Pelican Press

Guilty Gear Strive photo mode update makes fighters disappear when viewed at inappopriate angles Guilty Gear Strive photo mode update makes fighters disappear when viewed at inappopriate angles Guilty Gear Strive‘s latest update makes it ******* for players to view its characters from inappropriate angles. As reported by Automaton, the game’s latest version 1.41 update includes a change to its Digital Figure mode, which is a photo mode where the player can choose a fighter from the game and rotate and zoom the camera around them. The game’s patch note reportedly reads: “We have adjusted the display restriction area that makes the figure invisible when certain parts of the figure are captured by the camera.” In practice, what this appears to mean is that when players position the camera to look at more intimate parts of the character’s body, the character will disappear until the camera is moved away. While this is obviously more relevant to the female fighters in the game, some of whom have revealing outfits, it’s reported that it’s possible to make male characters disappear too when viewed from certain angles (such as looking directly up at them from below). 【GGST】突然レーティングがCERO Cに変更された「ギルティギア ストライヴ」のデジタルフィギュアモードの調整内容 – 「フィギュアの特定部位をカメラで映すとフィギュアが非表示になる表示制限エリアを調整しました。」 pic.twitter.com/069CfqlIwW — Furious (@Furious_blog) November 20, 2024 Although the reason for the update hasn’t been confirmed by Arc System Works, it may be down to the recent decision by ********* rating board CERO to change the game’s rating. As of Wednesday, the game’s rating changed from CERO B (which made it appropriate for players aged 12+) to CERO C (which is for players aged 15+). Because the CERO C rating is given to games which have significant *********, horror or ******* content, the patch may be a response to this. Source link #Guilty #Gear #Strive #photo #mode #update #fighters #disappear #viewed #inappopriate #angles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Our top-rated coffee machine is 36% off in Amazon’s early ****** Friday *****, so grab it while you can Our top-rated coffee machine is 36% off in Amazon’s early ****** Friday *****, so grab it while you can Although ****** Friday 2024 is still a week away, it’s become common practice for retailers to jump on the band wagon and drop early offers in the build-up to the shopping event of the year – and that includes Amazon’s ****** Friday *****. As far as products go, coffee machines are some of the most sought-after appliances at ****** Friday and Amazon already has a deal on our all-round best coffee machine and best drip coffee maker. The Moccamaster KBGV coffee maker (known as KBG Select in the ***, or simply Select in Australia) is down to $244.30 from $359 at Amazon, hitting a record low price. We gave the Moccamaster KBGV a glowing review thanks to its simple controls and ability to produce consistently great results, not to mention that it’s available in a large variety of colors. This particular deal applies to the rose gold version only, though there are smaller discounts available on other options. Today’s best coffee maker deal It’s not every day that this incredible coffee maker model receives a discount, which is what makes it a great early ****** Friday deal. From its pricing history, the last time the Moccamaster had a major price drop was around April this year, and even then it was only discounted to around $270. What makes this one of the best coffee makers we’ve used aside from its simple two button function and bold design is its fast brewing abilities, which can fill a full carafe in just six minutes – which pours cleanly without dripping. The brewing process doesn’t make a lot of noise either, and we pointed out in our five star review that the only noise you hear is the low-pitched hum of water as it passes through the filter. And speaking of its filter, the Moccamaster ensures that your coffee brewing experience goes as easy and smoothly as possible. Its filter is removeable meaning that its simple to add paper and coffee grounds, and you can even place it on scales to weigh an exact amount based on how much coffee you want to brew. More of today’s ****** Friday sales in the US Amazon: TVs, smart home & air fryers from $12.99 Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99 Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99 Christmas trees: top-rated trees from $54.99 Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99 Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $349 + free shipping Holiday: decor, lights, Christmas trees & PJs from $10.99 Home Depot: 40% off tools, appliances & furniture Lowe’s: holiday decor, appliances & tools from $17.31 Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances Target: save on furniture, tech & clothing Walmart: cheap TVs, ****** vacs, furniture & appliances Source link #toprated #coffee #machine #Amazons #early #****** #Friday #***** #grab Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Musk and Ramaswamy say DOGE will target $500 billion in spending. Here’s where they say they’ll cut. Musk and Ramaswamy say DOGE will target $500 billion in spending. Here’s where they say they’ll cut. Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are sharing details about how their newly created Department of Government Efficiency — which isn’t an official government department — plans to take aim at paring federal spending, with the two writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Wednesday that they are aiming to cut $500 billion in annual spending. The announcement of DOGE has raised a host of questions, from whether Musk and Ramaswamy will have the authority to make changes in federal spending, typically controlled by Congress, as well as the group’s powers and how it will operate. Musk and Ramaswamy provided answers to some of those questions in their opinion piece, arguing that President-elect Donald Trump has the authority to cut spending authorized by Congress. While Musk and Ramaswamy said they “expect to prevail” in cutting costs, there have been plenty of examples throughout the decades of efforts aimed at reining in federal spending, which have had only limited results. For instance, President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s tapped businessman J. Peter Grace to recommend reforms, resulting in about 2,500 recommendations for cutting spending, most of which were never implemented. Musk has suggested slicing $2 trillion in annual federal spending, an amount experts say is unrealistic given that most of the nation’s $6.7 trillion in yearly outlays is spent on Social Security, Medicare and the military. But in the Wednesday opinion piece, Musk and Ramaswamy wrote that their initial aim will be to cut “the $500 billion plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended.” Here’s what to know. Where will Musk’s DOGE aim to cut federal spending? Two-thirds of federal spending is mandatory through programs including Social Security and Medicare, while discretionary spending is largely spent on defense. But as mentioned above, Musk and Ramaswamy said they’ll target $500 billion in spending that is unauthorized by Congress, as well as programs they believe aren’t in line with lawmakers’ intentions. The biggest source of expired authorizations sits with health care for veterans, which cost $119 billion in fiscal 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office. However, Musk and Ramaswamy didn’t single out veterans’ health care as a place where they’d seek to cut. Instead, they listed the following areas: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives $535 million a year International organizations that receive $1.5 billion in grants Planned Parenthood and what they describe as “progressive groups” that receive almost $300 million per year Which federal programs don’t have authorization? The programs mentioned by Musk and Ramaswamy are relatively tiny compared with other areas that are unauthorized, such as veterans’ health care. The next biggest sources of expired authorizations, after veterans’ health care, include programs that invest in opioid treatment, the State Department and housing assistance. Some smaller programs with expired funding include Head Start, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The latter provides weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring, among other tasks. According to Project 2025, the ************* blueprint that was developed by the Heritage Foundation to guide the next ************* White House, the NOAA “should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated.” DOGE wants to cut federal workers. Here’s how. Musk and Ramaswamy also underscored that they’ll push to cut the ranks of federal employees, saying their efforts could lead to “mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy.” The pair didn’t enumerate the number of workers they’ll seek to push out of the federal workforce. In 2023, there were more than 2 million federal employees, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group focused on the federal government. Most of those workers are within Veterans Affairs, due to a large number of health care providers for the VA, followed by people enlisted in the armed services, its data shows. While civil service workers have job protections, Musk and Ramaswamy argued that the president would be legally allowed to enact “reductions in force” that don’t target specific workers, as well as to make decisions including “large-scale firings to relocation of federal agencies out of the Washington area.” The DOGE would help federal employees “transition into the private sector,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote. “The president can use existing laws to give them incentives for early retirement and to make voluntary severance payments to facilitate a graceful exit.” The pair also said they want to require federal workers to be in the office five days a week, a policy change that they predict would “result in a wave of voluntary terminations.” In a Thursday post on X, the social media service owned by Elon Musk, the DOGE wrote, “Federal government agencies are using, on average, just 12% of the space in their DC headquarters. The Department of Agriculture, with space for more than 7,400 people, averaged 456 workers each day (6% occupancy).” It added, “Why are ********* taxpayer dollars being spent to maintain empty buildings?” Aimee Picchi Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports. Source link #Musk #Ramaswamy #DOGE #target #billion #spending #Heres #theyll #cut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Netanyahu arrest warrant damned by *******, welcomed by Palestinians Netanyahu arrest warrant damned by *******, welcomed by Palestinians Reuters Lawyers have expressed doubts over whether Netanyahu and Gallant would ever be brought to trial The announcement of arrest warrants by the International ********* Court (ICC) for *******’s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has triggered a furious response from leading Israelis across the political spectrum. By contrast it has been welcomed by ******, ************ Islamic ****** and ordinary citizens in Gaza. Leading ******** figures across the political spectrum have reacted angrily to the announcement. President Isaac Herzog called it “a dark day for justice and humanity”, saying the decision had “chosen the side of ******* and evil over democracy and