Pelican Press

What is a polar vortex? U.S. gets a taste of the Arctic this week – The Seattle Times What is a polar vortex? U.S. gets a taste of the Arctic this week – The Seattle Times What is a polar vortex? U.S. gets a taste of the Arctic this week The Seattle TimesPolar vortex to bring frigid temperatures, snow and ice to millions of Americans The Washington PostWidespread, Record-Breaking Cold For US This Week The Weather ChannelPolar vortex returns to US as life-threatening cold invades millions as far south as Texas Fox Weather Source link #polar #vortex #U.S #taste #Arctic #week #Seattle #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sydney rail commuters face another day of uncertainty as stoush between government and union continues Sydney rail commuters face another day of uncertainty as stoush between government and union continues Sydney train commuters face a fifth consecutive day of confusion as an industrial dispute between the government and unions continues. Source link #Sydney #rail #commuters #face #day #uncertainty #stoush #government #union #continues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jays’ Francis a likely bet for No. 5 rotation spot Jays’ Francis a likely bet for No. 5 rotation spot DUNEDIN – This time last year, Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis had an uncertain role as a potential spot starter and likely long relief option out of the bullpen. He eventually took advantage of his opportunity and is now a strong bet for the No. 5 spot in a veteran-heavy starting rotation. “I feel like when I got my chance, I just felt comfortable in that role and I could be myself,” Francis said. “This locker-room just creates a good atmosphere for guys like me or guys that are coming up. Just to transition (to a starter), they really allow you to be yourself, which trickles into trusting yourself. It all comes together.” Francis has moved across the locker room at the team’s player development complex and now sits near veteran starters Max Scherzer, Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt. Story continues below advertisement “To be kind of the young buck, it’s like a dream to be a guy like this,” Francis said. “To be a fly on the wall and learn from them.” Scherzer, who will eventually be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, recently signed a one-year deal with the Blue Jays. The acquisition bumped Francis to the likely No. 5 spot while Yariel Rodriguez — who’ll still be stretched out as a starter — became a good bet to start the year in the bullpen. Related Videos 0:29 Bo Bichette going viral for openly flirting with trade Previous Video Next Video Francis struggled in his first two starts last April and didn’t return to the rotation until late July. Toronto was a seller at the trade deadline and it gave the six-foot-five 220-pounder another chance. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. The 28-year-old stepped up and was one of the best pitchers in the big leagues over the last two months of the season. Story continues below advertisement After his return, he had two no-hitters broken up in the ninth inning and posted a minuscule 1.80 earned-run average over 65 innings. “It opened up trust,” he said. “It opened up belief and I guess you can check off the box that I can go the distance. There was some doubt earlier in the year that maybe I couldn’t face the lineup three times, or after 85 pitches I was getting out of there. “I think now, the coaches, they trust me. They know I can go out there and navigate the whole game if I need to.” More on Sports More videos Francis utilized his slider more often towards the end of the campaign, adding it became a “good little fourth weapon.” “I continued to (throw) my splitter, I threw it for strikes and I threw it for chase,” he said. “I just keep working on my arsenal, my game planning and scouting. I think it’s going to be a big part of my game.” Francis is aiming for 30-plus starts this season and being a reliable option for a team looking to rebound after a 74-88 campaign. Trending Now Quebec under blowing snow advisory, parts of Ontario seeing high winds as big dig out begins Trump admin fires hundreds of U.S. air traffic control staff “We saw in a short span what he’s capable of, which was almost historic,” said pitching coach Pete Walker. “To maintain that is really, I think, unrealistic. So we want to make sure his expectations are realistic. Story continues below advertisement “It’s going out there, taking the ball every five days and competing. Obviously utilizing that splitter and commanding his fastball.” As even-keeled as they come, Francis seems confident, at ease and prepared to work hard to maintain his rotation spot. “I feel like pitching is really my thing,” he said. “I’m not someone who’s going to sit upper-90s up there. I’m just going to have to navigate the lineup and do some homework on each guy, have a plan.” Over the first few days of camp, he has gravitated to Scherzer in particular, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, eight-time all-star and two-time World Series winner. “He’s a couple lockers over and my ears are always open,” Francis said. “I’m listening. He’s got an insane amount of information. I know with time, he’s going to open up even more.” Walker noted that veteran influence like that can pay off down the road. “It’s just so beneficial for someone like him,” he said. “He really hasn’t been through the adversities at the major-league level yet. We hope they don’t happen, but if they do, he’s going to have good people around him to support him and get him through it.” This report by The ********* Press was first published Feb. 17, 2025. Story continues below advertisement &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Jays #Francis #bet #rotation #spot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ben Stein cancels Wichita speaking engagement Ben Stein cancels Wichita speaking engagement WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Ben Stein has canceled his upcoming Wichita engagement. The actor, author, economist, and lawyer was set to speak on March 11 at Wichita State for the 2025 Craig W. Barton Speaker Series. The announcement came in December, and free tickets to the event were gone within a day. Wichita State says Stein informed the university last week of his need to cancel due to personal circumstances. Ludacris to perform at Kansas State Fair “We wish Ben well and hope there may be an opportunity to collaborate in the future,” said WSU President Rick Muma in a news release. No alternate speaker has been named to speak in place of Stein for the 2025 Barton Speaker Series. The annual event at Wichita State allows students to hear from differing viewpoints to help encourage critical thinking and conversation. WSU says the 2026 Barton Speaker Series guest will be announced later this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Source link #Ben #Stein #cancels #Wichita #speaking #engagement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump team converges on Riyadh ahead of Ukraine talks with Russia – The Washington Post Trump team converges on Riyadh ahead of Ukraine talks with Russia – The Washington Post Trump team converges on Riyadh ahead of Ukraine talks with Russia The Washington PostRubio Meets Saudi Crown Prince for Talks on Gaza and Ukraine The New York TimesRubio meets Saudi Arabian officials ahead of US-Russia talks expected to lay groundwork for Trump-Putin summit Fox NewsTop Russian and American officials will hold talks on ending the Ukraine war without Kyiv The Associated PressTrump live news: Top US diplomat Rubio in Saudi Arabia on Middle East tour Al Jazeera English Source link #Trump #team #converges #Riyadh #ahead #Ukraine #talks #Russia #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bunbury, Picton, Maidens Park and Dardanup schools to benefit from $24 million election pledge from WA Labor Bunbury, Picton, Maidens Park and Dardanup schools to benefit from $24 million election pledge from WA Labor WA Labor has promised a $24 million package to deliver new and improved school infrastructure across the South West, including primary schools in Bunbury Source link #Bunbury #Picton #Maidens #Park #Dardanup #schools #benefit #million #election #pledge #Labor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ukraine Appears To Have Destroyed Its First Russian S-350 Air Defense System Ukraine Appears To Have Destroyed Its First Russian S-350 Air Defense System Ukraine appears to have destroyed the first example of Russia’s S-350 Vityaz ground-based air defense system since the start of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion. The S-350 is one of Russia’s most advanced surface-to-air missile systems and has previously only been rarely seen deployed in the conflict. A surveillance drone video released by a Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery reconnaissance brigade, named Chornyi Lis (****** Forest), shows the demise of the S-350 transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, purportedly in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The video shows a column of Russian vehicles alongside a tree line, before showing the moment of impact on the isolated TEL — the cluster of launch tubes in the upright position, ready to fire means it’s not easily confused with any other Russian system. Meanwhile, the explosion and subsequent shockwave are broadly consistent with that of a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, although this is just one possibility. The date of the engagement is not specified, but the presence of plenty of green foliage suggests it could pre-date this winter. Video of an