishes to be added please DM us.” Speaking to BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme, Rowland said he is not a “representative of Kneecap” and is not defending what they have said but added: “If you only allow free speech for people to say what you want, it’s not free speech, is it?” Daniel Lambert, Kneecap’s manager, said the band were willing to talk to Katie Amess, the daughter of murdered MP Sir David Amess. Speaking on Newstalk’s The Pat Kenny Show, Mr Lambert said: “The lads are happy to talk to that lady. “The lads are happy to apologise to that lady; Kneecap has not hurt anybody. “There was a hurt here that was caused to someone emotionally.” Ms Amess previously told BBC News NI the band should apologise. She also said she would be prepared to meet the band and have a conversation with them. They subsequently apologised to the Amess family and the family of Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in 2016. A number of politicians have called for the Irish rap band to be uninvited from some *** gigs. On Thursday a Cabinet minister said the rap group should not be allowed to perform at Glastonbury festival, where they are listed for the Saturday. Commons Leader Lucy Powell said that although the final decision would be for the festival organisers, she believed “no-one in this House” would want to see the group at Glastonbury, adding: “We’ll all continue to say so loud and clear.” Asked about whether Glastonbury should uninvite Kneecap over the band’s statements, Rowland said; “I hope they don’t take them off, I think it would look pretty poor if they did. “We’ve had rappers playing at Glastonbury saying all kinds of things. Loads of rap music talks about killing, why aren’t they banned?” Artists show support Other artists who have signed the joint statement on Instagram in support of Kneecap include Fontaines DC, Annie Mac, Bicep, Massive Attack, Pulp, Paul Weller and Christy Moore. The independent record label said in the caption: “These artists support the right to freedom of expression. This is an everexpanding list. If you are an artist who wishes to be added please DM us.” Artists that have signed the label’s statement have also posted their own statements for the west Belfast trio. Massive Attack, posted on Instagram that “Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story”. In a post on Instagram, Irish singer and songwriter Damien Dempsey described the band as “three young peaceful warrior poets”. Manchester United legend Eric Cantona also showed support for Kneecap as he re-posted the message of support from the band’s label on his Instagram story on Thursday. Kneecap shared a screenshot of Cantona’s re-post on X . Reuters MP Colum Eastwood, whose constituency covers the area Kneecap member DJ Provaí is from, said artists “should be entitled to express their opinion” and there was a “mass hysteria from some elements of politics and the media around this”. “It just seems to me that when that opinion is opposing what is happening in Gaza the response is much more vigorous,” he said. To pull the rap trio from the Glastonbury line-up, the Foyle MP said, would “be a very strange thing to do”. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme Eastwood added that Kneecap’s comments had been “deeply stupid and wrong”. Eastwood said: “You can’t say MPs should be killed and people shouldn’t be expressing support for Hezbollah and ******, that is absolutely clear. “It is totally abhorrent and totally wrong.” “The idea that this is the major issue unfolding in the world really is quite difficult for people to see when children are being bombed in their houses and their schools and in their hospitals in Gaza. That, I think infuriates people.” Who are Kneecap?Reuters The group go by the stage names of Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí and Móglaí Bap Kneecap are an Irish-speaking rap trio who have courted controversy with their provocative lyrics and merchandise. The group was formed in 2017 by three friends who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí. Their rise to fame inspired a semi-fictionalised film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender. The film won a British Academy of Film Award (Bafta) in February 2025. Source link #Kevin #Rowland #supports #trios #freedom #speech Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Singapore’s long-ruling party on track to win election Singapore’s long-ruling party on track to win election Singapore’s long-ruling People’s Action Party is on track to win another landslide election, according to preliminary vote counting. The count showed the PAP in strong leads in 82 seats out of 93 seats. It earlier won five seats uncontested, which gives the PAP a total 87 seats in an enlarged Parliament. In 2020 polls, it won 83 seats. The sample count showed the opposition Workers Party maintaining 10 seats. The result will bolster the leadership of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first electoral test since taking office a year ago. The sample count was based on a random bundle of 100 ballot papers from each polling station. The results are not conclusive and are aimed to curb speculation and misinformation while counting is in