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When a video game becomes a eulogy for its own creator When a video game becomes a eulogy for its own creator Plenty of video games deal with grief, but few, if any, are memorials for their own creators. That’s the sad position Afterlove EP finds itself in. The new indie game began its life as the brainchild of Mohammad Fahmi, the creative mind behind Coffee Talk. Fahmi founded a new studio, Pikselnesia, to develop the project and it got some high-profile attention out the gate. Afterlove EP was featured in a Nintendo Indie World Showcase circa 2021, setting it up as a tentpole “Nindie” scheduled to launch in 2022. That creative momentum collided with reality when Fahmi died in 2022 at the age of 32. Since then, Pikselnesia vowed to pick up the pieces and finish the project to honor Fahmi’s memory. The end result of that work is a raw, tragic work of posthumous art that’s rarely seen in the video game world. Sure, we’ve heard plenty of albums from artists after their deaths, but Afterlove EP is a more direct eulogy. It completes Fahmi’s vision while letting his colleagues work their grief into a story that was already about loss. There’s an undeniable hole in the project’s heart, though, one that can’t be separated from the circumstances around its development. Set in Jakarta, Afterlove EP is a narrative adventure that centers around Rama, the frontperson of a local Indonesian band trying to make it big. That dream is complicated when Rama’s girlfriend Cinta suddenly dies. Rama disappears for a while, much to the dismay of their bandmates, and tries to resume a normal life while picking up the pieces of a shattered life. If that wasn’t difficult enough, Cinta’s voice remains in Rama’s head, commenting on their every move. Afterlove EP – Date Announce Trailer | PS5 Games The eight-hour story takes place over a full month as Rama’s band prepares to play a gig despite the tensions between them. Each day, players choose to spend time with different townspeople, from a local record store clerk to a bandmate’s ex, to build out Rama’s relationships. It becomes a juggling act of complex interpersonal relationships with some real consequences for those who don’t split their time accordingly. All of that leads into a story about grief that’s more nuanced than you might expect. While Afterlove EP has sympathy for Rama, the story isn’t afraid to characterize them as a bit of a jerk. It questions the way that Rama remembers Cinta, squashing their memory down to a narrow one that’s only concerned with how she fit into Rama’s life. It’s an idealized memorial, provoking questions about how we remember those we’ve lost. When does honoring the dead cross the line into self-medication? How do the memorials we build for people transform them into something else entirely? With that narrative throughline, Afterlove EP is difficult to divorce from the context of its creation. It can be read as a meta-commentary about the developers at Pikselnesia pushing on after Fahmi’s death. In fact, that context is a bit of a necessity, as the game falls apart without it. Entirely removed from that history, Afterlove EP is a frustrating narrative game at every turn. Its reliance on manga-like still images makes it feel more like I’m seeing the animatics for a game that never came to fruition. Only Cinta’s lines are voice acted (with cloying delivery that could be read as a reflection of Rama’s infantilizing memory of her), but everything else is laid out in text. It contains a recurring music minigame that plays out in rhythmless button matching that rarely matches anything happening in the music. The story is long-winded, stretched thin to stay committed to the 30 day structure. It almost feels unfinished. Fellow Traveller That’s where context becomes crucial; all of this feels more meaningful viewed through the lens of a work of art forged from loss. Any perceived “holes” in the project reflect the very real one created by Fahmi’s absence. Afterlove EP almost feels like a game trapped in stasis, forever locked where it was in 2022. It’s a studio stitching together disparate pieces, trying to move on just as Rama struggles to in their story. Like a collection of loose demos salvaged from a lost musician’s tape recorder, it feels like a fuzzed-out sketch of what could have been. There’s a painful honesty in there, even if it wasn’t the project’s intention. When an unexpected death occurs, it rarely leaves room for closure. I’ve had friends die days into starting college, amid career changes, and in the middle of beating games. No matter how much you do to honor them, even if it’s completing a vision they left behind, that unfinished business always lingers. Afterlove EP doesn’t try to put makeup over a permanent scar; it wears its imperfections like a badge of honor. It’s a messy, but sincere reflection of the grieving process and all of the ugliness that comes with it. That might make it a difficult game for casual players to connect with, but it’s a tribute that an artist like Mohammad Fahmi deserves. Afterlove EP launches on February 14 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Source link #video #game #eulogy #creator Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “spicy” and “sweet”, study finds Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “spicy” and “sweet”, study finds AP Even after 5,000 years in a sarcophagus, mummified bodies from ancient Egypt still smell quite nice, scientists have discovered. Researchers who examined nine mummies found that though there was some difference in the intensity of their odours, all could be described as “woody”, “spicy” and “sweet”. They say recreating the composition of the smells chemically will allow others to experience a mummy’s whiff – and help to tell when the bodies inside may be starting to rot. “We want to share the experience we had smelling the mummified bodies, so we’re reconstructing the smell to be presented in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo,” Cecilia Bembibre, one of the researchers, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. During the mummification process, ancient Egyptians would surround the body with pleasant smells as an important part of preparing a spirit to enter the afterlife. As a result, pharaohs and members of the nobility were adorned with oils, waxes and balms during the mummification process. “In films and books, terrible things happen to those who smell mummified bodies,” said Dr Bembibre said. “We were surprised at the pleasantness of them.” The authors of the academic study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on Thursday, had to get the smell from inside the sarcophagus without interfering with the mummy inside. The researchers, from UCL and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, did so by inserting a tiny tube so they were able measure the scent without taking any physical samples. Dr Bembibre explained that heritage scientists are always trying to find “non-destructive” ways to discover new information. AP “We want to share the experience we had smelling the mummified bodies,” says Dr Cecilia Bembibre (left) Visitors who smell the scents in the museums will be able to experience ancient Egypt and the mummification process from a totally different perspective. Ally Louks, an English literature supervisor at the University of Cambridge who wrote her PhD thesis on the politics of smell, described this as a “really innovative” way to communicate history. “To engage your nose produces a strong emotional and physical reaction,” she told the BBC. “We know smells were essential to social, religious and personal practises [in ancient Egypt],” Dr Louks said. Matija Strlič, another member of the study team, told the Associated Press the scents may even suggest what social class a mummy was from. “We believe that this approach is potentially of huge interest to other types of museum collections,” he said. As well as providing museum-goers with a new sensory insight into mummies, the discovery also presents a potential breakthrough for mummy conservationists. The researchers used a technique called gas chromatography to separate the different smells inside the sarcophagus that combined to make its scent. They found odours relating to the break-down of animal fats used in the embalming process, which could indicate the body is beginning to decompose. Because of these findings, it will be possible to “practically intervene” in the conservation of the mummies, identifying how best to store and wrap the bodies, the research paper said. “This is useful for conservators who care for this collection [as] we can ensure it reaches future generations,” Dr Bembibre said. Source link #Ancient #Egyptian #mummies #smell #spicy #sweet #study #finds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Guardian is the latest news organization to partner with OpenAI The Guardian is the latest news organization to partner with OpenAI The Guardian Media Group, owner of The Guardian and The Observer newspapers, is partnering with OpenAI. The deal will see reporting from The Guardian appear as a news source within ChatGPT, alongside article extracts and short summaries. In return, OpenAI will provide the Guardian Media Group with access to ChatGPT Enterprise, which the company says it will use to develop new products, features and tools. “This new partnership with OpenAI reflects the intellectual property rights and value associated with our award-winning journalism, expanding our reach and impact to new audiences and innovative platform services,” said Keith Underwood, chief financial and operating officer of the Guardian Media Group. The Guardian Media Group joins a growing list of news publishers that are now working with OpenAI after an initial ******* of uncertainty over the company and its business model. What started as a trickle with The Associated Press in 2023 has since become a flood, with many of the English-speaking world’s leading publishers inking deals with the AI startup. In some ways, The Guardian has been more proactive than others. In 2023, the newspaper publish an article detailing its approach to generative AI. A year later, it announced a partnership with ProRata, a company that built a platform that allows AI platforms to attribute search results and share revenue with content owners. Today’s announcement also comes after a major coalition of publishers, including The Guardian, announced a lawsuit against Cohere, a ********* startup they allege improperly used more than 4,000 copyrighted works to train its AI models. Source link #Guardian #latest #news #organization #partner #OpenAI Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 review KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 review KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: two-minute review The KitchenAid KF6 is a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine, and it does its main job exceptionally well: brewing a delicious, rich espresso with the best crema I’ve ever seen. It offers a wide menu of espresso drinks, each of which can be customized and saved to a custom profile. In addition, it includes an automatic milk-frothing system for options including cappuccinos, caffe lattes, and macchiatos. Unlike the higher-end KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8 we reviewed in 2024, there’s no separate profile for plant-based milk. Macchiato is one of seven customizable espresso drinks on the menu (Image credit: Future) In addition, it’s one of the quietest coffee machines we’ve tested here at TechRadar, with a pump that’s barely any louder than your refrigerator. The only significant noise happens for a moment during grinding and milk frothing, and it’s over in a second or two. Thoughtful touches include a brew group that purges itself automatically between drinks to ensure you always have fresh beans ground to the correct size (like a barista would purge their grinder); a chute so you can make an occasional drink using a different bean to the one in the hopper; and a comprehensive set of cleaning functions that make maintaining the machine as simple as using it. It’s also less expensive than you might expect. Fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee makers are never going to be cheap, but the KF6 costs far less than the KF8, with only a few compromises – and it’s often available at a discount, too. KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: price and availability List price $1,199.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,799 Far less expensive than KitchenAid KF8 Often available at a discount The KitchenAid KF6 launched in 2024, and is available to buy directly from KitchenAid, or from third-party retailers. It has a list price of $1,199.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,799, but you can often find it more cheaply. For example, at the time of writing it’s discounted to $999.99 in the US and AU$1,599 in Australia for Valentine’s Day. It certainly isn’t cheap, but fully automatic bean-to-cup machines never are due to their complexity; plus the KF6 delivers plenty for the money. It’s far less expensive than its higher-end sibling, the KF8, which has a list price of $1,999.99 / £1,899 / AU$2,599. While the KF6 makes a few compromises to keep the cost down, it remains an exceptional coffee maker; in my opinion, it’s much better value than its big brother. We’ve rounded up today’s best prices for you here: KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Name KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 Type Bean-to-cup Dimensions (W x H x D) 10.2 x 14.3 x 18.6 inches / 260 x 363 x 473mm Weight 28lbs / 12.7kg Water reservoir capacity 77.4oz / 2.2 liters Milk frother Yes (automatic, dairy only) Bars of pressure 15 Noise level 44dB (average) User profiles 4 KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: design Sleek and modern look Takes whole beans and grounds Automatic milk texturizing system The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 is a sleek, modern-looking coffee maker, with a matt finish and brushed stainless steel accents. It’s available in three colorways: stainless steel, cast iron ******, and porcelain white (the latter of which launched in January 2025). Its screen measures 2.4 inches diagonally (6cm), which is smaller than that of the KF8, but it’s still bright and clear, with plenty of space for reviewing and tweaking your drink settings. You operate the machine using a set of touch-sensitive buttons positioned beside the display, and the power button is located discreetly on the left-hand side of the case. The KitchenAid KF7 is controlled using a set of touch-sensitive buttons arranged around its small color screen (Image credit: Future) The bean hopper is accessed via a hatch on the top, and has a central dial that twists to lock and unlock it. The hatch has a rubber seal to help keep your beans fresh. Next to the hopper, you’ll find a small chute where you can insert a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you want to use a different bean from time to time. This is particularly handy for those who prefer to switch to decaf in the evening; the machine will detect if the chute has been opened and automatically offer you the option of using ground coffee rather than beans when you next select a drink (a thoughtful touch). The KF6 arrives with a scoop to make this easier. The KF6’s water tank has a capacity of 2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters, which is the same as the other espresso machines in KitchenAid’s fully automatic series, and has a folding handle that makes it easier to carry it to the sink. You also get a water-testing strip, so you can decide which water hardness setting to choose, and a water filter that screws into the bottom of the tank. Additional filters are available to purchase directly from KitchenAid, or from Amazon. The water tank is easily lifted out of the side of the machine, and comes with a filter that screws into the bottom (Image credit: Future) The dispenser slides smoothly up and down to accommodate different-sized cups, and can dispense coffee and milk into one or two cups.The drip-tray beneath slides out smoothly when lifted slightly, and contains a removable bin where used coffee pucks are deposited. The tray has a spout shape at the back to avoid mess when emptying and rinsing. The KitchenAid KF6 has an automatic milk-frothing system, but unlike the KF7 and KF8, it doesn’t come with a dedicated container. Instead, you just place the end of the tube into your own jug or cup of milk. The results are the same; the only difference in practise is that you can’t pop the closed container into the fridge between uses. However, unlike the higher-end KF8, the KF6 doesn’t have a separate profile for plant-based milk. You can still use it to heat and texturize oat, soy, or almond milk, but the system is optimized for dairy. Used pucks are dispensed into a removeable bin that sits inside the drip-tray (Image credit: Future) The only downside to the design is that I noticed a few small scratches on the stainless steel drip-tray after testing, which must have been caused by the bottom of the glass and ceramic cups I was using. They were noticeable only when observing up-close, however; you’d never see them in ordinary use. I was just a little surprised it happened so