Giants’ steps for Aussie Gardner with her third WPL 50
Giants’ steps for Aussie Gardner with her third WPL 50
Ash Gardner has come up trumps again for her Gujarat Giants side, breathing fresh life into their Women’s Premier League challenge in India with a commanding performance against Ellyse Perry’s champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
After her tight bowling (1-22 off four) accounted for Perry and helped restrict RCB to an under-par 7-125 in front of their own Bengaluru fans, the skipper then bludgeoned her third half-century of the tournament to make light work of the chase alongside her *********** international teammate Phoebe Litchfield.
The six-wicket win on Thursday was a critical one for the Giants who, despite Gardner’s considerable efforts over the past few weeks, had been in danger of being stranded at the foot of the table if they had not beaten the champions.
Instead, now they’re on four points alongside RCB and UP Warriorz, just two points adrift of Meg Lanning’s Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians in what is proving a remarkably tight-fought third edition of women’s cricket’s showpiece event.
“We needed a win to stay in it,” admitted Litchfield, who looked in fine nick as she finished on an unbeaten 30, having shared the key half-century partnership with Gardner that ensured Gujarat reached 4-126 with still 21 ****** remaining.
The key came when Gardner started upping the tempo and smashed Prema Rawat for 19 in an over, featuring three fours and a six in successive deliveries.
“Ash did an amazing job to get that asking rate down to six in that over and I could score freely and risk-free, and we could get that partnership going,” said Litchfield, who was playing only her second match in this year’s edition and quickly found form after her duck on Tuesday against Delhi.
Gardner was certainly in brutal mode, as she clouted three sixes and six fours in her 31-ball knock.
She looked disgusted with herself when seemingly on course to finish the job, she chipped the ball tamely back and her ever-impressive compatriot Georgia Wareham (2-26 off three) gobbled up the caught-and-bowled chance when she was on 58.
But Litchfield guided the visitors home, pulling one thumping six of her own off Aussie teammate Kim Garth (0-19 off 2.3) in the last over.
For once, the illustrious Perry missed out for RCB, with Gardner serving up a short ball which she mistimed and sent into the hands of Tanuja Kanwar at square leg to fall for a four-ball duck.
Without her usual substantial contribution, the home side struggled and were grateful to Wareham’s useful late contribution, an unbeaten 20 off 21 ******, to give them even a remote chance of stretching Gardner and her crew.
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Split Fiction PC Specs Revealed
Split Fiction PC Specs Revealed
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February 27, 2025
Split Fiction is set to launch on March 6 and developer Hazelight Studios have revealed the pull PC specs for those looking to play on PC after release.
“We have worked tirelessly to ensure the game will be optimised on launch, completing hours and hours of performance and compatibility testing with the goal of making sure that the game will run as smoothly as possible, even on PC’s configured at the games listed minimum system requirements,” Hazelight Studios said.
In addition to the PC requirements, it was announced that Split Fiction will be Steam Deck verified on launch and that the EA App won’t be required to play the game on the system.
“Whether you’re at home or on the go, you will be able to transport yourself into the world of Mio and Zoe’s mind-boggling adventure as Split Fiction is Verified on Valve’s Steam Deck handheld device, giving you even more options to take advantage of Split Fiction supporting crossplay,” they said.
You can check out the specs for yourself below to see how your PC stacks up.
Split Fiction PC Specs
Specification
Minimum
Recommended
OS
64 bit Windows 10/11
64 bit Windows 10/11
CPU
Intel Core i5-6600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600k
Intel Core i7-11700k or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Memory
16 GB
16 GB
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 – 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 – 4GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 – 8GB or AMD Radeon 6700 XT – 12GB
DirectX
Version 12
Version 12
Network
Broadband Internet Connection
Broadband Internet Connection
Storage
85 GB available space
85 GB available space
Resolution
1920×1080 (1080p) Native
2560×1440 (2K) Native
FPS
30
60
Graphic Preset
Low
High
Is your PC good enough to run Split Fiction based on the revealed specs? Let us know down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums.
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A man’s brain was turned into glass by the eruption of Vesuvius
A man’s brain was turned into glass by the eruption of Vesuvius
A sample of organic glass found inside the skull of a man from Herculaneum
Pier Paolo Petrone
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius around 2000 years ago caused one man’s brain to explode and turned the fragments to glass. The discovery is the only known instance of soft tissue turning to glass and sheds new light on how eruptions kill – and how we might protect people.
The volcanic disaster struck in AD 79, burying the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae in thick layers of ash that eventually solidified. At least 1500 bodies and thousands of ancient papyrus scrolls have…
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35% of Americans Are ‘Very’ or ‘Completely Dissatisfied’ With Their Savings — This Is Why
35% of Americans Are ‘Very’ or ‘Completely Dissatisfied’ With Their Savings — This Is Why
Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock.com
In a recent Yahoo Finance-Marist Poll survey, 35% of respondents said they are “very or completely dissatisfied” with their savings.
Learn More: 7 Frugal Habits of the ‘Shark Tank’ Stars
Try This: Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That Go Beyond Your Paycheck
Respondents cited various factors preventing them from saving money. For 47% of respondents, the cost of living was the most significant barrier. Other common reasons included unexpected bills or expenses (11%), too many financial obligations (10%) and a change in income or employment status (10%), according to the survey.
Michael Neuenschwander, a certified financial planner and the founder and principal owner of Outlook Wealth Advisors in Houston, told GOBankingRates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, savings rates were higher because many people received stimulus checks and were unable to go out and spend money.
Neuenschwander also explained that the aftermath of the pandemic and other factors, such as inflation and debt, have contributed to lower savings rates. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, in December 2024, the personal savings rate hit 3.8%. By contrast, in December 2020, it was 11.8%. This, along with personal ideologies, has contributed to a nationwide debt problem.