earlier HIMARS strike against a Russian air defense system — this time an S-300/S-400 series system — that emerged last summer: A video appeared online that reportedly shows the result of a HIMARS strike on a S-300/S-400 complex in Belgorod region of Russia. I’ve added a picture in the end of the video. I think it adds a little something. pic.twitter.com/VrCTITiIAH — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 3, 2024 “Thanks to the skilled actions of the reconnaissance troops of the Chornyi Lis artillery reconnaissance brigade, we were able to detect and destroy the latest Russian S-350 Vityaz medium- and short-range surface-to-air missile system,” the unit stated. As we have discussed in the past, the S-350 system — developed by the Almaz-Antey company — is made up of different mobile components, including the 50P6 TELs and the very similar 50P6T launcher/loader vehicle, as well as the 50N6A passively electronically scanned array radar, and the 50K6A command post. 50N6A passively electronically scanned array radar vehicle. Vitaly V. Kuzmin 50K6A command post. Vitaly V. Kuzmin The primary missiles fired by the S-350 are from the 9M96 series which can also be used by the long-range S-400 air defense system. The basic 9M96 has a range of only around 18 miles, while the extended-range 9M96D can reach targets at 75 miles, with unconfirmed reports suggesting it could perhaps have a range as far as 90 miles. Each of the 50P6 series launchers can carry 12 of the 9M96 series missiles. Shorter-range 9M100 missiles are also planned to be integrated, these being intended for point defense out to a range of between around six and nine miles. Expected to be carried in much larger numbers on each launch vehicle, it is unclear if these have actually been fielded yet. The S-350, which reportedly began serial production in 2019, and entered service in early 2020, is designed to tackle aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, as well as ballistic missile targets in limited situations. Reportedly, the S-350 can detect and track up to 40 targets simultaneously while engaging eight of them with two missiles per target. S-350 Vityaz air defense systems move through Red Square during a military parade, marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in Moscow on June 24, 2020. Photo by PAVEL GOLOVKIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images PAVEL GOLOVKIN The S-350 was developed with a view to replacing the Cold War-era S-300P series system, an aging weapon that has been employed by Ukraine and Russia in the current conflict. While sharing a high-mobility wheeled chassis like the S-300, the S-350 is altogether more versatile. With the ability to fire missiles optimized for long/medium-range engagements as well as for point defense — at least in its definitive form — the S-350 can cover the same kind of target sets as the S-300 and the Pantsir short-range air defense system (SHORADS). Pantsir-S1 air defense systems move through Red Square in Moscow on May 7, 2021, during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade. Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images DIMITAR DILKOFF In a previous interview with TWZ, Dmitry Stefanovich, a Research Fellow at the Center for International Security, IMEMO RAS, provided his assessment of the advantages offered by the S-350: “Their main asset is the increased number of relatively simpler missiles per launcher, which makes it a good tool against salvo strikes of adversary precision weapons, including cruise missiles, UAVs, and guided MLRS rounds, as well as ballistic missiles,” he explained. “However, there are too few S-350s available due to their somewhat delayed entry into service. Probably the priorities will be shifted now, but in any case, the S-350 has its role in countering adversary precision weapons under any scenario.” As we reported at the time, the S-350 appears to have made its first appearance in the war in Ukraine when evidence emerged of deployment at an airbase less than 40 miles from the Ukrainian border in August 2022. Elements of an S-350 system were seen in an official Russian Ministry of Defense video depicting operations by Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft at Taganrog Air Base, near the port city of the same name in the Rostov region of western Russia. Stills from a new Russia MoD video on Su-25 operations against Ukraine. Several elements of a S-350 SAM system can be seen in the background, including a 50N6A fire-control radar, 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, & 2 launchers: 50P6 TEL(s) and/or 50P6T LLV(s). pic.twitter.com/87HEBhee9f — Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) August 14, 2022 It remains possible that the S-350 was deployed at Taganrog Air Base during some kind of combat trials. However, by early 2024, there was evidence that the S-350 was also being used on the battlefield within Ukraine’s borders. In February 2024, a video emerged showing a knocked-out 50P6 TEL, which is said to have accidentally been driven into a Russian minefield. The level of damage meant that its crew abandoned it, in an incident that reportedly occurred in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. Luhansk Oblast, a Russian 50P6E TEL from an S-350 SAM system accidentally drove into a Russian minefield, hitting a mine. The vehicle was reportedly severely damaged, with Russian recovery crews unable to retrieve it due to the minefield. pic.twitter.com/nLbmQandO2 — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 10, 2024 Employment of the S-350 on or close to the front lines is something that we had predicted when the system first appeared at Taganrog. The appearance of this very modern system reflects the continued challenge posed by Ukrainian drones, missiles and guided bombs — as well as crewed aircraft — over the battlefield, with the Russian Armed Forces still incapable of gaining air superiority nearly three years after the full-scale invasion was launched. Unlike the tracked S-300V and Buk series, for example — the older S-300P doesn’t offer the same level of mobility when operating off-road, especially in the snow and mud of the Ukrainian winter. The S-350 is more mobile and better suited to frontline operations thank its predecessor. At the same time, there have been unverified reports from Ukraine suggesting that the S-350 has been pushed toward the front lines to make up for deficiencies in the Pantsir, which has also suffered notably heavy losses — at least 27 examples have been lost, according to the Oryx open-source tracking group. However, many more have likely been lost because Oryx only tabulates losses for which it has visual confirmation. A destroyed Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system is displayed in the center of Kyiv. Photo by Aleksandr Gusev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images SOPA Images With that in mind, anything that can further extend Russian air defense coverage — especially against drone and missile threats — is to be welcomed by the Russian Armed Forces. However, with the slow rate of S-350 production — almost certainly hampered by international sanctions — and the unclear status of the new 9M100 missiles, the impact that the system will have on the battlefield will likely be fairly limited, for now. Contact the author: *****@*****.tld Source link #Ukraine #Appears #Destroyed #Russian #S350 #Air #Defense #System Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla was hit by a wave of protests over Musk, sales are crashing, insiders are waking up – Electrek Tesla was hit by a wave of protests over Musk, sales are crashing, insiders are waking up – Electrek Tesla was hit by a wave of protests over Musk, sales are crashing, insiders are waking up ElectrekThe anti-Musk protest movement is expected to ramp up with Congress on recess Pittsburgh Post-GazetteProtesters march outside Lyndhurst Tesla Cleveland 19 NewsLocal group protests D.C. happenings and Elon Musk WKBN.com Source link #Tesla #hit #wave #protests #Musk #sales #crashing #insiders #waking #Electrek Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bunbury high school students gather for first South West Youth Mental Health Forum Bunbury high school students gather for first South West Youth Mental Health Forum Bunbury high school students attended the first South West-held youth mental health forum last week at the Bunbury Lighthouse. Source link #Bunbury #high #school #students #gather #South #West #Youth #Mental #Health #Forum Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Accident on Thruway near Little Falls closes down section of I-90 Accident on Thruway near Little Falls closes down section of I-90 LITTLE FALLS/HERKIMER, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — A motor vehicle accident has sent several ambulances to the Thruway in Little Falls and shut down a section of the New York State Thruway on Monday. The New York State Thruway Authority has reported a ****** at Milepost 213 on I-90 between exits 29A and 30. Severe weather conditions are believed to have caused the ******. The Thruway Authority has diverted all traffic to Exit 29A in Little Falls. The extent of the accident is yet unconfirmed. Currently, according to the Thruway Authority website, all lanes between Exit 29A and 30 are blocked and closed down until further notice. This is an ongoing incident. We will provide more information as it becomes available to us. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV – CNYhomepage.com. Source link #Accident #Thruway #Falls #closes #section #I90 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How much snow did Appleton get last week, over Valentine’s Day weekend? Here’s what to know How much snow did Appleton get last week, over Valentine’s Day weekend? Here’s what to know APPLETON — In the last 10 days, Appleton was nearly the same amount of snowfall as December and January combined — 10.1 inches last week, according to the National Weather Service Green Bay. A majority of the snow came from Friday and Saturday’s snowfall, which accounted for 7.2 inches. Friday got 3.2 inches, while Saturday saw 4 inches. It was nearly twice what was predicted — Appleton was given a 72% chance to get 4 inches of snow across the two days. The Outagamie County village that saw the most accumulated snow over the weekend was Kaukauna with 8.1 inches, according to the weather service’s snowfall summary for Feb. 14-16. The village with the least was New London with 6.7 inches. Other amounts in Outagamie County include: There was fresh snowfall prior to the weekend as well, with a tenth of an inch on Monday followed by 2.8 inches Wednesday in Appleton. According to Jason Alumbaugh, meteorologist for National Weather Service Green Bay, the month of December saw 7.5 inches of accumulated snow in Appleton, while January saw a total of 3 inches. The 10.5 inches in those two months are just .4 inches more than what Appleton received in the last 10 days. “There’s been times where the two systems storms that have happened in a week have dropped more snow. But I will say, the way that things have gone this winter so far, that’s a pretty active week for what we’ve been seeing this winter so far,” for sure.” Alumbaugh told The Post-Crescent. Is more snow on the way? Alumbaugh told The Post-Crescent that this week is expected to be quiet, as far as precipitation goes. The main thing is the temperatures, as bitter cold temperatures are expected for Monday and Tuesday. Here’s the forecast: Monday: High of 3 with wind chills values between -20 and -25 during the day, and low of -10 with values of -20 and -25 at night Tuesday: High of 8, with wind chill values between -20 and -30 during the day, low of -6, with wind chill values between -10 and -20 Appleton weather radar You can also view the USA Today snowfall tracker to see a map of snowfall accumulated in your area. Rashad Alexander can be contacted at *****@*****.tld and 920-431-8214. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton hit with 10 inches of snow Feb. 10 to 16, bitter cold ahead Source link #snow #Appleton #week #Valentines #Day #weekend #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Final Fantasy Commander Decks Revealed, Feature Cloud, Tidus, and More – IGN Final Fantasy Commander Decks Revealed, Feature Cloud, Tidus, and More – IGN Final Fantasy Commander Decks Revealed, Feature Cloud, Tidus, and More IGNUpcoming Releases – 2025 MTG Arena Zone Source link #Final #Fantasy #Commander #Decks #Revealed #Feature #Cloud #Tidus #IGN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Azarenka battles back from the brink at Dubai Open Azarenka battles back from the brink at Dubai Open Victoria Azarenka, the former world No.1, has rallied from a set and a break down to beat Anhelina Kalinina 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to reach the second round of the Dubai Open. Azarenka, 35, trailed 5-2 in the second set and was down 4-2 in the tiebreaker before winning the next five points. She now faces second-seeded Iga Swiatek, who had a bye into the second round. Diana Shnaider, the second seed, ousted Magdalena Frech 6-2 6-2 while No.12 Mirra Andreeva beat Elina Avanesyan 6-2 6-1 to set up a meeting with 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. Two seeded players were knocked out on Monday. Daria Kasatkina, the No 10, lost 6-1 6-4 to Sorana Cirstea and No.13 Beatriz Haddad Maia was eliminated by Anastasia Potapova, who won 6-3 6-0. Former Wimbledon and US Open runner-up Ons Jabeur also went out, beaten 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 by American Peyton Stearns. Source link #Azarenka #battles #brink #Dubai #Open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

We will not accept a peace deal without Ukraine’s involvement We will not accept a peace deal without Ukraine’s involvement Ukraine will not recognise a peace deal negotiated by the US and Russia if it is not involved in the talks, Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The Ukrainian president insisted he would rebut any deal struck in Saudi Arabia to end the long-running conflict after he was excluded from the negotiating table. Senior American and Russian officials, including the countries’ top diplomats, will begin negotiating an end to the war on Tuesday in Riyadh, in what is the most significant meeting between the sides since Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Before negotiations had even begun, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, ruled out any territorial concessions to Ukraine. The swiftly arranged meeting between Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sent Kyiv and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal without them. “We cannot recognise any things or agreements about us without us. And we will not recognise such agreements,” Mr Zelensky said. “Surely, there is a bilateral track there. And the US has the right to do so if they have bilateral issues. To be honest, they talked about it before. Only now have they started talking publicly. Back then, it was like bad manners — to talk to an aggressor during wartime.” Putin demands Ukraine renounce Nato bid Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the four regions that Russia annexed in September 2022 and renounce its bid to join Nato as part of any prospective peace deal. Mr Trump, who has not said whether he will continue vital military assistance to Ukraine, has said he wants $500 billion in rare earth minerals from Kyiv and that Washington’s support needs to be “secured”. Mr Lavrov ruled out any territorial concessions to Ukraine. “Territorial concessions to what is now called Ukraine were made by the Soviet leadership during the formation of the USSR,” he said before heaping scorn on a Ukrainian bid to do a deal giving the United States access to rare earth minerals. “How should we give in – with Russian people or with rare earth metals?” Mr Lavrov added. Sergei Lavrov speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, on Monday – Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool AFP The talks in Saudi Arabia mark another pivotal step by Mr Trump’s administration to reverse US policy on isolating Russia, and are meant to pave the way for a meeting between the president and Putin. Elsewhere, Britain became the first European military power to announce that it was prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine. “The *** is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine’s military – where the *** has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030,” Sir Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, wrote in The Telegraph. “But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary. I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.” Ukraine and several EU countries have insisted that without security guarantees, Russia could invade the country again, even if a settlement is reached. Those guarantees could include Nato membership, which Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, poured cold water on last week. Ukraine has also expressed hopes of joining the EU, but that is complicated and could take years. Source link #accept #peace #deal #Ukraines #involvement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

This Ghost Particle Passed Through Planets Like They Were Nothing! – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel This Ghost Particle Passed Through Planets Like They Were Nothing! – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel This Ghost Particle Passed Through Planets Like They Were Nothing! The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries ChannelA neutrino telescope spots the signs of something cataclysmic The EconomistScientists detect record-breaking ‘ghost particle’ in the Mediterranean Sea CNNObservation of an ultra-high-energy cosmic neutrino with KM3NeT Nature.com‘Ultrahigh Energy’ Neutrino Found With a Telescope Under the Sea The New York Times Source link #Ghost #Particle #Passed #Planets #Daily #Galaxy #Great #Discoveries #Channel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System review Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System review Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: one-minute review The Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is just that. It is indeed an air fryer, and not really more than that, but the design is utterly unique. Rather than cooking in a plastic drawer, your food goes on a metal tray in a glass cooking container with built-in plastic handles and feet. The heating element, which Ninja calls the PowerPod, is placed onto the glass container. When your cooking is complete, simply remove the PowerPod and place the glass container right onto the table for serving. If you have leftovers, you can just put the included lid on your glass container and stick it in your fridge. The glass containers come in multiple sizes and the PowerPod has an adapter so it will fit on each container perfectly. There are four cooking modes: Bake, Air Fry, Max Crisp, and Recrisp. Each runs at a different temperature range, so you have some flexibility. Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: price and availability List price: $159.99 (about £127 / AU$251) You can purchase the Ninja Crispi directly from Ninja’s website, where it’s available in a number of bundles containing multiple glass containers. You can also purchase extra glass containers in three different sizes separately: $29.99 for the six-cup container, $39.99 for the 2.5-quart container, and $44.99 for the four-quart size. The standard $159.99 system, which I tested, comes with the large four quart and the small six cup glass container. It’s available just about everywhere that sells air fryers online and in person, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and many more. Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Price $159.95 Cooking functions Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, Max Crisp Weight 15.74 lbs / 7.14 kg Size 13.39 in L x 11.97 in W x 13.58 in H / 34.01 cm L x 30.04 cm W x 34.49 cm H Number of preset functions: 4 Number of glass cooking dish sizes available: 3 Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: design and features Heat comes from removable Crispi PowerPod Four cooking functions Looks functional rather than attractive The cleverly designed Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is a really a cooking pod, called the PowerPod, and a collection of glass cooking dishes. The cooking dishes, which Ninja calls TempWare Containers, withstand high cooking temperatures and are made just for the Ninja Crispi. You must use Ninja’s TempWare Containers; the PowerPod won’t work on other dishes. A built-in plastic piece adds handles and feet so you can place the dishes on any countertop. Each cooking dish comes with a metal crisper plate that nests inside and keeps the food off the bottom so air can circulate around it. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) Place your food into one of the glass dishes on the crisper plate and place the pod on top. The PowerPod fits the small six-cup dish perfectly on its own. If you’re using the larger four-quart dish, you’ll need to use the included adapter for the PowerPod. Choose your cooking function mode: Recrisp (380°-400°F), Bake (375°-400°F), Air Fry (400°-425F), or Max Crisp (425°-450°). Select your cook time by pressing the – or + buttons. Press the start button to begin. As with most air fryers, you will usually need to flip your food over halfway through the cook time. To pause cooking, simply remove the PowerPod and it will power off automatically. To re-start cooking, place the pod back onto the glass container and hit the start button once again. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) The standard bundle comes with the largest glass dish, which has a four quart capacity, and the smallest one, which holds six cups. Ninja also makes a medium 2.5-quart glass dish, which is sold separately. Any of the glass dishes can be purchased separately, and there are different bundles you can buy with varying dish combinations. The handles and feet allow you to use the dishes for serving the food; there’s no need to transfer it to another container. All of the cooking dishes also come with an air-tight lid, so you can use the dishes for storing food as well. Cleaning the Ninja Crispi is easy. You don’t need to clean the PowerPod, just the glass containers and crisper plates. They are even dishwasher safe, though it is easy enough to just wash them by hand. Though it’s not mentioned in the literature, I was able to use paper air fryer liners which made cleanup even easier. Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: performance Though there are four cooking modes, the Ninja Crispi is truly an air fryer. The Air Fryer, Max Crisp, and Recrisp modes all worked pretty much as expected. The Bake mode, however, was a bit disappointing. I tried baking several items, all of which turned out fully browned on the top and raw in the middle. Since air frying in general requires flipping for even crisping, I’m not that surprised that the baking mode wasn’t great. I think baking would be fine for something quite thin, like cookies or very small mini muffins. If you want to make something thicker, like full-sized cupcakes, you’re better off using a regular oven. Of course, most people don’t buy air fryers in order to bake. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I eat a lot of fresh roasted vegetables, so I air fried broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. I used both Air Fry and Max Crisp modes. There is a learning curve, but once I got the hang of it, the veggies turned out delicious with just the barest spritz of oil. You definitely want to remember to flip your food, at least once during the cooking process. When I didn’t flip it, the food did not cook evenly. The Ninja Crispi is very, very fast. It’s a good idea to check your food frequently to make sure you don’t burn it. Even with careful flipping and checking, vegetables tend to brown (or blacken) quickly in some spots before all of them are fully cooked. Raw vegetables tended to come out more blackened and crisp rather than tender. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) My favorite vegetable cooked from its raw state was the diced sweet potatoes. They were crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The next day I used the Recrisp mode to heat up the leftovers, which turned out great. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I made a bunch of veggie burgers, as well as protein waffles, veggie tots, falafel ******, and veggie “chicken” nuggets. They all turned out wonderful and crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. I didn’t need to add any oil to any of these convenience foods. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) I hosted a Super Bowl party and air fried some frozen french fries for my guests. The fries disappeared so quickly, I ended up air frying another batch immediately! They were perfectly crisp and evenly browned on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle. I did nothing to doctor them at all, no oil or seasonings, and they came out just right. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) My family got in on the air frying fun. My youngest is a more adventurous cook than I, and they made some panko-crusted and seasoned tofu squares. The tofu was delicious! As expected, it was nice and crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. They didn’t even have to press and dry the tofu first. I’m a vegetarian but my husband eats meat; he used the Ninja Crispi to quickly and easily cook some chicken breasts. They got nicely browned on the outside (flipping half-way through cook time is a must) and cooked all the way through. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) As I mentioned above, I did try Bake mode. First, I made some pancake bites in a little silicone baking dish. The tops browned but the rest was still raw. I actually pulled off all the tops, flipped them over, and put them through another bake cycle. That worked fine. I also baked a (rather thick) protein air fryer cookie with the same results. I did the same thing where I pulled off the top, flipped it over, and put it through another cycle. Again, it was fine that way. So if you do use Bake mode, just be sure your items are very thin. (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) Should you buy the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System? Swipe to scroll horizontally Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System report card Attributes Notes Rating Value The Ninja Crispi isn’t your typical air fryer at all; the unique design makes it worth its price tag. 3/5 Design While it’s not particularly pretty, it’s so cleverly designed with the PowerPod and glass dishes that go from cooking to serving to storing your food. 4.5/5 Performance Air Fry, Max Crisp, and Recrisp modes are great; Bake mode is less so. 4.5/5 Overall There’s nothing on the market quite like the Ninja Crispi. Its flexibility and portability make it stand out from the crowd. 4/5 Buy it if Don’t buy it if Ninja Crispi: also consider If you’re not sure about the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System, here are some other options to consider… How I tested the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System I tested Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp modes multiple times I used it daily for two weeks to cook a variety of food I cleaned it after each use Although I’m a foodie, I’m kind of a lazy cook. As a wife and mother of three, I used to put more effort into crafting a variety of nutritious meals from scratch when my kids were little. Now that they’re grown, I still want to eat healthy meals, I just don’t want to take the time to cook them. The Ninja Crispi certainly helps me get food on the table fast. My family (my husband, my adult child, and I) used the Ninja Crispi daily, sometimes multiple times in one day, for two weeks. We made loads of fresh veggies, plus veggie burgers, veggie chicken nuggets, french fries, frozen waffles, breaded tofu, falafel, veggie tots, chicken breasts, pancake bites, and a protein breakfast cookie. I cleaned it after each use, which was quite easy. I did use paper air fryer liners sometimes, which made cleanup even easier. Read more about how we test. Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future) Source link #Ninja #Crispi #4in1 #Portable #Glass #Air #Fryer #Cooking #System #review Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