quickly. KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: performance Makes exceptionally good espresso with thick crema Good choice of customizable drink presets No profile for plant-based milks The KitchenAid KF6 is very simple to use and, most importantly, makes a gorgeous espresso – rich and delicious, and with exceptionally thick crema that even earned praise from team coffee aficionado and reviews editor Josh Russell, who noted that his manual espresso machine couldn’t produce similar results. The KF6 doesn’t have quite such an extensive menu of presets as the KF8, but still offers plenty of choice. There’s scope for customizing the strength, temperature, volume, and body of each drink, too. The options offered by the KF6 are: Espresso Cappuccino Caffe latte Macchiato Latte macchiato Americano Coffee The KF6 can also dispense hot water and warm milk. However, unlike the higher-end KF8, it doesn’t offer a cooler water option for brewing green tea, or foamed milk without coffee for a babyccino. The KitchenAid KF6 produces an incredible espresso (Image credit: Future) When I tested the KitchenAid KF8 in 2024, I found that the default settings for a cappuccino and latte didn’t produce as much milk foam as I like, and it was the same with the KF6. Thankfully, both machines let me adjust the volume of the drink to add more milk, which resulted in thicker foam. It’s easy to play around with the options before making your espresso drinks, and once you’ve set your preferences, you can save them to one of four custom user profiles. The KF6 supports six profiles, but four will be plenty for most households. The KF6 is Quiet Mark certified, meaning it has been designed with noise reduction in mind. It’s definitely quieter than most of the best espresso machines I’ve tested. It reached 75db for a second or two while foaming milk (similar to a vacuum cleaner) and 66dB while grinding coffee (about the noise of a normal conversation), but averaged a mere 44dB while the pump was in operation (a very gentle hum). Unlike the KF8, the KF6 doesn’t have a mode optimized for plant-based milk (Image credit: Future) Sometimes, the convenience of a bean-to-cup coffee machine is offset by the hassle of maintaining it, but this isn’t the case here. All of KitchenAid’s fully automatic espresso machines offer a great selection of cleaning and maintenance functions, and you’ll be prompted when it’s time to run each one. After each milk-based drink, you’ll be advised to run the “easy milk rinsing” program, which uses water from the tank to flush the lines. To keep things hygienic in the longer term, the “deep milk cleaning” function uses a cleaning solution to give everything a good wash and remove proteins and bacteria. There’s a quick option for rinsing the brew unit, plus a deep-cleaning mode that requires you to remove the brewing unit and insert a cleaning tablet to remove any build-up of oils that could start to impact the taste of your drinks. Remove the panel on the right-hand side to access the brew group for cleaning (Image credit: Future) The KF8 also offers a function that purges all coffee from the hopper and brew unit (ideal if you want to switch to a different bean), and one that evaporates all water from the system (great, if you won’t be using the machine for a while or need to transport it). You may need to use a cloth to absorb a little leftover water from the dispenser once it’s done, but the evaporation system works very well. Generally speaking, I found the differences between the KF6 and the KF8 to be quite small. Although there are fewer drink options, the ones I use frequently are still available (and customizable). The absence of a special container for milk barely affects the experience at all, and the smaller screen is still ample for displaying your various options. The only thing I really missed was the plant milk option from the KF8, which yielded particularly silky micro-foam when used with almond milk. If you rarely use plant milk, it’s well worth considering opting for the KF6 instead – the experience is just as good; it handles dairy equally well; and it brews an exceptional coffee. Should you buy the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 Swipe to scroll horizontally KitchenAid KF6 score card Attribute Notes Score Value 5/5 Fully automatic bean-to-cup machines will never be cheap, but this one gives you a whole lot for your money. Design 5/5 Modern-looking and thoughtfully designed, the KF6 is a pleasure to use and easy to maintain. Performance 4.5/5 Brews exceptional espresso and offers great customization options, but lacks the plant milk profile of the KitchenAid KF8. Buy if if Don’t buy it if KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: also consider Not sure whether the KitchenAid KF6 is the right espresso machine for you? Here are a couple of other options that you might like to consider: KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: how I tested I tested the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 using fresh coffee beans from local coffee shop, Mokoko, and chilled whole milk. I used each of the machine’s preset drink options, experimenting with the volume, temperature, strength, and body settings, creating a custom user profile. I also ran all of the machine’s cleaning programs, including the intensive profiles for cleaning the milk system and brewing group, and evaporating water from the whole system. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate on TechRadar. First reviewed February 2025 (Image credit: Future) Source link #KitchenAid #Fully #Automatic #Espresso #Machine #KF6 #review Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Steak au Poivre for Two? Don’t Mind if I Do. Steak au Poivre for Two? Don’t Mind if I Do. Good morning, and Happy Valentine’s Day. It’s a night for awkward moments in public spaces, fumblingly shared entrees, Champagne that’s not as good as you imagined it would be, with cold, chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. Or is that just me? I’ve never liked performative restaurant meals. I don’t want to celebrate romance at a two-top at the one place I was able to get a reservation (at the last minute!) and to depend on others for the success of the meal. One exhausted line cook, one overstretched server, one bad song on a playlist and now I’m in a beef with my wife? I don’t do well on that sort of stage. Instead: home cooking. A controlled environment. A meal I know I can serve to smiles over candlelight. Steak au poivre (above)! Alexa Weibel’s recipe is a stunner, using one large, super-marbled rib-eye steak to deliver an incredible dish of crusty, seared and peppery beef in a pan sauce rich with brandy and heavy cream. Lex makes like a chef and fans thick slices of the steak out over the sauce instead of napping the meat with it, which somehow makes everything look more lavish. Featured Recipe Steak au Poivre for Two View Recipe → I like this dish with a thatch of crunchy watercress on the side and crispy hash browns. That and a good, chilled Bandol, with soft and chewy sugar cookies for dessert? Hearts! Alternatively, there’s a great Korean dish called jajangmyeon: a thick, inky gravy of ******-bean sauce, pork and onions ladled over plump noodles and served with sweet pickled daikon. It’s a dish for the unattached, Korean lore has it, served on what’s called ****** Day, a celebration of “couples’ hell, singles’ heaven,” as the K-pop band Pascol called it in a 2014 anthem, “Merry ****** Day.” ****** Day is on April 15, but if you’re flying solo tonight or just don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I figure there’s no reason to wait. Either way, once we make it to Saturday, I think it would be great to make Korsha Wilson’s adaptation of the chef Rasheeda Purdie’s recipe for potlikker ramen, a big bowl of noodles with collards and smoked turkey in potlikker broth. With maybe a peach cobbler for dessert? Deploying a bag of frozen peaches in February is one of life’s amazements, a chance to transport yourself to summer for considerably less than a flight to Melbourne. I might make some balsamic glaze, as well, to tart up an Italian sub for Sunday lunch, in advance of a long walk at Breezy Point looking for snowy owls — or a few hours on the couch napping through the Genesis Invitational. Then mushroom Bourguignon for dinner? Or an asparagus, goat cheese and tarragon tart? The romance doesn’t end! There are plenty more recipes to warm the heart waiting for you on New York Times Cooking. Go scroll around and see what you find. You need a subscription to do so, of course. Subscriptions are the fuel in our stoves. Please, if you haven’t already, would you consider subscribing today? Thanks. If you need help with your account, please reach out for help: *****@*****.tld. Someone will get back to you. Or you can write to me if you want to deliver an apple or tender a worm: *****@*****.tld. I can’t respond to every letter. (There’s a lot of mail.) But I read each one I get. Now, in case you missed it, I spent some time with my colleagues recently at Torrisi in New York, attempting to tell the story of this restaurant for our video cameras. See what you think. It has precious little to do with duck breasts or buttermilk, but I came across a Carl Hiaasen novel I missed the first time through: “Lucky You,” from 1997. That’s a fun few hours in a comfortable chair. Keeping with our Valentine’s theme, you might want to take a look at The New York Times Book Review’s cool new tool that will help you find your next (or your first) romance book. Finally, here are the Buzzcocks — “Ever Fallen in Love” — live on “Top of the Pops” in 1978. Natural emotions. I’ll see you on Sunday. Source link #Steak #Poivre #Dont #Mind Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Charlie Bit Me reflects on platform’s legacy Charlie Bit Me reflects on platform’s legacy Jack Gray & Manish Pandey BBC Newsbeat BBC The star of Charlie Bit My Finger, all grown up What do Baby Shark, the Harlem Shake and Gangnam Style have in common? Overplayed? Annoying? You’re entitled to your opinion. But what’s not in doubt is that they all went viral on YouTube, which is now 20 years old. It’s become the place where 2.5 billion people log on monthly to kill time, be entertained and, sometimes at least, learn something. But it’s also been life-changing for some of its breakout stars, like Charlie. You wouldn’t recognise him now but millions around the world have watched him, as a baby, chomping on his big brother’s digits. That’s because he’s the star of Charlie Bit My Finger. “It was never not a part of my life, it’s always been there,” Charlie, who’s now 18, tells BBC Newsbeat. The 55-second clip has had almost 900 million views since it was uploaded in 2007. Allow Google YouTube content?This article contains content provided by Google YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read and before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue Charlie, now 18, says he can’t remember the moment, filmed when he was “about one” and sitting on Harry’s lap. He says the clip’s success has made life “easier” and helped him get to university where he now studies law. His dad Howard Davies-Carr previously told Newsbeat the family had made an estimated £1,000,000 off the video over the years. The video was sold as a non-fungible token, or NFT, for £500,000 in 2021. But Mr Davies-Carr said he wanted to keep the boys “very grounded” in how they live their lives. Charlie shares that view and says he doesn’t play the “don’t you know who I am?” card. “It’s not like I use it as an icebreaker or anything,” he says. “I was never going to use this as a fun fact.” Charlie says he doesn’t want to be seen as a show-off, so when asked about himself volunteers “something else a bit more boring”. “But my friends like to tell people [sometimes], so it’s hard keeping it locked down,” says. “It slips out every now and then. “And people are like: ‘Oh that’s cool’, for like five minutes. Or they say: ‘I don’t know what that is.'” A long history YouTube was founded on 14 February 2005 by three friends – Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim – all former employees of the online payment system PayPal. While the first video published on 23 April 2005 was not quite Baby Shark, it did have an animal theme. It was a 19-second clip called Me at the zoo, posted by co-founder Jawed. The founders opened the first YouTube headquarters in an office above a California pizza restaurant. It is now owned by Google and has offices all over the world. In the ***, 82% of adult internet users in the *** have reported using the platform – more than WhatsApp (80%), Facebook (76%) and Instagram (57%). Getty Images Baby Shark became a global movement Now YouTube is a destination many choose for the latest trailers, reviews and news. But it is music videos which dominate the most-viewed list, with Baby Shark Dance having more than 15 billion watches. Despacito by Luis Fonsi has more than eight billion, Shape of You by Ed Sheeran has more than six billion views and PSY’s Gangnam Style has 5.4 billion. And while Charlie’s family has been helped by income from YouTube, some of its biggest names have made a fortune. American YouTuber MrBeast, a.k.a Jimmy Donaldson, is the most popular YouTuber with more than 360 million subscribers. Business magazine Forbes estimates that he earned $85 million (£68 million) in 2024, making him the highest-paid creator. Getty Images 2012 Kpop hit Gangnam Style took over the world But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing in the platform’s two decades. Fact-checking organisations around the world have previously said that YouTube is not doing enough to prevent misinformation on the platform. The site has also been punished for privacy violations, being fined $170m (£139m) by a US regulator for violating children’s privacy laws. In 2023, it was accused of collecting the viewing data of children aged under 13, in breach of a *** data privacy code. And there has been criticism that, like other online platforms, violent and extremist videos have been available to view despite government calls for their removal. Journalist Tamzin Kraftman, who covers technology news, feels while the platform has managed to stay relevant against competition from TikTok and Instagram, there are challenges with combating things like misinformation. “No team can go through everything with a fine-toothed comb,” she says. “So the question is how they will ensure everything on there is correct and within regulations.” Tamzin tells Newsbeat AI could play a big role in helping to deal with those issues, but “might get things wrong and could ban the wrong channel”. “I think it’s how they use new tools to really stop the spread of misinformation that is going to be their golden ticket [going forward].” And Charlie doesn’t think the platform is “dying out” any time soon, years on from his flutter with fame. While he doesn’t remember loads from then, he is grateful for the opportunities it has brought. He has managed to travel “a decent amount” and been to the United States, filming a flight-safety video. As for whether he’s tried to recreate the bite? “I haven’t since I was very young. “I could start charging now. But I feel like I’ve lost my ability,” he says. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Source link #Charlie #Bit #reflects #platforms #legacy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Aaron Rodgers’ next move: Will QB find team that fits or is he headed for TV booth? Aaron Rodgers’ next move: Will QB find team that fits or is he headed for TV booth? The New York Jets made it official, announcing that they’re breaking up with Aaron Rodgers after two disappointing seasons amid yet another organizational reset. Rodgers recently met with new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey to discuss the Jets’ plans, and a statement released by the team Thursday pronounced New York was going in a different direction at quarterback. It’s unclear what that other direction is. Tyrod Taylor has a year remaining on his contract. Jordan Travis, a 2024 fifth-round pick, has yet to practice with the Jets while recovering from an ankle injury. The 2025 free-agent quarterback market isn’t robust and neither is the looming quarterback draft class. The top quarterbacks set to hit free agency include Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett, Zach Wilson, Andy Dalton, Drew Lock, Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco and Trey Lance. The Jets’ struggles with Darnold and Zach Wilson at QB led them to Rodgers in the first place. GO DEEPER The Jets’ 20 options to replace Aaron Rodgers at quarterback: Cousins, Fields among them So what’s next for Rodgers? The 41-year-old rebounded from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in Week 1 of 2023 to complete 63 percent of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season. Rodgers’ passer rating of 90.5 was the lowest of his 14 full seasons as a starter and he went 5-12, the worst record of his career. Rodgers’ plans for the future remain unknown. The fact that he traveled to Jets headquarters to meet with Glenn and Mougey seems to suggest he is considering playing a 21st NFL season. What teams are in the market for a four-time league MVP with a Super Bowl ring and a 42nd birthday coming up in December? And which of those teams would appeal to Rogers? A quick poll of a half-dozen NFL talent evaluators yielded meager returns. They see few great fits for Rodgers at this point in his career. There are no situations similar to, say, Peyton Manning joining the Denver Broncos for one last shot at Super Bowl glory. The Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants all have quarterback needs. But few of them — if any — are an aging star quarterback away from contending. Rodgers’ criteria for a potential next destination is unknown. But here’s a stab at the best potential fits for the future Hall of Famer. GO DEEPER The Jets’ Aaron Rodgers era was everything it wasn’t supposed to be Las Vegas Raiders The revamping Raiders seemingly would love to make a splash as they kick off the Pete Carroll era. Right now, the Raiders have a gaping hole at quarterback. They do have a beast of a tight end in Brock Bowers, a 1,000-yard receiver in Jakobi Meyers, a young and talented offensive line and a dominant pass rusher in Maxx Crosby. Perhaps Rodgers could come in and give the team a spark. Getting past the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos in the AFC West still could prove challenging. Yet this might be a win-win situation for a team that needs a bridge quarterback and a fading star who isn’t ready to hang ’em up yet. Tennessee Titans Tennessee has the first pick in a draft that does not boast a clear franchise-saving quarterback prospect. Would a dance with Rodgers make sense? The Titans have some pieces on offense: Wide receiver Calvin Ridley delivered a 1,000-yard season despite catching passes from Will Levis (only 2,091 passing yards), and running back Tony Pollard rushed for 1,000 yards. They also have a stout defense, and the AFC South is seemingly always up for grabs. Pittsburgh Steelers For the record, this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. But because Las Vegas has Mike Tomlin’s team as the early leaders in odds to land Rodgers, we’ll include Pittsburgh for a matter of debate. Yes, the Steelers are a playoff team, and yes, they have a good defense, a talented wide receiver in George Pickens and a strong running back in pending free agent Najee Harris. But this doesn’t feel like a fit. Stylistically, the Steelers and Rodgers clash. Rodgers still wants to sling the ball around and command the spotlight. Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith like to lean on their defense, run the ball and take shots through the air here and there. Tomlin is also the undisputed alpha of the franchise, and Rodgers always challenges authority. Don’t see it. San Francisco 49ers It makes some sense. Rodgers comes in and runs an offense he has great familiarity with from his time in Green Bay with Matt LaFleur. Deebo Samuel would possibly no longer want out. Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle … the weapons abound. This also gets the 49ers out of having to overpay Brock Purdy to be average in 2025. Rodgers holds it down, and they draft a long-term option in 2026. It all makes so much sense … until you remember that former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh is back with the 49ers. Kyle Shanahan, although perfectly capable of tweaking the offense to mask Rodgers’ deficiencies, also might wind up clashing with the headstrong quarterback. It was a thought for a second. The TV booth The options are indeed limited. The Browns aren’t likely to add to their disaster of a quarterback situation. The Giants are so far away from contending. There really aren’t many teams that make sense. And that’s why Rodgers’ best move might be retirement. He came back from the Achilles tear. He played all 17 games and became the fifth quarterback to throw 500 touchdown passes in his career. While he didn’t have the storybook ending he wanted, he accomplished something. He can remain close to the game and still make great money with a TV deal. Tom Brady’s making $37.5 million a year on average from Fox. Rodgers, whose appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show” inspired considerable attention, should be able to command a pretty penny as well. (Photo: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images) Source link #Aaron #Rodgers #move #find #team #fits #headed #booth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

This Gundam Game Finally Arrives In West, No Longer Vita-Exclusive This Gundam Game Finally Arrives In West, No Longer Vita-Exclusive Bandai Namco has announced Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Battle Destiny Remastered and it is set to launch on May 22 for PC and Nintendo Switch. The original game was released in 2012 for the PlayStation Vita, but had not been released outside Japan. In this game, players will be able to tackle its story missions and relive moments from the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny anime. There are three factions to choose from: Earth Alliance Forces, ZAFT, and the Archangel. This remaster will have enhanced visuals and revamped user-interface readability, as well as new quality-of-life features like lock-on mode and improved tuning. The announcement trailer goes over the basic premise of the game and it also seemingly reveals that while the text is in English, the voice dub will remain Japanese-only. Over 100 suits will be available as well, and they come from various other Gundam anime spin-offs such as Mobile Suit Gundam Seed C.E.73 Stargazer, Astray, X Astray, VS Astray, MSV, and Destiny MSV. This isn’t the first Vita game that Bandai Namco has brought over to modern platforms. Last month, Bandai Namco launched Freedom Wars Remastered for PC, PS4, and Switch. Freedom Wars was also previously a Vita exclusive, but was published under Sony in 2014. Source link #Gundam #Game #Finally #Arrives #West #Longer #VitaExclusive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A plan is taking shape — quietly — to send European troops to Ukraine – National A plan is taking shape — quietly — to send European troops to Ukraine – National Increasingly alarmed that U.S. security priorities lie elsewhere, a group of European countries has been quietly working on a plan to send troops into Ukraine to help enforce any future peace settlement with Russia. Britain and France are at the forefront of the effort, though details remain scarce. The countries involved in the discussions are reluctant to tip their hand and give Russian President Vladimir Putin an edge should he agree to negotiate an end to the war he launched three years ago. What is clear is that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs a guarantee that his country’s security will be assured until peace takes hold. The best protection would be the NATO membership that Ukraine has long been promised, but the U.S. has taken that option off the table. “I won’t get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that if there is peace then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and the U.K. will play its part in that,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in cautious remarks on Thursday. Story continues below advertisement The Europeans began exploring what kind of force might be needed about a year ago, but the sense of urgency has grown amid concern that U.S. President Donald Trump might go over their heads, and possibly even Ukraine’s, to clinch a deal with Putin. Many questions remain unanswered but one stands out: what role, if any, might the United States play? 2:06 U.S., Russia say Ukraine will be involved in peace talks In December, after Trump was elected but before he took office, a group of leaders and ministers huddled with Zelenskyy at NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s residence in Brussels. They came from Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Top European Union officials attended too. The talks built on an idea promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron in early 2024. At the time his refusal to rule out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine prompted an outcry, notably from the leaders of Germany and Poland. Story continues below advertisement Macron appeared isolated on the European stage, but his plan has gained traction since. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Still, much about what the force might look like and who will take part will depend on the terms of any peace settlement, and more. 1:15 NATO in ‘crisis mode,’ allies should boost Ukraine aid to meet defence spend goal: Secretary-General Italy has constitutional limits on the use of its forces. The Netherlands would need a greenlight from its parliament, as would Germany, whose position could evolve after the Feb. 23 elections usher in a new government. Poland is cautious, given lingering animosities with Ukraine that date from World War II. The makeup and role of the force will be dictated by the kind of peace deal that’s reached. If Russia and Ukraine can agree terms as the negotiations progress, it’s plausible that fewer security precautions and a smaller force would be needed. Story continues below advertisement But experts and officials warn that, as things stand, the Europeans must deploy a robust and sizeable contingent, rather than a team of peacekeepers like United Nations “blue helmets.” “It has to be a real force (so) that the Russians know that if they ever tested it that they would get crushed. And you can be sure that Russia will test it,” Ben Hodges, the former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, said last month at a European Policy Centre think tank event. “They violate every single agreement. So if we send a force in there, they’ve got to have airpower, large land forces, drones, counter-drones, air and missile defence. All of that,” he said. “If they go in there with a bunch of blue helmets and rifles, they will get crushed.” Retired French General Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France’s military mission at the United Nations, agreed that U.N. peacekeepers are better suited “for deployment in zones that are far more stable.” “For starters, mounting this operation with soldiers taken from across the world would take about a year,” he said. How big could the force be? Trending Now Meghan Markle surprises her kids with a quintessential ********* treat Teddi Mellencamp reveals she has ‘multiple’ brain tumours, will undergo surgery The nature of the peace deal will determine the size and location of the European contingent. Story continues below advertisement Zelenskyy has insisted on at least 100,000 to 150,000 troops. Media reports have speculated about a 30,000-40,000 strong force. Diplomats and officials have not confirmed either figure. Ukraine also wants air support, not just boots on the ground. What is clear is that the Europeans would struggle to muster a large-scale force, and certainly could not do it quickly. In an interview on Friday with the Financial Times, Macron said that the idea of deploying a huge force is “far-fetched.” “We have to do things that are appropriate, realistic, well thought, measured and negotiated,” he said. 2:00 US warns Ukraine NATO membership “unrealistic objective” of peace talks U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted this week on “robust international oversight of the line of contact,” a reference to the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) long front line. Story continues below advertisement The Europeans are reluctant as that would require too many troops. Nearly all agree that some kind of “American backstop” is essential. European armed forces have long relied on superior U.S. logistics, air transport and other military capabilities. At NATO headquarters on Wednesday, Hegseth began describing the terms under which the U.S. might agree to a force that would help provide Ukraine with the “robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again.” “Any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” Hegseth told almost 50 of Ukraine’s Western backers. More on Canada More videos If they go to Ukraine, he said, “they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission.” Putin has said that he launched the invasion in part due to NATO territory expanding too close to Russia’s borders and is unlikely to accept any operation run by the world’s biggest military organization. Any European allies taking part would not benefit from NATO’s collective security guarantee if they were attacked, Hegseth said. He underlined that “there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.” He did not reveal what role the U.S. might play. From Ukraine’s perspective, a Europe-only operation simply would not work. Story continues below advertisement “Any security guarantees are impossible without the Americans,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha warned on Thursday. Source link #plan #shape #quietly #send #European #troops #Ukraine #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Four major travel rule changes affecting *** and European tourists Four major travel rule changes affecting *** and European tourists The way Britons travel to Europe is set to change later this year amid a phasing out of traditional border checks. Meanwhile, there are also changes afoot for people travelling to the *** from Europe and other parts of the world. Here, Yahoo News *** breaks down some of the key changes to expect in the months ahead. Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) Visitors to the *** face a £6 increase in the cost of a digital permit known as an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. The Home Office wants to raise the maximum price of an ETA, which currently costs £10, to £16. Legislation to enact the change was laid before Parliament last month and is subject to approval. It is not known when the price rises may be implemented. Visits to top five *** attractions. (PA) The ETA system was only introduced in November 2023. It is a digital permission to travel, linked to a traveller’s passport, that is required for all non-Europeans entering the *** without legal residence rights or a visa. They will become a requirement for Europeans from 2 April. The Home Office says they ensure “more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the ***”, which helps prevent “abuse of our immigration system”. Entry/exit system (EES) The entry/exit system (EES) is set to be used for registering non-EU nationals travelling to the EU for a short stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day *******. The system will register the traveller’s name, type of travel document, biometric data such as fingerprints and captured facial images, and the date and place of entry and exit. It will replace the current system of manually stamping passports. The system will be used by the 29 countries in the Schengen Area, which guarantees free movement to its 450 million EU citizens. The EU says the EES is “due to start later in 2025” with an announcement about the date “several months prior to its launch”. European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) Tourists chill out on the beach near the Cypriot city of Larnaca. (Getty) The EES is linked to the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), another new entry requirement for travellers to enter 30 European countries: the 29 Schengen Area nations as well as Cyprus. With ETIAS, which is not a visa, travellers must apply well in advance for a travel authorisation before starting their trip. Travellers must go online and provide personal information such as address, passport information, current occupation, past travel to conflict zones or any criminal convictions. But unlike EES, no biometric data is collected. The ETIAS, which will cost about £6, will be valid for three years or until the passport used for the application runs out, whichever comes first. The ETIAS is expected to launch six months after the EES is fully rolled out, so it is likely to be some time in 2026. By then, *** travellers will need authorisation from both systems to travel to the EU. eVisas Physical records of a person’s immigration status proving their right to be in the *** have been phased out. As of January, they were replaced by eVisas. The move affected people using a biometric residence permit (BRP) or a biometric residence card (BRC). It is part of government efforts to use a completely digital immigration and border system. Ministers hope the changes will cut the risk of fraud, loss and abuse of paperwork, as well as boost border security and save money. The eVisa will be linked to the person’s biometric information – physical features like fingerprints – to protect against identity fraud. It will mean Border Force officers inspecting someone’s immigration status will be able to carry out checks using an online service and visa holders will be able to access their digital record anywhere instantly. Source link #major #travel #rule #affecting #European #tourists Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘Ready, shoot, aim’: The Doug Gottlieb coaching experiment ‘Ready, shoot, aim’: The Doug Gottlieb coaching experiment GREEN BAY, Wis. — Bare tree branches don’t quiet the wind, and the ice on the bay is thick enough that the neighbors set up a hockey rink offshore. Nothing unusual for late January on the northeast side of town. Meanwhile, at a blue waterfront five-bedroom that was an occasional launch point for fishing charters until last summer, there’s a full