freedom”. The prime minister’s office called it “an antisemitic decision” and said that ******* “utterly rejects the false and absurd charges”, labelling the ICC “a biased and discriminatory political body”. The chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Yuli Edelstein, called it “a shameful decision by a political body held captive by Islamist interests”. *******’s foreign minister said the ICC had lost its legitimacy. ****** has welcomed the decision, without commenting on the issuing of a warrant for its own military commander, Mohammed Deif. In a statement it said: “We call on all countries around the world to cooperate with the court in bringing the Zionist war **********, Netanyahu and Gallant and to work immediately to stop the ******* of genocide against defenceless civilians in the Gaza Strip”. Ordinary Palestinians in Gaza have also welcomed the announcement. Muhammad Ali, a 40-year old man displaced from Gaza City and currently in the central area of Deir al-Balah, said: “We have been terrorised, starved, had our homes destroyed, and lost our children, sons, and loved ones. We welcome this decision, and of course, we hope that the decisions of the ICC will be implemented”. Munira Al-Shami, whose sister was ******* by ******** forces last month, called the ICC decision “justice for tens of thousands of victims, including my sister Wafa”. What effect will these arrest warrants have? A total of 124 countries are signatories to the ICC, including the ***, but not the US, Russia, China, nor ******* itself. So this means that technically, if either Netanyahu or Gallant sets foot in any of the signatory countries they must be arrested and handed over to the court. But international lawyers have expressed doubts over whether either man will ever be brought to The Hague for trial. The last time Netanyahu travelled outside ******* was in July to the US, a country he could still theoretically visit with impunity. Last year he visited several countries, including the *** in March, many of which are signatories. It is thought unlikely he would want to risk arrest by doing this again and the countries in question would also be reluctant to find themselves put in that position. EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock The Netherlands’ foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country was prepared to act upon the warrants, Dutch news agency ANP reported ****** has little to ***** from the ICC warrant for Ibrahim Al-Masri, aka Mohammed Deif. ******* believes he was ******* earlier this year, although this was never confirmed by ******. The other two ****** figures whom the ICC originally planned to prosecute – Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh – are both confirmed as *****. There is no question that Thursday’s announcement is a major ***** to *******’s international standing, to the two individuals named and most specifically to *******’s ongoing efforts to present its military campaign in Gaza as a ****** between the forces of good and evil. Israelis are appalled that, in their eyes, the world seems to have already forgotten or overlooked the atrocities committed by ****** on 7 October last year. Palestinians, especially Gazans, feel vindicated that their accusations of ******** war ******* have now been echoed by an international body with some weight. Source link #Netanyahu #arrest #warrant #damned #******* #welcomed #Palestinians Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Saber’s One Act That Effectively ****** and Saves All Space Marine 2 Mods is What Nintendo Needs for Switch 2 Saber’s One Act That Effectively ****** and Saves All Space Marine 2 Mods is What Nintendo Needs for Switch 2 Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is no stranger to the creativity of its player base. The game’s modding community has made hundreds of mods that have earned praise from both players and even the developer. But with great freedom comes complications. Image Credit: Saber Interactive Saber Interactive recently announced that mods will no longer be allowed on public servers starting in December. Instead, the devs plan to add official modding tools and mod support for the game. Supporting creativity like this is something Nintendo could learn from as it prepares for the next iteration of the Switch. Space Marine 2 Modding is About to Get Even Better The decision to ban mods from public servers is not without reason. Since its release, Space Marine 2 has seen an ********** of modding activity. Players and modders have made mods for everything from cosmetic changes to game-changing mechanics. Y’all are the best! I was worried just reading the tweet but of course with the team at Focus there’s nothing to worry about pic.twitter.com/tzHZd0kd9s — Spreet (@TWEETSPREET) November 20, 2024 Saber’s decision comes in response to server stability issues and reports of save file *********** tied to mod usage. Dmitriy Grigorenko, the game’s director, noted in a forum post (via IGN) that these problems affected not only players using mods but also those without them. This doesn’t spell the end for Space Marine 2 mods though. They will remain fully functional in private Operations lobbies and upcoming custom lobbies for the Eternal War mode. You handlled it very well — Bread enjoyer (@__Mr__Bread__) November 20, 2024 What sets Saber’s approach apart is its forward-thinking support for modders. The developer plans to release official modding tools to make modding easier and more integrated. We will also be providing an easy entry point to our backend for games with mods installed, so modders won’t have to spend time hacking the game executable after each patch. If we somehow break this pipeline for mods by accident in the future, we’ll fix it. Grigorenko also reassured players that any inadvertent issues caused by future updates would be addressed swiftly. Saber has framed the change as a compromise rather than a punishment. Nintendo Could Learn a Thing or Two From Saber Image Credit: Nintendo The lessons from Saber’s strategy could extend beyond the Warhammer universe. As Nintendo gears up for its rumored Switch 2, the company faces a similar challenge. Nintendo’s strict stance on fan projects has often alienated its community. Comment byu/Turbostrider27 from discussion inSpacemarine Nintendo could really benefit by adopting a model like Saber’s. Offer tools and clear guidelines for modding while setting boundaries. Nintendo could transform its relationship with modders and create an ecosystem for its next console one that fosters creativity. One of the standout aspects of Saber’s decision is its transparent communication. The developer openly acknowledged the issues caused by mods and explained its rationale for the changes. This level of engagement not only builds trust but also sets expectations. Of course, no solution is perfect. Some players and modders have expressed disappointment at the inability to use mods on public servers. However, as Grigorenko pointed out, the alternative could have been far worse: an outright ban on mods. The Space Marine 2 case also highlights the importance of compromise. By allowing mods in private and custom lobbies, Saber has made a dedicated space for modding and experimenting, all while keeping the main player base unaffected. For a company like Nintendo, which has historically kept its decisions under wraps, such transparency is exactly what it needs. Source link #Sabers #Act #Effectively #****** #Saves #Space #Marine #Mods #Nintendo #Switch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen The potential appointment of Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan would boost the stock and the broader alternative asset management sector, according to TD Cowen. The race for President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary pick appears to be between Rowan, former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, Key Square Group founder and CEO Scott Bessent and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. Rowan and Warsh were expected to meet with Trump for talks at Mar-a-Lago as part of the selection process. “Broadly, such an outcome would be a positive for the industry, as it likely tempers regulatory risk(s) while possibly accelerating the sector’s entry into the retirement market, even beyond his official purview,” analyst Bill Katz wrote in a note, referring to a possible Rowan appointment. President-elect Donald Trump’s reelection platform included efforts to deregulate industries, which would facilitate large transactions such as the ones seen in the private equity sector. Since the election, the stock has jumped 10% — outperforming the S & P 500’s 2.6% gain in that time. On Thursday, shares were up more than 1%. APO 1D mountain Apollo shares on Thursday Katz also thinks any “key man risk” at Apollo in the event Rowan is appointed to Trump’s cabinet is limited. Fundamental momentum “is likely to remain strong,” the analyst said. Likely CEO successors are co-presidents Jim Zelter and Scott Kleinman, according to Katz. Both are well-known and have “********* strongly,” he said. The analyst reiterated his buy rating on the stock, citing a constructive setup heading into 2025. His price target of $178 implies upside of more than 9% from Wednesday’s close. Shares of Apollo have soared 77% year to date. Source link #Rowan #selection #Treasury #Secretary #boost #Apollo #stock #private #equity #industry #Cowen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Illinois Supreme Court overturns Jussie Smollett conviction for alleged hoax Illinois Supreme Court overturns Jussie Smollett conviction for alleged hoax The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned a conviction against actor Jussie Smollett, who prosecutors accused of staging a ******* and homophobic ******* against himself in 2019 in Chicago. Smollett, who is ****** and gay, was convicted of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021. He had claimed two men targeted him in a hate-******, yelling ******* slurs and putting a noose around his neck while he was walking down the street near his apartment. Two men testified that the Empire television show star paid them $3,500 (£2,700) to stage the *******. Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, but only served six days before he was freed pending appeal. The state Supreme Court sided with Smollett’s attorneys, who had argued in their appeal that Smollett should not have been charged by a special prosecutor after the Cook County State Attorney’s Office dropped charges in exchange for community service. A grand jury later re-established the charges after a special prosecutor took on the case. “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” the state Supreme Court wrote in its opinion on Thursday. # “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one ********* case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.” During Smollett’s trial, prosecutors alleged he staged the ******* because he was unhappy with a television studio’s response to hate mail he received. Smollett claimed that the ******* was “no hoax” and that he was the victim of a hate ****** in Chicago. But the two men he accused of perpetrating the ****** – two brothers, one of whom Smollett said he met through the Empire show – said Smollett had hired them and paid them with a check. Source link #Illinois #Supreme #Court #overturns #Jussie #Smollett #conviction #alleged #hoax Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Theory of Alphabet Origins in Syria Gains Traction Theory of Alphabet Origins in Syria Gains Traction The roots of alphabetic writing may stretch back much further than previously believed. Evidence unearthed at the ancient site of Umm el-Marra in northwestern Syria suggests that the alphabet’s development might have begun around 2300 BC – 500 years earlier than current theories propose. This theory, led by Johns Hopkins archaeologist Glenn Schwartz, and presented at the annual meeting of the ********* Society of Overseas Research this week, has the potential to transform our understanding of how, when, and where the alphabet was invented. Prevailing Alphabet Origins Theory So far, most scholars have believed that the first alphabet originated around 1800 BC in Egypt, where Semitic-speaking populations adapted portions of the Egyptian hieroglyphic system. These early forms of writing would evolve into the systems used across the Middle East and, eventually, Western Europe. However, the small clay ‘cylinders’ discovered by Schwartz and his team challenge this timeline, raising questions about the alphabet’s birthplace and initial purpose. Schwartz and colleague at the Umm el-Marra excavations. (Courtesy of Matt Johnson/John Hopkins University) A Revolutionary Find at Umm el-Marra During excavations at Umm el-Marra in 2004, Schwartz’s team found four small, cylindrical clay objects in a tomb dating back to the Early Bronze Age, writes a John Hopkins University report. Measuring about the size of a finger, these cylinders featured inscriptions that bore striking similarities to early alphabetic symbols. Found near pottery vessels in the tomb, Schwartz speculates the objects may have been used as tags to identify contents or ownership, hinting at their potential use in administrative tasks, according to the report. “Unlike cuneiform or hieroglyphic writing systems, which were complex and limited to elite scribes, the alphabet allowed a broader segment of society to record information and communicate,” Schwartz explained. This democratization of writing ***** the groundwork for the widespread use of written language in commerce, governance, and daily life. The significance of the site itself adds further intrigue. Umm el-Marra, a mid-sized urban center during the Early Bronze Age, contained elite tombs, rich in grave goods such as jewelry and weapons. The preservation of the clay cylinders and other artifacts offers valuable insights into the technological and social developments of the time. One of the four small clay objects that appeared to contain alphabetic writing. (Courtesy of Glenn Schwartz/John Hopkins University) Changing Perspectives on the Alphabet’s Origins The discovery of the clay cylinders, predating the Egyptian-origin theory of the alphabet, has sparked debate among scholars. While Schwartz acknowledges the skepticism surrounding his findings, he notes that the inscriptions differ significantly from cuneiform—the dominant writing system of the era—and more closely resemble early Semitic writing. Alice Mandell, an expert in early Semitic languages, and Christopher Rollston, a prominent epigrapher, have both expressed support for the idea that these cylinders represent a form of alphabetic writing. Rollston described the discovery as a potential “game changer,” emphasizing its implications for the history of communication and cultural exchange in the ancient Near East. Radiocarbon dating has confirmed the age of the artifacts, but deciphering their exact meaning ******** elusive. Schwartz suspects the symbols might indicate names or descriptions of goods, but the broader cultural significance of the inscriptions will require further study. Implications for the History of Writing If confirmed as the oldest alphabetic inscriptions, the Umm el-Marra cylinders could revolutionize our understanding of early communication technologies. Unlike earlier writing systems, which relied on extensive training and vast repertoires of symbols, alphabetic writing simplified the process. A limited set of characters could represent sounds, enabling the creation of countless words and ideas. “Alphabetic writing reflects a shift in how societies communicated and thought,” Schwartz remarked, according to a La Brujula Verde report. By making writing accessible to more people, it fostered new forms of record-keeping and cultural expression. While further research is needed to fully understand these inscriptions, Schwartz’s findings challenge long-held assumptions about the origins of the alphabet. Could the earliest alphabet have emerged not in Egypt, but in Syria or elsewhere in the Near East? The implications extend beyond linguistics, offering insights into how ancient societies shared ideas, managed resources, and shaped their identities. Top image: Clay object thought to contain early alphabetic writing. Source: Courtesy of Glenn Schwartz/John Hopkins University By Gary Manners Source link #Theory #Alphabet #Origins #Syria #Gains #Traction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Delta Force devs dont see other shooters as competition, especially CoD Delta Force devs dont see other shooters as competition, especially CoD Team *****’s Delta Force developers don’t want players to compare their tactical game to Call of Duty or other shooters. Source link #Delta #Force #devs #dont #shooters #competition #CoD Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia’s advance and the return of Trump Russia’s advance and the return of Trump BBC/Joe Phua Anastasiia Bolvihina fled the besieged city of Pokrovsk with her two sons As the Russian army slowly advances in eastern Ukraine, it’s driving a tide of human suffering before it. With two months to go before a change of administration in Washington, Ukraine is wrestling with two problems: how to stem the advance, and how to prepare for Donald Trump. At a shelter in Pavlohrad, about 60 miles (100km) west of the slowly shifting front line, evacuees are constantly arriving from villages and towns overtaken by the war. Anastasiia Bolvihina, 31, is there with her two sons, Arseniy and Rostyslav. The family cat ***** sleeping among the few belongings the family have managed to bring with them from the village of Uspenivka, just outside the besieged city of Pokrovsk. The family hung on in their house as long as they could, but with explosions all around, shops closed and roads cut off one by one, they finally bowed to the inevitable. They packed up a few bags, locked the door and left. “We hoped the war would pass us and end soon,” Anastasiia tells me. Now, after two months without electricity or the internet, she has her laptop open on the bed and is catching up with the news. “We hope things will be better and the war will end,” she replies when I ask about political changes far away in the US. “I hope the new president will be better than the current one.” In an adjacent auditorium, dimly lit and warmed by a single bar heater, elderly evacuees are being looked after by volunteers. It’s a theatre of misery, with still, exhausted figures sitting or lying on camp beds, some apparently lost in thought 83-year-old Kateryna Klymko, from Sukhi Yaly near Kurakhove – another town slowly being overrun by the Russians – has just arrived. She briefly sobs as she describes how her house burned down, with all her possessions. “They bombed so much,” she says of the advancing Russian army. “It’s like the last judgement!” Could Ukraine still win, I ask? “**** only knows,” she sighs. “My heart aches from what I hear. We were bombed so much and so many people ***** there.” Russia launched an enormous ballistic missile strike on Dnipro overnight too. It was felt across the city and sent everyone including the BBC team to ***** shelters. The Biden administration’s latest decisions on Atacms and land mines are clearly designed to help Ukraine hold on to territory, both its own and in the Kursk region of Russia. Both could feature in negotiations next year, if that’s the path Donald Trump intends to pursue. So far, the US president-elect has given very few clues as to how he intends to end the conflict, beyond a typically vainglorious promise to end the war in 24 hours. Ukrainian politicians, from President Zelensky on down, seem keen to give Trump the benefit of the doubt. “I think he has taken a very smart approach,” former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told me, “by clearly setting out the goal – ‘I’m going to fix it’ – but without getting into details.” Despite Trump’s reputation – a zero-sum deal-maker with a curious admiration for Vladimir ****** – Dmytro Kuleba says people tend to oversimplify him. “He can hold a ******* picture in his head, and I’m sure it will not be simply transactional.” As the new administration is assembled and minds start to turn to how to realise Trump’s ambition, the former foreign minister believes one overriding factor will drive policy. “President Trump will undoubtedly be driven by one goal, to project his strength, his leadership,” he said. “And show that he is capable of fixing problems which his predecessor ******* to fix.” Projecting strength, Kuleba believes, will mean leaning on both sides. Walking away from Ukraine, he says, is not an option. Reuters Without US military aid, President Zelensky fears Ukraine would fall to Russia “As much as the fall of Afghanistan inflicted a severe wound on the foreign policy reputation of the Biden administration, if the scenario you mentioned is to be entertained by President Trump, Ukraine will become his Afghanistan, with equal consequences. “And I don’t think this is what he’s looking for.” Last weekend, President Zelensky said Kyiv would like to end the war through “diplomatic means” in 2025. The war, he said, would end “sooner” with Trump in the White House. It was classic Zelensky: part flattery, part challenge. Among many of those who have paid the heaviest price for Russia’s invasion, peace cannot come soon enough, even if that means further sacrifices. In Dnipro, a steady stream of injured soldiers comes through the doors of one of the country’s many prosthetic centres. Demian Dudlya, 27, lost a leg when his unit came under missile ******* 18 months ago. He’s already used to his carbon fibre limb and is even training for next year’s Invictus Games. But when it comes to the war, he’s less optimistic. “I think most likely two regions [Donetsk and Luhansk] will be taken from us, and Crimea,” he says. “I am not confident we will push them back from those regions. We have neither people nor weapons.” BBC/Joe Phua Demian lost his leg in a Russian missile ******* in 2023 Opinion polls paint a mixed picture but show that more and more Ukrainians want this war to end, soon. Especially here in the east, where the sirens sound several times a day. A growing ********* say they’re willing to give up territory to secure peace. “I think that the end of the war will happen, says 28-year-old Andrii Petrenko, when I ask him what he expects when Donald Trump takes office. Andrii is being fitted with his first prosthetic, after losing a leg three months ago. “Either they will agree and go to the 1991 borders, or the territories will be surrendered. The main thing is that the war ends and people stop dying.” Source link #Russias #advance #return #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Frontline 2: Exilium reveals global release date following successful beta ****** Frontline 2: Exilium reveals global release date following successful beta ****** Frontline 2: Exilium, the sequel to the hit mobile shooter, now has a release date After a successful beta, the developers have revealed that it’ll be releasing on December 3rd You’ll be able to enjoy a new storyline, set ten years after the original alongside enhanced graphics ****** Frontline is one of those franchises that stands out by the sheer absurdity of the concept, as cutesily dressed, heavily armed ladies run and **** their way through a variety of urban environments. It’s now an anime and manga, but before all that, it was a mobile shooter. And its sequel, ****** Frontline 2: Exilium, now has a release date after a successful beta! That’s right, on December 3rd, just in time for Christmas, you can get your mitts on ****** Frontline 2 when it hits the iOS App Store and Google Play. The beta test, which ran from November 10th to the 21st managed to draw in more than 5000 players despite being invite-only, which seems a testament to the series’ popularity and anticipation for the sequel. Set ten years after the original, ****** Frontline 2: Exilium sees you once more taking on the role of a Commander leading an army of T-Dolls – robotic warrior women each armed with their own signature real-life ******* that they tend to be named after. Exilium boasts enhanced graphics and gameplay, as well as all that you’d expect if you’ve played the original. ****** to ***** While it’s always tempting to do a bit of *****-********* about the popularity of a series centred around ****** running around with deadly weapons, I think there’s something to be said about the fact it clearly appeals to ******* aficionados, shooter fans and those just there to collect waifus. Not only that but there’s a surprising amount of drama and genuinely quite engaging visual design going on here, so I’d say it’s well worth getting a bit excited for ****** Frontline 2. If you want to see what we thought of an earlier build of ****** Frontline 2: Exilium, be sure to check out our review! Source link #****** #Frontline #Exilium #reveals #global #release #date #successful #beta Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RTX 5070 Ti rumor points to 8,960 CUDA cores and 300W TDP — Blackwell GPU may use the same GB203 **** as the RTX 5080 RTX 5070 Ti rumor points to 8,960 CUDA cores and 300W TDP — Blackwell GPU may use the same GB203 **** as the RTX 5080 Consumer desktop GeForce RTX 50-series (Blackwell) GPU rumors are again in full swing, surrounding the mid-range(ish) RTX 5070 Ti. Resident GPU leaker Kopite7kimi reports (though VideoCardz) that the RTX 5070 Ti, rivaling the best graphics cards, will purportedly come with 8,960 CUDA cores and a 300W TDP. The GPU will purportedly use the GB203 Blackwell GPU ****, the same GPU **** as the RTX 5080. As a result, the reference board design will also be the same between the 5070 Ti and 5080 since both share the same physical **** model. Memory specs were not shared. However, Nvidia could do a 256-bit interface with 2GB chips vs 3GB on the RTX 5080 to differentiate. Therefore, the RTX 5070 Ti could come with 16GB instead of the rumored 24GB on the RTX 5080. The RTX 5070 Ti’s 8,960 CUDA core count represents a noteworthy upgrade over RTX 40-series counterparts. Compared to its direct predecessor, the RTX 4070 Ti, the RTX 5070 Ti has 16% more GPU cores. Though core counts are less significant against the RTX 4070 Ti Super, the RTX 5070 Ti only has 6% more cores. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 RTX 5070 Ti RTX 5080 RTX 4070 Ti RTX 4080 GPU **** Model GB203 GB203 AD104 AD103 CUDA Cores 8,960 10,752 7,680 9,728 Power Draw 300W 400W 285W 320W The power draw is also a modest increase from the RTX 40 series. The RTX 5070 TI allegedly has a 5% greater power target than the RTX 4070 Ti and its Super-refreshed variant. However, it is worth mentioning that it is unknown whether the 300W metric references TDP or TBP. Compared to the RTX 5080 specs Kopite shared earlier, the RTX 5070 Ti represents an enormous downgrade in specs. The RTX 5080 has 20% more CUDA cores (10,752) and, as a result, could pull 33% more power (400W TBP). The RTX 5070 Ti is configured differently from its RTX 40-series counterpart. The 5070 Ti is reportedly equipped with the same **** as the RTX 5080 but has a larger margin for raw specs. On the contrary, the RTX 4070 Ti was closer to the RTX 4080 on the spec sheet, yet both GPUs use different **** models (AD104 for the RTX 4070 Ti, AD103 for the RTX 4080). The RTX 4080 features 15% more cores than the 4070 Ti and consumes just 35W more power. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Nvidia is expected to announce its next-generation GeForce Blackwell gaming graphics cards at CES 2025. According to the rumors, the lineup may comprise the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070. Source link #RTX #rumor #points #CUDA #cores #300W #TDP #Blackwell #GPU #GB203 #**** #RTX Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Briton Simone White ***** after suspected mass poisoning in Laos Briton Simone White ***** after suspected mass poisoning in Laos Briton Simone White has ***** after a suspected methanol poisoning thought to have ******* four others in Laos, south-east Asia. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has ***** in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities.” It comes after *********** teen Bianca Jones’ ****** was confirmed by her family, and the US State Department told the media that an ********* man ***** in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. Two Danish women aged 19 and 20 also ***** last week in Laos, Danish authorities confirmed, declining to share more information due to confidentiality concerns. News reports and testimonies on social media from other tourists have suggested they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol. Many of the victims were staying at the ***** Backpacker Hostel with staff being told that guests had fallen ill after they ******* to check out on 13 November. Source link #Briton #Simone #White #***** #suspected #mass #poisoning #Laos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, November 21 NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, November 21 Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle. Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below. How to play Strands You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable. If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it. Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once. Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow. The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints. Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s theme is “You’re getting warm” Here’s a hint that might help you: where you sit to get warm inside. Today’s Strand answers NYT Today’s spanagram We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own: Today’s Strands answers FLUE BROOM CHIMNEY POKER MANTEL SCREEN HEARTH Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #spangram #answers #Thursday #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Flexispot’s fabulous E7 standing desk drops down to $329 for ****** Friday Flexispot’s fabulous E7 standing desk drops down to $329 for ****** Friday Standing desks have been a popular choice for a lot of PC, gaming, and WFH (work from home) setups since the pandemic and continue to be a great choice for home office setups. The flexibility to switch from a seated to a standing posture and anything in between has been touted as a slight health benefit to combat CVD and DVT, but the official jury on that is still in session. What I do know, is that my standing desk has been a godsend, and makes my home office a much more comfortable area to work in. Flexispot currently has a limited-time ****** Friday deal going where you can grab a Flexispot E7 standing desk for just $329, saving $170 off the original $499 MSRP price. This offer is for the legs – the main component of the standing desk, and there is an extra charge for your choice of table tops. You can of course source your own desktop and combine it with the E7 desk legs to make your unique standing desk. The Flexispot E7 standing desk has a massive weight capacity of 335 lbs, more than enough to support multiple monitors and a PC tower. The legs are constructed of carbon steel and use dual electric motors for a powerful controlled and precise movement up and down. The desk will move from as low as 22.8 inches to as high as 48.4 inches. Movement is controlled via a touchscreen control panel which can hold up to 4 memory height presets and also incorporates a USB charging port for conveniently charging your devices on your desk. Source link #Flexispots #fabulous #standing #desk #drops #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can Guardiola transform City amid worst coaching spell? Can Guardiola transform City amid worst coaching spell? Spanish coaching great Pep Guardiola is expected to extend his reign at Man City but, in the short term, he has his work cut out to extend their dominance. Source link #Guardiola #transform #City #worst #coaching #spell Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WhatsApp adds voice message transcripts WhatsApp adds voice message transcripts WhatsApp added voice message transcripts on Thursday. Handy for when you’re in a loud environment (or if you prefer reading over listening), they’ll be rendered on-device, so they’ll remain encrypted and private. To set them up, head to Settings > Chats > Voice message transcripts and toggle the feature on. There, you can also pick your preferred language. Once set up, you can transcribe a message by long-pressing on it and tapping “transcribe.” The feature will roll out globally over the coming weeks, so you may not see it right away. WhatsApp says message transcripts are launching in only “a few select languages,” but the company plans to add more in the coming months. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has apparently earmarked this week for new messaging features. On Wednesday, Messenger added the ability to leave audio or video messages if a call goes unanswered. Also new in Messenger are AI video call backgrounds, HD video calling, background noise suppression and voice isolation. Source link #WhatsApp #adds #voice #message #transcripts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Networks lagging in compute tech evolution, says HPE Networks lagging in compute tech evolution, says HPE Noting that it was operating in an era of extraordinary transformation whereby artificial intelligence (AI) is already the bedrock for productivity, growth and efficiency, HPE CEO Antonio Neri has warned that development work in networking is not progressing at the same rate as other essential technology fields to produce the core technology that will support the generative AI (GenAI) workloads of the future. As he delivered the opening keynote at HPE Discover Europe, Neri noted that among the company’s core values was to have a lasting impact on society as it was solving technological and business challenges, with GenAI representing the “key shift” in the way this was going to happen. GenAI, he said, was not just about rapid growth – it racked up 50 million users less than a month after launch, while it took the mobile phone industry 12 years to do the same – but instead a major paradigm shift, driving “a profound transformation unlike anything that we have ever seen”. “AI is not just enhancing technology, it is enabling new worlds of interaction capabilities, regarding what is possible in our lifetimes,” said Neri. “It is transforming every sector, every line of business, and creating opportunities we couldn’t even imagine 18 months ago. The AI future is here, and it is calling us to action. Businesses that quickly bring AI into their enterprises will not just stay competitive, they will set a standard.” Neil MacDonald, executive vice-president and general manager of HPE’s compute business, said: “We are living in this moment of tremendous transformation where AI is either going to elevate what we do or disrupt those that don’t adapt to take advantage of it. We’re committed to supporting our customers whether they are building models, running services or running sovereign AI initiatives. And in the big picture, it’s not just about compute: that’s [just] one of the big changes. It’s about bringing together the networking, the storage, the compute, the services into a seamless experience.” Citing a study on the future of work by McKinsey predicting that up to 30% of the hours worked today will be fully automated by 2030, Neri observed that GenAI had the potential to fundamentally transform human productivity, meaning HPE had to be GenAI-ready, data-driven and connected. He said hybrid cloud would be key as it allowed enterprises to process data “where it makes most sense”, whether it was on-premise, or in a private or public cloud. At the show, Neri announced that HPE was introducing an option for disconnected management of private cloud services to offer a fully air-gapped management option. Such capability, he stressed, was only possible if businesses had a robust networking infrastructure connecting all of those points. However, Neri warned of a fundamental issue regarding the fundamental infrastructures on which these GenAI-centric, data-driven businesses would be based. “As we see what is happening in [networking], while servers and compute [development] is shifting dramatically, the network has to catch up,” he said. “There has been an incumbency there that has seen [the sector] not innovate [recently] as fast as maybe in the first decade and a half [of the century]. “Customers are telling us they need choice, they need flexibility, but also, they need a core foundation by which they can deploy these new capabilities in an accelerated way,” said Neri. “We said many years ago, the work will be *******. And we were right, and we see today, whether it is repatriation workloads because of data sovereignty issues, or because of cost issues, or because of AI – which by design is a data-intensive workload and hybrid because data [goes] everywhere – [then the] network needs to cope with the demands of connecting all that data to those models that are being trained, and networking is the core foundation of that.” Juniper Networks acquisition He said the pending acquisition of Juniper Networks, set for some time before early 2025, would become “very important” in solving these challenges. “With the AI loads, data needs to flow seamlessly between environments, and you just take all of them,” said Neri. “And that’s why [Juniper] is a huge plus for us as a company, and why working with HP will be supercharged by this acquisition, adding Juniper’s high-performance, AI-native networking solution to our security-first Aruba networking solutions.” HPE acquired Aruba Networks in 2015, and since then has been building its networking portfolio, including a leading campus and branch offering. Neri said that once it closes the Juniper acquisition, it will ultimately have an “industry-first” secure, AI-native network, purpose built with AI and for AI, to deliver a “top” end-to-end user and operator experience. Juniper Networks CEO Rami Rahim said the acquisition was about more than just combining strengths, but instead about transforming what networks can do for all those that use them, from delivering better experiences with traditional applications to meeting the growing demands of AI workloads. “AI is reshaping every industry, and to support that, networks have to evolve, and they’ve got to [do that] rapidly,” he said. “They have to change. The goal is to simplify the lives of network operators so that they can focus on better ways to help their customers, designers, programmers, students, staff, patients and guests to use their networks to work, live and play. We have worked with countless customers to reduce things like troubleshooting time and operational costs, and we’re getting very, very close to virtually eliminating all trouble tickets. “With our technology companies, like ServiceNow, we can reduce their trouble ticket status by 90% and more,” said Rahim. “Ultimately, we let IT staff focus on more strategic things. Like [motoring and cycling] retailer Halfords in the ***, who, during the pandemic, saw customers change their shopping habits, relying on online ordering and contact with pickup. When the pandemic eased, it capitalised on that change [and] made it easier for in-store shoppers to research, compare order products from their smartphones or in-store digital displays, all powered by a single, secure network.” He noted that Juniper has been building AI for networks for nearly nine years, and that with its Mist AI service it can automate and optimise networks in ways that were not possible before, predicting issues before they happen, reducing operating expenses by up to 85% in some instances and cutting network downtime significantly. Seamless and scalable As he closed out, Neri re-emphasised that customers needed “seamless, scalable solutions, without the operational headaches”, and that they would require a network architecture purpose-built for AI workloads and multiple levels of connectivity, and with a full networking stack, including security. “This is not just about hardware performance and scale,” he said. “For our customers to ultimately be successful, they need a network stack that’s open and, very importantly, flexible – that doesn’t lock [them] in. They need us to simplify deployment and management with automated operations that use AI ops, but also content-based networking. We’re ready to help our customers [and] meet and tackle these AI challenges right now.” Source link #Networks #lagging #compute #tech #evolution #HPE Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FAA administrator plans to meet with Boeing CEO in Seattle FAA administrator plans to meet with Boeing CEO in Seattle By David Shepardson ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) – FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said on Thursday he plans to soon visit Boeing’s Seattle offices to meet with CEO Kelly Ortberg as the planemaker resumes 737 MAX production. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would boost its oversight of Boeing as the planemaker prepares to resume production of its 737 MAX jets following a 53-day strike that ended two weeks ago. “We are working closely with Boeing to make sure the safety management system is driving their actions during” the restart of production, Whitaker said, who spoke to Ortberg earlier this month on the production plan. Boeing did not immediately comment. The FAA noted that it maintained its enhanced on-site presence at Boeing factories throughout the strike “and will further strengthen and target our oversight as the company begins its return-to-work plan.” Whitaker capped production at 38 737 MAX planes per month in January after a door panel missing four key bolts flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in flight that month, exposing serious safety issues at Boeing. The FAA said in October it was opening a new safety review into Boeing. That month, the Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General criticized the FAA’s oversight of Boeing. At a holiday travel press conference at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington on Thursday, Whitaker did not directly answer whether he plans to remain as FAA administrator once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. But he said he plans to engage with the transition team. Whitaker has a five-year term that does not expire until 2028. “I’m looking forward to working with the incoming (transportation) secretary,” Whitaker said. “Right now, we’re focused on safety and trying to make this transition as smooth as smooth as possible.” (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis) Source link #FAA #administrator #plans #meet #Boeing #CEO #Seattle Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 Adds More Servers While Team Works “Around The Clock” To Fix Issues Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 Adds More Servers While Team Works “Around The Clock” To Fix Issues Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has already become one of the most memorable launches of the year, but probably not in the way that developer Asobo Studio hoped. It debuted earlier this week with a number of bugs and performance issues that have left it virtually unplayable for many. Consequently, Flight Simulator 2024 has been review-bombed on Steam. Now, Asobo Studio is attempting to assure players that the team is working “around the clock” to fix it. In a statement on X, Asobo Studio noted that Flight Simulator 2024’s server capacity has been increased, but “access issues continue.” Many of the game’s issues stem from Asobo underestimating the servers it would need to keep the game running smoothly. The large number of players attempting to access the game has overloaded the servers. The team also apologized to players and promised to continue working on fixing those problems. We have increased our server capacity and are seeing more players accessing the sim, however, we are still seeing access issues continue. This is not the launch experience we want for our players and want to apologize to the community. We will continue to work around the clock… — Microsoft Flight Simulator (@MSFSofficial) November 21, 2024 In a short video on YouTube, Asobo CEO Sebastian Wloch went into further detail about how the servers ******* despite the team’s attempt to stress test them by simulating 200,000 players at once. According to Wloch, the team tried to fix the issue by limiting the number of players, which “worked well for maybe half an hour or so and then all of a sudden the cache collapsed again.” “So we’re restarting,” continued Wloch. “We’re trying to investigate, doing our best and going as fast as we can to make sure everybody can go in.” For now, there’s no time for when Flight Simulator 2024’s server issues will be resolved. It’s been a bumpy ride so far, but hopefully the team at Asobo will be able to stick the landing. Source link #Microsoft #Flight #Sim #Adds #Servers #Team #Works #Clock #Fix #Issues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