People, Neuenschwander said, “live for today” — “somewhat out of necessity,” but also “somewhat out of just choices they make.”
“There are things that can be done, but people have to look honestly at where the money goes and begin to set some priorities,” he said.
These are some tactics he outlined for bulking up your nest egg without sacrificing your lifestyle.
If you’re unhappy with your savings, you can take steps to increase them.
Discover More: I’m a Bank Teller: 4 Reasons You Should Withdraw Your Savings Right Now
Neuenschwander advised reviewing credit cards and identifying those with the highest interest rates.
“Make a strategy to pay off the ones that cost you the most first,” he said. “And it’s called a snowball effect, but if you pay off the one with the highest interest first, now you have more money to go toward the next one, etc.”
He noted that people can adjust their budgets by canceling streaming services and cutting back on clothing purchases. He also suggested considering whether an expense is a need or a want. For instance, if you need a car for “basic transportation” and aren’t a car enthusiast, then you should “free up the money for the stuff you do care about” or “the goals you have.”
“It’s really about making choices and looking and saying, ‘What can you afford today?’ Also, in making those decisions, what are the ramifications over the next three to five years?” Neuenschwander said.
Story Continues
Regarding housing, Neuenschwander noted that many younger adults are opting to live at home or have roommates, which can be a “smart financial decision early on.” Given high home prices, if you’re in the market for your first home, avoid the mindset that your starter home must be one you absolutely love or that you’re going to be there forever. Spending too much on housing, he warned, can “rob you of opportunity” in “other areas” of your life.
Neuenschwander also advised evaluating insurance costs. For example, if you have homeowners insurance, consider raising your deductible. If you’re getting health insurance through the Marketplace rather than an employer, the amount you pay depends on your income — so consulting a CPA might help ensure you’re taking advantage of all tax deductions.
As for taxes, contributing to tax-deferred retirement accounts can lower your taxable income while helping you build retirement savings. Neuenschwander said that if your employer offers a 401(k) match, you should contribute at least enough to receive the match.
Earning more can help increase your savings.
Neuenschwander said that if you’re dissatisfied with your take-home pay, consider ways to increase it — either with your current employer or elsewhere. Nowadays, he said, getting a “good pay increase” usually comes from switching jobs. While frequent job-hopping isn’t advisable, he recommended reassessing your market value “every three to five years.”
He also suggested creating a second income stream, as many people have turned a passion into a side business.
Neuenschwander stressed the importance of building an emergency fund first. Having three to six months’ worth of expenses saved is a good rule of thumb, he said, because “if something does come up,” you can “access” those funds without early withdrawal penalties — something you’d likely face if pulling money from certain retirement accounts early.
However, he emphasized that the amount you should save shouldn’t be “as much tied to what your paycheck is” but rather to your expenses. Whether you’re retired or still working is another factor. A retiree receiving Social Security will still have some income, whereas someone who loses a paycheck entirely won’t.
Neuenschwander recommended a three-tier approach to cash allocation:
Use a regular checking account for daily expenses.
Use a basic savings account for short-term funds you may need to move around quickly.
For emergency funds, opt for money market funds or online savings accounts with higher interest rates that allow access to money within a few days.
“Then the idea is once you have those done, you can focus on what I would call the real retirement — the investment money,” Neuenschwander said, recommending growth-oriented investments through ETFs or index funds.
“You’re going to have some ups and downs in the market, but historically, the market is generally up seven out of 10 years,” he said.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 35% of Americans Are ‘Very’ or ‘Completely Dissatisfied’ With Their Savings — This Is Why
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The GPU Giant’s Slow, Painful Death Has Already Been Predicted 8 Months Ago
The GPU Giant’s Slow, Painful Death Has Already Been Predicted 8 Months Ago
Nvidia has been on an upward spiral, generating an immense amount of revenue and releasing powerful, AI-focused products that while controversial, have sold impressively well. However, not everything is meant to last, and once the AI bubble bursts, Nvidia might lose a lot of its credibility and stock in the process.
This has been seen only recently, with disruptive AI models such as Deepseek and changing market conditions – which have all forcibly brought down its stock by a fair margin. Interestingly, this was all predicted in a rather innocuous Reddit thread around 8 months ago, which has stood the test of time.
Nvidia is set to ****** and burn, or at least struggle if the AI bubble bursts
Nvidia could be in trouble | Image Credit: Nvidia
As mentioned in a Reddit thread by user u/ZucchiniOk285 on the r/stocks subreddit, Nvidia has had somewhat of a golden goose in their possession, thanks to the AI ***** affecting the current market of today.
An overabundance of AI tech, products and demand has shot up the demand for computational hardware, and GPUs seem to be the perfect fit for large scale models. Nvidia’s Quadro RTX series is simply unmatched in terms of raw computational power, at least compared to its competitors, and the demand for Nvidia products (even outside of gaming!) is at an all time high.
However, things may not remain like this forever. After all, the AI ***** is expected to stagnate very soon (realistically, in a few more years) as a number of issues plague it – ranging from sometimes useless, unnecessary and incorrect application of AI to tasks, and the public’s general distaste toward the same.
All of this will result in the bursting of the AI bubble, which could have far reaching consequences for Nvidia. The tech giant amasses approximately 60% of its profits from generative AI related products, and the removal of this demand would result in a massive setback for the company.
The AI bubble will burst soon | Image Credit: Nvidia
This is bound to happen sooner or later, as more and more consumers begin to figure out that AI enhanced products are rarely useful for them. All of this would result in Nvidia’s stock taking a direct hit, and the company’s slow but painful descent into prospective oblivion.
This doesn’t mean that generative AI is going anywhere though – it is here to stay, but only in niche use cases which do not affect the average user. Regardless, this should result in a massive exodus that will flip the scales once more.
