Pelican Press

Trump’s social media posts about the stock market have ‘disappeared,’ JPMorgan says Trump’s social media posts about the stock market have ‘disappeared,’ JPMorgan says President Donald Trump has long touted his love for the stock market and how strong stock prices reflect a robust US economy. Yet in his second stay in the White House, he’s been posting less about stocks. JPMorgan strategist Antonin Delair studied 126 social media posts from Trump (mostly on Truth Social) since Election Day and found mentions of the stock market have mostly “disappeared.” In his first term, Trump was “continuously” posting on positive US economic developments, such as lower unemployment, a higher stock market, or the creation of a new factory in a state, noted Delair. This time around, the president is more keen to share hot takes on the debt ceiling, government spending/efficiency, or tariff benefits. Out of 23,073 tweets in his first term, 156, or 57%, mentioned a strong stock market performance, per Delair. Since his reelection, Trump has mentioned the stock market only once on social media. Delair’s work aimed to assess the impact of Trump’s posts on the foreign exchange market. Only a small fraction of these posts, or 10% of the total 126, have been FX market movers. “Hawkish tariff posts can trigger a broad dollar rally, but the dovish ones (tariff delays, for instance) impact mostly the concerned currency,” Delair said. Perhaps it makes sense that despite a stock market nearing a record, other matters are occupying more of Trump’s social media time. The US budget deficit swelled to $1.83 trillion in fiscal year 2024, the highest amount outside of the COVID-19 *******. Interest on federal debt exceeded $1 trillion for the first time. The deficit last rose 8%, or $130 billion, from the prior year. That level marked the third-highest federal deficit in US history. Enter the Elon Musk-led DOGE. The Tesla (TSLA) CEO and his DOGE team have been running roughshod through government agencies, aiming to cut jobs and programs it deems wasteful for the taxpayer. “I think this is critical for us,” Salesforce (CRM) co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff told me regarding DOGE. “We have to get to a balanced budget faster. This must be a bipartisan issue. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It’s an issue that has not been as strongly embraced by the last several presidents.” While this is happening, Trump is shaping a tariff policy that may come to define the next four years of his presidency. The administration has already levied a 25% tariff on all imported steel and a 10% tariff on ******** imports on top of existing duties. China retaliated, placing tariffs on select chips and metals. Story Continues Source link #Trumps #social #media #posts #stock #market #disappeared #JPMorgan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One Of The Most Disturbing Games Of 2024 Is Coming To Consoles This Year One Of The Most Disturbing Games Of 2024 Is Coming To Consoles This Year Wrong Organ and Critical Reflex have confirmed that their incredibly disturbing horror game Mouthwashing will finally come to consoles in 2025. Mouthwashing stunned fans of horror games when it was released on PC in September 2024. This first-person horror game, which follows the final days of a shipwrecked space freighter crew, goes to some truly unsettling places. While Mouthwashing is only a few hours long, the chilling experience has really stuck with players, leading to critical acclaim from critics and fans alike. Wrong Organ and Critical Reflex have confirmed that Mouthwashing has sold 500,000 copies since its release, an impressive feat for an indie game that flew under the radar prior to its release last September. Now that the game is a proven success, the developers are bringing Mouthwashing to consoles and even giving it a physical release. While a specific date has not been shared yet, Mouthwashing will become available on Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S before the end of 2025. Physical editions of Mouthwashing PS5 and Nintendo Switch are also in the works, with preorders via Fangamer going live soon. If you don’t want to wait for Mouthwashing to come to consoles before playing it, you can buy it for $13 right now on Steam. Source link #Disturbing #Games #Coming #Consoles #Year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft wants to use generative AI tool to help make video games Microsoft wants to use generative AI tool to help make video games The Muse AI was trained on the video game Bleeding Edge Microsoft An artificial intelligence model from Microsoft can recreate realistic video game footage that the company says could help designers make games, but experts are unconvinced that the tool will be useful for most game developers. Neural networks that can produce coherent and accurate footage from video games are not new. A recent Google-created AI generated a fully playable version of the classic computer game Doom without access to the underlying game engine. The original Doom, however, was released in 1993; more modern games are far more complex, with sophisticated physics and computationally intensive graphics, which have proved trickier for AIs to faithfully recreate. Now, Katja Hofmann at Microsoft Research and her colleagues have developed an AI model called Muse, which can recreate full sequences of the multiplayer online battle game Bleeding Edge. These sequences appear to obey the game’s underlying physics and keep players and in-game objects consistent over time, which implies that the model has grasped a deep understanding of the game, says Hofmann. Muse is trained on seven years of human gameplay data, including both controller and video footage, provided by Bleeding Edge’s Microsoft-owned developer, Ninja Studios. It works similarly to large language models like ChatGPT; when given an input, in the form of a video game frame and its associated controller actions, it is tasked with predicting the gameplay that might come next. “It’s really quite mind-boggling, even to me now, that purely from training models to predict what’s going to appear next… it learns a sophisticated, deep understanding of this complex 3D environment,” says Hofmann. To understand how people might use an AI tool like Muse, the team also surveyed game developers to learn what features they would find useful. As a result, the researchers added the capability to iteratively adjust to changes made on the fly, such as a player’s character changing or new objects entering a scene. This could be useful for coming up with new ideas and trying out what-if scenarios for developers, says Hofmann. But Muse is still limited to generating sequences within the bounds of the original Bleeding Edge game — it can’t come up with new concepts or designs. And it is unclear if this is an inherent limitation of the model, or something that could be overcome with more training data from other games, says Mike Cook at King’s College London. “This is a long, long way away from the idea that AI systems can design games on their own.” While the ability to generate consistent gameplay sequences is impressive, developers might prefer to have greater control, says Cook. “If you build a tool that is actually testing your game, running the game code itself, you don’t need to worry about persistency or consistency, because it’s running the actual game. So these are solving problems that generative AI has itself introduced.” It’s promising that the model is designed with developers in mind, says Georgios Yannakakis at the Institute of Digital Games at the University of Malta, but it might not be feasible for most developers who don’t have so much training data. “It comes down to the question of is it worth doing?” says Yannakakis. “Microsoft spent seven years collecting data and training these models to demonstrate that you can actually do it. But would an actual game studio afford [to do] this?” Even Microsoft itself is equivocal over whether AI-designed games could be on the horizon: when asked if developers in its Xbox gaming division might use the tool, the company declined to comment. While Hofmann and her team are hopeful that future versions of Muse will be able to generalise beyond their training data – coming up with new scenarios and levels for games on which they are