scoreboard stashed in a wide-open garage, nothing in the planters on the small porch, and a Sheepadoodle named Vince Lombardi barking behind the front door. Doug Gottlieb opens it up and startles a bit; he apparently didn’t expect his expected visitor to be standing right there. But without ado, it’s down to the basement, where a first-time college basketball head coach wearing sweatpants and a hat on backward is about to host the final segment of his daily Fox Sports Radio show. Gottlieb delivers a booming intro from the “TireRack-dot-com Studios,” which in this case is a laptop on a bar, then cartwheels through the day’s big stories. It’s an atmospheric entry. Plunging out of the cold, plasma trails everywhere. “What if Jimmy Butler was listed as ‘out’ because of P-I-T-A?” Gottlieb muses, riffing on news about the then-disgruntled Miami Heat star. “Pain In The …” He leaves the thought unfinished — a minor miracle. Last May, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay hired a feisty talk radio guy with no Division I experience and let him bring all the takes with him, too. If nothing else, the most unusual employment experiment in college hoops has not gone unnoticed. Personnel decisions, offhand quips and social media beef have become frantic headlines. A 20-game losing streak by a Horizon League team is tinder for pundits instead of a footnote. Some dilemmas, like a star’s broken ankle or a restriction on practice hours, are out of Gottlieb’s control. No one cares. The wait is on for spectacular success or spectacular failure, depending almost entirely on how you feel about the guy in charge. After signing off radio just before 4 p.m., Gottlieb pulls on a sweatshirt that reads HOPE THEY SERVE TACOS IN HELL and then weaves an SUV lathered in road salt back to the Kress Events Center offices. Within 20 minutes, he’s drawing up zone offense concepts. Then it’s on to a staff meeting to get injury updates, map out a practice plan and talk offseason roster management and recruiting. Gottlieb has two laptops open. He asks for his WiFi password. The conclave ends at 7:05 p.m., with one last reminder from the head coach: Next week, he has to go to the Super Bowl. A few minutes later, a man with a foot in two worlds crosses a parking lot wearing a puffer coat and a Green Bay Packers toque, and it’s suggested this had to be a long day. “Oh,” Doug Gottlieb says, “that was nothing.” In 2012, a massive new clock began ticking on the facade of Lambeau Field. Before long, people noticed a quirk: It ran 15 minutes fast. A deliberate homage to Vince Lombardi — the legendary Packers coach, not the dog — who had his own definition of punctuality. If you are five minutes early, he once said, you are already 10 minutes late. These days, even the lobby clock in the city’s venerable Hotel Northland is set to “Lombardi Time,” which can be a bit disorienting. Here, in a sense, you’re always behind. Enter a manic 49-year-old California native and son of a former college coach, who twice led the NCAA in assists at Oklahoma State and logged parts of four years playing professionally at home and abroad … and then spent the last two decades cultivating an audience via ESPN, CBS and FOX television and radio stints. The caricature of Doug Gottlieb is the cheekily overconfident, know-it-all opinionator with no detectable filter. It got him sued for libel in 2022, a predicament resolved with a retraction and apology. But the caricature didn’t have an identifiable alter ego until last summer, and even that’s a work in progress. Pull up Wikipedia, and there it is: Douglas Mitchell Gottlieb (born January 15, 1976) is an American basketball analyst, sports radio host and college basketball coach. The main thing is the third thing. It’s like the world refuses to know him for what he insists he is, at least not in order. “I mean, what is a coach?” Gottlieb says, feet up in his living room at sunset. “A coach is somebody who knows and loves the sport, has to communicate really well, has to relate to the players, has to love all those different aspects of it. Has to like team-building. Has to be comfortable leading, but also has to be comfortable being kind of questioned, and enjoy the thrilling pressure of both success and failure. And all of those things are me.” Bob Gottlieb, who ran programs at Jacksonville and Milwaukee in the 1970s and once vied with ***** Vitale for the Detroit Mercy gig, had left college hoops behind by the time he sat with his preteen son to watch high school games and suss out the best fit at that level. From this perch, Doug Gottlieb tried to decipher offensive sets and strategies and what each team was trying to get out of them. When Gottlieb left Notre Dame after one season, having been caught stealing other students’ credit cards (“Shot myself in the foot,” he says), he enrolled at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he helped coach the basketball squad for which he played and moonlighted as an assistant for his old high school coach, Andy Ground. Even as a college basketball analyst, Gottlieb prepared for games by dissecting film of both teams’ previous five outings and challenging himself to predict calls on-air. “He has always wanted to coach, and I knew that from a young age,” says Ground, who’s a confidant to this day. “As you get older, you find your niche, and his niche happened to be broadcasting. I personally think that’s the much better field. A lot less headaches.” At any point, Gottlieb could have made a move, sat on someone’s bench for a couple seasons. (His brother Gregg, an assistant coach with San Diego State women’s basketball, started on the sidelines 30 years ago.) But with three young children — one of whom is an equestrian athlete, and care for two horses tends to tax a budget — the math never added up to ditch lucrative television and radio gigs for an assistant coach’s salary. Nor did he see the logic in dues-paying, at least in his situation. Gottlieb left an interview for the Rice job in 2008 with the advice to get some experience as an assistant and then waded through a jam-packed lobby at the Final Four coaches’ hotel. School-branded polos and ladder-climbers everywhere. He could be one of those guys. Or he could keep using the bullhorn. “It’ll be harder, but it’ll be easier,” Gottlieb remembers thinking, “because I’m a different candidate.” He came close to getting a job almost a dozen times, he says. Matter of fact, Gottlieb was the runner-up to Sundance Wicks for the Green Bay gig in the spring of 2023. He’d been bolstered by recommendations from what athletic director Josh Moon calls “pretty high-profile coaches.” He even had a staff in place and transfer portal targets he planned to pursue. Importantly, Gottlieb didn’t take the rejection personally, staying in touch with Green Bay administrators after the process. When Wicks left to become Wyoming’s head coach last May, the timing was challenging. Who in the world is ready and willing to take a Horizon League job, when everyone else has a two-month head start? Well, Green Bay already knew a guy. “That’s the type of coaches that are going to win at this level,” Moon says. “People that are not afraid to run into the fire.” The news sparked a bit of that, yes. Marcus Hall, heading into his sophomore season with the Phoenix, scrolled through social media to read about his next coach. “I don’t know why people hate this guy,” Hall told his parents after logging off. Locally, it helped that Gottlieb walked in predisposed to assume the best in everyone, at least until proven otherwise. “I call it ‘Ready, shoot, aim,’” he says. Commingled with a thorough inability to be anything but himself, for better or worse, this actually flipped the skepticism about a California guy parachuting into the Fox River valley. “In northeast Wisconsin, if anybody tells you they don’t have a preconceived opinion of people that are rooted on the coasts, they’re lying,” says Scott Perry, the owner of Melotte Distributing and a donor who’s attended Green Bay games since 1987. “I thought, ‘No matter what happens, this guy is never going to be humbled.’ He walked in a humbled man. He walked in knowing his biggest deficit is, he didn’t know what he didn’t know.” Allowing Gottlieb to continue his radio show was a straightforward call, it seems. The income meant Gottlieb could sign on for a base salary of $215,000 from Green Bay – $40,000 less than women’s basketball coach Kayla Karius makes, which allows the department to redistribute the money elsewhere. The exposure for the program would be invaluable, immediately and in the longer term. (Gottlieb, for example, says he knows how to schedule in a way that best piques the interest of networks.) By holding practices in the morning hours — not an uncommon practice in college athletics — Gottlieb was free when his players were otherwise occupied. “I don’t need anything from him during those two hours,” Hall says. As for the perception that a coach fails unless he’s grinding on tape from dark to dark, Gottlieb counters with this: He’s divorced. He lives alone in a former Vrbo he bought fully furnished so he could move in the same day. His biggest chore is keeping a seven-month-old Sheepadoodle from eating chicken out of the garbage. He has a lot of time to watch tape. “This is my perception of it,” says junior guard Preston Ruedinger, a Green Bay native who played for two years at Valparaiso before transferring home. “Any college coach I’ve had goes home at 5 p.m., maybe. Sees the family, goes to have dinner. Doug just takes his break from 2 to 4. He’s texting us till 10 at night. He’s watching film whenever a regular coach would be off, from 5 to 8. He’s working. People don’t understand the actual time and effort he puts in.” So that’s how and why a Division I men’s basketball coach also hosts a national sports talk radio show. It is Gottlieb’s outlet. It refreshes him. It is as natural, he says, as brushing his teeth. “Why keep doing it? Because I love doing it,” Gottlieb says. “I love the promotion of it, and I love that eventually we’ll win. … It’s just unfortunate the results aren’t there this year.” Right. About that part. Wisconsin-Green Bay has finished at .500 or better in 28 of its 44 seasons in Division I. (Brian Hamilton / The Athletic) Inside a practice facility named after the winningest men’s hoops coach in school history, a Wednesday workout in late January begins with Alan Jackson tunes pumping out of a sideline speaker and Green Bay players pushing and shoving each other to jump into a drill. Battling, sort of, for more reps. Chaos in a good way. Something the ***** Bennett Gymnasium’s namesake could love. Within a half hour, the ball rolls out of bounds after bouncing off an ankle. The scout team then scores roughly its millionth consecutive basket. The answer to that is a drive into traffic and another turnover. Normally, a staff aware of its team’s limitations bites tongues bloody. This … this is too much. The head coach blows his whistle, spins around and catches himself just before he punts the basketball in his hands. “So f— bad!” Doug Gottlieb barks. Such is the wild, whiplash dichotomy of the debut season of the Gottlieb Era in Green Bay. Smiles and laughs in the locker room during film sessions. Engagement during practice. And two wins, total, with a losing streak now 20 games long. A spot at No. 341 out of 364 Division I teams ranked on KenPom.com, after a Feb. 8 defeat at Purdue-Fort Wayne. “It’s weird, because the only time it feels like a (two-win) team is right after a loss, when everyone is *******,” says Hall, the Phoenix’s active leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. “Because we really think we are going to win every game.” Success is not an unreasonable ask here. Green Bay has finished at .500 or better in 28 of its 44 seasons in Division I. It reached three straight NCAA Tournaments in the mid-1990s, and there’s enough talent inside state lines alone to compete in the Horizon League. “The level of potential is gross at Green Bay,” says assistant coach Jordan McCabe, a native of nearby Kaukauna. But this season is undeniably grim. And right beside the win-loss column — subject to your opinion of the person running the operation — there’s a skyscraper of either explanations or excuses. To begin with, Green Bay gets 16 allowable practice hours per week — four fewer than normal — thanks to Academic Progress Rate penalties stemming from two coaches ago. It’s a debilitating limitation at full strength, but full strength has been a fantasy anyway. The Horizon League freshman of the year in 2023-24, guard David Douglas Jr., didn’t meet with Gottlieb before transferring to Fresno State. Gottlieb’s first commitment opted to return to junior college. Three signees couldn’t start until September, because Green Bay’s rules required all international transfers to have in-person instruction for three-fourths of their classes, and there are zero in-person courses during Green Bay’s summer school. Hall, one of four returners, contracted mononucleosis in the preseason. A key transfer, 7-foot-1 former four-star recruit Isaiah Miranda, withdrew from Green Bay by late December after multiple on- and off-court issues, including a meltdown in a game against Michigan Tech. Anthony Roy, then the nation’s leading scorer at 25.7 points per game, was late to an early December practice and missed a shootaround the next day, prompting Gottlieb to bench him for a game, creating a magnetic field for takes. “That was the first time the guys felt the weight of who I am, how everybody wants to pile on,” Gottlieb says. Roy issued an apology on Instagram, returned in good standing … and broke his ankle two games later. He has not played since. Six-foot-nine Yonatan Levy, an Israeli who averages 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, has become a viable offensive fulcrum in Roy’s absence … but he didn’t suit up until January due to visa issues. “It feels like we’ve had three different teams this year,” Ruedinger says. Bluntly? The available talent is too young — Green Bay ranks 285th in Division I experience, per KenPom — and not talented enough. “John Wooden’s not winning with that group,” says Ground, who spent two weeks vetting the operation in January, at Gottlieb’s request. Then, of course, there are the mistakes and regrets of someone doing this job for the first time. “Oh, a million of them,” Gottlieb says, throwing his head back. He wishes he’d brought on both a personal assistant and “old head” staffer with knowledge of the Horizon League. He spent the summer installing “no-middle” defensive principles and eventually scrapped them after deciding his group wasn’t athletic enough to play that way. He was too complex too soon with offensive concepts and verbiage before realizing players don’t necessarily understand what “usage rate” is, for example, unless you explain it to them. He says he probably should’ve texted Adam Schefter instead of creating a conflagration on X while he was driving home. He blames himself for a schedule that was too onerous, both from travel and competition perspectives. “For a first-year coach to be playing the hardest or second-hardest schedule in the league, and to play no Division III (teams) and a really good Division II (team) that has all hometown kids that beats you – like, that’s stupid,” Gottlieb says. Ah, yes. Michigan Tech and “Nobody U.” A meteor hitting a gas truck parked at a fireworks warehouse. Objectively, a Dec. 11 news conference included Gottlieb going on a meandering tangent about schedule strength. While discussing a couple conflicting concepts – playing beatable teams while also inspiring locals to come to a game in a Green Bay winter – he used the term “Nobody U.” He could’ve edited himself. He could’ve better focused his message. That didn’t happen, though. And he’s Doug Gottlieb. So when Division II Michigan Tech beat Green Bay a week later, the howls could be heard from outer space. The talking head-turned-coach, hoisted by his own petard. Even if he didn’t actually, specifically refer to Michigan Tech as “Nobody U.” The lesson? “Say less,” Gottlieb says. Sure. But can he? “Yeah,” he says. “I just need somebody yelling in my ear, “WRAP!” He laughs. He insists his two selves will coexist and thrive. He also knows when or if remains an open debate for everyone else. Multiple players defended their coach’s dual roles. (Brian Hamilton / The Athletic) A few days with this team, this year, is a ride fit for the bayside amusement park a short drive from the basketball offices. In the middle of an Oakland University campus still coated with snow that has melted everywhere else, Gottlieb gathers his team following a midday Thursday shootaround. It’s mostly a final rehearsal of all the cuts and shots emphasized in two days of prep for the Grizzlies’ amorphous zone defense. He tells his players to return to their room at the nearby Embassy Suites and close their eyes. Find balance. “Think of all the things you’re going to do right,” he says. Twelve minutes before tipoff, Gottlieb finishes his spirited pregame speech by declaring the Phoenix to be the hungriest team in America, then walks into a spartan coaches’ locker room. “Aaaaaand Marcus is out,” Gottlieb says. Hall, nursing a sore knee, went through warmups but cannot play. With Roy rehabbing in Wisconsin, that’s two starters and roughly 38 points per game unavailable to begin a two-game