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DeepSeek brings disruption to parallel file systems, releases powerful new open-source Fire-Flyer Fire System DeepSeek brings disruption to parallel file systems, releases powerful new open-source Fire-Flyer Fire System DeepSeek AI has made its Fire-Flyer Fire System (3FS) parallel file system fully open-source this week, as part of its Open Source Week event. The disruptive AI company from China brags that 3FS can hit 7.3 TB/s aggregate read throughput in its own server data clusters, where DeepSeek has been using 3FS to organize its servers since at least 2019. 3FS is a Linux-based parallel file system designed for use in AI-HPC operations, where many data storage servers are being constantly accessed by GPU nodes for training LLMs. 3FS is unique from other file systems thanks largely to its almost singular prioritization of random read speeds above all else, and almost completely ignoring read caching. When training AI models, compute units need to access random training data constantly, and reading this data is a one-time-only process. Therefore, a read cache is nearly useless and is largely done away with by 3FS. In fact, using the read cache when training LLMs may be potentially harmful; as LLMs are basically just super-tuned inference machines, reading the same data in the same order repeatedly has the potential to link completely different data as a set to the language model. The team responsible for operating one of DeepSeek’s deep learning clusters, Fire-Flyer 2, published this paper last August outlining using 3FS in the custom-built system. In Fire-Flyer 2, DeepSeek utilized 180 storage nodes, each loaded with 16 16TB SSDs and two 200Gbps NUCs. These nodes served 10,000 PCIe Nvidia A100 GPUs, built out in much cheaper servers than Nvidia’s proprietary DGX-A100 products. Across the whole array, DeepSeek claims it benchmarked 3FS’s performance at 6.6 TB/s, while also running training tasks in the background that added an additional 1.4TB/s of read throughput. In comparison, competitor file system Ceph only reached speeds of 1.1 TB/s read throughput (on a server with 68 nodes, loaded with 10 16TB SSDs and 2 x 100 Gbps networking) for the first time in early 2024. 3FS was credited as a crucial part of DeepSeek’s software stack for training DeepSeek AI in the above paper, as tested on the Fire-Flyer 2 HPC solution that achieved 80% of the performance of Nvidia’s DGX-A100 server solution for 50% of the price and 60% of the power draw. Those curious about trying out the Fire-Flyer File System and its random-read-forward style for AI-HPC solutions can find the full download on DeepSeek’s Github page. We’d be surprised if this new open-source system does not become a hit for enthusiasts and enterprise AI-HPC users alike, though it may have to overcome some level of anti-******** tech fear to hit blockbuster status. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #DeepSeek #brings #disruption #parallel #file #systems #releases #powerful #opensource #FireFlyer #Fire #System Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge blocks Trump order threatening funding for institutions that offer care for transgender youth Judge blocks Trump order threatening funding for institutions that offer care for transgender youth President Donald Trump’s plan to pull federal funding from institutions that provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth will remain blocked on a long-term basis under a federal judge’s ruling in Seattle late Friday. U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King previously granted a two-week restraining order after the Democratic attorneys general of Washington, Oregon and Minnesota sued the Trump administration — Colorado has since joined the case. King’s temporary order expired Friday, and she held arguments that day before issuing a preliminary injunction blocking most of Trump’s plan pending a final decision on the merits of the case. She rejected a portion of the states’ challenge regarding the order’s protections against female ******** mutilation, on grounds that “no credible threat of prosecution exists” in such cases. Two of Trump’s executive orders are at issue in the case. One, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism,” calls for stripping federal money from programs that “promote gender ideology.” The other, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” calls for the federal government to cut off research and educational grants for institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, that provide gender-affirming care to people under age 19. Several hospitals around the country ceased providing care, including puberty blockers and hormone treatments, following the order. Medicaid programs in some states cover gender-affirming care, and Trump’s “Protecting Children” order suggests that practice could end. It also raises the prospect that medical professionals could be criminally charged for providing gender-affirming care under a law that bans medically unnecessary ******** mutilation of underage females — a notion that the states suing Trump call repugnant and legally unsupportable. Young people who persistently identify as a gender that differs from their sex assigned at birth — a condition called gender dysphoria — are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and to kill themselves if they do not receive treatment, which can include evaluation by a team of medical professionals; a social transition, such as changing a hairstyle or pronouns; and eventually puberty blockers or hormones. Surgery is extremely rare for minors. In her ruling Friday, the judge said the order was not limited to children or to irreversible treatments and that it doesn’t target medical interventions performed on cisgender children. “In fact, its inadequate ‘means-end fit’ would prevent federally funded medical providers from providing necessary medical treatments to transgender youth that are completely unrelated to gender identity,” she wrote. “For example, a cisgender teen could obtain puberty blockers from such a provider as a component of ******* treatment, but a transgender teen with the same ******* care plan could not.” In his arguments Friday, Washington Assistant Attorney General William McGinty stressed the urgency of the issue. “There are going to be young people who are going to take their lives if they can no longer receive this care,” he said. The executive order uses derisive terminology — words such as “maiming,” “sterilizing” and “mutilation” — that contradicts what is typical for gender-affirming care in the United States. Such care is widely endorsed by the medical community, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians. King, the judge in Seattle, grilled Justice Department attorney Vinita Andrapalliyal in court about the meaning and effect of Trump’s executive orders. “What is gender dysphoria?” she asked. “Your honor, I am not a medical provider,” Andrapalliyal responded. “It’s a thing, correct?” King asked. “It’s a medically recognizable diagnosis?” “I don’t have an official position on that,” Andrapalliyal said. The judge continued to press, saying she was “looking for a legitimate government interest” that would justify Trump’s orders. The four Democratic attorneys general suing in Seattle argued that the orders violate equal rights protections, the separation of powers and the states’ right to regulate issues not delegated to the federal government. The Trump administration disputed those claims in court filings. “The President’s authority to direct subordinate agencies to implement his agenda, subject to those agencies’ own statutory authorities, is well established,” Justice Department attorneys wrote. In addition to the orders on health care access and defining the sexes as unchangeable, Trump has also signed orders that open the door to banning transgender people from military service; set up new rules about how schools can teach about gender; and would ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Many legal challenges have been filed. Source link #Judge #blocks #Trump #order #threatening #funding #institutions #offer #care #transgender #youth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pentagon Marines are annoyed by an ‘odd’ uniform change they say will drive up dry-cleaning bills Pentagon Marines are annoyed by an ‘odd’ uniform change they say will drive up dry-cleaning bills Marines at the Pentagon will switch from camouflage to formal “service” uniforms soon. The change is seen as costly and inconvenient, with no clear explanation from leaders. Other military branches at the Pentagon will continue wearing their comfortable camouflage uniforms. Amid all the other shake-ups at the Defense Department, Marines in the Pentagon are set to ditch their warfighting camouflage utility uniforms, commonly called “cammies,” for the more formal “service” dress uniforms. Leaders haven’t explained reasoning for the coming change, which is set to take effect in about a week, according to a copy of the directive obtained by Business Insider. Two Marines, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation, told *** the change feels out-of-sync with department priorities, offers less comfort, and is much more of a hassle. Marine Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Joshua Benson confirmed the swap, telling *** in a statement that “new guidance was passed and Marines will adhere to the lawful order.” He declined to elaborate on why the change had been made. Compared to other US service branches, the Marine Corps is unusually strict in its appearance standards. The Corps does not allow its Marines to wear fleece jackets to stay warm, for example, and has rigorous stipulations on what few options for outer garments can be worn and when. Male Marines must receive haircuts weekly, which in the DC area can cost over $500 per year. Female Marines, meanwhile, are not permitted to wear their hair in a braid or ponytail. Other services loosened old regulations on short hair and tight hair buns after some reports of alopecia amongst female troops. Officials from the Army, Air Force, and Navy told *** that no uniform changes are currently planned for their servicemembers stationed at the Pentagon from those branches. Those troops most often wear their cammies, which are famously comfortable (and good for covering coffee stains). Marine Corps leadership in the Pentagon decided to swap from wearing fancy “service” uniforms to cammies two years ago, before deciding recently to reverse course. The previous policy change listed a few reasons for the swap — chiefly, that leaders then recognized the financial cost troops incurred from dry cleaning the “service” uniforms — by one estimate, nearly $470 per year, which junior enlisted troops on the low-end of the pay scale are likely to feel more acutely. With inflation, these costs today could be higher. “The overall intent of the updated uniform guidance is to reduce the financial burden for our junior officer and enlisted Marines dry cleaning and uniform costs,” the previous guidance said, according to Marine Corps Times. Since then, Pentagon Marines have usually worn the “service” uniforms just once a week, which some Marines say can help identify those who could exceed weight standards. Marines measure ribbon placement on the service “C” uniform.Lance Cpl. Daniel Valle/US Marine Corps Back to the old way As snazzy as they look, military uniforms haven’t progressed far into the 21st century, including the Marine “service” uniforms, which can be considered the military equivalent of business casual. The uniforms have to be dry-cleaned and can be unforgivingly rigid. The look requires shirt stays for men and lacks the comfortable technical fabrics commonly seen in civilian business attire. Some Marines, including recruiters and those who are part of the prestigious Marine Barracks Washington, are expected to wear more formal uniforms daily. The new reversal seems contradictory, a Marine officer stationed at the Pentagon told ***, and unlikely to align with new political leadership’s strict focus on military fiscal responsibility. “While the services are being asked to cut back to save money, the young Marines are now being asked to fork out a lot more non-reimbursable money every week,” she said. Junior military officers, especially women, already pay more out-of-pocket for uniforms compared to other ranks, according to a 2021 government watchdog report that analyzed uniform cost inequities amongst the services. That same report said that while enlisted Marines receive a yearly stipend for uniform costs, the stipend is insufficient. “Focusing on warfighting and lethality while removing the uniform that symbolizes that seems odd,” she said, referring to cammies, which most Marines wear both at home and while deployed. The change also seems a bit at odds with the vibes and style of the new secretary of defense, who has been seen wearing suits in the Pentagon but was also recently photographed wearing more casual “tactical” clothing while visiting Guantanamo Bay. “I’m trying to save money and invest smartly,” an enlisted Marine told ***. “The added expense of dry cleaning on top of weekly haircuts makes my financial goals harder to hit.” Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #Pentagon #Marines #annoyed #odd #uniform #change #drive #drycleaning #bills Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NHL trade deadline 2025: Making one bold prediction for each team NHL trade deadline 2025: Making one bold prediction for each team Could Bruins captain Brad Marchand be headed to Colorado to add some veteran leadership to the Avalanche? Will we see a surprise Lightning reunion in Tampa Bay? This week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for their bold predictions ahead of the March 7 trade deadline that’s less than a week away, and those were just a couple of the enticing (and sometimes contradictory) scenarios we heard about in response. Here’s one pick for each team. GO DEEPER Which player (or pick) each NHL team is most likely to deal at the trade deadline Anaheim Ducks Prediction: They will finally trade John Gibson. The keywords with this are “prediction” and “bold.” Is it a guarantee that it will happen? No. The Ducks have made it clear that they’ll trade Gibson on their terms and that means teams meeting a high asking price. Anaheim can increase the interest level if it retains a sizable portion of Gibson’s $6.4 million cap hit, if not half of that. What helps the Ducks is Stanley Cup-contending teams such as Edmonton and Carolina have legitimate questions in goal. Gibson’s upper-body injury isn’t expected to keep him out long. He’s having a bounce-back season and might be open to a change where he’d be the clear No. 1 again. — Eric Stephens GO DEEPER Ducks trade tiers: Which players could be on the move? Who is untouchable? Boston Bruins Prediction: They will trade Brad Marchand. Marchand is the team captain. He is the only remaining member from the 2011 championship team. Marchand remains an important player. However, he is unsigned after this season. The organization might consider future returns they could receive for Marchand as being worth trading their captain. If they are not interested in bringing Marchand back beyond this season, the Bruins could move him for assets. — Fluto Shinzawa GO DEEPER Would the Bruins trade Brad Marchand? ‘All bets are off’ Buffalo Sabres Prediction: They will trade Jason Zucker. Zucker has been an excellent free-agent pickup for the Sabres. He has 44 points in 54 games while playing on a one-year deal. That the Sabres haven’t extended him yet puts him on the trade radar in the next week. His value is as high as it has been in years, so the Sabres should get a good asset if they can’t get him under contract. — Matthew Fairburn Calgary Flames Prediction: They will emerge as the biggest trade broker at the deadline, and they’ll buy. The Flames are in an interesting situation. They’re competing for a playoff spot thanks to their rookie goaltender but don’t have a potent offense. And they have tons of cap space to play with (nearly $18 million in projected cap space, according to PuckPedia). The Flames are willing to buy, judging by the acquisitions of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost (especially if they can land another young forward between 18 and 25). But if they can weaponize their cap space to land assets for the future, too? That’s as good of a trade deadline as the Flames can have. — Julian McKenzie Carolina Hurricanes Prediction: They will extend Mikko Rantanen. So much of the noise surrounding Rantanen is that Carolina is already exploring ways to flip the star forward, worried that he will not sign a contract extension with the Hurricanes. Carolina, however, remains confident it can get a deal done with Rantanen, and I think an eight-year, $106 million contract — which would work out to a $13.25 million AAV — is the sweet spot. — Cory Lavalette GO DEEPER Hurricanes mailbag: Will Mikko Rantanen get re-signed? Or flipped in a trade? There are a lot of hurdles for the Blackhawks to clear to trade Seth Jones. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images) Chicago Blackhawks Prediction: They will trade Seth Jones. There are a lot of hurdles for the Blackhawks to clear to trade Jones. Odds are they won’t before the deadline, but there is a slim chance they might. What it would take is finding a Cup-contending team that wants Jones, doesn’t require the Blackhawks to retain too much of his cap space and for the Blackhawks to get something in exchange. — Scott Powers GO DEEPER Seth Jones trade watch: Tiering potential destinations for the Blackhawks’ defenseman Colorado Avalanche Prediction: They will trade for Brad Marchand. These are supposed to be bold. Marchand has said his plan is to play his entire career in Boston, but he only has an eight-team no trade list in the final year of his deal, and it’s unlikely Colorado is on that list. The Avalanche need depth scoring and some veteran leadership, and Marchand would provide both in a big way. — Jesse Granger Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction: They will acquire a top-nine forward. When this season started, nobody could have expected Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell to be a buyer at the deadline, but here we are. The Blue Jackets have been one of the NHL’s pleasant surprises this season and Waddell wants to reward them with a roster boost down the stretch. Don’t expect him to move a first-round pick or a top prospect for a rental. He’s more cagey than that. But a mid-round pick makes sense. Keep former Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist, currently a pending UFA with Nashville, in mind. — Aaron Portzline Dallas Stars Prediction: They will stand pat. It’s not terribly bold, and the Stars could use another top-four defenseman, with Miro Heiskanen’s future murky. But Dallas already made its big move, acquiring Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from San Jose. And the fact is, the Stars don’t have a whole lot left to give up other than a third-round pick in the 2025 draft. To land a true impact player at this point, a trade partner would probably want Mavrik Bourque or Lian Bichsel included in the deal, and that’s almost certainly a nonstarter for GM Jim Nill. — Mark Lazerus Detroit Red Wings Prediction: They will add a defenseman. The attention in Detroit has been on the center position, especially after Andrew Copp was ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery on his left pectoral tendon. And they could look to do something there. But the Red Wings have more internal options available at center than they do on the blue line, which is already thinned out after Jeff Petry’s injury. We’ll see if the Red Wings do anything major at the deadline (in a similar position last year, they stood pat), but if they do, defense seems like the better bet. — Max Bultman GO DEEPER What Copp’s injury means for the Red Wings as trade deadline nears Edmonton Oilers Prediction: They will acquire a top-nine winger. There’s been a ton of angst about the need to replace Stuart Skinner in net, but GM Stan Bowman has been steadfast in his view that goaltending isn’t a big problem. Here’s betting he turns his attention toward another issue. Zach Hyman is the only high-end scoring winger the Oilers have based on the combination of performance and usage, and his production is way down compared to last season. The Oilers need more options there. The quality of player they acquire could depend on if Evander Kane will remain on LTIR through the end of the regular season. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman GO DEEPER With the trade deadline looming, why Matt Savoie’s effective Oilers debut matters Florida Panthers Prediction: They will send Matthew Tkachuk to LTIR. Paul Maurice said Tkachuk will play again for the Panthers this season. Fair enough. But if what’s believed to be a groin injury he sustained in the 4 Nations Face-Off is indeed a several-week affair, there’s no reason for Florida not to shut him down until Round 1 and use the resultant cap space to meaningfully improve, particularly on the blue line. Seth Jones? Erik Karlsson? Why not? The Panthers are chasing glory, and they’re not afraid. — Sean Gentille Los Angeles Kings Prediction: They will add a scoring winger. The NHL’s best home team is in good shape with 16 of their final 23 games at Crypto.com Arena and can use that to try chasing down either Vegas or Edmonton to gain home ice advantage in the first round. But the deadline can be about better positioning themselves for a matchup against either the Oilers (again) or the Golden Knights. Even though they’ve perked back up during a surge, the Kings aren’t immune to a scoring drought. That’s where another winger who can put the puck in the net is an ideal add. Especially one who can play with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. — Eric Stephens GO DEEPER Kings potential trade targets: 8 forwards who could help a scuffling offense If traded, Islanders’ Brock Nelson has the ability to help up the middle and on the penalty kill. (Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images) Minnesota Wild Prediction: They will trade for Brock Nelson. The Wild didn’t appear to be buyers a week ago due to a lack of cap space. But the injury to Joel Eriksson Ek and uncertainty over Kirill Kaprizov’s return date suddenly give them potential room to be players at the deadline. If Minnesota determines that Eriksson Ek will be out for the rest of the regular season, it can use his $5.25 million cap hit to go shopping for a center. Nelson fits the bill. The pending unrestricted free agent (and native Minnesotan) has the ability to help up the middle and on the PK. He’ll likely have a lot of suitors if the Islanders decide to move him, though, which could drive the price up. — Joe Smith GO DEEPER Wild trade tracker: 5 centers the Wild could pursue if Joel Eriksson Ek is out until the playoffs Montreal Canadiens Prediction: They will acquire a roster player with term. The Canadiens are open to doing a lot of things. They have long-term needs at center, right defense and perhaps even a top-six winger. They also have a ton of draft picks and prospects they would be willing to move. Hockey trades at deadline time are rare, but the Canadiens are in a spot where they are willing to be creative and bold. They recognize they need to improve and wouldn’t be afraid to make a big splash closer to the draft, but if that opportunity arises now, I see no reason why they wouldn’t pull the trigger. — Arpon Basu Nashville Predators Prediction: They will recall Joakim Kemell and he will be a big story by season’s end. Is this wishful thinking bordering on fantasy? Perhaps, and especially because the 20-year-old forward has not been lighting it up in the AHL (30 points in 47 games for the Milwaukee Admirals entering the week). But the dreadful last few weeks of this lost season need something, and it stands to reason he’ll get called up and get an opportunity to show he’s part of this team’s future core. — Joe Rexrode New Jersey Devils Prediction: They will acquire a top-six forward. The Devils have a strong collection of forwards, but one more legitimate one in the top six would buoy one of the first two lines and have a trickle-down effect on the lineup. Someone such as Ondrej Palat or Tomas Tatar could move down to a bottom-six role. Obviously, top-six forwards aren’t cheap, but the Devils have a strong collection of picks and prospects they can work with to get a deal done. — Peter Baugh New York Islanders Prediction: They will trade Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He’s still got a year left on his deal and he’s a useful No. 3 center, as he’s been since Lou Lamoriello acquired Pageau ahead of the 2019-20 deadline and signed him to a six-year extension on the spot. But those qualities, plus the meager center market, make Pageau a perfect deadline chip — especially if the Isles retain half of Pageau’s $5 million cap hit. — Arthur Staple New York Rangers Prediction: They will be sellers. This prediction isn’t as bold nowadays, but it would’ve been in the preseason. The Rangers are still within striking distance of a playoff spot, but they have not shown much reason for the front office to believe they can make a deep playoff run. Selling off pending UFAs for future assets makes sense. — Peter Baugh Ottawa Senators Prediction: They won’t do anything because they can’t. The Senators desperately need to make some kind of move at the deadline to keep pace with fellow teams. But with a crippling salary cap structure and very few assets to make a significant move, there is a world where GM Steve Staios remains quiet at the deadline. Instead, he looks at his players getting healthy (Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Shane Pinto) and thinks of them as “additions.” — Julian McKenzie GO DEEPER McKenzie: Is GM Steve Staios right to feel comfortable with the Senators’ depth? Philadelphia Flyers Prediction: They won’t make a trade. Teams that are in the midst of rebuilds don’t often stand pat at the trade deadline. But the Flyers don’t have any pending unrestricted free agents other than newcomer Andrei Kuzmenko, who they seem to want to give a real chance to make an impact, and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson, who wouldn’t return much anyway. The Flyers could very well hang onto defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and forward Scott Laughton — the two players most often in trade rumors — if their asking prices aren’t met, and then reevaluate the status of both this summer. — Kevin Kurz Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction: They will keep Rickard Rakell. Clearly rebuilding, despite what GM Kyle Dubas says publicly, the Penguins are in asset acquisition mode. Rakell, 31, is having one of his best seasons and should help any contender. But he has a reputation of being streaky, has cooled a bit when it comes to goal scoring and has a lot of years left on his contract. For all of those reasons, not to mention the unlikelihood of him commanding a first-round pick, he’ll remain a Penguin after the deadline. — Rob Rossi San Jose Sharks Prediction: They will shop Mario Ferraro, but won’t move him. The specter of Ferraro getting dealt goes back to last spring and this is another Sharks season that’s gone down the drain. This could be a deal that’s more likely to occur next year when his contract expires but the 26-year-old defenseman is attractive for his age, affordable contract ($3.25 million cap hit) and ability to soak up minutes with his skating and willingness to put his body in front of shots. The Sharks should take calls and maybe even kick tires on their own, but can hang onto Ferraro if they don’t like what’s being offered. — Eric Stephens GO DEEPER Sharks trade tiers: Which players should be on the move? Who is untouchable? Seattle Kraken Prediction: They will trade Yanni ******* despite his injury. ******* hasn’t played since Jan. 2 as a result of surgery to repair a sports hernia, and time is getting short on him to return to the lineup before the trade deadline. ******* has been skating, but won’t be able to play many games prior to the deadline — if he makes it back at all. While this uncertainty will make trading ******* somewhat complicated, the lack of center options on the market and *******’s reputation as a playoff performer will still permit the Kraken to net good value in a trade deadline deal as a classic seller team. — Thomas Drance Blues captain Brayden Schenn’s name has been involved in trade conversations, but is a deal realistic? (Patrick Smith / Getty Images) St. Louis Blues Prediction: They will trade captain Brayden Schenn. Schenn’s name has been involved in trade conversations, but the question is: Are the Blues dangling their captain or are teams simply calling about him? It’s likely the latter. Either way, you can’t rule out the possibility of him moving, as general manager Doug Armstrong continues to search for ways to maximize the team’s retool. Schenn does have a no-trade clause and would have to be talked into accepting a deal. But if there’s a team willing to unite him with brother Luke (Predators) somewhere, that might be of interest. — Jeremy Rutherford GO DEEPER Brayden Schenn trade rumors, Robert Thomas’ leadership and more: Blues mailbag, part 1 Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction: They will reunite with Yanni *******. The Lightning only have so many assets to spend at the deadline, but need reinforcements up front. While they could try to swing big for Brad Marchand, who fits their needs on the wing, Tampa Bay probably needs to look a tier lower. While centers generally are pricey at the deadline, his injury status could make this more feasible for the Lightning. Tampa Bay doesn’t need a center, but it wouldn’t hurt to have options. Plus, the Lightning know exactly what they would be getting from the disruptive forward. — Shayna Goldman Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction: They will make a big splash. It’s bold because it’s never really been GM Brad Treliving’s thing to make major trades in-season. We saw a rather safe deadline from Treliving in his first year with the team. The end result was another first-round loss. I have to believe the organizational pressure to do more will be higher this time around, what with Keith Pelley now running the show atop MLSE and team president Brendan Shanahan in the last year of his contract (or so we think). The East is also wide open, and with an impactful addition or two, the Leafs could jump to the front of the pack. — Jonas Siegel GO DEEPER It’s time for the Leafs to make another splash at the deadline: Monday Morning Leafs Report Utah Hockey Club Prediction: They will acquire a top-six forward. It may be a vague answer, but that’s because Utah has options. The organization stockpiled picks and prospects over the years, and now management should feel ready to start using their pipeline to add more NHL-caliber talent. Utah also has rental defensemen to send to others in the playoff mix, if it helps thread the needle up front. The key is that this is a new ownership group that has already shown a willingness to swing big via trade — so their name will be in the mix for all of the top centers and wingers available over the next week. — Shayna Goldman Vancouver Canucks Prediction: They will both buy and sell. The Canucks are locked into a tooth-and-nail fight for the second wild-card spot in the West. Across the board, though, all of their best players are dealing with either nagging injuries or baffling underperformance. They already sold J.T. Miller, entering a transitional phase of their team-building cycle. My prediction, then, is that they’ll both buy and sell. Whether it’s Brock Boeser or Pius Suter or Carson Soucy, the club will make at least a seller trade before the deadline. However, like with the Miller return, the Canucks will turn around and use that asset to make sure they don’t take a step back in the short term. — Thomas Drance Vegas Golden Knights Prediction: They will trade two second-round picks for Brandon Tanev. It certainly wouldn’t be the boldest move the Golden Knights have made at a deadline, but after trading two first-round picks and a first-round prospect last season, Vegas will likely be looking for fit over flash at this deadline. Tanev checks a lot of boxes with physicality, playoff experience and strong skating. He would immediately plug into the Golden Knights penalty kill and help balance the lineup. — Jesse Granger GO DEEPER Vegas Golden Knights trade deadline: 10 players they could target Washington Capitals Prediction: They will get their third-liner. The Caps don’t have to do anything, really; they’ve turned the Eastern Conference into a race for second place. We’re not talking about a team with glaring holes. Still, even with Sonny Milano and (presumably) prospect Ryan Leonard on the way, they could use a medium-term answer at 3C. Acquiring Jake Evans — a young, solid player who fits their timeline and makes just $1.7 million against the cap — would make them better for the playoffs and down the line, assuming they work out a contract extension. — Sean Gentille Winnipeg Jets Prediction: They will acquire both Rasmus Ristolainen and Scott Laughton from the Flyers. Ristolainen checks off a lot of boxes as a big, strong and physical defenseman who helps Philadelphia eliminate scoring chances in front of the net. Laughton is a versatile Flyer on the ice and glue guy off of it. Acquiring both top Flyers would be bold because it would take a big package, forcing the Jets to part with a first-round pick or prospect that they otherwise would prefer to keep, while filling two of the only holes on a deep Jets team. It could also relegate 6-foot-7 defenseman Logan Stanley to the press box come playoff time; he offers some physicality but leaks scoring chances to an extent that Ristolainen does not. — Murat Ates GO DEEPER Possible Jets trade targets: Which top forwards would be that elusive perfect fit? (Top photos of Yanni ******* and Brad Marchand: Trinity Machan / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images) Source link #NHL #trade #deadline #Making #bold #prediction #team Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nvidia Hotfix arrives to address ****** screen issues remaining after Thursday’s driver release Nvidia Hotfix arrives to address ****** screen issues remaining after Thursday’s driver release Nvidia released GeForce Game Ready Driver Version 572.60 earlier in the week, but one of the most important bug fixes was ineffectual in some cases, according to various tech forum members. Today, Nvidia has sought to plug its GPU ****** screen issues more tightly with GeForce Hotfix Driver Version 572.65. Fingers crossed it works this time. There’s just one bullet point in the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 572.65 description. “This hotfix addresses the following issue: PC may boot to a ****** screen when connected via DisplayPort with certain monitors [5131002],” writes Nvidia. However, a follow-up paragraph outlines the arduous task facing graphics driver developers in 2025. “A GeForce driver is an incredibly complex piece of software,” says Nvidia. “We have an army of software engineers constantly adding features and fixing bugs. These changes are checked into the main driver branches, which are eventually run through a massive QA process and released.” So, we have to forgive Nvidia (or, indeed, AMD or Intel) for the odd wrinkle in drivers, be it a game or machine-breaking issue or something less drastic like visual artifacts or so on. The good thing about a Hotfix, though, is that it can be delivered pretty quickly, and those who are actually suffering from the bug in question can apply it. Others can simply wait for the update to be rolled into the mainline WHQL driver release in due course – it might be an important bug fix for them at some later date. Eagle-eyed readers might notice an important difference in ****** screen bug fixing emphasis between the recently released GeForce Game Ready Driver Version 572.60 and the newly arrived hotfix. While the former was flagged to fix various ****** screen issues experienced by RTX 50 Series graphics card owners, the hotfix seems to apply to the broader GeForce ownership. The wider applicability of this ****** screen fix, Version 572.65, is welcome if you look at the official Version 572.60 feedback thread on the GeForce forums. Jaunt over to the community, and you will notice that there are owners of a range of cards, including the RTX 3060, RTX 4090, and RTX 5070 Ti, who grouse about Thursday’s driver not banishing their ****** screen problems. Usually, it is a good idea to hold back from fresh driver updates for a ******* and monitor forums for other people to discover issues. However, those who have bought one of the new RTX 50 cards and are keen to keep up with the latest software may throw caution to the wind. Also, GeForce Game Ready Driver Version 572.60 was attractive for its support for Naraka: Bladepoint with DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (MFG), plus Monster Hunter Wilds with DLSS and Frame Generation, as well as support for 29 new G-Sync Compatible monitors. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Nvidia #Hotfix #arrives #address #****** #screen #issues #remaining #Thursdays #driver #release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge blocks Trump order threatening funding for institutions that offer care for transgender youth – The Associated Press Judge blocks Trump order threatening funding for institutions that offer care for transgender youth – The Associated Press Judge blocks Trump order threatening funding for institutions that offer care for transgender youth The Associated PressUS judge further blocks Trump’s order curbing youth gender-affirming care ReutersJudge in Seattle deals blow to Trump order seeking end to some gender-affirming care The Seattle TimesDonald Trump Suffers Major Legal Loss in Four States NewsweekFederal judge in Seattle issues injunction blocking Trump order on gender-affirming care KOMO News Source link #Judge #blocks #Trump #order #threatening #funding #institutions #offer #care #transgender #youth #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Netflix Wins Bidding War for Natalie Portman, Lena Dunham Rom-Com ‘Good Sex’ With $55 Million ***** – Variety Netflix Wins Bidding War for Natalie Portman, Lena Dunham Rom-Com ‘Good Sex’ With $55 Million ***** – Variety Netflix Wins Bidding War for Natalie Portman, Lena Dunham Rom-Com ‘Good Sex’ With $55 Million ***** VarietyNetflix Wins Out In Big Auction For Natalie Portman-Lena Dunham Rom-Com ‘Good Sex’ DeadlineNetflix Scores Major Deal For Natalie Portman-Lena Dunham Rom-Com ‘Good Sex’ Yahoo EntertainmentHollywood News Live Today March 1, 2025 : Oscars CEO addresses Karla Sofía Gascón controversy: ‘The night is about much more than one person’ Hindustan TimesWOW: Natalie Portman & Lena Dunham’s ‘Good Sex’ Sells For Whopping $55M To Netflix Jordan Ruimy Source link #Netflix #Wins #Bidding #War #Natalie #Portman #Lena #Dunham #RomCom #Good #Sex #Million #***** #Variety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘You ***** at Taking Care of Your Wife’ ‘You ***** at Taking Care of Your Wife’ Michael from Davenport, Iowa, appears to have his finances completely under control. At just 31 years old, he owns three hog farms, has zero debt, lives in a fully paid-off home, and has saved $431,000 in cash. Yet, during an episode of The Ramsey Show last spring, Michael shared a serious disagreement with his wife—one that host Dave Ramsey swiftly identified as a significant blind spot. The issue? Michael’s wife wants to purchase a modest home in town for $45,000. Their current home sits too close to their hog sheds, and the persistent odor has become unbearable for her. They had previously rented the home in town, but after the landlord passed away, his daughter offered them the opportunity to purchase it outright. Michael, however, is hesitant. He prefers to use his savings to fund a new hog shed—a hefty business investment totaling approximately $930,000. Don’t Miss: Ramsey directly confronted Michael’s reasoning, quickly highlighting the underlying issue: “You’re a great farmer and a great businessman. You know your numbers inside and out. You take care of all the details—I can hear it. I think you’re very, very good at what you do. You ***** at taking care of your wife.” Ramsey emphasized the stark difference between Michael’s willingness to invest nearly a million dollars in another hog shed versus his hesitation over purchasing a $45,000 house for his wife. “She’s not asking to buy a $4 million house,” Ramsey emphasized clearly. “She’s not asking you to sell off your hog farm… and she’s not even asking you to slow down. The $45,000 is not even going to slow you down.” Trending: ‘Which Bucket Do I Draw From First?’ Suze Orman Explains To 67-Year-Old The Best Order For Tapping Into Her Retirement Accounts While Ramsey applauded Michael’s financial discipline and savvy business sense, he and co-host Rachel Cruz identified a deeper issue—Michael’s failure to consider his wife’s perspective. Cruz specifically pointed out Michael’s repeated focus on himself, noting he frequently said “I” instead of “we,” suggesting a lack of balance and teamwork in his thinking. Cruz reminded Michael that marriage works best when both people are treated as equal teammates. “You guys are a team, and part of a team is there’s an A and a B—it’s not just an A,” Cruz said. “Bring her in. She has as much weight and as much value to the conversation and how she wants to live her life as much as you.” Story Continues She also emphasized that Michael’s wife wasn’t asking for much. Cruz pointed out how simple it would be to grant her request, and how meaningful it would feel for his wife to have her desires recognized. Ramsey backed up Cruz’s point by sharing some personal wisdom gathered over decades of marriage and running a business. He explained that keeping life peaceful at home helps him handle stress better at work, making him more effective overall. “The best thing I can do is have no drama at home because I’ve got enough of it at work,” Ramsey said. “It makes me more valuable when I’m at work.” See Also: The average 401(k) balance soars to a record-breaking high – Here’s how to know if your nest egg is keeping pace. From a neutral perspective, Michael’s resistance to spending just $45,000 of his significant savings on a home his wife wants raises legitimate concerns about his marital priorities. Ramsey made it clear that marriage involves compromise, emotional support, and valuing each other’s comfort—not just financial discipline. Ramsey’s advice drove home a simple point. Money matters, but your marriage matters more. Michael clearly knows how to grow a business, but Ramsey reminded him that the smartest move sometimes has nothing to do with profit margins or hog sheds. His advice was straightforward and impossible to miss: “Buy the house.” When your spouse asks for something reasonable—especially something as modest as a $45,000 home—it’s probably the easiest decision you’ll ever make. Read Next: UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article 31-Year-Old Wants To Spend $930,000 On Hog Shed But Won’t Buy His Wife A $45,000 House — Ramsey Says: ‘You ***** at Taking Care of Your Wife’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com © 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Source link #***** #Care #Wife Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation – The Associated Press Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation – The Associated Press Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation The Associated PressPope Francis suffers health setback CBS NewsPope Francis had peaceful night, is resting after breathing crisis, ******** says Fox NewsPope Francis resting after respiratory condition suddenly worsens ABC NewsPope has coffee, reads newspapers and rests after setback in recovery National Catholic Reporter Source link #Pope #coffee #rests #setback #recovery #bronchial #spasm #requiring #ventilation #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists discover innovative method to extract critical material from salt water — and it could make electric cars more affordable Scientists discover innovative method to extract critical material from salt water — and it could make electric cars more affordable George Washington could again be part of a revolution — even if by name only — thanks to researchers in the nation’s capital. That’s because a team at The George Washington University, collaborating with experts elsewhere, claimed to have developed an innovative process to capture lithium. That’s the crucial element in batteries that power electric vehicles and other tech needed for the cleaner energy shift. Details about the findings, highlighted in a news release and in the journal Nature, are captivating because the breakthrough is sans invasive mining and harmful chemicals soaking in vast brine pits. The typical extraction methods can be harmful to the environment, as reported by Euronews. Instead, GW’s team developed an electro-driven method using a “special material that selectively captures lithium ions from the brine.” It is eventually turned into lithium hydroxide that can be used in EV power packs. What’s more, the cleaner technique can be completed at a “competitive cost,” according to a GW news release. The team identified California’s Salton Sea as a briny source for extraction. The lake has 50% more salt than oceans, according to the state government. Nature’s report said that about 600,000 tons of lithium could be extracted from the sea annually, “far exceeding” the nation’s yearly needs. The innovation could open the door for an abundant domestic supply of the material, which is currently dominated by foreign markets, according to Visual Capitalist. Foreign supply chains can sometimes be troublesome, evidenced by ******** graphite export rules that in 2023 spurred worry in the sector about the availability of the crucial EV battery component. Watch now: Scientist responds to claim that volcanoes are responsible for planet’s overheating The minerals are part of the approximately 30 million tons — or more — of materials that Sustainability by Numbers reported will need to be hauled from the ground each year to effectively power the transition to a cleaner energy future. Comparatively, about 16.5 billion tons of dirty energy sources are mined annually, per the story by Hannah Ritchie, research head at Our World in Data. The changeover to cleaner energy is crucial to avoiding worst-case weather and health impacts resulting from our overheating planet. The chance for droughts, wildfires, asthma, dementia, and other calamities are increased as a result of the rising mercury, per experts from NASA and the government. The GW innovation includes a complicated-sounding setup called an “intercalation deionization cell,” a production well, an injection well, and other tech. Hot brine is pumped to the surface, and byproduct steam can power a turbine to make electricity. The cooled brine, typically a geothermal industry waste stream, is where the lithium is harvested. The other briny elements are pumped back underground. The converted lithium hydroxide is turned into a powder for battery makers, all per Nature. The journal reported that the unit was working with high purity during tests. The next step is to test the tech at scale, according to the news release. Another lithium extraction method being studied at Princeton involves evaporating briny water on strings. It is touted as being inexpensive and requiring low amounts of energy. A research team from Chicago is also working on a way to gather lithium from various sources of water. Reusing old battery parts is also a great way to reclaim some of the lithium and other metals that are already harvested. Mercedes-Benz is among the companies investing in power pack recycling. Importantly, it’s something mostly anyone can take part in by utilizing resources like Call2Recycle. It’s all part of exciting innovations being developed to power a cooler future. “In terms of innovations, we need all of them — even those that may seem quite exotic at this point: fusion, direct air capture, and others,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sergey Paltsev said in an MIT report. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #Scientists #discover #innovative #method #extract #critical #material #salt #water #electric #cars #affordable Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