trained, as well as working for different games – this will be a significant challenge, says Cook, because modern games are so complex. “One of the ways a game distinguishes itself is by changing systems and introducing new conceptual level ideas. That makes it very hard for machine learning systems to get outside of their training data and innovate and invent beyond what they’ve seen,” he says. Topics: Source link #Microsoft #generative #tool #video #games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Afghanistan evacuation whistleblower wins unfair dismissal case Afghanistan evacuation whistleblower wins unfair dismissal case A Foreign Office whistleblower has won a case for unfair dismissal over her disclosures to the BBC about the *** evacuation from Afghanistan. Josie Stewart revealed details of the chaotic August 2021 withdrawal from Kabul and emails which suggested then Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s had been involved in the evacuation of a **** charity. She had her security clearance revoked and lost her job after a BBC journalist accidentally identified her as a confidential source on social media. An employment tribunal, chaired by Judge Andrew Glennie, found she had leaked the information in the public interest and had been unfairly dismissed. A BBC spokesperson said: “We take our responsibilities as journalists very seriously and we deeply regret that the name of the email account was inadvertently revealed when the email was published on social media.” Lawyers for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Ms Stewart’s bosses had been forced to sack Ms Stewart because her security clearance had been revoked and there were no other suitable roles for her. But Ms Stewart’s barrister, Gavin Millar KC, said that if their argument had succeeded it would have driven “a coach and horses through” the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (Pida) aimed at protecting whistleblowers. In a judgement issued on Tuesday, the employment tribunal said Ms Stewart had been justified in going to the media on a clear matter of public interest. “The tribunal considered that it was reasonable for the claimant [Stewart] to go to the ***’s public service broadcaster when relevant information and/or allegations had already been put into the public domain … and government ministers were publicly disputing them.” The tribunal heard that Ms Stewart had “experienced a culture in FCDO which silences concerns and ostracises those who raise them”. She said her experience of the FCDO’s Afghanistan crisis centre in August 2021 “reflected the worst of our political system”. In a statement upon receiving the judgment, she added: “By calling this out, I lost my career. “The outcome of this case doesn’t change any of this, but it has achieved what I set out to achieve: it has established that civil servants have the right not to stay silent when systemic failures put lives at risk, as happened during the Afghan evacuation. “I hope that, knowing that their colleagues have this right, senior officials will do more to build accountability in government, and speak truth to power when it is needed. “We can’t have a system that says stay silent, no matter what you see, and forces dedicated public servants to choose between their conscience and their career.” Elizabeth Gardiner, chief executive of whistleblowing charity Protect, welcomed the ruling. “We need whistleblowers to raise matters in the public interest and this case is unusual and hugely significant in finding that a civil servant was justified in going to the press.” She added that the decision had “weighty repercussions for how civil servants can act in the future and their confidence in speaking out when they encounter wrongdoing”. But she said it did not remove the need for better protections for civil servants who raise concerns internally through an “independent statutory commissioner”. An FCDO spokesperson said: “We will review the findings of the tribunal and consider next steps.” Remedies for Ms Stewart’s successful complaints will be determined at a future hearing. Source link #Afghanistan #evacuation #whistleblower #wins #unfair #dismissal #case Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Japan Studio Closed Because The “Double-A” Market Has Disappeared, Ex-Playstation Boss Says Japan Studio Closed Because The “Double-A” Market Has Disappeared, Ex-Playstation Boss Says Former Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida has been speaking out about his time at PlayStation on podcasts, and he recently commented about the closure of PlayStation’s Japan Studio. Specifically, he said that the disappearance of the “double-A” game market was a major reason for the downfall of the studio. Speaking on the Sacred Symbols podcast, Yoshida stated that during his time with PlayStation, Japan Studio had “great products,” but didn’t have many “AAA-level successful products,” other than Gran Turismo. “That became more and more important as the big games became *******. The indies filled the gap and the double-A market seems to have disappeared. Most of the IPs that Japan Studio had were in that smaller double-A sized group, and the market became really difficult for these kinds of games.” He cited Gravity Rush 2 as an example, noting that its director Keiichiro Toyama pitched several ideas for a follow-up, but Japan Studio was not able to greenlight any of them due to market conditions. Yoshida noted that the closure of Japan Studio did allow Toyama to create his own studio, which eventually produced the 2024 release Slitterhead. Sony shut down Japan Studio back in April 2021. Some of the studio’s best-known games include Ape Escape, the Knack series, and the ******’s Souls remake. The remnants of Japan Studio can still be seen at Team Asobi, however. The studio, which spun off from Japan Studio, recently developed the acclaimed Astro Bot, which won The Game Awards’ 2024 game of the year, among other accolades. Source link #Japan #Studio #Closed #DoubleA #Market #Disappeared #ExPlaystation #Boss Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment set be scaled back to single-storey design Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment set be scaled back to single-storey design The redevelopment, which has been underway since 2021, aims to create a more accessible, integrated multi-purpose precinct that offers opportunities for new activities, uses, tenants and community groups. Source link #Girrawheen #Hub #Precinct #redevelopment #set #scaled #singlestorey #design Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Blood of Dawnwalker is already showing its Witcher 3 roots The Blood of Dawnwalker is already showing its Witcher 3 roots The Blood of Dawnwalker could be everything Vampyr set out to be. Source link #Blood #Dawnwalker #showing #Witcher #roots Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pharaoh’s tomb is the biggest ancient Egyptian discovery since King Tutankhamun Pharaoh’s tomb is the biggest ancient Egyptian discovery since King Tutankhamun Compared to his royal relatives, King Thutmose II doesn’t get much attention. Depending on the documentation, the monarch only ruled over ancient Egypt for 13 years (1493-1479 BCE) at most, and possibly as little as three (1482-1479 BCE). Egyptologists tend to focus more on his father, Thutmose III; half-sister and wife, Queen Hatshepsut; and son, Thutmose II. But that doesn’t make the discovery of his final resting place any less important. On February 18, the Egyptian government announced that an international team of archeologists have finally confirmed the tomb’s location—making it the first and most significant royal find since the identification of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. Photo of Egyptian pharaoh tomb interior Photo of damaged artwork in Egyptian tomb The story of recovering Thutmose II’s remains dates back to the 19th century, when researchers found the king’s mummified body at what is known as the Deir el-Bahari Cachette. But the site clearly wasn’t the mummy’s original location, leading experts to wonder about the whereabouts of Thutmose II’s original tomb for well over a century. In 2022, experts unearthed a site a few miles west of Luxor and the Valley of Kings, which they designated Tomb No. C4. Given its relative simplicity and location near Queen Hatshepsut’s grave, archeologists