conference road swing through Michigan. The Phoenix abide – they’re tied with the Grizzlies at halftime – but are undone by a seven-minute stretch without a made field goal in a 68-54 loss. Still, the mood is not funereal. Green Bay has to make shots. It has to rebound. (Minus-25 on the glass doesn’t help, no.) Everyone, including the staff – there was an ill-advised and poorly executed decision to double-team the post at half – has to be better. But, in all, Green Bay does not look like one of the worst teams in the country. It’s something. The next morning, the Phoenix gather in a hotel meeting room for film review and a scout of Detroit Mercy. Before dismissing the group, Gottlieb’s parting words are acute. “All we got is what’s in this room,” he says. “Nobody’s coming to help.” Green Bay’s process from practice to film to shootaround to pregame isn’t substantially different from that of any program, anywhere. This is notable in itself, for those who assume the coaches throw darts to prepare. “In terms of schemes or the build-up for things,” says forward Ryan Wade, who’s had six coaches in his six years of college basketball, “it’s been the same.” What is different is a head coach sitting in an open-air business center that afternoon, shouting loud enough that a bartender leaves his station to make sure there isn’t a developing emergency in the lobby. And, today, the host of “The Doug Gottlieb Show” has something on his mind. The venom on social media following the Oakland loss got to him. He cannot understand why people take joy in others’ misery. He cannot understand why people don’t appreciate the work he’s put into the life he’s built for himself. It all gasses up an extended, boiled-over rant. “My challenge to these people is, when we start winning, I want a mea culpa from every f—- one of you,” Gottlieb says, punctuating the screed. “That’s what I want.” He signs off around 5 p.m. local time. Green Bay buses to an easygoing shootaround at Calihan Hall. Wade’s parents drive to the team hotel from Ann Arbor and set up a delectable medley of soul food and lumpia for the team when it returns. There’s talk of a spades tournament after everyone eats. Slivers of light on the margins. The sun comes up on the first day of February. Inside the visitors’ locker room, before a 1 p.m. tipoff against a Detroit Mercy team then 328th-best in the country on KenPom.com, Gottlieb stands before the Phoenix with a question. “You know what makes a man in this world?” he asks. “Confidence.” It’s ignition without a spark. For the next couple hours, Green Bay looks exactly as bad as everyone thinks it is. A 10-point loss. Nineteen in a row. Even with Hall in the lineup, the offense is unsightly. The Phoenix register just .88 points per possession. They miss 21 of 28 3-pointers. Nothing works. When there’s confusion about whom to foul and when near the end, Gottlieb looks at his staff. “Too many voices,” he says, flatly. It’s a bitter irony following Green Bay down the slide: Everyone wants so badly to fix this that, at times, they do too much and make it worse. The players slump silently in chairs after handshake lines. In a cross-country locker room doubling as a coaches’ alcove, Green Bay’s coach closes his eyes and leans forward in a folding chair, dropping his head into his hands. “F—,” Doug Gottlieb says. “I did not expect that.” Doug Gottlieb on his first year as a head coach: ‘End of the day, I’m a head coach. I got a radio show. We got plenty of time to fix it. We’re all focused on the right things. We’re getting better. There will be better days.’ (Brian Hamilton / The Athletic) It is impossible to spend any decent amount of time in this orbit and conclude the head coach only kind of cares. He cares. About everything. A superpower, and a vulnerability. When Gottlieb discovered last summer that Green Bay did not provide laptops to his players – they were welcome to check one out from the library for two weeks at a time, he was told – he raised $12,000 to rectify the issue. When he invited Ground to vet every part of Green Bay’s operation, top to bottom, he included himself most of all; Ground was impressed by Gottlieb’s leadership, told him to be more composed on the sideline and noted his former point guard doesn’t sleep much. He also can dine at The Iron Pig, a nearby gastropub, and discuss Caleb the bartender’s dating life, because it’s not the first time the new guy in town has inquired. He sits in Perry’s living room, watching NFL playoff games, and winds up discussing movies and television shows with an important ally’s 17-year-old daughter. “He’s as real as any of the guys I play golf with every Thursday,” Perry says. Doug Gottlieb is also, inevitably and sometimes exhaustingly, Doug Gottlieb. He doesn’t like to feed the trolls, he declares near the end of his Friday afternoon radio show, and then addresses one named “Geronimo” anyway. He says it doesn’t matter if people hate him while wondering aloud why anyone wouldn’t like him. He sits on radio row at Super Bowl LIX days before the game at Purdue-Fort Wayne, the Horizon League’s second-place team, inviting more barbs even though he missed one workout back home and the staff had planned for the trip since August. Gottlieb says he’s OK with “everybody dogpiling on me” because his players therefore won’t absorb as much negativity. Then he says he can’t lie: It’s a lot. “It’s not earth-shattering to (say) there are points in which you question, should I have done this?” Gottlieb says. “Like what am I doing? I could just be chilling, be an average person doing radio, collecting checks, working three hours a day.” He sees it, though. The contour of reality in the caricature. The balance, in all things, he has to chase down to make this work. Time is ticking. “I take the things I say to (the players) and I mean it: If this is my hardest day, I got a pretty good life, right?” he says. “End of the day, I’m a head coach. I got a radio show. We got plenty of time to fix it. We’re all focused on the right things. We’re getting better. There will be better days.” Hanging behind the basement bar from which a basketball coach hosts that radio show, there’s a print Gottlieb inherited from the house purchase, one of several nautically themed decorations on the walls. It depicts a small boat climbing a colossal wave. Smooth Seas Never Made A Skilled Sailor, it reads. The dock is right there. Always is. And there’s Doug Gottlieb, riding out the storm. (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos: Candice Ward, Jason Mowry / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images) Source link #Ready #shoot #aim #Doug #Gottlieb #coaching #experiment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Obsidian Entertainment Plans To Outlive Us All With Its Refreshingly Simple Business Strategy Obsidian Entertainment Plans To Outlive Us All With Its Refreshingly Simple Business Strategy Avowed developer Obsidian Entertainment has a goal to be around for at least 100 years–it’s already a 22-year-old institution–and its current leadership team believes it can meet this ambitious goal by taking a pragmatic approach to developing new video games. Speaking at the DICE Summit this week (via PC Gamer), Obsidian Entertainment VP of operations Marcus Morgan and VP of development Justin Britch explained how delivering new titles consistently and focusing on realistic sales expectations are part of its strategy to be around for another 78 years. As Morgan and Britch explained, this is part of their overall vision for the studio, with key elements revolving around staying “lean and invested” as the years tick by. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Avowed Review Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter What this means in practical terms is that Obsidian is aiming for “mild success” as Britch defined it, while also ensuring that it has a manageable number of employees. Additionally, Obsidian isn’t aiming to deliver games that feature groundbreaking visuals or an obscene level of scale, as the studio spends a considerable amount of time examining just how many resources it’ll need to commit to a project before it’s officially greenlit. This in turn allows the studio to be profitable, but not “super-profitable” with every game release. It’s worth noting that Obsidian is owned by Microsoft, a global company that makes a fair bit of coin every year through its multiple services. To its credit, Obsidian has been a workhorse studio for Microsoft and its Xbox division, as it has released The Outer Worlds, Grounded, Pentiment, and Avowed since 2019, and The Outer Worlds 2 is scheduled to arrive later this year. While not every Obsidian-developed game is a critical hit, this lean-and-mean approach does appear to be working for it since it was acquired by Microsoft in 2018, and the studio aims to have a low turnover rate in the turbulent gaming industry. Last year saw some big-budget games from other studios bomb upon launch, with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Concord being two notable examples. Avowed launches on February 18 for PC and Xbox Series X|S–and is available right now to play if you purchased the Premium Edition–and scored 6/10 in GameSpot’s review. Source link #Obsidian #Entertainment #Plans #Outlive #Refreshingly #Simple #Business #Strategy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to hedge if the resilient Nasdaq runs out of steam How to hedge if the resilient Nasdaq runs out of steam Investor love is in the air as all three major U.S. indices keep climbing higher and now hover at all-time highs. The markets continue to overcome headwinds, and volatility has vanished with the Cboe Volatility Index down at 15. Hotter-than-expected inflationary data, higher interest rates, or the threat of tariffs have oddly become bullish. However, the Magnifecent 7 stocks have seen internal bifurcation in 2025, showing signs of exhaustion. I want to hedge for a tech pullback as I believe the love train for the Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) is about to take a track lower. Market resilience persists this year as traders quickly put the DeepSeek fear in the rear-view mirror. Regarding Trump’s tariffs, investors have ‘short-term’ welcomed delayed tariff implementation which seems to be much further down the road and certainly not now. Mag 7 earnings season results have been quite mixed and investors anxiously await Nvidia earnings on Feb. 26. That being said, the potential for the Mag 7 leadership to fizzle should fuel the rotation trade into industrials, financials, and less loved blue-chip names. (Think tickers like: WM, JPM, and INTC) I remain cautiously optimistic in 2025 but the run that the QQQs has been on for the last two years has been historic and I question its sustainability. Friends at Bespoke Investment’s research stated that Friday would mark 485 straight trading days of closes above the 200-DMA for the Nasdaq 100. That is the second longest in its history since 1985 behind only the 572-trading day streak that ended in October 2018. The trade I want to use a risk reversal in the QQQ’s which will collect premium in selling the upside out-of-the-money call option to help reduce the cost of buying the downside OTM put option. I have technology exposure so selling the call is a hedge. In the event you do not have tech exposure, you must manage this short call and should consider buying an even further OTM call option to define the risk in the event the Nasdaq 100 has more gas in the tank. Sold the 3/21/2025 $555 call for $4.00 Bought the 3/21/2025 $515 put for $4.60 This risk reversal will cost an investor $0.60 or $60 per one spread This was filled when QQQ was roughly trading $536 DISCLOSURES: ( Long QQQ and owns this spread.) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #hedge #resilient #Nasdaq #runs #steam Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

My favorite AR smart glasses are down to a record-breaking low price in Xreal’s Valentine’s Day ***** My favorite AR smart glasses are down to a record-breaking low price in Xreal’s Valentine’s Day ***** The Xreal Air 2 glasses – my current favorite AR smart glasses for entertainment – are $60 / £50-off at Xreal.com as part of a special Valentine’s Day *****. That makes them just $299 / £279, which is an excellent price for this gadget. You connect them using a USB-C cable to a compatible device – like a phone, handheld console, tablet, laptop, or Xreal’s Beam Pro – and the glasses will show your screen on a giant floating display in front of you. I’ve used my Xreal Air 2s to help make flights and my daily commute go by in a flash as I sit back and play a game or watch my favorite TV show on a vision filling virtual screen. They boast a full-HD picture, a 500-nit peak brightness, a 120Hz refresh rate, and weigh just 72g – so they’re easy to wear for long stretches. Just think about also grabbing a Bluetooth headphones deal, or one of the best Bluetooth headphones as audio leakage can sometimes be a problem. (Not in the US or ***? Scroll down for the best deals in your region) Today’s best AR smart glasses deal The Xreal Air 2 glasses are excellent, but they are outclassed by newer Xreal smart glasses – though those will cost you more. The first is the Xreal Air 2 Pro which are fundamentally identical to the base model except they include electrochromic dimming for $399.00 / £429.00 (Note: at the time of writing they’re down to £359 in the ***). I won’t say it isn’t a useful upgrade, but it’s not worth the added cost when you can rely on the Air 2’s included cover plate to provide a dark environment for ideal viewing. Then there’s the Xreal Air 2 Ultra. These approach what we consider ‘genuine’ AR glasses with basic hand tracking capabilities for interactive experiences. Though they’re more like a developer kit given the relative lack of content for consumers on them, so they’re only worth picking up if you want the clout of being an early AR adopter. Lastly there’s the Xreal One glasses. I’m testing these out currently and my brief experience with them so far is they’re an all-out upgrade on the Xreal Air 2 – though I’d hope they would be at $499 / £449. I haven’t finished my in-depth testing yet but I’d say these are the glasses to get if not the Xreal Air 2 while they’re on *****, given the One’s upgraded 50-degree FoV and Bose-powered spatial sound among other upgrades. Source link #favorite #smart #glasses #recordbreaking #price #Xreals #Valentines #Day #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A plan is taking shape — quietly — to send European troops to Ukraine – National A plan is taking shape — quietly — to send European troops to Ukraine – National Increasingly alarmed that U.S. security priorities lie elsewhere, a group of European countries has been quietly working on a plan to send troops into Ukraine to help enforce any future peace settlement with Russia. Britain and France are at the forefront of the effort, though details remain scarce. The countries involved in the discussions are reluctant to tip their hand and give Russian President Vladimir Putin an edge should he agree to negotiate an end to the war he launched three years ago. What is clear is that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs a guarantee that his country’s security will be assured until peace takes hold. The best protection would be the NATO membership that Ukraine has long been promised, but the U.S. has taken that option off the table. “I won’t get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that if there is peace then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and the U.K. will play its part in that,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in cautious remarks on Thursday. Story continues below advertisement The Europeans began exploring what kind of force might be needed about a year ago, but the sense of urgency has grown amid concern that U.S. President Donald Trump might go over their heads, and possibly even Ukraine’s, to clinch a deal with Putin. Many questions remain unanswered but one stands out: what role, if any, might the United States play? 2:06 U.S., Russia say Ukraine will be involved in peace talks In December, after Trump was elected but before he took office, a group of leaders and ministers huddled with Zelenskyy at NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s residence in Brussels. They came from Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Top European Union officials attended too. The talks built on an idea promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron in early 2024. At the time his refusal to rule out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine prompted an outcry, notably from the leaders of Germany and Poland. Story continues below advertisement Macron appeared isolated on the European stage, but his plan has gained traction since. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Still, much about what the force might look like and who will take part will depend on the terms of any peace settlement, and more. 1:15 NATO in ‘crisis mode,’ allies should boost Ukraine aid to meet defence spend goal: Secretary-General Italy has constitutional limits on the use of its forces. The Netherlands would need a greenlight from its parliament, as would Germany, whose position could evolve after the Feb. 23 elections usher in a new government. Poland is cautious, given lingering animosities with Ukraine that date from World War II. The makeup and role of the force will be dictated by the kind of peace deal that’s reached. If Russia and Ukraine can agree terms as the negotiations progress, it’s plausible that fewer security precautions and a smaller force would be needed. Story continues below advertisement But experts and officials warn that, as things stand, the Europeans must deploy a robust and sizeable contingent, rather than a team of peacekeepers like United Nations “blue helmets.” “It has to be a real force (so) that the Russians know that if they ever tested it that they would get crushed. And you can be sure that Russia will test it,” Ben Hodges, the former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, said last month at a European Policy Centre think tank event. “They violate every single agreement. So if we send a force in there, they’ve got to have airpower, large land forces, drones, counter-drones, air and missile defence. All of that,” he said. “If they go in there with a bunch of blue helmets and rifles, they will get crushed.” Retired French General Dominique Trinquand, a former head of France’s military mission at the United Nations, agreed that U.N. peacekeepers are better suited “for deployment in zones that are far more stable.” “For starters, mounting this operation with soldiers taken from across the world would take about a year,” he said. How big could the force be? Trending Now Meghan Markle surprises her kids with a quintessential ********* treat Teddi Mellencamp reveals she has ‘multiple’ brain tumours, will undergo surgery The nature of the peace deal will determine the size and location of the European contingent. Story continues below advertisement Zelenskyy has insisted on at least 100,000 to 150,000 troops. Media reports have speculated about a 30,000-40,000 strong force. Diplomats and officials have not confirmed either figure. Ukraine also wants air support, not just boots on the ground. What is clear is that the Europeans would struggle to muster a large-scale force, and certainly could not do it quickly. In an interview on Friday with the Financial Times, Macron said that the idea of deploying a huge force is “far-fetched.” “We have to do things that are appropriate, realistic, well thought, measured and negotiated,” he said. 2:00 US warns Ukraine NATO membership “unrealistic objective” of peace talks U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted this week on “robust international oversight of the line of contact,” a reference to the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) long front line. Story continues below advertisement The Europeans are reluctant as that would require too many troops. Nearly all agree that some kind of “American backstop” is essential. European armed forces have long relied on superior U.S. logistics, air transport and other military capabilities. At NATO headquarters on Wednesday, Hegseth began describing the terms under which the U.S. might agree to a force that would help provide Ukraine with the “robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again.” “Any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops,” Hegseth told almost 50 of Ukraine’s Western backers. More on Canada More videos If they go to Ukraine, he said, “they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission.” Putin has said that he launched the invasion in part due to NATO territory expanding too close to Russia’s borders and is unlikely to accept any operation run by the world’s biggest military organization. Any European allies taking part would not benefit from NATO’s collective security guarantee if they were attacked, Hegseth said. He underlined that “there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.” He did not reveal what role the U.S. might play. From Ukraine’s perspective, a Europe-only operation simply would not work. Story continues below advertisement “Any security guarantees are impossible without the Americans,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha warned on Thursday. Source link #plan #shape #quietly #send #European #troops #Ukraine #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A Rafter ‘Swallowed’ by a Whale, and Caught on Dad’s Video A Rafter ‘Swallowed’ by a Whale, and Caught on Dad’s Video A humpback whale snatched and spat out Adrián Simancas, who had been packrafting with his father in the waters off Patagonia. Source link #Rafter #Swallowed #Whale #Caught #Dads #Video Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warriors legends reunite for 3s, wisecracks and reflections ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend Warriors legends reunite for 3s, wisecracks and reflections ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend SAN FRANCISCO — They are Walk TMC now. Chris Mullin has a **** left foot, Mitch Richmond rarely shoots a basketball these days and Tim Hardaway arrived for this on-court reunion by patting the ample midsection of his tight-fitting jersey. “Maaaaan, we used to run around all sexy,’’ Hardaway, 58, lamented as he stepped into the Golden State Warriors practice facility. “Not now. It’s all pot belly.” Despite their infirmities, the mere sight of Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin reuniting to launch shots again was enough to quicken the pulse and widen the eyes. Somewhere, a long-ago defender felt a disturbance in the force and awakened without knowing why. Once upon a time, these three were Run TMC, and their too-brief Warriors career looked like one long fast break. In 1990-91, their second and final season together, they formed the NBA’s highest-scoring trio by averaging 72.5 points per game. (The Warriors averaged 116.6 points per game that season, second in the league.) All three finished among the league’s top dozen scorers that season, with Mullin ranking eighth (25.7 ppg), Richmond 10th (23.9) and Hardaway 11th (23.9). They all wound up in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “We had a sick run,” said Richmond, 59. The Warriors secretly got the band back together for a video shoot to help promote the NBA All-Star Weekend in the Bay Area next week. Mullin, Hardaway and Richmond participated in a 3-point shooting contest, with Baron Davis representing the franchise’s “We Believe” era. This was Run TMC’s acoustic set. Because there were no fans in the building for this Dec. 20 shootout, every bounce, swish and wisecrack reverberated off the walls like a bygone soundtrack. All-Star Weekend is coming to The Bay, so some legends had to get in the zone.@starrylemonlime Alumni 3-Point Shootout is now LIVE at pic.twitter.com/VR3LEnIUTP — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 13, 2025 The most important ground rule for the 3-point competition hardly needed to be spelled out. “Walk to the next rack slowly,” Mullin, 61, explained, “so no one gets hurt.” Who would win? That was a topic the players kicked around, too. Richmond and Mullin reasoned that Davis should be the favorite, even though he made just 32 percent of his career 3s. He got the nod because he was a mere 45. Davis, who grew up idolizing Hardaway, wasn’t having it. “I’m already at a disadvantage,” Davis protested, scanning his competitors. “Legend, legend, legend — and me.” Hardaway, meanwhile, picked Mullin to win it all. And that had nothing to do with the fact that Mullin was wearing a pair of custom-made Stephen Curry sneakers. “He doesn’t even need those on, he can still shoot,” Hardaway said. “If Steph Curry himself were here, I’d still be taking Chris Mullin.” As the players stretched out before this turn-back-the-clock competition — let’s call it Re-Run TMC — any fears about moving too quickly were put to rest. “The slowest 3-point contest I’ve ever been a part of,’’ Richmond cracked. Their famous nickname owes its roots to Run DMC, rap pioneers who found stardom in the mid-1980s and in 2009 became just the second hip-hop group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the basketball version, TMC refers to the initials of their first names — Tim, Mitch and Chris. On this day, however, it could have stood for where it hurt most: Tendons, Muscles and Cartilage. Mullin looked the smoothest during warm-ups, quickly recapturing that sweet and lethal left-handed release. Then again, Mullin was just a few shots in when he fretted about needing a headband because of the sweat gathering on his forehead like a storm cloud. He’d been taking warm-up shots for all of three minutes. Mullin: Hey, Mitch. Richmond: Yeah? Mullin: I’m tired. But as more warm-up shots started to fall and the semblance of competition began to simmer, TMC settled into a familiar zone. And for a few glorious hours in an empty gym in December, an exhilarating era of Warriors basketball was off and running again. Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, Baron Davis and Mitch Richmond. (Photo courtesy of Golden State Warriors) First round: ‘I got bamboozled! The action opened with Davis versus Richmond on one side of the bracket and Hardaway versus Mullin on the other. The Warriors’ production team asked Davis to handle the player introductions for their camera. The only instruction was not to curse. Davis got two dozen words into his ad-libbed remarks before saying, “I’m just talking s—.” “They said you couldn’t cuss!” Richmond said. “So make sure it’s edited,” Davis replied. As it turns out, the first take was only for rehearsal anyway. On Take 2, Davis nailed it: Guess what, I’m here with Bay Area Legends, Warriors Alumni, TMC. Chris Mullin, Mitch “The Rock” Richmond, Tim Hardaway, and I am yours truly Baron Davis. All-Star weekend coming to San Francisco. The Starry Alumni three-point shootout is happening now. When it was over, Mullin thanked Davis for remembering to call it the “alumni” contest. “Lower the expectations,” Mullin explained. Players shot from three different racks featuring five ****** apiece. There was one rack in the left corner, one at the top of the arc and one in the right corner. Each make counted for one point. Along the way, a pair of “money ******” counted for two points apiece. “Let’s get this thing crackin’!” Hardaway said, although he might have been referring to their joints. Fired up, leadoff shooter Davis promptly missed his first four shots, none of them particularly close. “He’s warming up!” Mullin yelled as encouragement. “He doesn’t come alive until the fourth quarter!” But there would be no comeback. Davis went 5-for-17 in his trip around the arc, with the money ball allowing him to salvage six points. “Six?! You set me up by making me go first. I got bamboozled!” Davis cracked. “Do I get a do-over? This is on camera.” “Let me see how I do first,” Richmond replied, “and then we’ll be doing over everything.” Richmond fared just fine, finishing strong to win his first-round matchup 9-6. On the other side, Hardaway was unhappy with his seeding committee. “I hate shooting against this guy,” he said of Mullin. Hardaway had reason to be concerned. He missed his first shot so badly that laughter erupted among the others. “Oh, my goodness,’’ one of them said. It didn’t exactly pick up from there. Hardaway missed his first nine (!) shots. He looked so rusty that they didn’t need a water jug on the sideline, they needed an oil can. “I told you I haven’t shot in three years!” Hardaway yelled as a way of answering the mounting snickers. At last, his 10th attempt went in. “I’m on a roll!” he said. But he was not. Hardaway made just one more shot the rest of the way and finished with two points. The performance was so scattershot that Mullin got a little cheeky and asked if he even needed to bother with his round. “Do I get a bye?” the former Dream Teamer said. Then, as if to rub it in, Mullin drilled 8 of his first 11 shots en route to a 12-2 win. “A dirty dozen,” he said of his point total. “At age 60!” Hardaway marveled. “61,” Mullin corrected. Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway pose for a photo before Mullin’s jersey retirement ceremony in 2012. (Kelley L. Cox / USA Today Sports) Final round: Mullin vs. Richmond By now, there was a little zest to the action. Voices were louder, the focus sharper. Hardaway and Davis, having been eliminated, shouted encouragement. They wanted a show and rooted hard for Richmond, the underdog, to put up a fight. Richmond came out firing, hitting three of his first four. His fifth shot almost fell, too, but the ball went in and out. “That’s going to hurt you!” Hardaway said. “What’s going to hurt him,” Davis joked, “is bending down to get the ball.” Indeed, Richmond went cold from there, missing eight of his next nine shots. “Hey, Mitch. Come on!” Davis finally said. “You’re going to make it to the finals to do this?” Richmond’s final tally of five allowed Mullin to take his turn feeling confident again. He walked toward the rack casually, making it clear this was a done deal. “I gotta beat five?” Mullin said, half-bored. “What are the odds?” Mullin was a tad slow out of the gate hitting two of the first six. With some wishful thinking, Hardaway announced: “It might be a game.” Mullin’s retort came in the form of hitting his next four shots and adding his total out loud — three, four, five, six. At one point, Mullin pointed toward the ****** remaining rack and started counting the ones he hadn’t shot yet — 10, 11, 12 … Mullin didn’t quite get that far, but he did enough to capture the crown with a 9-5 final-round victory. In all, the four Warriors legends combined to make 42 of their 102 shots. How did it feel? “It’s like riding a bike … but the bike is kind of janky,” Richmond said. “And the bike is just as old as we are.” Mullin heard that assessment and laughed. “The bike has no seat, no steering and the handlebars are crooked,” he added. A picture-perfect ending As a surreal touch, the competition played out in a venue where pictures of the past looked down on the present. The walls are adorned with images of Run TMC in its prime. Mullin, Richmond and Hardaway even recreated one of the group shots for a then-and-now comparison. How often do they get together? “Not enough,” Hardaway said. “Not enough,” Richmond echoed ruefully. Mullin lives in the East Bay and works as an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area. Richmond lives in Los Angeles, not far from Davis. Hardaway lives in Detroit and attends most of the Detroit Pistons’ home games where his son, Tim Jr., averages almost 11 points per game. Another image overlooking the Warriors’ practice court features Davis soaring for his famous dunk over Andrei Kirilenko in the 2007 playoffs, the greatest jam in Golden State history. Davis said he owed that moment to the power of Run TMC, which inspired him as a teenager in Southern California. “Tim Hardaway doesn’t know this, but I used to wear size-10 Tim Hardaway shoes when I was in high school,” he said. The size 10 is the important part. Because at the time, Davis had size 11.5 feet. “I used to just be like, ‘F— it dude, my feet can hurt,” he said. “Yeah, man, I was squeezing into them Tim Hardaways.” Imagine Davis’ joy when Hardaway and the rest of Run TMC served as his mentors upon Davis’ arrival with the Warriors in 2005. “I was coming from New Orleans, where everybody had checked out on me,” Davis said. “And when you have legends who believe in you when you walk in that gym every day — and you see them in person — you can’t disappoint them. “And ultimately, that’s what ‘We Believe’ it was about. We were playing for our legacy and their past, We wanted to do what Run TMC did. So that was our goal and motivation.” This seemed like a fitting way to raise a toast to the TMC era. They had an amazing run. (Top photo: Courtesy of Golden State Warriors) Source link #Warriors #legends #reunite #wisecracks #reflections #ahead #NBA #AllStar #Weekend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bethesda Dev Admitted Fallout 3 is the Spiritual Successor of an Elder Scrolls Game That Predates Skyrim Bethesda Dev Admitted Fallout 3 is the Spiritual Successor of an Elder Scrolls Game That Predates Skyrim As Fallout fans, we all know that there’s one particular entry in the franchise that turned everything upside down, and that’s Fallout 3. When it debuted all the way back in 2008, it brought an excellent experience, near-perfect balance between combat, open-world exploration, and story. Fallout 3 is still making waves in the gaming community. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) Fallout 3 might be overshadowed by recent games with improved gameplay and graphics, but it still remains one of the strongest entries, which showed us what Bethesda could do if it was actually committed to a project. What you’ll be shocked to know is that this post-apocalyptic entry is actually a spiritual successor of an Elder Scrolls title. Fallout 3 wouldn’t have been possible without Oblivion Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion set new highs for the company. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) Back in 2011, Fallout 3‘s lead designer and writer, Emil Pagliarulo, sat down with Vagrant Board and opened up about his experience working on games and how he managed to develop one of the best RPG experiences to date. If you’re someone who has played the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series, you’ll instantly notice the similarities between Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion and Fallout 3. These include things such as basic controls, HUD movement, and features. Due to this reason, many have described Fallout 3 as a “post-apocalyptic Oblivion.” According to Pagliarulo, using similar mechanics in both games ultimately benefited Bethesda. There’s an old adage about writing: “Write what you know.” That basically means your best creative endeavors are ones based upon experience and personal familiarity. The closer you are to the subject matter, the better your art will be by default. As Pagliarulo explains, just like writing, game development benefits quite a lot when developers have a sense of familiarity. Bethesda had already proven that it could craft a ground-breaking RPG with the release of Oblivion. The studio took everything great from the title, understood its flaws, and applied it to Fallout 3. Sure, you can say that similar mechanics between both games fight feel like lazy work, but they brought a balance of familiarity with new and exciting things in Fallout 3. If Todd Howard and his team hadn’t learned from the previous hit, the post-apocalyptic game would’ve never gone down in the history books. Where is Bethesda planning to take the Fallout series? The next Fallout game is still years away from release. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) After the release of Fallout 3, Bethesda has just produced two more Fallout games, and the last mainline entry hit the shelves almost a decade ago. Considering the hype behind the franchise, it’s quite shocking that Bethesda hasn’t been producing more post-apocalyptic titles. However, as Bethesda fans, we’re all used to this kind of waiting; it’s almost a signature mark of the company, making players wait between sequels. If you’re someone who’s itching for the next Fallout title, it’s going to be a long wait, as Bethesda is currently working on Elder Scrolls 6. According to Bethesda, Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in the production stage, and rumors suggest that the game will be released sometime during or after 2026. This means that Howard and his team won’t touch Fallout 5 at least until 2026. This means that if Elder Scrolls 6 faces any sort of delay, Fallout 5 might also be delayed. So, fans should better prepare themselves that the next Fallout title won’t be out before 2030 at the earliest. With that said, do you think Bethesda’s experience with Oblivion made Fallout 3 a better game? Let us know in the comments below Source link #Bethesda #Dev #Admitted #Fallout #Spiritual #Successor #Elder #Scrolls #Game #Predates #Skyrim Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Americans to spend $14.6 billion on Valentine’s Day, report finds Americans to spend $14.6 billion on Valentine’s Day, report finds Sanja Radin | E+ | Getty Images It seems that love is in the air — and so is the spending as more people are apparently getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit this year. Americans shopping for their significant others are expected to spend $14.6 billion this year, according to the latest annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. That is up from $14.2 billion in 2024. The survey polled 8,020 adult consumers about their Valentine’s Day shopping plans in early January. Despite strong spending trends, inflation could play a role in whether consumers choose to splurge or scale back, experts say. To that point, this record Valentine’s Day spending comes at a time when inflation is still relatively high in the U.S. The consumer price index, an inflation gauge, jumped 3% for the 12 months ending in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The January reading is up from 2.9% in December, the fourth consecutive month of increases in the annual inflation rate when it was at 2.4% in September. More from Personal Finance: ‘Where’s my refund?’ How thrifting can cushion the financial blow from tariffs Couples leverage ‘something borrowed’ to cut wedding costs While consumers may not feel great about the broader economy, “they still feel very willing to spend on what’s important to them,” said Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation. “These moments of celebration throughout the year have really seemingly grown in the consumer psyche,” or “becoming moments of joy,” she said. “We’ve also seen people more likely than before the pandemic to say that they’re really living in the moment because the future is a little more uncertain,” Cullen added. It can be a nice experience to splurge on the holiday. But if you find yourself with a tighter budget this year, there are financially savvy ways you can express your love, experts say. How Americans are spending for Valentine’s Day The National Retail Federation found that candy was the most popular Valentine’s gift. More than half, or 56%, of surveyed respondents plan to give candy, followed by flowers and greeting cards equally at 40%, an evening out at 35% and jewelry at 22%. According to the NRF report, shoppers plan to spend approximately $6.5 billion on jewelry, with further spending allocated towards “an evening out” at $5.4 billion and flowers at $2.9 billion. As you browse online or hit the stores for Valentine’s Day shopping, it can be tempting to put the purchases on your credit card. Before you do, keep in mind that Americans’ total credit card balance is $1.211 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the latest consumer debt data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That’s up from $1.166 trillion in the third quarter of 2024 and is the highest balance since the New York Fed began tracking in 1999. If you can’t afford to make these purchases, here are ways to celebrate the holiday without going over budget, according to experts: 1. ‘Shift your Valentine’s Day’ If you can’t make dinner or evening plans on Valentine’s Day this year, consider celebrating the holiday on a different date, experts say. “Shift your Valentine’s Day,” said Carolyn McClanahan, a physician and certified financial planner and the founder of Life Planning Partners in Jacksonville, Florida. If you’re willing to go out the night before or the night after or more, the move “can potentially be a way to save,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate. 2. Make a special meal at home Try to make some adaptations if you’re unable to shift the date or be flexible with timing, Rossman said. For instance, red roses go “sky high around Valentine’s Day,” he said. “Maybe you could get a different type of flower.” If you’re having a hard time booking reservations or costs are too high, try cooking a special meal at home, or something that you wouldn’t normally prepare, experts say. “Buy yourself a really good bottle of wine and cook something special,” said McClanahan, a member of CNBC’s Financial Advisor Council. 3. A meaningful gift If you plan to give your significant other an extravagant gift like a piece of jewelry, keep this in mind: “The more expensive the jewelry doesn’t mean the more love you’re giving,” McClanahan said. Instead of jumping immediately to high-ticket priced items, consider what your gift-giving history with each other has been like, McClanahan said. “Get something special that may not be as expensive, that something a person would really want,” she said. Source link #Americans #spend #billion #Valentines #Day #report #finds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This top-rated Arlo video doorbell has hit a record-low price at Amazon for Presidents’ Day This top-rated Arlo video doorbell has hit a record-low price at Amazon for Presidents’ Day The Arlo Video Doorbell 2K is one of the best video doorbells we’ve tested here at TechRadar, and right now, it’s just $99.99 (was $149.99) at Amazon Presidents’ Day *****. Ring might be the biggest name in video doorbells, but it’s not your only option, and we think this smart-looking model from Arlo offers even more bang for your buck – even at full price. With this 30% discount, it’s even easier to recommend. • Shop Amazon’s full ***** When we tested the Arlo Video Doorbell 2K, we were very impressed by the quality of its camera, which offers a 1:1 aspect ratio with a 180-degree field of view, letting you easily see both visitors and packages. You can set custom motion zones, too, and the camera’s software can identify what’s on your doorstep, whether it’s a person, ****, or package. For more details, check out our full Arlo Video Doorbell review. Today’s best Arlo Video Doorbell 2K deal We were also very pleased with the Arlo app, which is very easy to navigate and benefits from regular updates. It allows integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home too, though sadly there’s currently no support for Apple HomeKit. You do, however, get support for IFTTT, which is always a welcome bonus. You’ll need an Arlo Home Security Subscription to get the most out of the doorbell and unlock features like intelligent alerts and motion detection. Plans start at $7.99 per month, and you get three months free with new cameras and doorbells so you can decide whether it’s right for you before committing to a regular payment. The subscription plan isn’t essential though, and this is still an excellent video doorbell even if you decide not to pay a premium for its extra features. If you’re not totally sold on the Arlo Video Doorbell 2K, here are today’s best deals on all our other top-rated video doorbells: More Presidents’ Day sales Amazon: TVs, robot vacs & air fryers from $12.99 Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99 Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones Casper: up to 35% off mattresses Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99 Cocoon by Sealy: 35% off mattresses + free accessories Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99 Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $299 + free shipping Home Depot: 50% off tools, appliances & furniture Lowe’s: organization, appliances & tools from $17.31 Mattress Firm: Queens from $149.99 Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry Purple: up to $600 off mattresses Saatva: up to $500 off luxury mattresses Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances Target: save on furniture, gifts, tech & clothing Walmart: cheap TVs, robot vacs, furniture & appliances Wayfair: deals on furniture, decor, rugs & outdoor Source link #toprated #Arlo #video #doorbell #hit #recordlow #price #Amazon #Presidents #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ruben Amorim: Manchester United must sell to buy this summer, says boss Ruben Amorim: Manchester United must sell to buy this summer, says boss Although Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof are out of contract at the end of the season and Jadon Sancho due to complete a permanent move to Chelsea, there are question marks over the futures of United’s highest earners Casemiro and Marcus Rashford, who has joined Aston Villa on loan. Amorim’s words will also spark fears homegrown pair Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho might be off-loaded in order for the club to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules which, it has been confirmed, will remain in force next season. In addition to a history of poor recruitment, it appears United have failed to get the most out of the players at Old Trafford. Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay never appeared to be a regular starter but has excelled since his £25.7m move to Italian side Napoli last August. The 28-year-old has scored six goals in 21 Serie A appearances – and three in his last six as his side have charged to the top of the table. Even more startling, Brazilian winger Antony has scored twice in three games since he completed a loan move to Real Betis, having scored just four times in 52 appearances for United since the start of last season. “This is a club with a lot of pressure,” added Amorim. “You have to have a base and in this moment we don’t have it. “But football is like that. When you reach this level, you have to cope with that.” United are hoping to ease their financial situation by developing better young players to sell. Their under-18 team reached the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday with an impressive 5-1 win over Chelsea and highly rated youngster Chido Obi scoring a hat-trick. Having revealed he had injury concerns over some unnamed players for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim confirmed 17-year-old former Arsenal academy graduate Obi had been called into first-team training. “We have problems this week,” he said. “We called some young players to be in our training. We have some data evaluation. He is one of them.” If there is one club challenging United as this season’s chronic underachievers it is Tottenham. Although the north London outfit have beaten the Old Trafford outfit twice this season, in the Premier League and EFL Cup, and also hammered Manchester City at Etihad Stadium, they still find themselves two points behind, with manager Ange Postecoglou under intense pressure. Amorim is a fan of the ***********, but he doesn’t feel the situations they find themselves in are comparable. “I am a huge fan of Ange Postecoglou,” he added. “He is a good guy and a very good coach. “I understand the connection with me and Ange but, with respect, I am at a ******* club.” Source link #Ruben #Amorim #Manchester #United #sell #buy #summer #boss Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Premier League ACL injuries: Examining the scale and causes of this season’s ‘epidemic’ Premier League ACL injuries: Examining the scale and causes of this season’s ‘epidemic’ Anterior cruciate ligament injuries. They are four words that strike dread into the hearts of footballers at every level and, at the Premier League level, they are being heard more frequently than ever. In fact, this season is on course for a record number of ACLs since injury data began. According to Ben Dinnery, head of injury analyst website Premier Injuries, there have been 10 ACL injuries in England’s top flight so far this season, putting the league on course for a record number in 2024-25. This year alone, there have been seven ACL injuries, most recently Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez. For context, the average number across the six seasons between 2017-18 and 2022-23 is just 6.3; between 2012-13 (when Premier Injuries’ data collection began) and 2016-17, the average was 10.4. As it stands, the Premier League is on track to end the campaign with 13. There have been 20 recorded incidents to WSL players since January 2024, according to Premier Injuries. This is a breakdown of Premier League players who have suffered an ACL injury this season: Premier League players with ACL injuries this season Player Club When sustained How sustained Yerson Mosquera Wolves September Club match Rodri Manchester City September Club match Abdul Fatawu Leicester City November International match Enes Unal Bournemouth January Training Gabriel Jesus Arsenal January Club match Chadi Riad Crystal Palace January Training Orel Mangala Everton January Club match Wes Burns Ipswich Town January Club match Radu Dragusin Tottenham January Club match Lisandro Martinez Manchester United February Club match The table highlights that centre-back has been the position most frequently affected in terms of ACLs but there have also been a selection of midfielders and forwards to have suffered the injury. Wolves are the only club to have suffered more than one ACL injury. For more detail on the comparative rise in ACL injuries in the Premier League, The Athletic spoke to Nick Worth, a consultant sports physiotherapist with experience working in the medical departments at various professional clubs, including West Brom and Fulham. GO DEEPER ACL injuries in women’s football: Why the high risk and can they be prevented? What causes an ACL injury? “ACL injuries typically happen when you have weight-bearing on a slightly bent knee, and there is a rotational element. “Imagine a player’s studs get stuck in the ground as they twist. That may mean that their anterior cruciate ligament gets stretched to the point where it cannot hold, and that’s when it gives.” Why are they so serious? “Without an ACL, you would have what’s called functional instability. Without it, your tibia (or shin bone) slides forward on the femur, the upper part of your knee, and if you’re not stable, your knee can sometimes give way. That’s why it’s so important to ensure it’s stable and fixed. “The repair requires a surgeon to move another bit of the body, either a piece of the hamstring tendon or a bit of the patella tendon (the middle section of the bit under your kneecap). That takes time to bed in, heal and strengthen, which is why recovery takes so long.” GO DEEPER Why do so many play on after damaging an ACL? An expert explains Are there particular periods in a season where ACLs are more prevalent? “Probably not, because it can happen when someone lands awkwardly, or they twist. Quite a lot of the time it’s not due to a tackle. It’s often from someone turning or changing direction quickly, or they may go up for a header and land badly. “The only thing is that, sometimes, when people are more tired, your muscular control of the knee is not so good. If you’re playing games on Tuesday and Saturday for several weeks, the chances of being slightly fatigued are higher, but