progress. The full results are expected to be released later on Saturday. Wong, a US-trained economist who is also the finance minister, has appealed for a resounding mandate to steer trade-reliant Singapore through economic turbulence following US President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes. The government has lowered its trade forecast and warned of a possible recession. “This election is couched as a test of the support for the leadership of PM Lawrence Wong but it also will reflect how politics in Singapore are changing, namely an embrace of alternative voices and a younger generation seeing the PAP under a younger leader,” Southeast Asia political expert Bridget Welsh said. Wong, 52, succeeded Lee Hsien Loong to become the city-state’s fourth leader. Lee stepped down in May 2024 after two decades at the helm but remained in the cabinet as a senior minister. His retirement as premier ended a family dynasty started by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first leader, who built the former colonial backwater into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office. Voting in Singapore is compulsory, with nearly 2.76 million eligible voters. The Election Department said turnout was about 82 per cent at 5 pm, three hours before voting ended. The PAP has secured five of the 97 parliamentary seats because they were unopposed. The PAP is seen as a beacon of stability and prosperity, but its government-knows-best stance and the rising cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities also has led to growing unhappiness, especially among younger voters. Widening income disparity, increasingly unaffordable housing, overcrowding and restrictions on free speech have loosened the PAP’s grip on power. The PAP’s share of the popular vote slipped to a near-record low of 61 per cent in 2020 elections, down from nearly 70 per cent in 2015. Although it kept 83 out of 93 parliamentary seats, the opposition gained grounds with a record 10 seats. Eugene Tan, law professor with the Singapore Management University, said young voters — estimated to be about a quarter of the electorate — are more receptive to appeals for greater political diversity and competition in Singapore. Young people flocked to the Workers Party’s rallies during the nine-day campaign *******. The opposition says giving it a stronger presence in Parliament will allow a more balanced political system and greater accountability. But they face an uphill task, often hamstrung by a lack of resources and fragmented support. Critics said gerrymandering also gives the PAP an advantage. The biggest opposition contender, the Workers Party, is fielding only 26 seats, with smaller parties contesting others. Lawyer Akesh Abhilash, 37, said he believes the PAP would retain a strong mandate, but Singapore would benefit from greater diversity of voices in Parliament. “I think that the Workers Party will make some gains in these elections, and that ultimately can only be good for the country,” he said after voting. Source link #Singapores #longruling #party #track #win #election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Activist Fivespan has a stake in Qiagen. Three levers to boost growth Activist Fivespan has a stake in Qiagen. Three levers to boost growth Company: Qiagen NV (QGEN) Business: Qiagen NV is a holding company based in the Netherlands. The company provides “Sample to Insight” solutions that transform biological samples into molecular insights. These solutions integrate sample and assay technologies, bioinformatics and automation systems. Its sample technologies are used for isolating and preparing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins from blood or other liquids, tissue, plants or other materials. Its assay technologies make these biomolecules visible for analysis, such as identifying the genetic information of a pathogen or a gene mutation in a tumor. Its bioinformatics solutions interpret data to provide actionable insights. Qiagen’s automation platforms based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and other technologies tie these together in molecular testing workflows from “Sample to Insight.” Stock Market Value: $9.32B ($43.13 per share) Activist: Fivespan Partners, LP Ownership: n/a Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Fivespan Partners, LP is a San Francisco-based investment firm founded by Dylan Haggart and Sarah Coyne. Prior to Fivespan, Haggart and Coyne were partners at ValueAct Capital and most of the investment team is from ValueAct. Fivespan, named after the unique five-stone arched bridge in Haggart’s hometown, views itself as a bridge between the market and companies. The firm prefers behind-the-scenes, collaborative and amicable activism, but it would resort to a proxy fight if it had no other choice. We believe that the firm would look for board seats in situations where it thinks it could add real value, but we do not expect Fivespan to pursue board representation as often as ValueAct does (i.e, roughly 50% of core portfolio positions). Haggart certainly has experience as a public company director. He served as a director of Seagate (2018 to the present) and Fiserv (2022 to 2024), at which he has