French Film Festival returns to BREC to join French and *********** cultures after last year’s popularity French Film Festival returns to BREC to join French and *********** cultures after last year’s popularity The Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre will host the returning Alliance Francaise French Film Festival in April. Running from April 10 to April 13, the festival will celebrate the cultural connection between Australia and France, with an audience development of cultural understanding. Talent from new and upcoming French filmmakers would be featured, with performances direct from the Cannes Film Festival. Chief executive officer for the film festival Frederic Alliod said they have lined up a screening of “special events” for 2025, and promised an exclusive cinematic experience. “While France is recognised as an avant-garde country in the arts, the festival will explore the real-life stories of prominent French cultural figures,” he said. “We’re excited to introduce *********** audiences not only to the iconic figures of French cinema, but also to a new wave of emerging directors.” Nine films would be featured, with themes that include comedy, drama, hope, failures, and success. Camera IconFrench films such as the 2024 adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo would be played. Credit: Supplied The well-known The Count of Monte Cristo will debut as part of the festival in Australia, alongside My Brother’s Band and Before What Comes After. Opening night is in the Sky Bar of BREC, catered by La Pause Miam with refreshments provided and promised to be a “frivolous French affair”. Tickets are now available. Source link #French #Film #Festival #returns #BREC #join #French #*********** #cultures #years #popularity Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Truth About Gabby Petito’s Relationship With Brian Laundrie The Truth About Gabby Petito’s Relationship With Brian Laundrie Originally appeared on E! Online By all accounts, Gabby Petito‘s relationship with her fiancé Brian Laundrie didn’t much resemble the rosy picture she painted on social media as she attempted to get her #VanLife aspirations off the ground. Sadly, those accounts didn’t start pouring in until after she was dead. Federal investigators concluded that Brian killed Gabby in August 2021, less than two months into their odyssey. Her dream of tooling around the United States’ most breathtaking spots in their 2012 Ford Transit Connect van and documenting the experience on YouTube ended a few days after she posted her first—and only—video. The new Netflix docuseries American *******: Gabby Petito delves into Gabby and Brian’s toxic relationship, the days leading up to her death and the ensuing search for her—and, eventually, for Brian, who took his own life in September 2021. While the three-part series revisits well-trod territory, it features new interviews with Gabby’s parents, friends and an ex-boyfriend, as well as investigators who worked the case. Directors Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro also used Gabby’s own photos, videos and journal entries (chillingly read aloud using voice recreation technology) to piece together the reality of what was really going on between her and Brian. More from E! Online After Gabby’s body was found in the Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming’s Bridger–Teton National Forest on Sept. 19, 2021, the coroner subsequently ruled her death a *********, caused by manual strangulation and blunt-force trauma to her head and neck. Brian wrote in a notebook found with his remains that he had “ended” Gabby’s life, that they’d been crossing a stream and she was apparently injured so badly that she begged him to make her pain go away. The FBI called B.S. on his version of events, as did Gabby’s family. Courtesy of Netflix “We knew at that point we weren’t ever going to get remotely close to answers we were hoping for,” her stepfather Jim Schmidt said in the series, “because the only two people that truly knew what happened are now both gone.” Jim was in Wyoming when her body was found and had to break the news over a conference call to Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt and dad and stepmom, Joe Petito and Tara Petito. While her fate is well-known, it’s all the more heartbreaking seeing Gabby alive and well in her videos, earnestly trying to make something of this trip that—as discussed in the series—she increasingly didn’t want to be on. Or at least not with Brian. Here are the revelations from American *******: Gabby Petito that shed new light on her life and death: Gabby Petito’s Family Thought Brian Laundrie Was Nice, But… “I thought he was a little socially awkward but very polite,” Gabby Petito‘s mom Nichole Schmidt said of Brian Laundrie in Netflix’s American *******: Gabby Petito. “Kinda quiet,” noted Gabby’s stepfather Jim Schmidt. But, said Gabby’s father Joe Petito, Brian “shook your hand, looked you in the eye.” Gabby and Brian got together after high school—love at first sight, he’d tell friends of the moment he saw her outside a deli and pulled over to talk to her—and after less than nine months of dating she moved to Florida with him to be closer to his family in December 2019. Rose Davis, a friend Gabby met in Florida, said of hanging out with both her and Brian for the first time, “It felt like a parent was watching us on a play date. It was very weird.” Brian was “very nice,” she added, but Rose remembered going home and telling her mom, “there is something off about him.” “That just started becoming more and more clear as our friendship progressed,” Rose said. “Brian had a very dark side of him.” Brian proposed in July 2020. Nichole said she found out Gabby was engaged from Brian’s mom Roberta Laundrie posting about it on Facebook. “She didn’t want to tell anybody,” Nichole said. “I thought that was really strange.” Gabby’s stepmother Tara Petito said she found it “a little bit shocking” that Brian didn’t ask Joe for his daughter’s hand before popping the question. Gabby was excited and happy at first, Nichole said, “but as time went on, she kind of lost that excitement.” Brian Laundrie Didn’t Support Gabby Petito’s #VanLife Dream Rose recalled how much Gabby loved working at Taco Bell, the job she took to help her pay for her beloved white 2012 Ford Transit Connect van. But Brian “started feeling neglected and having this possessiveness” over Gabby, she said. In text messages shown in the series, he disparaged her job and called the people she worked with “low lifes,” writing it was “f–king disgusting” she had become one of them. He managed to make her feel bad about making him feel bad, which resulted in her feeling undeserving of Brian’s love, Rose said, “and he wanted her to feel that way.” “I think there was a moment before her van life that she started to open her eyes,” Rose added. Gabby was getting “more frustrated. I think it was all clicking for her, the more it went on.” Still, Brian looked amiable enough in the footage Gabby shot as they embarked on their #VanLife odyssey in July 2021. But according to Rose, he didn’t think much of his fiancée’s dream and mainly went along for the ride to have her all to himself. “If I get her away from her job, I get her away from her friend, she only has me,” Rose said of his motivations. “And then, next thing you know, they were gone.” Gabby told her, Rose continued, that Brian thought her vlog idea was “stupid.” But, she added, “I think he was worried that the truth of everything would be on footage. There’s that possibility he says the wrong thing or reacts the wrong way while she’s recording.” The Cops Gave Brian Laundrie the Benefit of the Doubt On Aug. 12, 2021, a witness called 911 to report he had seen a man slapping a woman on the side of the road in Moab, Utah, after which they drove off and the van they were riding in hit a curb. Body cam footage from the Moab City Police’s encounter with Brian and Gabby that day was aired weeks later during the investigation into Gabby’s fate. But it remains shocking to see Gabby basically taking responsibility for their physical altercation, telling officers she had anxiety and “really bad OCD” and Brian really stressed her out but had been trying to calm her down. Brian had scratches on his face from Gabby’s phone, he said, telling police he was trying to push her away as she attempted to get the van keys from him. When a cop asked Gabby how she got bruises on her face and arm, she kept saying “I don’t know.” But she had been yelling at him, she said, and told police, “I guess I hit him first.” One officer told another, per the footage, that “from what she’s claiming, she’s the full-on aggressor here.” A cop then escorted Brian to a hotel known in the area as a refuge for victims of domestic violence, while Gabby was given the keys to the van and told where, an officer said, she could get a cheap hot shower to “decompress, destress a little bit.” The couple were ordered to refrain from contact, including texting, until the next day, but they reunited that night and soon were headed to Salt Lake City. The Police Footage Was Eye-Opening for Gabby Petito’s Family “She never told me about their fight in Moab,” Rose said in the series, having noted that Gabby had FaceTimed her every few weeks from the road, “but I’ve seen her that upset before, because of him.” Recalling how she felt finding out about the 911 call and viewing the police footage for the first time that September, Gabby’s mom Nichole said in the series, “I watched my daughter looking frightened to death. That’s when I realized that things were way worse than I could have imagined.” And “to see the distress my daughter was in, and then [cops] laughing and joking around [with Brian],” Nichole continued, “I could not believe that she was being treated as an aggressor.” Gabby Petito Texted Her Ex-Boyfriend From the Road Gabby’s ex-boyfriend Jackson (no last name given) said in the series that he heard from her out of the blue on Aug. 22, 2021. They had dated for about a year before she started seeing Brian, he noted, and had talked about doing the #VanLife