This isn’t the first time that new tech has failed to reach to the stars
The AI ***** and internet revolution share a lot in common | Image Credit: Nvidia
Interestingly, this would not be the first time that a prospective, game changing technological revolution has had its hopes and dreams cut short. The early internet ***** for example, draws alarming parallels to the ongoing AI revolution.
Both sectors had a few key players in alarming positions of power, from which they were ultimately torn down thanks to the arrival of newer competitors and a general decline of the media in general.
For AI, the arrival of alternative models such as Deepseek has been quite disruptive, even managing to directly affect Nvidia stocks. After all, Deepseek is open source, and its avoidance of proprietary hardware means that in many cases, AMD cards are able to outshine Nvidia!
While AI is no doubt transformative, it is by no means a replacement of any kind. The bubble will burst, but when, remains the question.
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Spacecraft may need to be dirtier to keep astronauts healthy
Spacecraft may need to be dirtier to keep astronauts healthy
The International Space Station may be a bit too clean
Geopix/Alamy
The strategy of keeping spacecraft as clean and sterile as possible to ensure astronauts don’t become ill may be a mistake. Our immune systems may need stimulation from certain kinds of molecules and microbes to stay healthy, say researchers who have been studying the International Space Station (ISS).
“The general notion is to try to have as few microbes as possible, but the question is if that is the best thing to do for long-term space travel,” says Pieter Dorrestein at the University of California San Diego. “And it’s also relevant for places on Earth, such as research [stations], hospitals and submarines, where you can spend months or more.”
One reason for sterilising spacecraft is to avoid contaminating planets, such as Mars, with microbes from Earth, but the main concern is that an infection that would be easily treatable on our planet could become a major issue on a spacecraft.
Dorrestein and his team have analysed more than 700 swabs of surfaces onboard the ISS, and found it is indeed squeaky clean in terms of the diversity of the molecules and microbes present.
“The space station is just devoid of a lot of molecules and microbes,” he says. “It is at the extreme end of human living.”
The team thinks this lack of exposure to the usual wide array of molecules and microbes could be one reason why there are significant changes to the immune system in space. On the space station, astronauts often get rashes, unusual allergies, fungal or bacterial infections, as well as activation of latent viruses such as Epstein-Barr, which was found in one of the samples.
“We don’t have a full understanding of that,” says Dorrestein. “But the way I view this is that your immune system has to be periodically pinged.”
The researchers say we need to find ways to make environments like the space station “dirtier, so that they are more diverse in molecules and microbes, but without introducing any infection-causing pathogens”.
One way to do this would be to apply bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis to surfaces instead of disinfectants, says Dorrestein. B. subtilis is already widely used for its antifungal activity.
Growing a range of plants could help as well. “We know from other studies that when people are exposed to a lot more plant molecules, they tend to have reduced connections to asthma and allergies,” says Dorrestein. There is a complete absence of these plant molecules on the space station, he says.
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Student loan applications down from Education Dept. website
Student loan applications down from Education Dept. website
Students walk through the University of Texas at Austin on February 22, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
The Trump administration has taken down the applications for popular student loan repayments plans from the U.S. Department of Education‘s website, leaving millions of borrowers with fewer options for now.
Borrowers are unable to access the applications for income-driven repayment plans, as well as the online application to consolidate their loans.
Both applications are critical for borrowers pursuing lower monthly payments and loan forgiveness through an IDR plan, as well as the related Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
The disruption is due to a recent decision by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals that blocked the Biden administration’s new IDR plan, known as SAVE, or Saving on a Valuable Education, as well as the loan forgiveness component under other IDR plans.
Congress created IDR plans in the 1990s to make borrowers’ bills more affordable. The plans cap borrower’s monthly payments at a share of their discretionary income, and cancel any remaining debt after a certain *******, typically 20 years or 25 years.
More than 12 million people were enrolled in the plans as of September 2024, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
More from Personal Finance: How Trump, DOGE job cuts may affect the economy What experts say borrowers should do amid risks to Education Dept. Why Trump tariffs may raise your car insurance premiums
Here’s what to know about the changes.
Applications could be down for ‘a few months’
The IDR plan applications shouldn’t be down for too long, Kantrowitz said.
“I expect it will be temporary, lasting a few months while they make changes,” he said.
The Education Department is likely tweaking the applications to make sure all their plans comply with the new court order, as well as removing the SAVE plan all together.
The Education Department did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit, also didn’t expect a long wait time before the applications return.
“I get the sense the ED is working hard to get the changes made,” Mayotte said.
Impacts of the plans going dark
Unfortunately, there’s nothing federal student loan borrowers who want to sign up for an IDR plan or switch between the plans can do right now, Kantrowitz said.
Borrowers who are due to recertify their IDR plans will also have to sit tight for the time being, Mayotte said. (Those enrolled in IDR plans typically have to submit their income information annually.)
While the legal challenges against SAVE were playing out, the Biden administration put enrollees into an interest-free forbearance. That payment pause is likely to end soon, experts said. By then, borrowers should be able to access other IDR plans, though.
Those who graduate in the spring are typically entitled to a six-month grace ******* before their first bill is due, Kantrowitz pointed out.
As a result, they won’t need to sign up for a repayment plan until Novemember or December. The plans should be available again by then.
Options if you can’t afford your student loan bill
The disruption to IDR plans will be especially difficult for borrowers who can’t afford their current student loan bill and now can’t access a more affordable option, Mayotte said.
These borrowers can call their loan servicer and explain their situation.
You should first see if you qualify for a deferment, experts say. That’s because your loans may not accrue interest under that option, whereas they almost always do in a forbearance.
