Pelican Press

The superpowers of coatings make possible the impossible The superpowers of coatings make possible the impossible Getty Images Jet engines wouldn’t run without high-performance coatings Jet engines are one of the most jaw-dropping feats of engineering humans have ever come up with. But jet engines shouldn’t be possible, says Ben Beake, director of materials research at Micro Materials, an equipment testing company in Wales. “The air coming in is hotter than the melting point of the metal underneath – which is obviously not a good thing,” he explains, pointing out that this air reaches temperatures well above 1,000C. Designers of jet engines have got around this problem by applying heat-resistant ceramic coatings to the engine blades. And now, researchers are developing yet stronger coatings that allow the engines to run hotter still. “If you get it to go hotter, then there’s a massive saving on fuel and CO2,” says Dr Beake. By increasing the temperature by just 30C or so, you might get an 8% fuel saving, he estimates. This is the power of coatings – they radically transform the functionality and capabilities of an underlying material. Few people realise how important they are, but these overlays and veneers can supercharge high-performance machines, or ensure that expensive equipment survives the harshest of environments. Dr Beake and his colleagues are tasked with pushing coatings to their limits, in order to see how robust or effective they really are. His clients don’t always get the results they want. He recalls telling a missile manufacturer, “We’ve broken your coating,” some years ago. “They stormed off in a huff,” says Dr Beake. Besides exposing coatings to high temperatures, Micro Materials also has a “woodpecker” device, a tiny diamond stylus, which repeatedly taps a coating at random locations to test its durability. Recently, the firm has worked with ***-based Teer Coatings to test a product that could be applied to satellite components including gears and bearings used in various moving parts. It is a tricky task, says Xiaoling Zhang, from the company, because the coating must protect such components both pre-launch (when they are exposed to atmospheric humidity at ground level) and also in orbit, against dust particles and radiation in space. However, she claims that the firm has achieved the desired results. But besides protecting spacecraft, coatings could also stop astronauts from getting *****. Biofilms – gloopy accumulations of bacteria inside pipes – grow faster in low gravity environments, which could be a problem for water supplies or machinery that moves fluid around on space stations or future spacecraft, for example. “Biofilms are known to cause mechanical failures,” says Kripa Varanasi at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “You don’t want this.” MIT Prof Varanasi has been working on super-slippery coatings Prof Varanasi and his colleagues have developed a range of coatings that make surfaces slippery and therefore resistant to the formation of biofilms. Tests of one such coating in an experiment carried out on board the International Space Station found that it worked as intended. The idea behind the coating is to mix together a solid material and a lubricant. This is then sprayed onto the interior of a pipe or tube, which makes that inner surface extremely slippery. Prof Varanasi has previously made headlines for developing similar coatings for the insides of toothpaste packets – so you can get every last bit of toothpaste out. He and his colleagues have commercialised the technology through their spin-out company LiquiGlide. Getty Images The right coating could stop molten aluminium from sticking to surfaces Slipperiness is, perhaps, an underappreciated attribute. Nuria Espallargas at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and colleagues have developed a silicon carbide-based coating for equipment used in aluminium manufacturing or repair. It is a sort of non-stick frying pan solution, meaning that layers of molten aluminium do not get stuck on this expensive equipment. The precise functioning of this particular coating is currently something of a mystery, though. “To be honest, we really don’t know how it works, the mechanism is unknown at the moment,” says Prof Espallargas. Nonetheless, the coating is available commercially through her spin-out company Seram Coatings. Atlas Machine and Supply, a US firm that makes and repairs industrial machinery, has tried it out. “The real benefit ***** in extending the life of the tools and improving the quality of the products being produced,” says Jeremy Rydberg, chief innovation officer. He says that, without the coating, Atlas must rebuild the roller tools it uses to work aluminium every two days. This costs $4.5m annually. But the new coating means that these tools last for a whole week, not just a couple of days, slashing those rebuild costs to around $1.3m per year. Getty Images The shipping is always interested in coatings that can keep hulls cleaner Coatings can do some amazing things, but they don’t always work as intended, notes Andy Hopkinson, managing director at Safinah Group, a firm that often gets called in to investigate when coatings go wrong. “We’re seeing a lot of issues at the moment with car parks, where their passive ***** protection system is peeling off,” he says, referring to the *****-resistant paint sometimes applied to concrete structures. And his company has also found that coatings applied to commercial ships do not always prevent barnacles and other sea life from attaching themselves to the hull. This problem, known as biofouling, increases friction, meaning the ship’s engine must work ******* – and ***** more fuel. Despite the availability of coatings that promise to help, ship owners do not always choose the correct one for their vessel. That choice should depend on where the ship is sailing, how long it is due to be idle rather than in motion, and so on, says Dr Hopkinson. The cost of fixing issues like this can run into many thousands, or even millions of pounds. “Typically, paint costs between 1 and 2% of the project. The problem is, when it goes wrong, the costs become exponential,” says Mr Hopkinson. The researchers working in this field, though, say that there are still many opportunities to improve coatings and develop new ones that could drastically improve the performance of machines or infrastructure in the future. More Technology of Business Source link #superpowers #coatings #impossible Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lego Tales Of The Space Age Model Kit Is Only $35 For ****** Friday Lego Tales Of The Space Age Model Kit Is Only $35 For ****** Friday As part of Best Buy’s ****** Friday *****, space and sci-fi enthusiasts can get a pretty unique Lego set for its lowest price yet. Lego Ideas: Tales of the Space Age is discounted to only $35 (was $50). Amazon is matching the 30% discount, so you have two opportunities to snag this 688-piece Lego set before it’s gone. Tales of the Space Age is one of several notable Lego deals in Best Buy’s ****** Friday *****. Sci-fi fans can also save big on two Star Wars Lego sets: The Clone Commander Cody Helmet buildable model is $49 (was $70), and the Mos Espa Podrace Diorama from The Phantom Menace is $56 (was $80). Heads up for Star Wars fans: Walmart has Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder Ultimate Collector Series Lego set on ***** for a huge discount. Lego Ideas: Tales of the Space Age (688 Pieces) $35 ($50) Lego Ideas: Tales of the Space Age Designed to be a collection of 3D postcards, Tales of the Space Age is inspired by ’80s sci-fi movies, books, and posters. Each design is an original piece, and you’ll be able to build colorful images of an observatory for viewing comets and ********* stars, a moon base under a lunar eclipse, a space shuttle, and a ****** *****. If you don’t want to stick to the script, you can even rearrange the blocks to create the Ursa Major, Cepheus, Ursa Minor, or Cassiopeia constellations. As for how they’re meant to be displayed, that’s all up to you. The postcards can be connected in any order and you can display them on a flat surface or mount them on your wall using the included hangers. Overall, this is a fun afternoon build that should make for a tasteful gift or a treat to yourself. Beyond the space-themed Lego sets, Best Buy has a few other deals on cool Lego sets, including a $45 discount on a 1,210-piece Corvette model car. ****** Friday Lego Deals at Best Buy Source link #Lego #Tales #Space #Age #Model #Kit #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This gorgeous Mac mini hub exacerbates the power button placement problem This gorgeous Mac mini hub exacerbates the power button placement problem Satechi, known for its high-quality tech accessories, is updating its Mac mini hub for the new M4 