thing together. So, when he heard about her adventure with Brian, he was a little wistful, but also happy for her. “I’m sure I’m the last person on the planet you want to hear from,” she wrote in a text shown in the series, adding that she was “only alone until tomorrow,” if they could talk before then. He later considered her reaching out “a cry for help.” On the phone Gabby “hinted” that she and Brian had an argument, Jackson recalled, and she said “I have a plan, I think I want to leave him.” She just had to figure out when, she told him. “I think that she wasn’t sure of what he would do, or what he could do,” Jackson said. “I think she was wanting to get away but just didn’t know how to do it.” Gabby Snapchatted him on Aug. 27 saying being in Jackson Hole, Wyo., reminded her of him. She also called him later that day, at 1:45 p.m., Jackson said, but he was at work and couldn’t answer. That was the last he ever heard from her. “Maybe if I did answer that phone call,” he said, “I could have helped or there could have been a different outcome.” Gabby Petito’s Parents Tried to Get in Touch With Brian Laundrie’s Family On Aug. 27, Gabby texted her mom: “I’m fine. I convinced Brian to go camp out in the woods so I can have the van to myself. It’s what he wants to do anyway. I don’t care. He said I could have the van if I paid him.” Nichole asked if they were breaking up, to which Gabby replied, “No I just said I could make more money as a solo female van lifer. I’m driving to a campsite now.” Further texts to Gabby went unanswered. Nichole received one from her daughter’s phone Aug. 30 that struck her as weird, she said, because it referred to Gabby’s grandfather by his name, Stan, instead of “grandpa.” Having heard nothing from Gabby since, Nichole texted Brian’s mother, Roberta, on Sept. 10 and got no reply. When she attempted again, she said, the bubble had gone from blue to green, an indication either Roberta’s phone was off or Nichole had been blocked. Gabby’s dad Joe also tried contacting Roberta and Brian’s dad Chris Laundrie, as well as his sister Cassie Laundrie, to no avail, Joe said in the series. Including, he added, when he texted they were calling the police. E! News reached out to the Laundries’ attorney for comment but did not hear back. The series noted that, through their lawyer, they declined to provide a comment. (At the time, Cassie told reporters that she and her husband were getting updates about the case from the media and didn’t know what was going on with her parents or brother. “We are just as upset, frustrated and heartbroken as everybody else,” she said.) This Was When Gabby Petito’s Parents Knew Something Was Really Wrong On Sept. 11, North Port, Fla., police officers went to Roberta and Chris’ home to see if they had any information about Gabby’s whereabouts. The cops’ body cam footage shows Chris telling them that Brian was inside, he had nothing to say and the police could call the family’s attorney. As heard from the footage and audio recordings, police in North Port and New York’s Suffolk County, where Gabby’s family lived, were at a loss as to what to do next, since there was no proof yet that a crime had been committed. But the van Brian and Gabby had been traveling in was parked in the Laundries’ driveway and, because Gabby’s name was the only one on the title, police were able to promptly tow it away. Finding all of this out, Nichole recalled in the series, “My body would not stop shaking…I knew something bad happened.” Added Gabby’s dad Joe, “We started screaming.” Stepmom Tara said, “I collapsed.” Friend Rose noted, “I just lost it, to be honest. I was screaming, ‘What did he do? He did something, what did he do?'” Brian Laundrie’s Mom Told Him She’d Help Him Get Rid of a Body When authorities returned to the Laundrie house on Sept. 17, Brian’s parents said he wasn’t there, they hadn’t seen him for three days and they wanted to report him missing, FBI Special Agent, Tampa Division, Loretta Bush recounted in the series. Among his belongings at the house, the agent continued, was a letter from his mother, on which she’d written “burn after reading).” “You are my boy, nothing can make me stop loving you. Nothing will or could ever divide us, no matter what we do,” Bush read. “If you are in jail I will bake a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags.” In the series, both Rose and Tara called the letter “disgusting.” Nichole said, “It made me sick to my stomach.” Investigators Detailed Brian Laundrie’s Attempt to Create an Alibi On Aug. 29, Brian made “a flurry of calls to his parents,” Busy said. “They contacted each other multiple times. We learned that he told them Gabby was gone and he needed a lawyer…At which point his parents wired money to a lawyer.” Joe remembered thinking, “You’re going to throw $25,000 of your hard-earned cash out on a lawyer from f–king Wyoming? And you’re telling me you didn’t ask where she was? That’s some bulls–t.” Gabby’s stepdad Jim alleged the amount couldn’t be for “anything less than to represent somebody for *******.” Most chillingly, investigators figured out using cellular data that he’d been texting Gabby under the guise that she was alive, but that his messages weren’t read on her phone until he was back at the Spread Creek Dispersed camping area in Bridger-Teton National Forest, where her phone was. “The activity between the two phones was almost instantaneous,” Special Agent Bush explained. “He was holding both phones and talking directly to himself. It was apparent that he was trying to create an alibi.” Brian started the drive to Florida on Aug. 30, using Gabby’s debit card to pay for gas at multiple stations along the way, per the FBI. He sent the text about Gabby’s grandfather to her mom and sent himself a Zelle payment from Gabby’s account for $700, as if she were paying him for the van. The transaction memo read, “Goodbye Brian, I’ll never ask you for anything again.” Joe Petito Remains Haunted by Thoughts of Daughter Gabby’s Last Moments Gabby’s body was found Sept. 19, 2021, by members of the official search party in the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area. She was lying in the fetal position on her left side, wearing a hoodie. The coroner determined she’d been strangled and had blunt force trauma to her head and neck. An agent noted in the series, “She was not laying in a natural position,” leading them to believe she was killed elsewhere and the crime scene had been staged. Gabby’s stepdad Jim was in town for the search. When he saw a photo of her body, “just left there like she was a piece of trash by someone who was supposed to love her,” he “collapsed to the ground,” he recalled in the series. He then called Nichole, Joe and Tara. “I got a phone call that I’d never see my daughter again,” Joe said. Tara called it the worst day of their life. “I think about the last moments a lot,” Joe continued. “I’m sure she was scared. And anytime she was scared she would call me or Jim, [Tara] or Nicki, so I don’t know who she called out for.” Gabby Petito’s Family Didn’t Buy Brian Laundrie’s Version of Events Brian’s skeletal remains were found Oct. 20 in the Carlton Memorial Reserve. His death was ruled a suicide from a gunshot wound to the head. In a waterproof bag found nearby, there were pictures of Brian and Gabby, a waterproof notebook in which he wrote that she’d been injured and he “ended her life” to take away her pain. But from that moment, he added, “I knew I couldn’t go on without her.” There were also letters in the bag, including one stating, “Please do not make life harder for my family, they lost a son and a daughter.” Nichole reflected in the series, “I always found it odd that he wrote in there, leave my parents out of this, they didn’t do anything wrong.” Jim noted, “Not one of the versions of Brian’s account was accurate by the findings of Gabby’s autopsy. The sole cause of her death was strangulation and nothing remotely or even close to what he said.” A judge awarded Gabby’s family $3 million in a wrongful death lawsuit they filed against Brian’s estate in 2022. Another suit they filed against his parents, for intentional and reckless infliction of emotional distress, was settled in February 2024. American *******: Gabby Petito is streaming on Netflix. For more information on domestic abuse or to get help for yourself or someone you love, visit the website for The National Domestic Violence Hotline ( or call 1-800-799-7233. Source link #Truth #Gabby #Petitos #Relationship #Brian #Laundrie Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