initially theorized No. C4 contained one of King Thutmose III’s wives. The room and its features had been heavily damaged by flooding, making it difficult to understand its overall context. Further excavation also yielded the discovery of a second, smaller corridor thought to have been a robber’s tunnel. Artifacts in tomb No. C4 linked to King Thutmose II. Credit: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities “Despite its significance, the tomb was found in poor condition, flooded in antiquity shortly after the king’s death. Water damage caused severe deterioration, leading to the loss of many original contents, which are believed to have been relocated during ancient times,” Mohamed Abdel Badei, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector and project co-lead, said in a statement. But despite the flooding, the vault wasn’t devoid of artifacts—and what archeologists found actually confirmed the tomb’s original inhabitant. According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, alabaster vase fragments spelled out not only Thutmose II’s name, but his final status as a “deceased king.” Other finds included plaster painted blue and decorated with yellow stars, along with portions of the Book of Amduat, a key religious text used during Egyptian royalty burial rituals. Researchers could also confirm that Queen Hatshepsut—one of only two queens known to rule over ancient Egypt—oversaw the burial of her husband and half-sibling. Further analysis appears to solve not only the reason for the removal of Thutmose II’s mummy, but the mystery corridor’s purpose. Researchers now believe it wasn’t robbers who built the tunnel, but royal attendants who rescued the king’s remains from the flooded chamber. As excavation work continues, archeologists hope to learn even more answers about life during Thutmose II’s brief reign, as well as details about the rescue effort to recover his body from the flooded tomb. Source link #Pharaohs #tomb #biggest #ancient #Egyptian #discovery #King #Tutankhamun Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft’s Majorana 1 quantum computing chip uses a new kind of superconductor Microsoft’s Majorana 1 quantum computing chip uses a new kind of superconductor Microsoft has introduced Majorana 1, a chip for quantum computing, which it said will enable computers to solve incredibly difficult industrial-scale problems in mere years instead of the decades current machines need. The company explained that Majorana 1 is the first quantum computing chip that uses a Topological Core architecture. Specifically, it uses a new type of material called a topoconductor or a topological superconductor that can create Majoranas — a state of matter that’s not a solid, a liquid or a gas. Majoranas were first predicted in the 1930s, but they do not exist in nature: They need to be brought into existence with the right materials under the right conditions. Microsoft’s topoconductor wire, which the company built atom by atom for precision, combines indium arsenide with aluminum. When a topoconductor wire is cooled to near absolute zero and tuned with magnetic fields, it forms Majorana Zero Modes (MZMs) at its ends. Majorana qubits are more stable than current alternatives, Microsoft explained. They’re fast, small and can be digitally controlled, and they have unique properties that can protect quantum information. Since the company’s chip architecture joins topoconductor nanowires together to form an “H,” each unit has four controllable Majoranas that make up one qubit, the basic unit in quantum computing. The H units can be connected, and Microsoft has already managed to put eight of them on a single chip. As you can see in the image above, the chip can fit in one’s hand and can be easily deployed to data centers. Microsoft designed the chip to be able to fit one million qubits, because that’s the threshold anybody developing quantum computers has to reach for their creation to be able to truly make a difference in the world. A million-qubit machine could lead to self-healing materials that can repair cracks in planes, Microsoft said, or to catalysts that can break down all types of plastic pollutants into valuable byproducts. It could also allow scientists to perform computations for the extraction of enzymes that can boost soil fertility or promote sustainable growth of food for the sake of ending world hunger. Microsoft’s Majorana 1 requires more parts than just the topoconductor to work, and the company needs more years to get all the elements to work together at a ******* scale. Figuring out how to stack the topoconductor’s materials just right was one of its biggest challenges, however, and Microsoft had already conquered that. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Source link #Microsofts #Majorana #quantum #computing #chip #kind #superconductor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Authorities Warn Tourists to Keep Clear of Lava Flows on Mount Etna Authorities Warn Tourists to Keep Clear of Lava Flows on Mount Etna The latest eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily has drawn crowds of photographers, hikers and nature aficionados, which have congested streets and clogged paths for rescue crews. Source link #Authorities #Warn #Tourists #Clear #Lava #Flows #Mount #Etna Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Preorders Are 25% Off On PC Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Preorders Are 25% Off On PC The beloved PS1 RPGs Suikoden I and II return in just a few weeks in a remastered collection for Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Suikoden I & II HD Remaster launches March 6, and the Day One physical edition is available to preorder now at major retailers, including Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. If you’re interested in picking it up for PC, you can save 25% on your Steam key at Fanatical, which drops the price to only $37.49. $50 The Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is available in a special Day One edition. This is essentially a standard edition that comes with a few extras, including immediate access to the Prosperity Orb and Fortune Orb in-game items, which double the amount of money and experience you earn from battles, respectively. You also get a bonus 57,300 Potch, which is the in-game money. The Orb items are acquirable in the game, but they’re rare drops, so having them available immediately is a perk for players who don’t want to spend as much time farming Potch and XP. The in-game freebies are only available with the Day One edition of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster. Games with Day One versions are usually still available to buy on launch day, but in some occasions they sell out before release and a standard edition takes its place. You can preorder Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Day One edition for $50 for Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. Digital preorders are also available for consoles and PC. Suikoden I & II HD Remaster includes enhanced versions of Suikoden I and II. The remasters of both games feature HD sprites and backgrounds, enhanced sound effects, and QOL options like auto-saving, adjustable battle speeds, and a conversation log for reviewing previous dialogue. Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom. Source link #Suikoden #Remaster #Preorders Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review The MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is MSI’s latest motherboard geared towards that mid-to-lower premium range of gamers and power users who need a board that can handle top-tier components and future upgrades. Featuring the new LGA 1851 designed for the new Intel Arrow Lake processors, MSI put in one of its best efforts when it comes to features, ease of use, an overall look. But is there enough here to justify the $400-plus price point? MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review Despite what people might tell you, a quality motherboard can be just as important as the CPU going in your system. In many ways, it’s the backbone of your gaming rig, and picking the right one can make or break your experience. What MSI has with the MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is a product aimed at making that experience as easy as possible, no matter how well versed you are in building your own machine. It all starts with the overall design. Building a PC can sometimes feel like a test of patience, but this motherboard makes it as painless as possible. The pre-mounted I/O shield is a small but welcome touch, saving you from the hassle of aligning it just right and possibly snapping or bending the shield. Labels on the board itself are clear and beginner-friendly, making it easier to slot everything into place without second-guessing yourself. Installing components is refreshingly simple. The tool-less PCIe x16 slot release is a game-changer for those rocking a massive GPU like the RTX 4090 as there’s no more wrestling with tiny latches or putting an obnoxious amount of pressure just to unlock the card from the board. And the screwless M.2 installation? A dream. Pop the drive in, click it down, and you’re done. Specification Details Form Factor ATX Socket LGA 1851 Chipset Intel Z890 Memory Type DDR5 DIMM Slots 4 Maximum Memory 256GB 9200MHz Storage 5x M.2 (1x PCIe 5.0, 4x PCIe 4.0), 4x SATA 6G USB 13 Rear I/O, 9 Internal Header LAN 2 (2.5Gbps and 5Gbps) Wireless WiFi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4 External I/O 10x USB-A, 1x USB-C 10Gbps, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x LAN connections, Wi-Fi Antenna, Optical S/PDIF Out, Clear CMOS, Flash Bios, Smart Button, Mic/Speaker Connectors, HDMI Audio 7.1 Channel Onboard Video HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4 DisplayPort Layout & Accessibility MSI does a solid job with the board’s overall layout. Everything feels well-placed on this ATX board, making cable management and clean builds way more achievable. There are three PCIe slots for components. The top is PCIe 5.0 x16, perfect for modern graphics cards. The middle slot is PCIe 5.0 x8 while the third is PCIe 4.0 x4. For storage, there are plenty of options. Five M.2 slots give you plenty of space to make sure you always have enough storage on your machine. My only problem is that only one supports PCIe 5.,0 speeds. For a motherboard in this price range, you’d expect at least two or three. If you’re planning a full Gen 5 build, that could be a letdown. With cooling and RGB, there are 7 fan headers, 4 RGB headers, a 3-pin water flow sensor, and a 2-pin thermal sensor that gives you a lot of flexibility. Connectivity Galore (And Then Some) When you are spending, possibly, as much as your CPU on the motherboard, one thing you’ll want to make sure of is that what you buy has the connections you need. And one thing the MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi doesn’t skimp on is connectivity. On the rear I/O, there are 13 total USB ports—10 USB-A 3.2 and 3 USB-C. The 10 USB-A ports support up to 10Gbps while one of the USB-C ports also supports 10Gbps. The other two USB-C are Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort output that have speeds up to 40Gbps. If you need more USB functionality, there are four USB 2.0 headers, four USB 5Gbps Type-A headers, and even a single 20Gbps USB Type C header. Again, if you need connections, this board has connections. With everything I use on a daily basis—Stream Deck, capture card, audio interface, and multiple external drives, just to name a few—I have found no issue with speeds or connection quality in the months I’ve used this motherboard. For full transparency, there were times with the last-gen Z790 Carbon WiFi where you could sense a noticeable slowdown when trying to move files across external drives even with a high-end CPU. That hasn’t happened once with the Z890. For the wireless user, the motherboard supports Wi-Fi 7 with speeds up to 5.8Gbps as well as Bluetooth 5.4. There are still some issues with Bluetooth audio cutting in and out, but I have yet to find a motherboard that works perfectly on that front. Two LAN ports support 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps. On the audio front, the board has built-in optical output with 7.1 channel audio. BIOS & Customization It’s long been my opinion that MSI has one of the most user-friendly BIOS there is. With the Z890 Chipset, this becomes even more so with a new look that makes it even easier to find and adjust the settings you’d like. It’s as straightforward as it can be in my opinion, even if you’re not a seasoned overclocker. As you’d expect from any BIOS, MSI’s offers users the ability for custom fan control, overclocking, boot order, and more. What makes it stand out, however, is how simple they make it. The EZ Mode works as expected, which isn’t always the case with some BIOS. From boosting the CPU to NPU to Memory, everything is one click away, which helps take the worry out of your hands. If you want to get more in the weeds, however, even the Advanced Settings are laid out in a way to prevent you from getting overwhelmed. Everything from PCIe settings to P-Core and E-Core ratios to CPU and Memory Frequency and more is available for your adjustment. Just be careful. If you do decide to try your hand at overclocking, or messing with the settings at all, take it slowly and in increments. Making too large of a change could lead to stability problems and damage your machine. Lastly, there’s the MSI proprietary software like MSI Center, Mystic Light, and others. Personally, I find these programs to weigh down a system more than help it. Mystic Light for RGB management is kind of a neccessity if that’s what you need to pair with other programs, but for hardware monitoring, there are other lightweight options. MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review Verdict The MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is one motherboard with a ton going for it. It has plenty of connectivity options, a great-looking design, and is one of the easiest borders to build in for the DIY PC enthusiast. It’s price can scare people away, especially with the belief that the LGA 1851 socket will only be supported with new CPUs until 2026. That said, if you are looking at picking up this board, it’s likely you won’t be upgrading again for quite some time. The support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 helps future proof the board as much as you can with how fast technology moves. Again, it would’ve been nice for more PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, but I don’t think it’s a deal breaker. If the $400-plus price tag doesn’t scare you away, you’d honestly be hard-pressed to find a more well-rounded motherboard. For more Insider Gaming Tech, read Nvidia’s short response to reports of bricked RTX 5090 graphics cards. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #MSI #MPG #Z890 #Carbon #WiFi #Review Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

JetBlue talking to ‘multiple airlines’ about a new partnership JetBlue talking to ‘multiple airlines’ about a new partnership A JetBlue plane takes off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Jan. 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images JetBlue Airways is talking with “multiple airlines” about a potential new partnership after federal judges struck down two previous deals, the carrier’s president said Wednesday. “If we find a deal that’s accretive, we’ll absolutely do it,” JetBlue’s president, Marty St. George, said at a Barclays industry conference. A federal judge in 2023 ruled the New York airline’s partnership in the Northeast with American Airlines was anticompetitive, while a different judge last year blocked JetBlue’s plan to acquire budget carrier Spirit Airlines, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. JetBlue representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. JetBlue, which marked its 25th year of flying this month, has been searching for partnerships and deals to grow, contending it must do so to better compete with larger carriers like Delta, American and United. St. George said a potential tie-up would benefit the company’s loyalty program, noting that customers say the frequent flyer points on JetBlue are not as strong as those of the big three U.S. carriers. “Given that we really don’t have full global earn and burn, I think to be able to add that to our network would be very, very helpful,” he said. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #JetBlue #talking #multiple #airlines #partnership Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Wicked choice: Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards Wicked choice: Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, who has been earning awards left and right, will next be handing them out — she’s been picked to be the host of the Tony Awards. “I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honour,” Erivo said in a statement. “I am looking forward to ushering the theatre community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.” Erivo has won a Grammy, Emmy and a Tony, as well as a Golden Globe, SAG Award and three Academy Award nominations. This season’s Tony Awards will take place on June 8 at its familiar home of Radio City Music Hall. They will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. “Through performances on both stage and screen, Cynthia has extended the magic of musical theatre to millions of new fans around the globe — and that is exactly the mission of the Tony Awards,” said Heather Hitchens, president & CEO of the American Theater Wing and Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League. Source link #Wicked #choice #Cynthia #Erivo #host #Tony #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Unveils Powerful AI Model That Does All the Work And Gets No Pay Microsoft Unveils Powerful AI Model That Does All the Work And Gets No Pay Just when you thought the tech industry’s obsession with AI couldn’t get any more concerning, Microsoft drops a bombshell that makes those massive Xbox layoffs from last year look suspiciously well-timed. Today, the company proudly announced their latest creation: an AI model that can generate entire gameplay sequences at the push of a button. Nadella’s newest employee doesn’t need coffee breaks or benefits. | Image Credit: Microsoft/YouTube The timing couldn’t be more perfect (or suspicious, depending on how you look at it). After letting go of thousands of talented developers across Xbox Game Studios, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax throughout 2024, Microsoft has unveiled what they’re calling “Muse”—their first World and Human Action Model (WHAM). And yes, it’s exactly as dystopian as it sounds. Welcome to the future of game development, where human creativity takes a ********* to algorithms. Hope you brought your résumé. Microsoft’s new AI model makes human developers look expensive Remember those 1,900 employees Microsoft let go in January 2024? Or the additional 650 jobs cut in September? Or even the “small round” (via ***) of layoffs last month? Well, now we know what they were making room for. Meet Muse, the AI that can generate gameplay sequences faster than you can say “severance package.” Microsoft has revealed Muse, a generative AI model of a video game that can generate gameplay visuals and controller actions. The AI model is designed for gameplay ideation but could be explored to bring classic Xbox games to modern hardware. (Source: [Hidden Content]) pic.twitter.com/bVBDDoHjZL — DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 19, 2025 According to Microsoft‘s research blog, this isn’t just another tech demo. Muse has been trained on seven years of gameplay data from Ninja Theory’s Bleeding Edge, and the results are… well, judge for yourself: Today, the journal Nature is publishing our latest research, which introduces the first World and Human Action Model (WHAM). The WHAM, which we’ve named ‘Muse,’ is a generative AI model of a video game that can generate game visuals, controller actions, or both. The implications are staggering. We’re not just talking about AI generating pretty pictures or anime-inspired ****** Ops 6 skin bundles anymore—this thing can create actual gameplay sequences, complete with controller inputs. And while some are busy arguing about console wars: Still PS >>> Xbox — Breathing Cinema (@breathingcinema) February 19, 2025 Others are asking the real questions: Wait… WHAT?! Is this the moment gaming leaps into a sci-fi future… or are we handing too much to the machines? — Gooner (@goonerrr_) February 19, 2025 The real question isn’t whether this technology is impressive—it clearly is. The real question is: what happens to the thousands of developers who pour their hearts and souls into creating games when an algorithm can do it way, way faster and way, way cheaper? The beginning of the end, or just another tech pipe dream? Vision of the future: fewer devs, more algorithms. | Image Credit: Xbox/YouTube The gaming community’s reaction to this announcement has been a mix of fascination and horror—and rightfully so. While Microsoft tries to paint Muse as a tool for “gameplay ideation,” human developers will see it for what it really is: the first step toward automated game development. i’d rather play something nuanced and innovative that came from the minds of people that spent hours on to perfect and make a great gaming experience than some jumbled ***** a computer took from a bunch of other games and spat out — ǝ l o Ɔ (@colem2323) February 19, 2025 And it’s not just gameplay that’s at risk. If AI can generate game mechanics and visuals from a few commands, how long before it starts writing stories, dialogues, or even replacing voice actors? That’s interesting. How long before we get AI generated scripts then and how do we differentiate them from human made ones once we get to that stage? — Herbert karima (@ALBERTOMWANALDO) February 19, 2025 Some are already calling for a return to basics: Or hear me out on this.. hire talented people to do this work instead! — King Prez (@itsPrez) February 19, 2025 But perhaps the most concerning part isn’t the technology itself—it’s the message it sends. When one of gaming’s biggest companies proudly announces an AI that could potentially replace human developers, while simultaneously laying off thousands of employees, it’s hard not to connect the dots. The irony? The very games this AI is learning from were created by human developers—many of whom might have been part of those recent layoffs. It’s like using someone’s art to teach a robot how to replace artists. What do you think about Microsoft’s new AI model? Are we witnessing the future of game development, or just another step toward replacing human creativity with algorithms? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Source link #Microsoft #Unveils #Powerful #Model #Work #Pay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla rival once valued at $30bn collapses amid electric car downturn Tesla rival once valued at $30bn collapses amid electric car downturn Nikola trucks on the production line An electric truck-maker that sought to rival Elon Musk’s Tesla has filed for bankruptcy in the US after its founder was sent to prison for fraud. Nikola, which developed hydrogen fuel and battery-powered trucks, was once valued at more than $30bn (£24bn), but its share price collapsed just months after it went public in 2020 amid claims it was misleading investors. A short-seller report at the time accused its founder, Trevor Milton, of creating an “intricate fraud built on dozens of lies”. Milton quit the business in 2021 and in December 2023 was sentenced to four years in prison and fined $1m for defrauding investors. In 2021, the company agreed to settle claims with US regulators for $125m without admitting wrongdoing. On Wednesday, the company filed for bankruptcy protection with a court in Delaware. In filings, it said it had more than $1bn in liabilities. The company added it had around $47m of cash available and would be seeking a ***** of its assets. Steve Girsky, the Nikola chief executive, blamed a downturn in demand for electric vehicles for the company’s bankruptcy. He said: “Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic factors that have impacted our ability to operate. “In recent months, we have taken numerous actions to raise capital, reduce our liabilities, clean up our balance sheet and preserve cash to sustain our operations. Unfortunately, our very best efforts have not been enough to overcome these significant challenges.” Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola, exiting court in New York in 2023. He was found guilty of fraud – Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg Milton founded Nikola in 2014 with the promise to develop green trucks and was soon claiming the company received thousands of pre-orders worth billions of dollars. In 2016, he revealed what he claimed was a working prototype of the company’s Nikola One truck. However, after the company went public in 2020, short-sellers at Hindenburg Research published a report alleging the company was an “intricate fraud built on dozens of lies”. The report revealed that Nikola had faked a video showing its truck driving on a road in 2017. In fact, the video was created by towing the truck to the top of a hill and rolling it down the road. Milton insisted in court that he “did not intend to harm anyone”. He asked for the judge to consider his “unusually tender heart” and argued he had not been a “very seasoned CEO” when building the company. However, a jury found him guilty of fraud. Damian Williams, the US prosecutor, said: “Trevor Milton lied to investors again and again – on social media, on television, on podcasts, and in print.” After Milton’s exit, the company has gone on to sell hundreds of hydrogen powered trucks. However, its latest financial results showed the company had lost $481m in the nine months to September 2024. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #Tesla #rival #valued #30bn #collapses #electric #car #downturn Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shuhei Yoshida Calls Xbox Games on PS5 a "Win" for PlayStation Owners Shuhei Yoshida Calls Xbox Games on PS5 a "Win" for PlayStation Owners Shuhei Yoshida says the launch of Xbox games on PS5 is a “victory” for PlayStation owners, offering access to previously unavailable titles. Source link #Shuhei #Yoshida #Calls #Xbox #Games #PS5 #quotWinquot #PlayStation #Owners Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. housing market could take $1.5 trillion hit due to climate change U.S. housing market could take $1.5 trillion hit due to climate change It’s still too soon to fully calculate the cost of the Los Angeles wildfires, but one thing is clear: The cost of insurance will go up, and that will affect not just the value of LA real estate but of real estate across the nation. The losses from those wildfires may seem unimaginable now, but they were actually already part of a calculation that climate risk experts have been modeling recently as they attempt to measure the effects of climate change on home values. By 2055, 84% of all U.S. homes may see some drop in value, totaling $1.47 trillion in losses, according to an analysis by First Street, a climate-risk firm. “Climate change is no longer a theoretical concern – it is a measurable force reshaping real estate markets and regional economies across the United States,” said Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at First Street. According to the report, insurance is expected to grow by a national average of 25% over the next 30 years, with 14% of that due to current underpricing of risk and the additional 11% due to increasing climate risk over that time *******. The property value impact on average is only about -3% nationally, but there are some areas that are expected to lose a significant amount of their value. Roughly a dozen counties in Texas, Florida and Louisiana could see home values cut in half, according to the report. Dave Burt, founder of DeltaTerra Capital, is also calculating climate risk to real estate. DeltaTerra is an investment research and consulting firm that provides institutional investors and others with tools to measure and manage financial risks related to climate change, according to its website. In the next five years, at least 20% of U.S. homes will be devalued in some way by the effects of climate change, Burt said. “In the past, insurers have not increased prices because of these increasing weather events,” he said. “That’s all falling apart now because of the fragility of the system and some of the insurance market failures that we’ve seen in just the last few years.” Burt was one of the few to predict the risks in the subprime mortgage market nearly two decades ago, and he made a lot of money betting against those loans. Burt says he sees a similar pattern emerging with climate change. As growing climate risk forces the insurance industry to reprice higher, home values will drop because when the cost of owning a home rises, its value falls, he said. The correction, he said, will be severe. “We think that those 20% of markets could be down 30% over the next five years in value, which is very similar to the 2007 to 2012 great recession experience,” Burt said. And he’s not alone. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, warned of the risk at Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s confirmation hearing. “The most immediate danger of a major economic collapse is going to come through the insurance industry,” Whitehouse said in January. “We’re seeing it already. The fires in LA are making it worse out in California, but it’s occurring nationwide … where you can’t get mortgages, you can’t sell properties at value.” While experts have been warning of this for several years now, their predictions are coming true faster than previously expected. “Growing climate-related disaster risk has accelerated much more rapidly,” said Ben Keys, a professor of real estate and finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “Ultimately, assets are going to have to find a new equilibrium in order to clear the market.” And foreclosures add to that. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, foreclosures in affected areas rose by 46%, and after the 2008 floods in Ames, Iowa, foreclosures jumped 144%, according to First Street. The mortgage market is not unaware of these rising risks. Fannie Mae declined an interview request for this story, but CNBC spoke with their chief climate officer, Tim Judge, in 2023 on the same subject, as the mortgage giant was beginning to study climate risk in underwriting. “The amount of climate change is not necessarily always priced into the market, and consumers aren’t really aware of what that’s going to do to insurance premiums going forward,” Judge said. Two years later, Fannie Mae still doesn’t account for climate risk in its underwriting at the property level. “The decisions that Fannie and Freddie make are guiding the mortgage market away from pricing climate risks directly,” Judge said. In the meantime, DeltaTerra’s Burt is betting again. “What we’re doing is we’re helping clients integrate our understanding of the roadmap going forward into hedging strategies,” Burt said. “That can be either avoiding the most at-risk securities. It can also be hedging with mortgage credit derivatives.” Rising insurance costs will be the main factor in home price declines but not the only one. Some communities might increase taxes to pay for resilience measures. Maintenance and energy costs may also go up. Despite all of this, the Trump administration on Friday ordered FEMA staff to immediately stop implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. This is the standard that ensures that public buildings, including schools, as well as bridges, roads, utilities and other infrastructure that are damaged in a flood will be rebuilt in a way that would make them less vulnerable to future flooding. — CNBC Senior Producer Erica Posse contributed to this piece. Source link #U.S #housing #market #trillion #hit #due #climate #change Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eero launches its Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers Eero launches its Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers Eero has today announced Wi-Fi 7 equipped versions of its eponymous mesh routers, the Eero 7 and Eero 7 Pro. The Amazon-owned company is selling both products on the back of Wi-Fi 7’s promised improvements in speed compared to its existing fare. The advent of both products is hardly a surprise as, last year, Eero launched both the Max 7 and Outdoor 7. Max 7 is the company’s flagship standalone router / repeater duo equipped with beefy ethernet ports, while the latter is designed to push internet for distances up to 15,000 square feet. Eero First up, the Eero 7 is a dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) system that promises a maximum wireless top speed of 1.8 Gbps and up to 2.3 Gbps through its pair of 2.5 Gb ethernet ports. All of that is crammed into the same small package Eero’s mesh units have become famous for, easily able to blend in to your home’s decor. Naturally, the Eero 7 Pro is the more eye-catching of the pair, since