model. Like previous hubs, it allows Mac mini owners to expand their storage and ports while preserving airflow, wireless signal, and performance. It looks awesome, but this time, the design highlights the problematic nature of the new Mac mini’s placement of its power button. With previous Mac mini models, the power button was at the back, making it easily accessible even when it was in a Satechi hub. The new button placement on the bottom of the PC, however, may prove even more annoying for anyone who wants to buy this accessory. While it varies from person to person how often a device like a Mac mini is actually turned off, having to lift the PC out of the hub every time is certainly less than ideal. The power button is awkward on its own, but I can imagine it being even more strange with a hub plugged in. Regardless, if you can get past that, Satechi’s new hub really does look stellar. If you run out of storage on your new Mac mini, Satechi’s hub provides one of the easiest and more affordable methods to add extra storage. The new M4 hub supports up to 4TB with 10Gbps speeds. Satechi Along with the two USB-C ports on the front of the Mac, the hub also adds three USB-A ports and an SD card slot. While newer peripherals and accessories use USB-C, most people still have multiple devices with USB-A, so these legacy ports are useful for many consumers. That’s especially important since this new Mac mini is the first to not have USB-A ports. There will also be a version of the hub without the storage expansion, for those who just want a few extra ports. Both the Mac itself and the hub aim to provide a minimalistic design and a clutter-free desk setup, but having to partially dismantle that setup just to turn the PC off is definitely at odds with the product messaging. If Satechi’s new hub has any tricks up its sleeve to make this design quirk a little less annoying, it hasn’t been mentioned so far. If it doesn’t bother you, however, the product will be ready to buy in spring of 2025. Source link #gorgeous #Mac #mini #hub #exacerbates #power #button #placement #problem Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First look at app-style reports to help parents compare schools First look at app-style reports to help parents compare schools BBC/CAMDEN LEARNING & MIME Local projects to create school report cards are already under way, including in Camden, north London Choosing a new school is one of the biggest decisions a parent makes, and is often based on a mixture of visiting, speaking to friends and looking at Ofsted reports. From September 2025 a new “report card” based on Ofsted inspections is due to be introduced, replacing the one-word judgements scrapped this year. Three areas in England have already been looking at developing a more detailed local report in response to parents asking for more information. In the north London borough of Camden, a newly-styled school report card is being piloted, designed to be used on smartphones and tablets. It will allow parents to search in an area around them for schools, and go into a site where they can explore through words, pictures and data what the schools are like. A former head of Ofsted says the work in Camden, which has been shared with the BBC, should influence ministers thinking about what parents need in the national changes. The first section of Camden’s school reports shows “Our school in 100 words” – a description of values and strengths, written by the school. This is closely followed by “Our school in 10 photos”, to show the facilities and activities available to pupils. The school’s latest Ofsted report, usually two to three pages of writing, is embedded within the site. But the report also pulls together some official statistics not included in Ofsted reports, such as GCSE results or those in primary national curriculum tests, often known as Sats, compared with both the local and national average. It also includes data on absence. Each school also has to set out its approaches to learning, pupils’ wellbeing, its anti-bullying policy, and how it supports children with special educational needs. And all of the information has to be submitted and checked before being uploaded, so it is in a standard format allowing parents to compare schools. Shabnam Eslambolchi, whose daughter is in Year 4 at Gospel Oak Primary School, really likes the way the new site combines descriptions, photos and charts to tell her more about the school than the current Ofsted report does. “You have a chance to read what the school is about, what they offer, you learn about the school community,” Mrs Eslambolchi, who is head of the PTA, says. BRANWEN JEFFREYS/BBC Parents at Gospel Oak Primary School, in London, have had the chance to look at the pilot school report Marcus Goddard, who chairs the school’s governors, is about to start looking at secondary schools for his oldest child. “I haven’t taken the time to read the Ofsted reports,” he admits, adding: “I think I would read the report cards, largely because of the way they’ve been formatted.” Pupils want a say in what school is best for them too – and the decision is a fresh memory for Year 7s at Regent High School. Savannah wanted to know “if the teachers are good, and if the food’s nice”. Eros agrees, although he says the building and facilities also mattered. And Tyreese wanted to know what subjects were on offer and that “everybody can be loving and caring to one another”. HOPE RHODES/BBC Savannah, Eros and Tyreese had different priorities when choosing their secondary school The report card project has been led by Camden Learning, a partnership between the local schools and the council, chaired by Dame Christine Gilbert, formerly England’s chief inspector of schools, running Ofsted for five years until 2011. She says the “big idea” came from parents who wanted something to give them a real flavour of the school, such as how important sport was or the approach to discipline. Dame Christine is “amazed at how it captures the ethos of the schools” and how strong the personal reactions are of parents who have tried it out. In “Our School in 100 Words”, one secondary said it was feminist. And when that was shown to a focus group, one parent said they would “really want” their child to go there, while another “absolutely wouldn’t”. Dame Christine says ministers and Ofsted should learn from the Camden project, as well as similar work under way in Sheffield and Milton Keynes. “It’s really important we listen to the voices of parents,” she tells me, “and here in a very simple cost-effective way parents will have more information.” ‘More authentic’ A public consultation on what Ofsted’s report cards should look like is due to start early next year. Leaks suggesting it will give schools coded ratings in 10 areas have proved controversial with education unions. The big difference with the Camden approach is it is created alongside schools, allowing them to have a say in what their strengths and weaknesses are. But this raises a question about whether Camden’s reports would provide enough challenge to schools to improve. Regent High School head Gary Moore, who has been fielding questions from parents on open days this term, says inspection has a very important role but welcomes the scrapping of Ofsted’s “brutal” one-word overall judgements. The broader, report-card approach is an improvement on “quite dry” Ofsted reports often not “written in family-friendly speak”, Mr Moore adds. Gospel Oak head teacher John Hayes says he wanted to collaborate on something “more authentic, more useful to parents” while also recognising “as public servants with an incredibly important job, we do need to be held to account”. Camden intends to keep on including Ofsted judgements in the new national report cards from next year. Sheffield will publish a report on its work so far in the coming weeks. Source link #appstyle #reports #parents #compare #schools Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Specs ***** New Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Specs ***** · · November 21, 2024 Nvidia is gearing up to launch its next generation of GeForce graphics cards, and that means more leaks are coming about what enthusiasts can expect. While most of the leaks have been around the upcoming reveal of the RTX 50 Series cards like the RTX 5090, 5080, and 5070, one known leaker has new details on another card from Nvidia, the RTX 5070 Ti. According to known hardware leaker Kopite7kimi, who is usually at the forefront of graphics card information, Nvidia is already working on the RTX 5070 Ti despite the next-gen cards not being announced. RELATED: Nvidia To Launch Three RTX 50 Series Graphics Cards At CES 2025, It’s Claimed Information given to Videocardz claims that the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti will feature 8960 CUDA Cores and 70 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs). That would put it just below the expected 10,752 CUDA Cores and 84 SMs of the RTX 5080. Aside from core count, the RTX 5070 Ti would have a TGP of 300 Watts (W), slightly above the 250W of the based RTX 5070 and below the 400W of the 5080. As always, it’s worth nothing that Nvidia has yet to reveal any of its upcoming graphics card plans. The coming also refuses to comment on “rumor and speculation”. Rumored Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU Specs Specification NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU Name Blackwell GB202-300 Blackwell GB203-400 Blackwell GB205 CUDA Cores 21760 10752 6,400 (if fully enabled) GPU SMs 170 (192 Full) 84 (84 Full) 50 (if fully enabled) Memory Capacity 32 GB GDDR7 16 GB GDDR7 12 GB GDDR7 Memory Bus 512-bit (+33%) 256-bit 192-bit Memory Speed 28 Gbps 32 Gbps 28 Gbps Bandwidth 1792 GB/s 1024 GB/s 672 GB/s PCIe Interface PCIe 5.0×16 PCIe 5.0×16 PCIe 5.0×16 TBP 600W 400W 250W Power Interface 1 12V-2×6 (16-Pin) 1 12V-2×6 (16-Pin) 1 12VHPWR (16-Pin) What do you think of Nvidia already gearing up for an RTX 5070 Ti graphics card? Let us know below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming Tech news, check out what GPU the PlayStation 6 is rumored to be using. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Nvidia #GeForce #RTX #Specs #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Proton VPN vs. Mullvad: Which is the best open-source VPN? Proton VPN vs. Mullvad: Which is the best open-source VPN? Open-source software is exploding in popularity and even virtual private networks (VPNs) share code for transparency. With over 100 million open-source developers contributing to the community, there’s an improved chance to find bugs and patch vulnerabilities. Proton VPN and Mullvad are among the best VPNs available, and both are open-source solutions. You can browse the code used in Proton VPN and Mullvad on GitHub to check that there isn’t any secret logging or undisclosed data collection. Transparency is important, but you also want a fast VPN that’s easy to use and unblocks content worldwide while protecting your privacy. Let’s compare Proton VPN and Mullvad to find out which offers the features you need at the best price. Specs Proton VPN Mullvad Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Devices 10 5 Support 24/7 Live Chat Email Free version? Yes No Tiers and pricing Proton VPN Plus prices are affordable and there aren’t big increases upon renewal. Digital Trends Proton VPN has a great free version with few limitations. In fact, it’s one of the best free VPNs available. There’s no restrictions on data use or connection time. However, Proton Free only has servers in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Japan. If you want to stream geo-blocked content from other countries, you’ll have to subscribe. Proton VPN has monthly, annual, and two-year subscription plans, with longer terms offering the best value. Proton lists the equivalent monthly fee, but the total fee is due in advance. The two-year plan is $108 ($4.50 per month) and a one-year subscription costs $60 ($5 each month). If your need for a VPN varies, Proton VPN offers a $10 monthly plan. At this rate, six months of service costs as much as an annual subscription, so only choose this for occasional use. A Proton VPN subscription is worthwhile since it unlocks access to over 110 countries and less-crowded servers. When you pay, you can use advanced features like secure core servers that double-hop across two servers for added privacy protection. Mullvad VPN costs 5 euros per month and has since 2009. Mullvad Mullvad doesn’t offer a free tier and there’s only one option for subscribing: five euros monthly. That’s currently $5.27 in U.S. dollars, though it varies based on the international exchange rate. That means Mullvad’s monthly subscription costs about the same as Proton’s annual plan and is almost as inexpensive as the two-year plan. But money isn’t the only important detail when selecting a VPN. Features I measured great download speeds even when connecting to a server on a tiny, distant island. Digital Trends A fast connection is essential if you use a VPN for streaming, torrenting, or web apps. With Proton VPN Plus, the paid version, I enjoyed robust and quick connection speeds worldwide. Proton VPN Plus is as fast NordVPN and offers better long-term prices. Nearby locations exceeded 50% of my native download rate while fully protected by Proton VPN Plus. When connecting to a server on the other side of the planet, Speedtest.net reported 255 Mbps downloads which is about a quarter my normal speed, but fast enough. In my Mullvad tests, the connection was reliable, but speeds varied by location and I spent more time trying different servers to maximize throughput. I got quick 521 Mbps downloads from a nearby server in New York, and fast 264 to 432 Mbps speeds for ********* countries. I enjoyed good upload and download speeds with a nearby Mullvad VPN server. Digital Trends Distant servers are slower for any VPN and I wasn’t disappointed by 24 Mbps downloads for Australia. However, Mullvad was unusually slow when I picked a server in Canada (where I live), managing just 149 Mbps for downloads. While Proton VPN Plus offers consistently fast speeds, Mullvad’s coverage is a little spotty. Proton also offers more features and advanced options to fine-tune your connection. I installed the Proton VPN Windows app and browser extension, which operate independently. I can quickly connect without leaving the browser while other apps access the internet unprotected, but at full speed. While I can achieve a similar effect with the split-tunneling feature available in both Proton VPN Plus and Mullvad, Proton’s browser extension is more convenient when browsing the web. Support Live chat is available 24 hours a day for Proton VPN Plus subscribers. Digital Trends Proton VPN Plus offers 24/7 live chat support, something that’s important for anyone new to VPN usage. Within a few minutes, I can get quick answers about how to use the app, learn unfamiliar terminology, or get assistance with account issues. Mullvad isn’t bad, but email support takes much longer. I waited about eight hours for a reply to a question about its malware blocker. In this case, it wasn’t an urgent questio,n so the delay wasn’t a problem. Still, Proton is much more responsive when you are in a hurry for support. Privacy and security Both companies have excellent privacy records, good transparency, and no significant security breaches. Proton VPN and Mullvad aren’t the only open-source VPN, but they do stand out as leaders in privacy protection. Proton is located in Switzerland, which isn’t part of any intelligence alliances. Mullvad is based in Sweden, so it’s subject to Fourteen Eyes requests. However, legal requests for data don’t matter if there’s nothing to share. Neither company keeps logs, as verified by independent audits. Still, Mullvad goes a bit further, allowing users to maintain total anonymity while accessing its VPN service. An email address isn’t needed to set up a Mullvad account and customers can pay with Bitcoin or cash to avoid financial tracking. Proton also accepts Bitcoin and cash, but an email address is required to create an account. Proton VPN and Mullvad are equally secure, but the latter offers the ultimate in privacy. To Mullvad, I’m just a number, which is exactly what I want from a VPN. Which VPN is right for you? Proton VPN and Mullvad are excellent VPN services, with each scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars in my hands-on reviews. That makes choosing between them difficult. However, some key distinctions can help you decide which offers the most value. Mullvad lets you use its VPN with total anonymity. The company doesn’t know your email address and if you pay in Bitcoin or cash, your financial data is also anonymous. Mullvad’s monthly fee is about half that of Proton VPN Plus. To beat Mullvad’s price, you’ll need a two-year subscription to Proton VPN Plus, which must be paid in advance. If you only need privacy protection occasionally, Mullvad offers more value. On the other hand, Proton VPN Plus offers consistently fast speeds worldwide, more advanced options, and quicker responses to customer service requests. Overall, Proton VPN Plus is a better choice and one of the top picks for the best VPN service. Source link #Proton #VPN #Mullvad #opensource #VPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WiseTech founder Richard White’s scandals hits profit outlook WiseTech founder Richard White’s scandals hits profit outlook WiseTech has told investors that media attention surrounding the conduct of its founder Richard White will reduce future earnings, pulling the recently departed chief executive’s attention away from product development. In a statement to the market, WiseTech said it now expects