50 Terrible Songs on Great Albums – Rolling Stone 50 Terrible Songs on Great Albums – Rolling Stone 50 Terrible Songs on Great Albums Rolling Stone Source link #Terrible #Songs #Great #Albums #Rolling #Stone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Maggie Dent heads to TV for new ABC parenting series The Role Of A Lifetime Maggie Dent heads to TV for new ABC parenting series The Role Of A Lifetime Maggie Dent is one of Australia’s best-known and most respected parenting gurus. She’s written books, hosted seminars, worked as a counsellor, and her ABC podcast, Parental As Anything, remains hugely successful, a resource for frazzled parents of kids all ages. Dent’s latest project sees her stepping into the television space for the first time — she’s lending her expertise to The Role Of Lifetime, a unique series aimed at helping parents “make sense of modern parenting”, hosted by Amanda Keller. “I was really impressed (when I saw preview episodes),” says Dent, who is speaking to The West *********** from her home on the east coast. “I have just finished the whole five (episodes), and I just know how much this is going to improve communication in homes.” The series focuses on issues affecting parents of school-aged children in today’s world, raising questions like: when is a good time to give my teen a phone? How do I help my child if they are being bullied online? Why is my kid obsessed with gaming? Dent is on hand to weigh in, joining other experts in various fields to provide insight into the best course of action. Alongside the practical advice, actor Kate Ritchie and comedian Nazeem Hussain are acting out scenarios, playing parents of a tween and a teen, illustrating common parenting scenarios through the lens of a fictional ‘sitcom family’ — they then hop out of character to chat with the experts as themselves (both are parents in real life). It works surprisingly well. Camera IconThe Role Of A Lifetime features a sitcom family. Credit: Supplied/ABC “The sitcom bit, that’s brilliant,” says Dent, “Because (the things they are acting out), that’s exactly what is happening, in every home — and oh my God, they play it out so well!” Dent says she was convinced to take part in the series because of the involvement of the show’s producers, which included creative Debbie Cuell who was also behind the hugely successful and award-winning Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds. “They are such a good team — they had done that one with the elderly and kids and teens, and if it was anyone else, I would have said no,” Dent explains. “But because they are of that high quality, I was already in.” Producers worked with Dent to help flesh out the direction things would take — she’s thrilled with how everything came together. “It is so engaging,” she says of the five-part series. “I don’t think you’d have to force an adult to stay on the couch (and watch), and you wouldn’t have to if you had a teen watching it … they will be sitting there, nudging their parents, saying, ‘See, this is what it’s like. You do lecture me, and you do nag at me — it’s not helpful’. “And it will be the other way around as well, with parents saying, ‘See, I do need to set boundaries’.” At the end of the day, Dent hopes the series will help open up this vital avenue for communication, so important during those confounding tween and teen years. Camera IconJo Lamble, pictured with Ritchie and Hussain, is one of the experts on hand. Credit: James Gourley/ABC “It is so much harder today, as a parent,” she explains. “And particularly in this window. “Reassuring parents that the fact they are pulling their hair out, and laying awake for hours — that means (they) are really doing a good enough job in this space. “Because everything is moving and shifting all the time, and the world is portrayed — because we have this 24/7 news cycle — so that the negative side of the news is portrayed so much more. “No wonder it pulls kids down, and they are starting to feel disillusioned with being in the world — we are not marinating the good stories.” And at its heart, this is one of them: a good news story. It’s a series full of hope and optimism for parents navigating this tricky time during a tricky time in history — they’ve got this. “I think when we realise we are not alone in the complexity of what we are dealing with, that it is not us against our teens, that we are in it together, it’s so helpful,” she says. “What (our teens and tweens) absolutely need is exactly what they needed as toddlers: and that is a safe base to land on, because they are meant to make mistakes. “It’s not the parents’ problem alone, and it’s not the teen’s problem alone — we have got to work out how to work together to get them over this bridge to adulthood in as positive a way as possible.” The Role Of A Lifetime starts Tuesday February 18 at 8.30pm, with all episodes dropping on ABC iview. Source link #Maggie #Dent #heads #ABC #parenting #series #Role #Lifetime Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Elon Musk faces exile from 365-year-old Royal Society scientific institution over his political behavior Elon Musk faces exile from 365-year-old Royal Society scientific institution over his political behavior Elon Musk could face expulsion from the historic Royal Society scientific institution after the group agreed to call a meeting to discuss Fellows’ behaviors following a revolt from scientists. The institution, which was founded in 1660, plans to hold a meeting on March 3 to debate “principles around public pronouncements and behaviours of Fellows,” a spokesperson told Fortune in a statement. It followed several resignations and thousands of signatures calling out the behavior of fellow member Musk. “Any issues raised in respect of individual Fellows are dealt with in strict confidence.” The announcement comes after more than 2,700 scientists signed an open letter, penned by biologist Stephen Curry, accusing Musk of breaching the society’s code of conduct. Curry pointed to Musk’s peddling of conspiracy theories and online attacks on Dr Anthony Fauci, in addition to labeling Jess Phillips as a “***** genocide apologist,” as evidence of this breach of conduct. He also cited Musk’s steering of DOGE in the U.S. and its impact on science. “The situation is rendered more serious because Mr Musk now occupies a position within a Trump administration in the USA that has over the past several weeks engaged in an assault on scientific research in the US that has fallen foul of federal courts,” said Curry. Musk was appointed a Fellow in 2018 in recognition of his work as CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and the Boring Company. In the years since, though, Musk’s public image has shifted through his acquisition of Twitter, which he renamed X. The world’s richest person has grown more political, supporting right-wing causes across Europe while playing a crucial role in the election of Donald Trump. Musk’s proclamations have caused disquiet in society for several months. In November, Professor Dorothy Bishop, a University of Oxford psychologist, resigned from her position as a Fellow of the Royal Society in protest at Musk’s behavior. Bishop said she refused to be associated with an institution that called Musk a member, who she said was modeling himself on a “Bond villain.” “I just feel far more comfortable to be dissociated from an institution that continues to honour this disreputable man,” she wrote. Last week, Andrew Miller, a biologist at the University of Edinburgh, also resigned, citing the society’s “inability to take proportionate action on Elon Musk’s current promotion of disinformation and attacks on evidence-based policies and science advice.” The society is the U.K.’s oldest scientific academy, and in the past counted Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Charles Darwin among its members. Current members include Sir James Dyson and Sir David Attenborough. Candidates face a highly competitive process to achieve a Royal Society Fellowship. In order to be considered, a candidate must receive a nomination from two existing Fellows. Last year, there were 650 people under consideration for a Fellowship and a further 100 up for foreign membership. The society hasn’t expelled a member in more than 150 years, when Rudolf Eric Raspe was removed due to fraud. Any decision to remove Musk could be regarded as deeply political and potentially damaging to the institution, which risks falling into a culture war that has engulfed many of Musk’s antagonists in recent years. The Times reported the comments of one Fellow, speaking on the condition of anonymity, who said: “I don’t like what Musk is doing — it’s reprehensible. But I also think he’s an astounding person in terms of what he has contributed to engineering. The society would be hypocritical if it singled out and censured one person for things they have said and done. You open the doors to charges of hypocrisy if you go down this road.” This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Source link #Elon #Musk #faces #exile #365yearold #Royal #Society #scientific #institution #political #behavior Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

New York’s Chicest Hideaway for Fashion Insiders New York’s Chicest Hideaway for Fashion Insiders Image Courtesy of The Lowell Hotel For those who move in the world of high fashion, where discretion is key and luxury is a given, The Lowell Hotel on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is a stylish sanctuary. Located just steps from Madison Avenue’s designer boutiques and a short ride from the city’s most exclusive fashion events, The Lowell is more than a boutique hotel — it’s an elegant and refined home away from home for discerning creatives and fashion industry’s elite. Image Courtesy of The Lowell Hotel This year, The Lowell Hotel’s rooms and suites — many of which feature stunning views of the city skyline and Central Park — provided an idyllic backdrop for designers, editors, and tastemakers requiring both inspiration and tranquility amid the frenzy of New York Fashion Week. Nestled on a quiet, tree-lined street between Park and Madison Avenues, The Lowell Hotel — affectionately known to New Yorkers as ‘The Lowell’ — is an intimate retreat that keeps its guests within arm’s reach of all that New York has to offer. The Lowell’s spacious accommodations are designed with a residential feel, blending British charm and Parisian elegance with classic New York sophistication. Rich wood-burning fireplaces – a rarity in New York City, hand-selected fine art, and plush furnishings make each suite an oasis of comfort. For fashion insiders, the generous layouts provided the perfect setting for pre-show preparations, private fittings, or simply unwinding after a whirlwind day of runway shows and events. Image Courtesy of The Lowell Hotel Beyond