it’ll harness all three bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz) available for Wi-Fi 7. The company promises a theoretical top wireless speed of 3.9 Gbps and, when hooked up to one of its two 5 Gb ethernet ports, will get 4.7 Gbps when wired. Eero Previous Eero Pro units stood in the same chassis as its vanilla siblings, but the 7 Pro is getting the same body as found on its Max 7. Eero says that the *******, cylindrical “passive thermal” design offers quieter operation and far less risk of dust build up compared to its predecessors. Both the Eero 7 and 7 Pro promise a range of 2,000 square feet per node, and will be sold in single, two or three-packs at retail. The company does remind users, however, that you can tie on additional nodes depending on your needs and the size of your home. A big part of Eero’s pitch has been to ensure setting up a mesh in your home is as easy and stress free as it possibly can. That incudes a suite of software technologies to keep everything running smoothly, getting your data routed to the most efficient node at all times. Users who pay for Eero Plus will also get additional online security features and parental controls, plus access to 1Password, Malwarebytes and Guardian VPN. All of the units will also connect to your smart home gear if it uses Matter, Thread or Zigbee, and will get the usual Amazon and Alexa integrations. If you’re familiar with our mesh Wi-Fi buyer’s guide, you’ll know Wi-Fi 7 is a less exciting upgrade than Wi-Fi 6E. The current standard offers a more robust experience and can take advantage of the 6GHz band to cut the volume of wireless clutter on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Wi-FI 7’s headline feature is its ability to combine those bands together for a vastly increased maximum speed and far more connections. Which is great if you’re in dire need of pushing an 8K movie from one device to another in a matter of seconds. Until now, Wi-Fi 7 gear was still prohibitively expensive, although the fact Eero is joining the fray suggests prices will start falling in the near future. Certainly, Eero can boast that it is selling the cheapest Wi-Fi 7 gear on the market in the US, with the Eero 7 available for $170, $280 (two-pack) or $350 (three-pack). The 7 Pro, on the other hand, will set you back $300, $550 (two-pack) or $700 (three-pack), which still makes it one of the cheapest tri-band Wi-Fi 7 products on the market. Both products are available to pre-order today, with the first deliveries beginning on February 26. Source link #Eero #launches #WiFi #mesh #routers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Musk and the Right Co-Opt the Left’s Critique of U.S. Power Musk and the Right Co-Opt the Left’s Critique of U.S. Power In his podcast studio, Joe Rogan sat for three hours, cigar smoldering and brow furrowed, as his guest held forth about the dark history of America’s influence abroad. The highlights were familiar to any left-wing critic of American power: The U.S. Agency for International Development’s involvement in the Southeast Asian heroin trade in the 1970s. The Central Intelligence Agency’s infiltration of the American left. “Rogue U.S.A.I.D. operations in Cuba.” And the windfalls American oil companies have reaped from “U.S. regime change efforts.” But Mr. Rogan’s guest on the Feb. 12 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” was not a Marxist professor or a muckraking Intercept writer. He was a former speechwriter in President Trump’s first administration named Mike Benz, whose work has been cited regularly by Elon Musk as justification for shutting down U.S.A.I.D., the 64-year-old foreign aid agency. “The MAGA movement is fighting the ghost of Ronald Reagan,” Mr. Benz said, referring to the former president’s support for international development. Amid all the radical moves early in the second Trump presidency, this might be the most literally radical: the borrowing of historically left-wing critiques of American power to justify the right-wing ambition of dismantling longstanding government agencies. For decades, influential thinkers on the left have criticized American soft-power programs, covert operations and military presence abroad as parts of a particularly American form of imperialism: one that subverts the popular will of other countries’ citizens to serve the interests of the U.S. government and multinational corporations while also producing dangerous consequences — unfettered presidential power, diminished civil liberties — at home. Mr. Trump’s allies have borrowed liberally from this argument while turning it on its head. They have been using it to justify new frontiers of executive power and the extraordinary empowerment of Mr. Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual. “These left-wing critiques appear to now be being adopted, appropriated and weaponized by MAGA and Trump loyalists,” said Hugh Wilford, a professor of history at California State University, Long Beach and the author of “The CIA: An Imperial History.” As the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Mr. Musk has accused U.S.A.I.D. of “money laundering” and has reposted claims that the agency’s government-backed, democracy-promotion programs are “a C.I.A. front.” During her confirmation hearings, Tulsi Gabbard, the new director of national intelligence, criticized covert operations to arm proxies in Syria and “regime change wars” across the Middle East. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary, has blamed the war in Ukraine on the foreign policy establishment’s “strategic grand plan to destroy any country such as Russia that resists American imperial expansion.” The Center for Renewing America, a think tank that was until recently led by Russ Vought, Mr. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director, has joined in, too. A paper the group published this month accused the National Endowment for Democracy, a government-funded organization created during the Reagan presidency to support democracy and civil society abroad, of being a “tool for neoconservative nation-building.” None of this is without precedent in the politics of Mr. Trump, who has revived a long dormant strain of Republican skepticism of foreign interventions. Mr. Trump criticized the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as a candidate in 2016, and he considered rolling U.S.A.I.D. into the State Department early in his first presidency. He also inveighed against the country’s intelligence agencies and the F.B.I. after he came under investigation late in that election for his campaign’s contacts with Russian officials. But Mr. Trump’s second administration has gone further, embracing specific narratives about nefarious motives behind humanitarian aid and covert operations that were long the province of the left, even as his advisers denounce the same programs as hotbeds of “far left activists.” Mr. Trump has put the left in the awkward position of defending institutions and policies it once criticized. “It’s this weird fun-house mirror moment,” said Daniel Immerwahr, a historian of U.S. foreign policy at Northwestern University. Mr. Benz, who will speak this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, is perhaps the clearest example of the phenomenon. A former corporate lawyer and anonymous far-right social media personality, he has become a clear influence on Mr. Musk. Mr. Musk has replied to Mr. Benz’s posts close to 300 times on X and has cited him in nearly half of his posts mentioning U.S.A.I.D., which he has blamed for censorship in Europe and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political career, among other things. Mr. Benz did not respond to a request for comment for this article. In podcast interviews and posts on X that have earned him nearly one million followers on the platform, Mr. Benz claims that contemporary efforts to combat online misinformation can trace their lineages back to a Cold War-era history of intelligence agencies using benign-appearing development programs as pawns in the war against Soviet influence across the globe. The most egregious such activities were curtailed after a series of revelations about intelligence-agency abuses beginning in the late 1960s, which led to overhauls of the Central Intelligence Agency and other institutions in the 1970s. The 1980s saw more transparent soft-power