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Elon Musk sends Starlink tech to FAA, says without evidence air safety is ‘at risk’
Elon Musk sends Starlink tech to FAA, says without evidence air safety is ‘at risk’
Elon Musk said Thursday that he’s sending his Starlink satellite internet terminals to the Federal Aviation Administration while saying, without providing evidence, that current technology poses a risk to air travel safety.
The billionaire and top advisor to President Donald Trump, who has been tasked with cutting costs throughout the federal government, posted the claims on his social media platform, X.
Executives at major airlines told CNBC Thursday that they do not see risks to air travel safety because of the FAA’s technology.
The FAA, which regulates Musk’s company SpaceX, didn’t immediately comment but earlier this week said it has been testing Starlink technology in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in Alaska. The White House referred a request for comment to the FAA.
The FAA “has been considering the use of Starlink since the prior administration to increase reliability at remote sites, including in Alaska,” the agency said Monday. “This week, the FAA is testing one terminal at its facility in Atlantic City and two terminals at non-safety critical sites in Alaska.”
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the FAA is close to cancelling a contract with Verizon for new communication technology for air traffic control and giving it instead to Musk’s Starlink.
Musk said on X Thursday: a “Verizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly.” Verizon said in a statement that “the FAA systems currently in place are run by L3Harris and not Verizon.” He later corrected himself and said that L3Harris is responsible for the “rapidly declining” system.
L3Harris didn’t immediately return request for comment.
Verizon said it is working on replacing older air traffic control technology.
“Our Company is working on building the next generation system for the FAA which will support the Agency’s mission for safe and secure air travel,” Verizon said in its statement. “We are at the beginning of a multi-year contract to replace antiquated, legacy systems. Our teams have been working with the FAA’s technology teams and our solution stands ready to be deployed. We continue to partner with the FAA on achieving its modernization objectives.”
Musk didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Some Democrat lawmakers have raised concerns about Musk’s role in the Trump administration while also potentially working to provide technology to one of his regulators.
“While I support efforts to modernize our air traffic control system and improve aviation safety, this decision raises conflicts-of-interest concerns, given Elon Musk’s dual position as Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and wide-ranging role in the Trump administration,” wrote Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., to Chris Rocheleau, acting head of the FAA, on Wednesday.
Others have raised alarms after the Trump administration laid off hundreds of FAA employees, though they do not include air traffic controllers.
“At a minimum, we need to know why this sudden reduction was necessary, what type of work these employees were doing, and what kind of analysis FAA conducted – if any – to ensure this would not adversely impact safety, increase flight delays or harm FAA operations,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth,D.-Ill., wrote to Rocheleau on Feb. 19.
The FAA has said it has retained staff “who perform safety critical functions. The FAA does not comment on ongoing certification work.”
Airlines for years have pushed for modernization of air traffic reform. Carriers have long complained about how older systems have not kept up with the industry’s needs, leading to flight delays that cost both passengers and carriers. Air travel demand hit new records after the pandemic.
“Carriers have made remarkable changes and significant investments in technologies, operations, product and people,” Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. carriers, said Thursday. “The government needs to do the same in an organized and timely way.”
Musk’s comments on air safety failures, which didn’t include evidence, come after last month’s fatal collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army ****** Hawk helicopter, killing all 67 people on board the two aircraft. It ended an unprecedented ******* of air travel safety in the U.S., marking the first fatal passenger airline ****** in the country since 2009 and the deadliest since 2001.
Last week, more than a dozen aviation industry groups and labor unions, urged lawmakers to approve “emergency funding” for air traffic control modernization and staffing.
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3°C: Sand Puzzle Review | TheXboxHub
3°C: Sand Puzzle Review | TheXboxHub
Review – We’d like a bit more clarity on what is going on within 3°C: Sand Puzzle, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fun colour matcher
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This Is Who Really Makes Costco’s Kirkland Signature Butter
This Is Who Really Makes Costco’s Kirkland Signature Butter
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways
While it may be more expensive, we believe that grass-fed butter is worth the switch from typical, mass-produced butter. Of course there are many types of international butter with unique flavor profiles and tastes, with French butter usually being top of mind when it comes to the gold standard of butter, as well as yellow-hued Irish butter. It’s not from Ireland, but the source of Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Butter is also known for rolling green hills and pastures, and the butter gives Ireland’s Kerrygold a run for its money.
The producer behind Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed Butter is Westland Milk Products, located on the verdant South Island of New Zealand. While Ireland is renowned for its dairy cows and green landscapes, New Zealand’s landscape is also ideal for cows to roam and graze. With less rainfall but more sunny days on average, New Zealand’s grasses are ideal for animals to consume given the rich soil and ample rain. The country’s mild climate means that cows can graze in open pastures throughout the entire year. Good for not just the cows but also the planet, New Zealand’s dairy industry produces almost 50% less carbon emissions compared to world averages. Westland Milk Products is based in Hokitika, located on the West Coast of New Zealand, known for its scenic hikes, waterfalls, and stunning coastline.
Read more: 20 Fancy Butter Brands, Ranked From Worst To Best
New Zealand’s Grass Is An Ideal Source For Beautiful Butter
cows and sheep grazing on a green pasture with snowy mountains in the backround – Dmitry Pichugin/Shutterstock
You can taste the difference between regular and grass-fed butter, and you can see the difference in the color of the butter as well. Westland Milk Products’ general manager of sales and marketing Hamish Yates, credits the bright yellow color of their butter to the flourishing pastures of New Zealand, saying that the color is “due to the higher levels of beta-carotene in the cream, which is derived directly from the grass the cows eat.” Yates also explains that its dairy cows’ diet consists of no less than 95% grass, and that the cows are not treated with any growth hormones, contrary to some conventional dairy production in the United States.