its impeccable interiors, The Lowell boasts uniquely curated experiences that complement the hotel’s timeless aesthetic and elegant mood. This season, The Lowell introduces Lily of the Valley Afternoon Tea, an exclusive collaboration with Dior Maison. This refined tea service is a tribute to Christian Dior’s passion for gardens and his signature aesthetic. Dior Maison has curated every detail, from the elegant tableware to a thoughtfully designed menu that reflects the designer’s favorite colors and inspirations. This offering blends haute couture with culinary artistry, making it a must-experience ritual for hotel guests and fashionable foodies. In New York City, Fashion Week is not just about the runway — it was about the afterparties, the intimate dinners, and the spaces where deals were sealed over a perfectly crafted *********. Jacques Bar and Majorelle, The Lowell’s acclaimed dining destinations, were at the heart of this scene. Image Courtesy of The Lowell Hotel Jacques Bar recently paid tribute to New York Fashion Week with a bespoke menu of sartorially-themed cocktails and culinary pairings inspired by legendary fashion designers. Chic, dimly lit, and effortlessly stylish, the bar was the perfect setting for a post-show martini or a quiet tête-à-tête between industry insiders. Meanwhile, Majorelle, named after Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic home and garden in Marrakech, offers a refined take on European and Moroccan cuisine while honoring the culinary traditions of American fine dining. Insider Tip: The Poulet Rôti Grand-Mère (roast chicken with potato, mushroom, and bacon) is a must — presented whole on a silver platter and served halved, this dish is as beautiful as it is delicious. Image Courtesy of The Lowell Hotel With its intimate charm, impeccable service, and deep-rooted connection to New York’s fashion scene, The Lowell Hotel remains the definitive destination for those seeking both luxury and privacy during their time in the city. Whether in town for Fashion Week, a designer launch, a weekend of luxury shopping, or a quiet retreat from the spotlight, The Lowell is where style leaders come to stay, dine, and unwind in the most sophisticated way possible. For more information please visit lowellhotel.com Source link #Yorks #Chicest #Hideaway #Fashion #Insiders Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

X is reportedly blocking links to secure Signal contact pages – Ars Technica X is reportedly blocking links to secure Signal contact pages – Ars Technica X is reportedly blocking links to secure Signal contact pages Ars TechnicaLinks to Signal messaging platform not working on X The HillElon Musk Is Trying to Hinder Anti-Trump Whistleblowers The New RepublicX is blocking links to Signal The VergeX is blocking links to Signal, a secure messaging platform used by federal workers TechCrunch Source link #reportedly #blocking #links #secure #Signal #contact #pages #Ars #Technica Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alexa’s big AI revamp might have been delayed again, and I’m losing faith Amazon’s new assistant will be all that smart Alexa’s big AI revamp might have been delayed again, and I’m losing faith Amazon’s new assistant will be all that smart A new leak suggests Alexa’s AI is too innacurate to launch yet It’ll still be shown off on February 26, but won’t release until later The leak follows reports Alexa was delayed from 2024 due to similar issues It’s all but guaranteed that Amazon is launching a new version of Alexa with souped up AI brain power on February 26 – it literally spelled it out in an announcement – but disaster might have struck at the final hurdle. Alexa AI is reportedly delayed, again. That’s per an anonymous source who spoke with The Washington Post (the report is behind a paywall) claiming that the new Alexa has been making too many mistakes when asked test questions. As a result Alexa is being delayed to improve its accuracy – with the current launch date now put back ’til March 31. Amazon is still expected to unveil the all-new Alexa at the New York event on February 26 as it originally planned, however, we expect access to the AI (and the questions it’ll answer in demos) might be restricted so as not to reveal its potentially less-than-perfect side. As with all rumored information, we should still take all of this with a pinch of salt, though if The Washington Post is correct, this wouldn’t be the first time Alexa has been delayed. Multiple sources had teased a 2024 launch date, with accuracy issues once again cited as the reason Alexa was held back. (Image credit: Amazon) Beyond causing a delay, these issues could also prove a blow to Amazon’s rumored plan to charge users for Alexa’s help. It’s been said the revamped Alexa could cost paying customers $5-$10 a month to use (around £5-£10 / AU$8-AU$16). If Alexa is unreliable – or has a reputation for being unreliable beyond what’s expected from a current-gen AI – we imagine there won’t be many users keen to pay for the service. At least the current-version of Alexa is said to be sticking around as a permanently free and generally reliable option. If Amazon can solve Alexa’s accuracy problems, the new AI does sound rather useful. Alexa AI is said to be smarter so it can handle multiple prompts at once, rather than requiring its user to give distinct commands one after the other, and to perform as an AI agent – read: taking actions without direct user requests. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Admittedly that last point sounds a little scary, given that Alexa AI would have our credit card info and direct access to the world’s largest online store (Amazon), especially if Alexa is prone to mistakes (I know I’d be nervous about using it). But if Amazon can prove its agent is genuinely helpful, Alexa might finally start living up to the futuristic home assistant many imagined it would be when it first launched. You might also like Source link #Alexas #big #revamp #delayed #losing #faith #Amazons #assistant #smart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Israel will leave troops in Lebanon after deadline Israel will leave troops in Lebanon after deadline Israel will keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past a deadline for them to withdraw, a military spokesperson says, as Israeli leaders sought to reassure northern residents that they can return home safely. Under a truce deal brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon where they had waged a ground offensive against fighters from Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah since early October. That deadline was extended to February 18, but Israeli and Lebanese officials as well as foreign diplomats had anticipated that the military would retain some troops on parts of the Lebanese side of the border. “We need to remain at those points at the moment to defend Israeli citizens, to make sure this process is complete and eventually hand it over to the Lebanese armed forces,” military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told a briefing with reporters, adding that the move was in accordance with the mechanism of the ceasefire agreement. He said the locations were close to Israeli communities or occupying strategic vantage points overlooking Israeli towns like Metula, at the northernmost point of Israel. “Basically the security situation is very, very complex,” he said. A Lebanese official and two foreign diplomats said Israeli troops would likely leave villages in south Lebanon but stay in overlook points to reassure residents of northern Israel who are set to return home on March 1. Tens of thousands of people were displaced from northern Israel by Hezbollah rocket fire and more than a million people in Lebanon fled Israeli air strikes in the year-long war conflict playing out in parallel with the Gaza war. The fighting ended in late November with a truce ordering Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon, Hezbollah fighters and arms to leave and Lebanese troops to deploy. The ceasefire deal stipulates that only “official military and security forces” in Lebanon can carry arms and that the Lebanese government must prevent any transfers of arms or related material to non-state armed groups. Its language – sharper than previous United Nations Security Council Resolutions – appears to spell out ways that the Lebanese state will be expected to constrain Hezbollah, diplomats and analysts said. The deal’s implementation is being overseen by a committee chaired by the US and France. Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, who has said Israeli troops should leave by the February 18 deadline, said on Monday he was “afraid that the complete (Israeli) withdrawal will not be achieved tomorrow”. The two diplomats said talks were still underway on alternatives to Israeli troops staying, including possibly deploying more UN peacekeepers to the border. France has proposed that UN forces including French troops replace Israeli forces at key border points. Hezbollah said on Sunday that Israeli forces still in Lebanon after Tuesday would be considered an occupying force. Israel occupied southern Lebanon for 22 years, withdrawing in 2000 after continued attacks on its positions in occupied Lebanese territory by Hezbollah, founded in 1982 to counter Israel’s invasions. In the latest war, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire for nearly a year, mostly around the border. Israel significantly escalated in September, eliminating much of Hezbollah’s top leadership in air strikes and sending ground troops into south Lebanon. Source link #Israel #leave #troops #Lebanon #deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]