they can happen at any time.” Why might there be a spike in ACL injuries this season? Could the lack of a winter break be an issue? “If you look at what’s happened over the past few years, with the number of games being played and the added time in matches now, and even looking at the extended European tournaments with more games, it increases the potential of being fatigued. But this has been going on for years. “It’s really difficult to predict exactly why there are periods with lots of ACL injuries and those when they are few and far between. But if you land badly, it doesn’t matter how strong your legs are, an ACL can still go.” Gabriel Jesus suffered his ACL injury in an innocuous challenge with Bruno Fernandes (Alex Pantling/Getty Images) “Pitches sometimes make a difference, in terms of the way that boots interact with them. The kind of fibres within a pitch sometimes mean that a player’s boot may get stuck. “They’re happening all the time; I think it’s just the level of players (in the Premier League) who seem to be getting them at the moment, which is probably heightening the interest.” Does age play a part in susceptibility to ACL injuries? “It’s not necessarily an issue but, again, the older you are and the more games you play, the chances are that you’re going to fatigue more. Certainly, at 30 years old and onwards, you’re probably more susceptible because you’re less mobile and possibly more fatigued. “You’re not going to recover as quickly as someone who’s 25, for example. So I think that plays a small part, and it shouldn’t be ignored, but I don’t think it’s ‘just because you’re old means you’re going to be more likely to get an ACL’. “The mechanism of the injury means you have to put your body in a slightly awkward position to actually get the ligament on the stretch. That’s going to cause damage to anyone.” Rodri’s knee injury had a profound impact on Manchester City’s season (Michael Regan/Getty Images) ACL injuries dipped in the Covid and post-Covid seasons. Could the break or perceived lack of intensity have helped cause that? “I can certainly see that having the rest ******* would have helped. Having a mid-season break and more opportunity to rest between games is better for recovery. “You’d have to look at more detailed data regarding the intensity to know whether the number or intensity of sprints differed in Covid games. I can understand there probably was a little bit of that: they possibly lacked a bit of intensity. “I think the biggest thing that would have reduced it is having fewer games because the travelling would have been reduced. That would then mean that people can recover between Saturday and Saturday. Fewer midweek games and less fatigue are probably the biggest things. “With the expanded Champions League and Europa League this season, people are travelling more, and players are playing more games, and that’s not helping overall.” What can clubs do to reduce the chance of players suffering them? “It’s about the recovery strategies and the prehabilitation. For example, doing exercises that involve the quads and the hamstrings to stabilise the knee. “Hamstrings help replicate what an ACL will do in the knee, so it’s about ensuring they’re stable and put through different demands. You want the musculature to support the knee so it’s not just the ligament that’s going to be under stress if they land in a particular way. “Balance exercises, flexibility and strength work are really important. Just being able to control certain movements like they would in a game. For example, hopping, jumping, turning, that type of thing. “The type of repair makes a difference, whether it’s a bone-patella-bone or hamstring tendon. Different surgeons have different approaches: some wear braces, and some wear crutches. It varies quite a lot. “The surgical management varies from place to place or team to team. Ultimately, it’s a long time out, but that’s because it takes a long time to recover. The longer, the better; you don’t always benefit by rushing players through. Taking a bit more time for them to recover and get strong is normally really helpful.” (Top shot: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images) Source link #Premier #League #ACL #injuries #Examining #scale #seasons #epidemic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Astro Bot gets five new levels, and one is an Armored Core reference Astro Bot gets five new levels, and one is an Armored Core reference Astro Bot Add-On – Tick-Tock Shock | PS5 Games It’s no secret that we at Digital Trends love Astro Bot (it was our 2024 Game of the Year for a reason), and now the adorable platformer is getting five new levels, fresh Special Bots, and a performance upgrade for PlayStation 5 Pro owners. All of this new content is free, so your wallet can stay just as happy as Astro is. One new level will release each week, with the first addition coming today. If you happened to watch the PlayStation XP Tournament Final, you might have caught a glimpse of this week’s level. Tick-Tock Shock is available starting February 13 (today) and the rest will release each Thursday. Here’s the full schedule, along with the level names: February 13: Tick-Tock Shock February 20: Thrust or Bust February 27: *****-A-Doodle-Doom March 6: Hard to Bear March 13: Armored Hardcore Please enable Javascript to view this content The updates should roll out each Thursday at 9 AM ET, 6 AM PT. Sony Interactive Entertainment Each level will have a new Special Bot you’ll need to rescue. Once you’ve cleared the level, you can test your skills in a Time Attack mode and compare your scores against others in an online leaderboard. You can only access this after you’ve completed the main game, so make sure your skills are up to par. And if you’re playing the game on the PlayStation 5 Pro, you’ll be able to enjoy a higher resolution that’s locked at 60 frames per second. Considering how good the game looks under normal circumstances, a smooth framerate without the risk of stuttering will make an already-fun experience even more enjoyable. Source link #Astro #Bot #levels #Armored #Core #reference Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Knickers thrown at male strip show at *** nursing home Knickers thrown at male strip show at *** nursing home Residents of a care home were delighted when a member of the Dreamboys male stripper group put on a show for them. Max Hunter, who was a manager at a retirement village before he became a male stripper, put on a performance at Astune Rise care home in Eston, Middlesbrough. And the elderly residents, who usually enjoy a Knit and Natter morning on Thursdays, loved it. Home manager Caroline Bowstead said: “We were offered a Dreamboy to come and visit. “I spoke to the gang here and the ladies said a resounding ‘yes please’. “I’ve never seen a reaction like it at any event we’ve done, and there’s been a lot of them at Astune Rise. “The laughter, the giggles, the tears – they’ve loved every minute of it. “I’m just not sure how we’re going to top that, they’ve already asked him to come back next week for Knit and Natter.” Hunter, who used to work with older people in St Helens, Merseyside, said: “It’s been a pleasure to join the residents here. “I used to run entertainment at retirement villages so it’s an absolute privilege to be back in a care home again putting a smile on residents’ faces.” Anne Hodgson, 87, said: “He has a nice body, nice and athletic and everything he did was lovely. “Everybody was smiling and that’s beautiful.” Betty Hughes added: “I loved his backside.” Alice Woods, Dreamboys managing director, said: “The ladies loved it, it was an incredible day. “The reaction was absolutely wild, we had a bit of underwear thrown and a lot of laughs. “Max did us proud and the ladies absolutely loved him.” Source link #Knickers #thrown #male #strip #show #nursing #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Remembering Wilt Chamberlain’s 1 year with the Globetrotters: A ‘childhood dream’ Remembering Wilt Chamberlain’s 1 year with the Globetrotters: A ‘childhood dream’ Sonny Hill recalls a time when he and his childhood friend, Wilt Chamberlain, would go to the movies to watch newsreels where the Harlem Globetrotters often appeared. Seeing players like Reece “Goose” Tatum and Marques Haynes, two of the franchise’s top showmen during that time, resonated with Chamberlain and sparked an ambition. The Globetrotters’ mission of breaking down racial barriers and stereotypes grabbed Chamberlain’s attention. But the concept of entertainment was something that stuck with Chamberlain until he died on Oct. 12, 1999. Chamberlain played 14 seasons in the NBA, but the one season before he became a face of the league, he was a face of the Globetrotters. “Playing with the Globetrotters was Wilt’s childhood dream,” Hill, a Philadelphia Sports Hall of Famer and current sports radio personality, told The Athletic, “and he was able to fulfill it.” Chamberlain did not have the lengthy tenure other Globetrotters had. He played the one full season, 1958-59, and sparingly during some NBA offseasons and post-retirement. But Chamberlain didn’t need much time to set a bar for the future of both the Globetrotters and the NBA, becoming a basketball and societal icon who bridged two entities. “When Wilt and I grew up together, the Globetrotters were the team that we wanted to identify with,” Hill said. “So, upon seeing them, when he got older, he wanted to play for the Globetrotters. “I think it was the roots,” Chamberlain said in an interview on “MSG’s Vault” in 2012. “The days with the Harlem Globetrotters were some of the most pleasant ones of my life. Remembered by many for his 100-point scoring outing against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pa., in 1962, Chamberlain led the NBA in scoring for seven consecutive seasons and was the NBA rebounding leader for 11 of his 14 seasons. He also won two league championships and was a four-time league MVP. Chamberlain is one of the game’s most dominant athletes of all time, but his stint with the Globetrotters was an opportunity to showcase his skills as an entertainer. He began his professional career with the Globetrotters in 1958 as part of a sold-out world tour in Moscow following his collegiate career at the University of Kansas. He spent three years in Lawrence, Kan., intertwining basketball with a coveted track and field career. In addition to averaging 29.6 points and 18.9 rebounds per game on the court, he also was a three-time Big Eight Conference champion in the high jump. The Globetrotters gave Chamberlain a chance to become even more of a versatile individual once he left Kansas. The Globetrotters perform their famous Magic Circle as a warmup to the tune of “Sweet Georgia Brown” before every game. Chamberlain fit in well and honed his art of showmanship by participating in one of the Globetrotters’ most important routines as a rookie. “When I say he was in that circle … you can’t be in that circle and not be able to (perform),” Hill said. “That’s how good he was. That’s how agile he was, how knowledgeable he was. That’s how quick he could learn what was going on.” Hill also noted that the franchise assisted with Chamberlain the basketball player thinking outside of the box. A 7-foot-1, 275-pounder was expected to play center in those days. The Globetrotters, however, had other ideas. “With the Globetrotters, he didn’t play inside,” Hill said. “He played mostly on the outside.” Abe Saperstein, founder and owner of the Globetrotters, was known as a masterful promoter with a business-savvy mind built for sports entertainment. He saw the immediate potential that Chamberlain could bring to the team. Adding the dominant 7-footer was considered a financial risk to some, but Saperstein paid a substantial amount in the $50,000 range for Chamberlain to wear a Globetrotters uniform, according to Hill. The average median income of families in 1958 was $5,100. “Abe Saperstein saw the opportunity for Wilt to be with the Globetrotters and for them to make even more money, because Wilt had been seen as this phenomenal basketball player since he was in high school,” Hill said. The NBA didn’t integrate until 1950, when Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton made history. The league grappled with increasing its favorability. Chamberlain’s popularity coming out of college naturally sparked conversation for the Globetrotters. He was a hit on and off the court. In addition to being a must-watch player, he also had matured into a must-watch television sensation, making regular appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” “He would talk about how phenomenal he was as a basketball player (on the show),” Hill said. “He had developed to the point that people knew who he was, and he was somebody that people wanted to identify with.” The Globetrotters already had won over millions of fans by popularizing the slam dunk, fast break and their legendary in-game weave, but the franchise’s fan base, now consisting of more than 148 million people in 123 countries and territories, saw an uptick then when the 7-footer wore the uniform. Chamberlain played alongside legends like Meadowlark Lemon and Charles “Tex” Harrison, and he helped pave the way for a few future legends, including Louis “Sweet Lou” Dunbar, Fred “Curly” Neal and Hubert “Geese” Ausbie. Meadowlark Lemon on Wilt Chamberlain’s shoulders during a Harlem Globetrotters game.#HarlemGlobetrotters pic.twitter.com/Nvp9J40UTs — Bubble Gum Comics (@VinSportsNutz) July 28, 2023 Chamberlain’s one successful year with the Globetrotters turned the heads of NBA executives, making way for Eddie Gottlieb of the Philadelphia Warriors to draft him in 1959. “When Wilt came into the league, Wilt actually built the NBA,” Hill said. “The foundation of the NBA was really built off Wilt. The ratings went up, the fan base went up, the coverage went up, the notoriety went up. Everything went up because people knew who Wilt Chamberlain was, and that gave the NBA an international person that people could identify with.” But even after making his NBA debut, Chamberlain stayed true to his roots, playing for the Globetrotters in summers during their European tours. He was an unstoppable force in the NBA, but the daily grind was exhausting. Chamberlain playing with the Globetrotters during the offseason reminded him of how to enjoy a game that didn’t feel like work. “Wilt set the precedent,” said Dunbar, the team’s director of player personnel and coach who played with the franchise 27 seasons and has been affiliated with the team in some capacity for 48 years. “Guys could have played anywhere in the world, but Wilt said those were the best years of his life, playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, because that becomes your family. “He did go to the league and set all those records, but Wilt was a dominating factor (with the Globetrotters).” Dunbar thought so highly of Chamberlain that he chose No. 13 as his jersey number in junior high school. He said he “thought Wilt could do no wrong” when he first started watching the game. As a 6-foot-9 big, Dunbar modeled his game after Chamberlain’s. It resulted in Dunbar having a decorated career at the University of Houston, where he became an All-American and later was inducted into the University of Houston Athletics Hall of Honor in 2008. Dunbar also was a fourth-round NBA Draft pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975. “I wasn’t as tall as Wilt, but growing up, I was the tallest kid around, so (Chamberlain’s game) etched my mind,” Dunbar said. “Wilt was strong. He was just a true athlete. I loved to see the man play. “I watched him when he was in Philadelphia, and I watched him when he went to the Lakers. I watched him all the way until he quit playing the game.” Dunbar still remembers the first time he met Chamberlain. The two, along with Harrison, met in Hawaii. Although a majority of Chamberlain’s time was spent catching up with Harrison, who was Chamberlain’s roommate with the Globetrotters, Dunbar was in awe of Chamberlain’s presence, calling it an “absolute honor” to meet the Hall of Famer. “Tex used to talk about him all the time, about how (Chamberlain) could do everything,” Dunbar said. Wilt Chamberlain of the Harlem Globetrotters. pic.twitter.com/FhQQaDDDUX — Paul Knepper (@paulieknep) October 29, 2023 Chamberlain’s basketball resume will lead with all of his NBA accomplishments, but stepping away from the league to work with the Globetrotters gave Chamberlain a certain freedom of expression. His No. 13 Globetrotters jersey was retired on March 9, 2000, at his high school in Philadelphia. The storied college career and multiple pro accolades, however, played just a small part of who Chamberlain was. He really was about the fun nature of the game. And that fun was enhanced and supported by the Globetrotters. Hill said the Globetrotters made Chamberlain feel comfortable, similar to that young boy who used to watch the Globetrotters on newsreels. “Wilt’s feeling was that he was free. He could just be himself,” Hill said. “He could inclusive to what the Globetrotters were known for. The entertainment, the ballhandling, that all made him feel free.” (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photos: TPLP / Getty Images) Source link #Remembering #Wilt #Chamberlains #year #Globetrotters #childhood #dream Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]