Pelican Press

15 Years Later, No Left 4 ***** 2 Successor Has Replicated Its Secret ******* 15 Years Later, No Left 4 ***** 2 Successor Has Replicated Its Secret ******* Left 4 ***** 2 is celebrating its 15-year anniversary today, November 17, 2024. Below, we look at how its cast and their interactions set it apart from its contemporaries and modern imitators alike. Left 4 ***** 2 has been rightfully receiving its flowers for the past 15 years. The modding community has come up with everything from visual enhancements like improved blood textures to completely user-made campaigns. The last two DLCs for the game, Cold Stream and The Last Stand, were made by community members and officially endorsed by Valve. At the time of writing, there are over 45,000 players in-game on PC, and (if you somehow still don’t own it) you can play it for free during this anniversary weekend. As such, the Steam discussions are filled with dozens of threads about the Good Guy Nick Achievement, which can only be obtained when the game is on a free weekend, something that occurs every couple of years. But there’s a special legacy Left 4 ***** has left behind: Valve’s shooter has been a catalyst for a new subgenre altogether. Games like Back 4 Blood and The Anacrusis follow the formula closely, which isn’t surprising considering the development teams include people who worked on Left 4 *****. Others, such as Warhammer: Vermintide, Deep Rock Galactic, and Aliens: Fireteam Elite iterate on the concept of a co-op shooter by leaning closer to its own worlds, taking inspiration from existing franchises or coming up with brand-new mechanics to stand out from the rest. Yet, as more developers are taking the genre in interesting new directions, there’s one crucial element that is often overlooked in these iterations. The passage of time has not diminished Left 4 ***** 2’s strengths. The clever “AI Director” dictating and reacting to the pace and behavior of your group to the B-movie flair embedded in every corner are standouts. But if there’s one thing that entices me to return to the game, and a crucial aspect that none of the Left 4 *****-likes have managed to achieve to a similar degree, is the cast of characters and the personality each of them oozes. This was a strong suit even in the first Left 4 ***** with Zoey, Francis, Louis, and Bill. From the moment you set foot on the first rooftop on your way to Mercy Hospital, the frequent character interactions are put front and center. The quips can be further extended (on PC) by using a conversation wheel to express yourself drawing from a pool of hundreds of lines for laughing, cursing, and thanking others. While neither game was ever story-driven, you get to learn more about the characters’ personalities thanks to these conversations, and how they interact with each other throughout the campaigns. As a result, I cared more for their survival within the world itself, and not just from a sole gameplay standpoint of reviving a friend during a horde rush. As time passed, I found Bill’s incidental role as a parental figure to be endearing, and Francis’ constant complaints became a running joke rather than making him an annoying character. The cast of Left 4 ***** 2 Left 4 ***** 2 took this foundation further with Nick, Coach, Rochelle, and Ellis: Some smaller details include voice command shouts being louder or quieter when calling other characters’ names depending on the distance from each other, or the iconic Easter egg in the Dark Carnival campaign where the cast sings song excerpts if you interact with the microphone on stage during the final ******. But there’s a greater focus on highlighting the characters–unlike the first Left 4 ***** campaign, No Mercy, the group begins the sequel not knowing each other’s names in ***** Center. They’re eventually introduced to one another and establish a bond over the later episodes. The DLCs, as well as the integration of Left 4 ***** into Left 4 ***** 2, are proof of Valve extending the philosophy to the original cast as well, with The Passing uniting both groups in the same campaign, and The Sacrifice adding another sentimental layer as an overarching narrative involving Bill. Looking back at all the late nights I’ve had playing with friends during the past 15 years, I believe the characters are responsible for tying the whole experience together. They remain singular in nature, resulting in a sense of personality that is yet to be matched. Some jokes and banter lines, such as Nick remarking on Ellis’ excitement over the carnival Kiddie Land by saying, “He’s like a five-year-old, with guns and a comprehensive grasp of every swear word in the English language,” and the multiple variants for friendly ***** reactions like Ellis’ “I am not a zombie, ****** the zombies!” never get tiresome. As it stands, the future of Left 4 ***** is uncertain. In 2023, people found a mention of “Left4Dead3” in Counter-Strike 2’s files, albeit with the downside that, according to the files, the project’s priority is “none” for Valve. This follows a series of similar I Want to Believe mentions throughout the years in other titles like Half-Life: Alyx and Portal VR, including more concrete details in The Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx documentary, where it was revealed that Left 4 ***** 3 was supposed to be an open-world game set in Morocco, only to be canceled due to game engine Source 2’s unfinished status at the time. It’s hard to know if a third entry could capture the charm and chemistry of the existing characters with a new group once more. Despite having replayed the campaigns dozens of times over the years, however, I’m still discovering interactions by the cast. And even when I’m not, joining a lobby feels like revisiting old friends at this point. Picking a character in Left 4 ***** 2 doesn’t give you any different perks–each one of them can use all weapons, and their survival depends on your skills and cooperation with others alone. The game’s most noteworthy achievement, then, is giving importance to that decision regardless of its importance–choosing the eyes from which to see the apocalypse through is as memorable as your efforts to make it out alive with that character. Source link #Years #Left #***** #Successor #Replicated #Secret #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Archbishop candidates need ‘heads reading’ Archbishop candidates need ‘heads reading’ The Bishop of Gloucester, Rt Revd Rachel Treweek said any bishop thinking about becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury needs “their head reading”. Justin Welby will step down after a damning report into prolific child abuser John Smyth associated with the ******* of England. Bishop Rachel told BBC Radio Gloucestershire she did not want the “very, very difficult job” and any Bishop thinking about it should “look long and hard into the mirror and take some reality checks”. She said Mr Welby’s decision was “absolutely the right thing to do” but that it “probably could have happened quicker”. The report found that Mr Welby “could and should” have reported Smyth’s ****** of boys and young men to police in 2013. It was not immediately clear when the archbishop would leave his post but the process of finding a replacement is likely to take at least six months. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head of the ******* of England and leads 85 million Anglicans in 165 countries around the world. “Anyone who wants to be the Archbishop of Canterbury absolutely needs their head reading,” Bishop Rachel said. “You know, this is a very, very difficult job – stepping into the structures that do need to change. “Any bishop who wants to be the archbishop, well, I think they might need to look long and hard into the mirror and take some reality checks.” Smyth was accused of attacking dozens of boys, including those he met at ********** camps, in the *** in the 1970s and 1980s. The independent report published last week found inaction from the ******* was a “missed opportunity” to bring Smyth to justice before his ****** in 2018. The Bishop called it an “absolutely sickening report”, adding the focus needs to be on the victims and survivors who had had to wait years for the ****** to be fully exposed. “I want to instil trust and ****** and say to victims and survivors that if you have been silenced, if you are carrying that weight today, then please do contact your diocesan safeguarding team,” she said. She said safeguarding processes and training within the ******* had changed in recent years but independent oversight was needed. “One of the things that this report and subsequent events has thrown up again is the very clunky governance we have within the ******* of England,” she added. “We do not have quick decision making, there are too many different levels, groups, involved. “We need to be able to move much more swiftly.” Bishop Rachel was consecrated as the 41st Bishop of Gloucester in 2015. She made history by becoming the first female diocesan bishop and the first female bishop in the House of Lords. Source link #Archbishop #candidates #heads #reading Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Game Awards confirms that DLC, remakes and remasters will be eligible for Game of the Year The Game Awards confirms that DLC, remakes and remasters will be eligible for Game of the Year The Game Awards has confirmed that DLC will be eligible for all of its award categories ahead of the shortlists being announced on Monday. This Monday, producer Geoff Keighley‘s annual award show will announce the shortlist for each of its categories. In an FAQ posted to the award show’s website, it has confirmed that DLC, expansions, remakes, and remasters are all eligible for the shortlists. The website now reads: “The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content’s release. “Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes, and remasters are eligible in all categories, if the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nomination. Factors such as the newness of the content and its price/value should be taken into consideration.” Jury members for The Game Awards were made aware of the inclusion of DLC, remakes, and remasters ahead of submitting their nominations. The event’s 10th anniversary gala celebration will again take place at its traditional venue of the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, and be streamed live on various platforms. The Game Awards 2023 broke the event’s viewership record with an estimated 118 million livestreams. The 2023 event, which also took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, was a major production featuring musical performances, celebrity guests, a host of game reveals and an awards show. Source link #Game #Awards #confirms #DLC #remakes #remasters #eligible #Game #Year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia unleashes major airstrike on Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure – National Russia unleashes major airstrike on Ukraine, damaging critical infrastructure – National Russia unleashed its largest wave of airstrikes on Ukraine in almost three months on Sunday, ******* 120 missiles and 90 drones in a sweeping ******* that ******* at least seven people and caused “severe damage” to the power system, officials said. Ukrainians have been bracing for weeks for an ******* on the hobbled energy system, fearing crippling damage that would cause long blackouts as winter sets in and ramp up psychological pressure at a critical moment in the war launched by Russia in February 2022. The strikes, which prompted emergency power cuts in numerous regions, came after this month’s U.S. presidential election victory of Donald Trump, whose pledge to end the war without saying how has raised the prospect of a looming push to hold negotiations. 3:01 Russia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy says ‘war will end sooner’ under Trump presidency “Russia launched one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles against peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, critical infrastructure,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. Story continues below advertisement Air defenses could be heard engaging drones over the capital in the night, and a series of powerful blasts rang out across the city center as the missile ******* was under way in the morning. Kyiv’s air force said the military had destroyed 104 out of 120 missiles fired and 42 out of 90 drones launched by Russia. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Russia’s defense ministry said it had launched a massive strike on energy facilities that supply Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. More on World More videos “Severe damage to Ukraine’s energy system, including to DTEK power stations. These attacks again highlight Ukraine’s need for additional air defense systems from our allies,” said Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK which is Ukraine’s largest private energy provider. After repeated Russian attacks on the power grid, officials reveal little about the state of the energy infrastructure and seldom release detailed information on the outcome of strikes. Officials confirmed damage to “critical infrastructure” or reported power cuts in regions spanning from Volyn, Rivne, Lviv in the west to the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. DTEK imposed emergency power cuts in the southern Odesa region at the order of energy officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the “massive combined ******* targeted all regions of Ukraine”. In Mykolaiv in the south, two people were ******* in an overnight drone *******, the governor said. Two people ***** and three were wounded in a strike on a rail depot in the Dnipropetrovsk region, rail authorities said. Story continues below advertisement In Lviv region, on the border with Poland, a woman in a car was *******, the governor said. Another two people were ******* in the Odesa region. In Kyiv, the roof of a residential building caught ***** due to falling debris and at least two people were hurt, city officials said on the Telegram messaging app. The huge wave of strikes took place as the war approaches this week’s 1,000th day since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Russia last conducted a major missile strike on Kyiv on Aug. 26, when officials said it fired a salvo of more than 200 drones and missiles across the country, ******** seven people. Trending Now Poilievre says he’d ****** Trump economic policies, tariffs ‘with *****’ Ukraine war likely to end more quickly under Trump, Zelenskyy says NATO member Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, said it had scrambled its air force inside its airspace as a security precaution during the *******, which it said used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones. Story continues below advertisement Russia’s onslaught piles more pressure on Ukraine as Moscow’s troops notch up their fastest battlefield gains in the east since 2022 in their effort to seize the entire industrial Donbas region despite taking heavy losses, according to Kyiv and the West. Ukrainian troops are meanwhile trying to hold an area of land that they seized in Russia’s Kursk region in August, something Kyiv has said could serve as a bargaining chip further down the line. Sybiha said the strike appeared to be Moscow’s “true response” to leaders interacting with President Vladimir ******, an apparent swipe at ******* Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called the Russian leader on Friday for the first time since late 2022. Though Scholz urged ****** to pull his troops out of Ukraine where they occupy a fifth of the country, Kyiv bridled at the fact of the call, which it said reduced the isolation of the Kremlin leader. 1:58 U.S. racing to send Ukraine aid before Trump takes office Source link #Russia #unleashes #major #airstrike #Ukraine #damaging #critical #infrastructure #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Gameplay Footage & Ice **** Revealed Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Gameplay Footage & Ice **** Revealed Rise & shine for a new look at Nova Prospekt in Half-Life 2 RTX: An RTX Remix Project developed by Orbifold Studios. The modders are rebuilding materials with Physically Based Rendering (PBR) properties, adding extra geometric detail and leveraging NVIDIA technologies including full ray tracing, DLSS 3.5, Reflex, and RTX IO to deliver a fantastic experience for GeForce RTX gamers to this classic. Source link #HalfLife #Episode #Gameplay #Footage #Ice #**** #Revealed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ayaneo Pocket DMG classic GameBoy-styled handheld hits crowdfunding starting from $339 Ayaneo Pocket DMG classic GameBoy-styled handheld hits crowdfunding starting from $339 Ayaneo has launched the Ayaneo Pocket DMG onto crowdfunding platform IndieGogo, debuting its Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X Gen 2-powered, GameBoy-styled OLED handheld to the masses at Early Bird pricing currently as low as $339 USD for an entry-level model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The high-end model runs $499 for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and a Limited Edition “Retro ******” version runs $589 in Early Bird pricing. Fortunately at this price point, the onboard Snapdragon chip is more than adequate for high-end mobile gaming experiences, capable of running games like Genshin Impact at a locked 60 FPS and even being capable of game console emulation up to the GameCube and PlayStation 2 era without issue, even with higher internal resolutions set. Valve’s Steam Deck LCD will play more games, cheaper if you aren’t supplementing an existing PC handheld, though. The AYANEO Pocket DMG – classic design meets modern power! 3.92” OLED display Snapdragon G3x Gen platform 6000mAh battery Dual-mode touchpad + AYASpace for immersive gaming#AYANEO #PocketDMG #HandheldGaming #GamingTech pic.twitter.com/nFI4QmabnRNovember 16, 2024 Outside of immediate specifications and pricing, this is a surprisingly fully-featured handheld for its price and form factor. Counting the hidden trigger buttons between the coastline shoulder buttons, the optional motion controls, and the right touchpad, you still have all the input you need here for modern gaming, especially streaming from your PC to the Ayaneo Pocket DMG. The analog stick, while small, is also hall-effect, so it should be resistant to developing drift over time. While some may consider an OLED panel overkill at this screen size, it’s important to recall that other high-end options like the Analogue Pocket are also going with fairly high-fidelity displays, though Analogue Pocket instead opts for a super-crisp 1440p LCD. With Ayaneo Pocket DMG, we’re getting a 3.92-inch OLED screen at a 1,240 x 1,080 resolution, displaying an estimated 104% NTSC ****** gamut at up to 450 nits brightness. Combined with the low input latency of OLEDs, this should make Pocket DMG quite the ideal retro gaming partner, though of course it won’t be dethroning Steam Deck OLED or more powerful PC handhelds as a AAA gaming device. For emulation and Android gaming, the Ayaneo Pocket DMG does seem like a formidable and more importantly premium contender, despite its form factor. While the 12GB and 16GB RAM (LPDDR5X clocked up to 8,533 MT/s) models do seem a little sillier considering this isn’t a PC handheld, the demands of modern mobile games and emulation can get intense. The best bang-for-your-buck with a device like this is definitely taking the entry-level model and supplementing with an SD card when you get the chance, though. Finally, it’s worth noting that the Ayaneo Pocket DMG supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 via a Type-C port capable of up to 10 Gigabits throughput, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. While the wired connectivity options are nothing to write home about, they are adequate for transferring smaller games and other files — the support for Wi-Fi 7 up to 30 Gigabits per second is quite ideal, though, especially for things like Steam Remote Play. Remember that crowdfunding a project is not a guarantee of receiving a finished product. Backing a crowdfunded project is akin to an investment; you believe in the project and want it to succeed. You are not purchasing a retail product. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Ayaneo #Pocket #DMG #classic #GameBoystyled #handheld #hits #crowdfunding #starting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** strike on Beirut ****** Hezbollah media head ******** strike on Beirut ****** Hezbollah media head An ******** strike on a building in a densely populated district of Beirut has ******* Hezbollah’s media relations chief Mohammad Afif, two Lebanese security sources have told Reuters, though there was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah. The ******** military have declined to comment. There was no evacuation order for the area published on the ******** military spokesperson’s account on social media platform X before the strike. The strike hit the Ras al-Nabaa neighbourhood where many people displaced from Beirut’s southern suburbs by the ******** bombardment had been seeking refuge. The security sources said it struck a building where the offices of the Ba’ath Party are located, and the head of the party in Lebanon, Ali Hijazi, told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed that Afif was in the building. The broadcaster later also said Afif had been *******. It showed footage of a building whose upper floors had collapsed onto the first storey, with civil defence workers at the scene. Afif was a long-time media advisor to Hezbollah’s former secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, who was ******* in an ******** air ******* on the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27. He managed Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television station for several years before taking over the Iran-backed group’s media relations office. Hezbollah and ******* have been trading ***** for more than a year, since Hezbollah began launching rockets at ******** military targets on October 8, 2023, a day after its ************ ally ****** carried out a deadly ******* on southern *******. In late September, ******* dramatically escalated and expanded its military campaign in Lebanon, heavily ******** the country’s south, east and the southern suburbs of Beirut alongside ground incursions along the border. Afif hosted several press conferences for journalists amid the rubble in the southern suburbs of the capital. In his most recent comments to reporters on November 11, he said ******** troops had been unable to occupy any territory in Lebanon and Hezbollah had enough weapons and supplies to ****** a “long war”. The Lebanese health ministry said the strike ******* one and injured three. Ambulances could be heard rushing to the scene, and bursts of gunfire rang out to prevent crowds of people from approaching the location. Source link #******** #strike #Beirut #****** #Hezbollah #media Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A two-pack of Blink Mini 2 cameras is only $35 in this ****** Friday deal A two-pack of Blink Mini 2 cameras is only $35 in this ****** Friday deal Amazon has a ****** Friday deal on a pair of Blink Mini 2 cameras. The security cam, which just arrived earlier this year, has a built-in spotlight and supports person detection. Typically, it costs $40 apiece or $70 for a pair, but you can get two Blink Mini 2 cameras today for $35. That’s a record low — and cheap enough to qualify as a stocking stuffer. The compact security camera has ****** night vision capabilities thanks to its built-in LED spotlight. It supports person detection, although you’ll need a Blink Subscription for that. They start at $3 monthly or $30 annually for one device. (And you get a 30-day trial to see if it’s worth it.) Blink Save big on a pair of Blink Mini 2 security cameras. $35 at Amazon The camera supports 1080p HD live view and has a wider field of view than its predecessor (143 degrees diagonally vs. 110 in the original). It also has a low-light image sensor. The Blink Mini 2 works with Alexa and supports two-way audio. The plug-in camera works indoors and out, but you’ll need a $10 weather-resistant power adapter to use it outside. However, it does include mounting screws in the box, along with a 13-ft indoor power adapter and a stand for each camera. You can order the camera in ****** or white. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #twopack #Blink #Mini #cameras #****** #Friday #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