delivered stellar returns over his tenures of 44.45% and 64.68%, respectively, versus 17.36% and 4.98% for the Russell 2000. Additionally, Haggart was an advisor to Seagate going back as far as 2016, over which time the company returned about 222%. Fivespan looks for high quality, idiosyncratic businesses with good, strategic assets. The firm does not advocate for the ***** of its portfolio companies as a primary activist strategy, but like companies that people want to own. Accordingly, many of the firm’s activist campaigns could end with a ***** of the company, providing two paths to shareholder value. The fund is a drawdown structure that holds investments for at least three to five years, aims to have six to eight investments at a time and averages $100 million to $300 million in each investment. What’s happening Fivespan Partners has built a position in Qiagen NV and has engaged in conversations with management. Behind the scenes Qiagen is a Netherlands-incorporated life sciences tools firm, dual-listed in the U.S. and Germany. The company provides sample technologies to isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins; assay technologies to prepare these biomolecules for analysis; and automation solutions to bring these processes together. The company has two primary end markets from which it derives a balanced share of its revenue: Molecular Diagnostics (health-care providers) and Life Sciences (pharma/biotech research and other lab applications). It operates in an extremely attractive and growing industry with high returns on invested capital (ROIC) and margins. Qiagen specifically enjoys a leading market position, has a great brand reputation and favorably derives about 90% of its sales from recurring consumables revenue, with the remainder from the ***** of its instruments and related services, a razor-razorblade model. Despite its dual-listing and European heritage, Qiagen’s chairman and CEO are based in the U.S., and it generated 52% of its FY24 sales in North America, 32% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 16% in Asia. Fivespan looks for high quality, idiosyncratic businesses with good, strategic assets, and Qiagen fits this thesis nicely – a high-quality health-care business in a growing industry with secular tailwinds. However, despite having a respected name and a strong market position, the company has struggled to create shareholder value post-Covid, delivering 1-, 3-, and 5-year returns of 1%, -6%, and 1%, respectively. While peers trade at around 15 times EV/EBITDA, and leaders like Danaher 20 times, Qiagen currently trades at around 13 times. This contrasts with the stock historically trading at a significant multiple to peers. Management has done the hard things right: investing in R&D, listening to the customers, and protecting the company’s industry-leading brand, growing its topline at a 5.3% compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2024. Now there is an opportunity to grow even faster and in a more focused manner. In an attempt to empire-build, Qiagen has lost sight of the core business, investing a lot in the diagnostics business and other ventures when the life sciences business has a superior return on invested capital. There are three levers to create shareholder value here. First, management should invest in and around its core business to accelerate growth. Moreover, they should not keep their plan a secret but communicate it better to the market. Second, Qiagen can be run a lot tighter, leaving room for margin expansion. Currently running at a 25% operating margin, a more disciplined approach could achieve operating margins upward of 30%. Third, Qiagen’s balance sheet could be optimized. Most of its peers have far more leverage and should, due to the recurring nature of the business, yet the company has $1.15 billion of cash and short-term investments, $1.39 billion of debt and no good acquisition targets on the horizon. By levering up, Qiagen could fund additional investments in its core business and buy back some of its own stock at attractive prices ahead of growth and margin improvements. It is not often that there are opportunities for both revenue growth and margin expansion at the same time. When you have a situation like that, it certainly makes sense to buy back your own shares ahead of it. Based on its activist philosophies, we would expect that Fivespan has had a position in Qiagen for some time and has been trying to work with management behind the scenes. The firm is a quiet investor and does not publicize its positions (i.e., this is one of six current positions and the only one known publicly). We think the company may not be playing as amicably as Fivespan. An indication of this is that, perhaps in response to Fivespan’s engagement, the company recently pre-announced a beat for its Q1 results and raised expectations regarding its margins, targeting above 30% for the year and over 31% ahead of its 2028 timeline. Qiagen also put out a press release describing its product pipeline, nothing new per se, but a clear sea change in terms of its management of investor communications and proactive strategic planning. There are several ways this can go. Management can agree to embrace Fivespan, who