Westland Milk sources milk for their butter from about 400 nearby farms every day during spring, summer, and fall, ensuring that the milk is fresh before being processed into butter and other dairy products. Grass-fed butter from Westland Milk Products contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important in maintaining cell health, but our bodies don’t produce enough of naturally so we need to get them from outside sources. Considering that the country of New Zealand consumes the most butter worldwide, it’s no surprise that Costco would tap the island nation to procure some of the world’s finest grass-fed butter for their own brand.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows Getting GeForce Now Signals Ubisoft Has Actively Avoided the 3 Core Issues That Plague All New Gen Games
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Getting GeForce Now Signals Ubisoft Has Actively Avoided the 3 Core Issues That Plague All New Gen Games
The release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is just around the corner, and it’s already generating excitement for several reasons. While controversies surround most of the hype, some factors have contributed to positive responses. One of them is the addition of the game to GeForce Now.
The anticipation for the game is higher than initially expected. | Image Credit: Ubisoft
As new-generation games push the boundaries of graphical fidelity, they also bring with them significant challenges that make the gaming experience less enjoyable. With the help of NVIDIA’s cloud gaming service, gamers can avoid some of the most persistent issues facing modern gaming today.
GeForce Now: A game changer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
NVIDIA has been steadily expanding its catalog of games on GeForce Now, providing gamers with access to a wide array of titles through its powerful cloud gaming platform. It looks like Assassin’s Creed Shadows will also be featured there.
By integrating Shadows into Nvidia’s cloud gaming service, Ubisoft has essentially addressed three of the most frustrating issues that continue to plague the gaming industry:
Storage concerns
Frequent patches and updates (day 1 patches)
The ever-increasing hardware requirements.
The rise in game sizes, especially for big AAA titles (which can easily exceed 100GB), has meant that players are constantly running into storage problems. This forces them to make tough decisions about which games to keep and which to delete.
Then there’s the constant need to download massive updates. With games becoming increasingly complex, it’s not uncommon for players to need to download large patches or updates every few days, especially after releases. This can be particularly frustrating for those with limited internet speeds or data caps.
With developers focusing on making the game realistic, it comes with a huge cost: high-powered hardware is needed to run smoothly. To experience these games at their best, gamers often need to invest in the latest GPUs and cutting-edge hardware, which can be really expensive.
However, thanks to GeForce Now, players don’t have to worry about all these issues. Since the game is streamed through a cloud service, there’s no need to download the entire game. Additionally, this eliminates the process of updating a game.
Ubisoft will handle updates on the server and players won’t see any pop-up to update before opening the game. Depending on the subscriptions, Shadows will be accessible to anyone at the highest setting possible, regardless of the gamer’s device’s specs.
Whether you’re using a laptop, smartphone, or older desktop, you’ll be able to enjoy smooth, lag-free gameplay with top-tier visuals. This makes Shadows more accessible than ever before, removing the barrier of needing expensive hardware to experience the latest AAA titles.
Modern gaming’s focus on graphics over experience
The modern gaming has various core issues. | Image Credit: Ubisoft.
The gaming industry has undeniably seen rapid technological advancement, but these core issues show areas where it has failed to evolve. While gamers generally accept these issues as part of experiencing ‘high-quality’ gameplay, the experience itself has often been frustrating.
For many players, graphics alone aren’t enough to create a lasting experience. The process of acquiring and playing a game has become a lot more complex than it used to be. Today, players don’t have to worry about waiting in line to get their copy, but instead wait for the game to download or get patched.
Speaking of patches, day-one patches have become an almost expected part of modern gaming, leaving players frustrated as they wait to play the game they’ve just purchased. Moreover, many gamers with lower-end PCs are simply unable to run these demanding AAA games.
There’s a growing need for developers to focus not just on graphics but on the overall experience. But with cloud services like GeForce Now, players can bypass that. Sure, a good internet connection is needed, but it’s the only thing players have to worry about.
As long as that part is covered, players can enjoy a smoother, more accessible experience from start to finish. In the end, the addition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows to GeForce Now is more than just a smart move, it’s a step toward solving some of the most significant issues affecting modern gaming.
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Suspect linked to four Tesla store attacks arrested with incendiary devices – TESLARATI
Suspect linked to four Tesla store attacks arrested with incendiary devices – TESLARATI
Suspect linked to four Tesla store attacks arrested with incendiary devices TESLARATIWoman caught trying to plant explosive devices at Tesla dealership ABC NewsWoman, 40, caught with explosives at Tesla dealership in Colorado, police say KOMO NewsWoman with incendiary devices arrested following vandalism at Tesla dealership in Colorado CNNSuspect accused of throwing explosive devices at Tesla vehicles, defacing ‘Nazi’ cars at dealership New York Post
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CoD: ****** Ops 6 And Warzone Season 3 Expected Start Date, OG-Style Rumors, And Leaks So Far
CoD: ****** Ops 6 And Warzone Season 3 Expected Start Date, OG-Style Rumors, And Leaks So Far
Call of Duty Season 3 should arrive in ****** Ops 6 and Warzone next month, and here you’ll find everything rumored and leaked for the big update. This includes the potential return of the Verdansk map, iconic skins, and meta weapons from the early days of Call of Duty’s battle royale. There are also leaks for Season 3 of Zombies, which suggest the return of a classic perk and more field upgrades.
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COD x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teaser Trailer | Call of Duty: Warzone & ****** Ops 6
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Call of Duty Season 3 start times
Based on the days left for the Season 2 battle pass, the Season 3 update should arrive around March 20. These seasonal updates usually go live around 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST across all platforms.
What to expect from Season 3
While Season 2 is themed around ninjas and TMNT, Season 3 is rumored to be a nostalgia-filled “OG” season that sounds similar to what Fortnite has done in the past, with the potential return of Warzone’s Verdansk map, as well as operator skins and meta weapons made popular during the introduction of Warzone’s battle royale.