My child is at camp and my phone pings nonstop with photos. Does anyone really want this? | Parents and parenting My child is at camp and my phone pings nonstop with photos. Does anyone really want this? | Parents and parenting At 7am on a Wednesday I drop my child off for a two-night school camp. The first big school camp. Children carry their pillows under their arms and drag behind them suitcases whose wheels and weight they can barely manage. They’re nervous. Excited. Some cry. By 7.45am they have loaded their bags. Through the coach’s tinted windows I can see that my daughter has settled in next to her friend so I wave goodbye and head to work. Before 10am my phone pings. Parents had been asked to download an app so the school can communicate during the days away. There are 10 pictures of the class packed on a ferry and arriving at camp in a post on the app. I feel relief. I had been anxious about the bus arriving safely – even though I knew it to be irrational – and it is comforting to see my child buffeted by friends, smiling at the camera. Soon the phone pings again. And again. And then again. By the end of the day I’ve received 20 posts, each consisting of up to 10 photographs, which I come to assume is the maximum. By midday the next day there are 12 more posts. As my day is punctuated by post after post – not just from camp, but from after-school care, from my other child’s school day – I keep unlocking my phone. I swipe through carousels of pictures of children at play, scanning for mine, confirming they are safe and happy. It’s a continuous chronicle of the childhood happening away from my physical oversight. Does anyone really want this? By the time a child is 13, estimates suggest, around 72m pieces of data will have been collected about them. Eighty per cent of children in the developed world have a digital footprint by the age of two. Much of the blame for this has been ***** at the feet of ********** access to social media (the subject of new federal government plans to restrict access for younger teens) and “sharenting” – the over-sharing of pictures of one’s own children online. It’s not hard to conjure up an image of a tween scrolling TikTok or a smug parent posting to Instagram a photo of their sleeping infant next to a laser-cut wood sign declaring their age in months. But it is not the whole picture. We have a much broader, far more intimate culture of recording our children. Of photographing our children. Receiving and requiring data on our children. It is in their cots, their daycares, their schools. It is chewing up the memory on our phones. And it is almost inescapable. The *********** community attitudes to privacy survey, released last year, spoke to almost 700 parents. Half said they felt they had control over their child’s data privacy. Three in five said they had no choice but to sign their child up to a particular service. Nearly all said their children have the right to grow up without being profiled and targeted. But, from their first days, we record them. It is an act of love, of narcissism, of habit, an insurance against forgetting; these creatures we have made, whom we rear and adore – why not capture each unrepeatable, beautiful, funny, tender expression, moment, footstep? These photographs feel private, if unmanageable in their volume and almost involuntary in their taking. Even an ordinary Saturday in my family might result in up to 32 photographs; an old-school roll of film. There is something else, too. From the earliest days we are sold the idea that surveillance is safety. That, without data, parents cannot be assured of a child’s wellbeing. Baby monitors – promising “total peace of mind” – livestream not only video of ******* sleeping to your phone a room – or half a city – away, but data about oxygen levels, heart rate and sleep behaviour. It speaks to the most basic of parental instincts: protect the baby. But, as the Edith Cowan University researcher Dr Donell Holloway writes, the “datafication” of childhood expands as a child engages in education. Contemporary childhood is “undergoing a profound transformation”. ‘Photography in early learning centres has, in some ways, become a runaway train.’ Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP As children enter daycare, some parents seek, welcome – and others simply receive – a deluge of photographs on apps that they are required to download. These pictures act as a kind of continuous proof of life and a demonstration of the safety and good practice of early education providers. Most post pictures of the children throughout the day, alongside updates about what they were offered for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, how much they ate, when they slept and what early learning curriculum touchstones they hit. It can be a comfort, a source of joy. Having established this expectation, a day without receiving pictures can be concerning. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion In 2019 the early education consultant Karen Hope wrote on an industry blog, the Spoke, that “photography in early learning centres has, in some ways, become a runaway train … How are we going to communicate with families that a photograph of their child in front of a puzzle does not always evidence learning, development or engagement?” It does not end with daycare. “Schools play a large part in how children experience privacy on a day-to-day basis,” the then UN special rapporteur on privacy wrote in a report published in 2021. The mass transition to online learning when the pandemic began led to a ***** in technology in classrooms which “amplified existing power imbalances between education technology companies and children, and between Governments and children and parents”. On one day during the school camp I receive more than 100 photographs of children. The posts evoke contradictory reflexes in me: the first, I’m so comforted she’s OK. The second, just leave her alone. In the final tranche of 10 photographs, of the class travelling back on a boat from the island, I can’t see my daughter. For a moment I fret: has she been left behind, alone? Is she OK? This is an anxiety I would not otherwise have had. I would have been on my own, working. She’s somewhere else, in the care of people I trust. But instead I worry. Until I spot her in the back of photograph nine. She’s fine. Duh. Information expectation disrupts a healthy distance, a healthy unknowing, between children and parents. It can burden parents with anxiety. We’re are burned out and the continual need to assess and observe our children does not help. And it is an affront to the privacy of children. Children now expect their intimate moments to be recorded. It is, as a friend of mine noted, no longer, “Mum, look at me!”, but, “Mum, take my picture!” They know to review their own photographs. My youngest daughter would come home from daycare eager to look over hers . It was tiresome. They were ***** photos. Privacy is essential to children’s development. Safety too, absolutely. But their privacy is overlooked and compromised. “Adults’ interpretations of children’s privacy needs can impede the healthy development of autonomy and independence, and restrict children’s privacy in the name of protection,” the UN special rapporteur wrote. “****** reliance on surveillance to protect children … constraints children’s rights to privacy and autonomy.” Privacy is critical to children’s ability to develop a sense of self, self-esteem and independence. Parents can opt out – in theory. Usually there’s a box you can untick at the beginning of the year. Many parents who do that tire of seeing their **** in photos with a star-eyed emoji slapped over their face or being removed from photographed scenes. Others forget or don’t read it at all. Ultimately, it is just easier to consent. Easier to float in the current with everyone else than swim against the flow to an island all on your own. When I meet my daughter at the school gates, carrying her bag of ****** clothes and on the verge of exhaustion, she barely pauses to say hello and hug. She wants to tell me everything she did. Archery. Damper making. An obstacle course. Beach swimming. She is the proud narrator of her own independent life. I look at her, smiling, as she tells me about the world she experienced without me, forged on her own, by herself. And I pretend that I haven’t already seen it all. Source link #child #camp #phone #pings #nonstop #photos #Parents #parenting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hezbollah’s spokesman ******* in rare ******** strike on central Beirut, official says Hezbollah’s spokesman ******* in rare ******** strike on central Beirut, official says BEIRUT (AP) — A rare ******** airstrike on central Beirut ******* Hezbollah’s chief spokesman on Sunday, an official with the militant group said. Earlier, ******** strikes ******* at least 12 people in the Gaza Strip, officials said, where ******* has been at war with the ************ ****** for over a year. The latest in a series of targeted killings of senior Hezbollah officials came as Lebanese officials were considering a ******* States-led cease-***** proposal. ******* also bombed several buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has long been headquartered, after warning people to evacuate. Mohammed Afif, the head of media relations for Hezbollah, was ******* in a strike on the ***** socialist Baath party’s office in central Beirut, according to a Hezbollah official who was not authorized to brief reporters and so spoke on condition of anonymity. Afif had remained especially visible after the eruption of all-out war between ******* and Hezbollah in September and the ******** of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was also targeted by an ******** airstrike. Last month, Afif had hastily wrapped up a press conference in Beirut ahead of ******** strikes. A rare strike on central Beirut An Associated Press photographer at the scene of Sunday’s strike saw four lifeless bodies and four wounded people, but there was no official word on the toll. People could be seen fleeing the neighborhood. There was no comment from the ******** military. “I was asleep and awoke from the sound of the strike, and people screaming, and cars and gunfire,” said Suheil Halabi, who witnessed the strike. “I was startled, honestly. This is the first time I experience it so close.” The last ******** strike in central Beirut was on Oct. 10, when 22 people were ******* in strikes on two locations. Hezbollah began ******* rockets, missiles and drones into ******* the day after ******’ October 7, 2023 ******* ignited the war in Gaza. ******* launched retaliatory airstrikes in Lebanon and the conflict steadily escalated, erupting into all-out war in September. ******** forces invaded Lebanon on Oct. 1. Hezbollah has continued to ***** dozens of projectiles into ******* each day and has expanded their range to the central part of the country. A rocket barrage on the northern city of Haifa on Saturday damaged a synagogue and wounded two civilians. More than 3,400 people have been ******* in Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry, and over 1.2 million driven from their homes. It is not known how many of the ***** are Hezbollah fighters. On the ******** side, Hezbollah’s aerial attacks have ******* at least 76 people, including 31 soldiers, and caused some 60,000 people to flee from communities in the north. Overnight strikes in central Gaza ***** 12 ******** strikes ******* six people in Nuseirat and another four in Bureij, two built-up ******** camps in central Gaza dating back to the 1948 war surrounding *******’s creation. Another two people were ******* in a strike on Gaza’s main north-south highway, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah, which received all 12 bodies. The war between ******* and ****** began after ************ militants stormed into ******* on Oct. 7. last year, ******** about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting around 250 others. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, about a third of them believed to be *****. The Health Ministry in Gaza says around 43,800 Palestinians have been ******* in the war. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities. Around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million Palestinians have been displaced, and large areas of the territory have been flattened by ******** bombardment and ground operations. ******** police arrest 3 after flares fired at Netanyahu’s home ******** police meanwhile arrested three suspects after flares were fired at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in the coastal city of Caesarea. Netanyahu and his family were not at the residence when two flares were fired at it overnight, and there were no injuries, authorities said. A drone launched by Hezbollah struck the residence last month, also when Netanyahu and his family were away. The police did not provide details about the suspects behind the flares, but officials pointed to domestic political critics of Netanyahu. *******’s largely ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, condemned the incident and warned against “an escalation of the ********* in the public sphere.” Netanyahu has faced months of mass protests. Critics blaming him for the security and intelligence failures that allowed the Oct. 7 ******* to happen and for not reaching a deal with ****** to release scores of hostages still held inside Gaza. Israelis rallied again in the city of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to demand a cease-***** deal to return them. ******** minister looks to revive polarizing judiciary overhaul ******** Justice Minister Yariv Levin seized on the flare ******* on Netanyahu’s home to call for a revival of his plans to overhaul the ******** judiciary, which had sparked months of mass protests before the war. “The time has come to provide full support for the restoration of the justice system and the law enforcement systems, and to put an end to anarchy, rampage, refusal, and attempts to harm the prime minister,” he said in a statement. Supporters said the judiciary changes aim to strengthen democracy by circumscribing the authority of unelected judges and turning over more powers to elected officials. Opponents see the overhaul as a power grab by Netanyahu, who is on trial on *********** charges and for an ******** on a key watchdog. Many Israelis believe the fierce internal divisions caused by the attempted overhaul had weakened the country and its military ahead of the ****** ********. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said in a post on X that he “strongly condemns” the ******* of flares at Netanyahu’s home while blasting Levin’s proposal. “Levin should go home with rest of this irresponsible government,” Lapid wrote. “We will not let him turn ******* into an undemocratic state.” ___ Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, *******. Associated Press reporters Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed. ___ Find more of AP’s war coverage at Source link #Hezbollahs #spokesman #******* #rare #******** #strike #central #Beirut #official Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Final Fantasy 7 remake part 3’s plot ‘is complete’ as the game enters full production Final Fantasy 7 remake part 3’s plot ‘is complete’ as the game enters full production The plot for the third part in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy has been completed and the game has entered full development, according to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase. Speaking at G-**** 2024 in Korea, while the pair wouldn’t be drawn on further details about the game’s plot, they did mention that work on the game’s plot has been completed and that the team is now focussed on the game itself. As first reported by 4Gamer, Kitase also said: “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth provided a vast map, but in the third game, the Highwind (airship) will appear, so we need to let you experience the world from a higher perspective. “We won’t cheat with the airship system, but challenge it head-on so that players can freely fly around the map.” The first two parts of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake were released in 2020 and 2024, meaning Part 3 will likely still be a number of years away. Earlier this year, Hamaguchi said he’s confident the third part will be one of the greatest video games ever made. VGC’s review of the second entry, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, calls it “an excellent RPG with some of the best characters in the gaming canon”. “While some open-world content skirts the edges, and the game’s main narrative is left somewhat deflated, the time spent with Aerith, Tifa, and the gang makes this a hugely enjoyable road trip you’ll be playing for hundreds of hours,” we wrote. Source link #Final #Fantasy #remake #part #plot #complete #game #enters #full #production Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why many young adults in the U.S. are still living with their parents Why many young adults in the U.S. are still living with their parents Approximately 1 in 3 U.S. adults ages 18 to 34 live in their parents’ home, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The pandemic caused more young adults to return home or remain living with their parents into their late 20s and 30s, but aside from that spike, the numbers have remained fairly consistent in recent years. Pre-pandemic, the most recent surge in the share of 18- to 34-year-olds living with their parents occurred between 2005 and 2015, according to data from the Census Bureau. “Those were the times coming [during] the Great Recession and coming out of the Great Recession, and there were a lot of media narratives at the time about millennials eating too much avocado toast to live on their own,” said Joanne Hsu, a research associate professor at the University of Michigan who co-authored a 2015 study on “boomerang” kids for the Federal Reserve. More from Personal Finance: Roughly 28% of credit card users are paying off last year’s holiday debt Holiday shoppers plan to spend more while taking on debt About 2 in 5 cardholders have maxed out a credit card or come close “What we found was that part of the reason we see this escalation of young adults not leaving the nest or returning to the nest is this idea that it was ******* and ******* for them to weather shocks,” Hsu said. Economic shocks are significant and unexpected events that disrupt financial stability and markets, which then affect households’ income, employment and debt levels. The 2008 financial crisis, the Great Recession and the pandemic are all examples of economic shocks. More than half of Gen Z adults say they don’t make enough money to live the life they want due to the high cost of living, according to a 2024 survey from Bank of America. A significant number of millennials and Gen Z adults lack emergency savings. ‘Why rent and give my money to someone else?’ Victoria Franklin, left, has lived with her mother, Terilyn Franklin, right, in Oceanport, New Jersey, since she graduated from college in 2019. Natalie Rice | CNBC Victoria Franklin, 27, moved back to her mom’s house in the summer of 2019 after graduating from college to search for a job in business administration. “I ended up bartending and waitressing until October [of 2019], where I got my first offer,” Franklin said. “So it did take a little bit longer than I expected.” She found a job in her field in New York City, which required a two-hour commute from her mother’s home on the Jersey Shore. “I thought, you know, in six months or so, I’ll move into the city, be closer to the job,” Franklin said. “And the pandemic threw a wrench in those plans.” Franklin decided to continue living at her mom’s house after switching to a fully remote job in fall 2023. “My mentality is why rent and give my money to someone else when I can start to own?” Franklin said. Franklin said she’s saving between 40% and 50% of her income, with “a big chunk” allocated toward a down payment on a house. While living with parents can provide personal financial benefits, experts say this trend can negatively affect the economy. “We do also have a situation that what is really good for an individual person or an individual family is not necessarily good for the entire macro economy,” Hsu said. “One of the big boosts to consumer spending is when people form households.” The Federal Reserve estimated in a 2019 paper that young adults who move out of their parents’ home would spend about $13,000 more per year on things such as housing, food and transportation. Watch the video above to learn more about why the trend of young adults living with their parents is continuing and what it means for the economy. Source link #young #adults #U.S #living #parents Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EastEnders star used food bank after leaving show EastEnders star used food bank after leaving show Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has revealed she struggled with her finances and was forced to use a food bank after leaving the soap. The actress, 60, said it drove her to tears, adding: “It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I found it so difficult to be that vulnerable.” Fergison is best known for playing Heather Trott on the BBC show from 2007 until 2012. She told the Sunday Mirror her battles with money started after she was diagnosed with womb ******* in 2015, which meant she had to walk away from her acting career. She subsequently had to have a hysterectomy and then went through an early menopause that triggered mental health issues and self-harming. Fergison said she was dousing herself in scalding water daily as she tried to “wash” away the ******* cells. “I was damaging myself so badly,” she said. “As soon as I got the all-clear I stopped doing it. If you’re told you are ill, it’s not just about the physical issue – somehow, you need to figure out what’s going on in your head with it all” The actress said that by this February, she was penniless. “I didn’t have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts,” she said. “It was a really difficult time,” she added. “Lots of people can relate to it. You’re trying to find a penny. You’re literally looking down your settee to see if you can find a quid.” Fergison said it was a long way from her time on EastEnders, when she “didn’t even look at the price of things”. She said that she sought help at Citizens Advice, and a staff member from the charity subsequently took her to a food bank. “I sat there and cried and cried. It was shameful. How could I have been on EastEnders? How could I have been earning that much money and now I am here?,” she asked. More than half of low-paid Londoners have had to resort to using a food bank in the last year, according to the Living Wage Foundation. Fergison, who lives in Cleveleys, was full of praise for the workers at the food bank, saying: “That day is one I’ll never forget – and I’ll never forget the people. I felt I’d had this amazing, biggest, warmest hug. That’s what it felt like. “They were like angels. It was like a group of angels had come along and said, ‘We can cope with this for you Cheryl, we can do this for you’.” The actress said she left there with four bags of groceries, and she has not had to return since then. She is since making ends meet, including by singing in ******** restaurants and performing in pantomimes for work. She added that she hoped that speaking up about her financial struggles would help others. “I hope other people can relate to it. I really want to stress that food banks are a service,” she said. “They’re there for you to use so please do not feel embarrassed or that it’s a weakness. Whatever the reason, you deserve help. We have a right to be able to live like a human being and do it in a dignified way.” Last month, a new report by anti-******** charity Trussell said a record 9.3 million people – including one in five children – are facing hunger and hardship in the ***. Helen Barnard, director of policy and research at Trussell, told BBC News: “Everyone’s story of being forced to turn to a food bank is heartbreaking and it’s brave Cheryl has spoken out to highlight this issue.” She said food banks “try their hardest to provide a warm welcome”. But she added it’s “just not right” that anyone has to turn to a food bank to survive. BBC News has contacted Fergison’s representatives and Citizens Advice for a comment. Source link #EastEnders #star #food #bank #leaving #show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Australia ****** out of Billie Jean King Cup Finals Australia ****** out of Billie Jean King Cup Finals Australia have crashed out of the Billie Jean King Cup with a painful quarter-final loss to Slovakia in Malaga. An inspired Viktoria Hruncakova defied her lowly ranking to defeat Kim Birrell in a tense three-setter before in-form Rebecca Sramkova sealed victory with a confident win over injured veteran Ajla Tomljanovic. Australia had been chasing a fourth semi-final appearance in five years, and a first title in half a century in the prestigious teams’ event formerly known as Fed Cup. Instead, Sam Stosur’s first year as captain ended in disappointment at Marten Carpena Arena as the Slovakian underdogs continued their dream week in Spain. Stosur pulled somewhat of a selection surprise in calling up Birrell ahead of Olivia Gadecki for the opening singles rubber. While both options had made maiden WTA Tour finals in recent times, Gadecki was higher-ranked after breaking into the world’s top 100 for the first time following a charge to the Guadalajara Open title decider in September. Birrell, though, was also riding high after making last month’s Japan Open final and entered Sunday night’s match well-fancied to account for the 241st-ranked ranked Hruncakova. Alas, the 26-year-old world No.115 went down 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 in a rollercoaster two-hour, 31-minute battle to pile the pressure on the resurgent Tomljanovic. Back as *********** No.1 after landing a second career title in Hong Kong Kong following more than a year out with a knee injury, Tomljanovic’s return to the competition ended in despair. The 31-year-old needed a medical time-out in the first set for another left knee issue and never recovered, going down 6-1 6-2 in barely an hour. Sramkova had upset world No.11 Danielle Collins, the 2022 *********** Open runner-up, in Slovakia’s shock win over the USA on Friday to make the quarter-finals. Now the 28-year-old looms as pivotal to Slovakia’s chances of continuing their giantkilling run against either defending champions Canada or Great Britain in the semi-finals. Source link #Australia #****** #Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Finals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Arizona girl, 10, sells prize chicks for $2,100 — but then Chase froze her check, closed the account. Here’s why Arizona girl, 10, sells prize chicks for $2,100 — but then Chase froze her check, closed the account. Here’s why Arizona girl, 10, sells prize chicks for $2,100 — but then Chase froze her check, closed the account. Here’s why Some 10-year-olds sell cookies and lemonade to earn a bit of spending cash, but not Kinley Maner. Kinley, from