initiatives under the auspices of agencies like U.S.A.I.D. and government-funded organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy. Broadly supported by anti-********** Republicans and Democrats, these efforts were often met with skepticism on the left — and now, by Mr. Benz and Mr. Musk. They argue that U.S. government influence campaigns that once undermined the populist left in other countries were co-opted by liberals after the end of the Cold War, and are now being used against the populist right at home and abroad. As evidence, they point to grants to independent media and civil-society programs in Europe that have been critical of right-wing governments and support for misinformation-countering campaigns that have often targeted right-wing social media activity. “USAID is/was a radical-left political psy op,” Mr. Musk wrote in a Feb. 3 post on X citing Mr. Benz. To make this case, Mr. Benz has marshaled the decades-old work of left-wing journalists and scholars, such as the historian Alfred McCoy, whose research on the C.I.A. and U.S.A.I.D.’s role in heroin trafficking in Southeast Asia earned the ire of the C.I.A. in the early 1970s. Other arguments made by Trump allies echo those of President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Russian-funded media outlets. Following popular protests against Kremlin-friendly governments in Ukraine in 2004 and 2014, which were supported by the Bush and Obama administrations and American nongovernmental organizations, the Kremlin cast that support as a “coup” and a continuation of the United States’ Cold War machinations. Mr. Benz and the Center for Renewing America have each echoed that argument. Mr. Vought’s think tank has accused the National Endowment for Democracy of serving as “the tip of the proverbial spear for heightened C.I.A. and State Department efforts to foster political revolution in Ukraine.” In a December interview with Mr. Rogan, Mr. Benz claimed that “the U.S. did effectively Jan. 6 the Yanukovich government out of power” in Ukraine in 2014, pointing to its direct and indirect funding of independent media organizations in the country. Mr. McCoy, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was not familiar with Mr. Benz’s work, but said he had noticed a modest uptick in sales of his book “In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power,” since Mr. Benz cited him this month. Mr. McCoy, who was shot at by U.S.-backed guerrillas while investigating U.S.A.I.D. in Laos in 1971, said that applying his work from that era to the agency now was a mistake. In the post-Cold War *******, “I would venture that U.S.A.I.D. is as good if not better than any of the others that are out there,” he said, and cutting it would be “a tragedy for the people affected.” “I think it’s sort of appalling, actually,” he said. Source link #Musk #CoOpt #Lefts #Critique #U.S #Power Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Blows Up Senate Budget Bill at the Last Minute – New York Magazine Trump Blows Up Senate Budget Bill at the Last Minute – New York Magazine Trump Blows Up Senate Budget Bill at the Last Minute New York Magazine‘Did Not See That One Coming’: Trump Endorses House GOP’s Reconciliation Plan After a Standoff NOTUS Source link #Trump #Blows #Senate #Budget #Bill #Minute #York #Magazine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Limited Run Blames Supplier For NES Carts That Damaged Consoles Limited Run Blames Supplier For NES Carts That Damaged Consoles Retro games publisher Limited Run Games has responded to a report that claimed it sold NES game cartridges that could damage consoles. The company said that the report was accurate, blamed the problem on a change in supplier, and apologized for the issue. Earlier this week, Time Extension published a report that included quotes from retro game fan Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso, who accused Limited Run Games of selling classic NES games in 3.3V cartridges, which don’t match the 5V NES consoles that play them. According to Gutiérrez Hermoso, this means that parts on the board draw power from incorrect signals that will eventually damage both the cart and the NES itself. The two games that he identified as suffering from this problem are Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland and PioPow. In a statement provided to Eurogamer, a Limited Run Games spokesperson confirmed the charges in the report, stating in part: “Upon learning about this issue from our community, we immediately began investigating and can confirm that due to an issue with voltage regulation, there is a small chance that prolonged use of these titles could result in damage to either the cartridge or the console hardware.” The company further said that the manufacturer behind these carts had only worked on a “very small handful of titles” for Limited Run Games, and that the company is looking into their previous output to detect other potential problems. In the meantime, Limited Run promised to send replacement cartridges to purchasers and offered refunds as an alternative option as well. Source link #Limited #Run #Blames #Supplier #NES #Carts #Damaged #Consoles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DOJ dismissal hearing in New York court DOJ dismissal hearing in New York court NYC Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at Bellevue Hospital Center on Feb. 18, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images A top Department of Justice official on Wednesday offered a new rationale for the DOJ’s controversial decision to ask a federal judge to dismiss its criminal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #DOJ #dismissal #hearing #York #court Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FHA may face 40% workforce reduction: Bloomberg FHA may face 40% workforce reduction: Bloomberg According to a new Bloomberg report, the Trump administration is considering laying off approximately 40% of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) employees. Yahoo Finance Reporter Claire Boston analyzes the FHA’s critical role in the housing market, its core functions, and how such significant workforce reductions could affect Americans’ access to home loans. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Angel Smith Source link #FHA #face #workforce #reduction #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokémon Go developer Niantic may sell its games division for a mere $3.5 billion Pokémon Go developer Niantic may sell its games division for a mere $3.5 billion Niantic, the company that developed the wildly popular augmented reality (AR) game Pokémon Go, is reportedly its video games — and according to a source speaking to Bloomberg, the deal could be worth just $3.5 billion. The company raised additional funding at a back in 2021. Many people still play Pokémon Go, but the game no longer enjoys the same popularity it had during its launch and the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are around 80 million monthly users as numbers reported midway through last year, but that’s a steep decline from the game’s peak of active players. During those same heady days, Pokémon Go was generating close to a billion dollars annually; now it’s bringing in about of that. Pokémon Go was also a breakthrough success Niantic was unable to replicate, despite its follow-ups being essentially reskins of the same AR experience. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite lasted around three years, while NBA All World survived only five months. Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now are still around, but have never been the cash cows of their older sibling. The company also raised funding in 2021 on the promise of creating a “real-world metaverse,” which has yet to materialize. Niantic also has not been immune to the affecting the games industry. It dumped of its workforce and canceled four projects back in 2022. The following year, it laid off and killed a Marvel-related project. The reported party Niantic is considering selling its games division to is Scopely, which is Savvy Games Group. is part of Saudi Arabia’s government-linked Public Investment Fund, which has stakes in EA, Activision, Nintendo and more. Source link #Pokémon #developer #Niantic #sell #games #division #mere #billion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]