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Split Fiction Very Neatly Hides a Dark Souls Reference but Does It Way Better Than Astro Bot Ever Could Split Fiction Very Neatly Hides a Dark Souls Reference but Does It Way Better Than Astro Bot Ever Could Gamers like nothing more than seeing subtle references to their favorite video game franchises in another title. And while Astro Bot did it with some half-measures, the recently released Split Fiction is where everything goes right for easter egg hunters, especially for those who always have a keen eye out for Dark Souls references. Split Fiction has a lot of easter eggs | Hazelight Studios Hidetaka Miyazaki’s franchises have always been iconic, pioneering and innovating many mechanics that go on to change the gaming world forever. This is exactly the reason why many games, including Split Fiction, make it feel fair to include at least one tribute to the director’s works. Split Fiction and its awesome Dark Souls easter egg Split Fiction has a Dark Souls bonfire easter egg | FromSoftware At first glance, Split Fiction and Dark Souls couldn’t be further apart. While the latter, meticulously crafted to great detail by Hidetaka Miyazaki’s own hands, is set in a gothic world filled with the most nightmarish bosses, the recent game on the other hand is a sci-fi co-op game meant to be played and enjoyed with a friend. However, being different does not stop Split Fiction from including some pretty amazing secrets subtly hidden in the game. As highlighted in this Instagram post, players can light a bonfire with a sword going right through in the middle, symbolizing the iconic Dark Souls bonfire. The bonfire is something that has been included in many other games as well. Take another legendary director, Todd Howard’s Fallout 4 as an example, which has the same bonfire with a sword going right through it to pay his tribute to Miyazaki as another great director that has helped shape the industry. How Split Fiction does it differently than Sony’s Astro Bot: And why it’s better Split Fiction does references to other games better than Astro Bot | Team ASOBI Released last year, Astro Bot became PlayStation’s own unofficial mascot after blowing up. The platformer game, which straight included most of Sony’s major franchises themes as levels and costumes, managed to win millions of hearts over time, even winning the Game of the Year title. However, could it really qualify to be the game with the best references ever? Putting some thought into it, there were no subtle elements in the game referring to other franchises, which is the thing that excites gamers the most, and something that Split Fiction has managed to nail perfectly. Not only does it have the perfect homage to Dark Souls, but it also contains tributes to other popular franchises as well. These include the Assassin’s Creed franchise, It Takes Two, A Way Out, and more. All of these tributes are well hidden in the game, yet remain simple enough to be understood in the first glance by the players, making all of them an exciting discovery, a joy that Sony’s Astro Bot was never able to offer. Source link #Split #Fiction #Neatly #Hides #Dark #Souls #Reference #Astro #Bot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Facebook Marketplace is keeping young people on the platform How Facebook Marketplace is keeping young people on the platform Meta‘s Facebook’s influence remains strong globally, but younger users are logging in less. Only 32% of U.S. teens use Facebook today, down from 71% in 2014, according to a 2024 Pew Research study. However, Facebook’s resale platform Marketplace is one reason young people are on the platform. “I only use Facebook for Marketplace,” said Mirka Arevalo, a student at Buffalo University. “I go in knowing what I want, not just casually browsing.” Launched in 2016, Facebook Marketplace has grown into one of Meta’s biggest success stories. With 1.1 billion users across 70 countries, it competes with eBay and Craigslist, according to BusinessDasher. “Marketplace is the flea market of the internet,” said Charles Lindsay, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Buffalo. “There’s a massive amount of consumer-to-consumer business.” Unlike eBay or Etsy, Marketplace doesn’t charge listing fees, and local pickups help avoid shipping costs, according to Facebook’s Help Center. “Sellers love that Marketplace has no fees,” said Jasmine Enberg, VP and Principal Analyst at eMarketer. “Introducing fees could push users elsewhere.” Marketplace also taps into the booming resale market, projected to hit $350 billion by 2027, according to ThredUp. “Younger buyers are drawn to affordability and sustainability,” said Yoo-Kyoung Seock, a professor at the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. “Marketplace offers both.” A key advantage is trust; users’ Facebook profiles make transactions feel safer than on anonymous platforms like Craigslist, according to Seock. In January 2025, eBay partnered with Facebook Marketplace, allowing select eBay listings to appear on Marketplace in the U.S., Germany, and France. Analysts project this will drive an additional $1.6 billion in sales for eBay by the end of 2025, according to Wells Fargo. “This partnership boosts the number of buyers and sellers,” said Enberg. “It could also solve some of Marketplace’s trust issues.” While Facebook doesn’t charge listing fees, it does take a 10% cut of sales made through its shipping service, according to Facebook’s Help Center. Marketplace isn’t a major direct revenue source, but it keeps users engaged. “It’s one of the least monetized parts of Facebook,” said Enberg. “But it brings in engagement, which advertisers value.” Meta relies on ads for over 97% of its $164.5 billion revenue in 2024. “Marketplace helps Meta prove younger users still log in,” said Enberg. “Even if they’re buying and selling instead of scrolling.” By keeping users engaged, Marketplace plays a key role in Facebook’s long-term strategy, ensuring the platform remains relevant in a changing digital landscape. Watch the video to learn more. Source link #Facebook #Marketplace #keeping #young #people #platform Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Samsung G6 OLED gaming monitor is $200 off for a limited time The Samsung G6 OLED gaming monitor is $200 off for a limited time To maximize your investment in gaming PC deals, you’re going to have to purchase a proper display. Fortunately, there are some amazing offers that are available online right now, and one of them is this $200 discount from Samsung for the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor. From its original price of $900, it’s down to $700 — but only for a limited time. This deal will end when the Discover Samsung Spring ***** ends. These Samsung G-line monitors seem to be having a fire ***** right now. If this G6 doesn’t scratch your itch, check out these deals on the Samsung G7 and Samsung G8. Why you should buy the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor Samsung is a mainstay in our list of the best gaming monitors, and you’ll see why that’s the case with the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor. Launched less than a year ago, the display is designed to meet the needs of even the most hardcore gamers. Its 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time greatly exceed the recommendations in our computer monitor buying guide, and they make gameplay extremely smooth and lag-free. The screen uses QD-OLED technology, which supports more than 1 billion colors and HDR10+ for lifelike visuals, and with 1440p resolution, you’ll feel like you’re in the worlds that are created by the best PC games. The 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor comes with two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 for versatility in connecting to your gaming PC, while Core Lighting+ technology provides ambient RGB lighting to match your mood. The display also features a pulsating heat pipe to prevent burn-ins, a dynamic cooling system that prevents overheating, and a thermal modulation system that controls brightness to manage temperatures. The monitor deals that are worth buying for gamers don’t come cheap, but you can score huge savings if you know where to look. Samsung itself is an excellent source for discounts, and it’s currently selling the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor for $700 instead of its sticker price of $900. The $200 in savings are expected to run through the current Discover Samsung Spring *****, so it won’t stick around forever. Source link #Samsung #OLED #gaming #monitor #limited #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Meet-cutes, boys’ bedrooms and buff bodies: meet the people behind TikTok’s viral vox pop accounts | Life and style Meet-cutes, boys’ bedrooms and buff bodies: meet the people behind TikTok’s viral vox pop accounts | Life and style ‘Boy, will you show me your room?’ Rachel Coster, @boyroomshow TikTok followers: 232,400 Instagram followers: 71,400 Rachel Coster (pictured above) loves boys. “They’re fun,” she says. “I love to date them, befriend them, and see how they decorate their bedrooms. Women, I think, from childhood are taught how to keep a home. It’s less ingrained in the culture of raising young men, so a lot of them are misguided when it comes to domesticity.” New York-based Coster, 28, is a comedian with a background in film production. During the Sag-Aftra film and television actors’ strike in Hollywood, jobs were few and far between. “I sent a few one-sentence ideas to a new social media production company for short-form digital shows,” she says. “Boy Room was one of my pitches: Boy, will you show me your room?” A proof-of-concept was shot at a friend’s house. “He told me a girl had been over the previous night, refusing to stay because of the mess, then asked what he should do to change his room.” On camera, Coster surveyed the scene. “Throw out the garbage, put your clothes in a dresser, and put sheets on your bed. He nodded along, gratefully.” At first, she didn’t tell participants that her focus was untidy rooms. “But turns out these boys don’t feel shame about their messiness,” she says. “It made no difference if we told them. Some boys, it transpires, are proud of their mess. Others do start to reflect on their choices in an outsider’s presence: you’re right, why do I have a 30-month-old boiled egg on my bedside table?” There are plenty of messy-home TV formats, but Coster’s tone is different: non‑judgmental. She has shot at least 40 episodes now, and themes are emerging. “A lot of boys have no idea what’s in their room: a housemate left that; an ex-girlfriend this. Lots of garbage. They often lack ownership of their space. And there’s a lack of concern for their cleanliness and comfort. Like, why do you want to sleep on a yellowing pillow, a stained, broken mattress and a disgusting quilt? It’s so easily fixable.” The intimacy of the format is what makes it endearing. “In the same way we like to watch Architectural Digest on YouTube to see how the rich and famous live, it’s also nice to see how normals do.” It’s this, she believes, alongside some of the muckier moments captured (“Think extremely yeasty smells or baked-in ********** stench – one boy had maybe 7,000 vapes in a drawer and behind his bed”) that keep viewers coming back. “Nothing gets more comments,” she says, “than a handsome boy living in total squalor.” ‘How did you two meet?’ Jeremy Bernstein, Aaron Feinberg and Victor Lee (below, from left), @meetcutesnyc TikTok followers: 1.8 million Instagram followers: 2.9 million ‘Early on, we were only looking for the best meet-cute stories.’ Photograph: Chris Buck/The Guardian Two years ago, friends Aaron Feinberg, Jeremy Bernstein and Victor Lee weren’t even on TikTok. Now, it’s an occupation for the three 30-year-old New Yorkers. Feinberg handles partnerships and collaborations; Lee oversees editing and posting; Bernstein is the voice, politely accosting random couples on the street, and probing into their relationships. It was Lee’s baby, initially. He was working in his family clothes manufacturing business. “The first question you ask a couple,” he says, “is where did you guys meet? Maybe it could be something … ” He floated the idea of asking strangers on camera past Feinberg. “I thought it was fun,” says Feinberg. “We didn’t realise what it could become, but I knew we had the perfect person to ask the questions in Jeremy, who wouldn’t be afraid to stop people – and he won the most distinguished voice award at high school.” Bernstein wasn’t interested at first. “I was selling renewable energy on the street, so, yes, I was always approaching strangers. But when Aaron suggested we do this, I took quite a lot of convincing.” However, interviewees were receptive to the concept from the get‑go, says Bernstein, “although we had to learn about the physicality. How to approach someone in a non-threatening way is key,” he says. “Firstly, it’s body language – making yourself small and smiley. Then, get to the ‘Are you two a couple? How did you meet?’ questions immediately. Once people hear that, they relax.” They have heard some remarkable stories: high‑school sweethearts, chance encounters, arranged marriages. “My favourite,” says Lee, “is the one we titled Tunnel Vision.” In it an older gentleman who was a train supervisor at Grand Central station explains how he met his wife, 30 years ago. For days, he kept moving trains on to the platform he worked nearest to, to try to find a beautiful woman he had noticed getting out of a carriage. She grins, standing next to him, as he tells the story, and says: “I had no idea!” It’s no wonder people love it. The group have started working on a book, and begun franchising. “We’ve just opened a MeetCutes London account,” says Feinberg – a British friend goes out to record, “and we’re interviewing to hire people in Paris and Madrid. We’re off camera, so we can recreate it globally.” To date, the lads have interviewed maybe 7,000 couples, but only post a small fraction. “Early on, we were only looking for the best meet-cute stories,” says Bernstein. “Now we’re also asking about the relationship: what’s your favourite thing about your partner? What advice do you have for a new couple?” They have each used these lessons in their own love lives. “My favourite piece of advice, which I’ve taken into my relationship, is ‘Never stop dating’,” says Lee. “I’ve been with my fiancee for six years. It’s so easy to fall into a routine and be lazy.” “As someone looking for a relationship while asking all these couples questions,” says Bernstein, “my main takeaway is that there’s no one way to do it. People have such different types of romantic relationships.” ‘What’s your dream?’ Simon Squibb, @simonsquibb TikTok followers: 6.1 million Instagram followers: 3 million ‘I wanted to make my son proud – not just sit around and play golf.’ Photograph: Simon Squibb For Simon Squibb, 49, perfecting the question was key. “A dream is both something we’re never really asked, but also feels safe to admit,” he says. “Much ******* than an objective that’s fleeting, or a resolution that comes and goes. Ask someone their dream, and you get to the heart of what they want from life.” This is exactly what he does when approaching strangers on the street. “I’m an entrepreneur, and investor in startups,” he says. “I offer free business knowledge, support people’s dreams, and promote them on my channel.” In essence, he’s an iPhone-wielding, street-scouring, one-man Dragons’ Den. Squibb, who lives in Sussex, started his first business aged 15. “I had no choice, having been made homeless when I fell out with my mum.” His dad had recently died. “I couldn’t get a job, so I started my own gardening company. I asked someone who knew I was struggling for help. They were selling courses, and offered to support me – for a fee. I couldn’t afford to pay. I vowed one day, if I could afford to help people for free, I would.” In 2015, Squibb sold his business – a Hong Kong-based creative and digital agency – to PricewaterhouseCoopers. “I made life-changing money. I wouldn’t need to work again. I took two years off. My wife and I had a baby. But I wanted to make my son proud, I realised – not just sit around and play golf.” He thought back to his hustling teenage self. “I knew so little about business. School hadn’t equipped me for it at all. I wanted to help educate others, and TikTok is where young people were.” No doubt his advice is gratefully received. He has also invested in 79 businesses to date. Most significant, though, is the exposure a chance encounter with Squibb and his camera brings: millions of followers; 315m monthly views. “Lots of people still think you shouldn’t film kind gestures,” says Squibb, “that I should offer my advice privately, else it’s tainted. That’s stupid; part of the help I can offer is eyeballs. Why not use social media for social good? “Not long ago, someone’s reply to me was, ‘I want to travel and take pictures’.” Squibb had a think. “How do we get there? Not, I said, saving money and planning. Let’s get you a sponsor. That video clocked 112m views. lastminute.com offered to sponsor her – now she’s travelling the world, filling their social media feeds.” There was a woman in Lewes, getting off the bus. “She said her dream was to be a fashion blogger and designer. Twenty-four hours later, she had 300,000+ followers. Done. The rest is up to her. “My whole life is built around this concept: whatever I want to achieve, put a business model behind it. Teach people the basics, and any dream is possible.” Simon Squibb’s book What’s Your Dream?, published by Century, is out now ‘What do you do for your workout?’ Mark Langowski, @bodybymark TikTok followers: 527,200 Instagram followers: 1.5 million ‘Of course fitness trainers have the perfect workout. But what about real people?’ Photograph: Chris Buck/The Guardian The approach, for Mark Langowski, 44, who lives in New York, still feels a little icky. His street-interview format relies on the camera rolling before the first question is asked – initially filming someone without their consent. “I try to get them walking towards me,” he says, “so I’m looking two blocks ahead. Then I have a split second to scan them and decide if they look fit. I don’t love that.” After making a judgment on their physique, he’ll ask: “What do you do for your workout?” The shtick is simple, but the results are compelling: revealing the dedication of the majorly muscled, uber‑athletic and, often, shirtless. The scale of the challenge varies seasonally. “In summer and springtime New York, it’s obviously easier to spot someone fit: tank tops, vests and workout gear; lots of skin on show,” he says. “Winter and fall are harder. It’s why I travel to Miami or Los Angeles at that time of year.” He has been in the fitness business for 20 years, and started TikTok‑ing 18 months ago. “I’m a personal trainer by trade. I already had the Instagram account of a traditional fitness influencer: me and my clients working out; showing my abs off,” he says. “I got bored with it. Sick of the narcissism. I knew I needed a presence for my business, to keep myself relevant. But how to without making it all about me?” Then, inspiration. “I was in an exercise class, and saw this woman in the most spectacular shape. I wondered what she was doing? It couldn’t just be this class.” He went out the next day to film on the streets of New York. “I’m an introvert; I’d never approach a stranger. I was so self-conscious and nervous, holding the camera down by my waist.” After a few weeks, people started to know about the videos. “It made things easier – if someone was into fitness, the algorithm was probably already showing them my stuff. And people were keen to talk. Now, my videos have been seen more than 1bn times.” skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Occasionally, he’s still thrown by interviewee responses, like “when I was interviewing a stripper at a nightclub who had been shot in the leg by his dad and said he never goes to the gym and hasn’t been since high school, and yet he had a six-pack”. He’s confident his films have real value for people who watch. “Everyone knows what fitness trainers or influencers do to work out,” he says, “they tell you every day. It’s tedious – of course they have the perfect breakfast, perfect workout, perfect everything. It’s their day job. But what about real people? I’m asking the construction worker, the stay-at-home mum of three, the doctor or shop assistant.” Langowski has learned plenty himself. “You start to see patterns: lift heavy weights, don’t run too much, eat healthy, sleep a lot and don’t drink much alcohol. I’m surprised at how little cardio very fit-looking people do.” ‘How much do you pay for rent?’ Caleb Simpson, @calebwsimpson TikTok followers: 8.5 million Instagram followers: 2.5 million ‘At first, 100 New Yorkers told me to eff off. Then one guy in Brooklyn showed me his apartment. It went viral.’ Photograph: Chris Buck/The Guardian “Everyone is low-key a snoop, when it comes to homes,” says Caleb Simpson, 33. “We all want to poke around places.” Simpson grew up in Morganton, North Carolina, “in a small house with eight siblings, very humble beginnings – a food-stamps-and-white-rice sort of life”. He moved to New York in 2015, and soon started to make a living doing social media for startups. “I was also always trying to do my own thing,” he says, “making videos on YouTube and Instagram.” Simpson had spent years wandering the streets of New York, looking up at buildings, imagining what was within. “I had this lightbulb moment: just ask to look inside. Now most people know me as the ‘apartment tour guy’ – the dude who asks the questions: how much do you pay for rent? Can I see?” He has done about 300 apartment tours in New York. “Globally, it’s more like 500 now: Paris, London, Hong Kong. All major US cities. “It began with being shown a bunch of middle fingers on the streets of Manhattan,” he says. “New Yorkers are straight up – they told me to eff off.” How many times? “Maybe 100. It was deflating.” Then, a yes. “A guy in Brooklyn showed me around his apartment. It went viral.” It hasn’t stopped since. Simpson’s selections are dictated by his own sense of curiosity. “There are lots of identical, cookie-cutter flats in New York, housing finance guys.” He no longer steps foot inside them. “I’m not interested. Instead, it’s places where I think: I want to see what that looks like. A strange building, low-income housing, rent-controlled places, someone who pays $70,000 a month.” He still roams the street looking for volunteers, but with 11 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, there is no shortage of doors opening these days; sometimes prearranged. What has he learned from the endless property perusal? “All New York renters think they’re getting a deal, but, really, everybody is getting ripped off,” says Simpson. “And beauty really lies in the eyes of the beholder. Sometimes, I film small apartments, and people comment saying it’s depressing, but the people who live there are thrilled.” This is why, he’s certain, it’s not just beautiful Brownstone-owning Brooklynites who let him in. “People are proud of what they have,” he says, “on whatever scale, and they want to show the world. Price isn’t the only determiner of worth or value: how they decorate, how they live in the architecture, how they found a place. And there’s the 15 minutes of fame that comes with letting me in.” ‘What do you do for a living?’ Daniel Mac, @itsdanielmac TikTok followers: 14.2 million Instagram followers: 2.8 million ‘It was tough at the beginning – I’m shy by nature. Money was the motivator. I wanted to know how to get rich.’ Photograph: ******/Shutterstock “When I started,” says Los Angeles-based Daniel MacDonald, 27, known online as Daniel Mac, “I’d just moved to Dallas, Texas, from a small-ish town in Arizona where there weren’t any Lamborghinis. I’d never seen supercars – and was curious. How did the driver afford it? What could I, fresh out of college, do to get one?” Unabashed, he began walking up to their tinted windows to ask: “What do you do for a living?” His first video clocked up 40m views. “When I posted it, I thought there was a glitch in the app and the numbers were wrong, but within a week I’d gained a million followers on TikTok.” This quadrupled in a matter of months – all during Covid. “People were bored and needed cash,” he says. “They wanted to get rich, and to find out how.” Sometimes, answers are unexpected. He has stopped former stockbroker Jordan Belfort, rapper Wiz Khalifa and Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok. Mostly, though, the responses are fairly formulaic. “The golden rule to getting rich, it transpires, is to invest, and buy real estate. Otherwise, common jobs are finance, healthcare, computer science and tech. Plus some trades, like plumbing and electricians … Accumulating wealth isn’t that sexy, it transpires.” How does he earn his living? “My revenue is split into three buckets: roughly 40% from ad revenue paid out primarily by Facebook and Snapchat, then some from YouTube and TikTok.” That’s his commission from the advertising that the platforms sell. “Another 40% or so comes from brand partnerships.” That’s the sponsored content. “Instagram brings in the most from this, then TikTok. And the last section comes from other miscellaneous things like speaking gigs.” Raised in Tucson, MacDonald had just graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Arizona when he started his TikTok. Initially, he was reluctant to be in front of the camera. “It was tough at the beginning,” he says. “I’m shy by nature, and wasn’t used to negativity and criticism, or people being mean to me online. Money was the motivator to continue. I wanted to know how to get rich.” It worked. In 2023, he bought his dream car: a $100,000 Porsche GT4. There’s a candidness to interviewees, he reckons, when they’re filmed on an iPhone camera, with no chunky kit or team of producers. “I’ve gotten people into hot water. One of the high-ups at Apple left the company after they made a lewd joke in a video of mine. People say stuff they regret.” Certainly, a strata of the super-wealthy would be reluctant to publicly parade their wealth. But MacDonald preys on those in flashy cars – the shy, modest and secretive types don’t tend to drive Bugattis. “It’s very American, for sure,” he says. “I’ve tried filming in several other countries where people don’t show off so much; they aren’t as flashy. In London, people were far more reluctant to talk about money.” ‘Why are you a fan?’ Morfo Peyiazis, @morfopeyiazis TikTok followers: 47,800 Instagram followers: 15,600 ‘Football fans are either portrayed as mindless, violent hooligans or as sugar-coated and family-friendly. Nothing captured the true, unfiltered chaos somewhere in between.’ Photograph: Robin Lee / robin.p.lee London-based Morfo Peyiazis, 30, took a clinical approach to viral success. She worked in marketing before starting out as a professional poster. “I was pitching video ideas to brands,” she says, “particularly football clients. I wanted to do interviews embedded with fans, and got fed up with being told, ‘No, it’s too risky.’” During Euro 2020, she spotted a chance. “***** it,” she thought, “I’ll make my own fan-focused series. Football fans are either portrayed as mindless, violent hooligans on the news, or, by their clubs, as sugar-coated and family-friendly. Nothing captured the true, unfiltered chaos somewhere in between.” Getting in among it suited her personality. “I get it from my dad,” she reckons, “a crazy Cypriot man. Growing up he had so much energy, and so much empathy with people.” Peyiazis saw TikTok as a way in to a more traditional telly career. “In essence, I used it to create a public portfolio: a place to make your own pilots, and prove that your ideas are popular. My ambition over the next five years is to build a media brand, and I want to be future-proof.” Whether or not that’s possible on TikTok, she’s still unsure. “The turnaround is so crazy. I couldn’t tell you the last five videos I watched. It’s instant: bam-bam-bam. How to create long-term impact is challenging.” She has landed gigs with Channel 4 and Sky Sports. There’s a natural warmth to her presenting style: playful, inquisitive, genuine interest in what her interviewees are saying. “I don’t like being on the periphery; I’m there to soak up the experience they’re having.” It’s this attitude that explains Peyiazis’s on-screen appeal, entirely unfazed by whatever she’s confronted with: hordes of screaming Celtic and Rangers fans at the high-octane “old firm” derby; young men playing up to the camera once microphones are pointed in their direction. “Among some of the supposedly most dangerous rivalries in the world, I feel entirely safe. Having no fear, and getting stuck in. You’ve got to be able to hold your own – and I can.” Source link #Meetcutes #boys #bedrooms #buff #bodies #meet #people #TikToks #viral #vox #pop #accounts #Life #style Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