7 fitness tracker ****** Friday deals under $70: Save on getting your steps in 7 fitness tracker ****** Friday deals under $70: Save on getting your steps in The ****** Friday sales are almost in full swing now, and there are loads of deals on the best fitness trackers and the best smartwatches at all price points, from the smallest fitness band to the biggest, most rugged adventure watch. While many serious fitness enthusiasts are looking for high-powered pieces of kit to help them hit their goals in 2025, with tons of specialist features to dig into, just as many people are looking for simple, cost-effective fitness trackers and step counters to make doing everyday activities a little bit easier. These basic band-style trackers, like the Fitbit Inspire 3 (reduced from $99 down to $69 at Best Buy), are unobtrusive to wear, tend to have a longer battery life than most smartwatches due to their reduced power output, and are able to track your steps per day, sleep, workouts, and general activity levels. Some may prompt you if you’ve been sitting down too long, while others have *******, brighter screens to offer guidance mid-workout. There’s never been a better time to snap up one of the best cheap fitness trackers than ****** Friday. Below, we’ve highlighted seven excellent (and crucially cheap) fitness trackers you can bag for under seventy bucks. Now that’s a ****** Friday deal worth running to get. Today’s best fitness tracker ****** Friday deals Altogether, if you’re taking your first steps into fitness or you’re replacing an existing tracker, you’ll find an option out there for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more expensive tracker or a more powerful smartwatch, check out our guides to the ****** Friday Garmin deals, ****** Friday Fitbit deals, and ****** Friday Apple Watch deals. More of today’s ****** Friday sales in the US Amazon: TVs, smart home & air fryers from $12.99 Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99 Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99 Christmas trees: top-rated trees from $54.99 Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99 Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $349 + free shipping Holiday: decor, lights, Christmas trees & PJs from $10.99 Home Depot: 40% off tools, appliances & furniture Lowe’s: holiday decor, appliances & tools from $17.31 Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances Target: save on furniture, tech & clothing Walmart: cheap TVs, ****** vacs, furniture & appliances Source link #fitness #tracker #****** #Friday #deals #Save #steps Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Snow and ice shut schools as Storm Bert looms Snow and ice shut schools as Storm Bert looms Getty Images Several parts of the *** have seen heavy snowfall on Thursday as forecasters warn of Storm Bert’s arrival at the weekend. More than 100 schools across the Scottish Highlands and 30 in north Wales have closed, while almost 200 schools in Devon and Cornwall shut or were partially closed due to the snow. Yellow weather warnings have been issued for snow and ice in parts of the *** until Friday, with further warnings for rain and snow due to come into effect this weekend. This comes as the second named storm of the season is set to bring snow, rain and strong winds to parts of the *** on Saturday. Storm Bert, named by Ireland’s Met Éireann, is forecast to bring further disruption with gusts of 40-60mph (65-96km/h). Around Irish Sea coasts, gusts are expected to reach 70mph. The Met Office warned of possible travel disruption and flooding, and said parts of Wales and south-west England could see more than 100mm of rainfall. It also issued yellow weather warnings for rain and snow for Saturday and Sunday, and an amber warning of snow and ice in parts of the Highlands, Perth and Kinross and Angus. There is a yellow weather warning currently in place for much of Scotland, northern England and some of western and eastern England and Wales until 10:00 GMT on Friday. A yellow warning for snow and ice is also in place across Northern Ireland from 15:00 on Thursday until 10:00 on Saturday. BBC Weather Watchers/Cloud9Weather Devon saw heavy snowfall on Thursday On Thursday, the AA warned motorists to check forecasts before setting out on the road and to drive with “extreme caution”. Devon and Cornwall Police said it had received numerous calls about collisions due to the conditions, and urged drivers to check the weather before travelling. A number of train services were also cancelled in the area following the heavy snow. The AA said it predicted a “major increase” in its workload. In Inverness, bus services were suspended for the safety of drivers and passengers, travel company Stagecoach said. BBC Weather Watchers/John from Carmavy This furry friend was enjoying the snow in Carmavy Rain turned to steady snowfall over Dartmoor and Exmoor early on Thursday morning but as this turned heavier during the morning, heavy snow fell even at lower elevations. Snow also fell for some around the New Forest and South Downs on Thursday morning. While this area of snow, sleet and rain clears from southern England, heavy snow will continue in northern Scotland through into Friday morning. Wintry showers will also move into north Wales and parts of north-west England later on Thursday and through the night. Temperatures fell to -10C in Tyndrum, Scotland, on Wednesday night, but with a low of -8.7C in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, it was England’s coldest night of the autumn so far. It was also the coldest night of autumn in Northern Ireland with -3.9C at Katesbridge. Temperatures will fall sharply again on Thursday night with a widespread frost and ice on untreated surfaces. BBC Weather Watchers/Janey girl Heavy snow covered much of Cornwall, as seen here at the Halvana Plantation in Bodmin Moor Meanwhile, the first amber cold weather alert of the season is in place for much of England until 18:00 on Saturday. The alert means there is an increased health risk to vulnerable people. As the weather turns colder, some may be eligible for cold weather payments – a government benefit to help with fuel bills during times of exceptionally cold weather. Those who qualify must already be receiving certain benefits and meet additional criteria outlined on the government’s website. The average temperature in the area must be 0C or less for seven days in a row or be forecast to be below freezing for seven consecutive days. People in England and Wales can check whether they are eligible via the government website. In Scotland, Winter Heating Payments are available to some people who meet the eligibility criteria. People in Northern Ireland can check their eligibility on this checker. Source link #Snow #ice #shut #schools #Storm #Bert #looms Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Army and its ‘fanatical’ coach aim for perfection. But is that enough? Army and its ‘fanatical’ coach aim for perfection. But is that enough? WEST POINT, N.Y. — Here is an Army football coach: Sunk into a large leather armchair facing other pieces of large leather furniture, in a room festooned with old drawings from his daughters and challenge coins gifted him by generals, wearing a gray knit sweater that’s a decent match for the crisply trimmed hair on his head, talking about obligation. The idea of it changes the longer you’re here, Jeff Monken thinks. At first, the focus is immediate success in the job at hand. Wins and bowl games and so forth, in his case. Then, classes of cadets move on. Their new responsibilities make football look silly, but they tell you what they learned is helping them lead soldiers protecting a country. The outlines of obligation expand. And you start to appreciate the victories yet to be won. “I could argue that I’m having more of an impact on people here than I could have anywhere else,” Monken says. “But personally – personally – I want to go play for a national championship. I’m not sure that can be done at an academy. Maybe it can. Maybe we can be the top Group of 5 and get into the playoff. But I can’t control that.” It’s mid-October and this 19,000-acre museum of a place, home to actual Civil War cannons and the first forward pass, is an epicenter of modern college football astonishment. Army – yes, that Army – is undefeated and nationally ranked with a view of the College Football Playoff. Down the hill from centuries-old Fort Putnam, steel hammers steel and machines move earth as part of a $170 million project to construct a new east side of Michie Stadium, flush with suites and club seats and a bar with a huge fireplace. If then and now sometimes work at odds here when it comes to football, they’re in total agreement at the moment. On Saturday, the No. 18 ****** Knights collide with history and No. 6 Notre Dame at ******* Stadium. By itself, it’s a movie. But what comes after could be a fascinating tangle of everything frustrating about college football, the demands of a place with a larger mission, and how far a coach and good soldier wants to go, assuming anyone notices him. The Army is doing what it can to make it easier for its football team and the man in charge. But easier isn’t easy. “Here, I got to be perfect,” Jeff Monken says. “It’s hard to be perfect at Army.” The current Cadet Chapel at the ******* States Military Academy sits atop its own hill, offering rapturous views of lower Hudson Valley foliage from the foot of its steps. It took over the spot from the first Cadet Chapel in the early 1900s. The old one giving way, though, was not the same as going away. It was disassembled, brick-by-brick, and then reassembled at the entrance to the West Point ********* a little less than a mile down the road. Which is another way of saying the people in this place aren’t afraid of painstaking work and heavy loads. By comparison, rebuilding a football program might seem like the odd chore. But it certainly was a chore. Army had posted one winning season in its previous 17 seasons when it hired Monken on Christmas Eve of 2013. In the previous 50 years, the ****** Knights had been ranked in the Associated Press poll for a total of six weeks. Most galling of all? Navy had won the Secretary’s Trophy 12 straight times. Nobody expected Army to be a modern-day powerhouse, but general football irrelevance and an annual broadside to morale was not an ideal regiment. “It wasn’t good,” says Luke Proulx, a defensive back when Monken arrived and now the program’s director of player development. “Everyone thought we were doing the things that we needed to do to win games. But it was made pretty clear that we were not doing the work requisite with getting a win on a Saturday.” It took Monken three years to produce a bowl team and fewer than eight to become the second-winningest coach in program history. As of this week, he’s 42 victories shy of Earl “Red” Blaik, whose name adorns the football field and whose bronze statue dominates the football center lobby. A less quantifiable appraisal of his achievements here, though, might be a more telling one: When academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland addressed the football team in the preseason, he declared the head coach the most disciplined person on the installation. “Most people, including some of our fans,” Army athletic director Mike Buddie says, “think that Jeff Monken is a West Point graduate.” In fact, Monken played wide receiver for Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., a couple hours south of home in Joliet, where his football life began as a waterboy for teams coached by his late father, Mike, a member of the state’s high school coaches Hall of Fame. Monken’s own nine-stop coaching journey – “There’s nothing else in my life I’ve ever wanted to do,” the 57-year-old says – started with a graduate assistant gig at Hawaii, where his approach told his fortune. He was single, so the football office was home. Need someone to monitor disciplinary conditioning at 5 a.m.? Monken