Thatcher, Arizona, is earning money by raising and selling chickens at the local fair. “She really enjoyed it, had a lot of fun, learned a lot about chickens,” her father, J.R. Maner told Arizona’s Family On Your Side. “It really taught her kind of strict obedience of being out there and taking care of an animal.” After showing her feathered friends at the Graham County Fair, Kinley, like many people who show animals at the fair, put them up for auction. When the bidding was over, Kinely managed to sell her six chickens for a whopping $2,100 and change, which her mother, Kali, electronically deposited into her bank account. A day later, however, Chase Bank froze the check and then closed Kali’s account entirely. A year later, Kinley still hadn’t received her profits. Kinley’s mom spent several hours on the phone with Chase, trying to figure out what happened to the girl’s prize money and why her account had been closed. According to Kalli, Chase said when bank officials checked the phone number of the Small Stock Association, which issued the payment, it was out of service. That seemed suspicious to them, so they froze the funds and closed her account. “[Chase’s] ultimate response is that, sorry, Kinley is not going to get her money back,” J.R. told reporters. “And there’s nothing we can do unless we can verify that check.” So, the man from the Small Stock Association who wrote the check went to Chase to verify it in person. According to the Maners, he went in three different times in an attempt to verify the check, but Chase said he could only verify it by phone. Chase’s actions in freezing Kinley’s check and closing Kali’s account align with standard bank practices for risk management and ****** prevention, especially under KYC (know your customer) and AML (anti-money laundering) regulations. When banks encounter checks from unfamiliar sources or suspect ******, they may flag the transaction. Freezing funds and closing accounts is a protective measure used to prevent ****** or money laundering. Story Continues Read more: Economists weigh in on Donald Trump’s pitch to eliminate Social Security taxes for seniors — here’s how to bolster your retirement fund now However, in this situation, Chase refused to accept the issuing person’s in-person verification, possibly due to policies that require verification to occur on channels they can document, such as the phone. While these steps aim to protect the bank from regulatory challenges and ******, they can create issues when applied without consideration for unique situations, such as a child depositing a large sum. Online, several customers report issues with Chase closing accounts without recourse. A year after the fair, Kinley still hadn’t received her funds — until they called Arizona’s Family On Your Side. Just a few hours after the On Your Side team contacted Chase, the bank reached out to Kinley’s family and apologized. The bank overnighted a $2,100 check to Kinley, who then put most of the money in her college fund. If you’re facing issues with frozen funds or a closed account, there are several avenues for resolution. Start with the bank’s customer service department. Ask for a clear explanation and for the next steps. Sometimes, providing documentation can help lift the freeze. If the initial conversation doesn’t resolve the issue, ask to speak to a supervisor or Tier 2 representative. Another resource is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This organization oversees and addresses consumer complaints in the financial sector. Financial institutions are expected to reply to CFPB complaints quickly, often in 15 days or less. Finally, research the banking regulator department in your state. In Arizona, residents can contact the Arizona Department of Insurance & Financial Institutions. If you feel your bank’s steps were unjust, filing a complaint may help resolve the issue. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Arizona #girl #sells #prize #chicks #Chase #froze #check #closed #account #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau heads to G20 summit in Brazil. Here’s what’s on the agenda – National Trudeau heads to G20 summit in Brazil. Here’s what’s on the agenda – National Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to leave Peru this morning for the G20 summit in Brazil as Ottawa seeks its place in a rift between the ******* States and booming economies in the developing world. The Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum with leaders ranging from long-standing allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron to populist firebrands like Argentine President Javier Milei. They’re meeting in Rio de Janeiro to try to find common ground on issues ranging from solving global hunger to setting rules around digital currencies. The summit comes less than two weeks after ********* voters decided to send Donald Trump back to the White House next year. During the campaign, Trump promised to pull the U.S. out of global institutions and raise tariffs on foreign goods. John Kirton, head of the G20 Research Group, says the forum is the main tool countries have to prepare for the second Trump presidency. Story continues below advertisement “What you really need is basically the most powerful leaders, of the world’s most powerful countries, talking among themselves — because only they know what it’s like to deal with a leader in the same category,” he said. 3:13 Canada managed to ‘steer through’ 1st Trump presidency: Trudeau Much of Trudeau’s time at the summit will likely involve informal chats with various leaders, though he is expected to have some formal discussions, too. On Sunday afternoon, he’s set to take part in an event held by the anti-******** group Global Citizen on the sidelines of the summit. As of Saturday evening, Trudeau’s office had not specified which leaders he will meet with at the G20. ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum will attend the summit, which might provide her first chance for an in-person meeting with Trudeau since taking office. Both countries face a 2026 review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, and both leaders were elected on pledges to ****** climate change. Story continues below advertisement “There are concerns around the level of ******** investment in Mexico that I think need to be addressed, but I am hopeful that we’re going to be able to work constructively over the coming months,” Trudeau said at a Saturday news conference in Lima, adding that Mexico has been a “solid partner” to Canada. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Trudeau will likely meet with the summit host, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly called Lula. Kirton said Trudeau is in lockstep with Lula’s three main priorities for the summit, which are economic equality that includes Indigenous Peoples, climate change and clean energy, and reducing ******** and hunger. Lula has added a fourth priority, artificial intelligence — something Trudeau championed when Canada hosted the G7 summit in 2018, and that Trudeau says will be a key focus in Canada’s term as G7 host next year. 5:08 APEC summit: Trudeau discusses innovation around AI, says biggest limiting factor will be power “It’s hard to think of a G20 summit where the host’s and the ********* prime minister’s priorities had been so well aligned,” Kirton said. “We’ve got a lot we can do to help Lula get what he wants.” Story continues below advertisement Another point of alignment is on Lula’s ******* for global governance reform, something Ottawa has pushed for among the G7 and at the ******* Nations. Countries like Brazil say they don’t have an adequate voice in institutions that were designed at the end of the Second World War, when Europe and Washington had a dominant role in shaping the rules governing military matters, trade and sovereignty. Countries in regions like the Caribbean have the same grievances about financial institutions designed over the decades. They complain that they cannot get adequate financing to invest in infrastructure to blunt the impacts of climate change that is largely being caused by industrialized countries. More on Canada More videos Instead, they are paying massive interest charges at a time of high inflation. In July 2023, a UN report found nearly half the world’s population lived in countries that spend more on debt interest payments than on education or health care. Brazil prides itself on being a democracy anchored in what it calls a pragmatic approach to diplomacy, though both have been under strain. Lula has made climate change one of his primary focuses. Brazil has seen large-scale urban floods and record forest fires in crucial areas like the Amazon, where there has been conflict over natural resources projects. Trending Now Ukraine war likely to end more quickly under Trump, Zelenskyy says Poilievre says he’d ****** Trump economic policies, tariffs ‘with *****’ Neighbouring Venezuela’s dictatorship has meted out economic pain and state ********* on its people, sending waves of refugees to Brazil. Story continues below advertisement In early 2023, Brazil was stunned as supporters of Lula’s predecessor Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country’s presidential palace, parliament and Supreme Court in what many likened to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Since then, Brazil has sought to weed out misinformation, blocking access to the platform X for five weeks when the company refused to comply with court orders. Meanwhile, the country is a member of the BRICS club of emerging economies that have been seeking more influence in the world for countries like China and South *******, and an end to ********* dominance in fields like reserve currency. Vina Nadjibulla, research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation, urged Canadians “to not mistakenly lump Brazil into the … anti-West bloc that Russia, China, Iran and others within the BRICS represent.” She said Ottawa should instead focus on shared priorities with Brazil such as free trade, democracy and respecting global rules — including moves to make those rules work better for countries where most of the world’s population live. 3:13 Brasilia riot: Lula vows to get to bottom of “coup” as Brazilians march for democracy “It’s important as we enter this much more volatile, unpredictable ******* in international relations to maintain nuanced, smart approaches and policies to emerging and middle powers like Brazil,” she said. Story continues below advertisement Nadjibulla said it’s challenging to hit the right balance, but she said to not do so would drive partners like Brazil into the arms of disruptive powers like Russia and China, and foster more anti-Western sentiment. “We need to be much more forthcoming in making those global institutions fit for purpose,” she said. “That’s going to be really challenging with the next Trump administration, which has a very limited commitment to multilateralism and global institutions, and has a lot more isolationist tendencies.” Similar to the past two G20 summits, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is in Rio in the place of Russian President Vladimir ******, who since March 2023 has been the subject of an arrest order from the International ********* Court for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine caused strain at the last two summits, though leaders managed to agree to call out Russia for “aggression” in 2022 and the “use of force to seek territorial acquisition” in the 2023 communiqué. Kiron is curious whether that war will be mentioned in this year’s ****** statement, as well as the *******-****** War, which started after the last summit took place in New Delhi. Lula created controversy in February when he compared *******’s war on Gaza with the Holocaust. Source link #Trudeau #heads #G20 #summit #Brazil #Heres #whats #agenda #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau heads to G20 summit in Brazil. Here’s what’s on the agenda – National Trudeau heads to G20 summit in Brazil. Here’s what’s on the agenda – National Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to leave Peru this morning for the G20 summit in Brazil as Ottawa seeks its place in a rift between the ******* States and booming economies in the developing world. The Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum with leaders ranging from long-standing allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron to populist firebrands like Argentine President Javier Milei. They’re meeting in Rio de Janeiro to try to find common ground on issues ranging from solving global hunger to setting rules around digital currencies. The summit comes less than two weeks after ********* voters decided to send Donald Trump back to the White House next year. During the campaign, Trump promised to pull the U.S. out of global institutions and raise tariffs on foreign goods. John Kirton, head of the G20 Research Group, says the forum is the main tool countries have to prepare for the second Trump presidency. Story continues below advertisement “What you really need is basically the most powerful leaders, of the world’s most powerful countries, talking among themselves — because only they know what it’s like to deal with a leader in the same category,” he said. 3:13 Canada managed to ‘steer through’ 1st Trump presidency: Trudeau Much of Trudeau’s time at the summit will likely involve informal chats with various leaders, though he is expected to have some formal discussions, too. On Sunday afternoon, he’s set to take part in an event held by the anti-******** group Global Citizen on the sidelines of the summit. As of Saturday evening, Trudeau’s office had not specified which leaders he will meet with at the G20. ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum will attend the summit, which might provide her first chance for an in-person meeting with Trudeau since taking office. Both countries face a 2026 review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, and both leaders were elected on pledges to ****** climate change. Story continues below advertisement “There are concerns around the level of ******** investment in Mexico that I think need to be addressed, but I am hopeful that we’re going to be able to work constructively over the coming months,” Trudeau said at a Saturday news conference in Lima, adding that Mexico has been a “solid partner” to Canada. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Trudeau will likely meet with the summit host, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly called Lula. Kirton said Trudeau is in lockstep with Lula’s three main priorities for the summit, which are economic equality that includes Indigenous Peoples, climate change and clean energy, and reducing ******** and hunger. Lula has added a fourth priority, artificial intelligence — something Trudeau championed when Canada hosted the G7 summit in 2018, and that Trudeau says will be a key focus in Canada’s term as G7 host next year. 5:08 APEC summit: Trudeau discusses innovation around AI, says biggest limiting factor will be power “It’s hard to think of a G20 summit where the host’s and the ********* prime minister’s priorities had been so well aligned,” Kirton said. “We’ve got a lot we can do to help Lula get what he wants.” Story continues below advertisement Another point of alignment is on Lula’s ******* for global governance reform, something Ottawa has pushed for among the G7 and at the ******* Nations. Countries like Brazil say they don’t have an adequate voice in institutions that were designed at the end of the Second World War, when Europe and Washington had a dominant role in shaping the rules governing military matters, trade and sovereignty. Countries in regions like the Caribbean have the same grievances about financial institutions designed over the decades. They complain that they cannot get adequate financing to invest in infrastructure to blunt the impacts of climate change that is largely being caused by industrialized countries. More on Canada More videos Instead, they are paying massive interest charges at a time of high inflation. In July 2023, a UN report found nearly half the world’s population lived in countries that spend more on debt interest payments than on education or health care. Brazil prides itself on being a democracy anchored in what it calls a pragmatic approach to diplomacy, though both have been under strain. Lula has made climate change one of his primary focuses. Brazil has seen large-scale urban floods and record forest fires in crucial areas like the Amazon, where there has been conflict over natural resources projects. Trending Now Ukraine war likely to end more quickly under Trump, Zelenskyy says Poilievre says he’d ****** Trump economic policies, tariffs ‘with *****’ Neighbouring Venezuela’s dictatorship has meted out economic pain and state ********* on its people, sending waves of refugees to Brazil. Story continues below advertisement In early 2023, Brazil was stunned as supporters of Lula’s predecessor Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country’s presidential palace, parliament and Supreme Court in what many likened to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Since then, Brazil has sought to weed out misinformation, blocking access to the platform X for five weeks when the company refused to comply with court orders. Meanwhile, the country is a member of the BRICS club of emerging economies that have been seeking more influence in the world for countries like China and South *******, and an end to ********* dominance in fields like reserve currency. Vina Nadjibulla, research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation, urged Canadians “to not mistakenly lump Brazil into the … anti-West bloc that Russia, China, Iran and others within the BRICS represent.” She said Ottawa should instead focus on shared priorities with Brazil such as free trade, democracy and respecting global rules — including moves to make those rules work better for countries where most of the world’s population live. 3:13 Brasilia riot: Lula vows to get to bottom of “coup” as Brazilians march for democracy “It’s important as we enter this much more volatile, unpredictable ******* in international relations to maintain nuanced, smart approaches and policies to emerging and middle powers like Brazil,” she said. Story continues below advertisement Nadjibulla said it’s challenging to hit the right balance, but she said to not do so would drive partners like Brazil into the arms of disruptive powers like Russia and China, and foster more anti-Western sentiment. “We need to be much more forthcoming in making those global institutions fit for purpose,” she said. “That’s going to be really challenging with the next Trump administration, which has a very limited commitment to multilateralism and global institutions, and has a lot more isolationist tendencies.” Similar to the past two G20 summits, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is in Rio in the place of Russian President Vladimir ******, who since March 2023 has been the subject of an arrest order from the International ********* Court for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine caused strain at the last two summits, though leaders managed to agree to call out Russia for “aggression” in 2022 and the “use of force to seek territorial acquisition” in the 2023 communiqué. Kiron is curious whether that war will be mentioned in this year’s ****** statement, as well as the *******-****** War, which started after the last summit took place in New Delhi. Lula created controversy in February when he compared *******’s war on Gaza with the Holocaust. Source link #Trudeau #heads #G20 #summit #Brazil #Heres #whats #agenda #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Guy Fieri, Sammy Hagar’s trucks carrying $1 million of tequila hijacked in double heist after crossing border Guy Fieri, Sammy Hagar’s trucks carrying $1 million of tequila hijacked in double heist after crossing border Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar’s tequila business took a major hit after two of their freight trucks carrying $1 million in products were stolen. The celebrity chef, 56, and the former Van Halen singer, 77, are the co-owners of the tequila brand Santo Spirits. A representative for Hagar told Fox News Digital that the trucks were hijacked over the weekend of Nov. 9 in Laredo, Texas. The missing trucks were carrying 24,240 bottles of Santo Blanco and Reposado as well as a specially made Extra Añejo, which was created over the course of 39 months. Hagar’s rep said “it appears this was an organized ****** effort where the trucks were illegally double brokered to different carriers who transferred the product to their trucks” after they crossed over the border from Mexico to Texas. Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar’s tequila brand Santo Spirits suffered a ***** after two of its trucks were hijacked. “For a growing company like Santo, it’s really a shame for something like this to happen in the middle of our strongest year to date and right before the holidays!” Hagar said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Guy Fieri Partners With Sammy Hagar For Rocker’s Latest Tequila Read On The Fox News App “Anyone that knows business knows that this is a huge setback for any company in a hugely competitive market,” the “I Can’t Drive 55” rocker added. “But Guy and I will survive. Most of all, we’re glad that nobody was hurt during this ******.” In an interview with People Magazine, Fieri said that he and Hagar learned of the heist on Nov. 14. “We’ve worked so hard,” the Food Network star said. “This is our best year we’ve ever had in Santo. We just had all this momentum, and now whatever’s on the shelf is all people are going to get.” The trucks were loaded with $1 million worth of tequila. Fieri told People that workers at their ******** distillery were “on a 24/7 schedule right now” to replace the stolen tequila. However, Fieri said that it was unlikely that they would be able to fully replenish their tequila supply in time for the holidays, during which Santos Spirits typically sees its highest volume of sales. The “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” alum told People that “someone could be trying to break the momentum” that their tequila business had gained in the marketplace. Fieri also expressed his surprise that two trucks were targeted by the thieves. “I mean, one is one. But now you’ve got to have double the amount of people to pull off the double heist,” Fieri said. “It just seems so much riskier to take two trucks.” Hagar said it was a “huge setback” for the company during the busy holiday season. Santo Spirits president Dan Butkus told People that he was worried about how the theft of the total 440 cases of tequila would impact their distillery and their employees. Story Continues “Our distiller is an independent distiller who’s dependent on our sales for his livelihood and that of his team,” Butkus said. “My sales team, my marketing team, the entire Santo Spirits team is dependent upon these sales. “That’s sort of the piece that’s most hurtful to me,” he added. “We’ve got to support these people both at the distillery and in the U.S., and we can’t do it right now without the revenue from these cases.” Fieri has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who can locate the trunks. People reported that the ******* are being investigated by Laredo Police Department, Los Angeles’ Cargo ********* Apprehension Team and the federal cargo theft prevention and recovery network CargoNet. Fieri is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who can locate the missing trucks. He told People that he is especially hoping to recover the Extra Añejo. “It’s like the crown jewel of the company, something that we’ve been working on,” he explained. “You can’t reproduce something that takes four years to make.” “It’s like a movie — I never in a million years thought this was coming down the pike like this,” Fieri said of the heist. “But it’s real.” Original article source: Guy Fieri, Sammy Hagar’s trucks carrying $1 million of tequila hijacked in double heist after crossing border Source link #Guy #Fieri #Sammy #Hagars #trucks #carrying #million #tequila #hijacked #double #heist #crossing #border Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ben Shapiro says more Americans are ‘aching for retirement’ due to ‘unfulfilling’ work — 3 tips to turn it around Ben Shapiro says more Americans are ‘aching for retirement’ due to ‘unfulfilling’ work — 3 tips to turn it around Ben Shapiro says more Americans are ‘aching for retirement’ due to ‘unfulfilling’ work — 3 tips to turn it around In a recent episode of “The Ramsey Show,” Ben Shapiro expressed his take on the ********* mentality toward work and how it may be causing people to unnecessarily suffer until retirement. “What I see is an increasingly depressed America,” he said. “[This is] a country that has set expectations that work is somehow bad and unfulfilling.” And he’s not necessarily wrong. A Gallup poll indicates that roughly 17.8% of U.S. adults are currently struggling with or being treated for depression, up seven percentage points since 2015. However, Gallup’s data indicates that rates are growing faster for women and younger Americans who are struggling with loneliness, job loss or lower incomes. Meanwhile, 50% of employed Americans say they find their work enjoyable and less than half (47%) find their work fulfilling all or most of the time, according to Pew Research Center. Older workers with higher incomes, however, were more likely to find their job enjoyable and fulfilling. In short, people may not be dissatisfied with their jobs as much as they’re dissatisfied with how much they’re paid. It’s perhaps easy to see why someone like Shapiro, a 40-year old worth over $50 million, finds his work enjoyable: he gets well compensated for it. With that in mind, here are three ways you can turn things around if your work is working against you. Staying in the same role for too long could be lowering your satisfaction with work. While job hopping typically has a negative connotation, there can be benefits to knowing when to move on to greener pastures. In fact, a study by Side Hustles found those who switch jobs often are 64% more likely than long-term employees to feel like their career is progressing. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta also indicates that “job switchers” have seen faster wage growth than “job stayers” over the past five years. So if you’re looking for better work and better pay, it may be time to ***** up the job hunt. Read more: 5 ways to boost your net worth now — easily up your money game without altering your day-to-day life If you’re content in your role, you could improve satisfaction by simply asking for better compensation. Story Continues Only 32% of men and 28% of women asked for higher pay in 2023, according to Pew Research Center. A similar gap was highlighted regarding age: Only 19% of workers 65 and over said they didn’t feel comfortable asking for higher pay compared to 46% of workers ages 18 to 29. Regardless of your age or gender, getting over this psychological barrier to pay negotiation can be essential for your work satisfaction. If there’s no roadmap you and your manager can agree on to get you to your desired salary, you may want to consider a job switch to improve your prospects. If leaving your job and negotiating for better pay is off the table, you may want to consider a side venture. More than half of Americans (54%) have taken on side gigs to supplement their main source of income in the last year, according to a recent MarketWatch Guides study. Beyond the flexibility and added pay, launching a side hustle can be a great way to indulge in a passion project without too much risk. For instance, If you’re keen on social/political commentary, launching a podcast in light of Shapiro’s observation could be a great way to demonstrate human agency and improve your professional satisfaction. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Ben #Shapiro #Americans #aching #retirement #due #unfulfilling #work #tips #turn Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

McDonald’s, Starbucks aim to improve McDonald’s, Starbucks aim to improve A McDonald’s restaurant in El Sobrante, California, on Oct. 23, 2024. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images After a tough year for the restaurant industry, executives can’t wait for 2025 to start. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for ’24 to be behind us, and I think ’25 is going to be a great year,” Kate Jaspon, CFO of Dunkin’ parent Inspire Brands, said at the Restaurant Finance and Development Conference in Las Vegas this week. Restaurant bankruptcy filings have soared more than 50% so far in 2024, compared with the year-ago *******. Traffic to restaurants open at least a year declined year over year in every month of 2024 through September, according to data from industry tracker ****** Box Intelligence. And many of the nation’s largest restaurant chains, from McDonald’s to Starbucks, have disappointed investors with same-store sales declines for at least one quarter. But green shoots have appeared, fueling tepid optimism for the future of the restaurant industry. Sales are improving from this summer’s lows. Traffic to fast-food restaurants rose 2.8% in October compared with a year ago, according to data from Revenue Management Solutions. The firm’s data confirms anecdotal evidence from companies like Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International, which said earlier this month that its same-store sales grew in October. Plus, interest rates are finally falling. Earlier in November, the Federal Reserve approved its second consecutive rate cut. For restaurants, lower interest rates mean that it’s cheaper to finance new locations, fueling growth. Previously, higher interest rates didn’t hurt development much because restaurants were still catching up from pandemic delays and riding the high of the post-Covid sales *****. Shake Shack storefront with illuminated sign on a bustling street, New York City, New York, October 22, 2024. Smith Collection | Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images At burger chain Shake Shack, higher interest rates in the last few years did not slow down development, according to CFO Katie Fogertey. But she’s expecting a “big boost” in consumer confidence as rates fall. “If credit becomes cheaper, people feel like they can borrow more, even though it doesn’t make sense that it would necessarily drive a $5 burger spend. It’s just the psychology behind it,” Fogertey told CNBC. Shake Shack has reported increasing same-store sales every quarter so far this year, even as consumers have been more cautious. Restaurant valuations are also improving, prompting hope that the market for initial public offerings will finally defrost. “We’re working with a number of different folks right now on getting ready,” said Piper Sandler managing director Damon Chandik at RFDC. “The window currently is not wide open … I think that just with the traffic pressure that we’ve been seeing across the industry, the bar is particularly high.” He added that he expects to see some restaurant IPOs next year, hopefully in the first half. A sign marks the location of a Cava restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, on May 28, 2024. Scott Olson | Getty Images No major restaurant company has gone public since Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava’s IPO in June of last year. While Cava’s stock has climbed more than 500% since its debut, its success hasn’t encouraged any other large private restaurant companies to take the plunge. Instead, the broader market conditions have scared off other contenders. Nearly a year ago, Panera Bread confidentially filed to go public again, but an IPO hasn’t yet come to fruition. Inspire Brands, which is owned by private equity firm Roark Capital, is another likely candidate for a blockbuster IPO in the future. Inspire’s portfolio includes Dunkin’, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, Sonic, Arby’s and Baskin-Robbins. Still, it’s not all optimism within the industry. “I think we’ll still see headwinds next year within the macro and within the industry,” Portillo’s CFO Michelle ***** told CNBC. The fast-casual chain, best known for its Italian beef sandwiches, has reported falling same-store sales for three straight quarters. Portillo’s has stayed away from some of the discounts offered by others in the restaurant industry, like McDonald’s and Chili’s. The value wars will likely continue into 2025, pressuring restaurants’ profits and intensifying the competition between chains. For example, McDonald’s plans to unveil a broader value menu in the first quarter, after extending its $5 value meal through the summer and into the winter. For some restaurants, the looming threat of bankruptcy hasn’t disappeared, particularly for the chains that are leaning on discounts to win back customers. And while a recession looks unlikely next year, the consumer might take longer to bounce back from years of high costs than anticipated. Source link #McDonalds #Starbucks #aim #improve Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nature Positive: Greens drop ‘climate trigger’ demand in surprise twist to bitter nature row Nature Positive: Greens drop ‘climate trigger’ demand in surprise twist to bitter nature row The Greens will no longer insist on a climate trigger under a new offer designed to tempt the Federal Government into a deal to pass its Nature Positive laws in the final parliamentary sittings of the year. Source link #Nature #Positive #Greens #drop #climate #trigger #demand #surprise #twist #bitter #nature #row Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Miss Nigeria’s pride at coming second in Miss Universe Miss Nigeria’s pride at coming second in Miss Universe Getty Images Chidimma Adetshina is the highest placed ****** ******** woman in Miss Universe since South *******’s Zozibini Tunzi won in 2019 Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has spoken of her pride at coming second in the Miss Universe competition, as well as being named Miss ******* and Oceania. “I’m so proud of myself and I just made history,” she said, shortly after losing out to Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjær Theilvig. Adetshina originally competed in the Miss South ******* contest, as she was born and grew up in the country, however she was subjected to trolling and xenophobic ****** because her father is *********. Last month, the South ******** authorities said they would strip her of her identity papers, following allegations that her mother, who has Mozambican roots, had committed identity ****** to gain South ******** nationality. Neither Adetshina nor her mother have commented on the allegations. South ******** authorities pointed out that Adetshina could not have participated in any alleged ****** as she was an infant at the time. After the furore in South *******, and the doubts about her nationality, she competed in the Miss Nigeria competition, which she won to qualify for the Miss Universe contest held in Mexico City. The eventual winner of Miss South *******, Mia le Roux, pulled out of Miss Universe last week citing an undisclosed medical condition. She was the first deaf woman to become Miss South *******. In September, Adetshina, a law student, told the BBC that she still saw herself as “proudly South ********” and “proudly *********”. But after Miss Universe South ******* tweeted to congratulate her on her second place, along with both South ******** and ********* flags, some South Africans responded by saying she did not represent them. In her BBC interview, Adetshina said she would be seeking therapy to help her deal with the trauma following the ****** she was subjected to. She is the highest placed ****** ******** woman in Miss Universe since South *******’s Zozibini Tunzi won the competition in 2019. You may also be interested in:Getty Images/BBC Source link #Nigerias #pride #coming #Universe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer drops to a record-low price for ****** Friday The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer drops to a record-low price for ****** Friday One of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens is on ***** for a record low. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, which has 11 cooking functions and takes up less counter space than the pricier “Pro” model, is available for $80 off. The appliance will usually set you back $350, but this ****** Friday deal brings the brushed stainless steel mode down to $270. Most other colorways are down to $280. Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer has a long list of cooking functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies and slow cook. The oven uses five quartz heating elements known for quick and consistent heating. It uses algorithms to direct heat to where it’s needed most for each mode. Breville Save $80 for ****** Friday on the brushed stainless steel model. $270 at Amazon The oven uses “super convection” tech to reduce cooking time by up to 30 percent. It speeds up cooking by raising hotter air and sinking the cooler, less dense air. It supports a wide temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The appliance requires a decent amount of counter space: 18.9-inch wide x 15.9-inch deep x 10.9-inch high. But in return, you can squeeze in six slices of pizza or toast, a whole chicken or nine muffins. Breville’s oven has a smooth-looking brushed stainless steel texture, including snazzy-looking knobs and buttons and an interior light that automatically turns on at the cooking cycle’s end. (You can also flip it on manually.) Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Breville #Smart #Oven #Air #Fryer #drops #recordlow #price #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acer Predator X34 OLED Curved gaming monitor review: Extreme curve and performance Acer Predator X34 OLED Curved gaming monitor review: Extreme curve and performance When I was preparing for this review of the Acer Predator X34 OLED, I thought that I had already reviewed an Acer monitor called X34 in the past. A quick search of my archives revealed another Predator X34 from 2016 and an X34P from 2018. OK, so this is the X34 OLED. But wait a minute. Acer’s catalog currently includes four X34s, two of which have OLED panels. How to choose? My subject here is the X34 OLED with the 800R curvature. It’s the most extremely curved monitor in Acer’s lineup and in anyone else’s for that matter. An 800mm radius means the edges of the screen practically wrap around your head. You can actually hear your voice reflected into your ears when you sit close. But that’s not all. The X34 OLED features a 34-inch 21:9 screen with WQHD 3440×1440 resolution, a 240 Hz refresh rate, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400, wide gamut ******, KVM switching and the latest connectivity. And it sells for around $900 at this writing, which puts it in the sweet spot among the best gaming monitors. Acer Predator X34 OLED Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Panel Type / Backlight Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Screen Size / Aspect Ratio 34 inches / 21:9 Row 2 – Cell 0 Curve radius: 800mm Max Resolution and Refresh Rate 3440×1440 @ 240 Hz Row 4 – Cell 0 FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible Native ****** Depth and Gamut 10-bit / DCI-P3 Row 6 – Cell 0 HDR10, DisplayHDR 400 Response Time (GTG) 0.01ms Brightness (mfr) 275 nits SDR Row 9 – Cell 0 1,300 nits HDR Contrast Unmeasurable Speakers 2x 5w Video Inputs 2x DisplayPort 1.4 Row 13 – Cell 0 2x HDMI 2.1 Row 14 – Cell 0 1x USB-C Audio 3.5mm headphone output USB 3.2 2x up, 4x down Power Consumption 48.5w, brightness @ 200 nits Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base 30.9 x 17-21.8 x 12 inches (785 x 432-554 x 305mm) Panel Thickness 6.5 inches (165mm) Bezel Width Top: 0.28 inch (7mm) Row 21 – Cell 0 Sides: 0.3 inch (8mm) Row 22 – Cell 0 Bottom: 0.5 inch (13mm) Weight 18.7 pounds (8.5kg) Warranty 3 years While $900 isn’t trivial, the X34 OLED is less expensive than other 34-inch 21:9 OLED gaming monitors. Concerning the naming, the X34 OLED is not to be confused with the X34 QD-OLED. That more expensive display has, you guessed it, Quantum Dot technology for a larger ****** gamut. It also has a 175 Hz refresh rate and a gentler curve radius. The X34 OLED, on the other hand, is built for high-performance gaming and leaves nothing under the table regarding speed and response. The refresh rate is 240 Hz, which is achieved without overclocking, and both flavors of Adaptive-Sync are supported. Two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs and a USB-C port accept 3440×1440 signals with 10-bit ****** processing. Two HDMI 2.1 ports are there for consoles and other video source components. The X34 OLED has a KVM switch with four USB downstream ports (version 3.2), including two right up front with a headphone jack for easy access. As a non-QD panel, the X34 OLED doesn’t quite have the ****** saturation of the latest QD-OLEDs, but that is not to say it isn’t colorful. It has more gamut volume than almost any Mini LED monitor with a measured 98.78% coverage of DCI-P3. Due to its infinite OLED contrast, it delivers a stunning image and ******* HDR with peak highlights over 1,000 nits. I measured a 25% window pattern at over 660 nits, which makes it brighter than nearly all of its direct competitors. The gaming feature list is long enough to provide essential items like aiming points, a very flexible ******* mode, refresh rate counter and timers. There is no LED lighting, but that is the only thing missing. There are plenty of picture modes, calibration options and a constant brightness option. OLED panel care comes in the form of a pixel shift and a refresh program. And a pair of internal speakers deliver decent audio. The Predator X34 OLED doesn’t quite set a new bar for value, but at around $100-200 less than other 34-inch gaming OLEDs, it delivers a lot for the money. Let’s take a look. Assembly and Accessories The X34 OLED comes packed in crumbly foam in three parts for a toolless assembly. The screen is well protected by a thick peel-off plastic sheet. The base is super solid and once put together, you would have to try very hard to knock it over. The cable bundle includes IEC for the internal power supply plus HDMI and two USBs. There is no DisplayPort. You also get four hefty adaptor lugs for the 200x100mm VESA mount if you’d rather use an arm. Product 360 Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Acer) (Image credit: Acer) (Image credit: Acer) (Image credit: Acer) The X34 OLED’s front bezel is very thin and almost invisible when the power is on. It’s even flush at the bottom so there’s no logo there to take your eyes out of that gorgeous picture. Only a tiny Predator logo appears at the bottom of the stand. The base is a full 12 inches deep and almost two feet wide, but its slender legs leave plenty of room for peripherals or random desk clutter. The upright is also slender but rock solid with full ergonomics. You get 5/15 degrees tilt, 15 degrees swivel and 4.8 inches of height. Adjustments have the premium feel I’ve expected from all Predator displays. At the top of the upright is a quarter-inch threaded mount for webcams or other peripherals. And did I mention it’s completely made from metal, not plastic around a metal core. I’ve called other monitors monolithic, but the X34 OLED earns that adjective more than most. An 800R curvature is currently the tightest radius available. You can see in the top-down view that the sides of the screen come quite far into the user’s peripheral vision. Though image distortion is minimal, this shape imparts something of a fishbowl effect. It’s magnified by the reflection of sound back into the user’s ears. If you like to talk out loud while gaming (I do), you’ll hear your own voice very clearly. It’s a great format for first-person games and simulators. And the thin bezel means you can line up two or three monitors for a hyperrealistic driving or flying rig. The input panel is up and under and includes two HDMI 2.0, two DisplayPort 1.4, and three USB 3.2, one upstream and two down. Under the front edge of the screen are two more USBs, a type and a type C, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. An LED bar glows orange in standby and blue when the power is on. A tiny joystick is the only physical control. Two internal speakers play with five watts of power and deliver clean loud sound with reasonable bass and no audible distortion. OSD Features Pressing the X34 OLED’s joystick summons a quick menu that lets you change inputs, adjust brightness and switch picture modes. Another press opens the full OSD, which is divided into seven sections and includes three settings memories. Image 1 of 9 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The Game Assistant menu seems simple, with only three options, but the aim points and ******* mode include a lot of useful functionality. The reticle comes in three shapes and can be red, white or green. Or, you can have it change ****** automatically with the background to maintain its visibility. You can also move it around the screen. The ******* mode has three magnifications, multiple sizes and a night vision option. And you get four countdown timers. The next menu, Gaming, has a FreeSync/Adaptive-Sync toggle and a frame counter. Ultra-Low Latency is available when you turn FreeSync off and reduces input lag by 1ms according to my tests. If you can run consistently faster than 200fps, it’s a viable option, but with FreeSync on, input lag is still very low. Happily, Acer doesn’t hide the X34 OLED’s constant brightness option in the OLED care menu. It’s in the Picture menu where it’s easier to find. If you want the monitor’s full brightness capability, it should be left off. When it’s turned on, the peak white level is around 260 nits. This menu also has ****** Boost for enhanced shadow detail, an HDR toggle, Super Sharpness (edge enhancement, leave off) and a Low Blue Light option. The ****** menu has eight picture modes, three of which can function as settings memories. If you make any change at all, the X34 OLED reverts to the User mode. Calibration options include gamma presets and ****** temps plus two-point RGB sliders with gain and bias control, very nice. A selection of ****** spaces is also offered but I found during testing that they all measured the same. There is no usable sRGB mode, more on that later. Hot Key Assignment lets the user pick a function for the first two slots of the quick menu. You can also specify normal or low HDMI ****** levels. Leave this one on normal for best results. Low clips some shadow detail and does not improve picture quality. The second screen of System options has a pixel shifter and a refresh routine for OLED panel care. Finally, you can save your settings to one of three memories that are part of the picture mode selection, very cool. Acer Predator X34 OLED Calibration Settings I found the X34 OLED a little green in tone out of the box, so some adjustment is required for best results. In the user ****** temp option, you get a two-point control with gain and bias sliders. I also measured a dark gamma close to 2.4. Changing the preset to 2.0 and tweaking the RGB gains made a significant improvement in all aspects of the image. I’ve listed my settings below. For the brightness values, I’m showing what it takes to hit the nit values with Constant Brightness off and on. The higher number is required when it’s on. The X34 OLED responds to HDR signals with an auto-switch and grays out all picture controls. Swipe to scroll horizontally Picture Mode User Brightness 200 nits 47 / 81 Brightness 120 nits 26 / 53 Brightness 100 nits 20 / 43 Brightness 80 nits 15 / 34 Brightness 50 nits 7 / 19 (min. 7 or 19 nits) Contrast 50 Gamma 2.0 ****** Temp User Gain – Red 48, Green 49, Blue 50 Row 9 – Cell 0 Bias – Red 50, Green 50, Blue 50 Gaming and Hands-on Gaming on the X34 OLED is a superlative experience. I’ve become spoiled by 240 Hz OLEDs for sure, but this is one of the faster ones. I could sense its lower input lag even though it’s only a couple of milliseconds quicker in my tests. Run and **** maneuvers were super easy because I could quickly reverse my viewpoint or direction of travel. I can only imagine this monitor in more skilled hands. It is truly competition-worthy. WQHD resolution meant I had no trouble maintaining 240fps in ***** Eternal. This is where an OLED is in its element. There is no hint of motion blur at any time. I could not make a mouse movement fast enough to cause even the slightest smear. The image is stunning with its deep contrast and bright highlights. I could tell the X34 OLED was brighter than other 34-inch screens I’ve reviewed. Only the Asus PG34WCDM hits higher HDR peaks. Asus is over 660 nits while Asus cracks 700. However, I did note some shadow detail issues in HDR mode. My tests showed dark EOTF tracking, which manifested in the game. ***** Eternal has an excellent tweaker for this issue that allows the user to adjust multiple parameters to make every part of the image clear. Once I did this, the image rose to another level. I would have liked the X34 OLED to track luminance correctly and out of the box, but at least the fix isn’t difficult. I also enjoyed the tight curvature. 800R is as tight as it gets for any curved monitor and the wraparound effect is excellent. I was pulled into the game, and I enjoyed better situational awareness since everything was within my field of vision. I didn’t have to turn my head at all. I can see the potential for a ******* racing sim with two or three X34 OLEDs. In productivity apps, I enjoyed the razor-sharp picture and deep contrast. There are no shadow detail issues that need to be corrected in SDR mode. With a change to the gamma 2.0 preset, everything is clearly visible down to the tiniest font or photo element. The picture is very colorful, and I didn’t miss the Quantum Dot tech. Its omission here is not a negative. Regarding the 800R curvature, I always noticed it but if I kept my focus at the center of the screen, it wasn’t a problem. Web browsing and document editing are a common activity that is best performed in the middle two-thirds of the X34 OLED. Spreadsheets are a bit more unusual if you view them full screen. It just requires a little getting used to. The only thing I wished for when working in Photoshop was an accurate sRGB mode. I could only ****** grade in the DCI-P3 gamut. Takeaway: Aside from its missing sRGB mode, there is nothing not to like about the X34 OLED. It’s a terrific gaming monitor with super quick response and blur-free motion processing. The ****** and contrast are everything I’ve come to expect and enjoy from OLED displays. And it produces decent sound from its internal speakers. The extreme curve is different, but once acclimated, it’s not a problem in productivity, and it’s a definite asset for first-person gaming. MORE: Best Gaming Monitors MORE: How We Test PC Monitors MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor MORE: How to Choose the Best HDR Monitor Source link #Acer #Predator #X34 #OLED #Curved #gaming #monitor #review #Extreme #curve #performance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aussies at risk of homelessness explodes to 3.2m in six years, services buckling under pressure Aussies at risk of homelessness explodes to 3.2m in six years, services buckling under pressure In just six years, the number of Australians who are just “one negative shock” away from homelessness has drastically increased, a new landmark report has found. Source link #Aussies #risk #homelessness #explodes #3.2m #years #services #buckling #pressure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]