full-year revenue of between $1.2 billion and $1.3b, at 15 to 25 per cent growth above the previous financial year, down from between $1.3b and $1.35b. Earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation was now forecast to come in at between $600 million and $660m. Shares in WiseTech plunged 11 per cent in early trade but research analysts at E&P and RBC said the company would receive solid investment support going forward. “Although it is disappointing that recent events have resulted in guidance being downgraded, the board review interim update as well as the additional transparency provided throughout the process, provides encouragement that WTC will be able to move on from the recent issues and continue to focus on the business going forward,” wrote RBC. The company said the commercial launch of its Container Transport Optimisation project had been pushed back to the second half of fiscal 2025, resulting in a delay to anticipated revenue. “The board is disappointed that the diversion of Richard White’s attention away from product development at a critical juncture,” chair Richard Dammery said. “These impacts are timing issues, not a stalling of growth; but suffice to say that the complications in Richard White’s personal situation, and the flow on impacts to how the product development teams have been able to tap into Richard’s support, have been more material than the board initially expected.” In a video statement to shareholders, Mr White said he “deeply regret(s) the impact this recent media has had on the people around me, my family, friends, loved ones, the WiseTech team and you our shareholders, I’m truly sorry for how this has affected each of you”. “I want to assure you that this has not diminished my passion and dedication of Wisetech and what this business will achieve in the long term,” he said. In response to media reports about his personal conduct, Mr White stepped down as chief executive in October 24 before taking up a full-time, long term consulting role. A board review into Mr White’s behaviour by law firms Herbert Smith Freehills and Seyfarth Shaw and forensic accountants McGrathNicol released along with Friday forecast found that overall there was not any impropriety. The review concluded: Personal relationships Mr White disclosed all close personal relationships in the workplace, including romantic, familial, or long-standing ones, as required by company policies. Allegations of a romantic relationship with a current employee were found to predate the employee’s employment and were disclosed. There was no evidence of preferential treatment. Business transactions Allegations of misuse of company funds for personal expenses were not substantiated. Forensic analysis confirmed that White personally paid for plastic surgery, and no evidence was found of company expenses for accommodations for White’s acquaintance. Transactions with a supplier with whom White had a close relationship were consistent with market prices, with no evidence of impropriety. Governance and Workplace Conduct The review concluded that past debates on key management personnel disclosures were appropriately addressed with no need for revision. While White’s direct communication style was sometimes uncomfortable, it aligned with the company’s culture of “creative abrasion”. There was no evidence of bullying, intimidation, or unlawful behaviour. Despite the reports of questionable behaviour over a ******* stretching back over a decade, shareholders have easily waved through the directors’ remuneration report by 98 per cent, with a mere 1.9 per cent voting against. Mr White, a 38 per cent shareholder in WiseTech recused his voting shares from the remuneration vote. There was near unanimous support for increasing non-executive director’s remuneration be increased from a maximum of $1.8 million to $3m. Source link #WiseTech #founder #Richard #******* #scandals #hits #profit #outlook Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steam now reserves the right to remove a season pass Steam now reserves the right to remove a season pass Valve has just rolled out fresh guidelines for Steam season passes (DLC) to help prevent gamers from being misled! It’s interesting to see that the company views season passes in a similar way to pre-purchases, which means they’re subject to many of the same rules and considerations. According to the recent guidelines, developers who provide a season pass are essentially committing to deliver future content. During the launch phase, they must establish a timeline for each content release included in the season pass. Valve emphasizes that season passes on Steam will be infrequent and will only be offered through partners with whom they have a solid relationship and a demonstrated history of success on the platform. Season Pass Guidelines When a Season Pass is made available for purchase on Steam, it must include the following information: A complete list of all DLC included in the Pass. (i.e. listing each of the four DLCs included in a Pass). A basic description of the content that’s included in each DLC. For example, the first content release might be “The Glitterlands Expansion – New area to explore, two new weapons, and new enemies.” It’s not required for the DLC to have a final name at the launch of the Season Pass. The information about the content in the DLC doesn’t need to be detailed (simply “new weapons” or “two new weapons” is acceptable, they don’t have to list the exact weapons). Expected release date for each DLC. Quarter and Year (i.e. January to March 2025) or Season/Year is acceptable. Of course, a date that’s more precise is also fine (i.e. June 2025 or June 1st, 2025). If you want to read all the other guidelines, they are ***** out in their Steam Works Documentation Here Source link #Steam #reserves #remove #season #pass Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, November 22 (game #1033) Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, November 22 (game #1033) Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles. SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Quordle expert Your Quordle expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief Quordle today (game #1033) – hint #1 – Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1033) – hint #2 – repeated letters Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters? • The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2. Quordle today (game #1033) – hint #3 – uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today? • No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers. Quordle today (game #1033) – hint #4 – starting letters (1) Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter? • The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0. If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier: Quordle today (game #1033) – hint #5 – starting letters (2) What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with? • C • A • E • S Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1033) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1033, are… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. ETUDE is one of those words I don’t think I’ve ever seen other than in Quordle. Every time it appears – which has been at least three now, I think, maybe more – I look up the definition then forget it. (It’s something to do with musical notation, I think). But I do remember how to spell it, and that it’s a word to be aware of. If you’re not familiar with it then it will most likely be the most difficult of today’s quarters, although I’ll also give a shout out to ALOOF, which has an F in an uncommon location and a repeated O to deal with. SALLY has a repeated L too, of course, and is one of several words that can fit the -ALLY format, along with TALLY, RALLY, PALLY and WALLY. So in summary: today’s Quordle was a tricky one for sure! How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Daily Sequence today (game #1033) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1033, are… Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1032, Thursday 21 November: ******, EAGER, COUGH, BRASH Quordle #1031, Wednesday 20 November: MINTY, TOPAZ, BRUSH, LAPEL Quordle #1030, Tuesday 19 November: NINJA, PENCE, PAINT, FOIST Quordle #1029, Monday 18 November: ASCOT, BRINK, WEIRD, HOMER Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST Source link #Quordle #today #hints #answers #Friday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pete Hegseth meets with Senate Republicans to secure support for expected nomination as new details emerge around alleged misconduct Pete Hegseth meets with Senate Republicans to secure support for expected nomination as new details emerge around alleged misconduct Washington — Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, met with senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday as new details emerged about an alleged ******* ******** that took place in 2017. Hegseth was accompanied in his meetings by Vice President-elect JD Vance, an Ohio senator, as they seek to secure support among *********** senators for the former Fox News host’s expected nomination. Trump selected the 44-year-old Army veteran — who served in Iraq and Afghanistan — last week, citing his military experience and calling him a “Warrior for the Troops.” Ahead of the meetings, the release of a detailed police report late Wednesday drew increased attention to the defense secretary pick, building upon information unearthed about an investigation into Hegseth for an alleged ******* ******** in 2017. The report included the first detailed accounts of the incident from the unnamed woman, Hegseth and others. Hegseth denies the allegation and characterized the incident as a consensual encounter. Hegseth and Vance have met with Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Marco Rubio of Florida. Rubio was selected by Trump to serve as secretary of state but could vote on Hegseth’s nomination if he is still in the Senate should it takes place. Blackburn said she had a “great meeting” with Hegseth, noting that he is a Tennessean whom “we look forward to supporting.” Hagerty likened the allegations against Hegseth to those made against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. Kavanaugh was accused of ********* assaulting Christine Blasey Ford when he was in high school in the 1980s. He vehemently denied the claims, and none of the people who attended the gathering where the alleged incident happened could corroborate Ford’s allegations. “It’s a disgrace that those allegations are nothing but what you said, allegations that are he-said she-said,” he told reporters. “This is a case that has been dismissed. This is just dredging up something, try to smear and discredit a candidate. It reminds me of what happened to Brett Kavanaugh. It’s a disgrace.” The Monterey Police Department forwarded its report about the alleged ******** to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review back in 2017. Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said Thursday that in January 2018 her office “declined to file charges” as none were “supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the *********** conference chair, praised Hegseth as a “strong” candidate to lead the Pentagon. Barrasso will become the second highest-ranking Senate *********** in the next Congress after he was selected to serve as majority whip. “We had an excellent discussion about the need for America’s military to remain the best in the world. That means taking care of our service members, equipping them with the latest technology, and focusing on making our military the most lethal force on the planet,” he said in a statement. “Pete pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power — not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” The allegations against Hegseth were revealed last week when officials in Monterey, California, released a public statement disclosing an incident that occurred the night of Oct. 7, 2017, and into the morning of Oct. 8, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel. An incident report was filed with the Monterey Police Department five days later. That police report, which was released Wednesday to CBS News and other outlets in response to public records requests, provided more details about the incident between Hegseth and the unidentified woman. The alleged victim told police that Hegseth ********* assaulted her after a *********** women’s event at the hotel. She said he took her phone, blocked the door to a hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to the investigative report. The report said law enforcement was first notified of the alleged ******** by a nurse informing police that a patient requested a ******* ******** exam. Police also spoke with a hotel staffer and another woman who was at the event with Hegseth. The alleged victim told the nurse that she had been drinking with coworkers but thinks something may have been slipped into her drink because she could not remember many of the night’s events. She recalled being in a coworker’s hotel room, laying on either a couch or bed, and a bare-chested Hegseth hovering over her with his dog tags hanging over her face. According to the report, she said that Hegseth *********** on her stomach and then asked, “Are you OK?” The unidentified woman said her last memory was of walking into her hotel room, though she told police she did not remember how she got back to it, the report states. Hegseth also spoke with police and claimed the alleged victim led him to his room. He said the interaction was consensual and he checked multiple times to make sure the woman was comfortable with what was happening, according to the report. Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth’s lawyer, said “This police report confirms what I’ve said all along. That the incident was fully investigated and the police found the allegations to be false, which is why no charges were filed.” While no charges were filed, neither Monterey police nor city officials have publicly said the allegations were found to be false. Parlatore had told CBS News on Monday that his client paid a confidential financial settlement to a woman who accused him of ******* ******** because he was concerned Fox News would ***** him because of the allegation. In addition to the allegations against Hegseth, his selection has drawn criticism due to his lack of high-level national security experience. The Defense Department is the largest federal agency, with more than 3 million civilian and military employees and a budget of more than $800 billion. He’s also drawn criticism for his stance that women should not be in combat roles in the U.S. military. The meetings come a day after former Rep. Matt Gaetz also met with GOP senators before withdrawing his name from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said in a post on social media that it had become clear that his candidacy “was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.” Shawna Mizelle, Alan He, Grace Kazarian and Laura Garrison contributed to this report. Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #Pete #Hegseth #meets #Senate #Republicans #secure #support #expected #nomination #details #emerge #alleged #misconduct Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Democrat Bob Casey concedes to *********** David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest Democrat Bob Casey concedes to *********** David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to *********** David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “******** votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a ***** when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. ___ Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter Source link #Democrat #Bob #Casey #concedes #*********** #David #McCormick #Pennsylvania #Senate #contest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Reportedly Avoiding a Mistake Sony Made With PS5 Nintendo Reportedly Avoiding a Mistake Sony Made With PS5 It is almost confirmed that more official information about the Nintendo Switch 2 will not be available this year. The main speculation is that the company is looking to maximize profits from Switch’s holiday sales as much as possible before moving on from it. This move ensures the company will hit the market at the perfect time, as anticipation will be high. Recent rumors suggest that the company is looking to produce more units for launch. | Image Credit: Nintendo However, the recent rumors suggest that Nintendo is not only waiting for its time, but is also looking to prepare for an impressive console launch. This preparation aims to help the company avoid the issues that Sony faced during the PlayStation 5’s release: the supply shortages that left many consumers frustrated. Nintendo Learning from Sony’s PS5 Launch Fiasco The demand for the upcoming console will be high so the company is preparing with it in mind. | Image Credit: Nintendo According to recent reports from an insider on the Famiboards forum, Nintendo is ramping up its production to have significantly more Switch 2 units in hand than it had for the original Switch launch. This decision could allow the company to avoid the infamous scarcity that gripped Sony’s PS5 launch in 2020. Sony’s PS5 launch was great as the demand for the console was high, but it was so high that it ruined the launch due to massive supply shortages. Many consumers even struggle to find one and even if they find one, it is sold by scalpers who are selling the product at a very inflated price, making the experience even worse. This scarcity left a sour taste in many gamers who were very eager to upgrade to the next-generation