is not advocating for any real controversial actions – growth and margin improvement, the same thing management wants. Management can ignore but placate the investor by taking actions consistent with the plan that results in shareholder appreciation. Or management can ignore the firm and continue down the same road with a flat stock price performance. Given that we do not expect that Fivespan will aggressively pursue a board seat here, we think the first option is preferable, the second is tolerable and the third is unacceptable. Often the tone of an activist campaign depends not on the activist, but the response of the company. This scenario could be a perfect example of that. As mentioned before, Fivespan appreciates businesses with several paths to shareholder value, one of them being strategic transactions. Qiagen is a highly attractive asset. In fact, pre-Covid, the company held discussions with several suitors regarding a potential transaction. In 2020, they agreed to an improved offer of 43 euros per share from Thermo Fisher Scientific, but the deal ultimately collapsed after Thermo failed to reach the two-thirds tender offer threshold, in part due to a Covid-induced run-up in the share price and vocal shareholders like Davidson Kempner coming out against the deal. Today, the business is just as strong, if not stronger, and FY25 EPS is expected to come in higher than it was in 2020. A ***** is never Fivespan’s first choice when making an investment. The firm will focus on the operational and allocation improvements available to create shareholder value but evaluate that against any potential acquisition offer the company may receive and advocate for what it thinks is best for shareholders. With strategic and respected assets – and with the stock trading slightly below the previous offer price from five years ago – an unsolicited offer for the company is not outside of the realm of possibility. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. Source link #Activist #Fivespan #stake #Qiagen #levers #boost #growth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Firm boils storage device in salt water, then grills it as proof of durability — Cerabyte’s glass storage media claimed to be ultra-rugged Firm boils storage device in salt water, then grills it as proof of durability — Cerabyte’s glass storage media claimed to be ultra-rugged Storage startup Cerabyte has shared a video in which it torture tests its memory media. The firm took a sliver of its archival glass storage and boiled it in a kettle filled with salt water (100C, 212F), then, for good measure, it grilled it in a pizza oven (250C, 480F). The durability demo confirms that the media was unscathed after this process, and the data on the Cerabyte media remained “100% intact.” A demo similar to the embedded video below occurred during the recent Open Compute Project (OCP) summit in Dublin, Ireland. While Cerabyte didn’t seem to pack their toaster for the Irish event, the salt water boiling test was extended over several days. It was noted that the kettle had begun to corrode after 24 hours of hot, salty agitation. Cerabyte has developed this entertaining shtick to maintain interest in its archival glass storage, which we highlighted on Tom’s Hardware last July. Founded in Germany in 2022, Cerabyte aims to revolutionize data storage by commercializing a data storage medium “as durable as hieroglyphs.” That might be an understatement, if Cerabyte’s touted 5,000-year integrity claim turns out to be accurate (stay tuned for an update). The ceramic-on-glass material Cerabyte uses in these durability tests stores data imprinted via femtosecond laser nanoscale holes in a ceramic medium 50 to 100 atoms thick. The ultra-thin 9cm square glass chips are written to at a rate of two million bits per laser pulse and can store up to 1GB of data on either surface. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Cerabyte) (Image credit: Cerabyte) There’s no spooky science behind the durability. Glass is naturally resistant to aging in good ‘cold storage’ conditions. And, as the Cerabyte trade show demos show, it can shrug off being boiled in salt water for extended periods, or even being severely toasted. (Image credit: Cerabyte) We wouldn’t expect glass-based storage to get corrupted at temperatures much lower than its melting point (around 1,400 degrees Celsius or 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit). Still, we aren’t sure about the unspecified ceramic layer or the interface/bonding between these materials. We also aren’t sure how durable Cerabyte’s ultra-thin media would be if subjected to any impact or shocks. Still, it is naturally resistant to corruption from other common accidents and acts of God that involve fire, water, radiation, or EMP. Going forward, Cerabyte hopes to reduce media costs to less than $1 per TB by 2030. It isn’t all about glass slide-based storage, either. CeraTape is on its roadmap, and each tape targets storage of an exabyte of data. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Firm #boils #storage #device #salt #water #grills #proof #durability #Cerabytes #glass #storage #media #claimed #ultrarugged Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]