Additionally, a new season of Call of Duty means a new battle pass should also arrive. Activision hasn’t revealed the details of the pass, but that information is usually released closer to launch. However, CharlieIntel’s sources suggest it will include popular meta weapons from the early days of Modern Warfare and Verdansk, so if these leaks are true, some of the weapons could appear in the Season 3 battle pass.
This includes the following guns:
Grau 5.56 assault rifle
HDR sniper rifle
CR-56 AMAX assault rifle
Kilo 141 assault rifle
Dataminers also claim popular operator skins are now showing in the game files. This includes skins for Mace, Domino, Hudson, and even the original Roze operator, which featured a controversial skin that was really hard to see in the shadows.
In addition to new content, the Season 3 update will likely include new limited-time events and seasonal challenges.
****** Ops 6 multiplayer
Grind map with TMNT crossover
We don’t have any specific leaks or rumors for ****** Ops 6 multiplayer, but a new season generally adds more maps, game modes, and new events. There is also the possibility of more perks, equipment, and weapon attachments being added to the game.
Season 2 recently added Bullet and Grind to the multiplayer map pool. New perks, weapon attachments, and game modes were also included, as well a TMNT crossover event.
Zombies
The Tomb map for Zombies
Season 2 added The Tomb map, the Death Perception perk, a new scorestreak, and more GobbleGums. A similar set of content is suggested for Season 3.
Known dataminer RealityUK suggests the game files reveal a new map is arriving along with two classic perks and more field upgrades. The leaked perks are Double Tap and Tombstone, and the field upgrades are Frost Blast and Shatter Blast. The potential return of Double Tap is exciting because the classic perk has not been featured in Zombies since ****** Ops Cold War.
While details of the map aren’t given in the leaks, the final cutscene for The Tomb suggests the Zombies crew is headed back to Liberty Falls, and that this map could potentially be set inside Richtofen’s mansion.
Warzone
Season 2 of Warzone is very light on content, as most of the updates were dedicated to game improvements and anti-cheat updates. Now, a lot of Season 3’s rumored content seems to be nostalgia bait themed around the first year of Warzone, including the return of the original Verdansk map.
Activision confirmed that Verdansk would return sometime in the spring of 2025, but the publisher didn’t provide a specific date. New leaks have surfaced to suggest Verdansk is returning with the launch of Season 3, including a variant of the map close to the original launch version.
CharlieIntel has also reported that content creators have recently playtested builds of Verdansk with different map features, which included various traversal elements.
While everything must still be regarded as rumors until Activision confirms the content, there is a lot of talk to suggest Warzone fans will have plenty of content to take them down memory lane.
For more on the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle crossover, we have a breakdown of the total cost for unlocking all of the TMNT skins, and we also have a guide for unlocking all of the TMNT weapons.
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Copilot gets its own app for the Mac
Copilot gets its own app for the Mac
Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, has come to another platform: the Mac. In the United States and United Kingdom, Microsoft has released a dedicated app in the Mac App Store. (In fact, it’s the top app featured by Apple on the App Store as of this writing)
The new app requires a Mac with an M1 processor or later and at least macOS 14 Sonoma. While it’s open in the background, you can use a default shortcut (Option + Space) to quickly message it. That’s just a key away from Command + Space, which launches the familiar Spotlight search.
The full app also features the Think Deeper feature (powered by OpenAI’s o1 model) as well as voice conversations. You can also get news tories from Copilot daily and access your conversations from other devices. If you’ve used Copilot on any other platform, including Windows, it’s all pretty familiar here.
The wait is over – we can finally hang out on macOS! Download Copilot for Mac and try me out today.February 27, 2025
Technically, it’s not the first time Copilot has been on the Mac. It was already built into the Edge browser and in certain Office 365 apps. But now it’s standalone.
The move came after Mac owners received the ability to type to Siri with Apple Intelligence, alongside ChatGPT extensions for Siri. OpenAI also has its own Mac app, as AI companies look to expand their user base to multiple platforms. Siri has yet to receive some Apple Intelligence upgrades, so there’s room on the Mac for other AI agents to steal the show, at least for now.
Microsoft had not been abandoning Apple platforms, though. Copilot had already been available for the iPhone and the Mac. Today, Apple is also adding Split Screen capability to the iPad app, and both iOS and iPad users can now upload text files and PDFs to Copilot to query the assistant about the documents or summarize them. (Microsoft says this is coming to the Mac soon).
While the Mac might not be the most obvious choice for a Microsoft-owned AI (after all, it definitely doesn’t qualify to be a Copilot+ PC with those current rules!), Microsoft has been pretty good about keeping its software available everywhere, not just Windows. So some diehards who love macOS but also love Office and other Microsoft offerings may finally have just what they want.
Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
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Nature Conservation Margaret River and Undalup Association team up for river tour
Nature Conservation Margaret River and Undalup Association team up for river tour
Residents will soon have a rare chance to take to the Margaret River with traditional custodians.
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Call Of Duty: Warzone Experimenting With 150-Player Matches
Call Of Duty: Warzone Experimenting With 150-Player Matches
Raven Software has announced a major change for Call of Duty: Warzone, as the studio is experimenting with 150-player lobbies for standard battle royale playlists.
Not every match will be 150 players, though, as Raven said it’s only doing this “intermittently” as a means of testing things. “We will be closely monitoring player feedback, performance, and overall impact on match flow over the coming weeks.” The changes do not apply to Ranked modes.
You may notice something a little different starting today. In preparation for future updates, we will begin intermittently testing 150 players across standard Battle Royale playlists. We will be closely monitoring player feedback, performance, and overall impact on match…
— Raven Software (@RavenSoftware) February 27, 2025
Warzone originally began with 150-player matches before Activision rolled it back to 100 in 2023. In 2024, Activision pushed the player count up to 120.