WA election 2025 result: Roger Cook gives victory speech at Labor HQ in Kwinana after ‘humbling’ win WA election 2025 result: Roger Cook gives victory speech at Labor HQ in Kwinana after ‘humbling’ win Roger Cook has given his victory speech after leading Labor to an historic third term of government, in emphatic style, backed by the people of WA to be Premier for the next four years. Source link #election #result #Roger #Cook #victory #speech #Labor #Kwinana #humbling #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Atomfall will let you kill every character you meet Atomfall will let you kill every character you meet Rebellion’s upcoming survival RPG, Atomfall, will feature serious consequences for reckless players. In an interview with Digital Trends, Rebellion confirmed that players will be able to kill every NPC they meet. Atomfall is a single-player nuclear RPG in the vein of Fallout 4 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 set in a fictional version of the U.K. ravaged by the Windscale fire. As you might expect from a game set in such a brutal world, death is a big part of the story — and players can choose to be stone cold killers, if they desire. “You can kill absolutely everyone. You can kill no one,” Rebellion Head of Design Ben Fisher told Digital Trends during an interview at an Atomfall preview event in London. “It’s entirely up to you. There are characters that offer you ways out of the quarantine zone if you do a job for them. It’s up to you to decide who to trust.” Please enable Javascript to view this content I played over an hour of Atomfall at this preview event and confirmed that Fisher’s comment was truthful. Even when I was speaking to an NPC that seemed extremely important to the major narrative beats, like the Captain of Atomfall’s militaristic faction, the “takedown” option appeared as I stood near them. The only time I ever used it was to kill a baker who was withholding information from me, but I later learned that there was a less violent way to complete that storyline. In general, NPCs are very reactive to the player’s actions. Some will ask you to step back before attacking you and won’t start attacking if you listen to them. The guards in a village will get mad at you if you brandish a gun and start running around town. Atomfall is shaping up to be a survival sandbox that reacts to the player, and Fisher emphasized the importance of that sense of freedom. “Sometimes, one character might want you to kill another, and when you do that, you’re closing down leads,” Fisher says. “So you can kill absolutely anyone. That’s to give you that sense of freedom, and maybe the situation will get out of hand anyway without having to kill anyone.” Atomfall will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on March 27 and be part of the Xbox Game Pass catalog from day one. Source link #Atomfall #kill #character #meet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia’s arms exports are going bust as foreign buyers bolt and the Ukraine war chews through its weapons Russia’s arms exports are going bust as foreign buyers bolt and the Ukraine war chews through its weapons Russia’s weapons exports have plummeted amid the Ukraine conflict. France overtook Russia last year as the second-largest arms exporter globally. Russian weapons makers face a range of challenges that have emerged following the Ukraine invasion. It has been three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict has had a profound effect on the Russian weapons industry, causing its arms exports to plummet. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIRPI), which researches conflict and arms, calculates that Russian arms exports decreased by half from 2019 to 2023 compared to the previous five-year *******. Other estimates paint an even bleaker picture. Pavel Luzin, a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, a DC think-tank, calculated that Russian arms exports tallied less than $1 billion from January to December 2024. They had stood at $14.6 billion in 2021; they dropped to $8 billion in 2022 before falling further to about $3 billion in 2023. Tellingly, France has surpassed Russia as the world’s second-biggest arms exporter. “We see that Russia, as an arms exporter, has generally failed,” Luzin said last November. The staggering drop in sales is partially the result of a shift by Russian arms manufacturers away from export contracts and toward producing more weapons for the Russian military fighting in Ukraine. What is Russia rushing to replace? The Russian military has suffered very high matériel losses in the war. Open-source intelligence website Oryx indicates Russia has lost 3,773 tanks, 1,933 armored fighting vehicles, 5,531 infantry fighting vehicles, 615 armored personnel carriers, nearly 2,000 artillery pieces of all types, and many other pieces of equipment. Since the above are only the losses that could be verified via photographs or videos, Oryx estimates that true Russian losses are significantly higher. Russian arms companies have been working overtime to replace them. (Moscow has also been tapping into its inventory of older, Soviet-era equipment; however, 2025 may be the last year it can rely on stored weapons, Luzin wrote in January.) Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Uralvagonzavod factory in Russia in February 2024Ramil Sitdikov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP Although the credibility of official Russian data is suspect, “production of new military equipment increased substantially in 2023,” as a result of domestic demand, SIRPI said, with Rostec and Tactical Missile Corp’s, Russia’s two biggest arms companies, seeing their combined revenues increase by 40% that year. However, that momentum may not be sustainable. Increased production has put pressure on Russian arms companies, which face manpower and financial shortages and growing costs due to sanctions imposed by Western countries, Luzin wrote. They, therefore, struggle to keep churning out the necessary equipment and have largely paused foreign contracts. Where has everyone gone? Russian companies are also losing customers. In 2019, Russia sold weapons to 31 countries — in 2023, that number had fallen to 12, according to SIRPI. This is a function of supply chains and geopolitics. Since the purchase of weapons is often a statement of alignment, several countries who used to buy Russian arms have turned to Western, domestic, or other alternatives. Additionally, due to sanctions imposed on Russia, maintaining Russian weapons is becoming increasingly difficult for buyers. Therefore, to safeguard themselves from uncertain maintenance, countries are seeking safer sellers. In Asia and Oceania, which had accounted for nearly 70% of overall Russian weapons exports between 2018 and 2023, the US is now the biggest seller. And in sub-Saharan Africa, where Russia used to be the biggest seller, the number one spot is now held by China. “Russia’s arms export categories in the last two decades [have mainly] included air defense systems, combat aircraft/helicopters and their parts (including engines), and some naval systems like diesel-electric submarines, corvettes and anti-ship missiles,” Luzin, who is also a visiting scholar at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, told Business Insider. These weapons, however, have been far from excellent, he added. Research published in The National Interest indicates that China has begun challenging Russia in the lower-value end of the arms spectrum,what is known as the “value arms market.” At the higher end of the spectrum, South Korea has been making significant strides to Russia’s detriment thanks to its quick production times and NATO-compatible weapons. Besides shifting the production focus of its weapons manufacturers, the war in Ukraine has damaged Russian arms exports in more ways, with some of the country’s more publicized systems (like the S-400) proving to be more vulnerable on the battlefield than initially touted by Moscow. Reputational losses are also influencing the downturn of the country’s arms exports, Luzin told Business Insider. Further, the dependency of Russian companies on “import electronics and machine tools on the manufacturing stage” has also had an impact, he added. Access to these components is harder to come by due to international sanctions. And even when the war ends, things may not go back to business as usual for the Russian arms industry. Covering the lost ground will be “hard enough if not impossible at all,” Luzin said. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #Russias #arms #exports #bust #foreign #buyers #bolt #Ukraine #war #chews #weapons Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (March 7-9) 3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (March 7-9) Table of Contents Table of Contents Dragon Age: The Veilguard Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection Sonic Colors: Ultimate Despite this first weekend in March being one hour shorter than any other, PlayStation Plus is giving us some massive games to fill our time with. The games coming to the Essential tier might be some of the best PlayStation Plus games we get all year and are more than enough to hold you over until the next upcoming PS5 game on your wishlist arrives. This includes the inclusion of one very recent PS5 RPG, a collection of classic retro titles, and a remastered entry in a long-running franchise. There’s no time to waste this weekend deciding on what games to play, so let us give you the lowdown on the best new PlayStation Plus games to sink your time into. Dragon Age: The Veilguard That’s right, less than six months after launch Dragon Age: The Veilguard is already being offered on PlayStation Plus Essential. The game suffered from some unnecessary controversy before launch, but the end product is a fun action RPG with great characters and plenty of reasons to invest yourself in this epic fantasy world. You will create your custom character known as Rook who leads the titular Veilguard in a quest to stop two ancient gods from destroying the world. With multiple classes to pick from, weapon types to try, and a lovable cast to grow your relationship with, this is a steal to get as part of your subscription. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection Turtles are about to have the weekend of their lives with The Cowabunga Collection. This package isn’t just a couple of the best TMNT games but a whopping 13 games updated with quality-of-life features like rewinds and save states, plus online multiplayer in a few. This bundle includes essential classics like the original NES game, Turtles in Time, and Hyperstone Heist, with the option to play most in either the Western or Japanese version. Besides the games, there is also a massive museum section where you can check out never-before-seen concept art, design materials, and more for these old titles. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Sonic Colors: Ultimate Sonic Colors is, pardon the pun, a bit of a ****** sheep in the Sonic franchise. Originally a Wii and 3DS exclusive, it wasn’t until Sonic Colors: Ultimate came out that it was available on more platforms. Set in outer space, you will sprint through levels set in a massive theme park taken over by Eggman. The twist in this game is the Whisp system, which allows Sonic to bring in a special ability to levels. These include basic things like a speed boost to turning Sonic into a laser that can ricochet off of walls. It is generally considered a middle-of-the-road Sonic game, but is still a fun game to get your adrenaline rush while enjoying the flashy colors. Sonic Colors: Ultimate is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Source link #PlayStation #games #play #weekend #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FSP MP5 and NP7 Air Coolers Review: Simple and effective FSP MP5 and NP7 Air Coolers Review: Simple and effective Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. Most of my recent reviews have focused on high end AIOs for users who are looking for the best cooling available for their computers, but the simple fact is that most folks would be well served by a basic single- or dual-tower air cooler. Today we’re going back to basics and examining two air coolers by FSP, a company better known for power supplies like the Vita GM 850W, although we’ve also covered the FSP CMT520 Mid-Tower ATX RGB Case. Will FSP’s MP5 and NP7 make our list of the best coolers on the market? Let’s take a look at the specifications and features of these products, then we’ll go over thermal performance and noise levels to see where they stand. Cooler specifications (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Swipe to scroll horizontally Cooler FSP MP7 FSP NP5 MSRP $47.99 USD $27.99 USD Radiator Material Aluminum Aluminum Lighting None (ARGB Version is available) None (ARGB Version is available) Warranty 3 Years 3 Years Socket Compatibility Intel Socket LGA 1851/1700/1200 AMD AM5 / AM4 Intel Socket LGA 1851/1700/1200 AMD AM5 / AM4 Unit Dimensions (including fans) 125 (L) x 123.5 (W) x 153mm (D) 120 (L) x 94 (W) x 151 mm (D) Base Copper cold plate Direct-Touch Heatpipes Maximum TDP (Our Testing) >247W with Core i7-14700K >283W with Core Ultra 9 285k >229W with Core i7-14700K >260W with Core Ultra 9 285K Packing and included contents (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The packaging for the FSP air coolers is efficient, with no excess. The contents are protected primarily by molded foam, but the accessories are packaged inside plastic bags. Included in the box are the following: 120mm fans Single (NP5) or dual tower (MP7) heatsink Thermal paste tube Mounting accessories for modern AMD & Intel platforms Screwdrivers (MP7 only) Installation Manual (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Features of FSP’s MP7 and NP5 air coolers Thermal Paste Tube FSP’s air coolers arrive with a thermal paste tube that’s large enough for multiple installations. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Direct touch copper heatpipes The entry level NP5 cooler has four direct-touch copper heatpipes for the most efficient heat dissipation. The MP7 includes six standard heatpipes, as it is very difficult to create coolers with more than six heatpipes and make them direct-touch. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Basic tower radiators The design of the radiators on the NP5 and MP7 are essentially the same, with a basic no-frills look. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The covers of each heatsink tower are embossed with FSP’s logo. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Full RAM compatibility A problem posed by some air coolers is incompatibility with tall RAM. But with FSP’s NP5, there are zero RAM compatibility issues at all! (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) This is mostly the same for the more powerful MP7 model. You won’t have any compatibility issues if you are using RAM slots two and four. However, you might have issues with the tallest RAM DIMMs if you’re populating all four slots. 120mm fans There’s more to a cooler than just the heatsink or radiator. The bundled fans have a significant impact on cooling and noise levels, as well as how the cooler looks in your case. The fans included are simple and standard, with an all-****** aesthetic and an etched metal disc covering the hub with FSP’s logo. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions 120 x 120 x 25mm Fan Speed 800-1800 RPM ± 10% Air Flow Up to 76 CFM Air Pressure Up to 2.1 mmH2O Bearing Type FDB MTTF Unlisted Lighting None Testing configuration – Intel LGA1700 and LGA1851 platform Swipe to scroll horizontally CPU Intel Core i7-14700K GPU ASRock Steel Legend Radeon 7900 GRE Motherboard MSI Z790 Project Zero Case MSI Pano 100L PZ ****** System Fans Iceberg Thermal IceGale Silent There are many factors other than the CPU cooler that can influence your cooling performance in your system, including the case you use and the fans installed in it. A system’s motherboard can also influence this, especially if it suffers from bending, which results in poor cooler contact with the CPU. In order to prevent bending from impacting our cooling results, we’ve installed Thermalright’s LGA 1700 contact frame into our testing rig. If your motherboard is affected by bending, your thermal results will be worse than those shown below. Not all motherboards are affected equally by this issue. I tested Raptor Lake CPUs in two motherboards. And while one of them showed significant thermal improvements after installing Thermalright’s LGA1700 contact frame, the other motherboard showed no difference in temperatures whatsoever! Check out our review of the contact frame for more information. I’ve also tested this cooler with Intel’s latest platform, Arrow Lake and LGA 1851. Swipe to scroll horizontally CPU Intel Core Ultra 9 285K GPU MSI Ventus 3X RTX 4070Ti Super Motherboard MSI Z890 Carbon Wifi Case MSI MPG Gungnir 300R System fans Pre-installed case fans LGA 1700 and 1851 installation The installation of both coolers is relatively simple. The entry-level NP5 is especially easy to install. 1. You’ll first need to place the backplate against the rear of the motherboard, (optionally) using the adhesive strips to secure it. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 2. Next, you’ll need to take the mounting studs ( which include plastic spacers) and push them against the backplate’s ****** holes. Once complete, they will be secure, which makes installation easier if you choose not to use the adhesive strips. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 3. Next, take the mounting plate and orient it as appropriate, then secure it with the included screws. The NP5 installation is shown below, but you’ll want to rotate the plate for the MP7’s installation. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 4. Apply the included thermal paste to your CPU. If you have any questions on how to do this properly, please refer to our handy guide on how to apply thermal paste. 5. Place the CPU heatsink on top of the mounting plate and secure it with a screwdriver. This is easiest on the NP5 model, as both mounting screws are exposed and you can see where you’re aiming. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The installation of the NP7 may be slightly more difficult, depending on your motherboard and skill level. It can be difficult to tell where you’re aiming with the NP7’s installation, because the screws are located underneath the heatsink. But the included long screwdriver and screwdriver holes are there to guide you. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 6. Once complete, connect the PWM cable to the CPU fan header and turn on your computer. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Source link #FSP #MP5 #NP7 #Air #Coolers #Review #Simple #effective Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman’s favorite stocks amid the market’s uncertainty Goldman’s favorite stocks amid the market’s uncertainty There’s a slew of buy-rated stocks that are just too attractive to ignore, Goldman Sachs says. The firm said companies such as Walmart are well positioned to ride out the macro uncertainty. Other stocks include Cheesecake Factory , Smithfield Foods and Ducommun. Walmart Shares of Walmart have plenty of room to run, even as they are up more than 50% over the past 12 months. Analyst Kate McShane said she is sticking with the retail giant after its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report . The company beat expectations on the top and bottom lines, but it offered disappointing guidance. McShane is still predicting “continued share gains” with “solid earnings growth in 2025.” Walmart has a “compelling proposition for value and convenience” and an improving profitability profile, she said. The company also has an upcoming investor meeting in April, which McShane expects to be a key catalyst for the stock as updates are expected on strategy and initiatives, such as automation. “We reiterate our Buy rating for WMT with a price target of $106,” she said. Smithfield Foods Analyst Leah Jordan recently initiated coverage of the pork producer with a buy rating. She said she sees a “solid growth story tied to its industry-leading packaged meats portfolio as consumers shift toward high-protein diets & value-added options for convenience and flavor diversity.” Further, Jordan said profit margins are looking up as Smithfield “has a strong track record of improving profitability over time.” Smithfield shares are down more than 8% over the past month, which may present a buying opportunity. “All in, SFD provides a compelling total return profile with earnings growth and a ~5.5% dividend yield, supported by strong [free cash flow] and low leverage,” she went on to say. Ducommun Don’t sleep on shares of Ducommun, according to Goldman. Analyst Noah Poponak says the aerospace engineering services company is undervalued. The “medium-term outlook for aerospace growth and margin expansion remains compelling,” he wrote. Ducommun reported a mixed fourth-quarter report in late February, but Poponak said he is standing by the stock. “DCO has been steadily improving margins and cash flow conversion, while it has the tailwind of commercial aerospace growth,” he said. The stock is down 11% this year, but Poponak said fundamentals are getting better and shares are just too attractive to ignore. Walmart “We believe WMT is well positioned to continue driving solid earnings growth in 2025, supported by market share gains given its compelling proposition for value and convenience while its profitability profile should also improve, noting that operating income outpaced sales in 4Q. … We reiterate our Buy rating for WMT with a price target of $106.” Smithfield Foods “We are initiating on SFD with a Buy rating, as we see solid growth story tied to its industry-leading packaged meats portfolio as consumers shift toward high-protein diets & value-added options for convenience & flavor diversity. … All in, SFD provides a compelling total return profile with earnings growth & a ~5.5% dividend yield, supported by strong FCF and low leverage. … SFD has a strong track record of improving profitability over time.” Ducommun “Medium-term outlook for aerospace growth and margin expansion remains compelling. … DCO has been steadily improving margins and cash flow conversion, while it has the tailwind of commercial aerospace growth. … We expect company-specific operating fundamentals to continue improving in the forward; and we remain Buy rated on the stock.” Cheesecake Factory “Solid 4Q beat; Reaffirms best-in-class unit growth story. … We believe that this quarter’s results continue to support the bull case for CAKE, offering the most compelling unit growth story in FSR [full serve restaurants]. … The brand’s latest menu features 20+ new items and continues Cheesecake Factory’s unique strategy of offering diverse SKUs to eliminate guests’ ‘no’ vote when deciding where to eat…” Source link #Goldmans #favorite #stocks #markets #uncertainty Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (March 7-9) 3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (March 7-9) Table of Contents Table of Contents Monster Train One Lonely Outpost Galacticare We’ve hit that one unfortunate weekend of the year when we need to set our clocks forward an hour, thus robbing us of one precious hour of free time to play the best Xbox Series X games. The big game of the month, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is still a few weeks away, so there’s plenty of time to see what the best games on Game Pass are right now. We found a great selection of brand-new additions to help you spend less time thinking about what to play and more time gaming on this slightly shorter weekend. These are the best new Xbox Game Pass games available right now. While this month is a little light on new releases, there are still plenty of upcoming Xbox Series X games to be excited about. Monster Train Monster Train Release Trailer We know the sequel is on the way, so now is the best time there is to see why Monster Train is one of the most underrated roguelikes of the generation. This game is a roguelike deckbuilder that also incorporates autobattle elements. You will set up monsters on the various levels of your train to automatically attack incoming enemies in turn-based battles to try and stop them before they reach the top to attack your core. Each run lets you pick a main and supporty clan of demons that determines what creatures and spells you have access to, and each stage forces you to choose between two paths with different potential benefits. It is an approachable but deep roguelike you can spend 30 minutes or multiple hours with. Monster Train is available now on PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. One Lonely Outpost One Lonely Outpost Launch Trailer We’ve had plenty of farming sims on Game Pass, but One Lonely Outpost spices things up by going sci-fi with the setting. You are dropped into an alien world with the goal of building up an outpost to terraform the planet. That means building up a farm, building up the colony, crafting new items, and all the usual farming sim activities with a sci-fi twist. Odds are you already know if this is the type of game you’d be interested in, but the change in setting gives it a fresh feel compared to other games in the genre. One Lonely Outpost is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Galacticare Galacticare Release Trailer | Launching May 23 Galacticare follows the lead of Two Point Hospital in being a humorous yet mechanically satisfying management simulator. You play as the new hospital administrator with the goal of building and managing an intergalactic hospital and make as much cash as possible. Aliens will come in with all sorts of