raised a hand. “He was not a partier, not a go-out guy,” says Paul Johnson, the former Navy and Georgia Tech head coach who was then an assistant at Hawaii. “He worked in the cafeteria so he could eat free. That was his deal.” Can’t begrudge a 20-something grunt making $439.76 a month some industriousness. And, in any case, it carried Monken from Honolulu to two years of high school and Division III jobs back in Illinois all the way to the head coach chair at Georgia Southern in 2010 and, so far, the decade-plus of life at the ******* States Military Academy. (Literally so. Army’s coaches are housed on post, where there’s a commissary with curbside pickup and a K-8 school. West Point even has its own ZIP code.) But, no, he is not an Army grad. Just looks and acts and sounds like one. “You can’t win being void of talent,” Monken says. “We’re not void of talent. We got some talented guys on our team. But are we the most talented team on the field on Saturday? Probably never. But that means we got to do all the other things you’ve got to be tough for.” The temperature registered at 1 degree on the morning of the first winter workout Monken ran here, on the Michie Stadium turf. Because lockers weren’t kept to the standard expected by the new coaching staff, many players already were relocated and dressed in a visitors’ locker room that didn’t have heat. The workout itself comprised 13 stations, theoretically. If anyone made a mistake, everyone started the station over. “I hope not to embellish too much,” Proulx says, “but I think we went for about an hour and 45 minutes, no one’s wearing sleeves, no one’s wearing gloves, and we didn’t even get through one station.” It was an introductory lesson about both the program’s nonexistent margin for error and the fortitude required to avoid slippage. And since the Army hasn’t changed, neither has the approach. When Monken discusses his $15 million indoor practice field – and, truly, it’s as accommodating as any Power 4 facility – he calls it “the lightning shelter.” As in: That is the only reason his team uses it. A bye-week Tuesday practice in 2024 is minutes old when Monken stops a drill, annoyed. “Hold up, coach!” he barks. To rehearse proper technique for a dip-and-rip off the line of scrimmage, defenders have to grab a white towel laying 6 inches in front and a foot to the side as they come out of their stance. But 6 inches in front and a foot to the side means 6 inches in front and a foot to the side. Not closer. Not by a turf pebble. “Move the towel back!” Monken says, and after a quick reset, the drill begins anew. For two-plus hours, he stalks between fields and position groups, attentive to every technical success or glitch in any part of the operation. While “Born in the U.S.A.” plays during a water break, Monken leans down to attend to two yellow blocking pads. They’re partially unzipped. So Army’s head coach zips them all the way closed. “Everything he does, sometimes you might think it’s a little extreme, but it’s how he lives his life,” right tackle Lucas Scott says. “When you keep pushing that on a group of people, either they’re going to be made for it or they’re not. The guys that are made for it last.” Intimate instruction from the guy at the top of an org chart is uncommon enough. The ferocity of this is something else entirely. As he watched his very first practice as athletic director, Buddie saw his football coach picking up errant wrappers on the field. On a bye-week October afternoon, Monken walks into a conference room after a quarterback meeting disperses. While he makes small talk, he guides the chairs around the table back into place. “There’s no guy who’s more fanatical about details and fundamentals,” defensive lineman Cody Winkour says. Yet there’s only so much a coach can manipulate in this football program. There are only so many personal touches a man can apply when all the jersey nameplates read ARMY. Two phrases dominate the auditorium wall in the football building: DO YOUR JOB and FOLLOW THE PLAN. As Monken notes, the objectives and values were the same during a 2-6 start to the 2023 season as they are during the heady days of 2024. The difference? It has something to do with the inevitability of identity. Military academy offense – so, ultra-run-heavy option football – forever has relied on cut blocks. Then the NCAA tightened its blocking-below-the-waist rules heading into 2023. It spurred Monken to hire offensive coordinator Drew Thatcher from Division II Nebraska-Kearney and overhaul the scheme to rely less on what Army always had relied on. The ****** Knights attempted double-digit passes in each game during that 2-6 start. They were shut out three times en route to being the lowest-scoring offense, on a per-game basis, of Monken’s tenure. “I always felt like we could control games on offense here,” he says now. “I didn’t feel that way last year. It was a helpless feeling.” In a matter of months, Army has shed a sort of football personality disorder and once again thrives on complements. The retooled offense is voracious and efficient under new coordinator Cody Worley, ranking No. 1 in the country in rushing yards per game (334.9) and 22nd with 35.2 points scored per game. The defense, typically solid in most years under Monken, ranks second in the country in fewest points allowed per game (10.33, just .03 points per game behind Ohio State). The symbiosis – offense chews up clock, defense gets off the field quickly, repeat – is basically Army being all it can be. Consider a win at North Texas on Nov. 9: The ****** Knights went up two scores after a 21-play drive that lasted longer than a half-hour of real time, and then two fourth-quarter interceptions snuffed out the hosts’ attempts to rally. “That’s this place,” defensive coordinator Nate Woody says. “You don’t have to drill that into guys. It’s inherent in what they do every day: Working together, communicating, solving problems, doing it as a unit or as a team.” Another successful marriage of then and now. Thatcher left after that one disappointing season. Worley, who’d been on staff as quarterbacks coach since 2020, up-shifted into the coordinator role but didn’t roll a sizzle-reel of World War II-era offense to mark his promotion. Not every idea from 2023 was a bad one. It was maybe just too much of one idea. “We probably overcooked it,” is how Worley puts it. So he and the offensive staff pursued fusion and flexibility, not reinvention. Doing the predictable in unpredictable ways. Against East Carolina on Oct. 19, knowing its opponent had two weeks to prepare, Army was equipped to flip its season-long tendencies and run offense out of the shotgun twice as much as usual. And after a while of that, the ****** Knights called what Worley describes as a “Day 1, core play.” Quarterback Bryson Daily took a traditional snap, a linebacker mis-fit an assignment and the result was a touchdown. “Different presentations,” Worley says. “It may be the same play, but the speed is different. The fits are different up front. Even though it’s the same for us, it’s different for the defense.” Some stars aligning helps, too. Woody says leading tackler Andon Thomas reminds him of former Army linebacker Jon Rhattigan, who’s currently with the Carolina Panthers. The offensive line, in Monken’s estimation, is the most talented and possibly most ornery unit he’s had at West Point, all the way down to wrestling each other to settle arguments about who’s tougher. Savages, is how Daily refers to that group. “Mean. Tough. Violent,” right tackle Lucas Scott says. “The standard is really, really high in our room.” But when Worley describes the team’s personnel as “perfect,” there is no clearer illustration than the 6-foot, 220-pound Daily, who has evolved into a concrete thunderbolt. The Texan who had zero offers to play offense anywhere else in the Football Bowl Subdivision has accounted for 28 total touchdowns in nine games after 14 all of last season. An interception thrown against North Texas was his first of the year. Daily has rumbled his way into the periphery of Heisman Trophy chatter, bye-week appearances on “The Dan Patrick Show” and his head coach needling him by announcing he’ll be available for autographs after a team meeting. “I’ve been put in great situations and I’ve been lucky enough to capitalize on the situations I’ve been put in,” Daily says. “I think every time the guys see a post about me or post about an individual doing good, the guys internalize that, like, ‘Hey, that’s us. That’s us as an offense.’” All jobs on all fronts well done, at a place where failures are magnified tenfold when they’re not. Many of the current ****** Knights relearned this the hard way. They’ll sort of sidle up to a concession that, even at a place like West Point, some football orders might’ve been questioned early last season. That egos compounded the schematic hiccups. That the 4-0 finish to 2023 was a quietly critical realignment preceding all the noise they’re making in 2024. “Every guy on the team is taking personal ownership of, ‘This is what I gotta do today,’” second-leading rusher Kanye Udoh says. “Last year, when we were 2-6, there wasn’t the same level of everybody being bought in, up to that point, as it is now.” Nothing changes and everything changes. The Army football team wakes up before sunrise and leaves the practice field after dark, unbeaten and almost too busy to notice anyone noticing. Good day or bad day, there’s formation at 6:30 a.m. How they’re doing it is no mystery. How long it lasts is another story. Because nearly anywhere else, it’s enough to not be perfect. Army coach Jeff Monken, 57, is the second-winningest coach in program history. (David Jensen / Getty Images) Jeff Monken grew up on Tom Osborne and Woody Hayes and Joe Paterno. Or at least the college football coach archetype they represented. Longevity. Championships. There was a caption to the picture of them in Monken’s mind: I’m going to do that. Also, none of those guys coached at Army. “I’d like to have an opportunity to have that challenge at the highest level,” Monken says. “This is a hard job. People talk about other Power 4 (schools) – ‘That’s a hard job.’ ******* than the one I’ve got? What’s ******* than this job? Which one?” It’s not a complaint. He enlisted in his own way, though Johnson at the time did tell his former assistant that the Army job would afford Monken patience and a better salary. And Monken had the blueprint from his time at Navy, to boot. “Where he is,” Johnson says, “is a really good fit for him.” The results prove that. Over time, there have been conversations and maybe even close calls with schools inquiring about his services. And Jeff Monken is still the Army football coach. “If he gets the opportunity and it’s the right one, he’ll pursue it,” Buddie says. “He’s in Year 11. He’s earned that opportunity.” The part about the right one matters. Some places aren’t for Jeff Monken and Jeff Monken might not be for some places. The coach and his athletic director have discussed that very topic. Why haven’t there been any right ones, though? There’s loyalty involved – Johnson just about kicked Monken out of his office when Monken told him he might stay at Georgia Tech instead of taking the Georgia Southern job – and there are also biases and boosters and message boards afflicting the people doing the hiring. “There’s so many misnomers out there about, ‘You can’t recruit to the offense’ and ‘Fans won’t like it,’” Johnson says. “If somebody finally gives him a chance, they’ll be really happy they did.” In the meantime, Army offers a well-insulated refuge from transfer portal chaos and name, image and likeness negotiations. “That’s just a stressor, causing animosity among teammates,” Scott, the offensive tackle, says. The ****** Knights have two full-length practice fields and that indoor facility. They strive for power-conference level travel and technology. Nutrition is a priority, given the demands of a cadet’s day; there are the mandatory pair of robust mess-hall meals – “Heavy” and “Heavy Heavy” are the two options for the amount of food served at each table – and a nightly catered dinner at the football facility. “We maximize all of it,” Monken says, “because our guys need it.” Army finally started an athletic association in 2017 that allows it to profit from apparel and broadcast deals, raise funds and, as Buddie puts it, pay a head football coach “the going rate.” And while Army has clinched a spot in the ********* Athletic Conference championship in its first season in the league, membership alone creates an annual path to a College Football Playoff spot, however steep it may be. (A schedule ranked among the easiest nationally underscores that, as well as the significance of the Notre Dame showdown.) Inescapably, it is still the ******* States Military Academy. When Udoh talks about team bonding, he’s referring to eight days of Cadet Field Training and wearing night-vision goggles on two hours of sleep and ******* blank rounds into the dark. The program will never have “Taj Mahals with marble floors and fondue chocolate fountains and barber shops and slides,” as Buddie puts it, because it’s the Army. It’s supposed to be tough. It’s supposed to be a choice between two worlds. “I’m not going to be all ‘Pollyanna,’” Buddie says. “If a Power 5 had offered (Monken) a job in the last four or five years, would he have taken it? Maybe? But he’s not just, like, looking to get out. Now more than ever, I think people realize that the grass is not always greener. The challenges that we have here grow exponentially when Russia invades Ukraine – that makes it ******* for us to recruit. But he’s not having to negotiate with agents. He’s not having to negotiate with his starting quarterback every offseason. And I think there’s value in that, too.” Monken sees it. He grabs a notecard from his desk and starts the walk to a team meeting that begins at 1400 hours sharp. He points to a mostly empty hallway. “You know how many coaches got a line outside their office with kids wondering if they’re going to get paid more, are they going to get more playing time, or guys that walked in after four games and said, ‘I’m going to redshirt’?” Monken says. “I don’t deal with any of that.” Maybe it’s not worth losing sleep over in the end. Maybe it is, if he’s afforded the chance. Soon, he’s at the front of an auditorium with hip-hop music blaring over rowdy conversations. Nobody in the world wants to get shot at, as Monken notes, but there are people willing to do so for the sake of their country. And they’re in that room. “This place is hard,” Monken says. “Everything they do is a challenge here. But they stay here. They’re here for a reason.” (Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photos: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images) Source link #Army #fanatical #coach #aim #perfection Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Review: Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire has got a fun premise, but a flawed ********** – Entertainium Review: Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire has got a fun premise, but a flawed ********** – Entertainium Angelus Victor said: When I first ***** my eyes on Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire, I was quite interested, because there were some raving comments about it paying a homage to a Dreamcast classic: Skies of Arcadia. While the marketing for this game was absolutely abysmal, with many of my friends not even knowing of its existence, it looked promising in the trailers. So I absolutely had to check it out for myself. So prepare for takeoff, we’re off into an adventure. Source link #Review #Sky #Oceans #Wings #Hire #fun #premise #flawed #********** #Entertainium Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Yes, Google is a near-monopoly, but selling off Chrome won’t make it better Yes, Google is a near-monopoly, but selling off Chrome won’t make it better Google’s Chrome browser is dominant; not in the way Google’s search engine is, but at 67% market share, according to Stat Counter, it sits comfortably atop competitors like Safari, Edge, and Opera, who are mostly fighting over scraps. For the US Government, which is now calling for the breakup of Google by having it sell off Chrome and, perhaps, Android, it’s not so much the market share that matters as much as how Chrome acts as a powerful fulcrum for Google’s other interests, chief among which is maximizing advertising revenue. Here’s how it works. Chrome is a web browser like Safari and others, but it’s also a search engine interface. The default search engine when Chrome is delivered to your desktop or smartphone is, naturally, Google. These days there are few people who only type websites into their browser address bar (so-called because we were only supposed to put the ‘address’ or URL for our desired website in there). Now we use our browser address bars as prompt fields. That’s right; long before the advent of AI, we were typing in fully-formed sentences and, invariably, getting canny answers from Google’s powerful search engine. I’ve argued here and elsewhere that Google’s search dominance comes by way of quality not coercion. That’s not all we’ve been getting. If I type, “Where do I find the best mattresses?” into my Chrome address bar, Google Search instantly returns a page of results. ‘Sponsored’ links occupy, by my estimate, 95% of the desktop web page results. I have to scroll down to perhaps the fourth result to see some suggestions from The New York Times. Google gets paid for those ads; and, essentially every time you search, for every result with ads, Google gets a cut. If Google isn’t serving partner ads, then it has ads delivered in search and through millions of websites by its own Doubleclick ad network. It’s a system that barters and then fills countless bits of unsold inventory (pages where a specific advertiser didn’t choose to sponsor the site or page) to the highest-bidding advertiser. Google gets paid here, too (as do publishers). That’s a lot of ads (Image credit: Future) The everything of Google Even if you’re not on Chrome, Google search is pervasive. The search company pays Apple up to $20 billion a year to be the default search engine in Safari’s address bar. If you own an Android phone, Chrome is often the default browser, or it’s at least pre-installed, and virtually all phones also feature Google Discover, which you can usually find by swiping right on your Android homepage. This feed is full of news and ads, with Google again getting paid for the latter. Google’s reach and, perhaps, control, are undeniable. Is it a monopoly? A US federal judge said yes in August. I’ve argued here, and elsewhere, that Google’s search dominance comes by way of quality not coercion. Google entered a crowded search market and later a browser market dominated mostly by Microsoft and Internet Explorer. None of these competitors rolled over. Google just did it better. Technology has a habit of choosing winners and losers. It’s also the nature of the ****** to start demanding standards and uniformity. If there were two dozen operating systems across our desktops and mobile phones, developers would strain and probably break trying to support them all. In fact, they wouldn’t do it; and they, along with consumers, would soon pick the winners and losers. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) Google in control Google is not blameless here. It’s hard to deny the power and control that dominating market share gives you, and while consumers might initially choose a laptop manufacturer and a platform, it’s ultimately the tech companies like Google that lead and make decisions for us. They choose how the platforms will work, and which third-party systems to invite. They’re the ones connecting the dots on the back end – and that again is a considered decision that’s usually hidden from our view. Chrome is not just a web browser; it’s an ecosystem, a platform inside platforms that we live and work in. I manage multiple email accounts, edit documents in Google docs, manage my photo library, post on social media, and, lately, conduct AI conversations all inside of Chrome, with every action and interaction passing by Google’s unblinking eye. (Image credit: Statcounter) I’m not complaining. Google Search is still the best search engine in the business, and Chrome is an excellent browser that is finally getting its resource-hogging issues under control. It still earns its place on my desktop. Will I be served by someone else owning Chrome and then taking the code in a different direction, perhaps away from its tight integration with the Google corpus? I don’t think so. I know Google definitely doesn’t think so. In a tersely worded response to the DoJ brief proposing the break-up, Kent Walker, Google & Alphabet President, Global Affairs & Chief Legal Officer, wrote: “DoJ’s approach would result in unprecedented government overreach that would harm ********* consumers, developers, and small businesses – and jeopardize America’s global economic and technological leadership at precisely the moment it’s needed most.” He added that it would hobble access to Google Search, endanger consumer privacy, and harm Google’s investment in AI. Handicapping Google Google is on the precipice of radically reimagining our search with deeper integration of AI overviews, Gemini-powered generative results that may soon overtake traditional Google Search results. Again, since Chrome is our de facto search prompt window, shifting the browser to another company means that it could be any AI that returns a result. Google’s AI is not necessarily the best, yet, but it’s in a strong competitive position against, for instance, OpenAI and ChatGPT. I like how these companies are pushing each other. A Google breakup won’t help the race, or put the US in a better position relative to the rest of the world when it comes to AI development. I also, ultimately, don’t want anyone to pull Google Search out of my Chrome. It’s a marriage I like, and one that works for me and, I bet, billions of others. Pulling them apart may make Google look less like a monopoly, but it won’t improve anyone’s life. I’d prefer that the DoJ and others focus on Google’s ad business and SEO control – there may be some more sensible remedies there. I don’t know what will happen next. Google is now been labeled a monopoly, and the DoJ is calling for a breakup that could even include Android. But the X-factor here is that we are about to see a new administration in the White House, and changes at the top of the DOJ. Those changes could mean this initiative is ******* off, or they could mean it’s accelerated; it could go either way, and your guess is as good as mine. Maybe ask Google Chrome – I’m sure it has the answers. You might also like Source link #Google #nearmonopoly #selling #Chrome #wont Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]