Activision originally said 150-player matches were “too chaotic,” and that reducing player counts helped speed up matchmaking times. However, players have consistently called on Activision to increase the player count, and now it’s happening.
Next up for Warzone and ****** Ops 6 is the upcoming Season 3 update. It hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s expected to begin in March with a bunch of new content. Among other things, it’s rumored that the new season will take a page out of Fortnite’s playbook and be an “OG” season that calls back to the game’s origins, including bringing back the original Warzone map, Verdansk.
Boosting player numbers to 150 for Warzone could also be a reflection of this OG status, as the game originally had 150-player matches at launch in 2020.
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Conservative commentators seen with ‘Epstein Files’ binders after AG Bondi promises docs release
Conservative commentators seen with ‘Epstein Files’ binders after AG Bondi promises docs release
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative political commentators were spotted at the White House Thursday holding binders that read “The Epstein Files” hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi promised the release of documents about wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, who ********* abused underage girls.
It was not immediately clear what was in the binders, which have not been released publicly by the Justice Department.
The binders read “declassified,” but it was not immediately clear whether the information contained in the binders ever had been classified. Among those holding the binders was political commentator Rogan O’Handley, also known as DC Draino.
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Bondi said Wednesday on Fox News that the documents would include flight logs and “a lot of names,” though it was unclear whether there would be details not already publicly known.
Epstein’s crimes and connections to famous people have long been a subject of public fascination and media scrutiny. Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, his criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.
In January 2024, a court unsealed a trove of documents that had been collected as evidence in a lawsuit filed Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. Much of the material, including transcripts of victim interviews and old police reports, had already been publicly known.
Epstein ********* abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14. He killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial in his Manhattan jail cell.
The case has drawn widespread attention because of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell’s links to royals, presidents and billionaires. Maxwell herself is the daughter of the late British media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who once owned the New York Daily News.
Maxwell, 62, was found guilty in December 2021 of luring young girls to Epstein so he could ******* them, between 1994 and 2004. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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One Halo Game Became a Record-Winning $300M Underdog Success Story By Hiring Its Own Haters
One Halo Game Became a Record-Winning $300M Underdog Success Story By Hiring Its Own Haters
We all know for a fact that Halo is one of the best FPS franchises out there. The series’ focus on an incredible multiplayer experience and jaw-dropping campaigns is remarkable. The first two games were the reason why Xbox solidified itself as a gaming console. Halo isn’t just a game; it’s an icon that has lasted for decades.
The Halo franchise has left its mark in the gaming industry. (Image via Microsoft)
Since the release of Combat Evolved, we’ve seen eight mainline entries in the franchise. However, one of the most special ones is undoubtedly Halo 4. Even though it was 343 Industries’ first project, it managed to generate over $300 million. Why did the game succeed? Well, it’s all thanks to the unusual strategy of hiring developers who absolutely despised Halo!
Halo 4 used a bold hiring strategy to achieve success
343 Industries wasn’t afraid of making bold decisions to elevate the franchise. (Image via Microsoft)
A few years ago, ex-343 Industries’ franchise development director, Frank O’Conner, opened up about the development of Halo 4 in an interview with Gamasutra. As the game was 343 Industries’ first step into the iconic franchise after taking it over from Bungie, it had to approach the game uniquely.
O’Conner later highlighted 343 Industries’ hiring philosophy when it came to Halo 4. Instead of bringing in developers who were long-time fans of the franchise, 343 Industries decided to hire developers who hated the franchise for a number of reasons.
We had people who we hired who hated Halo because of ‘X,’” says O’Connor. “But what that really meant was, ‘I feel like this game could be awesome because of ‘Y input’ that I’m going to bring into it. I want to prove it, and I’m passionate about proving it.’ So we ended up with a bunch of people who were genuinely passionate about the product.
These haters of the franchise saw its untapped potential. They didn’t want to tear down everything that Bungie had worked hard for; they wanted the franchise to evolve with fresh ideas. With their unique vision, these new recruits aimed to improve Halo.
343 Industries wasn’t looking to replicate Bungie’s version of the shooter. The studio wanted to push the franchise to new heights and bring it up to modern gaming standards while still retaining what made Halo so great.
Considering the recent state of the Halo franchise, you might think that this was one of the biggest mistakes made by 343 Industries. However, the studio’s unique development approach allowed Halo 4 to collect $300 million in its opening week, setting a new record for the franchise at the time.
Halo Infinite has a brand-new spring update
Infinite‘s latest update changes everything. (Image via Microsoft)
It’s been more than 3 years since the debut of Halo Infinite. While its launch was rocky, the developers have continued to update the game over the years. Now, there’s another huge update that completely shakes up the game.
Infinite‘s Spring update is finally here, and it’s big in scope. Among the new additions is Operation: Frontline, which brings a new Operation Pass for gamers to run through. The developers have evolved this pass with the help of community feedback.
Alongside 20 tiers of free content, gamers can also opt to buy a Premium version that features 50 tiers of unique rewards. It’s a pass based around ODSTs, and the Premium one instantly grants players a new model for the BR75 Battle Rifle and other items.
That’s not all, though; we have a number of new changes for the multiplayer mode, including a weapon and game mode. The latest update brings Fuel Rod SPNKr, a semi-automatic rifle that fires quicker than the MF41 Rocket Launcher and can hold six projectiles.
Returning from older games, we also have an Assault mode. In this mode, teams of four try to plant a bomb in the enemy’s base. There are also two dedicated playlists for the game mode. A new Forge-created map dubbed Origin has also been added to the game.