crazy diseases to cure in various scenarios across the story mode. Managing the needs of your staff also has to be considered, leading to a fun juggling act. It isn’t as deep as some other management sims out there, but is a light and enjoyable experience either in story or sandbox mode. Galacticare is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Source link #Xbox #Game #Pass #games #play #weekend #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Activist Spectrum has a stake in Landis+Gyr, and it may be poised to build value Activist Spectrum has a stake in Landis+Gyr, and it may be poised to build value Landis+Gyr Group AG’s residential and commercial FOCUS electric meter installation. Landis+Gyr Group AG Company: Landis+Gyr Group AG (LAND-CH) Business: Landis+Gyr Group is a Switzerland-based company primarily engaged in the electrical components and equipment manufacturing business. It specializes in metering solutions for electricity, gas, heat/cold and water for energy measurement solutions for utilities. Landis+Gyr product portfolio consists of advanced metering and intelligent energy management products, such as electricity meters, heating and cooling meters, grid management solutions and personal energy management solutions. In addition, the company offers various software services, managed services, cloud services, smart grid services, systems integration, training, as well as consulting and support services. Stock Market Value: roughly 1.49B Swiss francs (CHF 51.60 per share) Activist: Spectrum Entrepreneurial Ownership Ownership: 5.01% Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Spectrum Entrepreneurial Ownership (“SEO”) manages a concentrated portfolio of large ********* investments, typically six to eight positions, in listed European companies with a focus on the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). As a long-term and engaged anchor shareholder, SEO strives to unleash its portfolio companies’ full value potential. The firm targets small and mid-cap companies with multiple catalysts for value creation and prioritizes amicable engagement, typically sitting on the board of most of the companies where they have engagements. The fund’s stable capital base stems from family offices, endowments, pension funds, and other long-term institutional investors. SEO was co-founded in 2022 by Fabian Rauch and Dr. Ilias Läber. The two principals have a combined four decades of board experience in listed companies and each previously worked at Cevian Capital for roughly a decade. What’s happening Behind the scenes Landis+Gyr is a Switzerland-based leading global provider of integrated energy management solutions, specializing in advanced metering infrastructure and smart grid technologies. Utilities and energy providers utilize Landis’ portfolio of smart metering tech, sensors, software and services to modernize and improve the efficiency of their infrastructure. While Landis is a very old company, founded in 1896, it was privately owned and invested in by a series of strategic and financial investors for much of its history. In 2011, Toshiba acquired a 60% stake in the company for U.S. $2.3 billion, but eventually opted to IPO the Swiss unit six years later. It began trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange on July 21, 2017, at 78 Swiss francs (CHF) per share, implying a market cap of CHF 2.3 billion. Today, Landis is trading well below its IPO price, down over 35%. It is also significantly undervalued, trading around 7.5-times enterprise value/EBITDA, compared to its Nasdaq-listed pure-play peer Itron (roughly 15-times) with which it functionally has a duopoly in the United States, each controlling 35% to 40% of the market. In July 2024, SEO acquired a 5% interest in Landis from Kirkbi, becoming the second largest shareholder. Shortly after, Landis requisitioned an extraordinary general meeting to elect to the board Fabian Rauch, co-founder and managing partner of SEO, in August 2024. Two months later, on Oct. 30, 2024, the company announced a strategic review of its business portfolio which includes the following key elements: (i) increasing focus on its Americas business; (ii) reviewing value creation opportunities for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business; and (iii) evaluating a potential change in listing location to the United States. However, several things have sent the stock price down since then, including Landis reducing its FY24 revenue guidance by 8% and the announcement that it will exit its electric vehicle charging business in EMEA, resulting in expected impairment charges of $35 million to 45 million. Regarding the reduction of guidance, despite Landis continually messaging that post-Covid growth was unsustainable due to pent-up demand, the warnings fell on deaf ears. Shares fell nearly 22% on Feb. 11, 2025, the date of the announcement. Focusing on the Americas makes a lot of sense. Landis generated $1.963 billion of revenue from three geographic segments: Americas (58%), EMEA (34%), and Asia-Pacific (8%). Despite EMEA contributing a third of revenue, it delivered just 8% of adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, less EBITDA than its significantly smaller Asia-Pacific unit. Exploring additional possibilities for growth in the Americas and winding down its EMEA business through either a ***** or spinoff of this business could be highly accretive to shareholder value. A change in listing location, likely to a U.S. exchange, would also make sense considering that this Swiss company is generating most of its profits in the region. This is a strategy which Cevian pushed for at both CRH and Pearson, and it has been a popular activist catalyst in Europe in recent years. Landis is a story of a failed equity with somewhat of an insular board. Welcoming Fabian Rauch was the first strong signal that the board wanted change. Announcing a value-creating plan shortly thereafter was the second signal. The third happened in November 2024, when the company replaced CEO Werner Lieberherr with Peter Mainz. Finally, the fourth signal happened in January 2025 when the company announced that its chairman Andreas Umbach will not stand for re-election and will be replaced by Audrey Zibelman. 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 #Spectrum #stake #LandisGyr #poised #build Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

WA election 2025: Labor’s Simone McGurk set to fall to Independent Kate Hulett in Fremantle seat WA election 2025: Labor’s Simone McGurk set to fall to Independent Kate Hulett in Fremantle seat Independent contender Kate Hulett could emerge a giant-killer as she looks to win the seat of Fremantle off cabinet minister Simone McGurk. The incumbent Labor candidate was falling behind independent contender Ms Hulett as of 9.30pm on Saturday evening. Ms Hulett had 32.4 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of Ms McGurk on 30.8 per cent with about a third of the vote counted. The Greens were in third place with 17.3 per cent. Ms Hulett said she had offered the community a viable option who wasn’t driven by party politics. “Win or lose, it’s felt like an enormous win because look at all these people here watching an election,” she told The Sunday Times from a packed room at the P&O Hotel in the heart of Fremantle. The small business owner campaigned strongly on environmental issues including banning fracking in the Kimberley and ending gs exports, along with housing. “We are being offered mediocrity as a country and Fremantle and we can hope for more,” she said. “I think people are sick of party politics. They want somebody to represent only them. The person who screams the most for Fremantle and demands the most will get the most.” Ms McGurk told a vibrant function at the Fremantle Palmyra RSL last night she had “pulled out the too close to call speech” from her pre-prepared remarks. “Fremantle is, is a special place. You know people, they’re anti-establishment. They’ve done it before. They’ve said that they wanted to have, you know, an independent or Greens represent them. Let’s see what happens. It is going to be too close to call,” she said. “I am completely satisfied that we have done everything that we could as a political party did. I know that that Fremantle people are informed, they sometimes just want to kick against the mainstream. So maybe that’s what’s happened here. I know in my heart that we’ve given it at all.” The Fremantle seat was in Labor’s hands continuously from 1924 until being lost to the Greens at a 2009 by-election. Labor regained the seat in 2013. Ms McGurk first won the seat in 2013 and retained it in 2021 with 57 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of the Greens. As the early results came in showing a swing towards Ms Hulett, Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said the Greens had effectively run dead in this election and swing their support behind the independent. Recently in Fremantle, Ms McGurk conceded the Albanese Government’s back flip on nature positive laws and a grassroots campaign to ban fracking in the Kimberley had rallied support against her. Ms Hulett declared her support for the ******** protest activity, as she pocketed an extra $30,000 from Climate 200. She insisted there were no strings attached to the group’s donations valued at $50,000. Ms Hulett denied being a “Disrupt Burrup Hub” candidate but has been photographed wearing a “Disrupt Burrup Hub” shirt and pledged support to their campaign against Woodside’s proposal to extend the life of their Pilbara gas plant until 2070. Ms Hulett dubbed Fremantle a “battleground” after the competitive campaigns came to a close on Saturday at 6pm. “People in Fremantle feel like after 8 years of WA Labor they have almost nothing to show for it. For all the billions in budget surplus, we have crumbling infrastructure, empty buildings, people sleeping on the streets, and hospitals that don’t work.” “This has been an exhilarating and ground-breaking campaign that has shown people what is possible,” she said. Alongside Ms McGurk at the event was Lisa O’Malley, the Labor candidate for Bicton, who was running a tight race with Liberal challenger Chris Dowson. Ms O’Malley was ahead 63.7-36.3 per cent just before 9.30pm with a 2.4 per cent swing towards Liberals. Source link #election #Labors #Simone #McGurk #set #fall #Independent #Kate #Hulett #Fremantle #seat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Infinity Nikki’s road to stardom was a ‘journey of reconciliation’ for its creators Infinity Nikki’s road to stardom was a ‘journey of reconciliation’ for its creators Back in November, we predicted that Infinity Nikki might be one of 2024’s biggest games. That prediction eventually came true, as the free-to-play, open-world adventure game from Papergames and Infold Games has since shattered records, boasting millions of players and reaching milestone after milestone. However, Infinity Nikki’s development had a rocky start, especially during the pandemic days. Though the series’ creators had made plenty of successful games in the mobile market, this would be the first Nikki game on PCs and consoles. Even a team as experienced as Papergames had a daunting task ahead of it. We spoke with core members of Infinity Nikki’s project team — Ade, Yan Gui, Niao Niao, Hua Sheng, and Diu Diu — to learn about the game’s initial conceptualization stage, the challenges that they faced, and their future plans for fashionista Nikki and her cat-alien companion Momo. Digital Trends: Can you walk us through the process on how Infinity Nikki was first conceptualized? Was there a specific moment when the team thought: “Now is the perfect time to bring the Nikki series to PC and consoles?” Ade: The concept for Infinity Nikki emerged during the pandemic — a time of uncertainty. We envisioned Infinity Nikki as a journey of ‘reconciliation’ — both with oneself and with the world. Gui: We wanted to retain the series’ beloved dress-up system, while also incorporating open-world exploration and platforming mechanics. We thought of how players could control Nikki as she traversed vast landscapes and trekked across mountains and rivers, all while curating the perfect outfit. DT: How difficult was it to go from mobile-only games to developing one for PCs and consoles? How did the team adjust to these changes? Niao: Shifting from mobile game development to PC and console platforms was a complex transition, requiring the team to adapt to the unique characteristics of each platform. We also had to consider key differences between PCs/consoles and mobiles. Mobile platforms have limited hardware resources, requiring highly optimized development to ensure smooth performance. In contrast, PC and console platforms offer more powerful hardware, but also demand higher graphics quality and more complex system designs. This meant the team had to relearn and adapt to new development tools and engines to meet the needs of these platforms. Sheng: Player habits also have to be considered. Mobile players tend to prefer quick, casual gaming experiences that can be enjoyed anywhere, whereas PC and console players seek deeper, more immersive content. We had to adjust gameplay and design to cater to these different player preferences while preserving the core concepts that made the series fun. Papergames DT: Since Infinity Nikki has cross-platform functionality, was it hard to balance the cross-platform experience? Sheng: Definitely. During initial development, we conducted extensive research and experiments in graphics rendering and performance optimization to ensure smooth gameplay across different platforms. We also had to look into the specific features of each device during the design process, conducting numerous internal and player tests to ensure the game performed as expected on all platforms. Diu: We do acknowledge that there are still some challenges with mobile adaptation. Our current focus is on improving controls and performance for mobile devices, and we’re also looking into enhancing game stability, touch control responsiveness, and user interface (UI) optimization. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from our players, which motivates us to keep moving forward. DT: During development, were you often worried that players would compare Infinity Nikki to Genshin Impact or other free-to-play open-world games? Were you counting on this comparison to be made–i.e. Perhaps as a means of giving players a sense of familiarity? Ade: Given Infinity Nikki‘s genre and high-quality production, we anticipated that it might be compared to free-to-play open-world games like Genshin Impact. However, our goal has always been to emphasize its unique features, rather than relying solely on a sense of familiarity. Nikki’s gameplay revolves around relaxed exploration, puzzle-solving, and interactions with abilities granted by outfits, rather than intense combat. We also wanted to emphasize concepts of warmth, healing, and self-expression through the game’s art style and emotional tone, as opposed to general progression. Papergames DT: Speaking of combat, are there plans to beef up the combat system or add difficult encounters, or would these ideas go against the core principles of the game? Ade: Going back to the idea of reconciliation during the pandemic years, we deliberately avoided placing an emphasis on combat. We wanted to focus on elegant styling and environmental details. It’s our way of encouraging players to find peace and beauty through exploration. Diu: Our future updates will focus on enriching the characteristics of monsters rather than increasing the complexity of combat. We believe that maintaining the relaxed atmosphere and core experience of the game is crucial. Any idea that might go against this will have to be carefully considered. We want to ensure that players feel happy and content as they explore the world, rather than tense or stressed. DT: Many free-to-play games look for ways to keep players engaged daily, including the concept of “fear of missing out” (FOMO). In comparison, Infinity Nikki is more cozy and laid back. How do you balance this concept with wanting players to feel engaged often? Niao: We deliberately avoided using mechanisms like ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO), things that pressure players into logging in. We want players to return because they genuinely enjoy the game. Being able to ‘play at your own pace’ is a core principle. We have player-friendly mechanics, and we want fans to feel that they won’t miss out on anything important, whether they’re playing for short periods every day or only diving into deep sessions occasionally. DT: It’s very challenging to manage live-service games. What are your key pillars when it comes to creating new content for future updates? Sheng: We’ve embraced what we call the ‘Impression-Creation-Production’ design cycle, which aims to enrich ‘happy moments’ that define the core experience. Our Feature Teams’ agile workflow also allows us to efficiently incorporate player feedback. Seasonal changes, weather shifts, and other ecological features within the open world offer players plenty of reasons to come back. Through regular updates, we strive to surprise our players each time they log in. Culture is more than symbols; it’s about the shared emotional experiences of a community. DT: Speaking of updates, Infinity Nikki version 1.2 had the New Bloom Festival/Fireworks Season, a celebration of ******** New Year and the Spring Festival. As a ******** studio, how important is it to showcase ******** culture in some way, shape, or form in the game? What are some facets in games that make you feel that the culture is represented with authenticity? Gui: Integrating ******** culture into our game is a natural expression, not a deliberate choice. It is deeply embedded in our team’s DNA — an inseparable part of each member’s upbringing. The Spring Festival, for example, is more than just a holiday; it carries precious memories for all of us. We naturally want to reflect that feeling in the game’s version of this special time of year because it is a part of who we are. We want to share that feeling with players around the world, so they too can experience it. Niao: For the New Bloom Festival, we drew on inspiration from our own life experiences, showcasing familiar elements like traditional ******** clothing, firecrackers, instruments, and lanterns — each one not only a visual detail but also a meaningful symbol of cherished memories and deep significance the holiday holds for us. With these additions, we hope players not only experience the richness of ******** culture, but also feel the warmth and emotion of the holiday itself. After all, culture is more than symbols; it’s about the shared emotional experiences of a community. DT: Can you tell us more about how the team first envisioned the gacha system compared to what we see now? Are there any plans to have more player-friendly improvements? Gui: We adopted a ‘piece-by-piece’ gacha system that encourages players to mix and match fashion styles, allowing for unique character designs instead of being confined to pre-set outfits. Our gacha system includes a guaranteed 4-star item every 10 pulls and a guaranteed 5-star item every 20 pulls. This system incorporates the feedback we received from our previous title, Shining Nikki, ensuring a more transparent and reassuring experience. Lastly, we plan on expanding gameplay focused on fashion themes. We aim to let players experience the charm of styling beyond simply adjusting probability rates. Papergames DT: Can you tell us more about the artists who design the dresses and outfits in the game? Are they digital artists or are some of them also independent/self-employed fashion designers? Gui: Our costume design team consists of passionate and creative artists, including professionals with deep expertise in the fashion industry as well as self-taught, cross-disciplinary talents who entered fashion driven by their love for the Nikki franchise. For this reason, when selecting team members, we prioritize passion and growth potential — many of our team members actually joined the project right after graduation and have grown alongside Infinity Nikki. Niao: I should add that in-game costume design goes beyond technical execution; it’s an emotional expression. Each outfit reflects the team’s meticulous attention to detail — from the texture of the fabric and the logic behind the cuts to the cultural Easter eggs that tie into the game’s rich mythology and history. We encourage players to wear these outfits and discover the hidden design nuances. DT: It’s easy to think that a game with a female character and dress-up mechanics would be marketed more towards female audiences. However, Infinity Nikki also attracts male gamers. What are the factors that help emphasize this idea: “Infinity Nikki is for everyone.” Ade: Although Infinity Nikki incorporates a dress-up mechanic, its core experience extends far beyond that to appeal to players of all genders and interests in a variety of ways. Our platforming mechanics are inspired by Nintendo-style games, delivering a fun and immersive exploration experience, and appealing to those who enjoy action-adventure gameplay. Even players new to dress-up games can find satisfaction through solving puzzles, collecting resources, and unlocking outfits with unique abilities. Niao: To touch on outfits again: outfits themselves aren’t just about looks — they’re a core part of gameplay, too. We opted for an ability-driven system that feels more like an RPG gear system than a traditional fashion game, which helps broaden its appeal to a diverse audience of players. Diu: Recently, cozy games (i.e. casual games) have surged in popularity across all genders. We wanted Infinity Nikki to provide a stress-free environment, making it ideal for players looking to unwind, which they won’t be able to do when trying out high-intensity combat or competitive games. With these concepts, we feel that Infinity Nikki successfully breaks down gender boundaries, offering an experience suited for anyone who enjoys creativity and adventure. DT: What makes cat-like Momo an endearing companion? Niao: [Laughs] First of all, we generally avoid referring to Momo as a cat as he belongs to a unique race. We wanted to showcase the bond between Momo and Nikki, whether he’s aiding in the exploration of Whispering Woods or standing by her side during challenges. We also want people to see Momo’s playful personality through his quips and reactions, including his smug expression whenever Nikki praises him. He also represents the emotional heart of the game and we hope that his bond with Nikki resonates with players, too. Infinity Nikki is available on Android, iOS, PC, and PlayStation 5. It is coming to Steam soon. Source link #Infinity #Nikkis #road #stardom #journey #reconciliation #creators Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Davina McCall will be ‘friends for life’ with brain tumour surgeon Davina McCall will be ‘friends for life’ with brain tumour surgeon Reuters Davina McCall appeared at the Brit Awards last weekend, four months after her brain surgery. Davina McCall says she will be friends for life with the neurosurgeon who removed her benign brain tumour. The TV presenter, 57, underwent surgery in November after a colloid cyst was found during a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work. She said she chose Kevin O’Neill to perform the operation after a recommendation from actress and model Caprice, a participant on TV show The Jump which McCall presented, whose own brain tumour was found during a scan for concussion. Speaking to The Times, McCall said of Mr O’Neill: “We’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives. We are going to go out to dinner with our partners. We are going to do it.” Discussing their conversation pre-surgery, she said: “The temptation, of course, was to say to him: ‘I’ve got three children. Please, please keep me alive.’ “But that is quite a stress for the surgeon. “It’s an immense pressure and what he needs to know is that I have faith in him. “I know that he is the best at his job. I know that he wants to do the best for me. “So I said to him: ‘You do whatever you need to do. I put all my faith in you.’ He doesn’t need me screaming at him to keep me alive. “He needs to be in the calmest and most confident place. I wanted to empower Kevin to do the best job he could.” Mr O’Neill, 62, said of the former Big Brother host: “Davina is a special person. “Some people are so terrified they can’t make a decision [about what to do when diagnosed].” Despite his experience, the neurosurgeon said he found the procedure stressful “because she was high profile and her career rests on her memory”. Describing himself as “spiritual”, he added: “I prayed in the run-up. And just before, on holiday in Venice, I dropped my glasses and when I went to pick them up, I bent down and saw a card with my birthday printed on it. I saw it as a good sign.” Getty Images McCall recovered at home with the help of her partner, celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas Non-cancerous brain tumours are more common in people over the age of 50, and symptoms can include headaches, vision problems and drowsiness, according to the NHS website. Some can be difficult to remove without damaging surrounding tissue. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy can also be used if the surgery is not successful. Mother-of-three McCall said that although she was told to expect a good outcome, minor risks of death or losing her short-term memory from the operation meant that she decided to put her affairs in order before the procedure. “I set up my whole life before I went into the operating theatre knowing that, if I didn’t make it, the kids would be OK,” she said. “I needed to go under the anaesthetic knowing I had my ducks in a row. ‘Would they be OK without me?’ “It was my way of letting go. And I am so grateful for that process, because I realised through all of it that, if I were not around, my children would be on the right path. “If this hadn’t happened to me, I’d have stayed in ‘mum mode’. I love my kids so much, but I looked at them and thought: ‘Would they be OK without me?’ And the answer was yes, and that made me so proud. “I’ve always been a grateful person but this brain operation has supersized my gratitude.” McCall spent time in intensive care before returning home, where she was cared for by family including her partner, celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas. A longtime advocate of women’s health, McCall was given a special recognition award at the National Television Awards last year after having been awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to broadcasting. Source link #Davina #McCall #friends #life #brain #tumour #surgeon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Crossword: answers for Saturday, March 8 NYT Crossword: answers for Saturday, March 8 The New York Times crossword puzzle can be tough, even if it isn’t the Sunday issue! If you’re stuck, we’re here to help you out with today’s clues and answers. Source link #NYT #Crossword #answers #Saturday #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WA Election 2025: Labor in front for Pilbara electorate WA Election 2025: Labor in front for Pilbara electorate The Pilbara is on the edge of its seat as votes are being tallied for the region’s electorate with Labor’s Kevin Michel in the lead at a 36.4 per cent count. Source link #Election #Labor #front #Pilbara #electorate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Saturday, March 8 NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Saturday, March 8 Table of Contents Table of Contents How to play Strands Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s Strand answers Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle. Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below. How to play Strands You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable. If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it. Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once. Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow. The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints. Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s theme is “Two thumbs up.” Here’s a hint that might help you: award-winning features. Today’s Strand answers NYT Today’s spanagram We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own: Today’s Strands answers CODA MOONLIGHT SPOTLIGHT PLATOON PARASITE Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #spangram #answers #Saturday #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman’s favorite stocks amid the market’s uncertainty Goldman’s favorite stocks amid the market’s uncertainty There’s a slew of buy-rated stocks that are just too attractive to ignore, Goldman Sachs says. The firm said companies such as Walmart are well positioned to ride out the macro uncertainty. Other stocks include Cheesecake Factory , Smithfield Foods and Ducommun. Walmart Shares of Walmart have plenty of room to run, even as they are up more than 50% over the past 12 months. Analyst Kate McShane said she is sticking with the retail giant after its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report . The company beat expectations on the top and bottom lines, but it offered disappointing guidance. McShane is still predicting “continued share gains” with “solid earnings growth in 2025.” Walmart has a “compelling proposition for value and convenience” and an improving profitability profile, she said. The company also has an upcoming investor meeting in April, which McShane expects to be a key catalyst for the stock as updates are expected on strategy and initiatives, such as automation. “We reiterate our Buy rating for WMT with a price target of $106,” she said. Smithfield Foods Analyst Leah Jordan recently initiated coverage of the pork producer with a buy rating. She said she sees a “solid growth story tied to its industry-leading packaged meats portfolio as consumers shift toward high-protein diets & value-added options for convenience and flavor diversity.” Further, Jordan said profit margins are looking up as Smithfield “has a strong track record of improving profitability over time.” Smithfield shares are down more than 8% over the past month, which may present a buying opportunity. “All in, SFD provides a compelling total return profile with earnings growth and a ~5.5% dividend yield, supported by strong [free cash flow] and low leverage,” she went on to say. Ducommun Don’t sleep on shares of Ducommun, according to Goldman. Analyst Noah Poponak says the aerospace engineering services company is undervalued. The “medium-term outlook for aerospace growth and margin expansion remains compelling,” he wrote. Ducommun reported a mixed fourth-quarter report in late February, but Poponak said he is standing by the stock. “DCO has been steadily improving margins and cash flow conversion, while it has the tailwind of commercial aerospace growth,” he said. The stock is down 11% this year, but Poponak said fundamentals are getting better and shares are just too attractive to ignore. Walmart “We believe WMT is well positioned to continue driving solid earnings growth in 2025, supported by market share gains given its compelling proposition for value and convenience while its profitability profile should also improve, noting that operating income outpaced sales in 4Q. … We reiterate our Buy rating for WMT with a price target of $106.” Smithfield Foods “We are initiating on SFD with a Buy rating, as we see solid growth story tied to its industry-leading packaged meats portfolio as consumers shift toward high-protein diets & value-added options for convenience & flavor diversity. … All in, SFD provides a compelling total return profile with earnings growth & a ~5.5% dividend yield, supported by strong FCF and low leverage. … SFD has a strong track record of improving profitability over time.” Ducommun “Medium-term outlook for aerospace growth and margin expansion remains compelling. … DCO has been steadily improving margins and cash flow conversion, while it has the tailwind of commercial aerospace growth. … We expect company-specific operating fundamentals to continue improving in the forward; and we remain Buy rated on the stock.” Cheesecake Factory “Solid 4Q beat; Reaffirms best-in-class unit growth story. … We believe that this quarter’s results continue to support the bull case for CAKE, offering the most compelling unit growth story in FSR [full serve restaurants]. … The brand’s latest menu features 20+ new items and continues Cheesecake Factory’s unique strategy of offering diverse SKUs to eliminate guests’ ‘no’ vote when deciding where to eat…” Source link #Goldmans #favorite #stocks #markets #uncertainty Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stuart Pearce: Ex-England defender in ‘great spirits’ after medical emergency on flight Stuart Pearce: Ex-England defender in ‘great spirits’ after medical emergency on flight Stuart Pearce is in “great spirits” after the former England defender suffered a medical emergency on a flight, says Talksport commentator Sam Matterface. The Sun reported, external Pearce was travelling on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Las Vegas to London last Sunday when he fell ill. The newspaper says he is recovering in hospital in St John’s, Canada, where the plane was diverted to after he had received treatment on board from staff and medically-trained passengers. Talksport, for whom the 62-year-old works regularly as a pundit and co-commentator, provided an update on his condition, external during coverage of Nottingham Forest’s Premier League home game against Manchester City on Saturday. Pearce played for and managed both clubs involved in the 12:30 GMT kick-off. There was applause from supporters after three minutes – the number he wore during his career – at the City Ground, along with a message displayed on screens inside the stadium which read: “Get well soon Stuart.” Forest posted “Psycho” on X, referencing his nickname, alongside a love heart. “I spoke to him yesterday [Friday] and he was in great spirits,” said Matterface. “He isn’t 100% – that is definitely the case. But he’s in the right place in the hospital. They’re dealing with it. “He’s a little bit disappointed about not being here today. He actually said to me: ‘I’ve got so much I’ve had to cancel – great games, and Mumford and Sons are playing next Wednesday night and I can’t go.'” Presenter Reshmin Choudhury added: “We send our best wishes to him, his partner and all the family from everyone here at Talksport. We can’t wait to have him back when he’s ready.” Source link #Stuart #Pearce #ExEngland #defender #great #spirits #medical #emergency #flight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Saturday, March 8 NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Saturday, March 8 Love crossword puzzles but don’t have all day to sit and solve a full-sized puzzle in your daily newspaper? That’s what The Mini is for! A bite-sized version of the New York Times’ well-known crossword puzzle, The Mini is a quick and easy way to test your crossword skills daily in a lot less time (the average puzzle takes most players just over a minute to solve). While The Mini is smaller and simpler than a normal crossword, it isn’t always easy. Tripping up on one clue can be the difference between a personal best completion time and an embarrassing solve attempt. Just like our Wordle hints and Connections hints, we’re here to help with The Mini today if you’re stuck and need a little help. Please enable Javascript to view this content Below are the answers for the NYT Mini crossword today. NYT Mini Crossword answers today New York Times Across One-for-one trades – SWAPS Subway stop – STATION With 11-Across, gathering that’s typically attended every five years – COLLEGE Patchett who wrote “Bel Canto” – ANN In addition – TOO See 8-Across – REUNION Place to testify in court – STAND The “S” of iOS: Abbr. – SYS Down Mick Jagger’s band, familiarly, with “the” – STONES Crunchy bits in a brownie, maybe – WALNUTS Georgia’s capital, for short – ALT Dessert containers that inspired the Frisbee – PIETINS Words repeated before “I got you” in James Brown’s “I Got You” – SOGOOD Evil lion in “The Lion King” – SCAR Fluorescent shade – NEON Dissenting vote – NAY Source link #NYT #Mini #Crossword #today #puzzle #answers #Saturday #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gen Z’s wealth effect will shape the economy over time — here’s who will benefit Gen Z’s wealth effect will shape the economy over time — here’s who will benefit With rising incomes and a willingness to spend, Generation Z could have a profound impact on the economy and the market. The cohort’s global income levels are expected to increase from $9 trillion in 2023 to $36 trillion around 2030 and $74 trillion by 2040 — the largest of all generations, Bank of America said in a January note. In addition, more than $84 trillion in assets is expected to be transferred to younger generations, including Gen Z, by 2045, according to Cerulli Associates . At the same time, Gen Z is expected to grow their spending power to an estimated $12 trillion by 2030, according to NielsenIQ and World Data Lab’s global report on Gen Z spending . The oldest in the generation are in their late 20s, while the youngest are teens. Dates vary, with McKinsey putting the cohort’s birth years between 1996 and 2010, while McCrindle uses 1995 to 2009. NielsenIQ and World Data Lab said Gen Z is roughly defined as anyone born between 1997 and 2012. The generation was the first to be born into an online world, said Haim Israel, global strategist and head of thematic research at Bank of America. “They didn’t experience an offline moment in their lives and that has a huge impact on everything that they do — from consumer to banking to financial services to behavior to the health situation,” he said in an interview with CNBC. That will ultimately affect companies in those spaces. In addition, for the first time in history, the older generations are adapting to the younger generation, and not the other way around, Israel said. That means the impact is actually much ******* than just the size of the population, he said. “They are about to become the most disruptive to economies, markets and social systems,” he wrote in his January note. Gen Z’s impact on stocks The effect of Gen Z’s spending habits will be felt across a swath of sectors, including tech, retail and restaurants. One of the biggest and obvious beneficiaries is social media. Gen Z spends 2.5 hours daily across social media platforms, Bernstein said in an October report. Meta -owned Instagram is the social app most used by teens, with a monthly usage of 87%, according to Piper Sandler’s latest teen survey in October. The firm surveyed 13,000 teens across the United States. META 1Y mountain Meta Platforms Meta has also made a big push into short-form video, which is a draw for Gen Z. “This has demonstrated a very tangible result in terms of Instagram growing more popular, I would say, in the last three surveys that we’ve run,” said Piper Sandler analyst Tom Champion. He has an overweight rating on the stock and a $775 price target, suggesting 24% upside from Friday’s close. Different priorities While Gen Z’s spending power will evolve over time, it is already clear their priorities are different from previous generations. They spend a lot of time online, on social media, streaming content, playing video games and shopping. In fact, Gen Z is spending significantly more time playing games over the last decade than Americans of similar ages a decade ago, according to Bernstein. They also devote more time to eating and drinking and have sacrificed socializing, watching television and sports as a result. When it comes to shopping, they often start their journey online — both on e-commerce sites and social media. Some 53% of Gen Z said they have clicked “buy” buttons on social media networks, according to NielsenIQ and World Data Lab’s report. However, they also like to go to brick-and-mortar locations, whether to get an item faster, see a product in person or make it an experience. “The ability to see, touch and feel in person, to engage with sales associates, to be able to meet somewhere, it also goes to show that people want to be together,” said Dana Telsey, CEO Telsey Advisory Group, an equity research, investment banking and consulting firm focusing on the consumer space. Gen Z’s tech obsessions The digitally-native generation loves their smartphones, with 87% of teens owning an Apple iPhone, according to Piper Sandler’s survey. “The brand awareness is just fantastic,” investor Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert Financial, said of Apple. “It’s the Coca-Cola of this generation.” While the tech giant may be lagging in artificial intelligence, it has always been a company that has been very measured in its releases, he said. When it comes to streaming content, the cohort turns to sites like Netflix and Alphabet ‘s YouTube, which are typically neck-in-neck for the top spot during Piper Sandler’s