David Johansen, Who Fronted the New York Dolls and More, Dies at 75 – The New York Times David Johansen, Who Fronted the New York Dolls and More, Dies at 75 – The New York Times David Johansen, Who Fronted the New York Dolls and More, Dies at 75 The New York TimesDavid Johansen, New York Dolls Frontman, Dies at 75 VarietyRock legend battling brain tumor has message for fans PennLiveDavid Johansen, New York Dolls Frontman and Punk Pioneer, Dead at 75 Rolling StoneCROWDFUNDING RADAR: Justin Golden, David Johansen ******* Fundraisers; New Albums from Mark Erelli, Jimmy Touzel, and Molly Thomas No Depression Source link #David #Johansen #Fronted #York #Dolls #Dies #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man, 37, dead after being Tasered by Halifax police; 2nd similar incident in a week Man, 37, dead after being Tasered by Halifax police; 2nd similar incident in a week SIRT investigates serious incidents involving police, independent of both government and police. (Submitted by SIRT – image credit) Nova Scotia’s police watchdog is investigating after the death of a second person who was Tasered by Halifax police in less than a week. In a statement Saturday, Halifax police say they were called to a residence on Farringdon Way in Bedford, N.S., on Friday night due to a 37-year-old man “displaying erratic behaviour.” The man became aggressive with police and was Tasered, the Serious Incident Response Team said in a statement Saturday. SIRT said police handcuffed the man and paramedics were called. SIRT said the man needed medical assistance and police administered first aid and gave him naloxone — a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses — as part of their efforts. Paramedics and Halifax firefighters also tried to save the man’s life, police say. The man was taken to hospital and where he was declared dead. Halifax police directed all inquiries to SIRT. Last weekend, a 25-year-old man died under similar circumstances when Halifax police responded to a mental health call on Vimy Avenue. The man was Tasered during a struggle with police and later died in police custody while at the premises. MORE TOP STORIES Source link #Man #dead #Tasered #Halifax #police #2nd #similar #incident #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FedEx plane catches fire midair before making emergency landing – Fox News FedEx plane catches fire midair before making emergency landing – Fox News FedEx plane catches fire midair before making emergency landing Fox NewsFedEx plane bird strike, sets engine on fire; plane makes emergency landing at Newark Airport ABC7 New YorkCargo plane makes emergency landing at Newark after fiery bird strike NBC New YorkBird strike forces FedEx cargo plane to make emergency landing at Newark airport NBC Philadelphia Source link #FedEx #plane #catches #fire #midair #making #emergency #landing #Fox #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RTX 5070 appears on Best Buy at MSRP — Asus Prime listed for $549.99 days before official launch RTX 5070 appears on Best Buy at MSRP — Asus Prime listed for $549.99 days before official launch Nvidia has allegedly delayed the launch of its mainstream RTX 5070 GPU to March 5 to counter the arrival of AMD’s RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUs, which are scheduled to become available the day after Team Green has put the 5070 on store shelves. But despite its launch date still a few days away, Best Buy has already put up a listing for the cheapest (so far) Nvidia 50-series GPU. The Asus RTX 5070 Prime 12GB (h/t momomo_us) is live on Best Buy, although it’s still marked as coming soon. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) This listing is good news for users planning to upgrade to the latest 50-series GPU but doesn’t have the budget for more expensive options like the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080. Furthermore, both GPUs had very limited stock upon launch, with those available often selling for way above the MSRP. However, while seeing a listing for the 5070 at MSRP gives us hope that budget builders will finally be able to get a graphics card without paying hundreds of dollars more than what Nvidia said on stage, history tells us that these MSRP prices probably won’t last long. We also wish that the RTX 5070 is readily available, meaning we can get one without needing to sign up for a lottery or lineup for days outside Micro Center — but we will figure that out soon enough on March 5. Given the recent trends, we also expect shortages to cripple this launch, just as we saw with the last few releases. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT GPUs also launched yesterday. These GPUs are designed to directly compete with RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti, and while the launch price of RX 9070 is almost the same as the RTX 5070 at MSRP, the higher tier RX 9070 XT is substantially more affordable than the RTX 5070 Ti at just $599 (versus $749 for the Nvidia GPU). This $150 price difference could drive mainstream gamers to Team Red, provided that there’s ample availability come March 6. AMD had several weeks to stock these GPUs, especially since the company suddenly dropped them from its CES 2025 announcement despite its board partners already showing them off. So, we believe that there should be at least some stock to satisfy the pent-up demand of gamers looking to get their hands on next-generation GPUs. Only time will tell if the supply lasts more than a few minutes, hours, or days, though. But before you go off buying a GPU either from AMD or Nvidia when they drop on store shelves, we recommend checking out feedback from trusted reviewers first, to ensure that you’re getting your money’s worth. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #RTX #appears #Buy #MSRP #Asus #Prime #listed #days #official #launch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

East Peoria mayor firm in stance on future of Par-A-Dice Casino, blasts Peoria East Peoria mayor firm in stance on future of Par-A-Dice Casino, blasts Peoria East Peoria Mayor John Kahl is steadfast in his stance that the city of Peoria is potentially straining the relationship between the two cities by its continued pursuit to lure the Par-A-Dice Casino to its side of the Illinois River. Kahl said as much to an audience at the Par-A-Dice Casino Hotel on Friday during his State of the City address in which he said he knew the emails he sent to Peoria Mayor Rita Ali about the casino would go public. In those emails he said Peoria was threatening to “forever strain” the relationship between the two cities, and on Friday he told the East Peoria audience at the casino that he stuck by those words. Kahl said during his speech that East Peoria would “protect” the rights of private businesses to make their own decisions and the city would not tell businesses “what to do” or “where you have to be,” appearing to take a veiled shot at Peoria for its efforts to bring Boyd Gaming to its city. In this Journal Star file photo from 2023, the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino sits on the banks of the icy Illinois River at the foot of 21 Blackjack Boulevard in East Peoria. Kahl told reporters after his speech that he would support whatever decision Boyd Gaming makes on the location of its planned new casino. “Boyd, whatever their decision is they take in front of the gaming board, and they approve it,” Kahl said. “That’s their decision to make. I’ve made myself clear to Boyd a couple years back when all of this kicked up if you will, what East Peoria’s position is. We’ve had a great partnership with them, and I like to think that speaks volumes.” Kahl, too, voiced his displeasure with Peoria’s efforts, which have included showing Boyd Gaming at least three possible locations it could build a new land-based casino. “Let Peoria keep running their mouth on whatever they hope to do, hope to see, can’t speak for them,” Kahl said. More: ‘David vs Goliath’: How East Peoria won the riverboat casino battle three decades ago A rift between leadership in Peoria and East Peoria has been growing for months after Boyd Gaming signaled last year that it was planning to build a new casino facility somewhere in the Peoria area. Boyd Gaming has operated the Par-A-Dice Riverboat Casino in East Peoria since 1993. However, where the battle seen between East Peoria and Peoria today stems from is a 1991 agreement signed between the two municipalities that dictated that if a land-based casino were to ever be built in the region, it would have to be on Peoria’s side of the river. Last year when Boyd signaled it would be building a new casino — one that would likely be land-based — Peoria began an effort to entice the company to its side of the river and remind it of the terms of the 1991 agreement. Kahl, however, believes that Peoria is overstepping and is ignoring the benefit the casino brings to the region as a whole. Currently the gaming tax revenues generated by the casino are split equally between the two cities. “I think a lot of people have this misconception about the Par-A-Dice,” Kahl said Friday. “The revenues are split 50% on each side. I don’t know why they can’t wrap their arms around that. Boyd has really done a tremendous job of supporting this entire region, and I hope people understand that.” However, all the other taxes — such as those generated by property taxes, sales taxes and hotel taxes — stay in the host city. Kahl called Peoria’s comments on the matter “nonsense.” “There’s a benefit to this region and for some reason, they don’t see the benefit apparently based on some of their comments, which are nonsense,” Kahl said. “Boyd’s done a good job of supporting this entire region, and I can’t say enough good things about the entire company.” Boyd Gaming’s CEO Keith Smith told shareholders in January that Boyd hoped to build a casino with an estimated price tag of $100 million to replace the Par-A-Dice Riverboat Casino in East Peoria. He said they hoped construction could begin in early 2026. More: Peoria, Boyd Gaming have discussed potential locations for a land-based casino This article originally appeared on Journal Star: East Peoria mayor says Peoria’s casino comments are ‘nonsense’ Source link #East #Peoria #mayor #firm #stance #future #ParADice #Casino #blasts #Peoria Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lorex 4K Battery Doorbell review: great video, but less than stellar battery life Lorex 4K Battery Doorbell review: great video, but less than stellar battery life Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: two-minute review The Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell is a very good video doorbell that’s held back a little by a limited battery life and one accessory omission. If you live alone and are willing to charge up the battery on a weekly basis or set it up in a wired configuration, its 9:16 aspect ratio, microSD reader (not to mention included 32GB SD card), and a host of features makes it among the best video doorbells for you to consider. The battery life is not what one would want in a device that should take the place of the best home security cameras for your front door. It’s also a little disconcerting that the doorbell chime is a separate purchase. The only way to get notifications outside of your phone then is through Alexa or Google Assistant, so there are at least options. At the very least, the 4K resolution extends to a 9:16 ratio so you can get a full view of whomever or whatever is at your front door. It also has color night vision as well as a night light and two-way talk. As mentioned, it has some voice assistant support as well. The setup and installation is pretty straightforward as well. All in all, the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell is a solid option, especially if you’re willing to wire it up. I would also suggest spending the extra cash for the doorbell chime, unless you already have an Alexa or Google smart home setup. The Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell has a single camera with an impressive aspect ratio. Many other doorbells use two cameras to cover the same area (Image credit: James Holland) Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions 5.12 × 1.77 × 0.91 inches / 130 × 44 × 23 mm Colors ******, white Hub required No Connectivity 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi Mobile connectivity iOS, Android Field of view 150 degrees Video resolution 8MP (2,160 × 3,840), 9:16 ratio USB type USB-C Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: price and availability List price: $199.99 (about £160 / AU$320) Available in the US The Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell has a price tag of $199.99 (about £160 / AU$320), which isn’t bad, especially considering that something like the Phillips 7000 Series Video Doorbell is a bit pricier at $229.99 (about £180 / AU$350). Unfortunately it’s only available in the US, so if you’re in the *** or Australia, you’re limited to the 2K Video doorbell at a $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$327 price point. The Lorex model offers a 9:16 aspect ratio, while the Phillips uses a dual-camera design for a somewhat similar full body view. Both allow you to do wired and wireless power. However, the Lorex comes with a 32GB SD card compared to the 8GB built-in storage. Of course, the Phillips model does come with a Wi-Fi chime box, whereas the one for Lorex (which is, luckily compatible with quite a few of the brand’s video doorbells) requires a separate purchase of $49.99/ £59.99 / AU$69.00. If we look at other 4K video doorbells, the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell’s price tag seems to be about what one should expect. The SwannBuddy 4K goes for $199 / £169 / AU$299, however, it does offer a bit more value, as it not only also comes with a microSD reader and 32GB SD card so you don’t have to spring for a subscription, but it also comes with a doorbell chime included. The Lorex is a little easier to install, partially thanks to the use of plastic mounting brackets instead of metal. The Lorex is also more flexible since it comes with a couple angled brackets so that you can get a clear view of whoever is in front of the door. Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: design Has microSD reader for onboard storage Comes with two different angled brackets Straightforward installation The Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell is available in ****** and white (the one reviewed here is ******) and looks about the same and is a similar size to most other video doorbells you’ll come across. It is a little bit smaller than the Phillips Series 7000 I reviewed as it stands a little over five inches tall compared to the Phillips’ over six inches of height. Functionally, it doesn’t make much of a difference. The front of the doorbell is composed of the camera on top, the logo etched across the middle, and the actual button lined by an LED indicator that lights up when pressed (or when the doorbell is triggered by someone or something passing in front of it). Image 1 of 2 The package includes a mounting bracket and two angled plates(Image credit: James Holland) Installation is pretty straightforward(Image credit: James Holland) The microSD card reader and a micro-USB port for charging sit on the side behind a silicon cover that’s actually a bit tough to pop out (and will be covered by the mounting bracket when installed on a door). While it takes some work to get out (unless you have long nails), it does help keep the integrity of this doorbell’s IP65 rating, meaning that you don’t have to worry about a heavy rain shorting the doorbell. If you want to wire this doorbell up instead of going the wireless route, which you might want to once you read my thoughts on the battery life, the ports are on the back of the unit. And as is to be expected, the necessary wires are included in a little bag that also includes a pin used to remove the doorbell from the bracket. The doorbell has a micro USB port and a microSD card reader, both of which are shielded from the elements (Image credit: James Holland) Also included are three different mounting brackets. Or should I say, one flat bracket that must be used and then two additional ones that are angled to the side or downward to adjust the viewing angle of the doorbell if you don’t want it to just look straight ahead. Since I’ve mentioned the brackets, I should mention that installation is pretty easy. Just charge up the doorbell, ****** in the mounting bracket(s), connect the doorbell to the app (the usual follow-the-directions-on-the-screen situation), pop in the doorbell into the bracket, and you’re good to go. Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: performance Sharp 4K resolution with full-body 9:16 aspect ratio Supports Alexa and Google Assistant Battery life isn’t great The Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell offers an 8MP camera with 4K resolution (2160 × 3840p) in a unique 9:16 ratio. I appreciate the full body angle so that I can get a clear view of the front door. Someone would have to stand really close to the camera to hide something out of view. And since it has that higher resolution, everything comes through clearly. Image 1 of 2 Video is clear and crisp during the daytime, with impressive viewing angles(Image credit: James Holland) Footage recorded at night is crisp as well(Image credit: James Holland) It’s just as clear at night, if a bit more monochromatic. This is intentional as you can change a setting to see whatever’s at your door in color, though it’s not quite as crisp. There’s a little bit of a lag but seems to be just a second or so – certainly not long enough to hamper a conversation. Speaking of, the microphone is adequate though it picks up more environmental noise than I would like. At least, there’s responsive two-way audio. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: James Holland) (Image credit: James Holland) Since the doorbell chime is sold separately, it’s up to me (or whomever has the app on their phone) to keep an eye for notifications. While I miss the physical chime, I was able to connect the doorbell to Alexa to serve in that capacity (this video doorbell also supports Google Assistant). There’s also the option to share the doorbell with other users so other people in the household are also notified when there’s someone at the door. Since the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell is capable of wired and wireless power, I highly suggest you go the wired route. While it doesn’t take too long to charge up, it took about a week to go from a 100% charge to 20%. That means I have to charge it almost every week to keep using it. There’s no separate charm to notify you when someone is at the door, but connecting the doorbell to Alexa will let you receive alerts through a smart speaker (Image credit: James Holland) Now, I will mention that we have dogs that need to be let out several times a day and multiple people in the home where this doorbell is being tested, so the Lorex is regularly triggered. Still, a weekly charge-up is not something anyone would expect for a video doorbell. Should you buy the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell? Swipe to scroll horizontally Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: report card Attribute Notes Score Value Except for the fact that the chime must be purchased separately, the price is about what one would expect for a 4K video doorbell. 4/5 Design Not only does it come with a microSD reader (and included card), but it has two differently angled brackets. 4.5/5 Performance The high resolution and aspect ratio are big pluses, but the battery life is not. 4/5 Buy it if Don’t buy it if Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell: also consider How I tested the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell To test the Lorex 4K Battery Video Doorbell, I used it for a couple weeks to not only answer the door, but to monitor all activity coming in and out (mostly my brother-in-law letting the dogs out to ****). I also played around with and tested the various settings in the app to see how they work, including the voice assistant and night vision settings. Tested February 2025 Source link #Lorex #Battery #Doorbell #review #great #video #stellar #battery #life Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

European leaders back Zelensky after Trump clash – BBC.com European leaders back Zelensky after Trump clash – BBC.com European leaders back Zelensky after Trump clash BBC.comZelensky says Trump’s backing is ‘crucial’ after US president berated him at White House CNNZelenskyy says ‘crucial’ for Ukraine to have Trump’s support in lengthy statement following Oval Office argument – live The GuardianTrump Live Updates: EU Leaders Pledge Support for Ukraine and Zelensky The New York Times Source link #European #leaders #Zelensky #Trump #clash #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple’s Mythic Quest spin-off Side Quest debuts on March 26 Apple’s Mythic Quest spin-off Side Quest debuts on March 26 Side Quest, formerly called Mere Mortals, will premiere on March 26 on Apple TV+. It’s the spin-off/expansion series for Mythic Quest, a comedy show on the streaming service about a video game studio developing an MMORPG of the same name. All four episodes of Side Quest will be available on the service on the same day the season four finale of Mythic Quest drops on the platform. Side Quest will revolve around the lives of the fictional studio’s employees, as well as the players and fans impacted by the Mythic Quest game. The show will take on an anthology format, with a bunch of actors taking on leading roles for each installment. It was created by Mythic Quest writers Ashly Burch, John Howell Harris and Katie McElhenney, who also served as executive producers. Burch plays the character of Rachel in the original show. Charlie Day, Megan Ganz and Rob McElhenney, who created the Mythic Quest series, served as executive producers for the spin-off, as well. Lionsgate, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ubisoft produced the show for Apple TV+. In addition to announcing the show’s premiere, Apple has also released the official trailer for the show, which gives you a pretty good idea of its tone and what you can expect if you watch it. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. Source link #Apples #Mythic #Quest #spinoff #Side #Quest #debuts #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to Make Soup – NYT Cooking How to Make Soup – NYT Cooking Cook smarter, not harder. These soups take only 40 minutes or less to prepare, but you wouldn’t know it from their robust flavor.Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. By Ali Slagle Ali Slagle is a recipe developer and regular contributor to NYT Cooking who specializes in low-effort, high-reward recipes. She is also the author of the cookbook “I Dream of Dinner (so You Don’t Have To).” Published Feb. 27, 2025Updated Feb. 27, 2025 The steam, smells and stirs of a long-simmered soup can be therapeutic, sure, but so can a warm bowl of soup that’s on the table as soon as possible. Making soup doesn’t need to take hours to be soothing and fortifying, as these recipes for classic soups, stews and other brothy numbers prove. Each employs a smart trick that delivers deep flavors in fewer than 40 minutes. You’ll still cozy up to something delicious and fill your house with good aromas. It’ll just be sooner rather than later. 1. Start by blooming big Sizzling sturdy vegetables and blooming spices in **** creates an aromatic before any liquid hits the pot.David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. To build a sturdy foundation, sizzle big-impact ingredients like chopped vegetables, cured meats, dried spices or pastes in **** before adding any liquid. This step rids the ingredients of flavorless liquid, wakes up slumbering spices and intensifies the savoriness of vegetables and proteins. For example, in this vegan chili, Jocelyn Ramirez builds an intense base by browning chopped mushrooms, onion, hot and sweet peppers, and garlic. Then, she adds a mix of dried spices and chiles. In the jar, their scent is muted. But after they bloom in the hot oil, it fills the room. That mix’s full might puts the chile in this chili. Bloom a few choice ingredients to not muddy the waters. This version of shiro, a silky chickpea stew beloved in Ethiopia and Eritrea, starts by simmering 10 cloves of garlic, an onion and two whole tablespoons of berbere, a red chile-based spice blend, in a shallow pool of oil. That **** then becomes infused with their flavors and carries them through the broth. Remember that the **** contributes flavor, too. Butter or olive oil are often go-tos, but to create the toasty nuttiness essential to panang curry, Naz Deravian warms Thai red curry paste, chopped peanuts and spices in thick coconut cream. Once the liquid from the cream evaporates, the aromatics sizzle in the remaining coconut oil, staining it bright red. The **** then carries their essence throughout the curry, much farther than they could have traveled on their own. Practice Big Blooming ****** Bean Chili With Mushrooms | Shiro (Ground-Chickpea Stew) | Panang Curry 2. Choose flavorful liquids You need only water to start your journey to soup. But staples like broth or stock, brines, dairy and other flavorful liquids get you to bolder soups, faster.Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Samin Nosrat, the chef and author of “Salt Acid **** Heat,” wrote that “if you have water around, you can have soup.” Water is essential, but pantry and fridge staples like broths, stocks, dairy, wine, pickle brines and canned tomatoes offer far more flavor — and faster. Broth and stock can be the backbone to any soup. Keep frozen homemade broth, store-bought box broth or bouillon on hand. Chicken, beef and mushroom are all great, as is dashi, either homemade from seaweed and bonito flakes or from instant granules. It contributes enough savoriness to keep a breakfast udon soup satisfying but not so rich that you’ll want to crawl back under the covers. Milk of the dairy or coconut variety can add silkiness without heft. Milk provides a sweet backdrop to the cheese, eggs and bread in Colombian changua. Moqueca, a Brazilian seafood stew, is buoyant thanks to juicy tomatoes and peppers and the sea spray that seeps from cod and prawns, while coconut milk gives it lusciousness and a floral undertone. Pick the Right Liquids Breakfast Udon | Changua (Colombian Bread and Egg Soup) | Moqueca (Brazilian Seafood Stew) 3. Thicken with starchy ingredients, not time In lieu of more time, ingredients like potatoes, rice, bread and beans can add body to broths.Evan Sung for The New York Times A soup that hasn’t simmered long enough might be so thin, it drips and dribbles like water. For one that’s just thick enough, you could reduce the liquid for longer. Or, quicker yet, pick a recipe that incorporates a starchy ingredient, such as bread, potatoes, pasta, beans, lentils, nuts, tortillas or rice. As they cook, they’ll add body to the soup. Rice is an especially gentle addition. The tender grains will fray at the edges, releasing starch as in Melissa Clark’s avgolemono-inspired lemony egg soup with escarole, which is so *******, you might think it has cream. But it’s so light that it couldn’t. Red lentils are another good choice, since their starches easily and quickly dislodge into their cooking liquid. That’s why Priya Krishna’s everyday dal turns stony red lentils, turmeric and just the right amount of water into a soothing porridge in only eight minutes. And two starches are better than one. In this sopa de fideo y frijoles, thin noodles and puréed beans simmer with chicken broth, canned tomatoes, crisp chorizo and other aromatics for just 12 minutes, but the result has the stewy consistency and deep flavor of a much longer game. Make Silky Soups With Starch Lemony Egg Soup With Escarole | Everyday Dal | Sopa de Fideo y Frijoles **** Chorizo (Fideo and Bean Soup With Chorizo) 4. Finish brightly with an acid The difference between a good soup and a great soup often lies in a final hit of acid, be that with a squeeze of lemon, a dollop or sour cream or a splash of vinegar.David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. A finishing squeeze of lemon or lime, dribble of vinegar, dollop of sour cream or yogurt, or scatter of pickled onions or jalapeños teases out the nuances you so diligently, if expeditiously, created in the pot. Acid also balances richness and enhances the overall flavor. Its addition might even win you a chili cook-off. Lemon or lime juice beams sunshine onto everything it touches, sweetly lifting and lightening. Millie Peartree’s fish curry leans heavily on Jamaican curry powder, which is filled with grounding spices like turmeric and allspice. Wake up those earthy flavors with a final squeeze of lime, as well as fresh scallions and cilantro. A teaspoon of vinegar can transform a ho-hum soup into so much more. Intensifying chicken broth for wonton soup, for example, might just take a few drops of vinegar, soy sauce and chile oil. Top bowls with tangy garnishes. While sour cream and Cheddar add creaminess to baked potato soup, they’re also sneaky sources of acidity, cutting through the richness of the potatoes, milk and bacon for more balanced bites. Perk Up Your Soups Coconut Fish Curry | Wonton Soup | Baked Potato Soup Source link #Soup #NYT #Cooking Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

3 people arrested after fentanyl, ******** found at Athens home 3 people arrested after fentanyl, ******** found at Athens home Three people were arrested after police served a search warrant at an Athens home and found fentanyl and ********. On Feb. 26, the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force served the warrant in the 100 block of Bedford Drive in Athens. Officials said Deborah Lumpkin, 66, allowed the suspect, Quincy Brooks, 47, to distribute fentanyl from the home. Lumpkin, Brooks, and Christian “Christi” Lumpkin, 35, were detained. Police found fentanyl, ********, and Schedule IV pharmaceuticals were found at the home. Brooks was charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of ******** with intent to distribute, and possession of Schedule IV with intent to distribute. Both Deborah and Christian Lumpkin were arrested for outstanding warrants. Anyone with information or tips regarding ******** drug distribution, please contact the Drug Tip Line at 706-613-3297. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Source link #people #arrested #fentanyl #******** #Athens #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

With Alexa Plus, Amazon finally reinvents its best product – The Verge With Alexa Plus, Amazon finally reinvents its best product – The Verge With Alexa Plus, Amazon finally reinvents its best product The Verge50 things to try with Alexa+ About AmazonAmazon unveils Alexa+, a smarter, more personalized assistant Fox NewsAmazon’s most powerful new Alexa features being powered by Anthropic’s AI, sources say CNBCAmazon Plans to Unveil New Alexa Devices in the Fall, CEO Says Bloomberg Source link #Alexa #Amazon #finally #reinvents #product #Verge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds – Tempered Monsters And Artian Weapons Guide Monster Hunter Wilds – Tempered Monsters And Artian Weapons Guide The Tempered Monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds are the toughest of the bunch. Survivors of many battles, they pose the biggest threat once you’ve reached the endgame portion of the campaign. They also offer you with the best rewards possible, so you should definitely track them down. Our guide discusses how to eliminate these targets so you can craft high-end gear known as Artian Weapons. What are Artian Weapons and Tempered Monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds Tempered Monsters and Artian Weapons become available once you’ve completed Chapter 4-3: Wyvern Sparks and Rose Thorns. Here’s a quick summary: Chapter 3-5: Monster Hunter is the conclusion of the story proper. When you’re done with the story, quests become more free-form. You simply need to take out targets and complete quests so you can continue to increase your Hunter Rank. Upon reaching Hunter Rank 20, you’re given the Wyvern Sparks and Rose Thorns mission, which takes you back to the Ruins of Wyveria. This leads you to a battle against a Lala Barina that you’re tracking, as well as a Guardian Fulgur Anjanath, the first Tempered Monster type that you encounter. Tempered Monsters are scarred veterans of countless battles. How to track down Tempered Monsters The Monster Hunter Wilds Tempered Monsters offer the most difficult bouts in the game. These creatures are battle-hardened, as you can see by the scars and old wounds on their bodies. They’re tougher compared to normal variants, so don’t underestimate them. If you plan on tracking down a Tempered Monster, you can do so by opening the world map biomes to see which ones are currently active in a particular location. You’ll also notice that a blue glow/waypoint leads you to these targets, as opposed to the green-colored trails for other creatures or items. Tempered Monster materials The reason why you want to eliminate Tempered Monsters whenever you see them is because they grant the usual loot from their species, as well as endgame materials. These are used to craft Artian Weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds–i.e. rank 6, 7, and 8 (currently the highest tier in the game). Once you’ve collected enough materials, talk to Gemma at your base and select the Forge Artian Weapons option. You’ll notice some key differences here. Combine parts to come up with an Artian Weapon with a certain elemental property or status ailment. How to craft Artian Weapons The process of crafting Artian Weapons is vastly different compared to Low Rank or High Rank armaments. This time, you need to select three parts to develop a viable combination. Here are a few reminders: You may only select parts that have the same rarity–i.e. rank 6, 7, or 8. Parts have an elemental property or a status ailment property. If you pick two or more materials with the same properties, the weapon gains that effect. If all three materials have different properties, then the result will be a non-elemental gear piece. Example: 2x Thunder and 1x Sleep results in a weapon with the Thunder element. However, if you pick 1x Thunder, 1x Sleep, and 1x Dragon, then the combination would yield a non-elemental result. It’s also worth noting that weapon categories require different part classifications: Great Sword – Requires 2x blade and 1x tube. Long Sword – Requires 1x blade and 2x tube. Sword & Shield – Requires 1x blade, 1x tube, and 1x disc. Dual Blades – Requires 2x blade and 1x disc. Hammer – Requires 2x disc and 1x tube. Hunting ***** – Requires 1x disc and 2x device. Lance – Requires 1x blade and 2x disc. Gunlance – Requires 2x disc and 1x device. Switch Axe – Requires 2x blade and 1x device. Charge Blade – Requires 1x blade, 1x disc, and 1x device. Insect Glaive – Requires 1x blade, 1x tube, and 1x device. Light Bowgun – Requires 1x tube and 2x device. Heavy Bowgun – Requires 1x disc, 1x tube, and 1x device. Bow – Requires 2x tube and 1x device. That does it for our Monster Hunter Tempered Monsters and Artian Weapons guide. Once you’ve crafted a couple of these high-end armaments, keep eliminating tougher creatures so you can continue to increase your Hunter Rank. Soon, rarer and more difficult Tempered Monsters will appear. Of course, this also means that you’ll be able to create rank 7 and, eventually, rank 8 gear pieces. Need more tips as you continue fighting deadly creatures and venture into lands unknown? We’ve got you covered in our Monster Hunter Wilds guides hub. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Tempered #Monsters #Artian #Weapons #Guide Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pope Francis had peaceful night after Friday setback while hospitalized with pneumonia Pope Francis had peaceful night after Friday setback while hospitalized with pneumonia ******** CITY – Pope Francis, who has been in the hospital for just over two weeks fighting double pneumonia, had a peaceful night and was resting on Saturday after a health setback the day before, the ******** said. The 88-year-old pontiff experienced a breathing crisis on Friday, renewing concerns over his well-being. In a one-line statement, the ******** said the night had passed peacefully. The next detailed medical bulletin is expected at around 7 p.m. On Friday, the ******** said Francis suffered an isolated crisis, including “vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory condition.” He needed aspiration to help remove the vomit from his airways, the ******** said, and also required non-invasive, mechanical ventilation – meaning that he was not intubated, which would have necessitated sedation. A man prays at the statue of John Paul II at the Gemelli University Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized in Rome on March 1, 2025. Pope Francis, hospitalized for two weeks with pneumonia in both lungs, spent a peaceful night after suffering a breathing crisis, the ******** said on Saturday. The ******** official said his team of doctors was expected to take 24-48 hours to evaluate how the episode would impact the state of his clinical condition. Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 with severe respiratory problems that swiftly degenerated into double pneumonia – a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe. He last suffered what the ******** described as a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis” on Feb. 22, but there had not been any repeat crises until Friday. Francis has suffered several bouts of ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed. People pray under the rain at the statue of John Paul II at the Gemelli University Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized with pneumonia, in Rome on March 1, 2025. The pope has not been seen in public since entering hospital, his longest absence from view since his papacy started in March 2013. His doctors have not said how long his treatment might last. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Valentina Za and Barbara Lewis) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope Francis still hospitalized, had peaceful night after setback Source link #Pope #Francis #peaceful #night #Friday #setback #hospitalized #pneumonia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Turok Remaster Now Available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S Turok Remaster Now Available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S The Turok remaster is now also available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, thanks to an update released in the last few hours that introduces support for current-generation consoles, as well as a series of new features for the other platforms as well. The developers have successfully enhanced rendering for the Nintendo Switch and introduced a high refresh rate mode for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. They have also improved controller functionality and added localized Trophies and Achievements. One of the most exciting updates in Turok Remaster is the return of the Brachiosaurus, which we previously glimpsed in a Turok beta; these massive dinosaurs now roam the Treetops map. Moreover, the Tek Bow and Shotgun have been improved to let players switch ammo types on the fly, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While we wait to learn more about Turok: Origins, which will mark the return of the series with an all-new chapter, the remaster of the original has also received new accessibility options, the ability to reposition the interface and adjust elements such as lens flare, antialiasing and water rendering. PATCH NOTES – Turok Remaster NEW FEATURES Optimized renderer for Vulkan and Nintendo Switch. Support for high refresh rates. Ported to Series X and PS5. Improved gamepad functionality and vibration support. Localized Achievements/Trophies. The Brachiosaurus from a Turok beta rom has been found and recovered. You’ll find these dinos stomping around in the Treetops level. You can now swap ammo types for the Tek Bow and Shotgun whenever you want, just like Turok 2. The Run/Walk toggle button has been added from the original game. By moving at walking speeds on the ground, you can get closer to enemies from behind before they notice you. You can now bind multiple weapons to the same button to cycle between them. Restored the High Priest’s homing blue magic attack and the Purlins’ unused leap smash melee attack. Restored the Gallery cheat code with the addition of viewing the Bosses and Turok. You can also preview animations on each of the enemies. FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS Improvements to the font. Fixed animated textures skipping the first frame. Enemies that have been blown up into the air are now able to fall off cliffs and float/sink in water. Fixed the red and orange Attack Robots from having a huge melee hit radius and removed their random explosion effect being spawned during certain animations. Reduced the frequency enemies will teleport and their animation is updated right away while teleporting in so you won’t see them pop in for a frame at the start of their animation. Enemies that are waiting to be triggered can no longer be damaged or killed. Fixes to enemy headtracking. Simple shadows take into account the fog when they are drawn. Fixed shadows appearing briefly at the start of enemies dropping from the sky. Fixed shadows drawing on top of other shadows. The Purlins melee attacks no longer play ambient bird sounds. Enemies no longer stutter in place when they’re in their initial animation and transition to a root motion animation. Enemies are no longer removed from the map if they can respawn when the player moves far away from them. Enemy grenades can impact more surface types instead of just disappearing on impact. Bosses are now affected by the difficulty setting and have a modifier for the damage they receive similar to regular enemies, to match the original version. Humvee can no longer be knocked back when damaged and will restore its death state animation correctly when respawning in the arena. The Humvee can be knifed again, allowing (glitchless) knife only playthroughs. The wheels no longer spin forever when destroyed and certain sound file paths have been fixed with underscores instead of single quotes. Fixed Longhunter from being damaged during his non-fight states. Restored Campaigners’ original behavior with the weapons that can damage him and what weapons get removed from the player. Additionally, you will now see your weapons get taken from you and destroyed. Arrows will now fire from the correct player height when crawling. Restored super arrow shot chance for enemies to drop Mortal Wounds. Also, only enemies that had the “Teleport Avoid Cliffs” spawn flag set could be hit by a super arrow shot. Corrected to be when the “Mortal Wound Impact” flag is set. Restored Quad-Rocket Launcher original ammo usage to 4 and max ammo to 24. (48 with backpack) Particle Accelerator/Shockwave weapon can now freeze dead enemies just like the original and also works on beetles, robots, and turrets. Dealing direct hits to dead enemies from the Tek Bow and Shotgun explosive shells will now blow enemies away. Exiting water from the side will now re-equip your previous weapon. Fixed enemy explosive damage only doing a quarter of the damage to the player. Fixed player’s height not getting restored when entering and exiting crawl sectors quickly. As well as after certain animations are played. The player’s eye height is now used instead of the actor’s height to determine if the player is in water. The player is now kept at the correct water surface height when swimming on top of the water and water friction is now applied correctly to the player’s z velocity. Explosive damage no longer does very little damage on enemies under certain conditions. When entering a Spirit World portal, your exact position will be used when you come back through the portal. Fish will now always try to return to their initial height position in the case you lured them up a ramp. Falling rocks are now hidden until they are activated. Minor fixes to a few models. The small and large cell ammo pickup models were swapped and have been fixed. Extended weapon models for Ultrawide resolutions. The underwater screen color now blends to the water color and is now displayed even when the “Show HUD” option is off. Water surfaces are now displayed at the correct height and are no longer incorrectly offset down by 8 units. Fixed weapon wheel movement. Fixed issues caused by interrupting map change cinematics. Improved noclip sector positioning. Minor fixes to almost all maps. Fixed the Time Trial map to no longer show the help messages and play sounds. In the Ancient City, the time it takes for the gate to raise after pushing the short timed button has been increased. There were 2 enemies and 2 Life Forces in The Treetops level that were placed far below the floor (in the original as well). They are now placed correctly on the platforms above. When spawning at the Mantis save point, you will no longer immediately be asked if you want to save the game. In the Catacombs, the Mantis pillars and bars around a level key and the chronoscepter piece now animate correctly. The water in the outside area in The Catacombs level now drains correctly and will not drain again when reentering the level and stepping on the button. Fixed audio reverb. Spiritual Invincibility no longer has reverb effects. Added reverb effects to the Spirit World levels. Sprite bleeding for the bullet splash, fire, and waterfall steam sprites has been fixed. Fixed artifacts around frames for sprite fx005 The Boss and Air bar textures now look more like the original, with color. Platforms that are moving upwards or downwards will no longer force Turok to the floor at high speeds which prevented the player from being able to jump during that time. Fixed issues with actors’ z position while on platform sectors. LifeForce pickups are no longer snapped to the floor when they start in water. Fixes the LifeForces in the level 4 water pillar area. The precise projectile collision option now works correctly. Projectile collision against sectors that were linked to another sector and had bridge sectors has been fixed. Projectiles that collide with ceilings will now use the sector’s wall impact instead of their floor impact. Particle Emitters will continue to be shown even when only partially off screen. Particle Trails will now create a final segment when they impact an object or expire. Fixed some Fx like the pulse rifle shots not being affected by game speed. Billboard Fx are now set to use no culling. Particle Fx with the bStickOnTarget flag now works correctly. (Chronoscepter and Shockwave weapons will hit actors origin point + half height) The Particle Fx RestrictAim flag now works with the Projectile flag, and the target must be within a 90 degree field of view. This allows you to dodge certain attacks such as the Ancient Warriors’ blow darts if you’re fast enough to get behind them. Lots of additional scripting features for modders. (PC) Turok is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble Store. Source link #Turok #Remaster #PS5 #Xbox #Series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Greatest Feature Is Also Its Biggest Drawback Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii’s Greatest Feature Is Also Its Biggest Drawback The Like a Dragon series is one of the longest running JRPG franchises and is known for its mix of serious crime drama and absurd, over-the-top minigames. With Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, that formula is very much present with minigames from managing a pirate crew to cooking, go-kart racing, and even tending a garden. But could it also be too much? Not everyone can handle all the minigames. | Image Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Well, for longtime franchise fans, this is expected, even welcomed. But what if you’re a new player and this is your first Like a Dragon game? There’s a very real scenario where all the side content is too overwhelming. Minigames make the world feel rich and interactive, but it has to be balanced. Like a Dragon is known for minigames, but how many is too many? Especially for new players. | Image Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio The sheer variety of activities in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is crazy. Within the first few hours, players can cook, tend gardens, manage businesses, and even play ***** Genesis classics. The game actively encourages us to explore these side activities, often to the point where it feels like we’re playing a different game entirely. This is how I feel about Yakuza tbh. That franchise’s flaws are things that I actually really like, Like for example so many people have issues with pirate Yakuza’s chapter 2 for introducing all the minigames and forcing u to play em, I get the critique (thread) [Hidden Content] — Vishgod (@vishgod69) February 22, 2025 At some point, the game seems less like an RPG and more like a giant collection of side activities disguised as an open-world experience. We’ve seen a lot of open-world games pad out their content with repetitive fetch quests, this game instead offers wildly varied minigames that feel handcrafted. And that’s because they often are. Minigames have always been a staple of JRPGs and are designed to be a break from the main storyline. The community opinion for them is also equally divided. Some fans enjoy them as a way to break up the core gameplay loop, when they’re required for progression, it also gets a bit annoying. I agree with this completely. I think Yakuza’s blend of substories, main story, and minigames are unique to it and the medium of video games. [Hidden Content] — PlayStaySherwin 5 Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (SOON) (@PlayStaySherwin) February 23, 2025 For veterans of the Like a Dragon franchise, this level of content overload is nothing new. Karaoke, batting cages, shogi, and real estate management have always been part of the series. And that’s where the potential problem is. Because if you’re a new player, there’s a chance all of it turns you off from playing the game. Bloated side content is a known issue, but JRPGs have balanced it well enough before There needs to be a balance. | Image Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio One of the biggest criticisms of modern open-world games is their tendency to overload players with unnecessary content. Franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry often fill their worlds with repetitive side activities that feel more like checklists than meaningful experiences. The side content in JRPGs has never been bad to that extent, but this is also not the first game to receive this criticism. Last year’s Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was criticized for a similar issue. Many players found the sheer volume of optional content exhausting, leading to burnout before they could even finish the game. For context, in FF7 Rebirth, we had 28 minigame options, and some of them were required for progression. And that’s really the highlight of the issue. Yes, side activities can add depth, they shouldn’t come at the expense of the player’s enjoyment. Even more so, it shouldn’t be at the expense of the story. Source link #Pirate #Yakuza #Hawaiis #Greatest #Feature #Biggest #Drawback Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]