With that said, do you think 343 Industries’ unique development worked out for Halo? Let us know in the comments below.
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Gorn 2 Brings Back Ridiculously Violent Combat Later This Year
Gorn 2 Brings Back Ridiculously Violent Combat Later This Year
Gladiators in film and TV don’t tend to have long lives in the arena, given the violent nature of their profession. But the gladiators in Gorn met even more gruesome fates when the game was released in 2017. Now, Devolver Digital, Cortopia, and Free Lives are unveiling the sequel, Gorn 2, and it’s pushing the violence between these large burly combatants to new heights in cartoon mayhem in the trailer below.
If the art wasn’t so stylized, some of those violent deaths would probably have earned this trailer an age restriction on YouTube. Even a gladiator’s own weapons can be turned against them in this game, and it doesn’t seem like it takes much effort to separate their heads from their bodies or squish in their brains.
According to a brief synopsis for the game, Gorn 2 brings the player’s character to a heavenly realm for their eternal reward. And that reward is that all of the gladiators that players fought and killed in the first game are already waiting for you, and you’ll have to kill them all over again in new and inventive ways. That includes utilizing a fresh lineup of weapons and traps. Even the arenas themselves can be used to slaughter your foes via floor hazards, spike traps, and unleashing a bull to wreck havoc.
In addition to fighting the fallen enemies, players will have to contend with five heavenly champions. Unlike the canon fodder, these bosses won’t go down easily. But if players finish fighting their way through heaven, they can take on the endless mode, or build their own arenas of death in the custom mode.
Gorn 2 will release on Meta Quest, SteamVR, and PSVR 2 later this year.
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Augusta-Margaret River councillor Nicki Jones resigns after six months paid leave
Augusta-Margaret River councillor Nicki Jones resigns after six months paid leave
Nicki Jones has resigned her Shire of Augusta-Margaret River council position after a six-month leave of absence during which she continued to claim an allowance.
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With Massive Ban Waves, Valorant Proves It’s the Only PvP Game That Takes Cheating Seriously
With Massive Ban Waves, Valorant Proves It’s the Only PvP Game That Takes Cheating Seriously
Cheating in multiplayer games is a constant annoyance, which no developer seems to have a concrete solution for. However, Riot Games’ Valorant can often be credited as having one of the better anti-cheat solutions out there – at least in terms of effectiveness.
Vanguard has been banning large hordes of cheaters consistently for quite some time, and it could be argued that Valorant is one of the few games that take cheating (especially in competitive levels) a lot more seriously as opposed to the competition.
Valorant bans 500,000 bot accounts globally
Valorant banned 500,000+ bot accounts | Image Credit: Riot Games
As detailed within a recent X post from GamerDoc (@ItsGamerDoc), Valorant has managed to pull off yet another massive ban wave, targeting a large number of bot accounts this time around.
We have launched another bot ban wave on VALORANT, this time targeting ~500k accounts globally. Again, if you haven’t manually leveled your accounts, the ban is correctly placed, and you will be met with the screenshot in the tweet. In our efforts to combat this, we’ll be… pic.twitter.com/NEoqtD7f3h
— GamerDoc (@ItsGamerDoc) February 26, 2025
The number of affected accounts are assumed to be around 500,000 – and targets bots only, as mentioned by the Tweet. Any account suspected of botting will face an immediate ban, assuming that these accounts have not been manually levelled up either. Furthermore, this ban cycle is expected to refresh every 2 weeks, with newer bots being captured in the net during this time *******.
Valorant uses HWID checks | Image Credit: Riot Games
Vanguard has also implemented a HWID (hardware level ID identifier) check, which ensures that these banned accounts simply cannot reinstall the game and begin their shenanigans once more – at least without a huge amount of effort involved.
After all, fair competition cannot exist without any form of intervention to weed out bad actors, and Riot Games’ actions are to be commended here.
They are, after all, seriously taking care of cheaters in their games – as opposed to other competitors that give them a free pass, and fail to follow up on these bans. Cracking down on cheaters keeps the community happy, and the game a lot more palatable as a result.
However, it should be kept in mind that this is a cat and mouse game, and cheaters will most definitely find a way to circumvent these bans, at least until Riot manages to squash them again.
While effective, a kernel level anticheat brings with it some serious concerns
Vanguard is not without its fair share of controversy | Image Credit: Riot Games
Valorant’s Vanguard anti-cheat has not been without its fair share of controversy though. For starters, the anti-cheat employed here is of the rootkit variety, which means it hooks itself into the Windows kernel at startup.
This allows for a lot more precise monitoring, but also at the potential cost of user privacy and control – rootkits can after all, do literally anything to your PC considering their unrestricted access.
Another side effect of using such an invasive anti-cheat is the fact that it makes the game entirely incompatible on alternative operating systems, such as Linux (and by extension, the Steam Deck).
Privacy and security concerns aside, the fact that Vanguard uses hardware level logging is also a double edged sword. HWID bans could prove to be quite problematic in nature, especially when we take into consideration that these ‘blacklisted’ PC components could be sold off to an unsuspecting buyer.
Affected buyers would then be effectively locked out of further Valorant matches, which is very likely to happen unless Riot Games has some countermeasures and/or finer HWID tracking in place.
Either way, while Valorant’s efforts to tackle cheaters is indeed commendable, its approach toward the same can be quite difficult to justify at times, and it is hoped that they manage to create a less invasive version of Vanguard in the future – although that seems quite unlikely.
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The Blood of Dawnwalker Is Aiming for New Heights of Narrative Immersion, and Im Optimistic
The Blood of Dawnwalker Is Aiming for New Heights of Narrative Immersion, and Im Optimistic
TNS: But when I learned a little more about how narratively ambitious Rebel Wolves is being with The Blood of Dawnwalker, I became truly excited.
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