surveys, Champion said. However, the big disruption ahead may be reality versus scripted programming and long-form versus short form, as Gen Z flocks to short-form video and user-generated content, said Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik. “Gen Z has taken reality/authenticity to a new level, creating stars from User Generated Content (UGC) on YouTube such as MrBeast, which averages the viewership of the Super Bowl, weekly,” he wrote. “But time matters, and while we’re spending ~18 minutes deciding what to watch on Netflix, Gen Z has consumed 40-50 videos on TikTok or Reels. Dollars follow eyeballs.” The generation also likes video games, but tends to access them differently than their older counterparts. “The majority of this group, who are tagged as digital natives, enjoyed their first gaming experience on six-inch mobile devices,” Bernstein said in its note. “It is reasonable to argue that gaming content has become more accessible with the growth of mobile penetration and is consumed more casually but more frequently by this younger generation.” Gaming platform Roblox saw a big jump in active users in Piper Sandler’s survey. Some 46% reported actively using it, up from 34% in the spring of 2024. “Roblox is aging up in terms of the user base, the content is growing more mature,” Champion said. “It’s potentially transcending gaming in almost being used as a quasi social media site.” He has an overweight rating and $73 price target on Roblox, implying 28% upside from Friday’s close. Retail stocks Amazon is the clear leader in e-commerce, with 52% of upper-income teens choosing it as their top online shopping site, according to Piper Sander. The tech giant has an average rating of buy from the analysts covering the stock and 34.5% upside to the average price target, according to FactSet. AMZN 1Y mountain Amazon Retailers like Target and Walmart should also remain on solid footing with Gen Z, thanks to their value and the convenience of their locations, Telsey said. She has outperform ratings on both names. Her $145 price target on Target suggests 26% upside from Friday’s close, while her $115 price target on Walmart implies 25% upside. In addition to liking both online and in-store shopping, Gen Z is open to trying new brands, but is big on loyalty, she said. For instance, Ulta Beauty attracts shoppers with its loyalty program and its independent brands, she said. Telsey has an outperform rating and $500 price target on the stock, suggesting 41% upside from Friday’s close. In fact, hygiene and health “are the new wealth,” with Gen Z focusing more on skin care versus makeup, according to Bank of America. That has stores like Ulta becoming popular among the crowd. Uggs, from Deckers Outdoor , and Birkenstock are also two brands that are trending with the generation, said Telsey. She has outperform ratings on both names. Sportswear should also be a beneficiary of Gen Z spending, according to Bernstein. “Sportswear remains a long-term secular growth sector — despite a short-term slowdown in 2024, the ongoing mix-shift within the closet, compounded by demographic shifts as Gen Z grows in the spending mix, will likely drive a steady tailwind for the next two decades,” the firm wrote. While brands matter, so does fashion, analyst Aneesha Sherman wrote in Bernstein’s report. Adidas and On Holding are good examples of that, she noted. The growth of fintech The generation has also turned to technology to manage money, with payment apps replacing cash. “They’re going to spend a lot of their money through the Venmos and Paypals of the world,” said Luke O’Neill, portfolio manager of the Catalyst Dynamic Alpha Fund. “They are already big users of buy now, pay later services.” William Blair initiated coverage of buy now, pay later company Affirm Holdings and financial services firm SoFi Technologies in January with outperform ratings. “We believe that alternatives to traditional consumer finance and bank cards will gain momentum as younger demographics seek better, more transparent financial experiences,” analyst Andrew Jeffrey wrote in a note to clients. Gen Z members are also turning more toward brokerage and high-yield savings accounts versus traditional banks, said Siebert’s Malek. “I think you’ll see more money shift away from full service broker dealers, a little bit more toward the, dare I say, Robinhoods of the world, Wealthfronts of the world, where they can almost self direct with a little bit of help,” the investor said. HOOD 1Y mountain Robinhood Robinhood is a top pick of Morgan Stanley analyst Michael Cyprys. He believes the company will gain market share “as the platform curates more content at an accelerated pace to win share from Gen Y/Z that’s moving into prime earnings years,” he wrote in a Feb. 10 note. After Robinhood reported earnings last month, Cyprys raised his price target to $90, suggesting 103% upside from Friday’s close. Dining While Gen Z isn’t spending a lot right now on dining out, they already exhibit a higher propensity for it rather than cooking at home, Bernstein analyst Danilo Gargiulo said. He continues to like Yum Brand’ s Taco Bell, Wingstop and Chipotle ******** Grill because of their social media presence and cultural relevance. He also believes McDonald’s and Starbucks can leverage their scale to bring in more Gen Z diners. Catalyst Dynamic Alpha Fund’s O’Neill said Gen Z’s focus on health impacts its dining options. “There’s a focus on more organic or sustainably sourced items,” he said. “Traditional fast food [is] not a big beneficiary here at all, but more of your healthier options, like Chipotle, like Cava and those sorts of fast-casual dining are far more beneficiaries than McDonald’s and Wendy’s.” They also like to get their food delivered to them. DoorDash was the most popular food service with 75% of teens, Piper Sandler’s survey found. The bottom line Cleary, many of the stocks that will benefit from Gen Z’s spending may hit near-term headwinds, particularly around the Trump administration’s tariffs . However, while the impact of Gen Z’s behaviors may seem far off, it will actually be felt much sooner than many realize, Bank of America’s Israel said. “In the next couple of years, every industry will understand that there’s a tectonic change over here,” he said. “This shift in thinking is going to happen in these five years, before they will be the richest generation and every industry that will not adopt Gen Z as the next consumer, as the number one consumer, is just not going to be around anymore.” Source link #Gen #wealth #effect #shape #economy #time #heres #benefit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Charles Barkley says Michael Jordan gave him 1 financial tip that made him millions, and you can use it to get rich, too Charles Barkley says Michael Jordan gave him 1 financial tip that made him millions, and you can use it to get rich, too Charles Barkley says Michael Jordan gave him 1 golden financial tip in his early NBA days that made him millions — here is the big money move and how you can use it to get rich, too Young athletes have been known to blow through their first big paycheck. Former NBA star Charles Barkley almost did, too — until Michael Jordan gave him one life-changing financial tip. In an episode of The Steam Room podcast, Barkley says he and Jordan were about to sign endorsement deals with Nike at roughly the same time. Barkley’s deal was originally for $3 million, but before he signed on the dotted line, Jordan asked him one simple question: “Hey man, why you [sic] need all that money?” The conversation led Barkley to make a decision that could have cost him millions, but instead made him a fortune. Here’s the game-changing money move that he learned from Jordan, and how you can apply it to your own wealth-building strategy. Although $3 million was no small sum, Jordan recognized that with the right strategy, Barkley could turn it into something much *******. He told Barkley to renegotiate his contract and take only $1 million in cash and the rest in Nike stock options. After a brief discussion with his team, Barkley took the advice and set himself up for an immense windfall down the road. “I actually made probably 10 times that amount of money and I’m still with Nike to this day,” Barkley proudly proclaimed. Barkley didn’t mention if he still holds his Nike stake, but the stock is up a jaw-dropping 4,000% since his signature basketball sneaker, the Nike Air Force Max CB, debuted in 1994. His story highlights how gaining equity can be far more lucrative than a quick cash payout, especially when it’s tied to a strong, growing business. Here’s how you can apply this lesson to your investment strategy. Read more: Jamie Dimon issues a warning about the US stock market — says prices are ‘kind of inflated.’ Crashproof your portfolio with these 3 rock-solid strategies Like Jordan and Barkley at the dawn of their respective careers, young investors should be more focused on capital appreciation and growth rather than immediate cash flow. This is why some financial advisors recommend using the Rule of 100 for age-appropriate asset allocation. To use this rule, subtract your age from 100 and the remainder represents the percentage of your portfolio that you should invest in stocks. So, if you’re 30 years old, you would set aside 70% of your portfolio for stocks while 30% can be allocated to safe havens such as bonds. Story Continues Another way to prioritize growth over cash is to set aside a portion of your paycheck to invest in stocks every month. As of January, 2025, the personal savings rate is 4.6%, according to the Federal Reserve. By saving a greater portion of your income — say 15% — you could reach your financial goals faster. Young investors with an appetite for risk and the patience to wait for compounding growth can also focus on growth stocks over dividend-paying blue chip stocks. Tobacco giant Altria Group, for instance, pays a hefty 7.3% dividend yield but the stock has appreciated only 34% over the past five years. By comparison, Nvidia, which doesn’t pay a dividend and reinvests all its cash flow to expand its business, has appreciated 1,563% over the same five-year *******. When you’re young, much of your career is still ahead of you. Like Barkley after his first Nike contract, you may have decades of income to look forward to, which gives you room to invest and look at the ******* picture. Prioritizing long-term wealth growth over quick cash can set you up for a far richer future. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Charles #Barkley #Michael #Jordan #gave #financial #tip #millions #rich Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

PGA Tour 2K25 Hits The Links In Style – Skewed ‘n Reviewed PGA Tour 2K25 Hits The Links In Style – Skewed ‘n Reviewed Richard Bailey Jr. of The Koalition writes: HB Studios announced PGA TOUR 2K25 in January along with a surprise February release date for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 consoles. After reviewing PGA TOUR 2K21 in 2020 and hearing about all the new franchise enhancements for this game, I was curious to see firsthand what the latest entry had to offer. Source link #PGA #Tour #2K25 #Hits #Links #Style #Skewed #Reviewed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Samsung G6 OLED gaming monitor is $200 off for a limited time The Samsung G6 OLED gaming monitor is $200 off for a limited time To maximize your investment in gaming PC deals, you’re going to have to purchase a proper display. Fortunately, there are some amazing offers that are available online right now, and one of them is this $200 discount from Samsung for the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor. From its original price of $900, it’s down to $700 — but only for a limited time. This deal will end when the Discover Samsung Spring ***** ends. These Samsung G-line monitors seem to be having a fire ***** right now. If this G6 doesn’t scratch your itch, check out these deals on the Samsung G7 and Samsung G8. Why you should buy the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor Samsung is a mainstay in our list of the best gaming monitors, and you’ll see why that’s the case with the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor. Launched less than a year ago, the display is designed to meet the needs of even the most hardcore gamers. Its 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time greatly exceed the recommendations in our computer monitor buying guide, and they make gameplay extremely smooth and lag-free. The screen uses QD-OLED technology, which supports more than 1 billion colors and HDR10+ for lifelike visuals, and with 1440p resolution, you’ll feel like you’re in the worlds that are created by the best PC games. The 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor comes with two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 for versatility in connecting to your gaming PC, while Core Lighting+ technology provides ambient RGB lighting to match your mood. The display also features a pulsating heat pipe to prevent burn-ins, a dynamic cooling system that prevents overheating, and a thermal modulation system that controls brightness to manage temperatures. The monitor deals that are worth buying for gamers don’t come cheap, but you can score huge savings if you know where to look. Samsung itself is an excellent source for discounts, and it’s currently selling the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 gaming monitor for $700 instead of its sticker price of $900. The $200 in savings are expected to run through the current Discover Samsung Spring *****, so it won’t stick around forever. Source link #Samsung #OLED #gaming #monitor #limited #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]