console. By producing a larger stock ahead of time, Nintendo may be setting itself up for a smoother, more accessible release when the console finally arrives. Given the level of speculation and anticipation for the console, it’s no surprise that demand at launch will be extremely high as well. It seems like the company is looking to avoid this pitfall by ensuring that it will have a substantial supply of the new consoles ready at launch. According to a cryptic message from the rumors, the company plans to produce up to 2.5 times as many units for the U.S. market as it did for the original Switch release. Why the Switch 2’s Launch Strategy Makes Sense Players are excited about the launch of the handheld and are ready to see what innovations it will bring. | Image Credit: Nintendo While the PS5 struggled with availability on launch, the original Switch had no such issues when it first debuted in 2017. Even then, there were still moments where demand outpaced supply, and many gamers had to wait for weeks to get their hands on the console. With growing anticipation for the Switch 2, Nintendo knows that it cannot afford to repeat this mistake. With the Switch becoming one of the best-selling consoles of all time (sold over 145 million units), the demand for its successor is expected to be even higher, and the company wants to ensure it is ready to meet that demand. It’s clear that the delay in the Switch 2 launch is a strategic move to maximize profit, which is why there are very few details available about the upcoming device. While the rumors and leaks are floating around the internet at crazy speed, they show that the company is not sitting idly by but is instead using this time to produce more units for a smoother launch. In the end, with a larger stock of consoles at launch, an enhanced user experience, and leaks suggesting innovation, the Switch 2 is aiming towards a launch that could be remembered as one of the most successful in gaming history. Source link #Nintendo #Reportedly #Avoiding #Mistake #Sony #PS5 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Some older D-Link routers are vulnerable to ******* Some older D-Link routers are vulnerable to ******* Getty Images A few legacy D-Link routers can be vulnerable to Remote Code ********** (RCE) attacks since the company refuses to send any updates to patch them up, claiming they have reached end-of-life, as recently posted on its announcement page. The vulnerability is a serious issue since it allows hackers to take control from anywhere in the world and use a stack buffer overflow. This ******* sends more data than the buffer size can handle, potentially corrupting critical information like the return address. Thus, hackers can take control of your PC. However, the company did not detail how the threat works, possibly not informing the hackers too much about the issue. The lack of a fix puts users at risk since they are exposed to malware, data theft, spyware installation, DoS attacks, and more. The routers that are at risk include the following: DSR-150 DSR-150N DSR-250 DSR-250N DSR-500N DSR-1000N The company’s only solution for those affected is to get a new router, and if that’s what you’re going to do, you may as well buy one of the best routers. Unfortunately, though, four of the listed routers were discontinued this year, which is bad news considering D-Link said, “If a product has reached End of Support (“EOS”) / End of Life (“EOL”), there is normally no further extended support or development for it.” The 20% discount D-Link offers on new routers is a nice gesture, but the report says many of the listed routers are open to third-party firmware. That’s not a great solution since it voids the warranty. But let’s face it: when a device becomes obsolete, it makes sense that the company wants to forget about it and concentrate on the new models. Source link #older #DLink #routers #vulnerable #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan October inflation rate falls, BOJ rate hike still on table Japan October inflation rate falls, BOJ rate hike still on table A market in Tokyo in June 2023. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images Japan’s headline inflation rate slipped to 2.3% in October, its lowest level since January and down from the 2.5% seen in September. The core inflation rate, which excludes fresh food prices, came in at 2.3%, down from September’s 2.4%. The figure however, was slightly higher than the 2.2% expected among economists polled by Reuters. Japan’s central bank has long stated that its goal is a “virtuous cycle between wages and prices.” A weak inflation reading could therefore mean that the bank would still need to maintain an easy monetary policy stance. According to LSEG data, 55% of economists polled by Reuters as of Nov. 22 expect the BOJ to hike rates by 25 basis points at its December meeting, bringing the benchmark policy rate to 0.5%. On Nov. 18, BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said the economy is heading toward sustained wage-driven inflation, and warned against keeping borrowing costs too low, Reuters reported. The BOJ also said in its latest summary of opinions that if prices and Japan’s economy develop as it expects, the policy rate could reach 1% by the second half of its 2025 fiscal year at the earliest. This is a developing story. Check back later for updates. Source link #Japan #October #inflation #rate #falls #BOJ #rate #hike #table Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Path of Exile 2 Preview Never This Happy To Be in Exile Path of Exile 2 Preview Never This Happy To Be in Exile Path of Exile 2 refines every aspect of the original game, delivering an even richer ARPG experience with gameplay that feels intense and rewarding. Source link #Path #Exile #Preview #Happy #Exile Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, November 22 (game #264) NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, November 22 (game #264) Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Strands expert Your Strands expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief NYT Strands today (game #264) – hint #1 – today’s theme What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands? • Today’s NYT Strands theme is… This is the place! NYT Strands today (game #264) – hint #2 – clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. VINE TRIM TIME MICE BONE PHONE NYT Strands today (game #264) – hint #3 – spangram What is a hint for today’s spangram? • Just look at a map NYT Strands today (game #264) – hint #4 – spangram position What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches? First: left, 5th row Last: right, 4th row Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #264) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Strands, game #264, are… BEND MOBILE BUFFALO RIVERSIDE PHOENIX BOULDER SPANGRAM: CITYNAME My rating: ******* My score: 2 hints There are approximately 10,000 cities in the world. There are at least a few hundred in the US alone, depending on how you define a city. And the task the NYT gave us today for Strands? Name six of them. That’s all. No theme or connection between them. Nothing clever, like they’re all names that are also animals (like BUFFALO and to an extent PHOENIX) or names that are also TV shows (RIVERSIDE) or names that are geological features (BOULDER) or whatever. Just six CITYNAMEs, all of them in the US. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. I suppose the only thing that does link them is that they are all something other than just proper nouns; by that measure New York or Miami or Chicago would not work. But all the same, it’s stretching things a bit to call CITYNAME a unifying theme. That lack of a real concept behind it made it difficult to solve. I got BEND and then MOBILE first, and neither particularly screamed ‘You need to list US city names’ to me, even when taking into account the theme clue of ‘This is the place!’. Yes, I know that both are cities, and it even occured to me as a possible connection, but I dismissed it as silly. Little did I know… How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 21 November, game #263) POKER CHIMNEY BROOM FLUE HEARTH SCREEN MANTEL SPANGRAM: FIREPLACE What is NYT Strands? Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day. Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #answers #spangram #Friday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump announces Pam Bondi as new attorney general pick hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws Trump announces Pam Bondi as new attorney general pick hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws Florida’s Former Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during the annual ************* Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on February 23, 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday that his new pick for attorney general is Pam Bondi. The announcement came just hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration. “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — Not anymore,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting ******, and Making America Safe Again.” Bondi previously served as Florida’s attorney general. Source link #Trump #announces #Pam #Bondi #attorney #general #pick #hours #Matt #Gaetz #withdraws Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MythWalker takes you on a magical journey by walking IRL, out now on iOS and Android MythWalker takes you on a magical journey by walking IRL, out now on iOS and Android MythWalker is a geolocation RPG which puts classic fantasy into the real world Navigate either using IRL movement, or tap-to-move while sitting at home MythWalker is out now on iOS and Android It seems like nowadays everyone’s trying to walk. Whether that’s for health or to save on gas money and bus fare, using your legs is a trendy thing to do. So it’s no surprise that developers have been capitalising on that too, what with Niantic and their releases such as Monster Hunter Now. But if you’re looking for something new, maybe today’s subject MythWalker is more your (land)speed? Mixing real-world locations and fantasy battles, you’ll work to save both Earth and the fictional Mytherra. Play as Warriors, Spellslingers and Priests as you battle enemies, explore and navigate the world of MythWalker while taking a walk IRL! Stay healthy and have fun in this new take on the geolocation format. “But”, you might say, “I can’t, or won’t, leave the house to play this regularly, how can I still play MythWalker?” Well, fortunately, the developers have thought of that, and you can make use of Portal Energy and the Tap-to-move feature to navigate the MythWalker world from the comfort of your own home. Mix and match your real-life walks, but don’t miss out on playing on rainy days either! A timely arrival(?) I imagine that MythWalker will find quite a substantial audience. It’s difficult to find geolocation games that aren’t tied to an existing franchise, and having something based in an original universe (such as it is) will be appealing to many of you who are looking for something new, I’d wager. But at the same time, since the huge success of Pokémon Go it seems many games utilising AR and geolocation have struggled to achieve the same success. Does that mean MythWalker is going to fall apart? Not necessarily, but I’m not sure it’ll rise to the same prominence. But then again what could in today’s world? Source link #MythWalker #takes #magical #journey #walking #IRL #iOS #Android Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia warns gamers of an incoming GPU shortage Nvidia warns gamers of an incoming GPU shortage Get ready for yet another GPU shortage, as Nvidia has warned about potential shortages in the current quarter. Although the company’s third-quarter revenue saw a healthy growth, in its recent earnings call, company Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said that the fourth-quarter revenue is expected to decline sequentially due to supply constraints. The anticipated GPU shortage could potentially stem from a strategic shift in production to prepare for the next-generation RTX 50-series “Blackwell” GPUs, slated for release in 2025. This supply transition, coupled with surging gaming and professional use-case demand, seems to have left the company in a tight spot. Nvidia acknowledged its struggle to maintain stock for both gamers and enterprise customers, emphasizing its ongoing efforts to expand manufacturing capacity. For gamers, this warning means longer wait times and potential price surges for Nvidia’s GPUs during the holiday season. Retailers may face limited inventory of RTX 40-series models, especially premium cards like the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090. This challenge arrives as gamers increasingly seek powerful hardware for 4K gaming and emerging AI-enhanced features, making GPU availability crucial. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming Nvidia ******** optimistic about a recovery though, projecting improved supply by early 2025 as production ramps up. Analysts note that the company’s dual strategy — balancing gaming and enterprise segments — has proven profitable but may exacerbate short-term shortages. Additionally, the ramp-up to the RTX 50-series could generate renewed interest among gamers, potentially easing pressure on older product lines. Despite these challenges, Nvidia continues to solidify its leadership in both gaming and AI markets. The company’s GPUs remain a cornerstone of the gaming ecosystem and the driving force behind advancements in generative AI technologies. However, gamers should brace for a challenging quarter in obtaining sought-after GPUs until supply levels stabilize. On the positive side, Nvidia’s third-quarter revenue surged 94% year-over-year to $35 billion, with net income rising 109% to $19.3 billion. The data center segment drove this growth, contributing $30.7 billion (87.7% of total revenue), fueled by strong demand for H100/H200 and upcoming Blackwell GPUs. Source link #Nvidia #warns #gamers #incoming #GPU #shortage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump education secretary pick Linda McMahon named in recent WWE child **** ****** lawsuit Trump education secretary pick Linda McMahon named in recent WWE child **** ****** lawsuit A lawsuit filed in October accused former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, of turning a ****** eye to child ******* ****** by a former ringside announcer at the wrestling company. The suit claims McMahon, her husband Vince and others at the WWE were aware of misconduct by Melvin Phillips — and negligent in failing to prevent it. The lawsuit alleges Phillips for years hired — and later assaulted — “ring boys” as young as 13. Phillips ***** in 2012, and the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of five unnamed men, targets the McMahons and the WWE under a new change in Maryland law that eliminates the state’s statute of limitations for claims of child **** ******. Phillips was a fixture in the WWE. The plaintiffs claim Phillips assaulted boys in arena facilities, such as dressing and locker rooms, as well as hotels. An attorney for Linda McMahon said the Cabinet nominee “will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit and without doubt ultimately succeed.” “This civil lawsuit based upon thirty-plus year-old allegations is filled with scurrilous *****, exaggerations, and misrepresentations regarding Linda McMahon,” said the attorney, Laura Brevetti. “The matter at the time was investigated by company attorneys and the FBI, which found no grounds to continue the investigation.” The lawsuit acknowledges that the FBI investigated in 1993. No charges were filed. The lawsuit cites a 1992 New York Post report, and later a sworn deposition by the report, saying Vince McMahon acknowledged at one point ******* Phillips because of his “relationship with kids seemed peculiar, and unnatural,” but weeks later Vince and Linda McMahon decided to rehire him. Vince McMahon resigned in January from WWE’s parent company after a former employee claimed in a separate lawsuit that he forced her into a ******* relationship and offered **** with her to an unnamed WWE performer. In a statement to CBS News the day of his resignation, Vince McMahon said he left “out of respect for the WWE,” but called that lawsuit, “replete with *****, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth.” An attorney for Vince McMahon, and spokespeople for the incoming Trump administration and the WWE did not immediately return requests for comment. Linda McMahon served in the first Trump administration as administrator of the Small Business Administration. Trump announced on Tuesday that she will be his nominee for Education Secretary. McMahon spent just more than a year as a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education, in 2009 and 2010. Graham Kates Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering ********* justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at *****@*****.tld or *****@*****.tld Source link #Trump #education #secretary #pick #Linda #McMahon #named #WWE #child #**** #****** #lawsuit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kayaker who faked own ****** thought to have fled to Europe Kayaker who faked own ****** thought to have fled to Europe US police have appealed for a missing man to come back home for Christmas with his family. Ryan Borgwardt went missing from Wisconsin in August, prompting a search for him. But he has since sent a video suggesting he is alive in November. He did not say where he was but police think he is in eastern Europe. Source link #Kayaker #faked #****** #thought #fled #Europe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The New York Times says OpenAI deleted evidence in its copyright lawsuit The New York Times says OpenAI deleted evidence in its copyright lawsuit Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking told Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver a chilling but memorable hypothetical story a decade ago about the potential dangers of AI. The gist is a group of scientists build a superintelligent computer and ask it, “Is there a ****?” The computer answers, “There is now” and a bolt of lightning zaps the plug preventing it from being shut down. Let’s hope that’s not what happened with OpenAI and some missing evidence from the New York Times’ plagiarism lawsuit. Wired reported that a court declaration filed by the New York Times on Wednesday says that OpenAI’s engineers accidentally erased evidence of the AI’s training data that took a long time to research and compile. OpenAI recovered some of the data but “the original file names and folder structure” that show when the AI copied its articles into its models are still missing. OpenAI spokesperson Jason Deutrom disagreed with the NYT’s claims and says the company “will file our response soon.” The Times has been battling Microsoft and OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement with its AI models since December of last year. The lawsuit is still in its discovery phase when evidence is requested and delivered by both sides to build its case for trial. OpenAI had to turn over its training data to the Times but hasn’t publicly revealed the exact information it used to build the AI modes. Instead, OpenAI created a “sandbox” of two virtual machines so the NYT’s legal team could conduct its research. The NYT’s legal team spent more than 150 hours sifting through the data on one of the machines before the data was deleted. OpenAI acknowledged the deletion but the company’s legal team called it a “glitch.” Although OpenAI engineers tried to correct the mistake, the restored data was missing the NYT’s work. This led the NYT to essentially recreate everything from scratch. The NYT’s lawyers said they had no reason to believe the deletion was intentional. Source link #York #Times #OpenAI #deleted #evidence #copyright #lawsuit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ChatGPT’s latest model may be a regression in performance ChatGPT’s latest model may be a regression in performance According to a new report from Artificial Analysis, OpenAI’s flagship large language model for ChatGPT, GPT-4o, has significantly regressed in recent weeks, putting the state-of-the-art model’s performance on par with the far smaller, and notably less capable, GPT-4o-mini model. This analysis comes less than 24 hours after the company announced an upgrade for the GPT-4o model. “The model’s creative writing ability has leveled up–more natural, engaging, and tailored writing to improve relevance & readability,” OpenAI wrote on X. “It’s also better at working with uploaded files, providing deeper insights & more thorough responses.” Whether those claims continue to hold up is now being cast in doubt. “We have completed running our independent evals on OpenAI’s GPT-4o release yesterday and are consistently measuring materially lower eval scores than the August release of GPT-4o,” the Artificial Analysis announced via an X post on Thursday, noting that the model’s Artificial Analysis Quality Index decreased from 77 to 71 (and is now equal to that of GPT-4o mini). What’s more, GPT-4o’s performance on the GPQA Diamond benchmark decreased from 51% to 39% while its MATH benchmarks decreased from 78% to 69%. Simultaneously, the researchers discovered more than a doubling in the speed increase of the model’s responses, accelerating from around 80 output tokens per second to roughly 180 tokens/s. “We have generally observed significantly faster speeds on launch day for OpenAI models (likely due to OpenAI provisioning capacity ahead of adoption), but previously have not seen a 2x speed difference,” the researchers wrote. Wait – is the new GPT-4o a smaller and less intelligent model? We have completed running our independent evals on OpenAI’s GPT-4o release yesterday and are consistently measuring materially lower eval scores than the August release of GPT-4o. GPT-4o (Nov) vs GPT-4o (Aug): ➤… pic.twitter.com/gjY2pBFuUv — Artificial Analysis (@ArtificialAnlys) November 21, 2024 “Based on this data, we conclude that it is likely that OpenAI’s Nov 20th GPT-4o model is a smaller model than the August release,” they continued. “Given that OpenAI has not cut prices for the Nov 20th version, we recommend that developers do not shift workloads away from the August version without careful testing.” GPT-4o was first released in May 2024 to surpass the existing GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models. GPT-4o offers state-of-the-art benchmark results in voice, multilingual, and vision tasks, according to OpenAI, making it ideal for advanced applications like real-time translation and conversational AI. Source link #ChatGPTs #latest #model #regression #performance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump selects Pam Bondi for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws Trump selects Pam Bondi for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws Senators on Gaetz exit, Hegseth allegations Senators react to Gaetz withdrawal and Hegseth allegations 06:48 After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration for attorney general, President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that he was selecting Pam Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, as his replacement. “I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the ******* States,” Trump said in a statement, adding that she was “smart and tough” and “will do a terrific job.” This is a developing story and will be updated. Faris Tanyos Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast. Source link #Trump #selects #Pam #Bondi #attorney #general #Matt #Gaetz #withdraws Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ICC warrant for Netanyahu and ‘lawyer ***** from methanol’ ICC warrant for Netanyahu and ‘lawyer ***** from methanol’ The Guardian leads with the news that judges at the International ********* Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for ******** Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as well as the military commander of ******, Mohammed Deif. The warrants have been issued for alleged war *******. The paper also has a large photo of ‘titan of the Labour movement’ John Prescott, who has ***** aged 86. The Times also leads on the ICC arrest warrants, pointing out that the ******** PM faces arrest if he enters the ***. It also has a photo of Vladimir ******, who has warned that he could target the *** in direct response to Ukraine’s use of British-made missiles. The FT leads with the ICC arrest warrants. It also has a story on Matt Gaetz withdrawing his name from consideration to become US attorney general. The Telegraph says that Sir Keir Starmer “supports the arrest” of ******** PM Benjamin Netanyahu after the *** PM’s spokesman said: “We respect the independence of the ICC.” It also has a story on how disability benefit claims will rise by 250,000 a year until the end of the decade, according to official forecasts. The Mirror has the headline “you are in the war” after Vladimir ****** warned that *** targets could face missile strikes. The paper also has a tribute to John Prescott, calling him a “Labour giant” and “proud working man”. The i leads with Foreign Secretary David Lammy saying the *** and France “will relentlessly ****** this campaign of Putinisation”. Writing in the paper, Lammy says Russia’s war in Ukraine is a risk to the world, not just Europe. The Metro leads with the ****** of British lawyer Simone White, who has become the fifth person to **** after drinking alcohol allegedly containing methanol in Laos. The Mail says that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is to revive plans for a “boiler tax” in a bid to meet Labour’s “eye-watering” climate change targets. The Express reports that the government is to commit £536m to “foreign farmers” while it is “destroying” British farms. No 10 has already committed £5bn to farmers in the *** over the next two years. It comes after thousands of farmers protested in London this week against changes to inheritance tax rules announced in the latest budget. The Sun has a story about non-****** hate incidents reported to police. It says a “rough” haircut was logged as a “hate” incident as well as a woman being likened to a rottweiler. And the Daily Star says Storm Bert will “unleash *****” across the *** this weekend with snow and 70mph winds. Source link #ICC #warrant #Netanyahu #lawyer #***** #methanol Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]